Defense manages damage control.

Byline: NOTEBOOK By Rob Moseley The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran 10/31/2006): Referee David Cutaia and umpire Dennis Angel did not officiate Saturday's football game between Oregon and Portland State. The two were originally scheduled to work the game and their names were distributed on a roster of officials in the press box, but they instead served their one-game suspensions stemming from their presence at Oregon's controversial win over Oklahoma earlier this season, according to the Pac-10 Conference. Incorrect information was provided Sunday on Page D8.

Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti hates explosion plays. Practically goes red in the face just thinking about them.

But Saturday, he was willing to live with a couple, when offering a final analysis of his unit's play in a 55-12 win over Portland State. Because, of the Vikings' 204 total yards, exactly half came on two long runs by Mu'Ammar Ali. Otherwise, the Ducks held PSU to just 102 yards on 52 plays, an average of less than two yards per snap.

"I don't feel good that we gave up a long run," Aliotti said. "But we kept them out in the second half, got some turnovers, tackled well. ... So overall I'm pleased."

Ali ran for 45 yards in the first quarter out of an unbalanced formation that Oregon didn't recognize, but he fumbled at the end of the play. In the second quarter, his 57-yard touchdown run gave the Vikings their final points.

Portland State's first touchdown largely came due to Oregon penalties. The Ducks jumped offsides twice and tackle Matt Toeaina committed a personal foul, accounting for 25 of PSU's 51 yards on the drive.

In all, UO defensive linemen had six offsides penalties Saturday.

"We looked like the Oakland Raiders a little bit in that deal," Aliotti said. "Probably if I'm upset at something it's that. You can't hand them five yards six or seven times."

Toeaina was briefly pulled from the game after the penalty and replaced by Ra'Shon Harris, who made his season debut after suffering a triceps injury during fall camp. The Ducks also got a substantial contribution from tackle Jeremy Gibbs, who has been limited by an ankle injury since the Oklahoma game.

The improved depth was particularly valuable in helping Oregon shut out the Vikings in the second half, when the Ducks have tended to wear down in recent games due to a spate of injuries on defense. Saturday, the UO defense not only kept PSU off the scoreboard after halftime, it got a touchdown itself on a 26-yard interception return by A.J. Tuitele.

On the whole, the UO defenders considered it a positive effort, albeit one against a Division I-AA opponent. Next week brings a return to Pac-10 action, when allowing explosion plays and penalties could prove more costly.

"We can't have those mistakes," said defensive end Darius Sanders, who had two of Oregon's five sacks. "Those are pretty frustrating. Against a good team, those will come back to haunt us."

Glasper steps in

While a couple of defensive linemen returned, Oregon's secondary got even thinner Saturday when redshirt freshman cornerback Walter Thurmond III sat out with a deep thigh bruise.

Thurmond had started the previous seven games but determined he couldn't play during warmups. Willie Glasper started in his place and had an interception on a desperation pass to close the first half.

"It felt great," Glasper said. "I actually thought I was going to score. It kind of felt like a punt return, because the ball was so high."

Glasper was Oregon's only completely healthy cornerback Saturday. Fellow starter Jairus Byrd is a converted safety, as is reserve Parris Moore. Jameel Dowling played sparingly due to injury, while Jackie Bates and Terrell Ward are both sidelined with injuries.

Knowles cranks it up

The Ducks ran a fake punt late in the first quarter, throwing an incomplete pass.

With the line of scrimmage near midfield, Oregon lined up to punt and then sent blocker Dante Rosario into motion toward the right side of the formation. Punter Aaron Knowles took the snap and looked to pass, but he was forced to scramble under heavy pressure and threw incomplete.

Knowles was an honorable mention all-Midwestern League selection as a quarterback at Springfield High School in 2001.

Returning to the scene

Saturday's officiating crew included two members of the unit that worked UO's controversial win over Oklahoma at Autzen Stadium earlier this season, referee David Cutaia and umpire Dennis Angel.