SINCE 1900 | Volume 107, Issue 19 | Friday, September 9, 2005
Montana native Brady Leaf looks to become Oregon’s next great QB | 3
Column:Why the Ducks shouldn’t play Division I-AA schools | 7
Backfield comparison:Whitehead, Hilliard continue to climb charts | 8
PLUS Oregon notes | 6 Montana notes | 7 Pac-10 game of the week | 10 Pac-10 standings, AP Poll | 16
Oregon (1-0) vs.Montana (1-0) Autzen Stadium | Sept.10 12:30 p.m., 590 AM Look for post-game coverage at www.dailyemerald.com 2 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | Friday, September 9, 2005 Parents, Parents, wewe keepkeep Oregon aims for your your ducksducks healthy.healthy. more touchdowns, HERE’S HOW: Onsite Onsite physiciansphysicians && nursenurse practitionerspractitioners Low Low costcost pharmacypharmacy •• DentalDental ClinicClinic fewer field goals PTPT && SportsSports MedicineMedicine •• AllergyAllergy & & asthmaasthma clinicsclinics •• MentalMental healthhealth servicesservices BY SHAWN MILLER Travel Travel ClinicClinic •• DiabetesDiabetes managementmanagement SPORTS EDITOR Oregon, 9-1 in home openers un- der head coach Mike Bellotti, is looking forward to erasing the bad OPEN DDAILYAILY ANANDD WEEWEEWEEKENDS:KENDS: taste from its mouth after the last Monday MondayMonday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday /W/Wednesday//Thursday/F/Friday 8 aa.m.-a.m.- 6 pp.m.p.m. home game, a 34-26 loss to UCLA. Tuesday Tuesday 9 aa.m.-a.m.- 6 pp.m.p.m. The Ducks have that opportunity Saturday Saturday Saturday/Sunday//Sunday 10 aa.m.-a.m.- 2 pp.m.p.m. on Saturday, hosting the University of APPOINT APPOINTMENTSMENTS & AAAFTERFTER HOURS: Montana Grizzlies, a Division I-AA 346 346.2770.2770 school out of the Big Sky Conference. OPEN DURING Typically, a Pacific-10 Conference DURING school matched up against a Division REMODEL.REM CHECKCHEC THEODEL. ODE I-AA opponent should be a laugh, K THE O but nobody at Oregon is smiling at FFOROR UPUPDATES!DE DATES! the thought of the Grizzlies. “We are not taking them lightly,” 023029 UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER Oregon cornerback Aaron Gipson http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu said. “We are just going to come out, play hard, play fast and come out with a win.” That is probably for the best after last season’s home-opener debacle, when the Ducks committed seven turnovers in a losing effort to Indiana. “They (Montana) are a darn good football team,” Oregon quarterback GET SUBSCRIBED Kellen Clemens said. “We’ve got to be ready, and after last year we will be.” The loss started the season in a downward spiral, eventually leaving Oregon with its first losing season in 10 years and in Bellotti’s tenure. The lessons were learned, and after be- ginning the season with a victory last week at Houston, the Ducks feel confident that they are headed in the right direction early. Bellotti spent the week focusing on “special teams coverage, kickoff coverage, consistency in where we kick the ball off, no break downs in STEPHEN PINCHBACK | THE DAILY COUGAR the secondary, not giving up the big Quarterback Kellen Clemens will showcase the new Duck offense in front of the home crowd play and a reduction in penalties.” for the first time this season Saturday against Montana. Clemens was the Pacific-10 Offensive Last year the Ducks were flagged Player of the Week after throwing for 348 yards and two touchdowns last week at Houston. for 877 yards and were the worst in the Pac-10, recording an average of 79.7 penalty yards per game. Little changed against Houston; Oregon committed 12 penalties for 105 yards. A lack of experience is what Bellotti said could lead to the miscues. “Every year we are a young team,” Bellotti said. “We have 12 or 13 seniors on this team, which is scary. That is the least I’ve had since the Cotton Bowl year.” Offensively, Bellotti wants pro- ductivity in the red zone, with fewer field goals and more touchdowns. [ available by the academic Despite kicker Paul Martinez’s record-tying effort of five made field goals in six attempts against Hous- term or all year ] ton, touchdowns are worth double the points, and that is what Bellotti wants to see on the scoreboard. “We moved the ball well. We did not score as many touchdowns as Missing the game is bad enough. we would like,” Bellotti said. “We Shane MacIntyre had opportunities in the red zone; leads a balanced we didn’t convert them for a variety defensive attack of reasons.” from the inside Don’t miss out on Game Day coverage too. Two key statistics that show im- linebacker provement are that the Ducks held position. MacIntyre Houston to 31 percent on third- recorded a Call or e-mail to get your subscription started. down conversions, while posting team-high 94 nearly a 50 percent completion rate, tackles last season. PREVIEW, page 12 COURTESY (541) 346-5511 or [email protected]
