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JT Sneaks · 08-29-2005, 07:38 PM

On Campus

Every week I am going to start a thread displaying information on as many college games as possible for that week. Stats will include articles, trends, injuries, etc but will mostly focus on information from the schools themselves taken from university websites and local newspapers as well as other places that I dig them up. This will allow everyone to just check in on the thread to check on information instead of spending the time going from one site to another. On game day I will follow up with my analysis, if any, and any selections I may have with reasoning. With so many games each week I will try to focus on the key games or the bigger market games but if time allows I will hit as many as possible. I will try to highlight things that stand out to me in case you are just looking to skim the articles or pressed for time.If you are a fan of a certain team or have time to dig up the information on a game or just want to voice your opinion feel free to throw it in the thread as well. I hope this helps everyone make some money during the college season and if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know and I will make the changes that best help everyone!!

So without any further delay I will start with this week and post as much as I can:

Thursday Games

Oregon vs. Houston

Reported August 25th---

Oregon Penalty Problems

EUGENE -- Redshirt freshman Ryan Keeling (Springfield) and senior Nate LiaBraaten (Bend) are just two players trying to overcome injuries that have hampered their careers and move up the depth chart this season. In Oregon’s second major scrimmage of the fall, the two proved to be amongst a few bright spots in a day where the Ducks’ special teams struggled find its rhythm, the offense committed six penalties and the defense added three of its own.
Keeling caught three passes for 43 yards, including a five yard touchdown pass from Kellen Clemens to lead all receivers while LiaBraaten punished the Oregon offense all day, leading the team with five tackles, including three for a loss of six yards. In all, the Duck offense scored 23 points in the 49-play scrimmage held in Autzen Stadium.
“It’s been important for me to work hard and get on the field this season,” Keeling said. “I was hurt last season and wasn’t able to progress as much as I would have liked to, so I’ve used this fall to really try to get myself in a position to be a contributor and get on the field.”
In an effort to simulate game-like scenarios, the Ducks turned up the crowd volume and began the scrimmage by taking multiple repetitions from the two-yard line. But the noise seemed to be a factor as the day wore on and the team committed 10 penalties for 60 yards.
“In my mind, we have a lot of work to do,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “The special teams didn’t set a very good tone to start the scrimmage and I feel like we have to be much sharper. We played with noise for the first time and obviously it showed. Our offensive linemen jumped a bunch and we had some miscues with our hands on defense and those are things we can’t tolerate.”
In its first two drives of the scrimmage, the Duck offense was unable to find the endzone, but in the third drive of the day, quarterback Dennis Dixon drove the second team offense 75 yards — which included a 44-yard reception by tight end Dan Kause that set up a 26-yard field goal by Paul Martinez.
LiaBraaten and the Oregon defense stifled the Duck offense at the three-yard line in the next series when LiaBraaten tackled tailback Andiel Brown for a loss of three yards, negating a fourth-down attempt by the offensive unit. However, in Oregon’s next drive, Clemens drove the Ducks 75 yards and capped the drive with a 5 yard strike in the corner of the endzone to Keeling, but the PAT was no good. Clemens finished the day 7-of-11 for 84 yards and one touchdown.
Martinez then missed a 45 yard field goal attempt in Oregon’s sixth series of the day before the offense put together scoring drives in its next two series'.
“We’re close to being game ready, but we have areas in all aspects that need to be fixed or done better. Offensively, we didn’t click today as much as I would have liked and defensively we took a lot of our players out early to protect them. And special teams-wise we need a lot of work. I’m not sure where we are there. I was not pleased with our effort or our execution today.”
Reported August 27th
Oregon Preview

The University of Oregon football team (0-0) opens the 2005 season vs. the Houston Cougars (0-0) at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, Sept. 1. For the first time since Sept. 2, 1999 (at Michigan State), the Ducks play a Thursday game, which will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Ducks are one of 58 teams to open the season on the first day of competition after being the last Division I school to open the 2004 season.

