My QB Has Moxie

Oregon State Gets First Signees of 2011 Class

2010-12-15T18:40:00.000-08:00

The Oregon State Beavers have received their first two signed commitments for the 2011 recruiting class today. Rusty Fernando, a DE/LB, will have three years to play two. He comes out of Glendale CC in Arizona. He appears to be the better "get". The other commitment comes from Blake Harrah, a DE out of Saddleback CC in California.

Mike Riley has said that he is focusing on JC players for the defensive front seven to make up for the losses of Gabe Miller, Stephen Paea, Brennan Olander, Dwight Roberson, and Keith Pankey.

Your All-American and Mine...

2010-12-14T12:45:00.002-08:00

Stephen Paea has been named a first team all-american by the Associated Press. Paea is joined on the first team by fellow Pac Ten players Chase Beeler of Stanford (C) and LaMichael James of Oregon (RB). Andrew Luck of Stanford (QB) and Cliff Harris of Oregon (CB made the second team. Caleb Schlauderaff of Utah (OG), Mason Foster of Washington (LB), Akeem Ayers of UCLA (LB), and Rahim Moore of UCLA (S) were all named to the third team.

And sorry for the bizarre layout with the youtube clip. I'm not smart enough to make it fit properly so live with it. Is there no satisfying you people?!?!

Oregon State Will Play a Patsy in 2011!!!

2010-12-13T16:10:00.000-08:00

Oregon State has announced that they will kick off their 2011 football season against....Sacramento State!. Woo!!! Woo? Well, it should be a win at least. Ted Miller has the complete Pac 12 out of conference schedule for next season.

And honestly, that was the best I could do when I typed "sacramento state cheerleaders" into Google Images. So don't complain.

We Lost. The Defense Played Well. The Offense Did Not.

2010-12-07T00:24:00.000-08:00

That is all. I'd be happy to talk about the game if anyone has questions or thoughts but I'd rather dedicate my time in the coming days/weeks/months to recruiting and the 2011 season. Here is a list of current verbal commitments for 2011. I will tell you who they are soon.

Oregon State Studs...

2010-12-03T16:58:00.001-08:00

...right? Phil Steele has announced his All-Conference teams. The Beavers that made it are as follows:

1st Team: Joe Halahuni (TE), Stephen Paea (DT), James Dockery (CB)

2nd Team: Jacquizz Rodgers (RB), Michael Phillipp (OT), Dwight Roberson (LB)

3rd Team: Alex Linnenkohl (C), Jordan Poyer (KR), Lance Mitchell (S)

4th Team: Markus Wheaton (WR), Brennan Olander (DT), Keith Pankey (LB), Brandon Hardin (CB)

I don't have time to analyze who got screwed (cough*Quizz*cough) or who got lucky (cough*toomanytomention*cough). Hopefully I can offer some analysis later. Remember, this isn't the official honorees, just one man's opinion. (via Cliff Kirkpatrick)

So Oregon State Has About a 3.53% Chance of Winning This Civil War

2010-12-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

At least according to these numbers. (via Ted Miller)

Duck Fan:

Beaver Fan:

Do I Have To? Gameday Preview: Civil War

2010-11-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

I have to be honest here. I am not overly optimistic about the Beavers' chances on Saturday against the Ducks. Oregon's criminal Heisman candidate tailback is very good. So is their first year starting quarterback, Darron Thomas. But if it was only the seemingly superior talent that the Ducks would be putting on the field this weekend, I would hold a shred of hope. But no, it is much more than that. Chip Kelly has taken the immense talent at his disposal and created a monster.
Oregon's low point total this year is 42 points. That is their LOW. Of course I am not counting the Cal game in which the Golden Bears used, let's call them nefarious tactics by faking injuries to slow down UO's fast break offense. You can be assured Mike Riley will enlist no such tactics. Also consider this: Stanford, the best team Oregon has played, gave up 52 points to the Ducks. The same Stanford team that held Oregon State scoreless last weekend.

For their part, the OSU defense is doing what the can to prepare for the UO offense. Paul Buker reports that the Beaver defense is running wind sprints on the sidelines between plays. Will it make a difference? Probably only a negligible one, if any.

For Oregon State to pull out a victory would take a near-miraculous effort. The Oregon Ducks know what is on the line and Kelly ALWAYS has them focused on the task at hand (probably the thing I respect most about him). The only reason people would even consider OSU having a chance is that this is the Civil War. And the game is in Corvallis.

BUT Beaver fans, if you are looking for that shred of hope, consider this. While this Duck team is better than last year's version, it is close. And last year's version of the Ducks eked out a 37-33 victory in Eugene. The Oregon State offense has been as good as last year (at times). The Oregon State defense has been as good as last year (at times).

It will take a perfect storm but people forget how close the Beavers were from playing in the Rose Bowl last year. There is hope.

Go Beavs!

Consider, they have this:

And we have this:

Gameday Review: Stanford Lots - Oregon State 0

2010-11-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

Well, that was embarrassing. Granted, Stanford may be the second or third best team in the country but jeez, nothing went right this past Saturday. Virtually zero Beavers played well outside of their two stars, Jacquizz Rodgers and Stephen Paea. The loss pretty much assures the Beavers that they will miss a bowl game for the first time since the 2005 season. It will more than likely be the second time in Mike Riley's second stint at OSU that the Beavers have failed to qualify for the post-season.

It's definitely been a rough year for the Beavers. Bob De Carolis' decision to schedule TCU at the beginning of the season certainly appears to have backfired. Yes, it was a high profile game but Oregon State has not really looked good all season outside of their blowout wins over USC and Cal. Mike Riley says he likes to schedule those tough out of conference games early in the season to prepare his teams for their rigorous Pac Ten slate but I think that it may be time to rethink that strategy, at least for now. This was a young team that needed to grow its confidence early in the season. Playing two of the top teams in the country on the road in their first three games didn't help that. The offensive line never gelled. The young starters on defense never had a chance to get their sea legs under them going up against some of the best offenses in the country.

Now, it may have just come down to a pure lack of talent. The offensive line starts three former walk-ons. That's rough. Brandon Hardin is not a starting Pac Ten cornerback. He is better built to play safety or linebacker. Tony Wilson and Ruben Robinson haven't been up to the task of taking over for David Pa'aluhi. Speaking of whom, losing their starting middle linebacker and defensive end this past offseason hurt this team big time. Nobody could have predicted those losses.

But here is the positive spin: this team is not THAT bad. They started a first year quarterback. Here are some numbers on the OSU first year starting quarterbacks this decade:

Player A: 2711 yards, 59% completion percentage, 11 TD, 19 INT, 27 sacks

Player B: 3313 yards, 47% completion percentage, 25 TD, 13 INT, can't find sack numbers

Player C: 2177 yards, 60% completion percentage, 15 TD, 8 INT, 30 sacks

Player A is Matt Moore. In 2005 the Beavers went 5-6. In Moore's second year as starter the Beavers went 10-4, finished 3rd in the conference and 21st in the country.

