Without quarterback Dennis Dixon, fans were already gloomy about the Ducks’ chances at winning their remaining games.
The players, meanwhile, remain steadfast to defeat their rivals in order to go to the best bowl game available to them.
“I don’t think they ever fell down,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. “Obviously we need to get a lot of quality work in this week and create a lot of experience and opportunities fast.”
And without backup Brady Leaf, and after being shutout for the first time since 1985, the 10-year streak where the home team has won the Civil War may finally end this Saturday as Oregon’s offense and starting quarterback is all relatively patchwork.
Bellotti decided to go with redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Kempt over Justin Roper to start the game, while Leaf will have to sit out with two bad ankles.
But Kempt won’t be the only one taking snaps. Even if Leaf hadn’t been injured against the Bruins, Bellotti still planned to insert Kempt and perhaps Roper at some points in the game to give the offense a different look.
Even sophomore running back Andre Crenshaw, who may start the game in place of a banged-up Jonathan Stewart, will have the opportunity to pass the ball as well as run it after a direct snap. And safety Marvin Johnson will act as one of the reserve quarterbacks and has sat in on quarterback sessions throughout the week.
Despite everything, Bellotti expects to see a great deal of progress in the offense compared to last week.
“We will be significantly improved this week,” he said. “(Roper and Kempt) learned a great deal and they’re learning every single day. I think they will be significantly improved based on that experience.”
The Beavers, meanwhile, have already gone through the injury problems as well, and then some. While the Ducks have quarterback issues at the end of the season, Oregon State has had them since the beginning.
Sophomore quarterback Lyle Moevao, who competed with Sean Canfield for the starting job in the first couple of games, started his first game Nov. 10 against Washington after Canfield went down with an injury.
“He is mobile. He will run the ball,” Bellotti said of Moevao.
Still the Beavers are missing plenty of their offense. Starting running back Yvenson Bernard’s status for the game is questionable and the team’s best wide receiver heading into the season, Sammie Stroughter, is exploring the options of having a medical redshirt for the season.
“Both are not 100 percent healthy and that’s not what you would like,” Bellotti said. “We tend to focus forward and look at the young men we have available to play opposed to who we don’t. That’s the real key to this game.”
As a result, Bellotti wouldn’t be surprised to see a defensive battle Saturday.
“Both defenses are playing as well as they have this entire year,” he said. “Oregon State is playing very good defense. I think they had eight takeaways against Washington State.”
“They’ve been a resilient team this year and have done a nice job of handling whatever situation that’s thrown at them. They had a rough start but finished very strong.”
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, meanwhile, said the running game might be instrumental to an Oregon victory.
“We do need a huge performance from our whole running game,” Kelly said. “We need to run the ball more effectively if we’re going to win this game.”
The players hope to keep the home winning streak alive and not lose to their cross-state rivals.
“Man, we have to win this game,” center Max Unger said. “We have to get something together and score some points. That’s pretty much it.”
[email protected]
Playing for pride
Daily Emerald
November 29, 2007
0
More to Discover