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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2015)
SPORTS Saturday, December 19, 2015 East Oregonian Page 3B College Football Buckner, McCaffrey unanimous Players of Year AP releases first All-Pac-12 team since 1977 By JOHN MARSHALL Associated Press Christian McCaffrey showed off his explosiveness LQ 6WDQIRUG¶V ¿QDO WKUHH games in 2014 after being an afterthought for most of his freshman season. That ratcheted up expectations for this season, though there were still concerns whether he could handle the rigors of being a featured running back. He handled that and so much more, running and catching his way into the NCAA record book. Stanford’s do-everything running back was a unan- imous pick as offensive player of the year in The Associated Press All-Pac-12 team announced on Friday, capping off a big week for the sophomore. McCaf- IUH\ ¿QLVKHG UXQQHUXS WR Alabama’s Derrick Henry in the Heisman Trophy voting on Saturday and was named WKH ¿UVWWHDP DOOSXUSRVH player on the AP All-America team the next day. AP Photo/Ryan Kang, File In this Sept. 26, 2015, file photo, Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (44) breaks through the Utah offensive line during the first half of an NCAA college foot- ball game, in Eugene, Ore. Buckner was named to the PAC-12 All-Conference team Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. Oregon’s DeForest Buckner was a unanimous pick as the defensive player of the year in the AP’s ¿UVW DOO3DF WHDP VLQFH 1977. Washington State’s Mike Leach was named the coach of the year, edging Stanford’s David Shaw, and UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen was voted as newcomer of the year McCaffrey was the obvious choice as the Pac-12’s top offensive player after breaking Barry Sanders’ 37-year-old record for all-purpose yards in a season. 0F&DIIUH\ ¿QLVKHG ZLWK 3,496 total yards and though Sanders set the mark in two fewer games, it was still an impressive feat for the 6-foot, 201-pound sophomore from Stanford who also was the ¿UVWWHDPDOOSXUSRVHSOD\HU “This is an historic year,” Shaw said. “He did something that no one has ever done and has done it better than everyone who has ever won a Heisman. It’s phenomenal.” Conference champion Stanford led the voting with VL[ ¿UVWWHDP VHOHFWLRQV followed by Utah with four. Joining McCaffrey on the ¿UVW WHDP IRU WKH &DUGLQDO were tackle Kyle Murphy, center Joshua Garnett, tight end Austin Hooper, defen- sive end Aziz Shittu and linebacker Blake Martinez. Buckner was named an All-American and picked up the Pac-12 defensive player of the year vote after leading Oregon with 16 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 76 total tackles. The 6-foot-7, 300-pound defensive end has been projected as a top-10 pick in next year’s NFL draft after deciding to remain with the Ducks for his senior season this year. “I think I’ve had a really good career here at Oregon, it’s been fun, it’s been a good ride, it’s been too fast,” Buckner said. “I just want to go out with everybody knowing I give it my all every time.” Leach led an improbable turnaround in Pullman to earn coaching honors. After 11 straight losing seasons, the Cougars were not expected to make many waves in the Pac-12 this VHDVRQSLFNHGWR¿QLVK¿IWK in the Pac-12 North. But behind Leach and /XNH )DON WKH ¿UVWWHDP all-Pac-12 quarterback, Washington State was one of the conference’s biggest surprises, knocking off Oregon, Arizona and UCLA on the road. The Cougars ¿QLVKHG WKH UHJXODU VHDVRQ 8-4 — their most wins since 2003 — and earned a spot in the Sun Bowl against Miami. “We had a lot of guys that had never played a game before and I think the adjustment to the moment being out there, it took us a few games to adjust to that,” Leach told a Florida radio station this week. “But we had a great work ethic and just got better and better.” Rosen was good out of the gate, drawing attention to Southern California with a crisp, 351-yard, three-touch- down performance in his debut against Virginia. The highly touted freshman had rough games against BYU and rival USC, EXWKDGDVWURQJ¿UVWVHDVRQ throwing for 3,349 yards and 20 touchdowns with nine interceptions while leading the Bruins to the Foster Farms Bowl against Nebraska. “This guy is for real,” Cornhuskers coach Mike Riley said of Rosen. Howard, SOU set to defend NAIA title Beavers expect NCAA Women’s Basketball By JOHN W. HOWARD Daily Courier Half a century ago, a young Craig Howard made his way north of Grants Pass to watch the men at work building Interstate 5. The boy’s imagination FDXJKW ¿UH IURP DQ DGMDFHQW mountain, capturing a moment in time in post-World War II Southern Oregon, turning construction blasting into Army make-believe. He grew up to be a standout football player, and competed LQ*UDQWV3DVVEHIRUHWKH¿HOG was named after the legendary coach Mel Ingram. He ate at Millie’s Sandwiches when the restaurant was new. “I remember when Abby’s Pizza was built,” he said, JUXIÀ\ ³, WKRXJKW WKDW ZDV D pretty neat deal because we didn’t have pizza (in town).” He played football at /LQ¿HOG &ROOHJH LQ 0F0LQ- nville after graduating from Grants Pass High in 1970, and went on to coach football in Florida. But Southern Oregon never lost its charm. In 2011, he returned to the Rogue Valley with a dream — to build a championship-caliber team with hometown kids. Five years later, Howard is set to lead Southern Oregon University to its second consecutive NAIA title game on Saturday, a rematch with Marian (Ind.) University in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Raiders won it all last December, a swift delivery of an early promise from Howard when he took the job. “I told (the administration) we could win a national title within four years,” Howard said. “We did it.” SOU Marian Raiders Knights (11-2) (11-2) Saturday, 3 p.m. at Daytona Beach, Fla. Broadcast: watchESPN. com , ESPN3 They know that, and they’ve responded.” Scottow said “love” was one of the main attractions since he arrived in 2012, a year the Raiders went 9-3 and nearly PDGHWKH1$,$VHPL¿QDOV Ashland Daily Photo/Al Case “For me, it’s really been the Southern Oregon quarterback Austin Dodge (3), of Vancouver, owns every relevant NAIA passing record same since I’ve been here,” he during a brilliant four-year Raiders career. said. “It’s a team that’s built on love and a relationship between But before Howard arrived, the program immensely, and the players. It’s a bond we the Raiders carried only a it’s great to have a purebred share, and the last few years, handful players from Southern Southern guy at the helm.” Consistency, both with we’ve learned we can win Oregon on their roster. He remembers watching the Civil Howard’s coaching staff and under any circumstances.” The Raiders trailed Eastern War game between Oregon with his players, has been a Oregon by three touchdowns and Oregon State, and noticing focus from day one. the big schools lacked local While retaining assistant in the fourth quarter earlier this players as well. coaches and convincing players season, and won. They went Those players, guys like to stick around for their entire into overtime in Dillon, Mont. Howard, needed a place to careers has been a successful and won. They took NAIA venture, that’s not where powerhouse Carrol College to shine. overtime, and won. Now, SOU carries 11 Howard places his success. All of the wins without players from Southern Oregon, “We’re building success including four from Grants on success, and that builds the last year’s quarterback Austin Pass. Junior Matt Retzlaff, from belief system so the guys feel Dodge, who holds nearly every South Medford, has become like this team is going to win,” NAIA passing record. Tanner Trosin transferred a standout with 43 receptions Howard said. “We go after guys for 686 yards. North Medford ZLWKJUHDWFKDUDFWHU¿UVWDQG, from American River Junior alumnus Jeremy Scottow has want to walk into the locker College this fall, and has aver- 37 catches for 508 yards and room and trust them and love aged more than 200 passing them. Love is an important part yards per game with 15 passing two scores. The Raiders (10-2) have in the program.” touchdowns as the starter under Howard said others have center. worn an ‘RV’ on the back of their helmets since 2012 as a questioned, at times, his But Trosin isn’t the be-all- approach to make love a end-all of this group of Raiders. nod to the Rogue Valley. “To me, it’s really special,” priority. “This year has been a team Scottow said. “(Howard) hasn’t “It’s easy to say, but hard RI ¿JKWHUV DQG VFUDSSHUV´ forgotten where he comes to do,” he said. “We’ve been Scottow said. “There’s not from, and he wanted to give able to accomplish that, and a game except (Montana back to the community where we have a genuine love for State-Northern) that has come he grew up. It’s helped out the players in our program. easily.” best shot from Vols By STEVE GRESS Corvallis Gazette-Times When the Oregon State women’s basketball schedule was announced, one of the dates that got circled right away was Dec. 19. That’s when one of, if not the most storied programs in women’s basketball, Tennessee, was to come to Corvallis for a showdown of ranked teams. 7KHJDPHLV¿QDOO\KHUH The No. 7 Beavers will take on the No. 14 Lady Vols at 6 p.m. in what could be a packed Gill Coliseum. ³,W¶V ¿QDOO\ KHUH VR ZH can focus on it more and it’s our focal point of the week,” Oregon State junior Sydney Wiese said after practice Thursday night. “But at the same time you want to treat it like just another game. “It’s another opportunity to get out there, see what we can do as a group, see how we handle whatever they throw at us because they’re a very talented team, very well- coached team. So it’s going to be a lot of fun to see how much we’ve progressed throughout the year and see where we’re at right now in the season.” Where the Beavers are is undefeated (8-0), having passed a few tests early. But Tennessee, which comes in with a 7-3 record and having lost three of its ODVW ¿YH LQFOXGLQJ D setback at No. 15 Stanford on Wednesday night, hasn’t held up its end of the bargain #14 Tennessee #7 Oregon St. Volunteers Beavers (7-3) (8-0) Saturday, 