Player B is Derek Anderson. In 2002 the Beavers went 8-5. In Anderson's second year as starter the Beavers went 8-5 and finished 6th in the conference. I should also add that Anderson's numbers were boosted his first year by a very weak out of conference schedule and he played significantly as a true freshman the prior to taking over full time as a sophomore.

Player C is Ryan Katz. It appears the Beavers will go 5-7 in his first season as a starter. Analysts, coaches, and players all rave about his ability. He certainly has a bright future ahead.

Also consider what could happen in 2011. Every offensive starter has eligibility remaining outside of center Alex Linnenkohl. Of course both Jacquizz and James Rodgers could decide to move on to the NFL which would severely dampen OSU hopes for next season but I am looking at would could happen. This is an offense that should almost certainly be better in 2011.

The defense? Ew boy. Stephen Paea, Brennen Olander, James Dockery, Gabe Miller, Keith Pankey, Dwight Roberson, and Suaesi Tuimaunei are all departing. There is some good and bad with that. The linebacking corp should not be all that affected, in my opinion. Michael Doctor and Cameron Collins will be stepping in at outside linebacker. The secondary is yet to be determined. Certainly Dockery was the Beavers' best CB in 2010. Mark Banker had better hope Jordan Poyer is ready for the big time and one of the young reserves is ready to step in and play immediately. It gets real ugly when we talk about the defensive line. The team has lots of young talent but they are really young. The 2010 pass rush was better than the 2009 version but they still struggled. There had better be some players ready to step up big time in 2011.

So it is a mixed bag. I have high hopes for the 2011 offense and am cautiously optimistic about the future of a defense that should have better speed but less experience and beef.

We will hit on more of these issues after the season and as the recruiting year winds down. Speaking of recruiting, the Beavers did get a commitment from Rival's four-star WR Brandin Cooks. Cooks is the highest profile commitment from the 2011 class after de-committing from UCLA and verballing with the Beavs.

Next Up: The Ucks. Civil War baby.

Gameday Review: OSU 36 - USC 7

2010-11-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Well that went a little differently than expected. In what looked like a bizarro version of the Oregon State team that played against Washington State last week, this Beaver team stomped USC on their way to an easy 36-7 victory. In reality, this is the Beaver team many expected to show up this year. The defense dominated USC's offense thanks to terrific play from Pac Ten Defensive Player of the Week Stephen Paea. Jordan Poyer also came up big with an interception return for a touchdown.

In reality, the defensive line's ability to cause havoc in the pocket and fill gaps in the run game allowed the linebackers and defensive backs to make plays. The constant harassment of USC quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Mitch Mustain forced poor decisions and poor throws. The Trojans' inability to move Paea and Kevin Frahm off point allowed the linebackers to make plays. Just like it is supposed to.

On offense Mike Riley and Danny Langsdorf showed a commitment to the run game like we haven't seen in a while. Jacquizz Rodgers had a big day and Ryan Katz was effective. It helped that the offensive line finally stepped up in a big way. Rodgers often had holes that he hasn't seen in a long time. Katz had all day in the pocket.

I could go on and on but there is little to criticize as it was a complete an effort as you will see. Even Justin Kahut emerged from his funk to make all three of his field goal attempts. Punter Johnny Hekker booted the second longest punt in school history. It is just amazing that this is the same group that simply failed to show up only a week earlier at home.

Next Up: The Beavers head to Palo Alto to take on Stanford this Saturday. The Cardinal are ranked number 7 in the country. This could be ugly. Depending on which OSU team shows up, that is.

Do you know what is hard to do? Find pictures of attractive women wearing Stanford gear.

Don't Expect to See Orange and Black in Gill on Sunday

2010-11-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

Lost in the storm of disappointment surrounding the Oregon State Beavers football team is the fact that college basketball has kicked off. The Beavers men's team is 1-1 after a loss to Seattle University. This Sunday the Beavers will be taking on Texas Southern in Corvallis...with a twist. The Beavers will be wearing turquoise uniforms to support Nike's N7 program, which encourages Native Americans to participate in athletics. Of course the game won't be on TV but I look forward to the still shots.

Gameday: USC @ OSU

2010-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

USC comes to Corvallis to take on the Beavers tonight. A late game start (5 PM) as the game will be appearing (regionally, I believe) on ABC. The Trojans have been a pretty solid team in 2010 with only one bad loss, 32-31 to Washington at home. Their other two losses were good showings against Stanford in Palo Alto, and Oregon at home. In general, they haven't been destroying opponents outside of WSU and Cal. Their defense can give up yardage and points thought they have been playing better as of late. At least based on my subjective analysis.
Oregon State has some work to do, no doubt. Let's hope that they can slow down the Trojans' dynamic offense. I doubt that is the case but I have been shocked before. As in the last two times USC came to Corvallis and lost.

Go Beavs!!!

Well, I Suppose I Owe This

2010-11-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

OUR football team is not very good right now. I say "our" because I am an alum. I generally despise those that refer to their teams as "us" and "we" and such. However, if you attended a university and you refer to your alum as "we" or "our" it is perfectly acceptable. However, that comes with a caveat. You can't pick when that team or university is yours. It is yours forever. Whether that team has been horrible for 20 years + or if times have been good.

Times have been good for the Oregon State Beavers for the past ten years. They have undoubtedly had some downturns in that time, most notably falling flat on their faces after being picked number one in the nation by Sports Illustrated after destroying Notre Dame in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. But overall, times have been very good. If one would have told me 6-8 months ago this aberration of Beaver football would have the record they do, I wouldn't have been shocked. That being said, after a relatively close loss to TCU and some good to great showings by quarterback Ryan Katz, expectations were much higher. We know now that those expectations were not fair. WE are at a downturn in OUR program.

I have to emphasize those words. I do so because I see the postings on Facebook.

"Anybody want my tickets for the USC game? I have two."

"That was embarrassing, I can't watch this team again."

And so on. Guess what? We are the Oregon State Beavers and that means something. We are not a program with deep pockets. We are not a university with a huge alumni base, let alone one that throws money at the athletic program. Let me put this more plainly: WE ARE NOT THE OREGON DUCKS. WE. ARE. NOT. THE. OREGON. DUCKS. I hear way too much complaining about our neighbor's national notoriety. That is not us. That will never be us. Ever.

The Oregon Ducks have Phil Knight's and Nike's deep pockets. Granted, Nike is a huge Beaver supporter. We wouldn't be where we are (in multiple programs) without Nike. Sean Mannion will never have a billboard in Times Square. And guess what? That is okay. There is a reason people refer to our program/university as "Lunchpail U" and we refer to ourselves as "Beaver Nation". It is because we do it ourselves. To use an admittedly horrid cliche, we pick ourselves up by our bootstraps. We do it on our own. We have one of our own natives, Mike Riley leading us.

Yes, Mike Riley, does not yell at his players (much) or swear. He has assistants that do. If you do not believe so, consult Paul Buker (@Pnbuker), Lindsay Schnell (@LindsayRae19), or Anthony Casson (@ASCasson).

Is there a recruiting issue? Recently, probably. The offensive line has been weak this season. The defense has shown holes. But have faith. This is a coaching staff that will be here for a while and should be here for a while. Have faith. Have faith. Things will get better.

Ryan Katz is an NFL quarterback. It's true. Jacquizz Rodgers and James Rodgers could be back next year. The OSU defense could be pretty good next year. Set your expectations. The Oregon State Beavers are not Alabama. WE are not Ohio State. WE are not USC. WE are not Oregon. What we are is a team that will compete year over year on a fairly consistent basis in our very competitive (and good!) conference. That may not show itself in 2010. It may be 2011. Or 2012. But have faith.

I will be in the stands this weekend to watch the Beavers take on the University of Southern California Trojans. You should be there too. That is if you feel like saying "we" or "our team" in 2011 and beyond. Don't pick and choose.

Have faith. Support OUR Beavers.

Gameday Review: Who Gives a $#!+

2010-11-15T00:39:00.000-08:00

Gameday: WSU @ OSU

2010-11-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

I just woke up. I would rather be sleeping. What's wrong with a 3 PM start? I shouldn't have to be up this early to watch the Beavers beat up on an NAIA school. ZING!!! Hey-oooooo!!!

Gameday Preview: WSU @ OSU

2010-11-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel is the one sort of positive going for the 2010 Cougars. I know I said Washington wasn't any good (before OSU lost to them). And I said UCLA wasn't any good (before OSU lost to them). That being said, I swear I REALLY mean it when I say Washington State is very, very bad. They are losing by an average score of 40-17 against FBS teams this season (they beat FCS Montana State in a come-from-behind 23-22 game earlier in the season). And this is actually an improvement upon their 2009 season.

No doubt about it, the Cougars are getting better. But when you go from THE worst team in FBS football to simply one of the worst, it isn't all that impressive. Their best Pac-10 showings thus far have been against Arizona and their backup quarterback in Pullman (24-7 loss) and last weekend against Cal and their backup quarterback in Pullman (20-13 loss). So after I promised I would never pick Oregon State to blow out another opponent, I will be backtracking on that statement a few days later.

The Beavers are not going to be happy campers going into the game in Corvallis this Saturday. They were embarrassed against UCLA and they want/need to show they are a much better team than that. Bad timing for WSU. Jordan Bishop appears to be back healthy for Oregon State. Brady Camp intends on playing this weekend also. One negative is that Brennan Olander will be out for several games if not the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Olander has been a bright spot for the Beaver defense that desperately needed help on the defensive line coming into the season. I haven't seen word on Alex Linnenkohl's status, which I will take as good news.

In place of Olander, Kevin Frahm will get the start. Frahm's play at DT has been improving as the year has worn on so the hope is there won't be too much of a drop off. Cliff Kirkpatrick reports that defensive end Andrew Seumalo has moved to defensive tackle for depth and Evan Hull will be the third DT in the rotation (oof!).

In the end, I expect the Beavers to get out to an early lead and watch as WSU puts up some points late.

Prediction: OSU 37 - WSU 21

Dibs on the one second from the right.

Gameday Review: UCLA 17 - OSU 14

2010-11-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

Well, that was fun. I don't even want to write about that game. UCLA embarrassed OSU in a 17-14 victory this past Saturday. I know it was a game-winning field goal as time expired that gave UCLA the somewhat controversial victory but regardless of the outcome, the Beavers are the better team. They just didn't show up at the Rose Bowl.

The coaching staff showed no commitment to the running game (Jacquizz Rodgers finished with only 14 carries), the defense could do nothing to stop UCLA's ground game (210 yards rushing), and Ryan Katz couldn't make plays when it mattered most (late in the game).

First, the lack of commitment to the running game. UCLA has a poor run defense but still the Beavers only 17 times, not counting Katz's efforts on the ground. On one hand I can't really blame the coaching staff. The offensive line weren't doing much to open up holes for Rodgers. He did average 4.5 yards per carry but 24 or his 63 total yards came on one carry. I've mentioned it before but the offensive line really needs to show some improvement if OSU hopes to make a bowl game. It's interesting that since Ryan Katz has shown his ability to grasp the offense and (mostly) make good decisions, the Beaver coaching staff has been turning to him more and more on 1st downs. These are things I was clamoring for in the past--less predictability--but we have seemingly gone the opposite direction. Whether it is a lack of faith in the offensive line or a faith in Katz, or a combination of both, Danny Langsdorf and Mike Riley really need to at least make more of an effort to get Quizz involved more often. On a related topic, the time of possession in the second half was UCLA 20:52 to OSU 9:08. That is really awful.

It was also disconcerting to see the Beaver defense revert to form against the run. The Bruins offensive line was able to simply bully the Beaver front seven. UCLA wasn't breaking off long plays but rather systematically beat up the Beavers. UCLA's longest run went to quarterback Richard Brehaut for 21 yards. Leading rusher Johnathan Franklin's longest run was merely 12 yards. As for the culprits...I have kind of come full circle on the outside linebackers. I still think Michael Doctor and/or Cameron Collins should be getting more snaps in place of Keith Pankey but Dwight Roberson's play has been growing on me. Not that anybody up front was particularly good but boy are Tony Wilson and Ruben Robinson weak links. They are slow to react and can't get off blocks. They were involved in a handful of tackles but they all seemed to be 8 yards downfield. That isn't a good combination from your middle linebackers. The loss of David Pa'aluhi may have been the biggest hit the Beavers have taken this year.

My last point regarding Katz is the least of my concerns. Sure it would have been great to see the young quarterback lead a dramatic late game-winning drive. I couldn't tell why it didn't happen. The offensive line, for all of their troubles creating wholes in the run game, did a pretty good job in pass protection. Katz frequently had time but couldn't locate any receivers down the field. It could have been Katz getting some happy feet in his return home as a starter. Maybe the coverage was simply spectacular in the secondary, I couldn't see. Whatever the case, Katz does need to run through his progressions more quickly and dump the ball off to Quizz. It is something that Sean Canfield was extremely effective at last season and as Katz matures, I have full confidence he will start doing the same thing.

