Corvallis Gazette-Times from Corvallis, Oregon • 11

Section Thureday, Nowmbat 20, ItM forward' from Denver eaveir sago By Roy Gault What is the area in which he needs to improve most in order to get playing time at OSU? "I think I need to work on my left hand the most, he said. "That's mainly it." Wright made honorable mention in Street and Smith magazine's preseason high school Ail-American listings. tion in the East. "But I felt more at home at Oregon State," he said. He said he will major in business marketing but is also interested in courses in oceanography.

"I like to go after what I want, I work hard to achieve my goal, and I devote all my time to that goaf and to perfecting my abilities," said Wright. "Academics come first. I really assert myself in my classes and my homework." Wright played as a freshman on the same Montbello High team with Craig Jackson, who is how a Junior forward at UCLA. He said Jackson didn't try to persuade him to sign with the Bruins. "All Craig did was encourage me to get He visited OSU almost two weeks ago and saw the Beavers play Washington in football.

"1 Just felt comfortable there around the people and the town," Wright said in a telephone interview. "I really liked the coach and the players. And I like the conference." He said it Isn't necessarily a big deal for Denver-area players to play in the Pac-10. "The big thing with most kids here in Colorado la Just that they want to get to the coast," he said. He said he gave Oklahoma strong consideration because of its academics and because It's In the Big Conference, and said St.

Johns offered strong academics and the opportunity to play against strong competi- my grades and to make sure I picked a good school," said Wright, who says he's conviced he did. "I'm Just glad I made the right choice." Wright said the school that spent the most time recruiting him was Wyoming. "I knew if it was like this before the season even started, that after the season there would be even more people calling," he said. "And that would be about the time I'd be taking finals, and I didn't want the distraction." Wright says he weighs 210 pounds. He is a center at Montbello but will play forward at OSU.

"I'm the type that uses strength and my mind to get the Job done, he said. Marcellus Wright, 64 forward from Denver, said Wednesday he hai signed letter of intent to play basketball at Oregon University. Wright averaged 16 pointi nd 16 rebounds a game last season as a Junior at Denver's Montbello High. Wright visited St. Johns, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oregon State, Utah and Wyoming before deciding on OSU.

He took expense-paid visits to all those schools except Wyoming, which he visited at his own expense. Wright said he narrowed the choice to St. Johns, Oklahoma and OSU before choosing the Beavers. Marcatlua Wright OSU has also signed Bob Cavell, a 6-5 guard from McNary High of Salem who has been picked by national publications as the top recruit in Oregon. CIA0 jr" 1 m.

i The Pumpkin steals thunder at luncheon By Bob Baum of the AMociattd PfMt PORTLAND The two head coaches were there to talk about how important the game is to their teams. Two of their best players, Oregon quarterback Chris Miller and Oregon State wide receiver Dave Montagne, spoke of how elose the game would be. But it was "The Great Pumpkin," Dee Andros, who stole the show at Wednesday's Civil War luncheon, the Portland gathering of boosters that annually precedes the Oregon-Oregon State football game. Andros, the former Oregon State head coach and athletic director who is about to retire from the university, shouted that Saturday's encounter in Corvallis would be "the best game in the state in 20 years." He told stories of his victories against Oregon, and he assured the crowd in his usual loud drawl that "I lost twice to the Ducks and that's the most miserable time I've ever had." He joked about his appearance on University of Oregon football television commercials. "I don't mind going on TV and doing that duck waddle, but, come Saturday, there's no doubt where my allegiance will be," Andros said.

Rich Brooks is 164-2 in the Civil War game, first as a player and assistant coach at Oregon State and, for the past decade, as head coach at He said the game means a lot to his team's seniors. "I would love for them to leave this program with at least one positive thing that they had never lost to Oregon State," Brooks said. Meanwhile, Oregon State Coach Dave Kragthorpe said there are three main reasons his Beavers will be fired up for the contest. First, he said it would be important for his team to finally win four games in one season, something that hasn't happened in 15 years. Second, they want to end the fans' frustration because Oregon State hasn't beaten Oregon in 12 years.

