This Saturday marks the inaugural start under center for sophomore signal-caller Dennis Dixon
By Luke Andrews
Sports Reporter
This week, four years ago, Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti and his offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford were preparing to take on Arizona State during Oregon’s historic drive to the Fiesta Bowl in 2001. Fast forward to the present: Bellotti and Tedford, current California Golden Bears coach, cross paths again. This time, they are preparing to face one other in a critical Pacific-10 Conference game Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Tedford, who left Oregon in 2001 after his fourth season as offensive coordinator, has helped resurrect Cal into a perennial Pac-10 power. The Bears (6-2 overall, 3-2 conference) are ranked 23rd and sit one spot below Oregon in the conference standings. Tedford has amassed a 31-15 record since taking the rains (sic) in Berkeley. “I have great respect for Jeff and like him a lot,” Bellotti said. “I respect what he’s done there at Cal.” Tedford is renowned as a quarterback guru. Six current or former NFL quarterbacks studied under his tutelage, including former Ducks Akili Smith and Joey Harrington. Trent Dilfer and David Carr at Fresno State and Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers at California are the other Tedford products. Yet Cal’s saving grace this season has not come from the quarterback position, but rather a one-two punch in the backfield with sophomores Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch. “Marshawn Lynch, we knew coming into the season, is going to be one of the most explosive running backs in the nation,” Bellotti said. “Little did we know they would have two running backs like that.”
Twice this season, Forsett and Lynch have both gotten more than 100 rushing yards in the same game. “You have to make sure you play really good, strong gap defense,” said Oregon linebacker Anthony Trucks, who leads the Pac-10 in sacks with 5.5. “You get one big explosion play to the house and it changes the shape of the game. (Lynch and Forsett) are both really quick guys and running really, really hard. They’re both great backs overall.” Despite their parting, Bellotti notices many similarities in Tedford’s current scheme with those of Oregon’s past. “The defenses are probably a more common thread than the offenses,” Bellotti said. “But certainly, I recognize a lot of things that they do. Jeff tends to repeat concepts, just package them differently. It’s good offense, it’s very successful.” Saturday’s meeting will be the third time in four years that Bellotti and Tedford have squared off. Oregon won the first meeting in dramatic fashion with a 21-17 comeback win at Autzen Stadium in 2003. The Bears redeemed the loss last season, narrowly defeating the Ducks 28-27 in Berkeley to preserve there (sic) later unfounded Bowl Championship Series hopes.
Ducks soar after bye week
Under Bellotti, the Ducks are 8-1 in games following a bye week. The only loss was a 33-14 setback against Washington during the 1996 season. In 2004, Oregon was the last Division I team to begin the season and did not have a bye week. The timing of the Ducks’ extra week may have come at the most opportune time. After the season-ending injury to senior quarterback Kellen Clemens, the bye week allowed backups Dennis Dixon and Brady Leaf to become acclimated to the system as well as a chance for the walking wounded to heal. According to Bellotti, reserve tight end Dan Kause (knee) is the only injured player on Oregon’s roster. “I think we’re the healthiest we’ve been since fall camp,” Bellotti said. “The second positive obviously was the opportunity to get two to three good days of practice for our young quarterbacks.” The bye week also occurred at a crucial moment for California, a team fresh of a win against Washington State. California has had 23 players miss one or more games this season because of injuries.
Clemens to remain with Ducks
Bellotti noted that after successful ankle-surgery Clemens will remain with the Ducks as an “assistant coach” and will likely attend practice this week and the game on Saturday. Clemens had surgery on his left ankle after taking a hit from Arizona’s Copeland Bryan in the Ducks’ 28-21 victory. “It will be good to have him around because he’s a veteran, he’s a leader, and he’s experienced within the offense,” Bellotti said. “He can help our quarterbacks in a lot of ways.”
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