Spring Break
A season prediction
Adam Loghides
Issue date: 7/30/08 Section: Sports
Record: 5-4 (4-2 in the Pac-10).
Then California comes to town, and "R-E-V-E-N-G-E" will be the battle cry for the Bears at Reser in mid-November. Last year, it was the Beavs who went into Berkeley and upset the then second-ranked team in the nation. The Bears went on to lose five more games and then to unravel in front of the entire nation. It's hard to see them fully recovering from that spiral this year, this year being in Jeff Tedford's last chance to get things going. This is a no-name team aside from its quarterback, Nate Longshore, who has 26 career starts to his credit. The last time he played at Reser he burned the Beavers in a blowout Cal win. Well, the second verse will not be same as the first. Win.
Record: 6-4 (5-2 in the Pac-10).
Week thirteen and it's back to the desert for the Beavers as they take on Arizona. Another embattled head coach, Mike Stoops, has turned Arizona into somewhat of an enigma in the last few years. This may be Stoops' last chance in Tucson. He has a talented quarterback in Willie Tuitama and a solid running game. Arizona is 6-12 over the last few years in games decided by less than a touchdown, but may be ready to get over that hump in 2008. Home field advantage goes to the Wildcats. Loss.
Record: 6-5 (5-3 in the Pac-10)
The final game of the season, the Civil War, is in Corvallis. Is there a tougher team in the Pac-10 to figure out than Oregon? The Ducks don't have a clear-cut starter at quarterback. Will it be Nate Costa or Justin Roper? The one thing the Ducks did find was a replacement for Jonathan Stewart: His name is LaGarrette Blount, and teamed with Jeremiah Johnson, the Ducks have a two-handed punch to deliver to opponents with the running game. But how much does Mike Bellotti really like to run the ball anyway? And if Oregon is behind, it will be forced to throw the ball, which will be difficult. Playing from behind will lead to blowout losses. There will be no signature win, a la at Michigan last year. Beavers win.
Regular season record: 7-5 with 6-3 in the Pac-10.
Game over. It seems those prognosticators who had the Beavers going to the Sun Bowl may be right on. In the end, this season will most likely fade and mesh right in with the others in recent memory. It might be another year without a Rose Bowl or major bowl, but a nice, successful season just the same.
Road Trip to El Paso for New Year's anyone?
Then California comes to town, and "R-E-V-E-N-G-E" will be the battle cry for the Bears at Reser in mid-November. Last year, it was the Beavs who went into Berkeley and upset the then second-ranked team in the nation. The Bears went on to lose five more games and then to unravel in front of the entire nation. It's hard to see them fully recovering from that spiral this year, this year being in Jeff Tedford's last chance to get things going. This is a no-name team aside from its quarterback, Nate Longshore, who has 26 career starts to his credit. The last time he played at Reser he burned the Beavers in a blowout Cal win. Well, the second verse will not be same as the first. Win.
Record: 6-4 (5-2 in the Pac-10).
Week thirteen and it's back to the desert for the Beavers as they take on Arizona. Another embattled head coach, Mike Stoops, has turned Arizona into somewhat of an enigma in the last few years. This may be Stoops' last chance in Tucson. He has a talented quarterback in Willie Tuitama and a solid running game. Arizona is 6-12 over the last few years in games decided by less than a touchdown, but may be ready to get over that hump in 2008. Home field advantage goes to the Wildcats. Loss.
Record: 6-5 (5-3 in the Pac-10)
The final game of the season, the Civil War, is in Corvallis. Is there a tougher team in the Pac-10 to figure out than Oregon? The Ducks don't have a clear-cut starter at quarterback. Will it be Nate Costa or Justin Roper? The one thing the Ducks did find was a replacement for Jonathan Stewart: His name is LaGarrette Blount, and teamed with Jeremiah Johnson, the Ducks have a two-handed punch to deliver to opponents with the running game. But how much does Mike Bellotti really like to run the ball anyway? And if Oregon is behind, it will be forced to throw the ball, which will be difficult. Playing from behind will lead to blowout losses. There will be no signature win, a la at Michigan last year. Beavers win.
Regular season record: 7-5 with 6-3 in the Pac-10.
Game over. It seems those prognosticators who had the Beavers going to the Sun Bowl may be right on. In the end, this season will most likely fade and mesh right in with the others in recent memory. It might be another year without a Rose Bowl or major bowl, but a nice, successful season just the same.
Road Trip to El Paso for New Year's anyone?
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Tony
posted 7/30/08 @ 11:53 AM PST
Not to rain on your parade, but Oregon is a good running team. They have had some pretty solid backs go through there over the years and they were one of the top rushing teams in the country last year (I think Stewart finished 5th). (Continued…)
Marshall
posted 7/30/08 @ 1:53 PM PST
Sense 2002, Oregon is 3rd in the Pac 10 in Team Rushing Yards at 167 per game..So Mike likes to run the ball
Cary
posted 7/30/08 @ 4:12 PM PST
Minor gripe..but Utah is a Mountain West team, not a WAC team...
48 hours from now..fall practice opens..Go Beavs!
Trent
posted 7/31/08 @ 10:51 AM PST
Marshall,
I really hope you go to UO and not OSU; the word you were looking for is "since" which denotes time passed, not sense, which is taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight. (Continued…)
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