Ducks improve running game

Oregon's new spread offense stayed grounded during Thursday's scrimmage at Autzen Stadium.The Ducks didn't throw the ball particularly well but the running game seems well on the way to readiness for the regular season.And leading the way was a wide receiver.James Finley carried five times for 41 yards and a touchdown. A lanky 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior college transfer, Finley was effective going in motion and grabbing a pitch from quarterback Kellen Clemens.Finley said getting the ball on a running play is a little different, but he just flashed back to the reverses he's run and took off."I just happened to be the pitch man and I just got it and went," Finley said. "You see a hole and go."Oregon scored three of its four touchdowns on runs and added two field goals for 34 points in the 75 plays.With players such as receivers Demetrius Williams and Garren Strong and running backs Terrence Whitehead and Jonathan Stewart sidelined with bumps and bruises, the scrimmage provided an opportunity for others to shine.Finley stepped up, as did wide receivers Kyle Weatherspoon (three catches for 25 yards) and Cameron Colvin (two for 19).But running back Terrell Jackson simply took the spotlight usually reserved for Whitehead and Stewart. Jackson showed off his darting style on several runs and finished with 40 yards on six carries and added a one-yard score.Jackson said he is not bothered by the focus on Whitehead, a returning thousand-yard rusher, and the highly-touted freshman Stewart."It just tells me I need to work harder," Jackson said. "We don't look at it as a competition. It's pretty much me and Jonathan battling for the two, but I don't look at it as a competition."With the receiving corps not at full strength, the passing game never really got off the ground. Clemens had a few passes dropped and some broken up on good defensive play by the linebackers and defensive backs.Clemens finished with four completions on 11 attempts for 38 yards. Second-stringer Dennis Dixon was 5-of-6 for 38 yards and hit Jaison Williams on a slant for a 7-yard score.Clemens said the offense is coming along fine."I think at this point in camp the main point of emphasis is to get better each day and we're doing that," Clemens said. "Things are coming more and more natural for us, we're not thinking as much, a lot of it now is just reactionary. We're improving and that's the name of the game right now."INJURY REPORT: Weatherspoon left the scrimmage with a sprained ankle. The ankle was swollen and his status will be known in a day or two. Tight end Dante Rosario was held out of the second half of action due to a slight infection of his knee and center Jeff Kendall suffered a thigh bruise.Coach Mike Bellotti said he expects several of the players who were held out of the scrimmage to return within a few days.GOT THEIR KICKS: Kicker Paul Martinez is in the running to replace Jared Siegel and made a strong bid Thursday with field goals of 40 and 47 yards."I think he made every single extra point and field goal and he kicked off extremely well," Bellotti said. "He's been really good in practice but a couple times he's got in a scrimmage situation he hasn't been as productive, but today he did a great job.NOT SHOWING TRUELOVE: Defensive tackle Brian Truelove ran stairs after getting ejected late in the scrimmage.Truelove was thrown out for a personal foul penalty during a scuffle.