1997 Season Outlook
There was a time Oregon may have been content with last year's 6-5 record. But that was prior to five post-season appearances in the last eight years, including Rose and Cotton Bowl berths following the 1994 and '95 campaigns.
The Ducks will look for some of the most explosive offensive weapons in the Pac-10 as well as a rejuvenated defense to fuel a return of those aspirations.
Since one of the most successful stretches in the program's history began in 1989, Oregon has not gone more than one season without a bowl invitation. In addition the Ducks have posted three straight winning seasons for the first time in three decades. Posing one of the biggest challenges for Mike Bellotti's third season at the helm will be the replacement of 24 seniors in addition to two-time All-America cornerback Kenny Wheaton, who departed for the NFL draft a year early.
In order to fill those vacancies, the 41 seasoned lettermen and 34 additional returnees and redshirts will be joined by as many as 11 newcomers who will find themselves thrown into position to immediately contribute.
"What we had to do last spring was be in more of a teaching mode because we had a lot of untested players," Bellotti said. "We had to go at a little slower pace in terms of teaching and yet at the same time, find out what they could do under pressure."
While Bellotti admits to addressing more questions this time around than in any of his two previous seasons, he is quick to point out the Ducks are by no means restricted in their number of qualified candidates. Among his pupils are 11 returning starters, including both kicking specialists, in addition to another 15 players who have opened at least one game throughout their collegiate career at Oregon.
The Ducks' personable head coach entered last spring's workouts with major questions and inexperience along the offensive and defensive front lines, at quarterback, linebacker and the defensive secondary. He admits to emerging from the off-season drills with many of those questions remaining unanswered.
"Offensively, our tight end, wide receivers and tailbacks can compete with anybody," Bellotti emphasized. "It's going to be fun for whoever the quarter-back is once the line gets a feel for working together. We've got a lot of people to throw the ball to at all positions and certainly Saladin McCullough heads a solid group of running backs."
If there is one thing Oregon has not lacked in recent years it's offense, averaging better than 400 yards a game each of the past two seasons, ranking among the top 16 teams in the country in passing three of the last four years and finishing second in the Pacific-10 Conference in scoring every year since 1994. But for the first time in six years, the Ducks enter the fall with no clear favorite at the quarterback position. Further complicating the equation, the offense must find replace-ments for four of the five starting interior line-men.
"It will be tough to be better offensively than we were last year because of what we accomplished," Bellotti said of the unit which averaged 449.0 yards and scored 34.4 points per game. "But I do think we have the potential to be just as explosive."
Expected to provide a major source of that energy is McCullough, as the senior running back accounted for a school-record 15 touchdowns rushing despite playing in only seven games his first campaign in the Ducks' camp. While averaging an Oregon eight-year high 97.9 yards a game rushing, the Pasadena, Calif., honorable mention all-conference pick scored more points per outing (12.86) than the nation's Division I leader (12.55), but played in fewer games than the required NCAA minimum (for national statistical rankings) due to a knee and hamstring injuries.
Yet when the Ducks have enjoyed their greatest success as a team, it has always been the defense which has supplied its greatest impetus. Thus it came as little surprise that Oregon encountered its share of struggles with a defense ranked eighth in the league in scoring (32.4 ppg) and ninth in yards allowed (437.0 avg.).
Although the unit again will be plagued by inexperience, Bellotti expects it to one which will be much improved.
"You can never replace a player like Kenny Wheaton, you just hope you don't miss him too much," the Ducks' head coach acknowledged. "We have to find the very best player possible to take his place.
"We weren't a good defensive football team last year and that had nothing to do whether Kenny Wheaton played or not. It had to do more with basic run responsibility and the ability to rush the quarterback. The best way we can help whoever plays the cornerback position is to put more pressure on the quarterback."
The Oregon mentor and former offensive coordinator pinpoints the positions of offensive and defensive line as the areas most crucial if the Ducks are to demonstrate significant improvement.
