Wednesday, October 15, 1997
Pac-10 Notebook
Running backs hit by injuries
The Pac-10 features five rushers averaging 100 yards per game
plus. But the conference’s backs have been slowed by injuries.
Arizona sophomore Trung Canidate will sit out the Wildcats’
upcoming game against Washington. Canidate injured his left ankle
late in Arizona’s non-conference win against San Diego State; he
tried to play last week against Stanford but was hampered by the
injury.
Canidate has already been one of the biggest surprises in the
Pac-10. Until being injured, he led the conference in rushing,
averaging 124 yards per game.
* * *
Oregon State’s junior running back DeShawn Williams has also
been hobbled with an injury. Williams, named the Pac-10 Special
Teams Player of the Week earlier in the season when he ran back a
kickoff for a touchdown against Stanford, will miss at least three
more weeks with a knee injury. His backup is freshman Ricky
Walker.
* * *
Cal’s senior running back Tarik Smith has returned successfully
from a hip pointer. Smith missed Cal’s loss to USC with the injury
and was replaced by Deltha O’Neal, but returned last week against
Washington to rush for 89 yards on 18 carries.
* * *
USC’s starting running back LaVale Woods will probably sit out
this week’s contest against Notre Dame due to an ankle sprain he
suffered against UNLV. Freshman Malaefou MacKenzie will get the
starting nod, having recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered
against Arizona State.
Arizona shuffles starter position
Arizona sophomore quarterback Keith Smith was touted as one of
the most promising quarterbacks in the conference after a
successful freshman season. Now he has lost his starting job to a
quarterback maybe even more promising.
The new starter at Arizona is redshirt freshman Ortege Jenkins.
Jenkins started the year as the No. 3 quarterback, and seemed more
likely to have a future at wide receiver. But then No. 2
quarterback Brady Batten broke his collarbone, and Smith tore a
shoulder muscle in the Wildcats’ loss against UCLA.
In Jenkins’ two starts since Smith’s injury, the Wildcats have
beaten San Diego State and Stanford, improving to 3-3 for the
season. Now Smith is healthy again, but Ortege Jenkins is the
starting quarterback.
Meanwhile, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti is sticking with the
two-quarterback system, despite Akili Smith’s strong performance
last weekend against UCLA. A starter for this week’s game versus
Utah will be named as early as Wednesday or as late as Friday.
Kealy: offensive player of the week
Arizona State quarterback Ryan Kealy garnered the offensive
player-of-the-week award. Kealy, a redshirt freshman, completed 21
of 34 passes for 281 yards in Arizona State’s 35-7 win over USC.
The win kept the Sun Devils’ Rose Bowl hopes alive, while it
effectively ended those of USC.
UCLA’s Cade McNown was also nominated for the award, along with
Arizona quarterback Ortege Jenkins and Washington running back
Rashaan Sheehee.
Szlauko: defensive player of the week
With three sacks on Saturday, defensive-end Mike Szlauko
(pronounced Sloh-koh) took the lead in the conference sack race,
jumping ahead of senior teammate Joe Salave’a (Szlauko has 8.5
while Salave’a has 7.) In doing so, he took home the conference’s
defensive player-of-the-week award.
Szlauko’s three sacks against Stanford set back the Cardinal
offense 27 yards, and Szlauko had six tackles for losses on the day
for a total of 38 yards. Szlauko, a senior, is enjoying a
breakthrough season. He had recorded three career sacks in his
first three years.
Streaking Sailer honored again
Two weeks, two conference special-teams play-of-the-week awards.
This week, UCLA kicker Chris Sailer kicked four field goals to
extend his streak of consecutive field goals to 13, including one
for a UCLA record of 56 yards.
Sailer’s continued accuracy is helping him march into the
nation’s leaders in certain categories. Sailer’s 10.3 points per
game make him eighth in the nation in scoring. His 2.17 field goals
per game are third in the nation. He is second and first in the
Pac-10 in those two categories, respectively. Meanwhile his punting
average of 43.0 yards per punt is good for fourth in the
conference.
Compiled by Mark Dittmer, Daily Bruin Staff.