PULLMAN, Wash. — Imagine what Onterrio Smith could do if he played an entire game.
Oregon’s sophomore tailback broke Ahmad Rashad’s 30-year-old school record with 285 yards rushing Saturday, while his 343 all-purpose yards also broke a school record set by Rashad in 1971 and tied by Oregon receiver Keenan Howry last week against Stanford. Smith broke Rashad’s rushing record by 36 yards.
And Smith, the backup tailback, did it all in three quarters in Oregon’s 24-17 victory against the previously 14th-ranked Washington State Cougars.
“I can’t wait to get back to my bed,” Smith said after his 26 rushes.
Unlike Howry’s 338 all-purpose yards the previous Saturday, which came in a 49-42 loss to Stanford, Smith’s performance will not be overlooked.
“It feels good, especially, first of all, to get the win,” Smith said. “It wasn’t all about the school record — that’s great and all, but the most important thing was to come out and get the win.”
Starting tailback Maurice Morris began the ground assault with 76 yards on 11 carries in the first quarter.
“I think they both might have had over 200 had Maurice been able to play,” head coach Mike Bellotti said.
Asked about a controversy at tailback, Bellotti said, “The only reason (Smith) would start is if Maurice is hurt. I think we’re blessed with one of the best one-two punches in not only the conference, but the nation.”
Smith’s first touch of the game came on a kickoff return at the 10:40 mark of the second quarter. His first touch at the tailback position was a 27-yard run on the second play of Oregon’s second drive of the second quarter.
Six plays later, on a second-and-goal from the Washington State seven-yard line, Smith came face-to-face with Cougar safety Billy Newman, with Newman ending up on his back and Smith ending up in the end zone for the Ducks’ first score of the game.
“Unbelievable,” center Ryan Schmid said. “He’s amazing.”
Prior to Saturday’s game, the Washington State defense — which was ranked first in the Pac-10 against the run — had only allowed 93 yards per game on the ground. Oregon netted 446 yards on the ground Saturday. Combined, Stanford’s (219 yards), Montana State’s (134) and Arizona’s (76) total rushing yards against the Cougars were less than Oregon’s total Saturday.
“We knew we had to run the ball well today and we did,” Howry said. “Given the opportunity and the time, anybody’s capable of doing anything. Today was Onterrio’s day.”
With his record-setting day, does Smith expect a call from Rashad, otherwise known as Bobby Moore, the former Oregon running back who rushed for 1,295 yards in 1971?
“I know him. In fact, I played with his son,” Smith said of the NBC television show host and his son, Ahmad Rashad Jr. “My freshman year (of high school) I moved up to varsity and played with (his son). I met him. He came to a couple of our games.”
Maybe Rashad will now come to a couple more.