Latimer could get his chance Derien Latimer leads a trio of tailbacks who must replace the injured Reuben Drougbns By Rob Moseley Oregon Daily Emerald This Saturday’s showdown with Southern California will the be the first game for the Ducks in their new season: 1998 A.D. That’s A.D. as in After Droughns. Oregon was 5-1 with the Pacif ic-10 Conference's top rushing of fense in its six games this season with tailback Reuben Droughns, who averaged 164 of the Ducks’ 240 yards on the ground. But with Droughns out for the rest of the season after sustaining a broken leg and tom ankle liga ments in last week’s loss to UCLA, the onus falls on a trio of tailbacks to carry the load. Junior Derien Latimer, listed as Saturday’s starter, joins sopho mores Jason Cooper and Jerry Brown as a member of the Ducks’ new three-headed rushing attack. “It’s exciting, especially among the running backs who are left healthy,” says Latimer, a 5-foot 11, 208-pound native of Colorado Springs, Colo. “We are all realiz ing that this is an opportunity that we’ve got to take advantage of. Some of the other guys on the team were saying they noticed a little bit more pep in the running backs’ step this week.” It’s been a long road for La timer. This is only the fifth oppor tunity in his three-year career to start for Oregon. The junior start ed twice as a redshirt freshman and once in 1997. The barrier impeding Latimer’s ---| Chad Patteson/Emerald Junior Oerien Latimer will have to cany the load at tailback against USC on Saturday. rise to the top of the depth chart was an imposing one: junior-col lege transfer Saladin McCullough. McCullough broke three school records last season on his way to becoming the Ducks’ eighth 1,000-yard rusher. “It wasn’t like I was watching someone who I didn’t think was good,” Latimer says. "I’m watch ing Saladin and Reuben, some of the best backs who have ever gone through here.” Despite that fact, Latimer ad mits that his first few years at Ore gon have been frustrating, espe cially considering his historic high school career. Competing at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, home of the U.S. Air Force Acade my, Latimer rushed for 5,284 yards and 63 touchdowns on 568 career carries, including 3,150 yards and 38 touchdowns as a se Turn to LATIMER, Page 13B Authentic Chinese Cuisine RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 947 Franklin Blvd. 00194/1 343-4480 7 mm ALL '98 MOPELS ON SALE! ’99 MODELS NOW AVAILABLE FEATURING THE 99 TREK 800 SPORT Rea $240 NOW $219.99 KRYPTONITE KRYPTOLQK Std. Reg $27.00 SALE SIB. SB APEX FENDERS Each Reg $11.00 $All$8.99 ' CATEYE HL500 HEADLIGHT Reg $15.00 SAll $9.99 GIRO ’98 mUNE HELMET Reg $45 SALE 34. $9 KRYPTONITE ROCKLOCK Reg $40 SALE 24.9$ CYCLE SHOP \ SHUHISW Only 10 Blocks from Campus! Offer Expiresl 031-98 60 E. Ilth • DOWNTOWN EUGENE, OREGON • 541042-4878 • collms@rio.com H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headquarters H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headquarters H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headqi ^10 for 10 Hour Orange Votiva PUMPKIN CANDLES' 0 Y 0 ^z/zAS 10* Tapor Black or Orango HALLOWEEN CANDLES j Flesh & Boms Candle Hand "U6HTS” BATTERY OPERATEI Pumpkin Candy com light sat* Reg $4.99 869W0 BOX OF 10 Pumpkin Candy Corn Light Sets Reg $4.99 69* Halloween Decorator Spider 1 HALLOWEEN •Skull* • Pumpkin* •Table Decor •Party Favor* ml Handles^ It Reg 390 'eg $8.99 . Fall Mapla Laavaf^ -vSearv In A Garland UalliuiiAAa 11 amU na JVftuw rumowMn dmck or uranjo ) PILLAR DECORATOR CANDLES Reg 150 Super Bright Orange Set oMOO Halloween lights WOVEN MINIATURE ORANGE PARTY FAVOR I Halloween pumpkins\ 100 light Sat HALLOWEEN CURTAIN LLIGHTS { Random Strand Langth o o k k “MAKE-UP” ' We have icara, fangs, v, wounds, horns, rotted 1 tooth, body hits, oars, witch's nose, eyes. A little glue, a little latex, Sfen“thev look natural” 185 E. 18th Next to Safeway 1950 FRANKLIN Next to Mike’s IGA Temporary Tattoos EASY TO APPLY EASY TO REMOVE Reg $3.59 EARINGS • BRACELETS r_ 21 Orange Pumpkin Foij Wrapped Chocolate Ball* f nALLUwccn j^Characeter Candles Designer FINGER NAIL APPLIQUES I. Hirons Halloween Headquarters H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headquarters H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headquarters H.H.H. Hirons Halloween Headquarter: