Harrington scores six touchdowns in rout

Saturday October 6, 2001

No Joey Harrington comeback would be needed last night.

Oregon blew out Arizona 63-28 Saturday night, in what would turn out to be the most number of points the given up by the Wildcats to a Pacific 10 Conference opponent in their history.

Harrington, the Ducks senior quarterback, helped his Heisman Trophy bid, completing 15 of 24 passes for 279 yards and six touchdowns (three rushing, three passing) in the victory. He would only play for three quarters.

"We played lousy (last night) and it was pretty obvious," UA head coach John Mackovic said about the loss.

The Ducks (5-0 overall, 2-0 in the Pac-10) had 607 yards on offense compared to 483 for the Wildcats.

The defeat is the seventh straight conference loss for UA (3-2 overall, 0-2 in the Pac-10) and the fifth straight conference loss at home.

"We did things we can't expect to do against a team like Oregon," UA wide receiver Bobby Wade said.

The Wildcats have given up 111 points in their last two games.

The Wildcats hurt their own cause, as Oregon scored touchdowns on each of UA's five turnovers.

KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA mascot, Wilbur the Wildcat, fights with the Oregon Duck during the fourth quarter of the football game on Saturday night.

The game started for Arizona out in the same fashion as last weeks' game against Washington State.

The Ducks jumped to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter, courtesy of a 2-yard pass and a sneak by Harrington.

The Wildcats managed to tie the game after an eight-yard touchdown catch by sophomore halfback Anthony Fulcher, the first of his career.

The touchdown was set up by a 78-yard run by sophomore tailback Clarence Farmer.

Farmer, who fell down untouched on his way to the end zone on the Oregon 10-yard line, finished the night a career-high 158 yards on 15 carries.

"I tried to cut back on the run and I just lost my footing," Farmer said.

The Wildcat offense stalled after that, and Oregon scored the next 49 points. Oregon scored on their next three possessions before halftime, taking a 35-14 lead into the locker room.

"People have been talking about us," Harrington said. "They have said negative things and we wanted to make a point and put points up. I don't read it (newspapers), I'm tired of reading it. I know how we are and what type of team we are."

Arizona would play their second and third-string players for most of the third and fourth quarter.

UA junior quarterback Jason Johnson was pulled with ten minutes remaining in the third quarter, after throwing an interception to OU junior linebacker David Moretti. Most of the 45, 258 fans left the game after that.

"Mackovic just told me that Cliff was going in and he gave me no more explanation than that," Johnson said.

The junior finished the night completing 7of 18 passes for 132 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Arizona backup quarterbacks junior Cliff Watkins and freshman John Rattay would not fare any better.

Watkins was intercepted on his first drive by senior linebacker Wesley Mallard.

Rattay, who was 6 of 11 for 93 yards and one touchdown, did find senior wide receiver Malosi Leonard in the end zone late in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats.

r touchdowns to make the score a little more repsectable.

KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA junior line backer Lance Briggs, right, attempts to prevent a touchdown pass to Oregon senior tight end Justin Parker.

Arizona did not retaliate against Mallard, who injured UA sophomore cornerback Michael Jolivette last season on what some players and coaches say was a cheap shot.

Jolivette missed the final three quarters in Oregon's 14-10 victory last season and most of the following game after he received 11 stitches and had some teeth loosened.

The Wildcats took a play out of the WSU playbook, as they tried an onside kick after tying the game at 14-14 in the second quarter.

Freshman kicker Ryan Slack's kick was recovered by senior safety Jarvie Worcester, but referees ruled that the ball did not travel ten yards, and Oregon took over the possession.

That gave the Ducks good field position, and they scored five plays later to take a 21-14 lead. The score wouldn't be that close for the rest of the game.

Oregon tailback Maurice Morris, who struggled earlier this season, had a breakout game against a banged-up Wildcat defense.

The senior tailback finished the night with 21 carries for 110 yards and one touchdown.

Morris wasn't the only running back involved in the ground attack for the Ducks, as sophomore tailback Onterrio Smith had 131 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.

UA junior linebacker Lance Briggs finished the night with 12 tackles, after having a game-high 10 in the first half. The Butkus Award candidate has led the Wildcats in tackles every game this season.

The Wildcats will try and salvage what once appeared to be a promising season when they face another top Pac-10 team in Oregon State.