6 p.m. at Gill Coliseum TV: PACN after starting the season No. 4 in the preseason poll. Still, the Beavers know the talent the Lady Vols have and aren’t about to look past them. “We know they’ve lost a few games but that doesn’t tell who they are,” said senior Deven Hunter. “So we know that for sure they’re going to come back ZLWKD¿JKWWKH\¶OOZDQWWR get back on track. It will be a good game and you know they’re going to come out and give it their all.” Wiese said the team has pretty good tunnel vision and knows that each team, no matter how they are playing, will be up to face them this season. “I think Marquette proved that to us, too,” Wiese said, alluding to a 65-58 victory in which the Beavers had to rally from 10 down in the third quarter. “Everybody is going to bring their best against us and we have to be UHDG\ IRU D ¿JKW UHJDUGOHVV of ranking, regardless of who’s injured on their team, who’s injured on our team, it’s going to be a competi- tion. I know (Tennessee) is going to bring their A game.” MLB Iwakuma happily back in Seattle after failed Dodgers deal in Seattle,” and the Mariners couldn’t be happier. “A lot of things happened SEATTLE — Throughout in the last week. It was Hisashi Iwakuma’s free like a big wave going up agency, the Seattle Mariners and down,” Iwakuma said an interpreter. remained in contact, and the through team moved swiftly when the “Eventually I was able to pitcher unexpectedly became sign here, and this is where I wanted to be.” available again. Seattle moved quickly How quick? Less than KRXUV DIWHU ¿QGLQJ RXW to retain Iwakuma after he Iwakuma was back on had originally agreed to a the market, the Mariners deal with the Los Angeles completed a deal with the Dodgers. Iwakuma says after going through a physical Japanese-born right-hander. “I feel like this was a great with the Dodgers earlier this opportunity for us to reunite week, the team indicated it with a guy we always felt wanted to “renegotiate” the should have been with the originally agreed upon terms. That’s when Dipoto, Mariners,” Seattle general Seattle’s new GM, swooped manager Jerry Dipoto said. Iwakuma was back in and added another proven in Seattle on Friday after arm to his rotation. Assis- agreeing to to a deal that tant general manager Jeff guarantees $12 million and Kingston told reporters the could be worth $47.5 million Mariners had no issues with over three years if he pitches the results of Iwakuma’s physical at the end of the 190 innings per season. He opened his news regular season. “We were comfortable conference by saying in English, “The Bear is back with (his health) from the get By TIM BOOTH Associated Press AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Seattle Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma listens to a question as he talks to reporters, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, in Seattle. Iwakuma, who has been with the Mariners since 2012, signed a new one-year contract with the team for the 2016 season. go,” Dipoto said. The Dodgers had no comment about what happened with Iwakuma. “I don’t know if I was stunned. It was unfortunate,” Iwakuma said. “I’m here today, and in the end it worked out for me.” And it worked out for Seattle to add another expe- rienced starter and provide another layer of depth to its rotation. Finding a way to re-sign the right-hander, who turns 35 in April, was a priority for Seattle entering the offseason. There were several reports Dec. 6 of a $45 million, three-year agreement between Iwakuma and the Dodgers, pending a physical, and the Mariners then acquired left-handed starter Wade Miley from Boston. Iwakuma was 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 20 starts last season for the Mariners, LQFOXGLQJWKH¿UVWQRKLWWHURI his career in August against Baltimore. He was 4-2 with D (5$ RYHU KLV ¿QDO seven starts. Iwakuma has pitched his entire U.S. career with Seattle, going 47-25 with a 3.17 ERA in 111 games. “The Mariners stayed connected with me from the very beginning to the very end and that helped me a lot,” Iwakuma said. Iwakuma gets a $1 million signing bonus payable through December 2017 and a $10 million salary this year. Seattle has $10 million options for 2017 and 2018, and Iwakuma would get a $1 million buyout if either option is declined. The 2017 option would become guaranteed at $14 million if he pitches 162 innings next year, and the 2018 option would become guaranteed at $15 million if he pitches 162 innings in 2017 or 324 combined in 2016 and ‘17. In every season, he can earn $500,000 each for 150 innings pitched and each additional 10 through 190. He receives a full no-trade provision, eight business class plane tickets annually between Japan and the U.S, an interpreter and a trainer with a $100,000 salary. When the contract ends, he will become a free agent again. Dipoto said the structure of the deal was different from what the club’s offer during the season. He praised ownership for going beyond the prospective budget to bring Iwakuma back. “Everybody ended up walking away from this happy with the result,” Dipoto said.