"At the line of scrimmage, we need to get stronger and tougher," Bellotti emphasized. "The strength part is something the kids needed to do the in the off-season. The toughness has to come from within, both mentally and physically."
Oregon won't have to wait long to determine how much progress it has made in both areas. The Ducks open the '97 campaign vs. a Pac-10 foe for the first time since 1991 when they entertain Arizona in a nationally-televised date in Autzen Stadium Sept. 4 -- the school's earliest conference clash in 12 years.
Two of three non-conference opponents concluded last year in post-season play (Nevada and Utah), while Oregon looks to avenge losses to a trio of league bowl participants (Stanford, Washington and Arizona State) on the road.
Oregon Offense
Only four starters return from one of the most potent offensive attacks in school history, yet that's a bit misleading.
Despite the fact only tight end Josh Wilcox started every game among the skilled position standouts and quarterbacks Tony Graziani and Ryan Perry-Smith split time due to injuries, the Ducks' offense accounted for yards and points at a record pace. Oregon disposed of one of its oldest standards in the books (1970), generating 4,939 yards of total offense, and eclipsing a three-year-old mark with 3,321 yards passing.
Heading the returnees are last year's top five rushers, seven of the team's 10 receiving leaders and 11 of the best 12 scorers from a unit which ranked 12th in the country in passing, 14th in scoring and 18th in total offense.
Not since the 1989 departure of the school's all-time rushing leader, Derek Loville, has Oregon drooled over the prospects of a running attack led by senior tailback Saladin McCullough. He supplied an elusive dimension of speed and quickness surpassed by few in the Pac-10 a year ago. The only question surrounding the 5-10, 190-pound former prep All-American is his durability as he rushed for 685 yards and 15 touchdowns in only seven games while averaging 6.7 yards of all-purpose real estate every time he touched the ball.
Providing an effortless illusion which enabled him to glide past would-be defenders, McCullough bulled his way for a Pac-10 single-game record-tying five touchdowns and 223 yards on the ground against an Arizona defense which began the day allowing only 930 yards and five TDs rushing in the previous eight games.
"I think Sollie is not only one of the best running backs in the league but in the nation," Bellotti professed. "He's going to get the ball. We believe that if we stay on our blocks up front and give him a chance to get started, he's going to make a lot of positive yardage."
Complementing McCullough is a stable of ball carriers, with three additional individuals each rushing for over 70 yards on separate occasions. Juniors David Crump and Kevin Parker, as well as third-year sophomores Jerry Brown and Derien Latimer, each contributed to the team's success on the ground, joining McCullough to average better than 260 yards rushing over their final three games.
Brown, who is gauged to be the fastest among the quintet, ran for 97 of his 215 yards and two scores against Nevada and performed well early before succumbing to nagging injuries. The 5-11, 207-pound Latimer enjoyed his greatest success later in the year, with the squad's second-leading ball carrier (268 yards, four touchdowns) rushing for 104 yards vs. California and tabbed by his head coach as perhaps the team's best all-around back. Few running backs in the conference possess the versatility as Parker, who again will be utilized as a ball carrier as well as a receiving threat following a brief spring experiment in the defensive secondary. Crump emerged as the Ducks' toughest runner early in the year and the most determined last spring in addition to doubling as a solid kick returner.
Senior fullbacks A.J. Jelks and Eric Winn provide a solid convoy for the Oregon tailbacks yet possess the versatility as excellent ball carriers and receivers when called upon. Jelks rumbled for 82 yards and one score two years ago at UCLA while Winn accounted for 170 all-purpose yards and two touch-downs last season in addition to earning honorable mention all-conference acclaim for his special teams play.
The 250-pound Jelks added the dimension as a tight end and H-back in the spring, allowing the Ducks more flexibility.
Despite the talented crew of running backs, Bellotti doesn't foresee altering his offensive philosophy.
"Our goal every year is to have a balanced attack," he reiterated. "We still have to do the same things we've always done to keep the defense off balance. The basic offense won't change and the run/pass mix won't either."
