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i » 4 t« 4 4 i
Oregon wide
receiver Keith
Allen is part of
deep and
talented
receiving corps
that looks to
capture a win in
its conference
opener against
Arizona State
on Saturday.
Lauren Wimer
Senior
PHOTOGRAPHER
Past losses have Oregon
seeking revenge on ASU
Arizona State goes
for a three-peat against
Oregon Saturday night
BY CLAYTON JONES
SPORTS EDITOR
In 2002, No. 6 Oregon relin
quished a 21-point advantage to Ari
zona State and watched Andrew Wal
ter rack up a Pacific-10 Conference
record 536 yards passing in a 45-42
upset at Autzen Stadium.
In 2003, Oregon didn't seem to have
a chance as Kellen Clemens threw inter
ceptions on his first two passes, includ
ing one returned for a touchdown, and
the Sun Devils trounced and humiliat
ed the Ducks 59-14.
In 2004, the Ducks wear the scars
from those painful losses and hope to
use it as motivation against No. 21 Ari
zona State Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
"They torched us last year in
Phoenix," Oregon head coach Mike Bel
lotti said. "The temperature torched us
and the team torched us. We can look at
that film and be very embarrassed about
our effort and our performance"
Despite their 4-7 record of last sea
son and a sixth-place ranking in the
Pac-10 preseason media poll, the Sun
Devils have turned it around thanks,
in part, to their improved defense.
"I think the difference in this team
from last year to this is the intensity with
which they are playing on defense;" Bel
lotti said. 'They look to be equally adept
to taking on the run or the pass."
Arizona State has held opponents
to a stingy 12.8 points per game, rank
ing them first in the Pac-10 and 12th
in the nation.
The leaders of the defense are jun
ior linebackers Dale Robinson and Ja
mar Williams. Robinson is tied for
first in the conference with four sacks
and is fourth in tackles, averaging 9.8
tackles per game. Williams is tied for
first in the conference and fifth in the
nation with three interceptions.
"Dale Robinson and Jamar
Williams are making a whole lot of
plays at their position," Bellotti said.
To penetrate this tough Arizona State
defense, Bellotti believes they will need
to establish a good running attack so
they can open up their passing game.
Arizona State
linebacker
Jamar Williams
is third on the
team with 21
tackles. The
junior is part of
a defense that
ranks in the
nation’s top 25
in three
categories.
Courtesy
ASU Athletic
Department
A key for that will be junior run
ning back Terrence Whitehead. The
Los Angeles native ran for 115 yards
last week against Idaho and leads the
team with 228 yards.
If the Ducks can run the ball, it will
open up more one-on-one situations
for the 6-foot-plus Oregon receivers
against an Arizona State starting sec
ondary that averages 5-foot-10. Senior
Oregon wide receiver Marcus Maxwell
thinks the height difference could
benefit them.
"We do look to take advantage of
them since we are taller," Maxwell
said. "We need to focus and make
sure we study their defense and know
their DBs inside and out."
The matchup that may concern
Oregon the most is Walter and his ex
plosive aerial attack against the Duck
secondary.
"We have to not allow Andrew Wal
ter to throw for 300 yards," Bellotti
said. "If he does that they are proba
bly going to lose."
"This will be the best quarterback
we've seen to date. We're talking about
Jason White, a Heisman trophy win
ner, but he didn't throw the ball as
much as I expect Andrew Walter will,"
Bellotti said.
And expect Walter's passes to
be directed at junior wide receiver
Derek Hagan. He is currently second
in the conference in receptions (7.75
per game) and receiving yards per
game (112.8).
A big loss for Arizona State is the
PREVIEW, page 5B