Hey Ducks, listen up!
It’s time to play with some pride.
As a team, you have underachieved this year. Most of you would admit to that. With all the talent this team has, there’s absolutely no way you should be 5-5. At this point, you should be no worse than 7-3. Heck, 8-2 doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
Oh, well. The past is the past, and it can’t be changed. But you do have something to play for. You have one more chance to salvage your season.
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s Civil War week, and there’s a group of guys dressed in orange and black up north who want to rip your heads off. They pay homage to an oversized rodent and reside in a town that reeks of cattle.
You’ll have to go into their house Saturday and believe me, they want you bad. You see, they too sport a 5-5 record. How they got to that mark, on the other hand, is impressive in and of itself.
Those Beavers started the season 1-4, including a one-point video-game-style overtime loss in their opener to then- No. 3 Louisiana State, when their freakin’ kicker missed three extra points.
Those resurgent rodents managed to right the ship, though, and have won four of their last five. In fact, all five of their losses have come against nationally ranked teams.
Now there’s only one thing standing between them and a bowl bid.
You.
That alone should fire you up. But if you’re not excited yet, let me point out some other incentives: A win Saturday means the Ducks go to their eighth consecutive bowl game and gives the seniors one more game in an Oregon uniform. A win breaks the streak of seven consecutive Civil Wars won by the home team. And a win gives Duck fans around the state of Oregon bragging rights for another year.
But you can’t just half-ass it in Reser Stadium and expect to win. You tried that half-ass deal last week against UCLA, and it didn’t work. You’re better than that.
I know you’ve had to battle injuries all season. Not having Demetrius Williams and Tim Day at full strength, if at all, cripples a passing offense something fierce. But in most of your losses, you were one play away from winning. All you needed was one person to step up and make a play.
It’s time for someone to step up and make that play.
Which leads me back to my first point: Play with some pride. You’re an extremely talented group of athletes. Go out and play like the nationally ranked team that everyone believed you were before the season started, and you’ll be on your way to a bowl game.
Sure, Oregon State has talented athletes as well. The Beavers have one of the best passing attacks in the country. But one of their biggest allies is also one of their biggest enemies. Quarterback Derek Anderson, while possessing a cannon of an arm, is capable of keeping the opposition in any game with his decisions on the field. We’re talking about a young man who fired a pass 10 yards out of bounds on 4th down against Fresno State last year with his team trailing late in the fourth quarter.
Anderson (a.k.a. The Human Interception) has racked up 56 picks in his collegiate career and is capable of reaching 60 by game’s end if the Duck secondary is aggressive.
Just ask Justin Phinisee.
“I do plan on getting a pick this game,” he said. “I’m trying to be a playmaker.”
Phinisee has the right idea. He has plenty of pride. He showed his playmaking ability last week when he returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown.
So follow his lead. Storm Reser Stadium Saturday, play with fire and emotion and play up to your capabilities.
A win Saturday won’t send you to the Rose Bowl. It won’t assure you of a 10-win season, and it won’t erase all the “what could have been” talk.
But it will salvage your season.
“They can be as hungry as they want to, but we know what’s gong to happen,” Phinisee said. “We don’t plan on losing. We don’t look to lose. We plan on beating this team by as many points as possible.”

[email protected]