Paul Martinez Has Kicked Record Performances in Every Game | 3
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SINCE 1900 | Volume 107, Issue 20 | Friday, September 16, 2005 Paul Martinez has kicked record performances in every game | 3 Barnett provides security on the field,advice along the sidelines | 6 The Pac-10 faces challenging weekend after 13-3 start to non-league play | 13 PLUS Oregon notes | 4 Oregon (2-0) vs.No.23 Fresno State (1-0) Fresno State notes | 5 Autzen Stadium | Sept.17 Pac-10 game of the week | 12 4 p.m., TBS Pac-10 Standings,AP Poll | 16 Look for post-game coverage at www.dailyemerald.com PHOTO BY TIM BOBOSKY 2 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | Friday, September 16, 2005 It’s easy. But don’t miss Just go to the the deadline. UO Health Center Sign up runs now at 13th & Agate. through October 21. you are ure co s ve ke re a d . M S i e g c n n a u r p u s fo n r I St lth udent Hea Review the details of the plan on our web page: JUSTIN KASE CONDER | COURTESY http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu University Health Center Fresno State’s Bryson Sumlin is coming off a season-ending knee injury he sustained one year ago. Sumlin, who rushed for more than 022722 Any questions? 1,000 yards in 2003, gained 68 yards on 12 carries against Weber State last week. Call 346.2832. Ducks focused on containing GET SUBSCRIBED Bulldog backs Fresno State is seeking its 11th victory in five years over a BCS-caliber school BY SHAWN MILLER SPORTS EDITOR Their resume is long and distin- guished. They command more re- Oregon’s spect than any other non-BCS school. Haloti Ngata And they have 29 wins since 2001, (96) and sixth-best in the nation. But don’t tell Darius them that. Sanders force The Fresno State Bulldogs, the odds Montana on favorite to win the Western Athletic quarterback Conference, have a chip on their col- Jason lective shoulder and if Oregon isn’t Washington prepared, the Ducks will become the to throw the next in a long list of Bulldog victories ball away in over major conference opponents. the end zone. Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti, Ngata was who has guided the Ducks to three credited with consecutive wins over the Bulldogs, the sack and knows the challenge that a Fresno the Ducks State team brings. scored two “The type of young men they bring points after in there are tough, physical and feel intentional as if they have something to prove,” grounding Bellotti said. was called in [ available by the academic That attitude has enabled the Bull- the endzone. dogs to 10 wins over BCS schools since JONAH SCHROGIN | DESIGNER 2001, the most of any non-BCS school. yards short of 1,000 on the ground. State history,” head coach Pat Hill term or all year ] “This is a physical football team that said. “As a group, we have a lot of plays well, that knows how to win, “They are content to run the ball speed and power and I think we have that prides itself on going into other eight or 10 or 11 times in a row,” Bel- some toughness. Running the foot- people’s houses and winning games,” lotti said. “It has been very efficient, ball will be important for our success Bellotti said. “We have to make sure very effective and they are putting up and we have some guys who can that we are not a very good host.” a lot of points.” Missing the game is bad enough. really carry the load.” The Ducks, who are in the middle Sumlin rushed for 1,104 yards and Thrown into the backfield at times of a three-game home stand, are fo- 13 touchdowns last season, while is Clifton Smith, who returned two cused on shutting down the run. Wright racked up 1,038 in 2003 before punts for touchdowns during a 55-17 Don’t miss out on Game Day coverage too. While Fresno State works through a a season-ending knee injury sidelined victory over Weber State last week. “traditional” offense, the Bulldogs him last year. Mathis, a transfer from Mathis rushed for three touch- aren’t afraid to run the ball. Running UCLA, scored 12 touchdowns and led downs, while quarterback Paul Pine- backs Bryson Sumlin and Dwayne the WAC with a 6.9 yards per rush av- gar was 14 of 18 for 189 yards and Call or e-mail to get your subscription started. Wright have each rushed for more erage last season. two touchdowns. than 1,000 yards in a season each, “I think we have one of the best while Wendell Mathis was only five groups of running backs in Fresno PREVIEW, page 11 (541) 346-5511 or [email protected] Newsroom (541) 346-5511 Display Advertising (541) 346-3712 Classified Advertising (541) 346-4343 Now in its 14th year, Game Day is published every Friday throughout football season and is distribut ed on campus, at distribution sites around Eugene and at Autzen Stadium the day of home games. Game Day is published by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. The Emerald operates ind ependently of the UO with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. 