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Smith makes his pitch as Duck linebacker Ex-GP star is still playing baseball By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN EUGENE -- It's third-and-long. The game is on the line deep into the fourth quarter. Oregon football fans are howling. They want blood. Husky blood. The sophomore linebacker wearing No. 49 in Duck green settles into his linebacker stance prior to the snap. Washington quarterback Brock Huard will surely pass. Everybody knows it. Sure enough, Huard fades to pass. Slicing in from the right side of the formation is No. 49. Former Grants Pass High linebacker Matt Smith sacks Huard for a 2-yard loss with a loud hit, ending this drive and helping to solidify Oregon's 27-22 win over the Huskies on an early November Saturday in Autzen Stadium. "It was basically a coverage sack," said Smith, who joined the Ducks at the start of the fall and has earned more and more playing time as the season progressed. "He (Huard) likes to scramble when he's pressured and I was waiting for him. "It felt good to get that one (the sack). The play happened to come my way. When I get in there, I know I need to make plays." Smith, a former all-state linebacker as well as a quarterback and baseball pitcher for Grants Pass High, continues to be a baseball-football player at age 22. He finished his fourth season in the Kansas City Royals' organization with the Lansing, Mich., Lugnuts last August. Smith, the 16th overall pick in the 1994 draft, had a 0-3 record but a promising ERA of under 3. He also averaged more than one strikeout per inning. "I had a good year, and I want to continue on as a pitcher with the Royals," said Smith, who was a first baseman his first three years of minor league ball. "The Royals thought I had a lot of potential as a hitter, but I always wanted to pitch. Finally, they decided to let me try it, and it went pretty well last summer." Smith, at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, cranks out 90 mph fastballs and mixes in curveballs and change-ups to keep hitters off balance. His fastball, which can be overpowering on good days, is his bread-and-butter pitch. And the key to his pitching future. Right now, football is on Smith's mind. The Ducks, ranked 15th in the Associated Press poll this week, are 8-2 heading into Saturday's regular-season finale at Oregon State. Smith has appeared in seven games, but he got a late start, reporting for the first time in fall camp with all the other newcomers. He's made 17 tackles, including three in Oregon's 51-19 pounding of Arizona State last Saturday. Smith said he's put on about 25 pounds since his high school days, when he terrorized the Southern Oregon Conference with his mobility and hard hitting. As he continues to get older, Smith said, he still can't pick a favorite sport between football and baseball. "I like 'em both," he said. "I'm hoping that one day, I'll know which one suits me best for the future. I'll know right away when I've figured it out. " It will probably be baseball. But don't count out football. Oregon coaches are finding that Smith could be another Peter Sirmon-type linebacker because of his strength, aggression and speed, which allows him to cover receivers as well as run down running backs. "I've been here 10 weeks, and I'm getting a lot more comfortable with the defensive system," said Smith. "The coaches have been patient and given me time to get back in football shape. "After three years away from football, it took longer than I thought it would. But I'm feeling pretty good about it now. I just need playing time." Oregon defensive coordinator Bob Foster said Smith has made progress weekly. "He's surprised some people," said Foster. "He's picked up the system fairly fast, and he knows what he's doing. "He's very physical and a good athlete." In order to play for the Ducks, Smith needed a written release from Stanford. He signed a letter of intent to play football and baseball for Stanford during his senior year at Grants Pass in 1994. Smith signed his football letter with head coach Bill Walsh's staff. "It's a new staff now, and their coaches don't know me," said Smith. "It wasn't a problem getting a release." Smith lost a year of eligibility when he enrolled at Oregon to take classes in 1996 during the baseball off-season. He has two years left to play. "I've missed football," he said. "It's great to be back playing." CIVIL WAR LUNCHEON WHEN : Today, 11:30 a.m. WHERE : Doubletree Hotel, 200 N. Riverside, Medford. WHO : Open to the public. HIGHLIGHTS : Guests are athletic directors Mitch Barnhart of Oregon State and Bill Moos of Oregon. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti and OSU coach Mike Riley will answer questions live in a teleconference. SIDELIGHTS : Video highlights, raffle contests. ADMISSION : $9, includes gratuity. FOR INFO : Call Don Pinkham, 773-2214. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,