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SPORTS Wednesday, October 9, 2019 East Oregonian B3 Around the Pac-12: Injuries lead to shuffl ing QBs By ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press The nickname Conference of Quarterbacks has taken on a new meaning as injuries have led to a revolving door between starters and backups for many Pac-12 teams. From USC reaching down into its depth chart, to the absences of established veter- ans K.J. Costello at Stanford and Khalil Tate at Arizona, this has been a rough season for quarterbacks. Eighteen different quarter- backs have started games so far this season in the league, compared to 20 for all last season. One of the newcomers is Devon Modster, who is tak- ing the reins at California (4-1, 1-2) while Chase Gar- bers recovers from an appar- ent shoulder injury. Garbers is out indefi nitely. Modster, a UCLA trans- fer who had to sit out Cal’s fi rst three games after com- mitting to the Golden Bears in December, was pressed into service when Garbers was injured during a 24-17 loss at home to Arizona State. Mod- ster struggled, throwing for 23 yards and an interception in the end zone. He fared better last week- end, when Cal put up a fi ght against No. 13 Oregon at Aut- AP Photo/Chris Pietsch California quarterback Devon Modster, right, looks down fi eld for an open receiver against Oregon during the fi rst quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday in Eugene. zen Stadium before falling 17-7. Modster threw for 190 yards and the Golden Bears’ lone touchdown of the game. But he also threw two picks. “I thought he handled himself really well. There were a couple of throws in there that he can make, that we didn’t quite connect on, but I thought he was calm, I thought his demeanor was good,” Cal coach Justin Wil- cox said. “I think he’s going to keep improving the more that he plays.” The Golden Bears have a bye this weekend. A look at some of the other teams that have faced injuries at QB: USC: The Trojans are the most extreme example when it comes to the position. Soph- omore JT Daniels started in the opener against Fresno State but he was injured in the fi rst half and needed sea- son-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL. Freshman Kedon Slovis made his debut in a surprise victory the next week over Stanford, throwing for 377 yards and three TDs. But then Slovis was knocked out of USC’s game at home against Utah with a concus- sion, forcing the Trojans to turn to third-string QB Matt Fink. Fink led the team to victory against the Utes but struggled in a 28-14 loss to Washington with three interceptions. The junior had been on the brink of transferring at the start of the summer but decided to stick it out. “I did some research, I went to some schools. Had some unoffi cial visits and an offi cial visit with Illinois and met some great coaches and great players and built some good relationships. But this team is stacked. You have the best players in the nation here. I’m saying that SC is on the rise,” Fink said. “We have guys that are going to push us to the top here.” It is likely Slovis will return this weekend when USC (3-2, 2-1) visits No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday. Stanford: Davis Mills has started a pair of games for Costello, including last Satur- day’s 23-13 upset of Washing- ton. Mills threw for 293 yards and a touchdown in the game but came out in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a calf injury, making way for sophomore Jack West. On Tuesday, Stanford coach David Shaw provided a preliminary update for the Oct. 17 game against UCLA: Mills is in pain but there’s no major damage so he’ll be questionable for the game, as will Costello. West will take most of the reps in practice in the coming days. Arizona: The Wildcats weathered the one-game absence of Tate when fresh- man Grant Gunnell took over and threw for 352 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 victory over UCLA. Tate returned last weekend from an ankle and hamstring injury and threw for a career-high 404 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-30 win on the road over Colorado. Arizona (4-1, 2-0) hosts Washington (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday. UCLA: Sophomore Aus- tin Burton made his fi rst start in the Bruins’ 48-31 loss at home to Oregon State last weekend. He threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, while also running for a score, in place of Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was knocked out of the loss to the Wildcats the week before with an apparent ankle injury. “Did OK. I think I left some plays on the fi eld, moved the ball, and I know we had some long drives. But at the end of the day, it comes down to win- ning and losing as a quarter- back,” Burton said. “Espe- cially as the quarterback, you have to be the leader of the team, and I personally don’t think I got the job done.” The Bruins (1-5, 1-2) have a bye this weekend before vis- iting Stanford on Oct. 17. USA softball coach: ’20 team resembles ’04 Olympic champs By CLIFF BRUNT Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY — Ken Eriksen has fl ashbacks when he looks at the U.S. Olympic softball roster. Eriksen was an assis- tant coach in 2004 when the United States won gold in Athens. Now the head coach, he sees a similar talent level, demeanor and focus in the squad that will head to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “Very athletic team,” Eriksen said Tuesday. “Well diversifi ed with any position that we can play. Well diver- sifi ed in any kind of game we want to play. Speed, power, short game.” Softball will return to the Olympics next year for the fi rst time since 2008, and the United States fi nished its Olympic trials last week. Cat Osterman, a pitcher who won a gold medal in Athens in 2004, and Monica Abbott, a pitcher who earned silver in Beijing in 2008, are the veteran headliners. “They’ve been there, and they’ve done that, and they go out there and it’s 100% effort every single day on the fi eld,” Eriksen said. “Off the fi eld, tremendous matu- rity and leadership.” A 15-player roster and three alternates were chosen. Rachel Garcia, the pitcher who led UCLA to a Women’s College World Series title this year, made the squad. She has been the USA Soft- ball Collegiate Player of the Year the past two years. Infi elders are Ali Agui- lar, Valerie Arioto, Delaney Spaulding and Kelsey Stew- art. Outfi elders are Haylie McCleney, Michelle Moul- trie and Janie Reed. Catch- ers are Dejah Mulipola and Aubree Munro. Utility play- ers are Ally Carda, Amanda Chidester and Bubba Nickles. Replacement players are catcher Taylor Edwards, infi elder Hannah Flippen and pitcher Keilani Ricketts. Garcia and Nickles both have eligibility remaining at UCLA and Mulipola has eligibility left at Arizona. Eriksen said USA Softball has been in touch with both schools and is trying to get a redshirt year for them. Eriksen said their matu- rity level allows them to fi t right in with the veteran players. “It’s amazing that if you didn’t have a sheet that said born this date, I don’t even think you’d know there was a difference,” he said. Four players with UCLA ties are on the squad — Garcia, Nickles, Carda and Spaulding. Eriksen cred- ited UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez and assistants Lisa Fernandez and Kirk Walker for helping them reach an elite level. “They’re doing a great job of recruiting the best players in the country,” Eriksen said. “But also, their player devel- opment — I think they’re doing great with that kind of stuff.” Eriksen will not coach college ball at South Florida this season. He has the title of the coach in residence and cannot coach the play- ers or recruit. Jessica Moore will take over this season, allowing Eriksen to focus on coaching the U.S. team when it tours in preparation for the Olympics. HEALTH NOTIFICATION! Are You Hard of Hearing? A major name brand hearing aid provider wishes to field test a remark- able new digital hearing instrument in the area. This offer is free of charge and you are under no obligation. These revolutionary 100% Digital instruments use the latest technology to comfortably and almost invisibly help you hear more clearly. 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