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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2004)
USC and Oklahoma battle for National Championship Only one team will walk away from Orange Bowl unbeaten for the season BY ALEX TAM DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER When quarterback Matt Leinart graduated from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif, more than four years ago, two schools beck oned for his services. One was Southern California, the other Oklahoma. Leinart eventually chose USC (11-0), which now looks to defend its split na tional championship against Okla homa (12-0) in the 71st annual Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla., on Jan. 4. Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator Chuck Long told ABC Sports on Sun day that he is not at all shocked that Leinart has succeeded in his tenure as the Trojans’ leader on offense. “We were recruiting Matt Leinart a few years ago,” Long said. “We liked him coming out of high school. It’s really no surprise to us that he’s done a good job at quarterback there.” This season, Leinart won his sec ond consecutive Pacific-10 Offensive Player of the Year Award. In 25 games as USC’s starter, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback has led the Trojans to a 24-1 record. He also has 66 career touchdown passes, which is second in USC histo ry only to former Trojan and current NFL quarterback, Carson Palmer, who had 72. However, Long said his biggest concern entering the national cham pionship game is the strong USC de fense led by linemen Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson. The Trojans have the second-leading defense in the nation, allowing a pal try 12.5 points per game. “They’re obviously aggressive on defense,” Long said. “(USC head coach Pete) Carroll’s background is defense, and they get after it against you.” Carroll said on Sunday that his team is probably “more complete” than it was last season when the TVo jans became the co-national champi ons with Louisiana State. “I think all phases of our game can Courtesy | Southern California Athletic Department USC junior quarterback Matt Leinart has led the Trojans to a 24-1 record as a starter. The Heisman hopeful has thrown for 2,990 yards and 28 touchdowns this season. be lethal on game day,” he said. “We have a lot of elements that come to gether on this team.” A stingy USC defense will be severe ly tested by a high-octane Oklahoma offense, which ranks ninth in the na tion in scoring. The Sooners average more than 36 points per game. Oklahoma also has explosive players at each of the skill positions, including senior quarterback Jason White and freshman tailback Adrian Peterson. This season, White has thrown for 2,707 yards, 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions. His freshman teammate Peterson has impressed everybody in college football by rush ing for 1,671 yards and 12 touch downs this season. “They’re a great group of guys, and they’ve been together for a long time with the exception of Adrian,” Long said. “He’s brand new this year, but they’ve grown up together, and they’re an unselfish bunch. (Oklahoma head coach Bob) Stoops is big on that and has taught that from day one.” Carroll said his team will ultimately be prepared to face its stiffest test of the season in the national spotlight. “It’s a great matchup in all ways and all areas for us, and we’ll prepare for great excitement and great enthu siasm,” Carroll said. He added that it’s been a tough challenge for his squad to stay fo cused on keeping its No. 1 spot in polls through the year. A sense of relief surrounded the Trojans when they defeated rival UCLA 29-24 on Saturday in the ORANGE, page 9B Jones: Bowl game tops team's list Continued from page 4B we want to try and quench their thirst. 6) Not only that, we want to go to a bowl game. Staying home for the holidays is a tough way to realize that a bowl game is a gift, not a right. Watching our rivals to the north beat us for that gift was hard, real hard. Next year, a Las Vegas or an Insight Bowl would be great. But if something better comes along, we won’t mind. 7) Finally, we want to come through and make plays at the end of the game. We came close this season in many games, including losses to California, Indiana and UCLA. In each, we had a chance to take the win or tie. We have all the talent in the world coming back next season, and we just want to put it together for one good run and sneak up on the rest of the Pac-10 Conference. Sincerely, The Oregon football team , ,clay toryanes® daily emerald. com . . besty! The Captains of Team Qaiznos 13th and Alder (inside 5tarbuchs) Let us cater your next event! (541)338-7098 ♦ i ♦♦#♦•»•»*♦***» » Oregon State and Notre Dame heat up for Insight Bowl The Beavers will get to enjoy some warm weather when they head to the Phoenix, Ariz. howl game BY SCOTT J. ADAMS DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER The 16th annual Insight Bowl features two of the nation’s premier offenses as Notre Dame battles Ore gon State. The 2004 version of the Insight Bowl is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Ariz. “This matchup has a chance to be one of the better games during the bowl season,” Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. These two teams have not played each other since the 2001 Fiesta Bowl — a fond memory for Oregon State fans, whose Beavers shellacked the Fighting Irish 41-9. Several current Oregon State play ers were redshirt freshmen on that Fiesta Bowl roster, including free safety Mitch Meeuwsen and tail back Dwight Wright. Fourteen members of this year’s Beaver squad are making their sec ond trip to the Insight Bowl, where two years ago they found themselves on the losing end of a 38-13 game against Pittsburgh. The win was spear-headed by former Panther re ceiver Antonio Bryant, who now starts for the Cleveland Browns. “We have enjoyed our two INSIGHT, page 10B SUPERSTORES Over 1500 items! Specializing in low carb, diabetic-friendly & sugar-free products. 10% Off i£S«l expires 12/31/04 Delta Oaks Shopping Center next to G.i. Joe’s • 541-343-5151 SouthTowne Shoppes 28th & Willamette • 541-485-3010 7^<z#tca&e<i (face t&em! 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