SEASON OPENERS - NEWS AND NOTES
* The Ducks have won 18 of their last 21 season openers
* Oregon is 8-2 in season openers under Head Coach Mike Bellotti and has outscored its opponents, 310-209, in those 10 contests
* The last overtime game in a season-opener for the Ducks was a 30-27 win at Fresno State, Aug. 31, 1996 - the first year the overtime rule was put into place
* Oregon last won by shutout in its opener Sept. 10, 1988 vs. Long Beach State (49-0)
* Last season’s 30-24 season-opening loss to Indiana broke a string of four consecutive opening-day victories
THE SERIES VS. HOUSTON, CONFERENCE USA
Oregon is 1-0 all time vs. the Cougars with the only meeting taking place Sept. 24, 1983, in Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won 15-13 to improve to 1-2 on the season. The game marks only the eighth time in school history that Oregon has faced a team currently affiliated with Conference USA, with the Ducks boasting a 6-1 all-time record, but its the first time Oregon has actually faced a Conference USA opponent. UTEP was the last team now connected to the 10-year-old league to face the Ducks (with Oregon winning, 47-28, in 1999) when the Miners were a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Oregon and Houston will meet again in 2007 when the Cougars travel to Autzen Stadium to open the season.
SCOUTING HOUSTON
Junior quarterback Kevin Kolb is a preseason Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien nominee as the nation’s top offensive player and top quarterback, respectively. Last year, he paced Conference USA in total offense (256.1 ypg) and stood second in passing (251.5 ypg). In his two-year career, he has completed 418-of-713 passes for 5,897 yards and 36 touchdowns, and has been intercepted only 12 times. Kolb was one of three Cougars tabbed to the CollegeFootballNews.com preseason squad and was a second-team choice, while senior wide receiver Vincent Marshall and sophomore offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers were first-team picks. Another receiving option, sophomore wideout Donnie Avery, earned freshman all-conference accolades. Senior running back Anthony Evans was a third-team all-conference selection two years ago, but was hampered by injuries in 2004. On defense, UH will unveil a new 3-4 look, and is paced up front by defensive end Kade Lane. The third-team all-conference choice last year has started all 36 of his career appearances. Junior Wade Koehl was a 2004 Butkus Award nominee will anchor the linebacking corps, while sophomores Brendan Pahulu and Rocky Schwartz were conference all-freshman first-team honorees last year at linebacker and strong safety. On special teams, UH will have to replace last year’s kicker, holder and snapper. Junior punter Justin Laird lost his starting spot for part of last season, then recovered it at the end of the campaign. Overall, Houston returns eight starters on both offensive and defense.
PLAYING WITH THE INSTANT REPLAY
For the first time in school history, the Ducks will play a game with an instant replay procedure. Conference USA will experiment with an ‘NFL Model’ for its instant replay, which differs from the Pac-10 procedure in that it allows the referee to make the final decision. The Pac-10 version says that a technical advisor in the booth will make the final call. The Conference USA procedure allows a technical advisor to call for the replay, but not make the final decision. Plays that may be reviewed include: Plays governed by sideline, goal line and end line (scoring plays, pass complete/incomplete/intercepted at sideline, goal line, end line, runner/receiver out of bounds and recovery of loose ball in bounds); Passing Plays (complete/incomplete/intercepted in the field of play and end zones, touching of forward pass by ineligible receiver, touching of forward pass by defender, QB forward pass or fumble, illegal forward pass or illegal handling beyond line of scrimmage, forward or backward pass thrown from behind line of scrimmage); Other (runner not ruled down, all obvious forward progress errors, touching of a kick, forward progress errors with respect to first down, clock adjustments, fourth down/try fumble plays). Plays that may NOT be reviewed: Holding, offside/encroachment, pass interference, personal fouls, illegal blocks, illegal formations, face mask, taunting/excessive celebration, false starts, roughing passer/kicker, fighting participants.

Houston
HOUSTON - Duck season comes early to Southeast Texas as the University of Houston Cougars hunt down the Oregon Ducks on Labor Day weekend. Cover yourself in camouflage or Cougar clothing, both available at Academy Sports and Outdoors, and partake in some down-home waterfowling by calling out the Ducks with duck calls provided by Academy Sports and Outdoors to the first 2,000 U of H students through the gates at Reliant Stadium.
Watch the U of H offense break the Ducks' defensive formation and bird-dog to the Ducks' end zone. Then, sit back and enjoy the Cougars' new 3-4 defense as they blitz from the secondary like buckshot from behind a blind. You can use your duck call to help lure those lame Duck "passes" into the safety of a Cougar's grip and make those mallards want to migrate early. After the fourth quarter, stick around and join the band by using your duck call in a particularly gamey version of "Eat 'Em Up" to celebrate the Cougars' snapping of the Oregon Ducks' wishbone offense (or whatever kind of wish Oregon calls their offense). It's an egg-cellent way to start the season.
Houston New Defense
Switching to a 3-4 alignment and shuffling the coaching staff provide a fresh look on defense
By MICHAEL MURPHY
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
The Houston Cougars will have a whole new look on defense this season, with many, many changes that will be visible in Thursday's season opener against Oregon at Reliant Stadium.
Oh, yeah. They're also going to change to a 3-4 defense.

