Document text
M/CLOUDY Temp: 48 °F Wind: NW at 4 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 21, 2002 De La Grange, Ducks ready to move forward By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune EUGENE — At 6-foot-6, 345 pounds, Mike De La Grange is more mountain than mere man. But, counters University of Oregon quarterback Jason Fife, De La Grange can also be more teddy than bear — off the field, that is. "He’s a typical lineman, happy-go-lucky," says Fife, who is the Ducks’ probable starter when the season commences Aug. 31 against Mississippi State at revamped Autzen Stadium. "O-linemen are a different breed. They’re intense in their own way. They’ve kind of got that playful nature that can quickly turn into the ferocity of a beast. Mike’s no different. He’s this gentle giant at times, and then he can rip your head off at times, too." De La Grange (pronounced "Dee-la-GRANGE"), a redshirt sophomore from Grants Pass, is No. 1 at right tackle on Oregon’s depth chart as fall camp continues to unfold in Eugene. For skill players like tailback Onterrio Smith and Fife, there’s comfort in knowing a mammoth mass will be keeping would-be tacklers at bay this fall. "He’s huge," says Smith, the junior coming off a 1,058-yard season who has his sights set on 2,000 yards this year. "He’s got a lot of forward lean to him, so he should be able to come off the line, get a nice push and create some big holes. ... I love (big offensive linemen)." A 2000 graduate of Grants Pass High School, De La Grange redshirted his first year, then made appearances in four games during the Ducks’ best-ever season last fall. He was impressive in lining up for 10 plays during the 38-16 stomping of Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl, which sewed up Oregon’s No. 2 final national ranking. That performance and a strong spring prompted the Ducks to shift senior Corey Chambers from right to left guard, opening up a starting spot for De La Grange. "I’ve always played right tackle," says De La Grange, who belies his status as the biggest Oregon player with an affable personality, just as Fife is quick to note. "I can play left tackle, but they usually want the quicker tackle on the left because it’s the blind side of the quarterback. I’m not quite the quickest tackle, but I’m the biggest guy, so I’m on the right." Joining Chambers (6-4, 296, 16 career starts) and De La Grange as projected starters on the offensive line are sophomore left tackle Adam Snyder (6-6, 290, no starts), junior center Dan Weaver (6-5, 278, 11 starts) and junior right guard Joey Forster (6-4, 292, 21 starts). With De La Grange and Snyder set to join three returning starters, the unit again figures to be a source of strength. "It’s tradition," Chambers says of the annually underrated line’s often-overlooked contributions to what is always among the Pac-10’s best offenses. A first-team all-Southern Oregon Conference and second-team all-state selection as a senior with the Cavemen, De La Grange says he was destined to be a Duck, although Nebraska and Oregon State, among others, also came calling. "My dad (David) always wanted me to go here, and I’ve always wanted to come here," says De La Grange, who also participated in basketball and track and field and was coached in football by former Oregon quarterback Tom Blanchard at Grants Pass. "I totally thought this was the best fit because all the coaches were just awesome up here." Despite a bruised back suffered in practice Monday, De La Grange is holding off 6-5, 306-pound senior Phil Finzer of Astoria atop the chart at right tackle. And De La Grange is eager, as he has been since the Fiesta Bowl ended, to get a regular season rolling that promises to be his best yet, personally at least, as a Duck. "Nothing’s guaranteed," De La Grange says. "You’ve gotta go out there and prove yourself." That’s still the case, even when you’re the biggest man out there. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S