Sports Editor
Peter Hockaday
peterhockaday@dailyemerald.com
Friday, September 13,2002
-Oregon Daily Emerald
Game Day
Best bet
Washington St. at Ohio St.
12:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC
The big box
of football
Tasty morsel No. I
The Ducks have lost to Idaho
only three times in 57 meetings
between the teams. Oregon's
series with Idaho is the Ducks’
longest-running series with a
non-conference opponent.
Morse! No. 2
With Oregon’s nailbiting win
over Fresno State Saturday,
head coach Mike Beliotti has
now won 31 of 40 games
decided by a touchdown or less
since joining the Ducks. Oregon
is 15-2 in home games during
that streak, and has won 11 of
the last 12 overall.
Trivia Bowl
Oregon has the longest current
winning streak in the Pac-10
conference. How long is it?
Answer at bottom of box.
Rank me
Oregon and Idaho in the
2002 national rankings
Rushing offense
Oregon.57
Idaho....103
Passing offense
Oregon.21
Idaho.37
Scoring offense
Oregon.45
Idaho.95
Rushing defense
Oregon.16
Idaho.108
Passing defense
Oregon...61
Idaho.105
Scoring defense
Oregon.42
Idaho.112
Net punting
Idaho.33
Oregon....105 |
Morsel No. 3
Th )ucks have five players
on the curr-Mt two-deep that
star*; their Oregon career as
walk-ons, lauding wide
receiver Jason Willis and
center Dan Weaver.
Trivia answer
Oregon’s streak is seven games.
When in
doubt, mix
football
with golf
Football is just like golf.
Sure it is. Think about it. Actually
it’s not, really. Not at all.
But I’ve written so much about
football recently that I just want to
write about something else.
So, golf it is. I guess there are some
similarities. Both sports involve lots
of betting, ex
cept one is
while you’re
playing and the
other is while
you’re watch
ing. Both re
quire the use of
arms.
OK, they re
ally aren’t simi
lar. Maybe they
should be simi
lar. In the glori
ous tradition of
Slamball —
which combines the sports of bas
ketball and trampoline — and
Baseketball, the subject of an epic
motion picture, I think I’ll start a
new crossover sport.
Gan you imagine football with wa
ter hazards? It would make play-by
play man Jerry Allen’s job a whole
lot more fun.
“There goes Onterrio off tackle on
the right side and... o/i! He hit that
pond on the four yard-line in mid
stride! That... had... to... hurt. He’ll
have to take a drop on that one.”
Of course, we’ve all dreamt of full
contact golf. This is where Jim Nantz
and his “golf voice” comes into play.
“Tiger steps up to his putt, a little
downhill slider, four feet from the
Turn to Hockaday, page 10
Peter
Hockaday
Two minutes for
crosschecking
Courtesy Idaho Media Services
Wide receiver Josh Jelmberg (12) has been one of the few Idaho bright spots this year. Jelmberg averages 10 receptions per game.
Vandalizing college ball
Idaho hasn't done much
this season to turn around
predictions that they will
finish last in Division I
Hank Hager
Sports Reporter
You know things are bad when
vou’re chosen to finish dead last in
the NCAA.
That’s where Sports Illustrated
chose Idaho to finish, 117th out of
117 teams, in its college football pre
view earlier this year. That’s worse
even than Duke, which finally pulled
itself out of a three-year losing streak
with a victory to start its 2002 cam
paign.
With a 38-21 loss to Boise State to
start the season and a 49-14 drub
bing at the hands of No. 11 Washing
ton State last week, the Vandals are
in a position to prove their early-sea
son ranking correct. After Oregon,
Idaho travels to San Diego State to
take on the Aztecs, then travels up to
Washington again for a game against
the Huskies.
It’s going to be a tough year for
head coach Tom Gable and the
Vandals.
“I have not lost any faith, and I
don’t have any negative thoughts
about this particular football
team,” Gable said. “I think these
guys are going to be pretty good.
We just have to find a way to get
through this talent we’re playing as
opponents right now.”
There is talent, as senior Josh
Jelmberg has proven. The receiver is
fourth in the nation in receptions
with an average of 10 per game, two
behind the nation’s leader, Kevin
Walter of Eastern Michigan.
Getting the ball to Jelmberg and
heading up the Vandal offense is jun
ior Brian Lindgren, the NCAA’s all
time leader in total yardage in a sin
gle game after racking up 639 yards
in the air and another 20 against
Middle Tennessee last season. This
year, he has been vulnerable with a
sluggish offense but has managed to
throw four touchdowns — two to
Jelmberg. However, Lindgren’s three
interceptions in two games have
been his undoing.
“There is some improvement with
our team, which I’m excited about,
but we have to play with a level of
consistency that I think we’re well
aware of,” Gable said. “I don’t know
that we have to play perfect, but we
have to play pretty close. That’s the
issue. There’s no other way to cut it.”
Where the Ducks trot out junior
running back Onterrio Smith, a pos
sible 2002 Heisman Trophy candi
date, the Vandals will be sorely at a
disadvantage against Oregon in the
running game. The Ducks’ defensive
line, a group that Oregon head coach
Mike Bellotti has called one of the
better lines in school history, should
not be challenged by Idaho’s Zach
Gerstner.
The junior from Ganby leads the
Vandal rushing attack with 133
Turn to Vandals, page 6
Adam Jones Emerald
Keenan Howry (15) looks on as a play unravels around him. Howry has caught only
three passes this season, and Jason Fife attributes the drought to opposing defenses.
Howry’s hands see
little action in 2002
Jason Fife says it’s been hard
to get Keenan Howry the ball
with opposing defenses
stacked against him
Adam Jude
Senior Sports Reporter
Sometimes you can be too good
for your own good. Keenan Howry
is learning all about that this sea
son.
Through two games the senior
wide receiver has amassed just
three catches for 18 yards — not
the kind of numbers you’d expect
from one of the best receivers in
school history. Opposing defenses
have stacked themselves against
Howry, the latest Oregon football
star to have a building-sized bill
board in New York.
Despite his limited touches,
Howry has extended his reception
streak to 37 games.
Last season, Howry grabbed 52
receptions for 682 yards and nine
touchdowns. He needs 27 more
catches, 813 yards and six touch
downs to become Oregon’s all-time
leading receiver in each category.
If the first two games are any in
dication, though, Howry will fall
short of the records.
On the other side of the field,
junior Sarnie Parker has been get
ting all of the attention, particular
ly from quarterback Jason Fife.
Parker tied a career high with nine
catches against Fresno State last
week, including a 70-yard touch
down reception.
Fife said defenses are more
weary of Howry, and that has
opened up the field for other play
makers.
“We are aware that Keenan needs
to get the ball more,” Fife said. “We
just need to make some adjust
ments to make sure we’re on the
same page. It won’t be a problem.”
Against Fresno State, Fife said
there were set plays called for
Howry, but for various reasons, the
plays weren’t executed.
Turn to Howry, page 15