Pumped-up, inspiring, spirited and joyous.
Rambunctious, rowdy, insulting and intimidating.
For the past week, Oregon fans packed into Autzen Stadium have been labeled with such a wide variety of names.
But while these 45,000-plus hordes of green and yellow boosters have contributed greatly to the Ducks’ 17-game home winning streak, the third longest in the Pacific-10 conference, a few of them went too far.
In last Saturday’s 29-10 rout of then-No. 6 UCLA, the 45,470 Autzen fans’ thunderous roar greatly affected the game’s outcome. The Bruins were whistled 10 times for 61 yards in penalties. At one point, UCLA was charged with three consecutive false start penalties.
But it was what occurred after the game that raised university officials’ concerns. Bruin wide receiver Brian Poli-Dixon was heckled by an Oregon fan and had to be pulled away by teammates.
“They have some drunk people out here,” Poli-Dixon said in the Los Angeles Times. “They’re fans. I’m a poor sport. I really don’t respond to that too well.”
Athletic Director Bill Moos announced on Tuesday that security at Saturday’s Washington-Oregon game will be increased.
“Our fans are great, a great boost for us,” Moos said in the Seattle Times. “Autzen is an intimidating place to play, but at the same time, this is a championship-caliber program. We’re year-in and year-out contenders. We need to act that way. This isn’t the ninth-place team in the Pac-10 just knocking off the Rose Bowl champions [last week].”
Uniformed Eugene police officers will be stationed behind the Washington bench, at the mouth and the end of the tunnel and at the mezzanine level above the tunnel.
Moos said that he planned extra security for the Washington game before the season even began.
“Part of our problem is the tradition of fans coming onto the field,” Moos said. “It’s virtually impossible [to prevent] because of their close proximity, and ability to jump over the wall if they want to. What we might do [in the future] is encourage people to wait five minutes or so, so the visiting team can exit.”
In its last three visits to Autzen Stadium, Washington has lost twice. Each time, Duck fans have swarmed the field, including a toppling of the left goal post in 1994.
With the Washington game having been sold out for over a week, overflow capacity is expected.
