Oregon Daily Emerald
Friday, May 6, 2005
“I didn’t need motivation.
I needed a real owner. ... I needed
a real owner like Micky Arison. ”
Miami center Shaquille O’Neal after Jerry Buss said
he needed to move to be motivated to lose weight
■ In my opinion
JON ROETMAN
ROUGHING THE PASSER
Stewart
must earn
his carries
next season
When Jonathan Stewart officially be
came a member of the Oregon football
team on Feb. 2, Duck fans were overcome
by visions of a Heisman Trophy and a shot
at a national championship.
After all, the Ducks had landed what
many thought was the nation’s top
running back recruit. The mere sight of
the young man brings with it thoughts
of football glory. At 5-foot-10 and
220-pounds, Stewart is a mountain of mus
cle that rushed for 7,757 yards and scored
95 touchdowns during a glorified prep career
at Timberline High School in Lacey, Wash.
He rushed for 2,301 yards and 32 touch
downs during his senior year alone, was all
state three years in a row and could have
played for any school in the nation.
Translation: He isn’t coming to Eugene to
sit on the bench.
While I agree it’s a head coach’s job to put
his best talent on the field, I don’t think Mike
Bellotti should hand Stewart the starting job
— or even the second running back spot —
when he arrives in the fall.
The Ducks already have a solid group of
running backs that should make Stewart earn
every carry he gets during the 2005 season.
Rising senior Terrence Whitehead trans
formed himself into an All-Pacific-10 Confer
ence back last season, amassing 1,144 yards.
The Los Angeles native will take over the
school’s all-time rushing lead from Derek
Loville if he equals that total in 2005.
While lacking ideal speed, Whitehead
gained the respect of his teammates and
coaches by grinding out tough yards between
the tackles. He was also the Ducks’ second
leading pass catcher with 44 receptions for
405 yards.
Not bad for an athlete who originally came
here to play safety.
An off-season ankle surgery limited White
head’s participation during spring drills, but
when he did see the field, the 5-foot-10,
220-pounder was more than solid. He should
be Oregon’s unquestioned starter come fall,
no matter how good Stewart turns out to be.
Terrell Jackson also proved to be a qual
ity back during spring drills. Ranked as
one of the top 15 running backs in the
country by SuperPrep in 2004, Jackson
redshirted last year and figured to be Ore
gon’s running back of the future.
At 5-foot-9 and 196 pounds, the Moreno
Valley, Calif., native showed an explosive
burst and the power to run between the tack
les. His 10-yard touchdown run during Ore
gon’s spring game, during which he made at
least three people miss, showed he was for
real. But with the addition of Stewart, Jack
son’s place in Oregon’s plans is unknown.
With Whitehead’s proven track record and
Jackson’s performance during the spring, the
duo should enter the fall as the top two backs
on the Ducks’ depth chart.
If Stewart wants playing time, he should to
have to earn it.
jonroetman@dailyemerald.com
■ Men's track and field
Danielle Hickey | Photo editor
Oregon junior hurdler A.K. Ikwuakor has taken the place of former Duck Brandon Holliday in the 400-meter
hurdles, finishing with a personal best 50.99 in the 400 hurdles last week at the Drake Relays.
Junior hurdler A. K. Ikwuakor is
making a name for himself with
two new personal bests this year
BY BRIAN SMITH
SPORTS REPORTER
So far during the 2005 track season, Oregon
junior hurdler A.K. Ikwuakor has given
the Ducks nothing but solid performances
and better-than-respectable times.
But ask any casual TYacktown, USA fan who
A.K. Ikwuakor is and “Who?” is the response
you will get.
Running behind marquee hurdlers such as
former Duck Brandon Holliday and current All
American Eric Mitchum tends to dwarf team
mates, and Ikwuakor is no exception.
“Brandon was an awesome guy,” Ikwuakor
said. “I knew Eric would be focusing on the
110 hurdles and his 400 duties weren’t going to
be too much (this year), so I knew that Eric
could be the 110 guy and I could be the 400 guy
and develop from that. I didn’t feel like I met
my potential from last year and I knew I had to
step it up this year. ”
But by the time Ikwuakor’s career is over, the
native of Arvada, Colo., will have the chance to
surpass Holliday and still, people might ask:
“Who?”
Disappointment at Colorado
A.K. (Akobundu) Ikwuakor transferred to
Eugene after his freshman season at Colorado.
Ikwuakor started in Boulder along with his
twin brother and sister, Ebbe and O.B., as part
of a package deal for the Colorado track and
IKWUAKOR, page 12A
■ Women’s track and field
Ducks to have a low showing at Twilight
Some Oregon athletes will use
this weekend's meet to help them
qualify for upcoming regionals
BY STEPHEN MILLER
SPORTS REPORTER
Faithful Oregon track and field fans will not
be surprised by the lack of entries running,
jumping and throwing for the Ducks at Hay
ward Field this weekend.
A reduced number of Oregon athletes will
compete at the Oregon TWilight on Saturday, typ
ical for Oregon’s last regular-season home meet.
The first event starts at 3:30 p.m.
The Twilight will give athletes an opportunity to
prepare for the quickly approaching Pacific-10 Con
ference Championships May 7-8 and the NCAA
West Regional May 27-28. A significant portion of
Oregon’s competitors who already own regional
qualifying marks opted to rest this weekend.
Senior Sofie Abildtrup is slated to run the
200-meter with the intention of improving her fu
ture 400-meter times in the postseason.
“Sofie is doing her’s as a tune-up for the 400 —
that’s the only reason she’s running,” Oregon as
sistant coach Rock Light said. “Hardly any of the
kids that I coach are competing this weekend.”
Duck seniors Clarice Hayward-Lee (triple
jump), MaeganTraver (triple jump) and Rachael
Kriz-Wallace (high jump) will strive for regional
qualifying marks in their respective events.
Oregon senior Katie Kersh, redshirt athlete
Oregon
senior Laura
Harmon,
who has a
regional
qualifying
mark in the
5,OOOmeter,
will race in
the 1,500 at
the Oregon
Twilight to
work on her
speed.
Tim Bobosky | Photographer
Britney Henry and senior Brittany Hinchcliffe are
scheduled to throw the hammer and are expected
to be the only female throwers competing for the
Ducks on Saturday.
“It’s going to be a really light week,” Oregon
throws coach Lance Deal said. “We’re just going
to be training well (in practice).”
Deal said senior javelin thrower Sarah Malone
will not compete in her last TWilight although she
had previously expressed interest.
In the distance races, senior Laura Harmon will
use the 1,500 to work on her speed and to get an
other race under her belt, even though she already
TRACK, page 12A