Howry Having a Senior Slump

Keenan Howry appeared to be a cinch to break every Oregon receiving record.

Then the season started.

The senior from Los Alamitos was hampered early by a hamstring injury and has caught only 12 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown, a far cry from the last two years, when he averaged 52 catches, 731 yards and seven touchdowns.

Samie Parker is the Ducks’ leading receiver with 22 catches and four touchdowns. Even tight end George Wrighster has more catches, 14, than Howry, who until this week was publicized on a Manhattan billboard.

“Howry doesn’t look like he’s playing as hard as he used to play,” Bruin cornerback Ricky Manning said. “I don’t know why, that’s just what I saw on film. Maybe he’s used to being the man. It’s his senior year and he’s not producing. But he’ll be ready against us.”

UCLA has held Howry to fewer than 50 yards receiving each of the last two years. As a freshman, however, he caught six passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.

“We know he’s a good player,” UCLA Coach Bob Toledo said. “He’ll have his opportunities.”

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Toledo was criticized for going for it twice on fourth down last week against Oregon State. UCLA failed both times, once near the goal line in the second quarter while trying to overcome a deficit and once at midfield while protecting a lead in the fourth quarter.

Against the Ducks, opponents are 0 for 10 on fourth downs.

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Quarterback Cory Paus moved into second place in all-time UCLA passing yardage and probably will vault into second on the completions list today, behind Cade McNown in both categories. Many players downplay records, but the oft-maligned Paus is gratified.

“It feels nice to be mentioned in that company,” he said. “As long as the next kid doesn’t come in and pass me up like it’s not a big deal, I’ll be there for a while.

“For having an up-and-down career, it feels good that some positive things came out of it. If I was [horrible], I wouldn’t be on those lists.”

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The nine 2001 inductees to the UCLA Hall of Fame will be introduced at halftime. The inductees are Denny Cline (volleyball), Bob Day (track), Cobi Jones (soccer), Shane Mack (baseball), Don MacLean (basketball), Ted Narleski (football), Anita Ortega (basketball), Duffy Waldorf (golf) and Russell Webb (swimming).... The first 10,000 fans wearing blue will receive a UCLA baseball cap.