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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 2004)
* X > ^ • "7 / A CHEAT < FOOD FOR I FOOTBALL 5 0 * - vo ; Join us before or after the game. 019805 Like No Place Else Open I I am-1 Opm Sunday-Thursday I I am-1 I pm Friday-Saturday Valley River Center • 541 -683-9100 Tennis & Apparel Evt 1985 The Nation’s Largest Tennis Specialty Chain! tennis strings X PIOSIUF sss ft ICHTNING ! I sss 020038 Klip Xplosive !6g/ I7g - Legend Nat Gut with K-Boom Co-Poly MSRP $42.50 . ALE $24.99 Lightning lig/ I7g - Legend Nat Gut with Excellerator Nultifiber MSRP $45.00 ALE $29.99 Beaverton Eugene 9230 SW Beaverton- 1122 W 7th Ave Hillsdale Hwy. Just East of Polk on 7th Sacramento Roseville Rancho Cordova 2372 Fair Oaks Blvd. 1801 Cirby Way 1955 Zinfandel Dr. See Store Manager for Details. Sales Limited to Stock On Hand. Sale Ends 10-8-04. Devan Long dives after a fumble in Oregon's 31-7 loss to Oklahoma Sept. 18. The junior defensive end is first on the team in solo tackles this season with 10 total, including four for a loss of 18 yards against the Sooners. Oregon looking to turn its fortunes against Idaho Winless Ducks hope to gain their first victory of the season BY JON ROETMAN SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER Two weeks ago, Oregon’s Saturday matchup with Idaho appeared to be no more than a glorified scrimmage. Two weeks ago, Oregon was ranked No. 24 in the nation and was full of confidence. TVvo weeks and two losses later, that glorified scrimmage has become a must-win showdown with the Van dals. Oregon (0-2 overall) looks to avoid its first 0-3 start since 1982 when it faces Idaho (0-3,0-1 Sun Belt Confer ence) at Autzen Stadium at 12:30 p.m. After falling to Indiana and sec ond-ranked Oklahoma, Oregon is in desperate need of something posi tive with its Pacific-10 Conference opener against Arizona State one week away. Head coach Mike Bellot ti chose to downplay the importance of Saturday’s contest with Idaho, however, saying the Ducks will ap proach the Vandals no differently than in past meetings. "If we were 0-2,1-1, or 2-0,1 don’t think this game would have any less or any more significance,” Bellotti said. “Whatever our record was, each opportunity for us to win, to get a victory and then to get some momen tum going into Pac-10 (play) would be the same. Pressure is what you make of it yourself. “I think that the Idaho game has become a must win for us, but it’s a must win every year. ” While it is unlikely that Oregon will succumb to lowly Idaho, which has been outscored 128-22 this year, a sea son-opening upset loss at the hands of the Hoosiers suggests the Ducks won’t a a Mark McCambridce | Photographer Junior running back Terrence Whitehead cut through the Oklahoma defense for a team high 66 yards on 13 carries. He leads the team with 113 yards rushing. be looking past the Vandals. “Whatever the point spread may be, whatever people perceive, you have to play the game,” Bellotti said. “I think the Indiana game taught us a very tremendous lesson... don’t look past anyone.” Along with the obvious need for a win, Oregon has a lot of work to do of fensively. Tlirnovers and red zone mishaps have limited the Ducks to 31 points in two games. While Oregon has had some success moving the ball, the Ducks have been unable to capital ize on many of their scoring opportu nities, including two botched field goal attempts late in the Oklahoma contest. Junior quarterback Kellen Clemens rebounded from a three-interception game against Indiana by completing 24-of-35 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown against the Sooners. While the numbers aren’t mind bog gling, the Burns native didn’t turn the ball over and made good decisions. Oregon’s scoring chances should be plentiful Saturday, when the of fense faces an Idaho defense that has allowed 114 points in two non conference losses. Washington State tore through the Vandals for 286 rushing yards and 49 points last week; numbers that should certainly leave Terrence Whitehead and the rest of Oregon’s talented running backs licking their chops. “We need to pick it up big time,” Whitehead said. “It really doesn't mat ter who we’re playing against, 1 feel we can move the ball against anyone. We just have to finish the job.” Defensively, Oregon’s 61 points al lowed is misleading. Thmovers forced the Ducks to defend a short field on several occasions against In diana, while Oklahoma ran up its point total late in the game. With these in mind, the defense is playing with pride and is looking to shut PREVIEW, page 4
