Poise Takes a Holiday

The excitement of Oregon’s 35-30 win over Texas in Friday’s Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego rattled even the composure of the press-box denizens.

So much so that late in the third quarter came an announcement over the loudspeaker: “This is a working press box. The next person who cheers will be escorted to the stands.”

*

Texas Coach Mack Brown, conceding that someday, maybe, he’ll look back on the game without sorrow: “It was a great game to watch. It was probably what college football is all about. I’m sure one of these days I’ll look back on it and enjoy it. But not for a while.”

*

Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti, on quarterback Joey Harrington, who ran for two touchdowns despite a decidedly unswift running style: “Joey has sneaky speed; he’s sneaky slow.”

*

Victor Ike’s 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the longest run in the 23-year history of the Holiday Bowl. It was also the first time a Longhorn had returned a kickoff for a score since Johnny Lam Jones went 100 yards against Southern Methodist in 1978.

*

Oregon’s Bellotti has the soul of a gambler. The first-quarter touchdown play that put the Ducks up, 14-0, on an 18-yard pass from wide receiver Keenan Howry to Harrington had been attempted eight times in practice. With only one completion.