STRETCH your budget!
Find Duck Bucks”
in today’s Oregon Daily Emerald
and every Tuesday during
winter and spring term.
Also online every day at
www.dailyemerald.com
Over winter break enjoy coupons
from the following businesses:
Track Town Pizza
Carl's Jr.
Boux
Harlequin Beads and Jewelry
Shining Shen Massage
Addictive Behaviors
Mission Mexican
House of Records
• Bubble
• Anna’s Food Palace
• Emerald Lanes
• Siegmund’s Cleaners
• Rennie’s Landing
• Brickhouse
• Golden China Buffet
• Eugene Flower Home
Oregon Daily Emerald
The independent newspaper for the UO community
Tennis & Apparel
The Nation’s Largest Tennis Specialty Chain!
fleitrlni
Scorcher I6g/I7g
cUU
A double wrap synthetic with a pearlized
coating provided in a thicker string. Helps
with increasing ball speed for added power.
SCORCHIn
MSRP ’27 ‘
Demo ANY
Racquet
Beaverton
9230 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy.
Next to Jesuit H.S.
(800) 872-3404
Sacramento Roseville
FREE
Eugeni
1122 W 7th Ave
just East of Polk on 7th
(800) 874-3404
Rancho Cordova
See Store Manager for Details. Sales Limited to Stock On Hand. Sale Ends 12/15/04.
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens, left, managed to record impressive statistics despite suffering the loss of many offensive playmakers,
such as juniors Demetrius Williams and Tim Day (not pictured), due to injury. All three players are expected to return next season.
Lofty anticipation turns sour
for Duck offense in Game 1
Oregon's offense sank in
its first game of a season
full of disappointment
BY JON ROETMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
Big things were expected from the
Oregon offense this season. On pa
per, it was comparable to the best in
the nation.
The Ducks were loaded with tal
ent at the skill positions and featured
an offensive line heavy with depth
and experience. They had the
weapons needed to be successful on
the ground or through the air. And
with no sign of mighty Southern Cal
ifornia on its schedule, the Oregon
offense was poised to lead the Ducks
to at least a share of the Pacific-10
Conference title.
It took only one half of one game,
however, to prove that wins
are earned on the field rather than
on paper.
Oregon fell behind Indiana 23-0 at
halftime of its season opener and
never recovered. The Ducks eventu
ally lost to the lowly Hoosiers 30-24
while turning the ball over a whop
ping seven times.
As the season progressed, injuries
hampered key players such as wide
receiver Demetrius Williams and
tight end Tim Day. The offensive line,
once considered a strength on the
team, couldn’t block. And most no
tably, Oregon lacked the ability to
make big plays.
By season’s end, Oregon was a 5-6
team that found itself out of the bowl
picture for the first time since 1996.
And after the season’s final loss
against Oregon State, the Duck of
fense had been reduced to a sputter
ing unit, whose leader pondered
what could have been during post
game interviews.
“If you had talked about us sitting
here at 5-6 at the beginning of
the season, not going to a bowl
game and not having a winning sea
son ... no offense but I would have
called you a liar,” quarterback
Kellen Clemens said after the
Ducks’ 50-21 loss to the Beavers.
“This is the most empty feeling I
think I’ve ever had.”
The 2004 season was one of disap
pointment for Oregon offensively.
While the Ducks averaged nearly
26 points and 400 yards per game,
they couldn’t seem to find the end
zone when it mattered most. A prime
example was their heartbreaking
1-point loss to No. 4 California. After
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
Junior Terrence Whitehead made a significant impact as Oregon’s starting running back
this season and was acknowledged as an AII-Pac-10 honorable mention selection.
exploding for 27 first-half points and
a 6-point halftime lead, the Ducks
were shut out in the second half and
fell to the heavily favored Golden
Bears, 28-27.
There were some bright moments,
however. Oregon’s top offensive
performance came Oct. 9 during a
41-38 come-from-behind victory
against Washington State. The
Ducks amassed 646 total yards and
29 first downs during a classic Pac
10 shootout.
Clemens produced the second
best offensive day in school history,
compiling 473 total yards and six
touchdowns. The Burns native com
pleted 36 of 55 passes for 437 yards
and three touchdowns, while
adding 36 yards and three scores in
14 carries.
The most positive thing Oregon
can take away from this season of
fensively is that most of its skill
players will return next year.
Clemens will return for his senior
season after putting together an im
pressive junior campaign. He com
pleted 223 of 372 passes for 2,548
yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 inter
ceptions. While the numbers are
solid in their own right, they are
magnified by Clemens playing a big
chunk of the season without a
healthy supporting cast.
Clemens’ top targets will also re
turn next year. Williams and Day
have the potential to be the best pass
catching duo in the Pac-10 if they can
stay healthy. Williams led the team
with 47 receptions for 593 yards
when he wasn’t held out with a case
of turf toe. Day battled foot problems
for most of the season, but still
caught 35 passes for 457 yards and
eight touchdowns.
Junior tailback Terrence White
head will also return for his senior
season. The Los Angeles native was
a pleasant surprise for Oregon, gar
nering honorable mention All-Pac-10
honors and emerging as the team’s
featured running back. While lacking
breakaway speed, Whitehead was
rarely taken down on first contact. He
finished the season with 1,144 yards
and six touchdowns.
Other impact skill-position players
who will return next year are rising
junior fullback Dante Rosario and ris
ing sophomore receivers Cameron
Colvin and Garren Strong.
The offensive line will see plenty
of turnover. Gone will be starters
Adam Snyder, Nick Steitz, Robin
Knebel and Michael DeLaGrange.
While Enoka Lucas and Ian Reynoso
are set to return as the Ducks’ most
experienced linemen, Oregon will
look to rebuild up front with young,
talented athletes. The list includes
Jacob Hucko, Aaron Klovas, Jeff
Kendall and Geoff Schwartz.
“We will miss a couple key peo
ple,” Oregon head coach Mike Bel
lotti said, “but overall, the team
coming back should be better than
this year’s team.”
Bellotti said with all the offensive
talent the Ducks have returning in
2005, the future will be bright for
Oregon if it learns from its mistakes
of 2004.
“Sometimes you need a wake-up
call to shake yourself up,” Bellotti
said. “You can’t assume just because
you put the (Oregon) uniform on that
you’re going to win. We have to re
establish that every year. ”
jonroetman @ dailyemerald. com