Indeed, most of the changes have been made on the sidelines, where coaches Alan Weddell (inside linebackers) and Clay Jennings (secondary) will debut, and others such as Erik Slaughter (from strength and conditioning to outside linebackers) and Jason Phillips (wide receivers to cornerbacks) will take on new duties.
And even though Ron Harris is still pulling all the strings as defensive coordinator, it's been a wake-'em-up and shake-'em-up offseason for the UH defense. The move to the 3-4 is not so much a reaction to last year's 3-8 season but more designed to take advantage of the Cougars' wealth of speed on defense.
"I think that size is the least important thing on the defensive front," Weddell said. "I think speed is No. 1 because you have to be able to get to the football, and that's the name of the game, especially nowadays with so many teams spreading the field so much.
"That fourth linebacker can get to the football a lot faster than that fourth defensive lineman in a 4-3. At least that's my opinion. But when you get there you have to be strong enough to make a play and make a tackle."
The coaches like to refer to the 3-4, which features Kade Lane, Marquay Love and Gerard Richard across the front, with linebackers Wade Koehl, Brendan Pahulu, Trent Allen and Cody Lubojasky, as more of a tweak than any kind of major overhaul. The biggest adjustment has been replacing senior starters Will Gulley (safety) and Lance Everson (linebacker), both of whom are recovering from knee injuries.
"Is it radically different? I'd say no," Harris said. "I think the thing that really mandated this switch to the 3-4 is because of all the spread offenses now. Everybody's spreading out, and Memphis is a classic example of that. They have arguably the best running back in the country (DeAngelo Williams), but they're still going to spread you out to do it rather than just lining up and pounding you."
Besides, the Cougars are calling their new defense a 3-4, but it could mean just about anything depending on the situation on the field.
"If you take five colleges in the country that run a 3-4, you're going to get five different looks," Weddell said. "I'll give you an example — we went out and looked at the Texans, we saw the Pittsburgh Steelers and I looked at a lot of tape of the San Diego Chargers, all of which are supposed to be 3-4 teams. And then there are the Ravens, the Patriots and now the Cowboys, who are putting in a 3-4.
"Now, if you take those six teams I just named, they're all going to look different. They're going to be different in how they play their linebackers, what stunts they run, the secondary coverages they combine with those fronts and their automatics out of it. I think the real uniqueness of the 3-4 is that it's unique."
It had better be good as well as unique, especially considering some of the teams the Cougars will face, not only in the restructured Conference USA, but also in the pre-conference schedule. The Cougars will face quarterbacks such as Oregon's Kellen Clemens, UTEP's Jordan Palmer and Tulane's Lester Ricard, among others.
"I can tell you one thing — we're going to try and keep the ball in front of us," Jennings said, laughing. "That's going to be goal No. 1. And goal No. 2 is that we're going to be sure tacklers in the open field. I know I'm going to have a few sleepless nights this year thinking about facing these guys.
"We're going to see some quality arms, and not only just quality arms, but guys who are athletic, who know what to do with the ball and who have some pretty good football intelligence as well. And they're all in offenses that are very efficient, very explosive and designed to showcase (those quarterbacks). We're going to be tested."