Next Game: I promised everybody who beat me up Saturday night that I wouldn't predict another OSU blowout victory again this season. The two times I have done so, at UW and at UCLA, the Beavers ended up with close losses and didn't play particularly well against inferior competition. However, come on, this is the Washington State Cougars who really are a horrible team and I am not just saying that this time. I mean, they are REALLY bad. Plus the Beavers are at home. More to come!

Side note: I met a pretty girl at a bar in Pullman once. True story. I am pretty sure she was even considering having a conversation with me for a little while.

Gameday: OSU @ UCLA

2010-11-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Your Oregon State Beavers take on the UCLA Bruins at 4 PM PST on the Versus Network today. Cliff Kirkpatrick of the Corvallis Gazette-Times picked the Beavers to win by a 31-13 score. Smart man, considering I predicted a 31-10 win for OSU. The Beavers are a little beat up but it looks like everybody should play outside of Brady Camp (who will probably miss the rest of the season) and probably Jordan Bishop. Like I stated earlier, I can't imagine he plays a week after separating his shoulder.

If feel confident. Ignore the last time I predicted an OSU blowout they lost in overtime to Washington. Ignore that because THIS time I know I am 100% correct. Now enjoy.

Go Beavs!!!

Gameday Preview: OSU @ UCLA

2010-11-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Linebacker Akeem Ayers (above) and safety Rahim Moore are two All-America candidates on UCLA's defense. Fortunately, the rest of their team is largely made up of shite. The Bruins sit at 92nd in the nation in points against. Even worse, they are 97th in the nation in points for. It doesn't get much uglier than that.

The one thing the Bruins have been largely successful at is running the ball. Many will remember how they ran all over Texas in a 34-12 beat down in Austin. Unfortunately for UCLA, it turns out Texas isn't good at football.

UCLA has two good running backs in Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman but their quarterbacks have been pretty putrid (apologies for the alliteration...that was alliteration, right?). Kevin Prince was the starter coming into the year but stunk horribly and was replaced by Richard Brehaut who has been his equal, in a bad way. If the Beavers can stop the run as their last three opponents (Stanford/UO/UA, all losses) have been able to do. They will win and win handily.

Unfortunately for the Beavers they have several injuries to deal with. Offensive linemen Alex Linnenkohl and Grant Johnson have been limited this week. Brady Camp is still out and I can't imagine Jordan Bishop will see the field after separating his shoulder last week. On defense, Keith Pankey is coming back from illness and Dominic Glover is a little beat up but both should play.

I know my predictioning (trust me, it's a word) has been slightly off lately but I feel good about this one...

Prediction: OSU 31 - UCLA 10

Now enjoy the Hulkster's daughter.

Gameday Review: OSU 35 - Cal 7

2010-11-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well, that game wasn't close. I was glad to hear that the typical road Cal Bears team showed up on Saturday. I didn't watch the game because I was in the wilderness with no access to a television. I listened to Mike Parker first tell me the game was at 7-0, then 28-0, and finally 35-0 before I stopped checking in. Not surprisingly, everyone seems to have played pretty well according to the box score. So no need for any analysis right?

What, you say I am lazy? I say YOU are lazy! Where is your post game analysis? Exactly.

That. Just. Happened.

Next Game: Oregon State travels to Pasadena to take on the University of California Los Angeles. The Bruins are not particularly good, but we will get to that later.

Gameday Preview: Cal @ OSU

2010-10-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

Shane Vereen

This will be my only post of the week since I will be deep in the wilderness hiding from anybody dressed as a crayon (or whatever kids are dressing as these days). I will be off chasing around defenseless animals so I can kill them for sport (and food!).

The California Golden Bears are awesome at football. When they play at home. Fortunately for the Oregon State Beavers, they will be playing the Cal Bears in Corvallis this weekend. Cal has yet to win a game on the road this season and it generally hasn't been very pretty. They have lost by an average of 37-18 on the road this year while winning by an average score of 47-9 at home.

Now, fortunately for Cal, their offense will be going up against a defense whose season-best performance came against Arizona when they gave up "only" 27 points. So expect a shootout. Unless Cal quarterback Kevin Riley decides to throw 5 interceptions in the first half which is equally as likely to happen.

Obviously, the Beavers are preparing for the "good Cal" because they have to. Cal running back Shane Vereen is a stud and the Cal defense can be stout. All in all, I expect Kevin Riley to blow this one for the Bears though it will be uncomfortably close.

Prediction: OSU 34 - Cal 27

First, I will share some costume ideas for the ladies because I am generous and always thinking of you.

And now the one pretty girl that goes to/went to Cal. She runs track at Cal. See. She also dresses up for Halloween:

Oregon State at Mid-Season

2010-10-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

First, let me get this out of the way. Mike Riley making the decision to go for two in the second overtime against the University of Washington was correct for several reasons. They were on the the road, their defense wasn't coming close to slowing down the Husky offense in overtime, the Beaver offense had to overcome quite a bit to even score a touchdown in the second overtime, and both teams would have been forced to go for two starting in the third overtime anyway. Answer this question honestly: Did you have faith in the Beaver defense keeping Jake Locker and Washington out of the end zone? Yeah, neither did I and I would bet neither did Mike Riley. I also liked the play call to spread UW out and throw the ball. If coverage had been too good and/or the pocket broke down, Ryan Katz has the the athleticism to make a play with his legs and, like Riley, I didn't have faith in this offensive line making a three yard push to get Quizz into the end zone. So let's leave it at that, it was a good decision, a good play call, a good throw, and a good effort to catch the ball. It just didn't work out. Time to move on.

Now it is time to think about the second half of the season and boy, it doesn't look that promising. Oregon State currently sits at 3-3 (2-1) at this point in the season. The Beavers remaining games are Cal, @UCLA, WSU, USC, @Stanford, and UO. That is four home games and two road games. Of the remaining games two are against currently ranked teams and four are against teams that are unranked. All of that seems like it would be positive but I only see three more wins on the schedule and if things fall right, four wins. USC, Stanford, and Oregon all have terrific explosive offenses. OSU is averaging about 31 points against for the season. That is good for 94th in the nation. Granted, they have played some of the best offenses in the country but the problem is that they will continue to do so in the stacked 2010 Pac Ten. Using my current statistical models, I am projecting Oregon to score eleventy bazillion points against the Beavers in Corvallis.

It is all about setting your expectations. Coming into the 2010 season I hoped the Beavers could muster out a victory against TCU or Boise State in addition to a victory over Louisville. I hoped the Beavers could start Pac Ten play with six straight victories. I hoped the Beavers could take 2 of their final three games. That would have given the Beavers a 10-2 record and a possible Rose Bowl birth. That wasn't realistic, obviously. The Beavers were over-matched in their games against TCU and Boise State. The Pac Ten is simply too deep this year for OSU to rip through 2/3 of the conference schedule without a loss. And I fear the season may end on a distinctly down note when OSU closes with three of the top teams in the conference.