Much of that insistence lies with the emergence of a veteran receiving corps, headed by second-team all-league choice Damon Griffin and honorable mention kick returner Pat Johnson.
Entering his junior year accumulating career totals 12 catches for 122 yards and two TDs, Griffin asserted his play to a new level. Earning six starting assignments, Griffin completed the year with 43 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking second in the Pac-10 in receptions per game (4.3) and third in average yards per contest (71.1).
"Our receiving crew strengthened itself a lot in the spring," Bellotti said. "By Damon Griffin not able to practice a lot in the off-season, it opened the door for guys like Pat Johnson to get a lot of much-needed work, Jamaal Wallace had a better spring, LaCorey Collins developed a great deal and Tony Hartley learned some things although he wasn't able to practice a lot."
There have been no players more electrifying for the Ducks the past three seasons than Johnson, as the former Pac-10 track and field sprint champion was rewarded for dedicating his full attention to spring football for the first time in his collegiate career.
Since establishing the school's single-season freshman receiving record in 1994 (30 catches, 472 yards), most of Johnson's heroics have come via his talents as a kick returner. Ranked third in the country in kickoff returns a year ago (30.7 avg.), Johnson returned a 95-yard kickoff into the end zone vs. Stanford to become the only player in school history to return more than one kickoff for a score during his collegiate career. Included among last season's totals was an 88-yard scoring reception at Fresno State, the third-longest in Oregon's annals.
"I believe Pat Johnson is ready to break loose," Bellotti speculated. "Following an outstanding freshman year, he's shown flashes of brilliance but hasn't done it on a consistent basis."
Setting the pace to surpass Johnson's first-year records before the onset of injuries was true freshman Tony Hartley, whom Bellotti rates as "the most accomplished freshman receiver in terms of running routes that we've ever had." Despite playing much of the season with a cracked bone in his wrist, Oregon's second-leading returnee managed to complete the year with 25 grabs for 387 yards and one touchdown.
Add to the mix 6-4, 210-pound freshman LaCorey Collins, who caught three passes for 15 yards in the first three games, and its easy to see why there will be no shortage of passes thrown in the direction of opposing defenders. Collins regained his initial year of eligibility after he was unable to shake the affects of a season-long leg injury that he brought with him into fall camp.
The addition of junior college transfer Donald Haynes allows the Ducks the makings of one of its deepest receiving corps ever, with Haynes also lending his expertise as a kickoff and punt returner.
Only the play of the most proficient receiving tight end in school history could keep senior Blake Spence out of the starting lineup as evidenced by his earning honorable mention all-conference recognition the past two years. Now that Josh Wilcox has graduated, Spence is free to attract the limelight after pulling down 53 catches for 736 yards and four scores during his first three years.
"Blake Spence runs and catches the ball and blocks as well as any tight end in this league," Bellotti said. "He's really worked hard during this off-season to get ready for his final season."
The Ducks' biggest question at that position lies in who will man the team's reserve roles to accommodate their multi tight end formations. Former walk-on Jed Weaver remains Oregon's most experienced contributor and could split time with Jelks there. Transfer Anthony Martin will have to waste no time in making the transition from junior college in order to become an immediate factor in the rotation.
Despite the cast of returnees, no battle was more anticipated or more scrutinized in the spring than that of the starting quarterback. Certainly not making the task any easier for the candidates is the realization the four immediate predecessors (Chris Miller, Bill Musgrave, Danny O'Neil and Tony Graziani) rank as the four best single-season performers on the school's all-time ledger.
Only junior Jason Maas has ever taken a snap as a combatant in the Pacific-10 Conference, completing nine of 20 passes for 66 yards and one touchdown in the first two years of his collegiate career. Yet he displayed the same moxie in the spring as he had in last year's fourth-quarter outing at Washington State to maintain an edge in a quarterback battle that won't be decided until the fall.