Oregonian Newspaper

Ducks ready if Houston weather turns sticky
Sunday, August 28, 2005
JOHN HUNT
EUGENE -- It not only was the first day of Oregon's first game week, but Saturday also was Day One of the Ducks' hydration schedule.
"You start hydrating right now," coach Mike Bellotti said as his team prepared for Thursday's season opener in Houston. "Four or five days ahead, you force-feed electrolytes and fluids."
The Ducks are preparing for what Bellotti said might be the most extreme heat that has dogged one of his teams. And as UO practiced on another dry, hot August day in Eugene, in what essentially was a Tuesday practice in a normal week -- full pads, some game plan implementation -- Hurricane Katrina was churning across 90-degree water off the Gulf Coast.
Ducks ready if Houston weather turns sticky
Sunday, August 28, 2005
JOHN HUNT
EUGENE -- It not only was the first day of Oregon's first game week, but Saturday also was Day One of the Ducks' hydration schedule.
"You start hydrating right now," coach Mike Bellotti said as his team prepared for Thursday's season opener in Houston. "Four or five days ahead, you force-feed electrolytes and fluids."
The Ducks are preparing for what Bellotti said might be the most extreme heat that has dogged one of his teams. And as UO practiced on another dry, hot August day in Eugene, in what essentially was a Tuesday practice in a normal week -- full pads, some game plan implementation -- Hurricane Katrina was churning across 90-degree water off the Gulf Coast.
Projections had Katrina making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane somewhere around New Orleans, about 350 miles east of Houston. Its westward progress Saturday got the attention of Ducks coaches.
"Just today was the first time it sort of shifted and looked like it was going to become a problem," Bellotti said.
But forecasts for Houston called for sunny skies and 95 degree temperatures Thursday, with a West Coast-like humidity of 55 percent.
That would make for conditions similar to those in Oklahoma last season, where temperatures in the 90s were not nearly as big a factor as the Sooners' Adrian Peterson, who ran for 183 yards in Oklahoma's 31-7 win in Week 2.
If it does get muggier, the Ducks are prepared. They have cooling vests available, and they might use "slipcovers" in practice that make the footballs feel wet and slimy.
"The biggest thing is the perspiration of the people who handle the ball," Bellotti said. "As big a factor as the heat-related concerns is just handling the football."
Open or shut? The Cougars could choose to have the roof of Reliant Stadium open, to subject the visitors from the Northwest to Gulf conditions, or they could have the roof closed and turn on the air conditioning for the comfort of their fans.
Houston has not divulged its plans, and Bellotti doesn't expect an answer until Wednesday -- the team is required to inform Oregon of its plans 24 hours before kickoff.
"We're having a walkthrough there on site around game time the day before," Bellotti said. "I assume that, however they're going to play, they'll have it that way that day."
Traveling squad: Bellotti said he will take 68 to 70 players to Houston -- larger than the usual travel squad, because of the weather conditions
If weather were not a factor, the Ducks probably would be reluctant to play many inexperienced players, given the Cougars' unorthodox offense and uncertain defense -- they have a new-look defense that nobody has gotten much of a look at yet.
"I think we'll be forced to play more players due to the heat factor," Bellotti said. "I think we have to be prepared to rotate players maybe more than we normally would. The fact that they may not be as experienced, they're going to have to grow very quickly.
"I think the heat factors right now outweigh the experience factors."
Health concerns: The season opener is a medical marvel in itself. Players who lined the Ducks' practice fields without pads, nursing various ailments, were nearly all out on the field Saturday.
"It's an amazing phenomenon -- all those little injuries and little owies disappear," Bellotti said.
The only exceptions -- besides receiver Brian Paysinger (out until at least Week 3) and offensive lineman Shawn Flanagan (out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle) -- were defensive linemen David Faaeteete and Haloti Ngata.
Faaeteete has a sprained knee. And someone fell on Ngata's knee early in the practice, but he was showing no ill effects other than a wrap and said he could play if he had to.
Also, receiver Kyle Weatherspoon aggravated an ankle injury and is day-to-day.
Receiver Demetrius Williams and running back Terrence Whitehead practiced at full speed. Only offensive guard Palauni Ma Sun (hamstring) and tight end Dante Rosario (infected knee) wore the cautionary yellow jerseys.
Offensive line less of a concern
Monday, August 29, 2005
AARON FENTRESS
EUGENE -- Oregon entered preseason training camp looking like a team more than capable of improving on last season's disappointing 5-6 record.
Most areas of the team appeared solid. The positions of quarterback, running back, defensive line, wide receiver and defensive backs all offered few glaring question marks.
But a couple of areas presented concerns, chief among them: offensive line and linebacker. Questions also surrounded the potential contributions of two of the most heralded recruits in the Oregon's history, sophomore wide receiver Cameron Colvin and freshman running back Jonathan Stewart.
Training camp ended last Wednesday, meaning the season's first game week began Thursday in preparation for the opener this Thursday at Houston. Also ending last week was the time allotted for answering key concerns.
The following are four questions that faced the team entering preseason camp and the answers that developed:
1. Will an inexperienced offensive line jell in time for the season opener?
Things look promising.
The emergence of two young tackles is reason for optimism.
The Ducks returned three linemen with starting experience but lost one when Shawn Flanagan had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle and was ruled out for the season. That left right guard Ian Reynoso (14 career starts) and center Enoka Lucas (eight career starts) as the team's only linemen with significant experience playing in the Pacific-10 Conference.
Guard Palauni Ma Sun, a transfer who joined the team last spring, has won the left guard job. But a hamstring injury kept him out of much of camp.
The real bright spots, however, have been the continued improvement of sophomore right tackle Geoff Schwartz and redshirt freshman left tackle Max Unger. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said both have continued to improve and have won his confidence.
Also, the new spread-option offense will take pressure off the line in terms of preventing the quarterback from being a stationary target and keeping the defense guessing.
The big question going into the season is how both will adapt to the speed of action in the Pac-10. Schwartz got a taste last season but said there's really not much he can tell Unger to prepare him.
"It's the kind of thing you have to experience for yourself," Schwartz said