Again, set your expectations. We now have a much better idea of what this team is halfway through the season. Our defense has holes though they do have the ability to force some turnovers and occasionally pressure the quarterback. The offense is explosive if not consistent.

Some thoughts by position:

QB: Sophomore Katz has largely been a revelation. No first year OSU starting quarterback performs this well and he has. Despite some costly errors against Washington, I am still calling Katz's season to this point a success.

RB: Every Oregon State fan knows what they are getting with Jacquizz Rodgers. He is simply one of the best backs in the country. This season his stats may not be all that gaudy but that is primarily due to the fact that the offensive line has struggled.

WR: The loss of James Rodgers for the season is obviously a devastating blow. Rodgers' improvement as a wideout and not just a specialist has been astounding since he came to campus. The WR depth has also been positive. Jordan Bishop (a favorite of mine), Markus Wheaton, Aaron Nichols, Darrell Catchings, and Geno Munoz have all produced to varying degrees this season. The future is bright.

TE: Joe Halahuni has been everything I could have hoped for. One down moment does not a game, season, or career destroy. Halahuni has been a wrecking ball blocking for Quizz as well as in the open field with the ball. I can't emphasize enough how impress I was with Halahuni's blocking in the UW game. Brady Camp, before he went down with a back injury had been steady. The depth is decent but not spectacular.

OL: The offensive line has been a bit of Jekyll and Hyde. It hasn't been real pretty. The pass protection has been pretty good but Katz athleticism and pocket presence have helped. This group is not overly dynamic when it comes to enforcing their will on a defense. Part of the reason is that three of the starters are former walk-ons. And Michael Phillipp hasn't taken the step forward many expected. Alex Linnenkohl has been the most consistent starter as a senior center. This group needs to improve.

DT: It's been up and down for the defensive line as well. Stephen Paea has had to deal with constant double teams but has still been a force though not the Ndamukong Suh-type of presence many unfairly expected. The attention to Paea has allowed Brennan Olander to make himself known. Olander has consistently provided inside pressure. The depth has primarily been to allow Olander and Paea breathers, no real impact players.

DE: It was a worry coming in and it has been a mixed bag. While the team has 13 sacks, only 1.5 have come from the defensive ends. I only take solace in the reality that it has been better than last year. Gabe Miller, Taylor Henry, and Dominic Glover have provided some pressure, if not the sacks. Their contain abilities make my stomach turn.

OLB: I have been hammering this group all season but the real difference is that this team does not have that true impact strong-side outside linebacker they have had in the past. Both Keith Pankey and Dwight Roberson have played there (Roberson more effectively, in my opinion) and they are okay. The issue is that when you come up against some of the better running games in the nation, you have to be better than okay. This group has not been. I really like the future with Cameron Collins and Michael Doctor.

MLB: After watching the Washington game more closely, I came to the realization that Pankey and Roberson probably aren't the biggest culprits in the Beavers defense's inability to stop the run. Ruben Robinson and Tony Wilson have simply been...well...not good. Of the games I have watched more in-depth, Robinson was getting the bulk of the work. I wouldn't say he is making the wrong reads, he is just reacting too slowly. This will improve with experience but that doesn't help the Beavers now.

CB: James Dockery has been solid, leading the team with three interceptions and five passes defended. Not all-world but pretty good nonetheless. Brandon Hardin takes more grief than he deserves but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve any. He quite simply is not a very good corner. And I don't blame him. He should be at safety but the truth is, Oregon State simply does not have better options. Jordan Poyer has shown some promise but he his still learning. All we can do at this point is have faith in Mark Banker the defensive coaches that they are playing the right guys and bringing along the young guys. You are going to have to live with Hardin. Deal with it.

S: Lance Mitchell has been mostly very good outside of a bad angle in run coverage every now and then. He has a couple interceptions and rarely gets burnt. Very solid. Suaesi Tuimaunei isn't built for man coverage. He got beat several times against Washington and Locker took advantage. He is a pretty decent roaming safety but when asked to lock up a good receiver, oh boy.

Special Teams: The return game with James Rodgers and Jordan Poyer has been excellent. We will see if it remains so with Poyer and now Wheaton. Johnny Hekker has been a little below average but not a total disaster. Justin Kahut needs to find his mojo.

So there you have it. Now get out there and cheer on your Beavers to a 7-5 season!!!

Go Beavs!

Gameday Review: UW 35 - OSU 34

2010-10-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a bizarre game. I wasn't really able to watch the game live since I had a couple friends getting married Saturday night. The wedding went much better than the game. So now, after reviewing an abridged recording, here are my observations (warning, this may be a bit sloppy):

UW First Drive: The Huskies ran a couple fly-sweep-type plays to start the drive. On the first, Suaesi Tuimaunei simply didn't close fast enough on the UW receiver who simply ran a drag route. On the second, Dominic Glover completely blew containment and Tony Wilson and Keith Pankey were blocked by wide receivers. You read that correctly. Two of our starting linebackers were unable to quickly shed blocks by wide receivers. A big play after a holding call was the result of a good play call. Oregon State brought weakside pressure against a weakside screen resulting in a 20 yard gain. The drive ended when Jake Locker fumbled scrambling from some good OSU pressure provided by a stunt by Dominic Glover and Stephen Paea. A couple other notes on the drive...Brandin Hardin did a pretty good job in coverage. He was targeted twice with one short completion that was negated by an offsides penalty...Brennan Olander seems to consistently work on penetration rather than holding the point. This caused a couple situations of holes opening up in the middle, a sacrifice OSU is apparently willing to take.

Fast forward to 6:00 min in 1st Qtr...UW driving again: On 3rd and 4 UW runs a bootleg left. Taylor Henry is first bumped inside and then contained by the pulling tackle. Cameron Collins is held up by a WR blocking down. Containment failure, 1st down UW. On the next play Locker scrambled for seven yards. No real blame to be had except Pankey gets caught sneaking to his left to help cover a back that should have been the responsibility of MLB Ruben Robinson. Locker escaped into the space Pankey vacated and gained good yardage. UW runs a sweep right on the next play. Dwight Roberson got nudged inside by a UW WR just enough that he was unable to tackle Polk for a loss. Another UW first down. Locker completes the next pass for a touchdown on a right roll out. A simple play for Jermain Kearse, he ran three yards into the end zone and turned to the outside. An accurate throw from Locker overcomes decent coverage from James Dockery.

Difficult to tell where OSU's offense went wrong because ESPN's replay has again skipped ahead to UW's next possession: Second and goal at the OSU four yard line. A touchdown pass in the back of the end zone. Suaesi Tuimaunei got turned around and doesn't have the foot speed to catch DeAndre Goodwin.

