Four touchdowns, no interceptions and 350-plus yards through the air.
That has to be Kellen Clemens’ line if Oregon has a chance to defeat No. 17 Arizona State.
Clemens has to bring his best performance – his ‘A’ game if you will, and utilize the Ducks’ weapons to their full extent. Instead of being dangerous, the weapons have to become deadly.
The senior quarterback has to have touch, have velocity and work errorlessly.
Touch: Demetrius Williams leads a corps of wide receivers that will stretch the defense.
Velocity: Tim Day and Dante Rosario are golden on the short routes, finding the gaps in the zone just past the first-down marker.
Errorlessly: Veteran running back Terrence Whitehead and the young players in the backfield are waiting to explode on every clean handoff.
The weapons are there, it is just a matter of looking off the safety and firing away.
Clemens hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent on the road in his career and has been tested twice this season. He completed 28 of 38 attempts for 332 yards and four touchdowns to lead Oregon to a 37-34 victory over No. 23 Fresno State at home on Sept. 17. One disappointing week later, Clemens was 15 of 30 for 162 yards and one touchdown during a 45-13 loss to top-ranked USC.
Clemens currently ranks sixth in the nation in total offense (331 yards per game) and 17th in passing efficiency (154.3). He also is second in the Pacific-10 Conference to Arizona State’s Sam Keller in total offense and touchdown passes (12).
Sportscasters, fans and people generally associated with both programs predict a shootout. I feel no different.
The first team to 40 points wins and the turnover/takeaway ratio will determine the winner.
Last week, Keller tossed five interceptions during a 38-28 loss to USC. He had thrown only two picks in his four previous games of the season. Clemens threw his first interception last week at Stanford.
The bottom line is who will put the touch on the deep ball and won’t allow the defense to make a play, let alone an interception. Which signal caller will lead his team down the field with calm precision?
This is Clemens’ opportunity to prove critics wrong with a top-notch performance rivaling a top-tier quarterback manning his ranked team. Clemens is already climbing the record charts and all of the conference coaches know him as a threat on all fronts.
The only thing he is focused on accomplishing is a key victory in a ranked opponent’s home.

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