"Jason has been behind two very good quarterbacks the past couple of years," Bellotti admitted. "He's a tremendous competitor, he has the knack much like Bill Musgrave for moving the team and getting the ball into the end zone and I like that."
Junior college standout Akili Smith arrived on campus for spring drills as the most heralded Oregon recruit in many years.
The 6-3, 226-pound transfer was hailed as the nation's top junior college signee after earning first-team All-America honors. While at Grossmont College, the nation's fifth-ranked JC signal caller threw for 3,212 yards and 32 touchdowns a year ago while completing 55 percent of his attempts. The California total offense runner-up (317.8 avg.) also accumulated 343 yards and five TDs rushing.
"Akili Smith is a great athlete and has all the potential to become a great quarterback," Bellotti admitted. "He will be so much further ahead in the fall now that he knows what he needs to focus on.
"In the spring, Jason was our best quarterback when the protection held up. Smith is one of the best players in the world when things break down. Certainly, the question at quarterback was not answered (in the spring). But I thought the competition there made us better."
Redshirt freshman A.J. Feeley also has drawn high praise from Bellotti as an all-around athletic standout and a supreme passer, yet lacks the experience of both Maas and Smith.
"The times we have had successful seasons are when we have a very good, very competitive second quarterback. Tony Graziani was once a second quarterback, Ryan Perry-Smith was a second quarterback. When they came in and played, they played like starters."
The key to how quickly the offense is able to jell, however, probably lies in the development of the offensive line. Not only must the Ducks replace four starters who provided the foundation for the success the last three years, only three lettermen remain at the interior positions to vie for the four vacancies.
Senior David Weber returns as the lone holdover, opening the last 12 consecutive games at right tackle among his 20 career starts the past three seasons. But after the 6-5, 270-pound two-time academic all-conference honoree, only senior Seaton Daly and junior Stefan deVries have acquired much playing time.
"We knew David Weber was a player and was going to be a leader," Bellotti said. "After that, Chip Daly has the athleticism to play and help us, Marco Aguirre is a very good athlete who has to learn the system, and Stefan deVries is a battler and his pride is not going to allow him to do anything but his best. After that, we need guys like Chad Normoyle, Mike Klews, Josh Beckett, Paul Driver, Deke Moen -- those kids can all be differences for us if they decide it's important to them."
Klews started at tackle against Iowa as a true freshman in 1994 but has been beset by knee injuries most of the last two years, while deVries was called upon to fill reserve roles on both the offensive and defensive fronts last season. Aguirre was considered one of the top junior college linemen in the country last fall at Mount San Antonio College.
Junior college signee Scott Fergus also was considered to be a prime candidate for a starting berth but missed all of spring drills and is considered questionable for the fall after encountering an off-season knee injury.
Oregon Defense
Attrition finally caught up with the Oregon defenders as they found it difficult to replace the core of the Gang Green defense which became synonymous with the program's success. As it turns out, four of the top five defensive backs from the program's '94 Rose Bowl ride could easily find themselves employed in the NFL come next fall along with one of the team's inside linebackers.
Such is the magnitude of the losses the Ducks have been forced to replace the past two seasons which contributed to last year's unit yielding more total yards (4,807) than any Oregon team in the last 11 years.
The road to recovery actually began during the latter stages of last season for a defense which allowed an average of 437 yards a game. During the final three games of the year, the Ducks' defensive average improved to 316.3 yards per outing.
Five players who opened six or more games a year ago return but possibly as few as two of them will be assured of retaining their starting roles.
Much like their counterparts on the offensive side of the ball, Oregon's defensive line will be the focus of attention as it attempts to mend some gaps which made it difficult to funnel opponents into a
one-dimensional attack. Heading the group is senior end Desmond Byrd who looms as the team's top returnee in terms of tackles for losses (5-19 yards). Bench pressing better than 400 pounds, the 6-3, 305-pound rock of granite combines his strength with quick reflexes to pose as a difficult man to block against the run or the pass.