Shockingly, again, we get UW's next offensive possession: Ruben Robinson seems to react just a step slowly. Paea is held on the play but no call. On the next play Cameron Collins comes on a blitz and tips an attempted swing pass bringing up 3rd and 3 for UW at their own 16. Locker rolls right and would have had some trouble if Miller hadn't bitten hard on the left side run fake. He was unable to recover and Locker runs for 5 yards and a first down. On first down, OSU rushes six forcing an incomplete pass. Paea and Olander provide the most pressure on their single blocks. On second down Locker rolls left and can easily do so because, again, the defensive end (Taylor Henry in this case) bites hard down on the run fake leaving no outside containment. Goodwin runs an out on Dockery, who gets turned around and loses coverage. Henry's fault, not Dockery's. Locker connects with Kearse for another touchdown on Dockery. The Beavers actually provide some pressure but Locker makes an exceptional throw 50 yards down field. Dockery's coverage is decent but he is beat by a half a step. Locker led Kearse inside allowing for just enough separation for the TD.

Finally, some OSU offense. 1st and 10 at the UW 24 with 7:32 left: OSU runs Jacquizz Rodgers over the right guard. All the offensive linemen hold their blocks including a good block by Alex Linnenkohl on the strong side LB. The right defensive end cuts inside hard forcing Michael Phillipp to take him across the hole. Quizz is able to break that arm tackle and gain 13 yards. On 1st and 10 from the 11 the Beavers try another run over RG but this time UW fills. They don't get any penetration but their is no hole for Quizz. He breaks a tackle from safety Nate Fellner, jukes safety Nate Williams out of his shoes and shoots upfield for six yards. 2nd and 4 on the 5. Washington drops seven into coverage and Burke Ellis loses his block forcing Katz to scramble right. Aaron Nichols and Joe Halahuni lay good blocks allowing Katz to cross the goal line untouched.

OSU 1st and Goal from the UW 6 with 3:33 left: Linnenkohl make initial good contact with the nose guard Alameda Ta'amu but is rubbed off the block when Ta'amu makes lateral pursuit. Linnenkohl needs to drive the Ta'amu back to prevent that from happening but it wasn't really a blown assignment. Ta'amu makes initial contact and several other Huskies rally to finish off the tackle. On second and goal the Beavers block down right and Quizz is able to cut back, run around OLB Victor Aiweya (who had bitten too hard inside), and cut upfield for the touchdown. Halahuni makes a nice down block on DE Talia Crichton.

UW ball, 2nd and 14 at their own 19 with 2:23 left: Swing pass right to Polk. Roberson loses coverage when he is victim of a block down by the UW WR. That leaves Dockery to make the tackle. Dockery ducks under an oncoming offensive lineman and Polk shoots upfield to the 30. On third and four, the right side TE simple runs straight out from his down position. Jordan Poyer comes up from his CB position to make the first hit and Miller cleans it up. Roberson, who I have to assume was supposed to have coverage is ten yards behind the play. Honestly, he looked tired and/or indifferent. I can only assume Roberson had a mental lapse and blew the coverage allowing the UW drive to continue. On the ensuing first down UW fakes the fly sweep and runs an inside draw. The defensive RT Evan Hull gets completely forced to the inside opening up a huge gap for Polk to run through. Roberson, seeing what is going on fills the gap but has over-pursued. Robinson, again is a step late and gets blocked by a second level offensive lineman. Polk gains 15 yards and another first down. Another inside run is sniffed out by Roberson who this time is able to take down Polk as he tries to escape outside. Locker throws an incomplete pass on second down and is sacked by Olander on third down.

21-14 UW at the half. OSU ball to start the 2nd half: Oregon State runs play action. The UW linebackers bite HARD and this leaves Nichols wide open over the middle for a big gain. On the next play Katz throws a swing pass out to Marcus Wheaton (the play that is typically run for James Rodgers) who, thanks to a solid Nichols block, is able to cut upfield for 11 yards and another first down. UW safety Fellner, who is in coverage, is playing 15 yards off Wheaton. Not a wise move though his speed does need to be respected. Next time play the LB underneath the safety UW. Quizz runs up the middle for minimal gain though he does miss a big hole to the right when Ellis forces the slanting DE inside and Remmers seals the ILB. Play negated by a penalty anyway. OSU runs TE center screen on 1st and 15. It could have been a big play but Linnenkohl can't hold his block. Actually, Linnenkohl should have blocked left and allowed Ellis to pickup the ROLB but...they don't and Halahuni only gains four yards. On 2nd and 11 the Beavers run a delayed hand-off to Quizz. Will Darkins, the fullback, service virtually no purpose when he trips and falls into the defensive player Halahuni was already blocking. Nevertheless, the hole is big and Quizz gains 6-7 yards. 3rd and 3, UW strongside DE Cameron Elisara comes in unblocked bearing in on Katz who lofts a perfect pass off his back foot to Quizz down to the nine yard line. Quizz had run a rub route off a dragging Marcus Wheaton. On first and goal Quizz runs up the middle for a gain of four. Halahuni comes across the hole and lays a terrific cut block on Elisara, who is now playing weakside DE. On second and goal from the 5, OSU runs right through the A-gap. Grant Johnson, the LG, makes a great block and UW is simply over-manned at the point of attack allowing Quizz to run in for the easy score.

OSU ball, 1st and 15 on the UW 27 with 2:56 remaining in the 3rd Qtr: My favorite play of the game. Oregon State runs a delayed run that is intended to go over LG. However, Quizz sees a cutback lane to the right. Burke Ellis is able to hold (maybe literally) his block on the OLB and Quizz runs 10 yards towards the sideline. It is only getting better folks. Quizz stops short of the sideline with four UW defenders within 5 yards of him, three of them in front. He jukes left shaking one, Halahuni comes through to destroy another, and Quizz darts back towards the sideline to escape the other two. He is slowed by rear pursuit but breaks two tackles before being forced out at the 5 yard line. 1st and goal from the 5. Quizz gets nothing over RG. No OSU lineman gets destroyed nor does anything positive. Rodgers is left to make something out of nothing and is unable to do so. On the ensuing 2nd down, Katz rolls right but is unable to locate an open receiver. Though he had time to get rid of the ball, he instead takes a sack at the 14. Now this third down is one of two Katz INTs in the end zone. Washington rushes three and the protection is good. Pressure over the top forces Katz up in the pocket and he scrambles left. Wheaton, who had come back for the ball now cuts back towards the goal line and is open but Katz has already made his decision. He sees Jordan Bishop in the back of the end zone double covered. I believe he saw the double coverage and simply under-threw the ball by 4 or 5 yards. Bishop, a 6'3" high-jumper, is big with great leaping ability. Katz made the mistake by not living by the cliche "throw it only where your guy can get it." The ball should have been either a touchdown or an incompletion out the back of the end zone. Obviously this ends up being pretty devastating.