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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 9, 2005 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | 3 Montana to Oregon Plucked from a talented family, Oregon reserve Leaf also flashed his arm on the track and field team, placing second quarterback Brady Leaf is working to establish himself at state in the javelin competition his sophomore season. “He was an all-around athlete BY LUKE ANDREWS to his older brother. FREELANCE REPORTER and was always out doing some- Similarities between the two are thing,” Johnson said. t is natural to presume that fol- abundant. After his high-school career, of- lowing in the footsteps of a Heis- Brady, like Ryan, possesses ideal fers poured in for Leaf, who was Iman Trophy Finalist, and one of stature for the quarterback position, named the Eastern Conference Of- the Pacific-10 Conference’s all-time standing at 6-foot-5. Both strong- fensive MVP and was named to the prolific passers, would create a bun- armed right-handers were three- Tacoma News Tribunes’ Western dle of added pressure for anybody. sport athletes at C.M. Russell High One Hundred. Not so for Oregon quarterback School in Great Falls, and were Washington State heavily pur- Brady Leaf. coached by Jack Johnson, a state sued Leaf, as did Oregon, Oregon The 6-foot-5, 223 pound Great Falls, coaching legend of 33 years. State, Wyoming and Boise State. Mont., native is the younger brother of “They were both good competi- However, Leaf knew head coach Ryan Leaf, who led the Washington tors,” said Johnson, who won his Mike Bellotti and Oregon would suit State Cougars to the 1998 Rose Bowl 300th game this year. “I thought him best. before his selection in the first round of they’d both pretty much do any- Leaf first became acquainted with the NFL Draft. He is also the third thing to win a game.” Bellotti at the age of nine, when the member of his family to compete in The national scene Ducks’ coach visited the Leaf family the Pac-10, as his cousin Matt Kegel to recruit older brother Ryan. quarterbacked Washington State After witnessing Ryan’s success- “He liked the program, and the during the 2003 season. ful high-school and collegiate ca- facilities are obviously some of the Yet, it is difficult to rattle the calm reers, Brady was eager to make a best,” John Leaf, Brady’s father, and composed demeanor of Brady name and distinguish himself. said. “He also liked the success of Leaf these days, who dismisses any His chance came midway the Oregon program.” notion of extra pressure. through his junior year when C.M. “I wanted to take a different Russell’s starting quarterback was Joining the Ducks path,” Leaf said, referring to his sidelined with a torn anterior cruci- Leaf has seen limited action on choice to play at Oregon instead of ate ligament. Brady started five the field thus far in his first two sea- Washington State. “The coaches games that season and threw for sons at Oregon, but continues to here are great, the players are great, 1,194 yards and 12 touchdowns. contribute as the team’s placeholder and they brought me in as Brady During his senior season, Leaf and scout team member. Leaf, not Ryan’s little brother.” broke out in a major way by He was awarded for his game TIM BOBOSKY | PHOTO EDITOR Leaf’s unruffled manner is repli- throwing for a school record 3,430 preparations four times in his ca- Reserve quarterback Brady Leaf surveys the field at a recent practice. The Montana native cated on the field by his unrivaled yards and 30 touchdowns, leading reer; once in 2004 against Indiana is the third member of his family, behind former Washington State standouts Ryan Leaf poise in the pocket, which under- the Rustlers to the AA State and Matt Kegel, to play in the Pacific-10 Conference. He currently sits third on Oregon’s standably draws many comparisons Championship game. LEAF, page 12 depth chart at quarterback, but hopes to lead the Ducks in the near future. go ducks! GAME GEAR AND SO MUCH MORE...
