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Tuesday, November 27, 2001
It has not been a fun year to be a Duck
By Joey Harrington
Special to ABC Sports Online
Each Tuesday, Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington speaks with ABC Sports Online. The Ducks, fifth in the latest BCS standings, close out their regular season this Saturday when they host rival Oregon State in the Civil War (ABC, 4:30 p.m. ET). Oregon has already clinched a share of the Pac-10 title and the conference's BCS bowl berth, but a win on Saturday would clinch the conference title outright. The 9-1 Ducks are also still in contention to play in the national championship game, although they need somw help to get there.
You have been studying the BCS …
Not anymore. I tried to figure something out. My whole scenario got shot down. I don't know anymore. I don't understand it anymore.
Just go out and win. That's all we can control.
Are you feeling good after having a couple of weeks off?
I feel very good. It was a much-needed rest. We're very healthy coming into this week. It wasn't long enough where we got out of synch either; we're still practicing, still involved in football. It was just about right.
Did you do anything to keep yourselves in game shape?
Just lots of practice. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Are you worried about being off for so long, similar to heading into a bowl with a long layoff?
No. When you go into a bowl, you have a six-, seven-week layoff, where you finish at the end of November and you don't play again until January. I'm not worried about this.
This weekend is the Civil War, the 105th meeting between Oregon and Oregon State. Did you grow up watching it?
Absolutely.
Do you have a favorite memory?
I remember listening to the game when Oregon clinched the Rose bowl down in Corvallis (in 1994). They had to drive the length of the field to score at the end to go to the Rose Bowl. There have been a lot of good games and there have been a lot of very bad games.
What makes this rivalry so good?
I don't think anybody on the East Coast can understand a college football rivalry. There is so much stuff going on the East Coast. People think, "How can a football game mean that much?" When you go around to places like Alabama/Auburn, Ohio State/Michigan, this is a year-round thing.
It has not been a fun year living in the state of Oregon as a Duck. This is something that goes beyond just this Saturday.
|  | | Robert Prescott's two first-quarter TDs helped Oregon State knock off Oregon last year. |
Last year, you had five interceptions in the 23-13 loss. Was there something you wish you did differently?
I thought I played well. A lot of those were tipped balls. You can't do anything about that. Sometimes the ball bounces the other way. You learn from it. I have used it as motivation in the offseason. I'm glad I'm getting another shot at it.
What do you have to do differently to win this year?
Don't turn the ball over. That was the difference in the game. We lost by 10 points and had six turnovers. That's not going to win you a football game.
Does having the Pac-10 title clinched take some of the pressure off?
It does not matter. It doesn't make us want to win the game any less.
Harrington's Oregon Statistics
| Year |
G |
CMP |
ATT |
INT |
Yards |
TD |
Rushes |
Yards |
TD |
| 2001 |
10 |
175 |
300 |
5 |
2310 |
23 |
51 |
90 |
7 |
| 2000 |
12 |
214 |
405 |
14 |
2967 |
22 |
66 |
124 |
7 |
| 1999 |
8 |
84 |
158 |
3 |
1180 |
10 |
24 |
30 |
4 |
| 1998 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Career |
31 |
473 |
864 |
22 |
6557 |
55 |
138 |
221 |
18 |
Click here to go to Oregon's official web site.
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 Joey Harrington hits an open Justin Peelle in the end zone.
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Joey Harrington and Akil Harris score first-half rushing touchdowns for the Ducks (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Joey Harrington rolls out and hits Josh Line out of the backfield for the eventual game-winning TD (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Joey Harrington dives over the pile to score the game-winning TD (Courtesy:ABC Sports).
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Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington dives over the pile to score the game-winning TD (Courtesy:ABC Sports).
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