Oregon’s O-line planning to play big against ASU
■ The Ducks’ depleted
offensive line got the job
done last week, and they’re
ready to do it again Saturday
By Scott Pesznecker
Oregon Daily Emerald
When the Oregon offensive
line took its position in Arizona
Stadium last Saturday, it carried
the burden of a seven-game road
losing streak.
Its mission was to create holes
for the recovered Reuben
Droughns, to contain a very mo
bile Wildcat defense and to play
hard through the entire game —
despite a thinned lineup.
Mission accomplished.
The Ducks’ offensive line had
its best performance of the season
last Saturday, allowing the Ducks
to collect 435 yards of total of
fense and making space for their
star tailback to carry 45 times for
202 yards.
“We just executed our game
plan,” senior Josh Beckett said.
“We have great coaches. They
gave us a very detailed game
plan, and we ran it the way they
wanted us to. That’s why we won
the game.”
But the line’s success isn’t re
flective of the depth chart.
Trouble hit the offensive line
in the Ducks’ emotional, triple
overtime win against Southern
California on Sept. 25.
Starting left tackle A1 Cotton
sustained a concussion against
the Trojans. Although he made
his return to the field the follow
ing Saturday against Washington,
he only aggravated the concus
sion.
And he’s been sidelined since.
The line’s job became more
difficult because Droughns (ribs)
and tailback Herman Ho-Ching
(foot) also sustained injuries
against the Trojans.
Ho-Ching has yet to play, but
Droughns is definitely back. Of
fensive line coach Neal Zoum
boukos said Droughns’ ability to
manipulate openings makes the
line noticeably better.
“Reuben Droughns can make
yards through a small crack in
the line,” Zoumboukos said.
“Other backs need a little more
room, and you can’t always give
them all the room they need, un
fortunately.”
Oregon’s linemen have had to
Turn to Oregon, Page 17B
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