-m ^
defensive
The Ducks need to buckle down
defense against Carson Palmer and the
pass-happy Southern California‘ %
Adam Jude
Senior Sports Reporter
/Slid now comes the big test.
Will Oregon have the answer
A week after allowing Arizona State
sophomore Andrew Walter to throw for
a Pacific-10 Conference record 536
yards in a 45-42 loss, No 14 Oregon
(6-1 overall, 2-1 Pac-10) must now
face No. 15 USC (5-2,3^1) and its
experienced padjar’*4*ifc“,‘'k"fc * * 4
The Trojans’ ftfi
back, Carson Palmer, outdueled
Washington’s CodyT^cketCfpr 3-48’^ y'
vards and four touchdowns in USC’s
41-21 rout of UW la$r&$ek. Unlike
ASU, the Tro jans also feature a stacked
receiving attack, which includes four receivers
"fill:
who have more than 20 catcher
“Carson Palmer and that talented group of re
ceivers are certainly capable of patting up a lot
of points,” Oregon head coach
Palmer, who’s on pace to become the Pae- ^v|g|
10’s career passing-yardage leader, is looking
for his first win against Oregon in his fifth try.
“It’s the biggest game of the year, by i'
Palmer told the Los Angeles Times. “This i$
the game we’ve all been waiting for.”
It’s also a game that will test the re
silience of Oregon’s secondary. Bellotti
said earlier this week that freshman
Aaron Gipson’s starting comerback posi
tion was open, but the coach said a deci
sion may not be made until game time.
“I have certainly been concerned late
ly, and it’s not the yards that we’ve given
up that concerns me — the yards don’t
mean anything — it’s the points,” Befiotti Ipyl
said. “No defense wants to give up a tong fyf
scoring play ... but we’ve been the victim
of many over the last two weeks.” %
USC’s Mike Williams, a true freshman from
Tampa, Fla., will likely be in the middle of the Trojans’
deep attack. The 6-foot-5 receiver, the tallest the Ducks
will have faced so far this season, recorded three touch
downs and nine catches for 159 yards last week.
Oregon’s best comer, Steven Moore, is listed as 5-foot
9, though Bellotti said safety Keith Lewis, at 6-foot-l,
may match up against Williams on occasion.
Turn to Preview, page 18B
KICKOFF AT 12:30 P.M.
::
AUTZEN STADIUM ■ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2002 ■ TV: ABC
Historically historic
When the Ducks and Trojans
get together, the ending is
often exciting and almost
always memorable.
Page 3B
Bob and Weave
Dan Weaver walked on to
the Oregon football team
and shot all the way into a
starter's role as the center.
Page4B