By Pigskin Pete

 After earning national attention (and a Sports Illustrated cover) early on with a 4-0 start that included a convincing upset of Michigan, the University of Oregon grid squad went largely south for several weeks in a string of losses.  Then the Ducks bounced back with a vengeance, ending the regular season with three conference triumphs in a row, an 8-4 mark and an invitation to a prominent bowl game.

As we write, the Oregon program has received a record number of early commitments for next season (9) from high school recruits, with this number expected to double by next spring.  The early signups are all highly ranked by national rating services and several were in attendance at the Michigan contest.  The current Duck team includes a majority of underclassmen, so the future shines bright.  Quarterback, a position where Oregon has prospered for a decade, went through a bad patch this mid-season, with time sharing between senior Jason Fife and sophomore Kellen Clemens proving a handicap.  Signal-calling responsibilities were finally centered upon Clemens as November rolled around and success followed.  Clemens will be backed next season by current freshman Johnny DuRocher, considered the top prep QB on the west coast when he matriculated from Washington’s Bethel high school last year.  Running back was not a strength on this season’s Webfoot edition and will certainly be a priority in current recruiting.

Enticing blue ribbon prep performers has never been easier in Eugene.  No school in the Pac10 and only a handful of institutions nationwide can rival the Oregon football facilities.  The vast domed Moshofsky Center alleviates bad weather worries.  The $90 million expansion of Autzen Stadium this year added glitter to an already outstanding venue.  National print and broadcast media have carried features on the new locker rooms unveiled for this season, with a $3.2 million investment creating a plush changing area unmatched anywhere.  Certainly a prep prospect must be impressed with each locker’s internet access, automatic ventilation and safe for valuables.

Donor dollars cover costs

A majority of collegiate sports programs receive major dollar contributions from the schools’ general funds.  Not so at Oregon, where alumni donors cover the costs (with Nike chairman Phil Knight leading the way).  This happy situation builds ongoing athletic success.  It is a far, far cry from the Duck football status of 20 years ago, when Seattle and Los Angeles Pac10 members were agitating to remove Oregon from league membership.  Losing records, poor attendance and lack of natiobnal television exposure are now only distant memories.

Oregon State has also turned a sorry program around, but not with the flair exhibited by its downstate rival, in decorating a Manhattan high rise and major west coast freeways with dramatic pigskin portraits.  The Beavers struggle with the smallest stadium in the conference and a lack of alumni with big pockets.  Nonetheless, few states have seen their major bastions of higher learning gain gridiron stature comparable to what has transpired in the past four years in the Willamette valley.

ROSES & RASPBERRIES…blooms are bestowed upon Duck basketball, soon to be blessed with a new arena after earning consistent success of national note…boos echoing in Portland’s Rose Garden are richly deserved by an NBA franchise whose reputation was ruined by the stupid machinations of former GM Bob Whitsitt…roses to Blazer owner Paul Allen when he parts with enough bucks to rid his team of its malcontents…raspberries to ex-UW grid coach Rick Neuheisel for refusing to go quietly without sueing his former employer…roses to fan support for Oregon football, a circumstance that gains full attention from post season bowl sponsors.

©2003 Oregon Magazine