And third, "beating Oregon would be the next step in the development of this program," he said. The oddsmakers rate the game a virtual tossup. Miller, who already has broken most of Dan Fouts' passing records at Oregon and may break the rest of them in Saturday's game, said "Oregon State is much improved." Paul VtnOrnWiGmttfrTim Ortgon quarterback Chris Miller It tratlng tha names of Dan Fouta and Bob Berry from the Ducks' football record book. Miller spinning Duck records For the love of money The Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins renew their storied rivalry Sunday, which is a good excuse to pass along an anecdote from the book "Football," written by Dan Jenkins Jenkins, recalling a locker-room exchange between Washington quarterbacks Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer before a Monday Night Football game against Dallas, wrote: "Sonny and Billy were sitting next to each other on a bench that evening while they and the rest of the squad listened or pretended to be listening to Coach George Allen's emotional sermon on the subject of why this game was the most important thing in his own lift or all of theirs. "Choked up and teary eyed, Allen finally reached a point In the pregame talk when he made a theatrical gesture.

"Allen said. Til tell you what Vila game means to me. I would cut my arm off up to here to win it! Right up to "That was when Jurgensen nudged Kilmer and said in a whisper, Thank God, it's his left arm. He can still sign A long one How long was the Monday Night Football game between the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers? Writes Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post: colleague Bill Gil-dea did three full loads of laundry during the game and didn't miss a play. America's Cup trials take less time.

"Not only could you read a Russian novel, you could write one. of Joe Montana's marriages didn't last that long." For Peete's sake Rodney Peete, please note: Says USC linebacker Marcus Cotton: "The best part of playing linebacker is getting a sack. I love going after a quarterback. For some reason, I don't like quarterbacks. I don't even like our own quarterback when he's on the field." Just one loss Would-you-believe-lt department: The top six teams In the Paciflc-10 Arizona State, USC, Artsona, Stanford, UCLA and Washington are 17-1 against non-conference foes.

The only loss was Oklahoma's 38-3 rout of UCLA. Trivia Time Who were the three Los Angeles Ram quarterbacks to wear No. 11 before Jim Everett? Trivia Answer: Norm Van Brocklin, James Harris and Pat Haden. Note: Harris also braska. Southern Cat.

Arizona State. Stanford and Washington. "He's just accomplished so many things against outstanding opposition," Brooks said. "Really, the only bad team we've played is Cal. He's not fattening his statistics against weak teams." Since his team has had the worst defense, statistically, in the Pacific-10 Conference.

Miller sometimes has pushed himself too hard to produce points. "He started trying to do almost too much trying to make things happen," Brooks said. But. for the most part. Miller has been successful in moving the Oregon offense.

"He has unbelievable presence on the field that you don't teach or coach," Brooks said. "Very few players I've been around possess it. He knows where everybody is." Brooks thinks Miller might be the No. 2 college quarterback in the nation. "Everybody says (Vinny) Testeverde is the No I guy.

then they get kind of ambiguous atwit who the next-best quarterback is. But Miller is in that next-best group." he said. Miller is optimistic about his ability to play professional football. "I know I have the athletic talents. I just need to learn more about the game," he said.

"I'm still not a polished quarterback." By Bob Baum oi me Aeeocioted Pw EUGENE Chris Miller, the record shat tering University of Oregon quarterback, admits to occasional flights of fancy. "Sometimes I think. 'What if I had guys like Arixona State's line blocking for me or some of the receivers who are around the nation that are just tremendously fast with great he said. But the scrambling, strong-armed quarterback, who will play his last collegiate football game Saturday at I p.m. at Parker Stadium against Oregon State, insists he has no regrets about his decision to play in relative obscurity on Oregon teams that rarely were better than mediocre.

"A big reason I came here was Coach (Bob) Toledo," Miller said, referring to the Ducks' offensive coordinator, "because of the type of offense he brought in here. It's done lot for me as far as numbers and getting the ball In the end tone." He also wanted to stay in his hometown. "1 like being around my home and my family. That's the type of person I am," he said. "I think I'd have a tough time away from home." Miller's records have begun to pile up.

He has broken Dan Fouts' Oregon career marks in total offense with 6.595 yards, passing with 6.424 yards and completions with 539. He needs 315 yards to break Fouts' single-season total offense mark of 2,333 and needs 44 yards to break Fouts' single-season passing mark of 2,390. He's also tied Bob Berry's car eeer mark of 39 touchdown passes "If something I can get out of this season is breaking those records, that would be real nice," Miller said. "It's real nice to be in the company of Bob Berry. Dan Fouls and Norm Van Brocklin." This has been a frustrating year for Miller, who has been called by his coach.

Rich Brooks, "arguably the best player ever" at Oregon. "I'm disappointed as far as our win-loss record goes, being 4-6." Miller said. "We had hopes of going to a bowl game or at least having a winning record. We had a lot of talent on this team, but it just didn't fall into place." Brooks says Miller "has had an outstand ing year under trying circumstances." Miller suffered a bruised elbow on his throwing arm in the fourth game of the season and he never has recovered fully. And his passing arm usually was Oregon's only weapon in a Murderer's Row schedule that included consecutive losses to Arizona.

