With just one starter returning to the defensive line — and four overall — the Oregon football team’s defense was one of several uncertainties heading into its home opener Sept. 1 against Wisconsin.
But after defeating the Badgers, 31-28, and then extending their winning streak at Autzen Stadium to 22 games with a 24-10 victory over Utah on Saturday, the seventh-ranked Ducks are certain of one thing: The defense needs to be consistent, particularly against the run.
Oregon gave up 84 yards on the ground to the Utes in the first half as the Ducks went into the locker room with a surprisingly small 16-10 lead.
But after a pep talk from head coach Mike Bellotti, the defense took the field in the second half with renewed energy. The Duck “D” shutout Utah in the second half, allowing just 37 yards on 14 rushes.
“The turning point in my mind, I told the team at halftime that we needed the defense to step up and stop their offense from scoring,” said Bellotti, who is now 18-2 against non-conference opponents as Oregon head coach. “I was so proud of the defense. It took them four times because of penalties on kicking plays, but they did not let them score.”
The highly touted tandem of Rashad Bauman and Steve Smith at the corners, who held opponents to a national-best 42.7 percent pass efficiency rating in 2000, have slipped thus far this season. Combined, Utah and Wisconsin have completed 41 of 83 passes against the Ducks, almost 50 percent of attempted throws.
Offensively, quarterback Joey “Heisman” Harrington and tailback Maurice Morris were supposed to roll over everything in front of them. So far, though, it hasn’t been quite so easy.
In dramatic Oregon style, Harrington — after throwing two interceptions — led the team to a fourth-quarter, come-from-behind win against Wisconsin.

One major concern, especially after the season opener, had to be Morris’ durability. The senior, who rushed for 1,188 yards last year, netted 18 yards on 15 carries against the Badgers. Against Utah, Morris faired better (59 yards on 12 carries), but still sat most of the second half while watching sophomore transfer Onterrio Smith — who was suspended for the first half because he pled guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol — carry 11 times in the final 30 minutes. In two games as the No. 2 back, Onterrio Smith has 135 yards on 19 carries.
“We have to be more consistent,” said junior wide receiver Keenan Howry, who caught two touchdown passes Saturday. “We need to run the ball better, too. That sets up everything else on offense.”
Two fresh faces on in the kicking game were also a cause for concern in August, but punting and kick-off specialist Jose Arroyo, and place kicker Jared Siegel, have proven that there’s little to worry about.
Siegel has converted two of three field goal attempts, his lone miss a 47-yard attempt that sailed right against Utah, while Arroyo is averaging 37 yards per punt.
But to keep close with the nation’s elite and fulfill the team’s goal of reaching the Rose Bowl, the site of the national championship this season, Bellotti knows his team must get better before Pacific-10 Conference play begins.
“I think we can improve in every aspect of our game,” Bellotti said. “I don’t want to see an uncontested pass thrown down the field. We can pressure the quarterback much more.
“Joey forced a pass [against Utah] that he has to stop doing. He has tremendous confidence in his receivers, but that can’t happen. We did not run the ball when we had to run the ball, and that’s the point I want to make. When its fourth and a yard, I want to be able to run the ball and not resort to the option, although I’ll take that to score [as Morris did Saturday].”
And although the first two weeks weren’t easy — or even pretty — Bellotti and the Ducks will take a 2-0 record into the Southern California game Sept. 22.