JT

Sneaks

08-29-2005, 07:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
JT Sneaks Assistant Coach Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 211	On Campus With Sneaks On Campus Every week I am going to start a thread displaying information on as many college games as possible for that week. Stats will include articles, trends, injuries, etc but will mostly focus on information from the schools themselves taken from university websites and local newspapers as well as other places that I dig them up. This will allow everyone to just check in on the thread to check on information instead of spending the time going from one site to another. On game day I will follow up with my analysis, if any, and any selections I may have with reasoning. With so many games each week I will try to focus on the key games or the bigger market games but if time allows I will hit as many as possible. I will try to highlight things that stand out to me in case you are just looking to skim the articles or pressed for time.If you are a fan of a certain team or have time to dig up the information on a game or just want to voice your opinion feel free to throw it in the thread as well. I hope this helps everyone make some money during the college season and if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know and I will make the changes that best help everyone!! So without any further delay I will start with this week and post as much as I can: Thursday Games Oregon vs. Houston Reported August 25th--- Oregon Penalty Problems EUGENE -- Redshirt freshman Ryan Keeling (Springfield) and senior Nate LiaBraaten (Bend) are just two players trying to overcome injuries that have hampered their careers and move up the depth chart this season. In Oregon’s second major scrimmage of the fall, the two proved to be amongst a few bright spots in a day where the Ducks’ special teams struggled find its rhythm, the offense committed six penalties and the defense added three of its own. Keeling caught three passes for 43 yards, including a five yard touchdown pass from Kellen Clemens to lead all receivers while LiaBraaten punished the Oregon offense all day, leading the team with five tackles, including three for a loss of six yards. In all, the Duck offense scored 23 points in the 49-play scrimmage held in Autzen Stadium. “It’s been important for me to work hard and get on the field this season,” Keeling said. “I was hurt last season and wasn’t able to progress as much as I would have liked to, so I’ve used this fall to really try to get myself in a position to be a contributor and get on the field.” In an effort to simulate game-like scenarios, the Ducks turned up the crowd volume and began the scrimmage by taking multiple repetitions from the two-yard line. But the noise seemed to be a factor as the day wore on and the team committed 10 penalties for 60 yards. “In my mind, we have a lot of work to do,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “The special teams didn’t set a very good tone to start the scrimmage and I feel like we have to be much sharper. We played with noise for the first time and obviously it showed. Our offensive linemen jumped a bunch and we had some miscues with our hands on defense and those are things we can’t tolerate.” In its first two drives of the scrimmage, the Duck offense was unable to find the endzone, but in the third drive of the day, quarterback Dennis Dixon drove the second team offense 75 yards — which included a 44-yard reception by tight end Dan Kause that set up a 26-yard field goal by Paul Martinez. LiaBraaten and the Oregon defense stifled the Duck offense at the three-yard line in the next series when LiaBraaten tackled tailback Andiel Brown for a loss of three yards, negating a fourth-down attempt by the offensive unit. However, in Oregon’s next drive, Clemens drove the Ducks 75 yards and capped the drive with a 5 yard strike in the corner of the endzone to Keeling, but the PAT was no good. Clemens finished the day 7-of-11 for 84 yards and one touchdown. Martinez then missed a 45 yard field goal attempt in Oregon’s sixth series of the day before the offense put together scoring drives in its next two series'. “We’re close to being game ready, but we have areas in all aspects that need to be fixed or done better. Offensively, we didn’t click today as much as I would have liked and defensively we took a lot of our players out early to protect them. And special teams-wise we need a lot of work. I’m not sure where we are there. I was not pleased with our effort or our execution today.” Reported August 27th Oregon Preview The University of Oregon football team (0-0) opens the 2005 season vs. the Houston Cougars (0-0) at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, Sept. 1. For the first time since Sept. 2, 1999 (at Michigan State), the Ducks play a Thursday game, which will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Ducks are one of 58 teams to open the season on the first day of competition after being the last Division I school to open the 2004 season. SEASON OPENERS - NEWS AND NOTES * The Ducks have won 18 of their last 21 season openers * Oregon is 8-2 in season openers under Head Coach Mike Bellotti and has outscored its opponents, 310-209, in those 10 contests * The last overtime game in a season-opener for the Ducks was a 30-27 win at Fresno State, Aug. 31, 1996 - the first year the overtime rule was put into place * Oregon last won by shutout in its opener Sept. 10, 1988 