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Oregon fans should gear up for a wild ride By Don Hunt EUGENE - One game into the season, we might as well start calling them the Cardiac Kids. Hand out some heart medicine and hang on for the ride. The Oregon Ducks kept a jam-packed crowd of 45,919 on the edge of their seats at Autzen Stadium Saturday night by doing what any genuine cardiac team does: They scored a lot of points and yielded almost as many. When the pulses and blood pressures returned to normal, the Ducks had earned a 31-28 season-opening victory over Wisconsin. "We survived," a weary Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said afterward. In a game where the lead changed hands five times, Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington proved to be a worthy Heisman Trophy candidate, igniting the Ducks to victory in a wild second half. Oregon's young defense showed more cracks than a sidewalk in the epicenter of an earthquake, and unless it improves, the Ducks aren't a national championship contender and probably aren't a legitimate top-10 team. But with Harrington operating one of the nation's most explosive offenses, the Ducks will put up big points and win their share of shootouts. Harrington's numbers weren't extraordinary - he completed 22 of 47 passes for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions - but at crunch time, he was Joey Heisman. Time and time again in the second half, the gunslinger from Portland completed crucial passes for big gains, many of them on third-and-long situations. It was Harrington who calmly drove the Ducks 77 yards in nine plays in the game's final six minutes as the Ducks overcame a 28-24 deficit. He hit Jason Willis for a 23-yard gain to start the drive, connected with tight end Justin Peelle for a 24-yard gain on a third-and-10 play and picked up seven yards on a draw that advanced the ball to the Wisconsin 4. And then, on a fourth-down play from inside the 1, he tucked the ball into his midsection and dove over left guard for the winning score. "They had to move some of their guys out of the box to cover our receivers, and I was able to wedge the ball in," Harrington said. "This was a sweet victory, a great way to start the season. We beat a Big Ten team and a top-25 team, and I think we answered a few questions." A few, yes, but certainly not all. The Ducks found out they have an excellent punter in Jose Arroyo, who bombed a couple beyond 50 yards and, more importantly, landed three punts inside the Wisconsin 20-yard line. They discovered they have a capable kicker in freshman Jared Siegel, who went 4-for-4 on extra points and hit a 20-yard field goal that broke the scoring ice. They learned that backup tailback Onterrio Smith is as good as advertised. The transfer from Tennessee ripped off a 51-yard run that set up Oregon's third touchdown late in the third quarter, and he rambled 19 yards on a quick-toss play on the Ducks' winning drive. On his long run that advanced the ball to the Badger 6-yard line, Smith said: "It was a quick-hitter play and I ran it to the back side. I made a move on their (defensive back) and then it was off to the races. I just wish I could have made it to the end zone." The Ducks also feel very comfortable with Jason Willis, their only skill position player who wasn't a starter last season. The junior wide receiver showed speed, power and good hands, finishing the game with six catches for 84 yards, including a spectacular catch over the middle. The jury remains out, however, on an Oregon defense that has seven new faces from a year ago. The Ducks played tough at times, but also gave up a 69-yard touchdown run to Anthony Davis and rarely put much pressure on Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi, who had a credible performance of his own with 231 yards and two touchdowns in the air. Sorgi often had time to seek out secondary receivers that put a heavy burden on Oregon's defensive backs. Had he not slightly overthrown a couple of receivers on long passes, Duck fans would be waking up with a big hangover today. That's not to say that a couple of Duck defenders didn't stand out. Free safety Keith Lewis had a game-high 101/2 tackles and end Quinn Dorsey forced a fumble and an interception. Middle linebacker David Moretti also performed well in his first start in a Duck uniform - he had six tackles and an interception - but broke his thumb and likely won't play in next Saturday's game against Utah. And if nothing else, the Ducks stopped the Badgers on their final possession as they frantically attempted to move downfield for the winning touchdown or a tying field goal. Starting from its own 17 with 1:47 to play, Wisconsin moved to the Ducks' 47 but could get no further. Cornerback Rashad Baughman had the big play for Oregon as he batted away a long third-down pass that looked destined to wind up in the hands of standout Badger receiver Lee Evans, who finished the game with eight receptions for 168 yards. On fourth down, Sorgi threw a pass toward Nick Davis, who nearly made a diving catch inside the Oregon 20 with just under a minute to play. Davis had the ball in his hands momentarily, but it spilled away as he hit the turf. The Autzen faithful heaved a huge sigh of relief, but left the stadium knowing that unless the Ducks' defense grows up fast, such craziness will continue. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.