The senior running back will get plenty of action as the Raiders go for their fifth straight winning season today in La Grande

ASHLAND — It was already a safe bet that Southern Oregon senior tailback Dusty McGrorty would see his fair share of carries in today’s season finale at Eastern Oregon.

With an unproven quarterback and inexperienced receivers thrust into the mix following the fallout of this week’s suspension of 14 Raiders, it’s now a foregone conclusion that SOU (4-4) will put the weight of a record-tying fifth straight winning season on McGrorty’s shoulders.

"Dusty’s had a different look about him this week, I’m not sure I can explain it," says eighth-year SOU head coach Jeff Olson. "He’s willing to do whatever it takes (today)."

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The All-American from Warrenton has yet to shy away from a call to duty, and it’s unlikely McGrorty will choose his final collegiate game to break the streak.

Instead, there’s a greater chance that the only thing McGrorty will be breaking is records.

The 6-foot, 225-pound tailback already owns just about every career rushing record there is in SOU and Northwest small-college history, but he has bigger fish to fry in an effort to leave a permanent stamp on the NAIA level.

McGrorty, who led the NAIA in rushing last season, enters today’s 1 p.m. game against Eastern Oregon (4-5) three rushing touchdowns away from breaking the NAIA career record set by David Ruter (73) of Sioux Falls, S.D., from 1995-98.

As if that weren’t enough, McGrorty’s career rushing total of 5,111 yards has him sixth on the NAIA career list, putting him 84 yards shy of passing Bobby Hedrick (5,194) and 159 from passing Brad Tokar (5,269) for fourth place overall.

JoJo Jones of Lambuth, Tenn., holds the career rushing mark at the NAIA level with 5,724 yards on 802 carries from 1991-94.

A 162-yard effort by McGrorty today would put him over his 2002, 10-game yardage output in one fewer game. The senior has rushed for 1,399 yards on 213 carries thus far.

All those potential totals may be realistic considering McGrorty’s 175-yard average per game this season — and the fact that he rumbled for 161 yards and three scores in last year’s matchup — but Eastern Oregon will have a lot to say about whether the Raider runner adds to his stunning résumé.

"They’re a team that every year gives us trouble," Olson says of the Mountaineers. "I’ve gotta believe they’re going to come in with a great deal of confidence. They have a chance to finish .500 and we have a chance for a winning season, so this will obviously be a stiff challenge for us."

Eastern Oregon enters today’s game allowing almost 208 yards rushing per game, and 401 overall. The Mountaineers have also surrendered almost 30 points per game, while countering with only 20.

Leading the Mountaineer attack is sophomore quarterback Scott Jensen, who has completed 58 of 108 passes for 942 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. Jensen directed Eastern Oregon’s last-second win over Puget Sound one week ago, throwing for 317 yards and four scores.

Matt Hamlin has proved to be Jensen’s top target, catching nine passes for 191 yards last Saturday and 41 for 513 overall.

Senior tailback Damien Johnson, the Cascade Conference track and field athlete of the year last year, has rushed 101 times for 413 yards and eight TDs to pace the Mountaineers. Eastern Oregon has also gotten solid contributions from Justin Alsterlund (79-364-3) and Major Caldwell (66-315-3).

Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail khenry@mailtribune.com