vs. Long Beach State (49-0) * Last season’s 30-24 season-opening loss to Indiana broke a string of four consecutive opening-day victories THE SERIES VS. HOUSTON, CONFERENCE USA Oregon is 1-0 all time vs. the Cougars with the only meeting taking place Sept. 24, 1983, in Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won 15-13 to improve to 1-2 on the season. The game marks only the eighth time in school history that Oregon has faced a team currently affiliated with Conference USA, with the Ducks boasting a 6-1 all-time record, but its the first time Oregon has actually faced a Conference USA opponent. UTEP was the last team now connected to the 10-year-old league to face the Ducks (with Oregon winning, 47-28, in 1999) when the Miners were a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Oregon and Houston will meet again in 2007 when the Cougars travel to Autzen Stadium to open the season. SCOUTING HOUSTON Junior quarterback Kevin Kolb is a preseason Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien nominee as the nation’s top offensive player and top quarterback, respectively. Last year, he paced Conference USA in total offense (256.1 ypg) and stood second in passing (251.5 ypg). In his two-year career, he has completed 418-of-713 passes for 5,897 yards and 36 touchdowns, and has been intercepted only 12 times. Kolb was one of three Cougars tabbed to the CollegeFootballNews.com preseason squad and was a second-team choice, while senior wide receiver Vincent Marshall and sophomore offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers were first-team picks. Another receiving option, sophomore wideout Donnie Avery, earned freshman all-conference accolades. Senior running back Anthony Evans was a third-team all-conference selection two years ago, but was hampered by injuries in 2004. On defense, UH will unveil a new 3-4 look, and is paced up front by defensive end Kade Lane. The third-team all-conference choice last year has started all 36 of his career appearances. Junior Wade Koehl was a 2004 Butkus Award nominee will anchor the linebacking corps, while sophomores Brendan Pahulu and Rocky Schwartz were conference all-freshman first-team honorees last year at linebacker and strong safety. On special teams, UH will have to replace last year’s kicker, holder and snapper. Junior punter Justin Laird lost his starting spot for part of last season, then recovered it at the end of the campaign. Overall, Houston returns eight starters on both offensive and defense. PLAYING WITH THE INSTANT REPLAY For the first time in school history, the Ducks will play a game with an instant replay procedure. Conference USA will experiment with an ‘NFL Model’ for its instant replay, which differs from the Pac-10 procedure in that it allows the referee to make the final decision. The Pac-10 version says that a technical advisor in the booth will make the final call. The Conference USA procedure allows a technical advisor to call for the replay, but not make the final decision. Plays that may be reviewed include: Plays governed by sideline, goal line and end line (scoring plays, pass complete/incomplete/intercepted at sideline, goal line, end line, runner/receiver out of bounds and recovery of loose ball in bounds); Passing Plays (complete/incomplete/intercepted in the field of play and end zones, touching of forward pass by ineligible receiver, touching of forward pass by defender, QB forward pass or fumble, illegal forward pass or illegal handling beyond line of scrimmage, forward or backward pass thrown from behind line of scrimmage); Other (runner not ruled down, all obvious forward progress errors, touching of a kick, forward progress errors with respect to first down, clock adjustments, fourth down/try fumble plays). Plays that may NOT be reviewed: Holding, offside/encroachment, pass interference, personal fouls, illegal blocks, illegal formations, face mask, taunting/excessive celebration, false starts, roughing passer/kicker, fighting participants. Houston HOUSTON - Duck season comes early to Southeast Texas as the University of Houston Cougars hunt down the Oregon Ducks on Labor Day weekend. Cover yourself in camouflage or Cougar clothing, both available at Academy Sports and Outdoors, and partake in some down-home waterfowling by calling out the Ducks with duck calls provided by Academy Sports and Outdoors to the first 2,000 U of H students through the gates at Reliant Stadium. Watch the U of H offense break the Ducks' defensive formation and bird-dog to the Ducks' end zone. Then, sit back and enjoy the Cougars' new 3-4 defense as they blitz from the secondary like buckshot from behind a blind. You can use your duck call to help lure those lame Duck "passes" into the safety of a Cougar's grip and make those mallards want to migrate early. After the fourth quarter, stick around and join the band by using your duck call in a particularly gamey version of "Eat 'Em Up" to celebrate the Cougars' snapping of the Oregon Ducks' wishbone offense (or whatever kind of wish Oregon calls their offense). It's an egg-cellent way to start the season. Houston New Defense Switching to a 3-4 alignment and shuffling the coaching staff provide a fresh look on defense By MICHAEL MURPHY Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle The Houston Cougars will have a whole new look on defense this season, with many, many changes that will be visible in Thursday's season opener against Oregon at Reliant Stadium. Oh, yeah. They're also