The undersized giant of
defensive tackles
Robby Valenzuela poses
a large threat to offenses
despite 'undersized' frame
BY JON ROETMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
Robby Valenzuela is hard to miss.
Losing track of the massive Oregon
defensive tackle would equate to mis
placing a television set between the
couch cushions.
Place Valenzuela next to an average
college student, and he’s a giant.
But place the senior next to a group
of elite Division I defensive tackles,
and his 6-foot-2, 300-pound frame is
n’t so massive anymore.
In fact, he’s considered undersized.
Despite being one of Oregon’s best
defensive tackles during the past three
seasons, Valenzuela’s “diminutive”
stature has cost him notoriety. While
lining up next to Haloti Ngata (6-5,
345) and former Ducks Igor Olshansky
(6-6,305) and Junior Siavii (6-4, 323),
the senior has been overlooked by Ore
gon fans and opposing offenses.
i m not as nyped as the other
guys or as publicized as guys in the
past,” Valenzuela said. “But that
works in my favor.”
Valenzuela has used the ignorance
of opposing offenses to his advantage
this season, compiling 24 tackles and
2.5 quarterback sacks.
He tallied a pair of sacks last Satur
day against Stanford and knocked
quarterback Ttent Edwards out of the
game in the second quarter with a
bruised left shoulder. Valenzuela hit
Edwards right after he threw the ball
and drove the signal caller into the
Stanford Stadium grass.
“He’s a different breed of D tackle,”
Ngata said of Valenzuela. “He’s shorter
and doesn’t really look like Igor or Ju
nior, but he’s a guy that gets through
the crack if you let him go. He’ll put
hits on quarterbacks.”
While Valenzuela’s accomplish
ments have gone unnoticed by
many, his Oregon coaches and
teammates have always shown
confidence in his abilities.
An All-American honorable men
tion during his senior year at Grace M.
Davis High School, the Modesto,
Calif., native saw playing time as a true
freshman and helped Oregon limit Col
orado to 49 yards rushing during the
Ducks’ 2002 Fiesta Bowl win.
Erik R. Bishoff | Photographer
Oregon defensive tackle Robby Valenzuela has quietly been one of the Ducks’ most consis
tent players during the past three seasons.
With each down of football played,
Valenzuela became more adept at
reading blocking schemes and more
sound in his technique. The senior is
now capable of sniffing out a play be
fore it happens and is a sure tackier
once he arrives at the ball carrier.
“Robby has played well for three
years,” head coach Mike Bellotti said.
“He’s hot the biggest, not the strongest
or the fastest, but he’s a very good
football player. ”
The senior’s teammates are quick to
recognize his importance to the Ducks’
defensive scheme.
Middle linebacker Jerry Matson is
the biggest beneficiary of the solid
play of Valenzuela and the rest of
the Ducks’ defensive line. Matson is
often left unblocked as the opposi
tion is forced to bring extra blockers
in to deal with the penetration of
the Oregon line.
“I’ve never seen a guy as good as
him be so overlooked,” Matson said of
Valenzuela. “If he was on another
team, they’d make the defense around
him. He’s got kind of a linebacker in
stinct (and a nose) for the ball.”
Valenzuela has also bailed his team
mates out of trouble on
several occasions.
“He’s a step ahead and very in
stinctive,” Matson said. “We call him
the screen (pass) sniffer-outer. He’s
always on the play that fools 90 per
cent of the defense.”
Along with the play of Chris
Solomona, Devan Long and Ngata,
Valenzuela’s presence on the field
has helped make Oregon’s defen
sive line one of the best in the
Pacific-10 Conference.
The Ducks rank third in the confer
ence in total defense, allowing 297.3
yards per game. They also rank third in
the conference and 24th nationally
against the run, surrendering 109.3
yards per contest.
While keeping an opponent’s
yardage total to a minimum is pleas
ing, Valenzuela’s true passion is sack
ing the quarterback.
The job of a defensive tackle usu
ally entails disrupting the opponent’s
blocking scheme, getting penetration
into the backfield and putting pres
sure on the quarterback. A sack is of
ten treated as a bonus for the enor
mous men who patrol the interior of
a defensive line. .
So when a defensive tackle finally
struggles through a block and gets to
unload on the quarterback, Valenzuela
said it’s one of the most rewarding feel
ings in football.
“It’s kind of like scoring a touch
down,” he said. “It’s a celebration. It’s
fun getting to the quarterback. Your
main goal is to get sacks and hopefully
take the quarterback out and get a
chance to win.”
When Valenzuela is done hunting
field generals on Saturdays, he sets his
sights on an elusive four-legged oppo
nent on Sundays. The burly 21-year
VALENZUELA, page 5B
.....Mi
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
Robby Valenzuela, seen here wrapping up Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter, says sacking the quarterback is the ultimate goal of
a defensive tackle. The senior from Modesto, Calif., recorded two sacks last week during Oregon’s victory against Stanford.
Oregon Daily Emerald
I Classified Advertising (541
Now in its 13th year, Game Day is published every Friday throughout the football season and is distributed on campus, at
distribution sites around Eugene and at Autzen Stadium the day of the home games. Game Day is published by the
Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. The Emerald operates independently
of the UO with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union.
Oregon Daily Emerald | P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 | www.dailyemerald.com
) 346-5511
) 346-3712
) 346-4343
UNIVERSITY
HEALTH CENTER
Keeping ducks healthy in body and mind
Services Include:
S Onsite physicians & nurse
practitioners
S Free FPEP women/men’s
contraceptive counseling
S Low cost Pharmacy
S Dental Clinic
S Physical Therapy & Sports
Medicine
S Allergy & Asthma Clinics
S Free Cholesterol Screens
S Mental Health Services
S Travel Clinic
S Health Education Programs
S Massage Therapy
S CPR
S Energetic Healing
^ Relax and Renew Course
S Tobacco Cessation Support
S Blood Pressure Reduction
Program
And much more.
Open Daily & Weekends
MWThF 8 A.M. to 6 P.M.,
Tuesdays 9 A.M. to 6 P.M.,
2 Saturdays and Sundays 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.
§ Appointments and after hours: 346-2770
o
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Health Center
healthcenter.uoregon.edu
HALLOWEEN
I)! OTV SATURDAY
■ jTtLWl ■ M OCTOBER 30TH
Costume
Contests
at 10 p.m., 11 p.m.,
12 a.m. Wear your
costume get in free
on 30th or 31st.
Come vote on our
staff and entertainers
costume contest.
Amateur Dance
Contest
November 11th
*Cash Prizes
' for Winners
• 2 for 1 Tuesdays • 2 for 1 at the door • 2 for 1 Burger Deal
• 2 for 1 tabledances 4 7 p.m. & 9 midnight • 2 girls onstage all night
"excludes alcoholic beverages
2165 W. 11TH AVENUE, EUGENE
683-6021
Monday -Friday 12-2
Men’s rugged
footwear with
traction soles and
waterproof oiled
leather uppers
Cushioned linings
Bring in this ad to
save$^Q00a pair
on regular price
Timberland shoes
and boots.
‘faurcftt
Where your feet will
look good and feel great
Oakway Center
683-4115 • Toll Free 877-683-41 15
Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5