The Ducks remember it.
They remember Washington coming back from a 14-point first-quarter deficit.
They remember Reggie Williams using the Oregon defense to his own enjoyment. They remember Cody Pickett’s 316 yards passing and four touchdowns. They remember a 42-14 loss to their Northwest rivals.
Most of all, they remember the post-game celebration on the Oregon “O” that Washington players participated in.
“Oh yeah, we remember it,” Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens said. “It definitely brings about a little more importance and symbolism to this week’s game.”
Oregon (5-3 overall, 2-2 Pacific-10 Conference) visits Seattle to take on their hated rivals. There is no love lost between the two programs.
The Huskies irritated the Ducks after last season’s blowout. Washington (4-4, 2-2) players congregated with Husky fans on the Autzen Stadium turf and celebrated their first win in Eugene since 1996.
“I didn’t see it, but I’ve heard about it,” defensive end Devan Long said. “I guess they came back after about 20 minutes or so. They just started partying on our field. I don’t know, that’s kind of weird.
“Anybody who partied on our field, besides us … that’s not going to happen. We’re going to go up and there and see if we can’t pay them back for what they did to us last year.”
Samie Parker (1) is the Ducks’ leading receiver last week with 41 catches for 677 yards and three touchdowns. He had 118 receiving yards.
Washington players know the Ducks will be motivated to make up for the show on the Autzen turf.
“I don’t think it matters now,” Washington tackle Khalif Barnes told The Seattle Times. “I wouldn’t change it. We were happy that we had won. We were going through a lot of tough times like we are now, and we expressed some emotion, just like WSU celebrating on our field before a game (in 2001).”
The rivalry takes place in Seattle this season, a city of nightmares for the Ducks in recent years. Oregon hasn’t won in Seattle since 1997 — although they’ve only played the Huskies there once since then — and a trip to the Seattle Bowl last season wasn’t quite what the Ducks were looking for.
Husky fans verbally harassed the Ducks during the team’s 38-17 loss to Wake Forest.
This game should be no different.
“They’ll probably take me in with open arms,” Oregon safety Keith Lewis said with a smile. “They probably won’t be too happy to see me like I won’t be happy to see them. I ran into a couple of them at the Seattle Bowl. They did their trash-talking and I said my piece, but at the same time, hopefully they welcome me with open arms.”
Just two Ducks remain from the team that traveled to Husky Stadium in 1999. Seniors Quinn Dorsey and Jason Fife were both freshmen on the trip.
Dorsey played minimally that season but did see a few plays against the Huskies. Fife was the third-string quarterback behind future NFLers A.J. Feeley and Joey Harrington.
Fife ended up redshirting that season.
The hostility the Ducks will face in Seattle may be unlike any the team has faced this season. Husky Stadium — with its scenic views, loud fans and usually poor weather — is Autzen North.
“I think it will be a lot like Mississippi State, actually,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “They’re a very vocal crowd, very loud. Our kids responded very well to Mississippi State. They enjoyed that environment. They took a little bit of excitement from it.
Linebacker Jerry Matson (52) has 36 tackles this season, including seven tackles for a combined 22-yard loss and one sack.
“I’m sure we’ll try to do the same thing for Husky Stadium. It is loud. It’s a very raucous atmosphere and one, it’s a great college environment.”
The game will be a homecoming of sorts for six Ducks listed on the 2003 roster in the Oregon media guide. Of those six, Long and linebacker Jerry Matson have seen significant action for Oregon this season.
Two others, quarterback Johnny DuRocher and wide receiver Jordan Carey, are recently out of high school.
“I’ve been to a couple of Husky games when I was a young ‘un,” Long said. “They’ve got some pretty rowdy fans up there. I’m kind of excited. I always enjoy going to away games. I like playing against fans that kind of hate you.”
As much as things change — the firing of Washington head coach Rick Neuheisel before this season and the loss of Onterrio Smith to the NFL — they remain the same. Washington returns Williams, who burned the Ducks last season for 14 catches and 198 yards last season as a sophomore.
He is a familiar sight to Oregon fans, as is Pickett, a senior who has passed for more than 300 yards in a game just once this season. Williams is, however, still ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
“We just can’t give (Williams) an easy play,” Oregon secondary coach John Neal said. “We give him an easy play if we let him get behind us, or miss a tackle and he runs down the sideline untouched. Obviously, that’s not going to win us a game. We’ve got to have people around him. We’ve got to make sure we make tackles and as much as you can, have more than one set of eyes on him when the ball’s in the air.”
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