Wednesday
Best Bet
NHL: Philadelphia at New Jersey
5 p.m., ESPN
SP0R1S EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com
Erin Swanson-Davies Emerald
Junior Zack Freiter (54), whose Oregon career has been marred by injuries, says he is 100 percent healthy and feels he can do what is needed to fill the hole injured Jason Nikolao left on the defensive line.
*Freit’ train rolls into Ducks’ starting lineup
Junior Zack
Freiter hopes
to ease the loss
of Jason
Nikolao, who
will miss at
least two more
games
By Scott Pesznecker
Oregon Daily Emerald
When defensive end Jason Nikolao was
felled by a knee injury in Arizona State’s first
drive last Saturday, many observers may not
have recognized the big Duck who took his
place on the line.
For those who may have forgotten, his name
is Zack Freiter. And yes, he will be starting in
Nikolao’s place Saturday when the “D” lines up
against Washington State’s airborne offense.
“I know the defense really well; I played
hard; I practiced hard; I think I can get in there
and get it done,” Freiter said after practice Tues
day. “Hopefully I can just come out here and do
my best, work as hard as I can during the week,
[and] go out there and compete and have fun.”
This season, Freiter has come off the sideline
in five games to contribute 13 tackles, six of
which were unassisted. He forced a fumble
against Arizona and has recorded two sacks for
a loss of 15 yards.
“I expect him to continue the level of play
that he’s been at this season. He’s a strong, phys
ical presence in there,” defensive line coach
Steve Greatwood said. “The biggest thing that’s
held him back from playing more is the fact that
he missed all of training camp, so I’ve been try
ing to bring him along slowly. Well, that issue
has been forced now, so he’s got to step up and
play a major role and a major amount of snaps. ”
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound junior came to Ore
Turn to Football, page 9
Time for college football to
create ‘December Madness’
Blocking has been Oregon’s
biggest obstacle this season
■ As the team continues to
cling to some hope,
Oregon’s two-setter offense
has proven its worth
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
In Oregon’s 4-2 Flex offensive
system, setters Sydney Chute and
Julie Gerlach have capitalized on
their need to be more aggressive
for the volleyball team.
This season, the duo has com
bined for 236 kills, compared to
just 75 during all of last season.
Head coach Carl Ferreira’s
scheme requires the setters to
open their options and under
stand opponents’ positioning.
“Their knowledge of the game
has improved tremendously,”
Ferreira said. “They’re very intel
ligent and they know how to read
a defense, which is something
neither of them were doing at the
beginning of the season. ”
According to Chute, watching
film and communication on the
floor has helped the setters be
come more of an offensive threat.
With another six Pacific-10
Conference matches remaining
on the schedule, Gerlach and
Chute have already combined for
651 total attacks. Last season,
they tallied a total of just 201 at
tacks.
“Julie and I have put in the ex
tra effort,” aid Chute, who is also
averaging 6.27 assists per game.
Turn to Volleyball, page 8
VOIIEYBAII
THE
HOME STRETCH
ROBBIE McCALLUM
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the the
ory behind competitive sports that the top
teams are tested until a true winner re
mains?
In every other sport but college football,
the top teams are separated from the rest of
the teams, pitted against each other in a
tournament arrangement, and the winner
rises to the top.
But in college football, only two teams
face off for the national championship. The
rest of the contenders in the nation go to
other bowl games, where they can finish the
season with a win.
To me, this seems kind of sissy.
A national college football tournament
would decide the national championship
by pitting the top teams in the country
against each other in a five week frenzy.
Only the real champion would survive the
test. And the champion would be absolute
— no controversy, no question about rank
ings or the Bowl Championship Series.
In the current situation, college football
teams complete their regular season, sit for
three to four weeks, then possiblv play a
bowl game that may or may not mean any
thing toward a national championship.
The nation’s champion used to be decid
ed by whoever was ranked first in the Asso
ciated Press polls. The BCS — a combina
Turn to McCallum, page 8