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YOUR LIFE, YOUR STYLE, YOUR MALL... 4 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | Friday, September 9, 2005 Week one is done: Major schools unimpressive BY RALPH D. RUSSO was over at halftime. on deck this week for Florida, the first championship contenders. departure, in a 17-10 home loss to TCU. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Suddenly, this week’s Notre Dame- true test for the Gators won’t come un- Spurrier knows there are no cham- Auburn moves into a far more man- The first weekend of the major col- Michigan game in Ann Arbor is a lot til they host Tennessee on Sept. 17. pionships in his immediate future. ageable part of its schedule, which lege football season started with Steve more interesting. That became perfectly clear when the should allow Cox to get his confidence. Spurrier’s triumphant, though far from “Now I’ve got to worry about Michi- Winning ugly Gamecocks couldn’t put away Central The Tigers will still be heard from in inspiring, return and ended with Bob- gan, and it doesn’t make any differ- The Volunteers didn’t live up to all Florida, owners of the nation’s longest the Southeastern Conference. by Bowden catching a break. ence who we’re playing, it’s a tough the preseason hype in their first game, losing streak, last Thursday. Oklahoma faces Tulsa on Saturday In between, Charlie Weis lifted spir- game every week,” Weis said. a 17-10 win over UAB that probably re- “It was not a performance that with a chance to get things rolling, its at Notre Dame, and two of last sea- The Wolverines’ defense showed opened the quarterback competition makes think us we’ve got a chance but a trip to UCLA the next week son’s best teams showed they’re not only minimal improvement over last for Tennessee and undoubtedly made for a big year,” Spurrier said after a makes 1-2 a real possibility if the what they used to be. season in Michigan’s 33-17 win over fans in Knoxville nervous. 24-15 victory. Sooners don’t play better — and not Five days of football provided more Northern Illinois, allowing 400 yards to Erik Ainge edged out Rick Clausen Spurrier is not one to downplay his just at quarterback. questions than answers and has al- the Huskies. So how will the Wolver- and was tabbed the starter a week be- team without good reason, and he “Watching the TCU game and cri- ready made the season interesting. ines stop Quinn and Darius Walker? fore the opener. Then Ainge played looks as if he’s walking into an am- tiquing it Sunday on tape, we just On the flip side, No. 4 Michigan is a poorly and was pulled for Clausen, bush on Saturday at Georgia. weren’t very physical up front,” Soon- Looking up big step up from Pitt. And, remember, who played far better against the Blaz- The Bulldogs might have put togeth- ers coach Bob Stoops said. “TCU just The Golden Domers have to be Tyrone Willingahm started 8-0. ers. On Tuesday, coach Phillip Fulmer er the most impressive effort of the outplayed and outcoached us.” giddy after watching Brady Quinn New Florida coach Urban Meyer gave the starting job to Clausen. weekend with a 48-13 victory over and the Fighting Irish put together a rode into the season with high expec- The Vols have two weeks to get it Boise State. Georgia’s new starting Finally Patriots-perfect performance at Pitts- tations and his Gators did nothing to straightened out before back-to-back quarterback, D.J. Shockley, threw five Bowden can relate to quarterback burgh. It really couldn’t have gone dash the optimism with a 32-14 victory road games against Florida and LSU TD passes and ran for another score. struggles. The Florida State coach be- any better than the 42-21 win, which over Wyoming. With Louisiana Tech determine whether they are national But Spurrier and the Gamecocks gan his 30th season with a redshirt won’t be wide-eyed and overwhelmed freshman starting and another one on between the hedges the way Boise the bench. State was. Despite a woeful offensive per- Just as Georgia will provide a more formance, the Seminoles snapped a accurate read on Spurrier’s Game- six-game losing streak to Miami with cocks, South Carolina will be a tougher a 10-7 win on Labor Day night when EUGENE test for Shockley. the Hurricanes pulled a Florida State and messed up a late field goal at- At least Tennessee won tempt that would have tied the game. Oklahoma and Auburn are 0-1 after The joy of breaking Miami’s hex battling for a spot in the national had to be tempered by the reality of championship game last season. Florida State’s QB situation. Drew Both teams started new quarter- Weatherford appears a long way away backs with little success. from being capable of leading a team Auburn’s Brandon Cox, replacing to a championship. Jason Campbell, threw four intercep- “You’ve got to put it into perspective HARDWARE tions in a 23-14 loss to Georgia Tech. with Oklahoma’s quarterbacks,” Bow- Oklahoma got little production out of den said. “They went through the both Paul Thompson and Rhett same thing. Auburn’s quarterback is Bomar, the players who competed for struggling. I just have to get back to re- TOOLS the job left open by Jason White’s ality. Our guys are young too.” PAINT ESCAPE & EXPLORE HARDWARE LAWN & GARDEN HOUSEWARES ELECTRICAL CYCLE CLIMB CAMP TRAVEL
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022673 UO Motel 6 firsttechcu.com :think forward I- 5 S t o exit 191 6 | OREGON DAILY EMERALD | Friday, September 9, 2005