023023 The independent campus newspaper for the University of Oregon 023020 Oregon Daily Emerald | P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 | www.dailyemerald.com Friday, September 16, 2005 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | 3 ROUGHING THE KICKER: Martinez focuses on future, not past Following two seasons as an inconsistent punter, first field goal he has made from 50 yards out. He notched another in his Martinez broke the school record in the second game senior year of high school at San Ra- mon Valley high in Danville, Calif. While attending school there, Martinez BY SCOTT J. ADAMS first-team all-freshman unit by The was a three-year starting placekicker SPORTS REPORTER Sporting News magazine. for head coach Dave Kravitz and was unior placekicker Paul Martinez Martinez was on the bench for the one of the top-ranked prospects in the bears the typical appearance of majority of his sophomore year having far west as listed by Superprep. He was any kicker on the field with his only two punts to his name in Ore- J also one of the top 15 punters in the smaller face mask, his pristine jersey gon’s season-opener against Indiana. nation, averaging 4.5 seconds of hang and his long-sleeved jersey for staying He did manage to get in some game time on punts that included a 53- warm on the sideline. time kicking experience — a single yarder scored in 2001. In his senior Yet as his concurrent Pacific-10 PAT converted against Idaho. year, he made 12 of 15 field goals and Conference Special Teams Player of The biggest disappointment of accumulated 90 points. He earned spe- the Week honors earned this season 2004, Martinez said, was not his cialist MVP honors his junior and sen- suggest, Martinez is more than meets lack of playing time but his absence ior years and numerous accolades the eye. from placekicking. from different newspapers in the bay With only two games under his belt “2004 wasn’t necessarily a wake-up area, including the San Francisco as Oregon’s starting kicker, the 20- call for me, but I was upset because I Chronicle and the Contra Costa Times. year-old Martinez has been a scoring wasn’t kicking field goals,” Martinez force that Oregon head coach Mike said. “I just had to keep a good attitude Martinez said he relishes having First-year Bellotti can rely on. Martinez’s six field and wait for my chances to contribute more than his fair share of opportuni- placekicker Paul goals against Montana last Saturday to the team.” ties to put points on the board for Martinez set an Ducks, but would like to see Oregon Oregon record were good enough to land the Walnut Since Oregon’s season opener with six field goals Creek, Calif., native a spot in Oregon’s against Houston, the opportunities reach the pylons more in the redzone. “I’m surprised with how many against Montana record book for most field goals made have come by the dozen for Mar- last week. in a game, and also tied a Pac-10 tinez. He had six attempts against the kicks I’ve had. I want to make every Martinez is 11 of record. As of press date, he leads the Cougars and showed his unchanging kick every chance I get and I love kick- 12 for the season, nation in three-pointers per game with ability to make field goals at any dis- ing field goals, but it would definitely eclipsing the 11-12 made thus far. Martinez already tance. He made a trio of chip shots help our team more if we could find team’s mark of has more field goals made this season from inside the 40-yard line and the endzone more often,” Martinez nine total field said. “It’s cool setting records and goals last season. than Oregon had all of last season. The added a jaw-dropping 51-yarder to TIM BOBOSKY | PHOTO EDITOR Ducks recorded only nine in 2004. silence his critics. making field goals is a big deal to me, Heading into this season there “I didn’t even see it go in,” Mar- but so is making PATs and seeing us to have more scoring production from great job for us going 11 for 12,” was doubt from both fans and me- tinez said.