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Martinez: Kicker makes career-best 51 -yarder Continued from page 3 of Jared Siegel, who never dressed for a game he didn’t start in. Siegel’s relia bility may have waned after his sopho more season, but his range and field time never did. Martinez aimed to re place Siegel, but battled with a groin injury in spring. In the spring game, he connected on field goals of 32 and 37 yards. By summer, all of the pieces were in place for Martinez to fill Siegel’s role as placekicker. “There wasn’t a lot of pressure for me coming in for Jared,” Martinez said. “I have kicked before and I know I can kick at the college level. ” Martinez missed two PATs last game against Montana. The first was off tar get and hit the left upright. Martinez missed another later in the game when the ball glanced off of one of his team mates after he kicked it. Despite the two mishaps, Martinez has retained his confidence and enjoys playing alongside his field goal specialists, such as sophomore quarterback Brady Leaf, who doubles as a holder. “Brady is an exceptional holder,” Martinez said. “He is a great guy and it has been a lot of fun working with him this season. I wouldn’t want any one else doing it, he has a great per sonality and we get along great. It’s im portant for a kicker to have great chemistry with his holder. Eric Steimer has been a great long snapper, too, and' he gets the ball perfectly where we need it every time.” Martinez’s numerous contributions to the team this year have gone well noticed by his teammates such as sen ior tailback Terrence Whitehead. “He’s coming up really big for when the offense can’t score points,” Whitehead said. “When we can’t get the six we have to get something, and he’s been giving us three every time with no problem. He’s like the 12th man for us on offense.” One of the most important charac teristic of Martinez is his ability to stay focused on the field. Like all kickers who aim to make the jump from college to the NFL, Martinez does not let the pressure of being a kicker affect his performance. “Pressure never gets to me out there,” Martinez said. “I just go out and kick field goals and forget where Tim Bobosky | Photo editor Paul Martinez has accounted for 34 of Oregon’s 85 total points this season. Martinez kicked a career best 51-yard field goal against Houston. the game is because that doesn’t mat ter when you’re kicking, what matters is putting it through the uprights. ” Given the nature of Fresno State’s defense, Oregon could once again have to rely on Martinez to make multiple field goals should the offense have trouble putting together touchdown scoring drives. A kicker like Martinez is an essential component for any team hoping to challenge the likes of No. 1 Southern California for a conference crown or to just get back to having winning seasons. scottiadams@dailyemerald. com ■ In my opinion Overlooked Bulldogs bite hard, especially at major conferences They don’t compete in one of col lege football’s major conferences. Thith is, they have only won their conference, the Western Athletic, once in the last 10 years. Plus, their three losses last season came in consecutive weeks against Louisiana Tech, Texas-El Paso and Boise State — not exactly national powerhouses. However, no mid-major conference team may be more feared than the Fresno State Bulldogs. And for good reason. Just ask the likes of Virginia, Kansas State, Oregon State, Washington, Wis consin, Colorado, Colorado State, Georgia Tech and UCLA, who have all been “upset” by the Bulldogs. In fact, Fresno State is 10-6 in its last 16 games against Bowl Championship Series opponents, including a 4-2 record against Pacific-10 Conference opponents in the last four seasons. So forget that next week No. 1 USC comes to town because this is the biggest game on Oregon’s schedule. “(The Bulldogs) are tough, physical and feel like they have something to prove,” Oregon head coach Mike Bel lotti said. “I have great respect for Pat Hill and his coaching staff. ” FSU coach Pat Hill’s philosophy is: LUKE ANDREWS EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION play anyone, anywhere. It’s helped put Fresno State on the map and, with the help of Boise State, put the WAC on the map as well. Hill has a 65-38 record in eight years at Fresno State, including 29 wins since 2001, which is the sixth highest total in the nation. Possibly his biggest win came in 2001 when the Bulldogs, with current NFL quarterback David Carr, knocked off Oregon State, Sports II lustrated’s preseason No. 1. The score: 44-24 in a nationally televised game. Fresno State beat Wisconsin and Colorado that year as well. Hill and company won nine games last season including road games at Washington and No. 13 Kansas State, as well as the MPC Computers Bowl over No. 18 Virginia. The Bulldogs return nearly their entire offense including incumbent quarterback Paul Pinegar who is looking to become the next in line on an impressive list of ex-Bulldog quar terbacks including Carr, TYent Dilfer and Billy Volek. A win at Autzen Stadium on Satur day would certainly help his case. If the Ducks need any proof of Fresno State’s feistiness, they need to look no further than their last three games against the Bulldogs — two overtime victories for Oregon in 1996 and 1997 and a 28-24 victory in 2002. The Bulldogs are accustomed to winning in hostile places against big time teams. Versus a Pac-10 team like Oregon, the Bulldogs, despite a No. 23 ranking, can assume the role of under dog and have little to lose by challeng ing the Ducks in Eugene. Add a match-up for Oregon with USC next weekend — a date many have been circling in anticipation since the Ttojans second consecutive nation al championship — and Fresno State is in a position the Bulldogs relish. Consequently, if Oregon is as sloppy as it was at times against Montana last week, the Ducks could easily become another victim on an impressive Bull dog resume. lukeandrews@dailyemerald. com The (fertility Center of OREGON WOMEN HELPING WOMEN MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE. BECOME AN EGG DONOR. Since 1978, The Fertility Center of Oregon has helped many women become mothers. You can help us to continue to change lives by becoming an egg donor for infertile couples. Procedures are done in a local clinic over a six week period, requiring 8 to ten visits. Donors are compensated $4,000 for their contribution. 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