"Desmond is a very talented athlete who could be as good as anyone we've ever had here," Bellotti emphasized. "He is capable of being a very dominant player and is the leader of the defensive line. But there's not one other guy who has played enough on a consistent basis to separate himself from the rest of the group. I do think there are good athletes there but unfortunately, they've all been injured or have not played as consistently as we need."
Defensive end Caleb Smith is the most experienced of the pack of last year's reserves and did earn a trio of starting assignments in '96, finishing with three tackles for losses and one fumble recovery among his 18 tackles recorded during his first collegiate action. Nose tackle Darce Afuvai also contributed a pair of tackles for losses and one interception as a true freshman to go along with his eight tackles, while end Richie Thomas was credited with seven stops and one quarterback sack.
Junior Leie Sualua is thought to be another player capable of making an impact yet injuries have robbed him of the opportunity in the past. Redshirt freshman Walker Templeton as well as newcomer Jed Boice are certain to draw long looks by the defensive staff.
Junior college transfer Masi Heamish wasted little time in making an impact in his first exposure to Division I play last spring and may have found a home as the starting nose guard, as did redshirt freshman Saul Patu at defensive tackle.
"Masi Heamish has got great quickness and great hands, he's got to be ready to go," Bellotti emphasized. "Saul Patu plays with a real high motor, Buddy Smith is a very cerebral player but we need to get stronger and tougher as a group there also."
Inside linebacker became a sore spot a year ago because of the inexperience, with six different players opening at the two positions. Not helping matters was the pulled hamstring which forced Chris Vandiver to miss virtually all of the first four games. Yet he came on strong once he regained his health to register 49 tackles as the team's fifth-leading enforcer.
Junior Ryan Klaasan opened seven games at inside linebacker and finished with 44 tackles as a second-year letterman, yet no one was able to separate themselves from the rest of the contenders that includes seniors Curtis Moore and Garth White, junior college transfer Jeff Simpson and sophomore Aaron Cheuvront.
Simpson is another experienced newcomer the Ducks are counting on making an impact. He was ranked among the nation's top 10 JC linebackers last season after recording 130 tackles at Kemper (Mo.) Military Academy. As an
all-state high school stalwart, he led the state of Missouri in tackles his senior year, accumulating over 500 stops during his record-setting prep tenure.
"There's a lot of competition available," according to the Ducks' mentor. "But I didn't see a consistent, hungry approach that you want in a linebacker. They have to have that kind of destroy mentality and I haven't seen it yet on a consistent basis. I'd like to, I want to, I think we need to for our defense."
With the departure of Oregon's top three outside linebackers from last season, it's not hard to see why Bellotti made that outpost one of his top priorities of the spring. Only senior Matt Lofrano has totalled more than 58 plays in game situations in his collegiate career but he too has had to fight off more than his share of injuries. None of the returnees managed to eclipse double figures in the tackle department. Thus, the Ducks' brain trust looked to the inside for reinforcements.
Chief among the list of converts is sophomore Peter Sirmon, who opened five games during his initial season at inside linebacker and finished the year as the second-leading tackler with 69 stops, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one pass broken up. If spring drills were an accurate indication, the hope that Sirmon would be able to better utilize his instincts and natural ability when not getting caught up in the congestion in the middle appeared well founded.
Senior Jeff Branson played both linebacker positions last year yet is planning to permanently concentrate on his outside assignments in his final season. He claimed five tackles and one fumble re-covery last year.
Sophomore Nathan Naggi also will receive oppor-tunities at outside linebacker after being converted from tight end.
"Sirmon is a very good football player," Bellotti reiterated. "What he accomplished as a freshman was very good and I expect a lot more things from him this year. We think this will give him a chance for him to take his game to the next level.
"We are hoping that moving Jeff Branson to the outside will give him a new lease on life. At times, he showed some flashes and we're hoping it will be a positive move for him."
One area Oregon appeared to make great strides in the spring was in the secondary, although the Ducks will be able to rely on only one seasoned veteran among the group that otherwise consists of two reserve juniors, one junior college transfer who will arrive on campus in the fall, six sophomores and two freshmen.