Side note: I just saw Evan Hull pointing to his head on the sideline telling Katz he needs to make better decisions. Really Evan Hull? I mean, yes, you are correct but MAYBE we leave that advise to the coaches and you know, people that actually play (effectively).

UW ball, 1st and 10 on the UW 20 with :30 remaining in the 3rd Qtr: UW again starts with fly sweep motion and this time run play action to the left with Locker rolling right. The OSU coverage is good by both Dockery (on the intended receiver) and Tuimaunei and the slot "fly sweep" receiver. After a false start penalty, Locker completes a 10 yard pass to the left flanker. The area was vacated by Roberson when he baled deep on the slot receiver. Pankey comes over and makes the tackle. On 3rd and 6 UW tries to run a center screen to Polk. Roberson is blitzing and gets pressure on Locker quicker than he expected. It didn't matter anyway since Miller had is sniffed out and was right on top of Polk when the pass was thrown. UW punts an angle punt to keep the ball away from Poyer.

OSU ball, 1st and 10 on the OSU 40 with 2:50 remaining in the 4th Qtr: Oregon State has a chance to win the game here. Protection is good and Katz completes a pass up the left sideline to Bishop for 15 yards but the play is negated by a penalty. Rodgers is called for a chop block on a defensive lineman that Michael Phillipp had engaged. Now, it may be possible by the letter of the law that it was an illegal block but it seemed clear to me that the UW lineman had blown right by Phillipp and Rodgers was making a legal block. Difficult call which costs OSU not only the first down they had gained but also 15 yards in penalty, putting them back at their own 25. On 1st and 25 Katz again has plenty of time. He throws the ball down field to Wheaton but I have never seen a Katz deep ball like this one. It is FAR short and while one UW defender slips, Wheaton leaps to try and knock the ball down at its highest point and it falls behind him, incomplete. No matter, a holding call on Remmers, which is declined. Replays show a clear hold by Remmers. On 2nd and 25 OSU runs a delayed hand-off to Rodgers for 6 yards. 3rd and 19. Katz has pressure and tries to escape up the middle but is tackled by a couple Husky defenders after a short gain. Johnny Hekker gets off a great punt, pinning UW down on their own 13 yard line.

UW ball, 1st and 10 on the UW 13 with 1:25 remaining in the 4th Qtr: Locker starts in the shotgun and has some time. He targets OSU CB Brandon Hardin who is in a foot race down field with Goodwin. Hardin's coverage is good and only a perfect pass is completed. This one was not. On second down Locker is again in the shotgun and this time hands off to Polk on the draw. Pankey holds onto Polk after a gain of about 7. UW lets the clock tick down into the 30's. UW runs a QB draw off of fly sweep motion. Roberson's momentum takes him inside and Locker runs outside. At that point Roberson was hopeless and Locker runs for a big gain and a first down at the 36. On first down Locker drops back but the OSU coverage is good. After hesitating, Locker steps up and runs with it. This time Roberson closes quickly and Locker is stopped after a gain of 3. Replays show (and it is pointed out by Mike Bellotti and Brock Huard) that Hardin was in man-to-man coverage on the outside and may have been beat by a step. No worries. On second down OSU gets pressure after good coverage and Locker throws the ball incomplete. They follow that with a run to end regulation. Oh boy.

21-21 going into OT. Oregon State has the ball first: OSU runs Quizz on a counter left. Phillipp blocks down on the defensive RT Ellis pulls left. The right DE is collapsing down and Ellis swallows him up. Halahuni is also coming left takes out the right OLB. Meanwhile, Phillipp is unable to hold contact on the MLB after he had slipped into the second level. That and Bishops inability to seal the ROLB mean Quizz only gains 5 yards. On second down OSU again goes to the ground. Quizz gets the ball up the middle but his great vision allows him to see the cutback lane to the right. Halahuni, Ellis, and Remmers had all blocked down and Quizz cut behind them to the outside. A good block by Bishop and some quality running get Quizz to the 11. On 1st and 10 from the 11 Rodgers again gets the ball up the middle. He is stopped for no gain. The issue here is that Bishop is supposed to block down on OLB Aiyewa but there is no way he was going to get there as Aiyewa makes a great play by immediately cutting upfield and making the tackle in the backfield. 2nd and 10 from the 11. Again a run up the middle for Quizz. The hole is there in the left B gap but Quizz slips as the safety William comes up to make the tackle after a gain of 1. 3rd and 9 at the 10. Katz is in shotgun this time. For the second time in the game (that I saw), Katz recognizes a linebacker on Rodgers and makes an absolutely perfect throw. This time it is to Rodgers' outside shoulder, keeping the ball away from the defender and allowing Rodgers' momentum to carry him across the goal line. TD Beavs.

28-21 Beavers after one OT possession. Washington ball: Locker in shotgun, fakes the hand-off and rolls right. Miller pursues upfield but Locker is able to complete the pass along the sideline for a 4 yard gain. Dockery in coverage. Good throw for a short gain. On second down UW again comes with the fly sweep motion but this time they had it off to Jordan Polk. He beats Miller who is coming upfield and Lance Mitchell is kicked out by the fullback. Roberson is pursuing and is there to make the tackle after a short gain. 3rd and 2. UW goes with an empty backfield after Polk motions out to the right. Paea shoots up the middle to put good pressure on Locker. Locker steps back and throws a pass over the middle for the TD to Kearse. Tuimaunei in coverage. It looked like Tuimaunei turned his hips giving up inside position to Kearse, who was running the post route. Kearse got a step on his cut and again, Tuimaunei didn't have the foots peed to recover.

28-28 going into 2nd OT. Washington ball first: Not a good start, offsides on the OSU defense. 1st and 5. UW runs Polk over LG. Pankey fills but is taken out by the FB. Robinson is behind him and is hit by the pulling RG. He still manages to get his arms around Polk and in the ensuing cluster, he is able to take down Polk. However, what should have been a 2-3 yard gain turns into a 6 yard gain and a first down when Polk keeps his feet moving until Robinson finally drags him down. 1st and 10 from the 14. Another inside hand-off, this time to Jesse Callier. Glover does an excellent job of recognizing where the ball is at. He checks Locker to ensure he didn't keep it and then dives inside to wrap up Callier. Miller comes in from behind and knocks Callier ahead for another couple yards. On 2nd and 7 Locker is again in shotgun formation, this time to throw. Dockery comes on a CB blitz and forces Locker up in the pocket where he is forced to hurry a throw to Jordan Polk. Polk is WIDE OPEN but the throw is poor and behind him. Polk makes a terrific effort and makes the catch falling down at the two. OSU was sitting in a zone and Keith Pankey, who had been over Polk at the snap decided to just stand in one spot and no Beaver thought the middle of the field was a place to protect. Robinson, who seems to always be just one step behind, releases from the middle zone to a WR running a corner route. He recovers but much too late to be of any help. Gauging Mitchell's reaction after the play, Robinson is to blame. However, there was a hold on the play so OSU seemingly gets new life. 2nd and 17 from the 21. Locker is in an empty backfield in the shotgun. Hardin is over the slot receiver (Kearse...uh-oh...). The Beavers blitz Robinson around the right DE and bring Roberson from the left. Miller provides some pressure up the middle but it is for not as Locker gets rid of the ball quickly. Kearse comes forward 7 yards, stutter steps in front of Hardin and breaks for the corner of the end zone. Locker releases the ball on his break and Hardin is two steps behind. TD UW.