going to change to a 3-4 defense. Indeed, most of the changes have been made on the sidelines, where coaches Alan Weddell (inside linebackers) and Clay Jennings (secondary) will debut, and others such as Erik Slaughter (from strength and conditioning to outside linebackers) and Jason Phillips (wide receivers to cornerbacks) will take on new duties. And even though Ron Harris is still pulling all the strings as defensive coordinator, it's been a wake-'em-up and shake-'em-up offseason for the UH defense. The move to the 3-4 is not so much a reaction to last year's 3-8 season but more designed to take advantage of the Cougars' wealth of speed on defense. "I think that size is the least important thing on the defensive front," Weddell said. "I think speed is No. 1 because you have to be able to get to the football, and that's the name of the game, especially nowadays with so many teams spreading the field so much. "That fourth linebacker can get to the football a lot faster than that fourth defensive lineman in a 4-3. At least that's my opinion. But when you get there you have to be strong enough to make a play and make a tackle." The coaches like to refer to the 3-4, which features Kade Lane, Marquay Love and Gerard Richard across the front, with linebackers Wade Koehl, Brendan Pahulu, Trent Allen and Cody Lubojasky, as more of a tweak than any kind of major overhaul. The biggest adjustment has been replacing senior starters Will Gulley (safety) and Lance Everson (linebacker), both of whom are recovering from knee injuries. "Is it radically different? I'd say no," Harris said. "I think the thing that really mandated this switch to the 3-4 is because of all the spread offenses now. Everybody's spreading out, and Memphis is a classic example of that. They have arguably the best running back in the country (DeAngelo Williams), but they're still going to spread you out to do it rather than just lining up and pounding you." Besides, the Cougars are calling their new defense a 3-4, but it could mean just about anything depending on the situation on the field. "If you take five colleges in the country that run a 3-4, you're going to get five different looks," Weddell said. "I'll give you an example — we went out and looked at the Texans, we saw the Pittsburgh Steelers and I looked at a lot of tape of the San Diego Chargers, all of which are supposed to be 3-4 teams. And then there are the Ravens, the Patriots and now the Cowboys, who are putting in a 3-4. "Now, if you take those six teams I just named, they're all going to look different. They're going to be different in how they play their linebackers, what stunts they run, the secondary coverages they combine with those fronts and their automatics out of it. I think the real uniqueness of the 3-4 is that it's unique." It had better be good as well as unique, especially considering some of the teams the Cougars will face, not only in the restructured Conference USA, but also in the pre-conference schedule. The Cougars will face quarterbacks such as Oregon's Kellen Clemens, UTEP's Jordan Palmer and Tulane's Lester Ricard, among others. "I can tell you one thing — we're going to try and keep the ball in front of us," Jennings said, laughing. "That's going to be goal No. 1. And goal No. 2 is that we're going to be sure tacklers in the open field. I know I'm going to have a few sleepless nights this year thinking about facing these guys. "We're going to see some quality arms, and not only just quality arms, but guys who are athletic, who know what to do with the ball and who have some pretty good football intelligence as well. And they're all in offenses that are very efficient, very explosive and designed to showcase (those quarterbacks). We're going to be tested." Oregonian Newspaper Ducks ready if Houston weather turns sticky Sunday, August 28, 2005 JOHN HUNT EUGENE -- It not only was the first day of Oregon's first game week, but Saturday also was Day One of the Ducks' hydration schedule. "You start hydrating right now," coach Mike Bellotti said as his team prepared for Thursday's season opener in Houston. "Four or five days ahead, you force-feed electrolytes and fluids." The Ducks are preparing for what Bellotti said might be the most extreme heat that has dogged one of his teams. And as UO practiced on another dry, hot August day in Eugene, in what essentially was a Tuesday practice in a normal week -- full pads, some game plan implementation -- Hurricane Katrina was churning across 90-degree water off the Gulf Coast. Ducks ready if Houston weather turns sticky Sunday, August 28, 2005 JOHN HUNT EUGENE -- It not only was the first day of Oregon's first game week, but Saturday also was Day One of the Ducks' hydration schedule. "You start hydrating right now," coach Mike Bellotti said as his team prepared for Thursday's season opener in Houston. "Four or five days ahead, you force-feed electrolytes and fluids." The Ducks are preparing for what Bellotti said might be the most extreme heat that has dogged one of his teams. And as UO practiced on another dry, hot August day in Eugene, in what essentially was a Tuesday practice in a normal week -- full pads, some game plan implementation -- Hurricane Katrina was churning across 90-degree water off the Gulf Coast. Projections had Katrina making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane somewhere around New Orleans, about 350 miles east of Houston. Its westward progress Saturday got the attention of Ducks coaches. "Just today