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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