Borges Returning to Oregon

When he was at Portland State in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, Al Borges coveted Mike Bellotti’s job.

Borges was Portland’s offensive coordinator, working at the Division II level about 60 miles from Eugene, Ore., where Bellotti was offensive coordinator at Oregon, having replaced Bob Toledo.

“It was a job anybody would have wanted,” said Borges, UCLA’s offensive coordinator under Toledo now and charged with dealing with the Ducks for Saturday’s game at Eugene.

In 1995, Borges got the Oregon job. Bellotti, who was promoted to the head-coaching job with the Ducks when Rich Brooks left for the St. Louis Rams, hired Borges as his offensive coordinator and the two put together an attack that put Oregon in the Cotton Bowl.

But don’t bet that Bellotti will be sending Borges a Christmas card this year.

The Oregon coach is said to be upset because Borges bolted the Duck staff after only one season to join Toledo’s new staff at UCLA.

“I took this because I thought it was a better option,” Borges said. “I didn’t leave there because it was a bad option. I don’t have any problems with Mike.”

Said Bellotti, “We need to beat UCLA aside from the personality of the coaches involved.”

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The Arizona State-UCLA game Oct. 12 at the Rose Bowl was set for 12:30 p.m., after ABC exercised its option to televise it

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Cornerback Paul Guidry, out last week against Michigan because of a thigh bruise, practiced Tuesday, an indication he will be ready for duty against Oregon.