It has turned into a routine for the Oregon football team.
The Ducks play a good game, win and then receive individual awards a few days later.
“Winning all of these awards is just a testament to what kind of a football team we have,” linebacker Matt Smith said.
The latest to receive an award is defensive end Saul Patu, who became the fifth Duck this season to be named Pacific-10 Conference player of the week. Patu was named the top defensive player after his dominating performance in Oregon’s 14-10 victory over Arizona.
In the game, the senior from Seattle punished the Wildcat offense with seven tackles, four of which went for lost yardage. Patu agrees with Smith in that the honor is a credit to the entire defense, but still feels proud to be singled out.
“It was awesome that I got it since it was my first one,” Patu said. “And it was exciting not just for me, but for my family and the rest of the defensive players, who are also like my family.”
Head coach Mike Bellotti mentioned how it was a long time coming for Patu to receive the honor.
“He deserves that completely,” Bellotti said. “He’s had many memorable games but that certainly was one of his best. He’s such a good leader and hard worker, and as such I think he has the respect of his teammates.”
Oregon is also earning respect on a national basis. Not only are the Ducks ranked in the top-10, but Smith and punter Kurtis Doerr are included in some pretty select company.
Smith was selected as a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate linebacker. He is one of only 11 linebackers to make the cut, including Pac-10 foes Adam Archulata from Arizona State and Robert Thomas of UCLA.
Doerr earned national props when he was listed on the ABC sports mid-season All-American team as its punter.
Oregon was first honored with a Pac-10 player of the week after its 29-10 victory over UCLA Sept. 23. Both tailback Maurice Morris and safety Keith Lewis received the honor for offense and special teams, respectively.
A week later, Doerr showed off his pin-point accuracy in the Ducks’ 23-16 win against Washington and earned player of the week honors for special teams. And then against USC Oct. 14, it was quarterback Joey Harrington’s turn after he tore apart the Trojan defense en route to a career passing day.
“When opposing teams try to target on just one person, then somebody else steps up,” Patu said. “Maybe this week it’ll be somebody else.”

Phil phoning home?
The buzz began Tuesday night and continued throughout Wednesday. Will Nike CEO Phil Knight attend Saturday’s Oregon game in Tempe, Ariz.?
Knight has not attended a single Duck athletic event since the University’s decision to join the Worker Rights Consortium April 13.
However, on the heels of the news that the university may soon officially cut ties with the WRC, there have been reports that Knight may have had a change of heart. Portland KGW television sports anchor Colin Cowherd announced Wednesday night that Knight will indeed be in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium.
In an interview with the Emerald in September, athletic director Bill Moos said, “Phil Knight is a supporter of the U of O, has a passion for his alma mater and wants to be involved. We’d like to have Phil back, and a primary goal of mine is to just get him back here as a fan and let everything fall where it may.”

Pass the popcorn
Oregon State went to see the movie, “Remember the Titans,” as a team before its 33-30 loss to Washington Oct. 7. California also went to see the movie before its win over UCLA last weekend.
The Ducks joined the movie party, as the team went to the Cinemark theater in the Gateway Mall to see the Denzel Washington flick during the day last Saturday before its night game.
“There were times in that movie when our hairs on our backs raised and we got excited,” Patu said. “There was certainly a lot of intensity in the air when we were watching that film.”

Still playing
Former Ducks Tony Hartley and Dietrich Moore are still showing off their moves on the gridiron here in town. Hartley attended the Cincinnati Bengals’ training camp and with the help of his agent, Leigh Steinberg, is looking for another opportunity in the NFL. The two were seen playing in an intramural football game against two of the Emerald sports staffers, Adam Jude and Peter Hockaday.
The results weren’t pretty.