2008 Woodie Awards
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It takes two (OTs) but Ducks take game
LeGarrette Blount's three-yard touchdown run in double overtime seals win against Purdue
by Kevin Hudson | Senior sports reporter
Duck players and coaches said all week they expected that their trip to Ross-Ade Stadium to face the Purdue Boilermakers would be their first true test of the season.
And tested they were, as the Boilermakers pushed them to the brink of their first loss of the season, but ultimately fell short as No. 16 Oregon escaped West Lafayette, Ind. with a come-from-behind road win, prevailing 32-26 in double overtime.
After a missed Purdue field goal in the Boilermaker half of the second overtime, Oregon turned to true freshman quarterback Chris Harper, who led the Duck offense 25 yards on five plays to win the game on a 2-yard touchdown run by junior transfer running back LeGarrette Blount.
Blount led the Ducks in rushing with 132 yards on 12 carries and scored the Duck offense's only two touchdowns in the game.
"LeGarrette is big back that you are seeing get more and more comfortable in this offense," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti in a radio broadcast interview.
Roper was unavailable in the second overtime because he was injured in the first overtime as he dove to convert a third down. Roper came up just short, and was rolled on by a Purdue defender as he stretched for the final yard, twisting his left knee. Roper tried to get to his feet, but fell back down to the grass and had to be helped off the field by trainers.
Bellotti said that he expects Roper to miss 1-2 weeks with what he described as a sprained left knee.
Roper was 20 of 48 throwing the ball for 197 yards with two interceptions, and was plagued by dropped balls as well as his own mistakes.
"We did not throw the ball well today," Bellotti said. "We might have dropped 10 balls, honestly."
Roper completed his 20 passes to four different receivers led by tight end Ed Dickson, who caught seven balls for 93 yards. Jeffrey Maehl caught seven passes for 38 yards, Jaison Williams caught five for 49 yards, and senior transfer Terence Scott caught one pass for 17 yards.
And tested they were, as the Boilermakers pushed them to the brink of their first loss of the season, but ultimately fell short as No. 16 Oregon escaped West Lafayette, Ind. with a come-from-behind road win, prevailing 32-26 in double overtime.
After a missed Purdue field goal in the Boilermaker half of the second overtime, Oregon turned to true freshman quarterback Chris Harper, who led the Duck offense 25 yards on five plays to win the game on a 2-yard touchdown run by junior transfer running back LeGarrette Blount.
Blount led the Ducks in rushing with 132 yards on 12 carries and scored the Duck offense's only two touchdowns in the game.
"LeGarrette is big back that you are seeing get more and more comfortable in this offense," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti in a radio broadcast interview.
Roper was unavailable in the second overtime because he was injured in the first overtime as he dove to convert a third down. Roper came up just short, and was rolled on by a Purdue defender as he stretched for the final yard, twisting his left knee. Roper tried to get to his feet, but fell back down to the grass and had to be helped off the field by trainers.
Bellotti said that he expects Roper to miss 1-2 weeks with what he described as a sprained left knee.
Roper was 20 of 48 throwing the ball for 197 yards with two interceptions, and was plagued by dropped balls as well as his own mistakes.
"We did not throw the ball well today," Bellotti said. "We might have dropped 10 balls, honestly."
Roper completed his 20 passes to four different receivers led by tight end Ed Dickson, who caught seven balls for 93 yards. Jeffrey Maehl caught seven passes for 38 yards, Jaison Williams caught five for 49 yards, and senior transfer Terence Scott caught one pass for 17 yards.
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