Oregon Statistical Update
Thursday's football notebook looks at several of the Duck's top individuals and keeps tabs on their progression so far this season and up many of the all-time Duck record charts.
The Duck Skill Positions
SALADIN . . . With a name translating to "warrior" in Arabic, tailback Saladin McCullough has been just that so far in '97, averaging 106.6 rushing yards per game -- potentially Oregon's first above the century mark average for a season since Derek Loville in 1988 (100.2 ypg). The Pasadena senior has collected five 100-yard rushing efforts this season (the first Oregon player to do so in seven years), and will tryg this weekend to become the first Duck with his fourth straight century effort since Bobby Moore/Ahmad Rashad had five in 1971. The main obstacle will be the Washington defense which is allowing only 98.5 yards per game.
Scoring-wise, Saladin has been equally prolific. Last year, he averaged 12.86 points per game last year -- better than national scoring leader Corey Dillon of Washington, and the NCAA leader if he had met the NCAA minimum of games played that season (75%). Adding in his eight touchdowns from this season, he has landed in the end zone every 14.1 times he has touched the football. Listed below is his ranking on the Ducks' single-season and career ledgers:
Single Season Rushing Name Att Avg Yds 6. Sean Burwell (90) 223 4.3 969 7. Derek Loville (89) 244 3.9 959 8. Bobby Moore (70) 203 4.6 924 9. Saladin McCullough (97) 163 5.2 853 Single Season All-Purpose Name Run Rec Ret Yds 6. Sean Burwell (92) 822 293 406 1521 7. Derek Loville (86) 544 236 868 1466 8. Derek Loville (88) 1202 172 86 1460 9. Don Reynolds (73) 1002 94 362 1408 10. Don Reynolds (74) 787 140 480 1407 11. Bobby Moore (70) 924 455 27 1406 12. Tony Cherry (84) 569 64 751 1384 13. Saladin McCullough 853 120 367 1340 Career Rushing Name Att Avg Yds 9. Jack Morris (55-57) 362 4.7 1688 10. Tony Cherry (84-85) 298 5.3 1575 11. Latin Berry (86-89) 348 4.5 1570 12. Mel Renfro (61-63) 269 5.2 1540 13. Saladin McCullough (96- ) 285 5.4 1538 Career Touchdowns Name TD 3. Ricky Whittle (92-95) 25 Sean Burwell (90-93) 25 5. Cristin McLemore (92-95) 24 Jim Shanley (55-57) 24 7. Saladin McCullough (96- ) 23 Mel Renfro (61-63) 23 Career Scoring Name TD PAT FG Pts 8. Ricky Whittle (92-95) 25 0 0 150 9. C. McLemore (92-95) 24 1 0 146 Kirk Dennis (87-88) 0 52 32 146 11. Jim Shanley (55-57) 24 0 0 144 12. Mel Renfro (61-63) 23 2 0 141 13. S. McCullough (96- ) 23 0 0 138
DOUBLE TROUBLE . . . Seniors Saladin McCullough and Pat Johnson have formed one of the most dangerous all-purpose duos in the Pacific-10 Conference so far in '97. Combining for an average of 292.4 yards per game in rushing, receiving and kick return statistics, McCullough leads the conference (8th nationally) in all-around acreage, averaging 167.5 yards per game. On the other hand, Johnson ranks eighth in the Pac-10 (41st in the country), sporting a 124.9-yard average. In addition, the duo rank as the top two kickoff return specialists in the league, with Johnson ninth in the country and McCullough 16th. In his last visit to Husky Stadium, Johnson returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. McCullough returned the opening kickoff this season 93 yards for a score against Arizona.
TWO-HEADED MONSTER . . . The dual-QB system continues to pay dividends this season as three weeks ago junior holdover Jason Maas racked up what was then the best total offense mark in the league this year with 389 yards vs. Utah. Junior college transfer Akili Smith returned the next week to enjoy his best day of his Oregon career, completing 64 percent of his passes (14-22) for 235 yards at USC. Now the two will try to repeat last year's feat of a QB tandem both throgin for over 1,000 yards in the same season. Jason Maas already has thrown for 1281 while Akili Smith isn't far behind with 829 yards. Last year, Tony Graziani and Ryan Perry-Smith became the first ever in the 101 years up till then.
MORE MAAS . . . Jason Maas perfected the role as the closer in his first three appearances of the year, coming off the bench to keep the Ducks out of trouble in the second half vs. Arizona and engineering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives at Nevada. He guided Oregon to an overtime win against Fresno State in his first collegiate start. At Stanford, he threw for 264 yards and five TDs before passing for three scores and 369 yards in the win over Utah. The latter ranked 10th on the school's all-time single-game list while his 389 yards of total offense was the sixth-best in Oregon history. Only Danny O'Neil (6 vs. Stanford, 1994) has thrown more touchdowns in one game than Maas. Using baseball standards, Maas would get credit as the pitcher of record in three of his team's four wins.
