Oregon Ducks vs. California Golden Bears
Pac-10 matchups
Rick Neuheisel
and UW control the
Rose Bowl race.
PAGE6B, 7B
12:30 p.m.
Saturday
at Memorial Stadium
I
Scott Barnett Emerald
Junior wide receiver Marshaun Tucker, the Ducks’ second-leading receiver, has been one of many weapons for the Oregon offense.
Ducks fight
for bowl rights
■ Oregon has to win yet
again to keep alive
Holiday or even Rose
Bowl hopes
By Mirjam Swanson
Oregon Daily Emerald
Here we go again.
Another must-win, back
against-the-wall, do-or-die
game for Oregon and what re
mains of its fleeting Rose
Bowl hopes.
Basically, just another day
at the office for the Ducks.
“This is the biggest game of
the year,” senior linebacker
Dietrich Moore said. “Yeah,
we’ve been saying that for the
past few weeks, but this is def
initely the biggest game. ”
Considering the unlikeli
hood of first-place Washing
ton losing either of its remain
ing games against UCLA and
Washington State, Oregon (6
3 overall, 4-2 Pacific-10 Con
ference) is likely playing for
the Holiday Bowl berth that
goes to the Pac-10 runner-up
when it plays at California (4
5,3-3) on Saturday.
But one never knows for
certain, especially not in the
Pac-10.
“It’s never over ‘till it’s
over,” head coach Mike Bel
lotti said. “Certainly this past
weekend we were hoping for
some help from Arizona, but
Washington playe$ a great
game and took, ad vantage of
their opportunities.
“But we still feel we’re in it. ”
As long as they win.
And that won’t be easy
against the Golden Bears’ de
fense, which is the best in the
conference and 23rd in the na
tion.
“It’s probably the best de
fense by far that we’ve faced,”
senior offensive lineman Deke
Moen said. “Watching them
on film, they’re pretty scary.
This might be the best front
seven since I’ve been here.”
Now, that’s respect. Espe
cially coming from a member
of the conference’s top-rated
scoring offense.
While Oregon puts up more
than 37 points per game, Cal is
the conference’s lowest scorer,
averaging just 16 points.
Conversely, Cal leads the
Pac-10 in scoring defense, giv
ing up barely more than 22
points per game. The Ducks
are fifth in the same category,
allowing their opponents 26
points per outing.
But the Oregon defense has
played its best in the last two
games, allowing opponents to
convert on just nine-of-27 third
down opportunities while giv
ing up just 670 total yards.
And Duck defenders expect
to continue making strides
against the Bears’ less-than
stellar offense.
' “They’ve got a young quar
terback [Kyle Boiler] and a
young running back [Joe Ig
ber],” Fletcher said. “We’ve
watched the films, and at
times they look great, but at
Turn to Oregon, Page6B
Defensive-minded Bears plan to chomp UO attack
■ Reuben Droughns and Oregon’s
explosive offense meet Cal’s defense,
ranked second in the Pac-10
By Brett Williams
Oregon Daily Emerald
Only the current seniors participated in
the last meeting between California and Ore
gon. On a rain-soaked day at Autzen Stadi
um in 1996, the Ducks handed the Golden
Bears a 40-23 loss, mining their bid for a ma
jor bowl game.
Cal knows that Oregon has the ability to
do similar damage this season. After a 17-7
loss to Oregon State last week, the Bears (4-5
overall, 3-3 Pacific-10 Conference) need to
win out in order to have any chance of mak
ing their first postseason appearance since
current San Francisco 49ers’ head coach
Steve Mariucci led them to the Aloha Bowl
three years ago.
The Ducks (6-3, 4-2) have been scorching
opponents since the return of tailback
Reuben Droughns. The 6-foot, 210-pound
senior from Anaheim, Calif., has been virtu
ally unstoppable since his return from injury
four weeks ago. He is ranked 19th in the na
tion in rushing with 107
yards per game.
California head coach
Tom Holmoe said stop
ping Droughns is his de
fense’s number one priori
ty
“Droughns is very ex
plosive,” said Holmoe, in his third year as
Golden Bears’ head coach. “He can score
from anywhere on the field at any given
time.”
Cal boasts the best defense Oregon has
seen. The Golden Bears are first in the Pac-10
in rushing and scoring defense and second
in total defense.
The Bears have established one of the best
pass-rushing front lines in Pac-10 history.
They’re led by defensive end Mawuko Tug
benyoh—who has recorded 91/2 sacks. Cal
could be the first since the 1993 Arizona
team to average five sacks per game.
Another explosive defensive weapon is
Deltha O’Neal. The senior cor^erback has
seven interceptions. He also returns punts
and is 16th in the nation in kickoff returns.
O’Neal has his hands full this weekend
against Oregon’s trio of wide receivers. The
play of Tony Hartley and the emergence of
Keenan Howry and Marshaun Tucker are
the main reasons quarterback Joey Harring
ton is first in the Pac-10 in passing efficiency.
Holmoe credited the Ducks with a bal
anced attack that is often difficult to defend.
“They have a couple of really good re
ceivers on the outside and two quarterbacks
that seem to be getting them the ball,” Hol
moe said. \
Cal is struggling on the other side of the
football. After the loss of quarterback Mike
Ainsworth to a hamstring problem before
the Bears’ fourth game, Cal’s inexperienced*
receivers have had trouble beating defensive
backs in critical situations.
Freshman quarterback Kyle Boiler was
thrown into the mix to replace Ainsworth,
and he has responded poorly. Boiler has
managed only 130 yards passing per game,
and the Golden Bears have faltered as a re
sult.
Last weekend’s loss at Oregon State was
typical of Cal’s recent play. Despite holding
the Beavers to one for 17 on third-down con
versions, the Bears left Corvallis with a 17-7
loss.
Holmoe said blocking Oregon’s lineback
ers is a priority for his offense.
“On defense their linebackers are really
good,” Holmoe said. “The heart of their de
fense is in their linebacker core. They’re
quick up front and show a different defen
sive scheme than I think you’d see in most
teams.”
Sizzling Stats
Scoring Scoring
Offense Defense
Oregon 37.4 Oregon 25.7
California 16.4 California 22.1
Quotable
“This is the biggest game of the
year. Yeah, we’ve been saying
that for the past few weeks, but
this is definitely the biggest
game."
— Dietrich Moore,
Oregon linebacker
“This game against Oregon is
another huge challenge for our
defense... Where Oregon State
can just grind it at you and pick
you apart with scheme stuff,
Oregon is a lot more explosive."
— Tom Holmoe,
California head coach
Key Player
Joey Harrington
In his second collegiate
start and first on the
road, the sophomore
quarterback faces the
Pac-10’s best defense.