■ In my opinion
Clemens says he's ready to step back and slim it
A coach expects many things from
his quarterback.
Study the playbook.
Be a leader on and off the field.
Stand tall in the pocket.
Get rid of the ball in a timely
fashion.
With Oregon off to a 1-3 start, and
the offense struggling with the pass
ing game, head coach Mike Bellotti
has a new request for his quarter
back, Kellen Clemens: Relax, baby!
The Ducks’ lack of a deep passing
game is the result of several offensive
shortcomings. Protection has broken
down, a big-play receiver has yet to
emerge and Clemens is rushing
his throws.
The desire to stretch the field has
caused the Burns native to start aim
i"'
ing his tosses in an attempt to throw
the perfect ball on almost every play.
Clemens’ drive for perfection has
led to some highlight-reel plays, but
at the same time has caused the jun
ior to miss open receivers.
“I think he’s excitable, there’s no
question,” Bellotti said. "If you watch
him play, he’s feeling the weight of
the world on his shoulders some
times. It’s hard for a quarterback to
develop a lot of confidence when
people are being turned loose in his
face and on his backside. ”
How does Bellotti plan on calming
his field general?
“I’m thinking of bringing in a
masseuse,” Bellotti joked.
In all seriousness, Clemens
knows exactly what he has to do
JON ROETMAN
ROUGHING THE PASSER
to return to form.
“Just step back and sling it,”
Clemens said. “I need to have confi
dence in my arm and my ability.”
After splitting time with Jason Fife
last season, 2004 was supposed to be
the year Clemens shined as Oregon’s
featured quarterback. After a shock
ing, season-opening loss to Indiana,
in which the junior threw three
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interceptions, Clemens hasn’t looked
the same.
Sitting behind Clemens on the
depth chart is the super-talented
freshman Dennis Dixon. The lanky,
6-foot-4 signal caller has looked good
in practice and should provide Ore
gon with a bright future.
The present, however, belongs to
Clemens. While Bellotti said Dixon
will start to see some more playing
time, Clemens is still his man.
“ (Clemens has) made some very
good decisions on the run and made
some very good passes,” Bellotti said.
“But he’s missed some of the things
that I expect him to do. Kellen is a
play-maker. I think that he gives us
the best chance to win.”
During the past three weeks, I’ve
had several people tell me how bad a
quarterback they think Clemens is.
That’s nonsense. When given the
time to set his feet and throw,
Clemens can get the job done with
the best of 'em. He also has the abili
ty to make plays with his legs when
nobody is open.
Just look at his numbers in the
2003 Sun Bowl. Clemens completed
a ridiculous 32-of-42 passes for 363
yards, three touchdowns and only
one interception against No. 20 Min
nesota. Do those sound like the sta
tistics of a bad quarterback?
Criticism comes with playing the
position. When a bus arrives late,
people blame the driver. When a
team underachieves, people blame
the head coach. And when an of
fense struggles, guess who takes
most of the heat?
The man under center.
The popular reaction for fans of a
struggling team is to call for a change
at quarterback. While the idea of let
ting Dixon’s play-making abilities run
wild on the field is intriguing, it’s not
the answer for Oregon.
The Ducks have seven games re
maining on their schedule, and if
they’re to have any chance of making
it to a bowl game, Clemens needs to
be their quarterback.
Even if Bellotti has to bring in a
masseuse.
jonmetman@dailyememld.com
Grid iron
sanctuary
Ramone Reed continues to battle the pain of his
mother's death while excelling on the football field
BY CLAYTON JONES
SPORTS EDITOR
For numerous football players, the
game is their ticket to a free edu
cation, an opportunity to play at
a prestigious division I school or a
chance to showcase their skills and
possibly move on to the next level.
For Oregon linebacker Ramone
Reed, football has given him a place
of refuge. It has kept him preoccupied
from the streets where many youth
choose the wrong path. The game
has comforted him in his worst times
and has provided him a family out
side of his own to, if at all possible,
soften the blow of losing his mother.
“I’m still trying to deal with it,”
Reed said. “Even today I was walking
on campus at the same spot I was
told that she had passed away, and it
just kind of hit me.”
Now a senior and getting his first
chance to shine as a starter, Reed has
taken full advantage. The 6-foot-2,
226-pound Reed leads the team in solo
tackles (19] and total tackles (28).
“My success is due to the guys in
front me,” Reed said. “ThO d-line, Jer
ry Matson and the rest of them make
it easy on me.”
But what resonates most with his
teammates is his ability to play
through the pain.
“I love his heart,” safety J.D. Nelson
said. “He’s out here hurting worse
than anybody on our team right now
that is suiting up everyday. ”
According to Nelson, Reed had the
choice of sitting out this season and
recovering, but chose not to.
“He made the choice to come out
here and help us win football games
and has been doing a real good job,”
Nelson said. “I have a world of re
spect for him.”
Adversity hits home early
The second of three boys born to
his mother, Debra Fite, tragedy struck
early. According to Reed, his father
died when he was one or two years
old and Reed does not know the
cause of his death.
Reed doesn’t remember his father,
but said his older brother was his
father figure in his life. He said his
brother introduced him to football,
which, in turn, changed his life.
“At first my mother didn’t want me
to play because she thought I would
get hurt,” Reed said. “Once I got into
it, she found out it was keeping me
off the streets, so she accepted it. I
would be too tired to hang out at
night and get in trouble.”
But football wasn’t the only sport
Reed participated in. Unlike many
football players, he also played golf
and lacrosse.
'It felt like home'
Eventually Reed stuck with foot
ball, but thought he would end up at
a junior college.
“My high school wasn’t putting out
athletes at the time,” Reed said. “At the
end of my senior year, colleges started
getting in contact with me.”
Reed gave colleges something to
look at his senior year as he was
named an honorable-mention all
state linebacker and also ran for
1,189 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He was offered scholarships to San
Diego, Hawaii and Arizona, but once
he came to the campus at Oregon, he
knew it was the right fit for him.
“I took my trip here and it felt like
home,” Reed said. “Everybody here
was so welcoming, and it felt like the
place for me.”
One thing he does regret is cancel
ing his visit to Hawaii’s campus.
“Once I decided to come here (to
Oregon), I canceled my trip to
Hawaii, and I still don’t know why,”
Reed said.
Being a Duck
Reed came in and got to experi
ence one of the best football teams
Oregon has fielded in recent history.
“My first year was great,” Reed
said. “I was young and excited to
play with all of those great guys like
Joey (Harrington), Maurice (Morris)
and Keenan (Howry). It was exciting
to watch those guys play. For me to
even get an opportunity to get on the
field was more than enough.”
REED, page 5B