WEDNESDAY
Oct. 21,1998
Claiborne anchors Trojan defense
The USC linebacker relies on
his natural talent and not just
his jersey to bring him success
By Joel Hood
Oregon Daily Emerald
It’s just a jersey, but there are some
who believe it possesses special powers.
It’s brickhouse-red nylon and gold
mesh, which is all at once the ugliest
get-up this side of Disco, and the most
fashionable cloak in Southern Califor
nia.
Junior Seau adorned the No. 55 jersey
during the 1989 season when the senior
linebacker recorded 19 sacks en route to
first-team all-American honors.
Two seasons later. No. 55 was worn
by defensive end Willie McGinest, who
was named USC's defensive player of
the year as a junior and a first-team all
American as a senior.
“ I think
Claiborne is
the best of
the bunch
[including
Seau and
McGinestJ. ”
Mike Bellotti
Oregon head coach
Not unrelated,
both Seau and
McGinest became
first-round NFL draft
choices and a short
time later became all
pros.
So it’s no surprise,
considering the histo
ry of Southern Cali
fornia’s No. 55 jersey,
that Chris Claiborne
jumped at the chance
to have this presti
gious cloth around
his shoulder pads for
the duration of his Trojan career.
And it’s certainly no surprise to those
who recruited Claiborne that he has
filled that role impressively.
As a true freshman in 1996, the 6-foot
3, 250-pound Claiborne was named to
the freshman all-America team by The
Sporting News and was a Pacific-10 Con
ference honorable mention pick. He
started nine of 12 games that season,
recording 116 tackles — the most ever by
a Trojan freshman — one fumble recov
ery, one forced fumble, seven deflections
and two interceptions.
Startling numbers for a freshman, but
not nearly as startling as the numbers he
put up as a senior at J.W. North High
School in Riverside, Calif., in 1995.
At linebacker Claiborne recorded a
USC Sports Information
Linebacker Chris Claiborne is nominated for both ail-American and Butkus Award honors this season.
team-high 117 tackles, two intercep
tions, two fumble recovers and a pair of
sacks. At tailback, he scored 38 touch
downs while rushing for 2,199 yards on
just 239 carries, a 9.4 yards-per-carry av
erage. At receiver, Claiborne caught 17
passes for 239 yards and three touch
downs. At punter, he carried a 35-yard
average.
People were taking notice. Claiborne
Turn to CLAIBORNE, Page 12A
Best Bet
World Series
New York at San Diego
5:20 p.m., FOX
New season
starts for UO
students
Club Sports begins a neiv season
this fall, offering many different
opportunities for students
By Brett Williams
lor the Emerald
There will never be hundreds of people
to watch them play. The possibility of a lu
crative contract offer in their sport after col
lege is nil. They play their respective sport
for the same reason they began to in grade
school - because they love doing it.
Club Sports begins its 30th season at Ore
gon this fall, with everything from equestri
an to soccer on tap. Athletes such as soccer
player Paul Bach exemplify the 100 percent
effort that is given by many club sports
players, according to
Wright.
“He’s one of those
guys who shows up a
half hour before practice
and is very dedicated,”
said Wright, who plays
on the soccer club team
his coach Chad
as well. He and other players have pre
pared for the season by weight lifting and
getting in shape.”
Players can’t afford to slack on their
preparation for the season if they want to
participate, especially in a sport such as
soccer, where only 18 players out of 75 that
tried out will play on the team. Wright
knows how hard his players have worked
in the off season to prepare for tryouts.
“These guys have been playing soccer
their entire life, and want competition
greater than that offered from intramurals,’’
said Wright.
Beyond their enjoyment of the sport they
participate in, almost all of these athletes
may have been able to play their respective
sport at smaller Division II or ID colleges.
"Many players on our team could have
played Division III or higher without a
doubt. You have to have experience,” said
Ice Hockey player Tyler Shafer. Wright
takes it one step further by declaring that his
soccer team could “play .500 ball at the Di
vision I level.”
Turn to SPORTS, Page 12A
McNown takes Bruins to victory despite strong showing by Ducks
The Bruins
look toward
the Golden
Bears after
their close
win against
the Ducks
last
Saturday
By Rob Moseley
Oregon Daily Emerald
UCLA’s showdown with Oregon
last week was billed as a matchup of
two of the nation’s most potent offens
es, and the Bruins certainly lived up to
that billing.
The Bruins’ 547 yards of total of
fense was the fourth-best total in the
Pacific-10 Conference this season. The
Bruins also have the third-best total,
from their Sept. 12 win against Texas,
while Oregon holds the top two spots,
with the Ducks' 664 yards against
Stanford being the highest total this
season.
UCLA’s Cade McNown also record
ed the second-most passing yards in
the conference this season with 395
against Oregon, and kicker Chris Sailer
tied the conference best for field-goal
attempts in a game.
In addition, receiver Danny Farmer
had the third-best yardage total in the
Pac-10 with 161.
“We can pound guys on the ground,
we can bomb them through the air,”
Bruin offensive guard Andy Meyers
said. “I think you’re just beginning to
see how good this team is.”
UCLA puts its 5-0 record on the line
this weekend at California, which at 4
2 is the Pac-lO’s most surprising team
in 1998.
Might Mencke for Bimbaum switch be only
temporary?
After Washington State quarterback
Steve Birnbaum threw for just 52
yards on 6-of-12 passing in one half of
work in the Cougars’ 51-29 blowout
loss to Oregon on Oct. 10, head coach
Mike Price said the substitution of
Paul Mencke at halftime would carry
over into the following week.
Mencke threw for just 99 yards on
ll-of-20 passing in the second half,
but scrambled for 26 yards and a
FOOTBALL
Pac-10 Notes
touchdown and provided what Price
termed a “needed” change.
Well, far be it from us to second
guess the coach of the reigning Pac-10
champions, but Mencke is apparently
no Ryan Leaf. Mencke set a new stan
dard in the Pac-10 this season by
throwing six interceptions in the
Cougars’ 42-14 loss to Southern Cali
fornia, the Ducks’ opponent this week.
UCLA’s McNown, Ayanbadejo honored af
ter beating Ducks
McNown and linebacker Brendon
Ayanbadejo have been named Pac-10
players of the week for their efforts in
the Bruins’ win.
As well as recording nearly 400
yards passing, McNown threw three
touchdowns, two after vomiting at the
50-yard line after a 25-yard run in the
third quarter.
Ayanbadejo sacked Akili Smith on
consecutive plays in overtime to help
push the Ducks out of field-goal range.
In addition to the sacks, he had eight
tackles, six unassisted.
Washington kicker and return-man
Joe Jarzynka also earned player of the
week honors on Monday.
Jarzynka set a Pac-10 single-game
record for most yards on punt returns
with 166 yards on seven returns. He
ran one 91 yards for a touchdown, the
longest punt return in the Pac-10 this
year.
Jarzynka has been doubling as the
Huskies’ kicker for two weeks now, to
the delight of the Dawgs’ fans and
coach.
“Joe is a free spirit,” Washington
head coach Jim Lambright said. "I like
guys who are crazy out there, and
score points for you too.”