Devan Long, seen here against Arizona State last week, looks to continue his streak of recording a sack in each of his last seven games.
The play-making ability that Oregon defensive end Devan Long displays is just a matter of effort.
“He has the ability to turn that corner, lower his pad level and fight and claw and scratch and get to the quarterback,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said.
That fighting and clawing mentality has turned Long into one of the most-feared defensive ends in the Pacific-10 Conference. Long leads the Pac-10 in tackles for loss this season (8.5) and has extended his tackle for loss consecutive game streak to seven. For his career, Long has 26.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 133 yards.
“He’s a complete defensive end,” Bellotti said. “He does a great job in pass rush, but he’s very capable of stopping the run, and he has pride in his entire game. He’s not a one-dimensional player.”
In addition to recording tackles for loss, Long leads the team in sacks (four for 40 yards) for the second straight year. He finished with 11.5 sacks last year — one and a half away from tying the Oregon school record of 13. His 2004 total gives him a share of the Pac-10 lead, and puts him into a tie for ninth on the school’s career sack list (16).
“He’s a true defensive end,” Bellotti said. “And I would call him a defensive lineman. I think he would appreciate that better.”
Good out of the gates
Oregon looks to avoid its first 0-2 start in conference play since it dropped the first five conference games in 1996. In addition, 1996 was the last time the Ducks did not go to a bowl game, and their 6-5 record overall was the worst during Mike Bellotti’s tenure. The Ducks have lost their first two conference games only five times — 1981, 1982, 1986, 1993 and 1996 — in the past 23 years.
First-half TD drought
The Ducks’ scoring woes have been due in large part to the fact that they have not scored a first-half touchdown in three out of their four games this season. The results translate into the Ducks’ three losses to Indiana (23-0 at half), Oklahoma (10-0) and Arizona State (14-6).
Ten straight, maybe?
Oregon junior quarterback Kellen Clemens has upped his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown to nine, dating back to last season. Clemens started his streak last year against Washington and has surpassed former Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington — who put together a streak of eight games from 2000 to 2001. Jason Fife holds the record, with touchdown passes in 12 straight, while Akili Smith accumulated a run of 11 games in 1997-98.
A brotherly connection
If the name Leaf sounds familiar around the conference, that’s because it is. Oregon third-string quarterback Brady Leaf, the younger brother of former Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf, will travel into his brother’s old haunts on Saturday. Also, Oregon defensive end Devan Long is the brother of 2002 Outland Trophy winner Rien Long.
And the rivalry continues
Oregon continues one of its longest rivalries in school history Saturday against Washington State.
“(The Cougars) are an interesting team,” Bellotti said. “They have a great receiver and a big, physical back. The quarterback question revolves around his health. Defensively, Will Derting continues to amaze me. He makes plays. He makes them all over the field, and they are difference-making plays.”
The Cougars have won the last two meetings between the two schools to forge a 37-37-7 tie in the all-time series that dates back to 1901. Oregon last won in Pullman in 2001 and is 20-18-2 in the Palouse, with the game marking the fourth meeting played on the Washington State campus in the last five years.