MORE SMITH . . . Akili Smith also has encountered his best two games in an Oregon uniform as a reliever. He came off the bench for the final three quarters vs. Washington State to throw for 205 yards and one touchdown. He then bettered his previous effort with 235 yards passing and a three-yard TD run at USC. Smith has emerged as the Ducks' second-leading rusher (116 yards), with his 14 carries (67 yards) against UCLA --the most by an Oregon quarterback since Tony Graziani's 15 carries and 108 yards against Oregon State in 1995. Not since Reggie Ogburn (1979-80) have the Ducks possessed a running threat at that position with the skill of the Grossmont JC All-American, with only one QB (Graziani, 236 yards, 1995) exceeding 200 yards on the ground for the season since 1980.
THE BEST OF BLAKE . . . Senior Blake Spence has never been your normal "second-team" tight end. In fact he probably has spent more time on the field than some "starters" thanks to the team's many multiple tight end sets. Of course though, not many "reserves" have earned honorable mention all-conference honors from the league coaches either each of the last two years. Now that Spence has the spotlight to himself, he has made the most of the opportunity. With his four catches for 35 yards at USC, Blake extended his string of consecutive games with at least one reception to 22. The previous week, he made six catches for 214 yards and one touchdown vs. Utah -- the yardage ranking fourth on the Ducks' single-game list. Trailing only former teammate Josh Wilcox (1993-96) as the most prolific receiving tight end in school history, Oregon's second-leading receiver (29 catches, 497 yards) leads the conference's tight ends in receptions, yards receiving and touchdowns. The school's one-season record for catches by a tight end was set in 1986 by Bobby DeBisschop (40).
MOVING UP THE LADDER . . . There is little doubt Oregon's newcomers at quarterback have benefitted from some experienced hands on the other ends of those passes. Seniors Pat Johnson and Blake Spence are both rapidly moving up the school's all- time receptions chart in their first full seasons as permanent starters. The following is a look at the California duo:
Career Receptions Player (Years) Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 12. Leland Glass (69-71) 100 1408 14.0 7 13. Pat Johnson (94- ) 94 1456 15.5 7 16. Ray Palm (63-65) 91 1273 14.0 7 17. Anthony Jones (89-92) 86 997 11.3 7 18. Dameron Ricketts (93-96) 84 1163 13.8 6 Joe Reitzug (87-90) 84 1316 15.7 6 Greg Moser (79-82) 84 1406 16.7 5 21. Blake Spence (94- ) 82 1233 15.0 9 Bob Palm (72-74) 82 1291 15.7 12 Latin Berry (86-89) 82 679 8.3 3 Career Receiving Yards Player (Years) Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 6. Bobby Moore (69-71) 131 1565 11.9 18 7. Greg Bauer (74-76) 120 1496 12.5 7 8. Steve Bunker (64-66) 103 1495 14.5 14 9. Pat Johnson (94- ) 94 1456 15.5 7
MORE JOHNSON . . . If there was any doubt earlier, it has certainly vanished as senior wide receiver Pat Johnson has completed the conversion from an Oregon track standout playing football to a football star who runs track. The 1995 Pac-10 400-meter champion and NCAA 100 and 200-meter All-American is rapidly becoming one of the Ducks' top receiving threats in several years. Accumulating 55 catches for 847 yards the past three years, Johnson's 1997 totals (39 receptions, 609 yards) could come close to his previous career aggregate. Enjoying three 100-yard receiving efforts in his last seven games this year, Johnson needs one more to match Cristin McLemore's quartet of 100-yard games from 1995.
MR. INSIDE, MR. OUTSIDE . . . Peter Sirmon has elicited high expectations ever since the Washington state defensive-player-of- the-year signed with the Ducks in 1995. Last year as a redshirt frosh, the model of versatility led the team in tackles until the final week of the season. This season he has upped the ante, playing both outside linebacker early (and recording 15 tackles vs. Arizona), and inside more recently. Sirmon leads the Ducks with 73 tackles and also paces the Pac-10. In addition, he stands second in the league in tackles for losses with 15 for a loss of 64 yards, has intercepted one pass and returned one fumble for 34 yards. He has exceeded double-digit tackles on three occasions in '97.
GOLDEN TOE . . . Few players have methodically climbed their way among the school's all-time scoring leaders more quietly than placekicker Joshua Smith, with the former walk-on scoring more points in the first two years of his Oregon career than any player in school history except Bobby Moore (Ahmad Rashad). Now he has become only the fourth player in school history to accumulate 200 points during his career. He remains third on the school's all-time chart for field goals made (36), closing within one three-pointer of equalling Tommy Thompson's 37 field goals for second place. However Smith has dropped to sixth on the career field goal accuracy list (66.6%) after misfiring on four of his last seven tries.
INJURY UPDATE . . . Senior David Weber exited the USC game with a knee injury and is not expected to make this weekend's trip, as is the case with Lee Gundy. The true freshman underwent surgery to repair a dislocated knee cap and will be lost for the season. The Ducks are hopeful of regaining the services of inside linebacker Ryan Klaasen, who could rejoin the team after suffering a concussion at Stanford on Sept. 27, as well as defensive line starter Desmond Byrd, who missed the USC game with a rib injury.