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Kentucky 10: Georgia Tech (by 7.Wakeroratl4 MIDWEST lllinoM iby ID U. Northwratara II. Colorado iby 3ii 10. Kama State II. Michujaa State iby I 34.

Wtecanei 31 Muuiaaeta 10. Iowa iby 14 StH'THWEST Oklahoma Stale iby 34. Iowa Stale 17; Air Perce iby ll Ja. Rice It; Teaaa Tec iby ll M. Houatoa PAR WEST Frrane State I'lah State II.

Nevada Lat Vagat 31. Long Beach Stal 34. Oregon 31. Oregoa Stale 'by II 17. Kan Dirge Stale (by 1 14.

Hawaii 14. Colorado Stat iby II. Texae El Paaa II. Brujham Voung iby 13', I I'UhM The Associated Press is going by the history book, not the bookmakers' book. The Associated Press has picked Oregon to defeat Oregon State 28-17 in the annual Civil War football game.

The Beavers and Ducks will meet at I p.m. Saturday at Parker Stadium. OSU is favored by one point by oddsmakers but hasn't defeated Oregon since 1974. Other picks: TOP TWENTY PHI at N. 1 Pea SUM Havered by Ml Hey, Miami, feal cancel thear reeervetMae la Pmwau PraaState 147 Na lOUahaaa iby is at Na I Nehraakt Hew awe-Mtm la Oklahoma? Th Samara lead la aetM tear in.

Mai aflaiaa. ruehwg efleaee. eronag drfenee, Mai aVinm and malum teliaei, Miami ecered Batata headmg taa i I taatraaly aetbech Oklahoma! ether MaW MtpavaMaaV ImW MWmI It paMaiH cajMbHafd Uswt Saarlal at Ifca Waak WiSraaia IT 14 Na II waarangion toy ii ai waamngion wair Hon Jamra and Waahinglm JS ether liar nana far I 17 Spartans zero in on Tigard and Ferguson No. 13. Terry Baker No.

II on year but Tlnard rolled to a 21-6 win over many teams physically as large as ByJaff Rllty of th OaxatM-Tima Uke two if It 11 be scene one, after being shifted to running back. Other Rams to wear No. 11 were linebacker Riley Matheson (1946-47) and place-kicker Danny Villa nueva (196044). Quotebook Jim Finks, general manager of the New Orleans Saints, asked about all the controversial calls In last Sunday's game: "We're not allowed to comment on the lousy officiating." "We like to think we run the ball pretty well," said second-year Tigard coach Craig Itastin. "We like to be as balanced as we can and take what the defense gives us In its two playoff games, 214 shutouts of Cleveland and Canby.

the Spartan defense has given up next to nothing. Corvallis held Cleveland to 62 yards rushing and 113 total yards. Last week the Spartans held Darron McCarty the state's leading scorer and the rest of the Cougars scoreless with 184 rushing yards. But Tigard loads its gun with a running back named Greg Ferguson, a second-team all-slate selection last year who has rushed for about 1.500 yards this season "They are a run-oriented learn." said Corvallis coach Gary Beck "They are an outstanding team and they have an outstanding back in Greg Ferguson They are a team that played well in the playoffs last year with mostly Juniors on their team. Those kids are back and it makes for a good, strong team." they are.

Corvallis' defense has allowed only 91 rushing yards gam this season, but Beck says It's equally important for the Spartan offense to get In high gear. "We need to establish some offense ourselves so our defense doesn't have to play all the time," said Beck. "We haven't seen anyone as fast or as strong as Ferguson." The winner will face the winner of Friday's Lakeridge-Aloha game. Ashland in the first round of the playoffs and defeated Bend 21-0 last week. Last year llastin also led the Tigers to the quarterfinal round before Lakeridge beat Tigard 27-18.

Tigard defeated Crescent Valley 27 8 in the first round of the 1985 playoffs. tthe Spartans) are a very fine defensive team," said Hastin. "They did a good job defending the rushing game against Canby and their quarterback threw the ball well. They have a balanced attack and good size. We haven't seen Corvallis has Its way.

The Spartans, who last week met Canby'a strong running game with a 21-e shutout, will fact another tough running attack Friday when they host Tigard In the quarterfinal round of the state AAA football playoffs. Klckoff time la set for p.m. at Parker Stadium. Tickets are 14 for adulta and 13 for students. I.