Given his recent struggles, Dennis Dixon is hearing the rumblings and criticism.
In his last six games, three of them losses, the junior starting quarterback has thrown for more than 150 yards and completed more than 15 passes only once while tossing eight interceptions to five touchdowns during that stretch – giving him 10 interceptions and 11 touchdowns on the season.
In comparison, Dixon threw for more than 200 yards and just two interceptions in each of Oregon’s first four games as the Ducks started 4-0.
“There’s nothing more that I can say, there’s nothing more the team can do,” Dixon said. “Basically, we just have to execute.”
The road games have been particularly rough for Dixon. In losses at California, Washington State and USC, he tossed six total interceptions and just two touchdowns.
Last Saturday against the Trojans, Dixon finished 15 of 23 for 130 yards and one interception. Dixon was pulled and backup Brady Leaf inserted after Dixon took a knee to the head on an attempted block and then later threw an errant pitch to running back Jonathan Stewart that, like the interception, led to a USC touchdown.
Still, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said his quarterback “played really overall quite well in that game.”
“It’s unfortunate these two situations detract quite a bit from the performance because in terms of operating the offense and choosing when to run or pass, I was really pleased,” Bellotti said.
Following the USC game, Bellotti said he was most disappointed that Dixon did not cover on the fumbled pitch and by the poor route running by wide receiver Jaison Williams on Dixon’s interception.
“That’s something we can change,” Bellotti said. “We can cure that.”
The coach remains adamant that no controversy exists with Leaf, who has played well in relief of Dixon. Leaf was 29-of-49 passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns in limited action at Washington State and USC after Dixon struggled.
Bellotti said Dixon still gives the team the best chance to win.
And Dixon’s teammates say they still believe in him, too.
“Quarterbacks are going to make mistakes and it just so happened that he made some,” senior center Enoka Lucas said. “It’s not like he’s making all the mistakes. It’s receivers, it’s us, it’s the tight ends. You can’t just put it on one guys’ shoulders. My confidence is still with Dennis. I still believe in him. I feel that he’s going to get it done.”
As for any lost confidence from the past games and the criticism that followed?
“I’m always positive,” Dixon, now a 14-game starter, said. “I’m never going to let them get me down. I’ve just got to continue to do what I do.
“(The criticism) doesn’t get to me at all. There’s going to be criticism every where you go. There’s no lost confidence. I could see if it was something that we couldn’t change, but we can make things better.”
Injury notes
Oregon linebacker Brent Haberly and running back Andiel Brown returned to practice this week and are expected to play Saturday against Arizona, a team coming off a 24-20 upset win against then-No. 8 California.
Haberly broke his forearm in the Sept. 16 win against Oklahoma but participated in individual drills and non-contact workouts for the last month.
He’s is now cleared to return to the team just in time to play his last home game at Autzen Stadium against an Arizona team he returned a fumble against for the deciding touchdown last season.
Brown is making a return after suffering a broken bone in his hand against Portland State University. He had a breakout game as the punt returner against the Vikings with 104 yards.
Both Haberly and Brown will play with casts and a protective pad for safety reasons.
“I’ll put whatever they want on here as long as I get to go out there,” said Haberly, a two-year starter before his injury.
Bellotti said Brown could be available for spot duty on special teams.
“(The cast) affects Andiel a lot more in terms of, it’s hard to have a one-handed punt returner or a one-handed running back,” Bellotti said.
Saying farewell
Eighteen Oregon seniors will play their final home game at Autzen Stadium Saturday.
“That’ll be a very emotional and I think there will be a great crowd and this is a game that has a lot more importance than it did a week ago,” Bellotti said. “Our seniors deserve that type of send off, and we want to play well for them.”
Oregon has two games remaining in the regular season and they are two games that will determine Oregon’s bowl positioning. Oregon could finish anywhere from the Sun Bowl (third) in El Paso, Texas, to the Las Vegas Bowl (fourth), to the Emerald Bowl (fifth) in San Francisco or the Hawaii Bowl (sixth).
Say what?
Television viewers and frequent visitors to Youtube.com may have seen USC coach Pete Carroll yelling expletives from the sideline during the Trojans-Ducks game last Saturday, which occurred following a near 20-minute delay after two back-to-back challenges by both coaches to determine if Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart legally made a catch in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.
Carroll won the initial challenge after it was ruled that Stewart stepped out of bounds and then back in bounds to make the catch, which is illegal.
But Bellotti challenged that the ball was tipped before Stewart’s catch, making it legal for Stewart to come back in bounds to make the catch. The call was reversed again and the touchdown stood, prompting the remarks from Carroll.
“I didn’t see it. I’ve never seen it,” Bellotti said. “Obviously I don’t get a chance to watch the television replays. So, I’m sure it was just frustration at the situation.”
Carroll offered an apology after the game through various media outlets.
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