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Danielle Hickey | Photo editor
Kellen Clemens (11), seen here against Arizona State last week, looks to improve on the Ducks' 64.7 scoring percent average in the red zone.
Red zone vital for Oregon
offense to duck fourth loss
Reaching the end zone
has become a priority
for a struggling offense
BY JON ROLTMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
The Oregon football team is run
ning out of chances.
With a 1-3 start and bowl hopes
fading fast, the Ducks are in serious
need of a win against Washington
State in Martin Stadium on Saturday.
If Oregon is to come out of Pullman
victorious, a sputtering Duck offense
will need to shrug off heavy criticism
and start producing.
Oregon (1-3 overall, 0-1 Pacific-10
Conference) has dropped its last two
meetings to Washington State (3-1,1
0), including last season’s 55-16 em
barrassment at Autzen Stadium. The
Cougars won 32-21 in 2002 during
the Ducks’ last trip to Pullman.
If Oregon is to avoid a three-game
losing streak to Washington State, it
needs to capitalize in the red zone.
The Ducks penetrated Arizona State’s
20-yard line four times last week,
coming away with two field goals
and only one touchdown. Oregon
can’t let any more scoring opportuni
ties slip away, especially during a
conference road game.
“We move the ball well, but we
stutter in the red zone,” Oregon quar
terback Kellen Clemens said. “We
just need to work on getting some
better plays (called there).”
Pass protection is another issue
that Oregon needs to solve quickly.
Clemens was sacked six times last
week against Arizona State and spent
most of the game looking out of his
ear hole.
Further complicating the situation is
the loss of starting right tackle Robin
Knebel, who suffered a high ankle
sprain in last week’s game. Knebel’s
injury places a greater emphasis on
tight ends and running backs to step
up and help with protection.
“You hate to give up six sacks, but
the (offensive) linemen aren’t the
only guys out there pass blocking,”
guard Nick Steitz said. “It’s a collec
tive effort. A lot of the protections are
designed to have the ball gone quick
and ASU did a great job covering. It’s
definitely a number you don’t want
to see, and it kind of fires us up.”
Protecting Clemens is the first step
Courtesy | Washington State Athletic Department
Washington State’s Abdullah Hamza anchors WSU’s second-ranked Pac-10 pass defense,
which allows only 158.75 yards per game.
toward opening up an Oregon of
fense that has grown stagnant. The
Ducks haven’t been able to stretch
the field with the deep passing game
and have yet to establish a big-play
receiver. Demetrius Williams, who
was expected to be Oregon’s top
pass-catching threat after the depar
ture of Sarnie Parker, has suffered
through a nagging turf toe injury that
has slowed his production.
Williams has 15 receptions for 212
yards this season and owns the only
touchdown scored by a wide receiv
er this year.
When receivers have gotten open,
Clemens has struggled to find them.
The Burns native has completed 59
percent of his passes for 830 yards
and eight touchdowns this year, but
head coach Mike Bellotti said he
wants more dependable play from
the quarterback position.
“We’re getting inconsistent play by
Kellen Clemens,” Bellotti said. “I
think he’s a great leader, a very good
athlete and a good quarterback. He’s
made some great things happen
when things break down, but he has
n’t been as effective as I need him to
be when things don’t break down,
and he’s aware of that.”
Bellotti also said true freshman
Dennis Dixon is likely to see playing
time against the Cougars. In limited
action, Dixon has completed sue of 11
passes for 73 yards and possesses the
PREVIEW, page 56