Senior quarterback Kellen Clemens has supported his teammates from the sidelines for the
last three games of the season while healing from a spiral fracture in the fibula of his left leg.
Broken &£
Even after his season-ending ankle injury, senior
Kellen Clemens has continued to be a team leader
BY SHAWN MILLER
SPORTS EDITOR
Kellen Clemens went from
whipping boy to poster child in
a matter of months, but as his
senior season at Oregon wraps up,
thoughts of what could have been
loom large.
Records would have been broken
and awards won. Instead, Clemens
spent the final month of the regular
season on the sidelines after sustain
ing a season-ending spiral fracture in
the fibula of his left leg and soft tis
sue damage in the left ankle during
an Oct. 22 game at Arizona.
Clemens was horsecollared, which
is illegal in the NFL, and knew there
was a bone break as soon as he hit
the grass.
“I knew it was broken, but I
thought well maybe I could make it
back for the bowl game,” Clemens
said. “The emotions came Sunday
when the x-rays came in.”
The senior was lost for the season.
“It was real hard,” Oregon receiv
er Demetrius Williams said. “He’s
like a brother. You watch him go
down and it ends like that for him.
It’s kind of difficult to watch that hap
pen. You just want to make the best
of it, try to do the best you can, not
just for you but for him also.”
The normal healing rate for such a
serious injury is four to six months.
“Normal isn’t what we are shoot
ing for,” Clemens said. “I’m five
weeks ahead of schedule and I am six
weeks in right now.”
Clemens is scheduled for another
surgery on Jan. 2 and should be able
to start walking without crutches af
terward. A month later he should be
able to run, while it will take a sec
ond month before his leg and ankle
are close to 100 percent.
Since his on-field time has been
cut short, Clemens feels his role is
mostly moral support and to
provide guidance for the new quar
terbacks, which began soon after
the trainers removed his cleats
following the injury.
“(I) went into the locker room to
get it wrapped up and then one of the
trainers came in and said, ‘We need
you out here to signal because (fel
low quarterback) Dennis (Dixon) just
got his bell rung,”’ Clemens said.
Clemens has continued to support
and teach, while the new starting quar
terbacks have led the Ducks to three
wins and to finish the regular season
ranked fifth in the country with a 10-1
CLEMENS, page 12C
"Best Meal for & Deal/ Place,"Best. Omelette, 2nd
Place, “Bast BreaMaef 2nd 3lace. "Best. Vegetarian Fare"
2pd Place, RegEteeGuard fteader Poll. IPS?. * "Bee*
■■ 4k
■ ne D6oi
.
eats in town.”
lake Visitors Wru . Pay. 1st Place ■ Best
Sports Illustrated on Campus
2nd Place, Eugene Weekly, 1999 ♦ "Best Dinner Under $12.
i W, <* n * v f* 1 rmt 1st Place, "Best
Breakfast." 2nd Place, “Best Soup “ 3rd Place Eugene
Defining the taste of Eugene
for over 25 years.
2588 Willamette St. 541-687-8201 * 1340 Aider Street 541-687-0355
• 7,12 & 15 seat passenger vans
• Sport utility 4x4 vehicles & cargo vans
• Sporty compacts luxury cars &
• FREE Customer pick-up (local area only)
• Low daily, weekly & monthly rates
• Credit cash or cash deposits
• ALL DRIVERS MUST BE 21 OR OLDER
• Does not include taxes or surcharges. Offer may not be used in conjunction with any other promotional offers.
Limit one coupon per customer and one coupon per rental.
Eugene VAN
& CAR Rental
342-6161
www.elmcars.com
Wheels.
Open Monday to Friday 8 6, Saturday 8 5, Sunday 10-5
at the Eugene Lincoln Mercury Showroom
380 Goodpasture Island Road in the Valley River AUTO Center
$5.95 all you can eat student buffets
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday - Friday
Pizza, soup, salad & soda.
We also have slices for $1.25
1809 Franklin Blvd.
284-8484
Sun-Thu: 11 am-Midnight
| Fri-Sat: 11 am-1 am
GAME GEAR AND SO MUCH MORE...
Champs
Copeland Sports
The Duck Shop
Foot Locker
Lady Footlocker
Lids
PLUS 120 OTHER GREAT STORES
Before and after the game visit
Chili’s, Honey Baked Ham, Terrace Cafe,
and the Valley River Center Food Pavilion.
*