was the first time it sort of shifted and looked like it was going to become a problem," Bellotti said. But forecasts for Houston called for sunny skies and 95 degree temperatures Thursday, with a West Coast-like humidity of 55 percent. That would make for conditions similar to those in Oklahoma last season, where temperatures in the 90s were not nearly as big a factor as the Sooners' Adrian Peterson, who ran for 183 yards in Oklahoma's 31-7 win in Week 2. If it does get muggier, the Ducks are prepared. They have cooling vests available, and they might use "slipcovers" in practice that make the footballs feel wet and slimy. "The biggest thing is the perspiration of the people who handle the ball," Bellotti said. "As big a factor as the heat-related concerns is just handling the football." Open or shut? The Cougars could choose to have the roof of Reliant Stadium open, to subject the visitors from the Northwest to Gulf conditions, or they could have the roof closed and turn on the air conditioning for the comfort of their fans. Houston has not divulged its plans, and Bellotti doesn't expect an answer until Wednesday -- the team is required to inform Oregon of its plans 24 hours before kickoff. "We're having a walkthrough there on site around game time the day before," Bellotti said. "I assume that, however they're going to play, they'll have it that way that day." Traveling squad: Bellotti said he will take 68 to 70 players to Houston -- larger than the usual travel squad, because of the weather conditions If weather were not a factor, the Ducks probably would be reluctant to play many inexperienced players, given the Cougars' unorthodox offense and uncertain defense -- they have a new-look defense that nobody has gotten much of a look at yet. "I think we'll be forced to play more players due to the heat factor," Bellotti said. "I think we have to be prepared to rotate players maybe more than we normally would. The fact that they may not be as experienced, they're going to have to grow very quickly. "I think the heat factors right now outweigh the experience factors." Health concerns: The season opener is a medical marvel in itself. Players who lined the Ducks' practice fields without pads, nursing various ailments, were nearly all out on the field Saturday. "It's an amazing phenomenon -- all those little injuries and little owies disappear," Bellotti said. The only exceptions -- besides receiver Brian Paysinger (out until at least Week 3) and offensive lineman Shawn Flanagan (out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle) -- were defensive linemen David Faaeteete and Haloti Ngata. Faaeteete has a sprained knee. And someone fell on Ngata's knee early in the practice, but he was showing no ill effects other than a wrap and said he could play if he had to. Also, receiver Kyle Weatherspoon aggravated an ankle injury and is day-to-day. Receiver Demetrius Williams and running back Terrence Whitehead practiced at full speed. Only offensive guard Palauni Ma Sun (hamstring) and tight end Dante Rosario (infected knee) wore the cautionary yellow jerseys. Offensive line less of a concern Monday, August 29, 2005 AARON FENTRESS EUGENE -- Oregon entered preseason training camp looking like a team more than capable of improving on last season's disappointing 5-6 record. Most areas of the team appeared solid. The positions of quarterback, running back, defensive line, wide receiver and defensive backs all offered few glaring question marks. But a couple of areas presented concerns, chief among them: offensive line and linebacker. Questions also surrounded the potential contributions of two of the most heralded recruits in the Oregon's history, sophomore wide receiver Cameron Colvin and freshman running back Jonathan Stewart. Training camp ended last Wednesday, meaning the season's first game week began Thursday in preparation for the opener this Thursday at Houston. Also ending last week was the time allotted for answering key concerns. The following are four questions that faced the team entering preseason camp and the answers that developed: 1. Will an inexperienced offensive line jell in time for the season opener? Things look promising. The emergence of two young tackles is reason for optimism. The Ducks returned three linemen with starting experience but lost one when Shawn Flanagan had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle and was ruled out for the season. That left right guard Ian Reynoso (14 career starts) and center Enoka Lucas (eight career starts) as the team's only linemen with significant experience playing in the Pacific-10 Conference. Guard Palauni Ma Sun, a transfer who joined the team last spring, has won the left guard job. But a hamstring injury kept him out of much of camp. The real bright spots, however, have been the continued improvement of sophomore right tackle Geoff Schwartz and redshirt freshman left tackle Max Unger. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said both have continued to improve and have won his confidence. Also, the new spread-option offense will take pressure off the line in terms of preventing the quarterback from being a stationary target and keeping the defense guessing. The big question going into the season is how both will adapt to the speed of action in the Pac-10. Schwartz got a taste last season but said there's really not much he can tell Unger to prepare him. "It's the kind of thing you have to experience for yourself," Schwartz said JT Sneaks