Although Oregon was riddled for more yards through the air than any team in recent memory in '96, Bellotti is counting on that aberration being a thing of the past, thanks in part to the resurgence of senior Jaiya Figueras.
Figueras has always possessed a knack for making big plays since his days as a special teams standout on the Ducks' 1994 conference championship squad. His aggressive style of play and conversion from strong safety to free safety coincided with the defense's rejuvenated psyche the last three clashes. He accounted for almost 72 percent of last year's 39 tackles during the latter span, including 17 tackles and two pass deflections vs. California.
"Jaiya did a great job late in the year and right now, has to be considered one of our defensive leaders. Having made plays, he will be a very important person in that secondary."
Joining him in the starting lineup may present a few pleasant dilemmas. Chris Young opened six games at strong safety as did Brandon McLemore at free safety, with the duo collecting 47 and 37 tackles, respectively. In addition, Michael Fletcher and Justin Wilcox each broke into the starting lineup. True sophomore Dietrich Moore also was impressive later in the year and may hold the inside track at strong safety.
But the experiment to shift McLemore to a cornerback appeared to be a success as he enters fall camp with the inside track for one starting position opposite Eric Edwards and true freshman Tamoni Joiner, who delayed his enrollment into school until winter term and was able to join the Ducks for spring workouts
A lot of eyes may be focused on the athletic duo of redshirt freshman Gary Barker and Jason Cooper, although Barker's spring game injury may leave him in question for the start of the fall. In addition, Oregon is counting on receiving immediate dividends from cornerback transfer Davis Sanchez, a first-team junior college All-American (J.C. Grid-Wire) and region co-defensive player of the year.
Oregon Kicking Game
With the leg injury which sidelined kicker Matt Belden for the entire 1995 season now putting a permanent end to his career, that leaves the punting chores in the capable hands of Josh Bidwell and the placekicking duties to Joshua Smith.
Bidwell improved his 1995 punting average from 36.3 yards to 41.2 yards per boot last season, becoming the school's first punter in four years to complete the campaign averaging better than 40 yards per kick. He nailed 19 of his 56 attempts inside the 20-yard line in '96, including four of those between the goal line and the 10, and boomed 13 punts of 50 yards or more.
Answering the Ducks' emergency call as a walk-on two years ago, Smith has seldom wavered under the intense scrutiny that players at his position are often subjected. Converting 12 of 17 field goals last season as well as a school-record 42 PATs, the junior already stands third of the school's career list for career field goal percentage (.683) and fifth on the ledger for all-time field goals made (28-41).
Much of the credit for Oregon having no punts blocked the past two seasons belongs to deep snapper Seaton Daly, who has been almost flawless his last three years. He gradually assumed all placement duties as well a year ago and provides the Ducks with one less worry in the kicking game.
While much of the spring's concern centered around who would assume the quarterback role with the departure of Tony Graziani and Ryan Perry-Smith, the vacancy at holder could be a bigger worry. Perry-Smith had been lauded by Mike Bellotti as one of the best at his craft he had ever been around and possessed the role exclusively for the last four years.
Pat Johnson earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a kick returner and gives the Ducks a scoring threat every time he touches the football. Ranked third in the country in kickoff returns a year ago (30.7 avg.) and sharing the punt return chores with Michael Fletcher, the nation's top returnee is more experienced in the latter specialty. Johnson averaged 7.6 yards on 17 punts returns in '96 compared with an 8.2 average in 42 tries his sophomore season, while Fletcher maintained a 9.4 average on 11 punt returns before succumbing to injuries.
When the opposition chooses to kick away from Johnson, the Ducks have plenty other weapons to return kickoffs. Three other players averaged better than 20 yards per return as Oregon tied for second in the Pac-10 in that category as a team (22.1 avg.), with Saladin McCullough's 24.3 average trailing only Johnson's pace.
