kicks off its annual football Spring Game beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday in Autzen Stadium.

For the third year in a row Oregon’s athletic department is requesting a donation of three non-perishable food items as admission from everyone who attends Saturday’s Spring Game, with all proceeds to be used to restock the Lane County food bank.

The Ducks will be divided into two equal teams for the intrasquad scrimmage. Dennis Dixon will quarterback the Green team led by defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, while Brady Leaf will be under center for the White team coached by offensive coordinator Gary Crowton.

The first half will consist of two 15-minute quarters under normal game-type conditions while a running clock will be imposed for the final two quarters.

Kickoffs will occur to begin each half while the two teams will punt in the first half only.

Parking for the scrimmage also will be free of charge, with Entries 2 (Martin Luther King Blvd.) and 5 (Leo Harris Parkway) into the Autzen Stadium east parking lot to open at 11 a.m. Access into the stadium will be allowed at 1 p.m.

Oregon’s final football workout of the spring will be televised live statewide by Comcast 14 and will replayed at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. As part of the day’s activities, the Oregon Duck Shop in the northwest corner of the Moshofsky Center will offer a series of specials in conjunction with the Spring Game, including a large clearance rack with 30 percent discount on selected merchandise, a Spring Game t-shirt as well as a special embroidered "Oregon Football" hat

[Mitch] [28/04/06 6:48 PM] [0 comments]

Junior defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has been named a first team All-American according to the Football Writers Association of America. Ngata becomes Oregons first player to be a consensus All-American since Mel Renfro in 1962. Ngata was named to the Walter Camp All-America team yesterday. In order to a consensus All-American, a player must be named to more than one major All-America team.

Ngata is fourth on the team in tackles with 59 and is second in the Pacific-10 Conference in tackles by a defensive lineman. The 6-5, 340-pound Salt Lake City, Utah, native posted a single-game high 11 tackles in this seasons win over California. In addition, he ranked third on the team with nine tackles for losses, including three quarterback sacks, and was tied for second on the team in passes broken up with five.

Last month, Ngata became the Ducks first defensive lineman in 18 years to claim the teams MVP honor, with nose tackle Rollin Putzier sharing the award in 1987, and the second consecutive junior to receive the acclaim. Tailback Terrence Whitehead was the recipient of last years honor following his junior season.

[Mitch] [09/03/06 9:30 PM] [0 comments]

The University of Oregon has completed an agreement with the University of Tennessee that will call for the two schools to meet on the football field for the first time in the schools’ history, according to a joint announcement Monday by the athletic departments of the two universities.

The agreement calls for the Ducks to visit Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 11, 2010, with the Volunteers to return the trip to Eugene on Sept. 14, 2013.

It not only marks the first intersectional game between the two schools but will signify Oregons first venture to a Southeastern Conference venue since it played at Mississippi State in 2003. An SEC opponent has not played in Eugene since the Bulldogs did so to kick off the series in 2002.

Prior to the meeting with Tennessee, the Ducks are scheduled to complete home-and-home series vs. Oklahoma (Sept. 16 in Eugene) in 2006 and at Michigan (Sept. 8 in Ann Arbor) in 2007, before initiating a two-game set with Purdue in 2008. Oregon will face the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sept. 20, 2008, with Purdue returning the trip to Autzen Stadium on Sept. 12, 2009.

In addition, Oregon Senior Associate Athletics Director Dave Heeke announced that a previously scheduled football game at Boise State in 2010 had been moved up to Sept. 5, 2009 in order to complete the Ducks non-conference football schedule through the 2009 season. Oregon will host the Broncos in Eugene on Aug. 30, 2008.

The fifth-ranked Ducks are preparing to face Oklahoma in the 28th annual Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Dec. 29 in San Diego, Calif.

 

[Mitch] [09/03/06 9:28 PM] [0 comments]

passed away Friday night in a Phoenix, Ariz., hospital while undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment.

The 44-year-old Ngata was undergoing a dialysis session at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital when she apparently encountered a cardiac arrest. An autopsy was to be performed Monday to determine a precise cause of death.

Haloti Ngata stated during a telephone conference call several weeks ago to announce his decision to enter the NFL draft early that his mothers failing health was among the factors that led to his decision to forgo his final year of eligibility at Oregon, along with his responsibility to financially support his three brothers and one sister.

Halotis father, Solomone, was killed in a truck accident in December of 2002 at the age of 45.

Services for Mrs. Ngata are planned for Monday, Jan. 23, in Salt Lake City, Utah, with arrangements being handled by Memorial Mortuary in Murray, Utah.

[Mitch] [09/03/06 9:17 PM] [2 comments]