Oregon’s Coach Bellotti is feeling some pressure too

An injury-depleted team will try to salvage its Rose Bowl hopes and take a little heat off its coach today.

UCLA will be playing as well.

Oregon has overcome injuries all season, having lost a starter a week for seven weeks. The latest, though, was the most severe -- quarterback Dennis Dixon suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against Arizona State on Nov. 3.

“There have been seasons where we had injuries, but not six or seven front-line, difference-making players like this season,” Coach Mike Bellotti said.

Bellotti has been criticized for allowing an already injured Dixon to play against Arizona on Nov. 15, though he said he took himself out of the decision process. Bellotti insisted Dixon was fine leading up to the game, then saw his quarterback crumble while trying to make a cut during the first quarter.

“I’ve given all the responses I want to on that,” Bellotti said this week.

Dixon’s injury was only the latest for the ninth-ranked Ducks, who need only to win their last two games to get to the Rose Bowl. Among the losses have been linebackers John Bacon (knee) and A.J. Tuitele (foot), wide receivers Brian Paysinger (knee) and Cameron Calvin (ankle) and running back Jeremiah Johnson (knee).

Tuitele may be ready today and Johnson has been added to the depth chart for the game, though that may be in response to the toe and shoulder injuries Jonathan Stewart, the Pacific 10 Conference’s leading rusher, suffered against Arizona.

Stewart, who has 1,273 yards rushing, practiced little this week. Bellotti said, “he’s fine” -- the same description he used when talking about Dixon before the Arizona game.

UCLA has dealt with its own injuries, and Osaar Rasshan, who has made a round-trip journey from quarterback to wide receiver to quarterback, will make his second start today. Ben Olson, the Bruins’ No. 1 quarterback before suffering a knee injury, is available in reserve.

Coach Karl Dorrell has not entirely blamed injuries for his team’s troubles, but said, “They have been a part of it . . . We need continuity. I think every offense and defense would love to have continuity from Game 1 through Game 11. As coaches, we would love that, but it is hard in this sport to have 11 players from start to finish on your team on either side of the ball.”

Oregon starts the game ranked fifth in rushing offense, fifth in total offense and eighth in scoring offense.

That, though, was with Dixon at quarterback. Brady Leaf, who suffered a sprained left ankle against Arizona, will start today.

Leaf, a senior, is an experienced backup but is far less of a running threat than Dixon.

“Dixon is a heck of a player, but where we are right now, we can’t overlook anything,” UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. “[Leaf] is not going to make the same plays in the running game as you can count on from Dixon. But is he still good enough to hit you on some runs if we don’t have some rules in place? Sure he can. If he’s moving the sticks, he’s doing his job.”

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chris.foster@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

KEYS TO THE GAME

No. 9 Oregon (8-2, 5-2) at UCLA (5-5, 4-3) Today, 12:30 p.m., Rose Bowl TV: Channel 7 Radio: 570

1. Quarterback understudies. Both teams will play without their No. 1 quarterback. The Bruins played without tag-team starters Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan, so Osaar Rasshan stepped in two weeks ago. Oregon’s Dennis Dixon is out for the season, leaving Brady Leaf in charge. Which one will do the least to lose this game may be the barometer for success. Leaf’s advantage? He’s a senior whom the Ducks have relied on before. Rasshan’s advantage? He has a safety net in Olson, who is available today.

2. Running games. What better way to take the pressure off your backup quarterbacks than running the ball effectively? It’s the best hope for teams with injury problems. Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart has toe and shoulder injuries. UCLA’s Chris Markey will once again test his toe and ankle injuries.

3. Dominating defenses. What better way to take the pressure off your backup quarterbacks and injured running backs than to shut down your opponent? Both units are capable, yet both have had problems at times as well.

-- Chris Foster