PULLMAN, Wash. — After Saturday’s tough 32-21 loss to Washington State,
Jason Fife and Keenan
Howry left the makeshift Oregon interview room at the same time but not
together. Fife went first,
followed two steps behind by Howry, both with heads down and not
talking to
each other.
They didn’t meet much on the field Saturday, either.
With Washington State’s defense stacked toward the run — the Cougars
desperately wanted to prevent
a repeat of Onterrio Smith’s 285-yard performance of 2001 — Fife took
the
blame for a passing
attack that hardly made Washington State pay for its run-oriented
defense.
“When it came down to it, I wasn’t effective,” a dejected Fife said
after
the loss. “My
performance didn’t help at all. In fact, I think it hindered us.”
Fife went 16-for-35, or 47 percent, for 192 yards, one touchdown and
one
interception. Smith
rushed 25 times for 64 yards — his lowest rush total of the season —
and the
Ducks produced 252
yards for their weakest offensive showing of the season.
“We just were not efficient today,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti
said. “I
don’t think we were
particularly effective throwing the ball.”
Most of the offensive players were quick to defend the Oregon defense,
which
scored two touchdowns
and, for the most part, kept Washington State star quarterback Jason
Gesser
in check. Gesser went
20-for-38 — 53 percent — and threw four touchdowns, but two of his
scores
were easy lobs to tall
receivers and one was an odd pass that deflected off Marques Binns and
into
the hands of Devard
Darling.
“Overall, our defense played with great character,” Bellotti said.
Washington State’s defense, which sacked Fife four times, received
cautious
praise from the Ducks,
who in general blamed their own “o” over the Cougar “d.”
“I don’t want to talk about their defense,” tight end George Wrighster
said.
“I think it was more
on our offense.”
Despite all the offensive struggles, Oregon still entered the fourth
quarter
of Saturday’s loss
with a 21-20 lead. But the Ducks started the fourth quarter with a
four-play
drive that ended in a
punt, then watched as the Cougars went on a 96-yard drive for a
touchdown to
put Washington State
ahead 26-21. On the Ducks’ next possession, Fife threw an interception
that
set up the Cougars’
final scoring drive.
“Regardless of the situation, if coach gives me a play, I should be
able to
execute,” Fife said.
Later in the fourth quarter, with Oregon struggling to get back into
the
contest, the Ducks
executed a drive that typified their offensive effort on the afternoon.
Fife
scrambled for 12
yards, hit Howry for a 27-yard gain and hit Wrighster for a 31-yard
pass.
Three plays later, Howry
was thrown for a loss on an attempted trick play, setting up Jared
Siegel —
who had hit
15-straight field goals — for a 40-yard field goal attempt.
“The most upsetting thing about that kick was that it was going to put
us in
position to win,”
Siegel said. “The most frustrating thing was not being able to help my
team
when it needed me.”
For the Ducks, it was just the anti-exclamation point on an anemic
offensive
performance.
Contact the sports editor at [email protected].
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