Game preview
continued from page 1B
ers, then the team falters a bit.
The players realize those doubts
exist. That is why the Ducks will
take the field against the Trojans
with the intent of establishing that
they can take their show on the
road.
“I think to prove yourself as a
team you have to win on the
road,” head coach Mike Bellotti
said. “So in that regard, it’s excit
ing to go down to L.A. But would I
rather play at Autzen? Yeah, of
course. But you know, we get a
chance to play a great football
team with great tradition and make
our mark.”
The Ducks have certainly done
their homework on the Trojans —
they have had since Sept. 30 to
think about this game. The bye
week gave Oregon the chance for a
much-needed breather, but now
it’s more than ready to get back in
action.
Don’t try telling the Ducks that
USC is a weaker team because of
what has happened in the past two
{ i / think to prove your
self as a team you have to
win on the road.
Mike Bellotti
Oregon head coach
weeks. If anything, they say it has
made them a more scary oppo
nent.
“Oh yeah, they’re hungry,” sen
ior defensive end Jason Nikolao
said. “They’re a bunch of competi
tors over there and probably some
of the best athletes in the league.
They’re going to come out hungry
for a victory and we’re going to
come out hungry to stay undefeat
ed in the league.
“I love this feeling of winning.”
How the Trojans wish they were
saying such a statement. The pre
season optimism for USC was
through the roof and the high
* hopes were bolstered greatly when
the Trojans thumped then-No. 22
Penn State 29-5 to open the season
. back on Aug. 27.
But as the weeks have gone on,
it has become evident that Penn
State is just a mediocre team; now
many people believe the same
about the Trojans.
In its 31-21 loss to the Beavers
on Sept. 30, USC was haunted by
penalties. The Trojans committed
nine penalties in crucial situations
that cost the team a 49-yard com
pletion as well as a touchdown
pass. One week later, USC com
mitted five penalties and quarter
back Carson Palmer was picked off
three times in Arizona’s 31-15 vic
tory on the road.
“Yes, I’ve been surprised with
their losses,” Bellotti said. “I think
the biggest thing is that their own
mistakes cost them, and that part
is tough for any coach and team.
They’ll just have to get back on
track, but I hope it’s not this
week.”
Oregon is aware that Palmer
may be playing Saturday’s game
with a little extra incentive.
Palmer started last year’s game
against the Ducks, but wasn’t on
the field at the end of Oregon’s
thrilling 33-30 triple-overtime win.
Palmer’s season came to an abrupt
halt toward the end of the first half
of that game. He dropped back to
pass, found nowhere to throw and
took off on a scramble — directly
into Oregon rover Michael Fletch
er, who broke the quarterback’s
collarbone.
“Yeah, Fletch had a knack for
taking quarterbacks out,” Nikolao
said. “You know he’s ready for this
game. We’re just going to come on
out and try to bang him as hard as
we banged him last year.”
Trojan head coach Paul Hackett
has been reported to be on the hot
seat this past week by the media.
Hackett brushes off such talk and
instead focuses his attention to
ward the Pac-10 leading Ducks.
He knows the Rose Bowl is
“near impossible” after losing the
first two conference games, but
says “there is a lot of football left to
be played.”
“At some point in the season,
you are going to stumble,” Hackett
said. “The whole key to the season
in my opinion is how you deal
with that. Once again, you have to
clear the decks and focus on the
job at hand. Play Oregon, play
them well and get back into the di
rection that we are headed.”
An interesting side-note to Sat
urday’s game will be Oregon tail
back Maurice Morris. The Ducks’
junior college sensation was in
volved in an intense recruiting bat
tle between Oregon and USC, and
with the recent struggles of the
Dan Brunell Emerald
Oregon tailback Maurice Morris (9), who was heavily recruited by USC coach Paul Hackett, will get to show the Trojans what they’re
missing on Saturday.
Trojan running game, you can bet
some USC fans will be thinking,
“What if?” when they watch Mor
ris run.
“The thing about Maurice is that
he is an elusive runner once he
gets out in space,” Hackett said.
“He’s got sort of a niftiness to him
that is very effective. What you
don’t want to do is get him’off and
in a rhythm.”
On paper, the Ducks should win
this game. But as everyone knows,
games aren’t played on paper and
if recent history is any indication,
it’s going to be a whale of a game.
The last three games between
these teams — each won by the
home team — has been decided by
a combined nine points.
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