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Frankel nearly booted the Ducks' victory By Kris Henry If a team is only as good as its weakest link, then the Oregon Ducks may be in big trouble before the season is through. The defense is stifling, the offense is solid and, for the most part, the special teams play is extraordinary. The main ingredient that might keep 20th-ranked Oregon from consideration among the nation�s elite is in the kicking game. To put it bluntly, Josh Frankel has been horrendous in recent weeks. The senior place-kicker missed three field goal attempts Saturday and an extra point, adding suspense to a game that should have been over with in the third quarter. Oregon was fortunate to escape Autzen Stadium with its 18th straight win, a 23-16 triumph over sixth-ranked Washington. Frankel breathed the biggest sigh of all when Matt Smith deflected Marques Tuiasosopo�s fourth-down pass in the final minute. "If we had lost this game and it had been because I missed a couple kicks, then that would have hurt," he said. "But life still goes on." To be fair, Frankel�s missed extra-point attempt in the third quarter snapped his string of 32 consecutive made PATs. To be honest, what college-level kicker shouldn�t have a streak like that? Frankel�s biggest problem has been on field goals, where he has converted only 9 of 17 this season. Despite the kicking woes, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti says he plans to remain faithful to Frankel until the end. "Any time you miss that many attempts, you�re not going to be happy with it," admitted Bellotti. "But I think kickers are like golfers, and it can be just a bad day on the golf course. We have other people, but I have confidence; Josh Frankel has been there before. He�s a veteran and he�ll come back and be fine." In just five games this season, Frankel has missed as many field goal attempts as he did all of last year, when he converted 21 of 29 attempts after taking over for Nathan Villegas in Game 4. Although Frankel admits losing Bellotti�s faith has crossed his mind, the kicker understands his role is destined to be tenuous each week. "It�s either all the fame or all the shame," he says. "That�s part of the job, and you have to accept both the good and the bad if you want to play this position." For his part, Frankel says he knows what the problem is, and it�s not center Dan Weaver or holder Joey Harrington. "I�m trying too hard, and I�m doing it to myself," he says. "It�s all me." Bingo. Maybe Frankel�s best conversion of the day. To resolve the issue, Frankel says he�s going to try and ease up a little and not try to kill the ball on each attempt. He claims the distance is not the problem, believing he is sure-footed from up to 47 yards. He also says he�s going to use Oregon�s bye week to rediscover his kicking rhythm, which is the hands-down necessity for someone in his position. "It�s such a precise art," he says. "If you�re off by half an inch, you can forget about it. It�s going to go bad." And so will Oregon�s season if Frankel doesn�t soon get his act together soon. "I know some day it�s going to come down to a kick," he says. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.