Mark McCambridge Senior Photographer
Oregon linebacker Kevin Mitchell, the top returning tackier in the Pac-10, is averaging 5.25 tackles per game this season.
LUIMCHPAIL
LEADER'
Kevin Mitchell brings
an instinctive attitude
and determined work ethic
to the Oregon defense
By Mindi Rice
Senior Sports Reporter
If Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti
had his way, he would have a Kevin
Mitchell on his squad every year.
"I wish we could just clone him
and replace him," Bellotti said.
Mitchell — the tenacious line
backer from Orange, Calif. — has
eight regular season games left in his
last year as a Duck.
For now, he's just savoring
every moment.
"That win (against Michigan) felt
really, really good," Mitchell said. "But
we've still got eight games. It'll always
be in my head, forever. I know what
we did my senior year against Michi
gan, but at the same time, I try to tone
it down and just know that Washing
ton State and the rest of the (Pacific
10 Conference) is coming up."
The redshirt senior is the Pac- 10's
top returning tackier, averaging 8.8
tackles per game last season.
This season, Mitchell is second on
the team with 21 tackles after four
games. The decrease doesn't bother
him, though.
'The most tackles someone has right
now is 22 — 1 have 21 and (Keith Lewis
has) 20," Mitchell said. "Everyone's
maldng plays so it's a group effort. It's
that much better to be a part of. I'd
rather go out a winner with a team ."
In the three seasons Mitchell has
spent time on the field, the Ducks cer
tainly have found their winning ways.
Including their 4-0 start this season,
Mitchell has seen 32 wins and only 9
losses and has made 276 stops on the
field in those 41 games.
"He's just the consummate football
player," defensive coordinator Nick
Aliotti said. "The guy is just very intel
ligent; he has great instinct. He comes
to work every day with his lunchpail
and he's a great leader."
Mitchell is also the elder statesman
of sorts. Other redshirt seniors sit on the
squad, including Quinn Dorsey and Ju
nior Siavii on defense, but Mitchell has
seen the most playing time, with the
possible exception of Sarnie Parker.
"Kevin is going to run a lot of plays,
which he has," Bellotti said. "He's a guy
that I have come to rely on doing things
the right way, doing it full speed and be
ing a great leader by example to this en
tire football program."
He's on the "watch list" for the 2003
Butkus Award, the second consecutive
year he was named to the grouping in
the preseason. It's given to the nation's
top collegiate linebacker.
He has even drawn praise from Pac
10 coaches other than his own.
"There is no one like Kevin Mitchell
playing football in college," Arizona
head coach John Mackovic told the
Tucson Citizen before his squad
played the Ducks on Sept. 13.
"He is one of those players who, if I
was a regular fan, he would be a favorite
of mine He energizes that team the way
he plays.... It is infectious because you
see other people playing like that."
The spirit of football found
Mitchell when he was 9 years old. Af
ter days playing t-ball and soccer, he
decided he wanted to play football
like his older brother. His coaches put
him at linebacker and he's been a
constant there for 14 years.
"I just started hitting people,"
Mitchell said. "I really didn't know what
I was doing. They were like 'tackle them'
so I went out and tackled people"
Two of the people who have seen
Mitchell play for 14 years will be in
Autzen Stadium on Saturday to watch
him play again.
"My mom and dad are staying with
my wife and I," Mitchell said.
Yes, the 23-year-old linebacker is mar
ried. Mitchell married Melanie his high
school sweetheart during the summer.
"She applied here before I even got
offered a scholarship here," Mitchell
Turn to LEADER, page 7
Loss of last season’s top talent
has yet to derail No. 21 Cougars
The Cougars have been
successful despite the loss
of three talented players
from last season’s team
By Jon Roetman
Sports Reporter
When the Oregon offense takes the
field against No. 21 Washington State
on Saturday at Autzen Stadium, one
fact will be obvious: These aren't Ja
son Gesser's Cougars anymore.
After finishing his career at Wash
ington State and signing as an un
drafted free agent with Tennessee, the
Cougars' all-time leading passer has
been replaced by senior Matt Kegel.
The 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound Havre,
Mont., native sat behind Gesser for
four years and is now looking to leave
his own mark on the Cougar offense.
Throwing for 1,038 yards in four
games, Kegel has taken over an of
fense that led the Cougars to a Rose
Bowl bid last season. Meanwhile, he's
led the Cougars to a 3-1 record and
has gained the respect of opposing
coaches.
"(The Cougars) have a great quar
terback who is playing at a high level,"
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said.
"They spread you out, and they won't
wait until they're 21 points down to
throw the ball. They come out wheel
in' and dealin'."
First-year head coach Bill Doba said
the Cougars have been able to utilize
Kegel's talents by forcing him to stay
in the pocket. Kegel's passing yards
per game have increased each week,
including a 346-yard effort against
New Mexico.
"(Kegel) has improved little by lit
tle each week and gained more and
more confidence," Doba said of the
former high school All-American.
"We've got him to stay in the pocket.
He's taken some hits right in the
mouth as he's let the ball go, and
that's what he has to do."
One problem the Cougar offense has
had lately is scoring touchdowns in the
red zone. But when the Cougar offense
hasn't been able to punch the ball into
the end zone, senior placekicker Drew
Dunning has been close to automatic.
Dunning has connected on 13-of-14
field goal attempts, including 5-of-5 last
week against New Mexico.
Turn to WSU, page 11
Keep your dole or
LOSE YOUR LICENSE
Under Oregon's new MIP law, drivers under 21
who fail to appear in court on an alcohol-related
offense will automatically lose their drivers license.
It's just one more reason why driving sober is the
way to go.
Drive Sober. The Way to Go.
Transportation Safety — ODOT
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