35-28 Huskies after one 2OT possession. OSU ball: The Beavers start with a run to the right. All offensive lineman block down but UW OLB Mason Foster is there to contain and wrap up Quizz after a two yard gain. Katz comes out in the shotgun on second down. Coverage downfield is good and UW has sent Desmond Trufant on a blitz after only rushing three off the snap. Katz steps up and tries to escape right but is wrapped up and sacked at the 30. It's loud and OSU commits another penalty, a false start. 3rd and 20 on the 35. Katz takes a deep drop and has time. He needs it because Jordan Bishop comes clear across the field to catch the ball along the right sideline for a gain of 24. A great throw, especially after seeing the replay. Katz had to get the ball over the leaping linebackers and in front of the secondary which he does with precision. On 1st and 10 from the 12 OSU tries to run Rodgers to the right behind a pulling Linnenkohl. Both Linnenkohl and Remmers hold their blocks but Grant Johnson is unable to get the Foster who makes the tackle for no gain. 2nd and 9 from the 11. Katz under center and again gives the ball to Quizz up the middle. This time Rodgers has no chance. Aiyewa cuts up threw a gap and stuffs Rodgers in the backfield. It appears Phillipp lets Aiyewa run right by him into the backfield. Now 3rd and 12 from the 14 with Katz in shotgun. Wheaton, who is split right, runs an in route creating enough separation from Trufant that Katz can complete the pass down to the 3 yard line. 4th and short at the 3. I backs for the Beavers with Katz under center. OSU runs play action to the right allowing Katz time. He lofts it up for rarely used John Reese and while the pass drops incomplete (it really was another one of Katz's beautifully placed balls), there is pass interference on Trufant. Replay shows it was the proper call. On the next play Rodgers gets the ball over the RG, cuts back left and gets across the goal line for the TD. The Beavers bring out the kicking team but call a timeout and decide to go for it.

Mike Riley has decided to go for two. I believe it is the correct call but I will get to that later. Ryan Katz lines up in the shotgun, alone in the backfield. Wheaton is split left with Rodgers in the slot. Nichols is split wide right, Bishop is inside him in the slot, and Halahuni is standing up inside. Katz is going to Halahuni the entire way. To the left, Wheaton is covered well and Rodgers is sandwiched by two UW defenders. Bishop runs an out along the goal line and appears to be covered to the right. It appears that Nichols ran a fade route to the back right corner. Halahuni comes up to the man over him, Foster, and stutter-steps before running by him to the inside. As he releases inside Katz rifles the ball to his outside shoulder. UW LB Cort Dennison is coming from the inside. It is about a perfect a throw as one could make. Halahuni should have caught the ball. He knows this but I won't harp on that. It wasn't an easy catch but one that he is capable of making. The only other thing I could criticize on the play would be Katz was looking to Halahuni the entire time which allowed Dennison to cheat towards his left. That is really nitpicking.

I will get to my thoughts on Mike Riley's decision to go for two, where the Beavers sit now, and what the rest of the season looks like later this week.

Oregon State has a bye this weekend.

Gameday: OSU @ UW

2010-10-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Oregon State takes on the University of Washington tonight at 7:15 PM EST on ESPN. As we all know by now, James Rodgers is out for the season so sophomore Marcus Wheaton is being counted on to fill his shoes. The Beavers still have a host of talented wide receivers though there is little doubt they will miss the elder Rodgers brother who was their most explosive play maker.

Other than Quon, Oregon State should be fairly healthy. Brady Camp is still out with back issues so Colby Prince and John Reese will again fill his shoes. Expect Jacquizz Rodgers to have a big day. UW ranks 106th in the nation in rushing defense, allowing over 200 yards per game. The match-up to watch is Jake Locker versus the Oregon State linebacking corp. Locker hasn't been exceedingly dominant running the ball this year but he does have over 200 yards, a long run of 55 yards, and three touchdowns rushing. The Beavers need to keep him in the pocket. My prediction of an OSU victory stands.

Go Beavs!

Gameday Preview: OSU @ UW

2010-10-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

Jake Locker enjoys making out with his mom.

Oregon State continued what has seemingly been a yearly occurrence of starting off slowly and then coming on in Pac Ten play. The Beavers beat Arizona 29-27 in Tucson last Saturday and now will take on the University of Washington in Seattle this weekend. The game will be a night game and will be televised on ESPN.

Obviously the key to stopping the Huskies (2-3, 1-1) is stopping Jake Locker. Locker has looked bad most of the year until having an outstanding game two weeks ago when UW upset USC in Los Angeles. If you look at Washington's schedule they have been up and down all year (following the USC upset with a bad loss at home to Arizona State last weekend). The truth probably is that they aren't a particularly good team. While they have some weapons on offense including RB Chris Polk and WR Jermaine Kearse, Locker is their key. When the Huskies have won, Locker has looked terrific. When the Huskies have lost, he has looked pedestrian, or worse.

Oregon State, for their part, will be without star wide receiver James Rodgers for this weekend and the remainder of the season. Rodgers likely would be granted a medical redshirt if the university petitioned and he desired to return for a fifth season.

No matter, Oregon State won't need him this weekend. The Huskies are giving up 31 points a game, good for 95th in the country. UW might keep it close, being that the game is in Seattle but I don't expect them to stick around late. The OSU defense will harass and contain Locker (for the most part) and get a couple turnovers. Ryan Katz and the offense will continue their tear.

Prediction: OSU 41 - UW 24

This girl is from UW. I am sure of it.

Someone Please Explain This To Me

2010-10-10T17:52:00.000-07:00

Are you paying attention now?

The new AP and USA Today Coaches Polls came out today. Oregon State is ranked 24th in the AP poll. That may make sense if Arizona wasn't ranked 17th. Um...huh? I could have sworn I watched the Beavers outplay Arizona in Tucson and beat them 29-27. The USA Today poll is worse. The Beavers come in at 29th. They are behind Texas (who was beaten up by UCLA), Miami (FL), and of course Arizona, who comes in at 20th.

Just so we are clear, the Beavers have lost road games to the number 3 and 4 teams in the country and have now beaten the (then) number 9 team in the country. I'm at a loss.