PACIFIC 10 FOOTBALL / DAN HAFNER : California Reduced to Role of Spoiler

A little more than a month ago, it appeared Arizona’s visit to California would be a big game in the battle for the Rose Bowl.

Now, today’s game finds the Wildcats needing some help to get the bid and the slumping, injury-riddled Bears simply trying to finish the season in one piece.

After Cal won its first five games, including a victory over UCLA, the Bears were within a couple of minutes of extending the streak to six. They had outplayed Washington and led, 23-10, at Berkeley. But they gave up two touchdown passes in the last 2:06 and have been going steadily downhill since. They have lost four in a row.

The shoulder injury to Dave Barr, still the most efficient passer in the Pacific 10 Conference, started the California downfall, and subsequent injuries have made it tough for the Bears.

In desperation last Saturday against Arizona State, Coach Keith Gilbertson started Pat Barnes, a player he hoped would be a redshirt, at quarterback. Barnes received a rough baptism in a 41-0 loss to the Sun Devils.

Barnes completed 10 of 33 passes and threw three interceptions before Gilbertson inserted Barr late in the game. Barr might be ready to start today.

Arizona lost control of its Rose Bowl destiny in its loss to UCLA. The Wildcats must win their last two games and have either Arizona State or USC knock off the Bruins.

The Wildcats, with the help of a new option offense, bounced back from their loss to the Bruins on Oct. 30 with a 31-10 victory last week over Oregon. Coach Dick Tomey pulled somewhat of a surprise, sticking running back Chuck Levy, a junior from Lynwood High, at quarterback and attempting only one pass.

“We weren’t really surprised,” Oregon Coach Rich Brooks said, “but apparently we weren’t prepared, either.

“I was really amazed they were able to run over us the way they did. They just got after us at the start and never let up. Their offensive line was tremendous.”

Levy’s performance was exceptional. Not only did he handle the ball perfectly, he ran for the first three Arizona touchdowns, one on a 48-yard run. He had 27 carries for 126 yards.

The Wildcats won’t have the element of surprise today. The Bears are working on a defense for the option and will also be ready if Dan White, the passing quarterback who sat out last week’s game, is ready to return.

“It makes our job much tougher,” Gilbertson said, “because we have to work on two types of offenses. It is difficult enough working on one type, but it’s a busy week when you have to set up two different defenses.

“We will have to play much better than we have lately if we are to have a chance against a team as strong as Arizona. We still don’t know for sure if Barr will be ready.”

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Stanford lost any hope of going to a bowl game when trounced by USC last week. The Cardinal is 3-6 and, with only two games left, is assured of a losing season. The only role left for Coach Bill Walsh’s team is as a spoiler.

The Cardinal will try to spoil the bowl hopes of Oregon today at Eugene. The Ducks (5-4) need to beat Stanford and Oregon State to qualify for a bowl bid. A team must win six games against Division I-A opponents, and one of the Ducks’ victories was over Division I-AA Montana.

“We have to win both games,” Brooks said. “I know one of these days it will all come together for Stanford. The players will get healthy and play up to their abilities. I just hope it isn’t this week.”

Oregon, averaging 402 yards per game, is second in the conference to USC by a couple of yards in total offense. The Ducks will be up against the weakest Pac-10 defense. The Cardinal, which gave up 497 yards to the Trojans, is giving up 459 yards per game. The Cardinal is equally inept at stopping the run and the pass.

“We played one good defensive game,” Walsh said. “That was against Arizona. But stopping (quarterback) Danny O’Neil and the Ducks is much more difficult. Arizona has a one-dimensional offense.

“The Ducks spread the field. And with O’Neil throwing to able receivers, it is tough to defense them. Our best defense would be to control the ball, pick up a lot of first downs and score some points.”

Asked what Stanford needed to guard against on defense, Walsh answered: “O’Neil’s deep passes. And medium. And short. It’s just hard to answer.”

Pac-10 Notes

Arizona’s running game figures to be helped by the artificial turf at Memorial Stadium, the only major stadium in California that doesn’t have grass. Although it seems out of place in Strawberry Canyon, the artificial turf came out of necessity. Heavy rains flooded Strawberry Canyon and water poured into the old stadium, ruining the natural turf. The carpet was installed 12 years ago. . . . Although USC ended his string of consecutive 300-yard games, Stanford’s Steve Stenstrom still is on a pace to set a Pac-10 passing yardage record for a season. He needs 374 yards in two games to surpass former Cardinal John Elway’s record of 3,242.

Washington State’s Deron Pointer, overlooked because of the brilliance of Johnnie Morton and J.J. Stokes, has been having a big receiving year, too. The senior from Tacoma has nine touchdowns and is averaging 20.8 yards per catch.