Oregon looks to bounce back this season

When a handful of atrocious calls went their way in an upset of Oklahoma during a 4-0 start last season, Oregon fans thought they had a team of destiny on their hands.

However, the team’s destiny was to throw away a promising season.

The Ducks won just three of their final nine games and closed the season on a fourgame losing streak that included a 38-8 thrashing at the hands of BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

How bad was it? An offense that averaged 36 points per game through nine contests scored more than 10 just once in its final four as mentally-beaten starting quarterback Dennis Dixon gave way to backup Brady Leaf.

“This team is hungry,” running back Jonathan Stewart said. “Last year going out like we did in defeat made us hungry and ready to get the bad tastes out. This whole year is all about opportunity and trying to take advantage of opportunity.”

If Dixon is able to recover his swagger under first-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, Oregon’s spread-option attack could be the most prolific offense in the Pac-10.

Stewart is a serious Heisman Trophy contender and Dixon, a dangerous dual threat, has head coach Mike Bellotti’s support despite spending his summer playing baseball to the surprise of many.

Dixon, who hadn’t played the sport on an organized level since high school, was selected by Atlanta in the fifth round of the amateur draft and worked out in Florida all summer.

As Bellotti has pointed out, he’s been reading pitches instead of reading defenses.

“It certainly was an inopportune time for him in terms of our team,” Bellotti said. “But he’s a fifth-year senior and he’s back in Eugene and he’ll make up for some lost time. He was throwing (a football) all summer back in Florida in addition to playing baseball. That might be why he only hit .188.”

Oregon fans will be eager to see him return to form in time to fortify the program’s tendency to wrap great seasons around lousy ones.

In the last three even-numbered years, the Ducks were a combined 19-18 with appearances in the Seattle and Las Vegas bowls. In the last three odd-numbered years, the Ducks were a combined 29-8 and made appearances in the Fiesta, Holiday and Sun bowls.

“We’re as excited for the start of this season as we were disappointed about the end of last season,” Bellotti said.

“I think that fueled a lot of great work in the offseason.”

Oregon

2006 record: 7-6, 4-5 in Pac-10

Coach: Mike Bellotti (97-48 in 12 seasons)

Returning starters: 14 (seven offense, seven defense)

Five guys to eye: RB-KR Jonathan Stewart (Jr., 981 yards and 10 TDs), QB Dennis Dixon (Sr., 197-322 for 2,143 yards with 12 TDs and 14 INTs), WR Jaison Williams (Jr., 68 catches for 984 yards and six TDs), S Jairus Byrd (So.), OL Max Unger (Jr.)

Schedule: Sept. 1 vs. Houston, Sept. 8 at Michigan, Sept. 15 vs. Fresno State, Sept. 22 at Stanford, Sept. 29 vs. California, Oct. 13 vs. Washington State, Oct. 20 at Washington, Oct. 27 vs. Southern California, Nov. 3 vs. Arizona State, Nov. 15 at Arizona, Nov. 24 at UCLA, Dec. 1 vs. Oregon State

Oregon will succeed if: Quarterback Dennis Dixon regains his confidence and his game after a late-season tailspin and a summer of baseball.

Oregon will fail if: Backup QB Brady Leaf, younger brother of Ryan, takes more than half the team’s snaps.