Sports Editor:
Hank Hager
hankhager@dailyemerald.com
Friday, October 31, 2003
Oregon Daily Emerald
SPORTS
Best bet
College football:
Oregon at Washington
7 p.m. Saturday, TBS
Jon Roetman
Roughing the passer
Detroit
should
learn from
Raiders
Joey Harrington and Marques Tuia
sosopo will step onto the same field Sun
day for die first time since September 2000.
Oh, how things have changed since
then-No. 20 Oregon faced then-No. 6
Washington at Autzen Stadium.
Harrington, a junior at the time, threw
for 119 yards and a touchdown while
leading the Ducks to the 23-16 win. Tu
iasosopo threw for 229 yards in their
loss, which eventually cost the Huskies a
shot at a national title.
While both quarterbacks will once again
be leading teams in need of a win Sunday,
similarities to the duo's Pacific-10 Confer
ence glory days begin and end there.
Three years removed from a collegiate
contest of immense importance, the former
Pac-10 Offensive Players of the Year are now
in charge of disappointing NFL squads.
Harrington has struggled through his
first two seasons in Detroit. After a 3-13
campaign last year, he is taking most of
the blame for the Lions' 1-6 start to the
2003 season. The third-overall pick in
the 2002 draft, Harrington was thrown
into the mix almost immediately, rather
than being given time to observe from
the sideline. Other than the Colts' Pey
ton Manning, history has shown that
young quarterbacks struggle when they
are forced to play too soon.
Harrington was handed the starting
job just three games into his rookie sea
son, taking over for an ineffective Mike
McMahon. He has thrown 20 touch
down passes and 28 interceptions in his
brief career, while amassing a passer rat
ing of 58.7.
Tuiasosopo was never subjected to the
pressures of saving a franchise as a rookie.
Selected by Oakland in the second round
of the 2001 draft, Tuiasosopo was given
the chance to learn from the 2002 NFL
Most Valuable Player, Rich Gannon, for his
first two years in the league.
Tuiasosopo finally got his chance Oct.
20 against Kansas City when Gannon went
down with a shoulder injury. The former
Husky passed for 224 yards in relief duty
and led the Raiders to the Chiefs' 1-yard
line before time expired on his attempted
fourth-quarter comeback.
The Raiders have put Tuiasosopo in a
position to succeed. After soaking up in
formation and getting a chance to throw
to the likes of Jerry Rice and Tim Brown
in practice, Tuiasosopo is light years
ahead of where Harrington was when he
got his first chance to start.
Being an older team and one in decline,
the 2-5 Raiders should give Tuiasosopo the
starting nod for the rest of the season. He's
had the chance to stand on the sideline
and observe. Now, let him get some play
ing time under his belt, especially with the
Raiders out of playoff contention.
Turn to ROETMAN, page 6A
OSU defeats
Ducks in four
Oregon blows an eight point lead in game
three Thursday before falling to the
Beavers in four sets at McArthur Court
By Jon Roetman
Sports Reporter
DUCK
VOLLEYBALL
The Oregon volleyball team could sense it.
The 1,303 fans in attendance at McArthur Court could see it
After splitting games one and two with Oregon State Thurs
day, the Ducks inched closer to winning their first Pacific-10
Conference match of the season when they took a 23-15 lead
in game three.
Then everything fell apart.
Led by sophomore outside hitter Karah Rhoades, the
_ Beavers (13-11 overall, 3-9 Pac-10)
went on a 16-6 run — including eight
consecutive points — to capture the
decisive game three, 31-29, en route to
-- a 3-1 (30-23,27-30,31-29,30-24) win
over the Ducks.
Oregon set the tone early in game three, jumping out to an
8-3 lead after a kill by junior Lauren Westendoif bounced off
the chest of Beaver setter Laura Collins. But the Ducks could
n't put the Beavers away, mixing too many unforced errors in
with their kills.
The Oregon State run in game three was similar to a run
the Beavers made earlier this year against the Ducks. After
falling behind 15-4 in game three of the season's first Civil
War meeting, the Beavers went on to outscore the Ducks 26
13 to close out the game and the match.
"Actually, that thought went through my head," Rhoades
said in reference to the Beavers' early-season comeback. "We
were down a couple points and I just thought, 'hey, we've
been here before.' (We used) that experience to come back."
Rhoades was a constant thorn in Oregon's side,
recording a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs. She
finished with 20.5 total points, including four service
aces and a block assist.
"The crowd was rowdy tonight and it's a tough place to
play no matter who you are;" Rhoades said. "(Oregon) gave
us a fight but it's a big win for us."
The loss was a painful one for the Ducks. Numerous mis
Turn to VOLLEYBALL, page 6A
Danielle Hickey Senior Photographer
Jodi Bell (9) dished out a match-high 48 assists in Thursday’s loss to Oregon State.
NCAA tournament at stake for Oregon
Mark McCambrige Photographer
Forward Nicole Garbin said the Ducks “have nothing to lose" as they head
into their final two weekends of regular season play.
Oregon visits Arizona and
Arizona State in a weekend
that could vault the Ducks
to their first postseason berth
By Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter
Oregon finally has control over its post
season destiny — the first time the situa
tion has arisen.
As the Ducks head out to their final road
trip of the season, they await a weekend
that holds larger implications than any
other has.
Oregon heads
south for a two
game stint with the
Arizona schools.
The Ducks play Ari
zona State on Friday
in Tempe at 6 p.m. and finish the weekend
on Sunday in Tucson with a game against
the Wildcats. That game starts at noon.
"This is what we have been working all
season for," sophomore defender Carlie
Ashcraft said. "This is what all the fitness
and all the training is working towards."
Oregon (8-8 overall, 2-3 Pacific-10 Con
ference) enters its final regular season road
trip with confidence. The Ducks are com
ing off a 2-0 win over California last week
at Pape Field, the team's second shutout
DUCK
SOCCER
since August.
The Ducks have never advanced to the
postseason in the seven-year history of the
program. Arizona State, which Oregon
faces on Friday night, has qualified for the
tournament in two of the last three years.
"1'his weekend is very important for
us, especially Friday," redshirt sopho
more Nicole Garbin said. "Friday we
need to get the 'W.' It's kind of a make-or
break-your-season type of game. If we get
that win on Friday then Sunday's going
to come a lot easier."
Arizona State (8-4-3, 2-2-1), which was
ranged as high as 11th earlier this season,
will also be looking to keep its postseason
hopes alive after being swept by USC and
UC1A last weekend.
Oregon holds a 2-4-1 series record
against the Sun Devils. The last time the
Ducks were in Tempe, in 2001, they won
3-2. Arizona State, now unranked, has
shut out five opponents this season.
"They're a good team and they're fin
ishing their last weekend at home so
they'll be motivated," Oregon head
coach Bill Steffen said. "Arizona State is
a very talented team. It's going to be a
real battle because we each have our mo
tivating factors."
After Friday's matchup, Oregon will
head to Tucson to face Arizona. Like the
Ducks, the Wildcats have never advanced
Turn to SOCCER, page 6A