Every week, I’ll throw a spotlight on the six most interesting games of the weekend to tell you why these are the games you should try to catch, who’s going to win (and why), and what ramifications they could have on the rest of the college football landscape.
LAST WEEK: 5-1
OVERALL: 12-6
#19 Miami (1-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-1) (7:30pm EST, ESPN)
Both teams have been off since 9/11/10, so they should be well-rested and well-prepared for this game, which pits two former Big East rivals against one another, both of whom could really use an impressive win to regain some of their season's lost momentum. Miami's had two weeks to stew over a loss to Ohio State in which any chance they might have had at springing the upset was killed by Jacory Harris' four interceptions, while Pittsburgh hasn’t played an opponent with a pulse since their opening night stumble at Utah. (They beat New Hampshire two weeks ago.) In a battle of two coaches who recruit well but frequently struggle on game day, I’d usually say go with the guy with the better talent on hand (which seems like Miami, by a hair). On the other hand, it’s not often wise to bet against the home underdog on Thursday night, so I’ll grudgingly side with the Wannstache in this one.
THE PICK: PITT 27, MIAMI 21
#1 Alabama (3-0) @ #10 Arkansas (3-0) (3:30pm EST, CBS)
The season’s second all-top ten clash (after the Boise State-Virginia Tech thriller in week one) was one of the more anticipated games of the SEC slate before the season began and even before Arkansas seemed likely to be ranked in the top ten, owing to Arkansas’ status as the sexy dark horse pick in the SEC. After nearly toppling Florida last year and having a solid season, Arkansas was expected to be a major threat this year with nearly all of their offensive firepower back, an improved defense, and, in this game a match-up advantage (Ryan Mallett and Arkansas’ high-powered passing offense versus Alabama’s inexperienced secondary), and homefield. On the other hand, Alabama has cruised through the opening three weeks with nary a speedbump, even without the services of two of their best players, RB Mark Ingram and DT/DT Marcell Dareus for the opening two games. They both returned last week and Alabama obliterated Duke, 62-13. They are scary good – again. Still, even the best teams are going to have tough games and this looks like one of Alabama’s toughest games of the year. It’s also the beginning of a brutal three-game stretch that sees road trips to Arkansas and South Carolina bookended around a home game against Florida. Then again, with Saban in charge, their eyes should be firmly on the obstacle in front of them, which is Arkansas and Mallett. And it’s tough to pick against the defending champs when they’re playing so lights-out. So as much as I want to go for the upset…
THE PICK: ALABAMA 31, ARKANSAS 28
#12 South Carolina (3-0) @ #17 Auburn (3-0) (7:45pm EST, ESPN)
There are few things stranger than watching architect of the Fun-n-Gun offense that revolutionized the passing game in the SEC become a disciple of the cro-mag football that’s long characterized the Big Ten, but then again running backs like Marcus Lattimore don’t come along every day, so even a passing guru like Steve Spurrier knows when to ride that horse as long as possible. Granted, it’s not like Spurrier’s been allergic to the running game in the past (even at Florida he churned out quality tailbacks like some guy by the name of Emmitt Smith) and if Stephen Garcia was your main option at quarterback, it’s easy to see why pounding away on the ground seems a little more palatable… but still: kinda weird. Meanwhile, Gene Chizik’s Auburn squad has its own freshman stud running back in Michael Dyer, although he’s only the third most prolific runner on this team, behind QB Cameron Newton and fellow RB Ontero McCalebb. Newton continues to be a work in progress in the passing game, but he’s a definite threat on the ground. With two powerful running games and two nasty, hard-hitting defenses (the Auburn-Clemson game a week ago seemed to feature a game-stopping injury every third play), this one should be the kind of game Bo and Woody would have enjoyed, even if it is dressed up in SEC colors. Auburn has the homefield edge, but they’ve looked like the shakier side so far and it’s hard to shake the feeling that this could finally be the year that South Carolina breaks through.
THE PICK: SOUTH CAROLINA 17, AUBURN 13
#24 Oregon State (1-1) @ #3 Boise State (3-0) (8:00pm EST, ABC)
For the first time ever, College GameDay’s headed to Boise to party on the Smurf Turf as Boise State continues their inexorable march to, at the very least, a third BCS bowl appearance in the last five years – and perhaps even a BCS Championship Game appearance if a few things can break their way. Oregon State represents the last chance for one of the power conferences to derail the Broncos before they can crash the big boy party; all they have to do is accomplish the nigh-impossible: beat Boise on that aforementioned Smurf Turf. You could count the number of games Boise has lost on their home field in recent years on one hand, even if that one hand was a stump. They basically never, ever lose there. Oregon State gave TCU a run in the opener, but they struggled to put away a middling Louisville team traveling thousands of miles to Corvalis, OR last week; maybe they were just looking ahead to their big showdown with Boise, but it doesn’t breed much confidence. Meanwhile, Boise rebounded from seeing their national spotlight win over Virginia Tech lose almost all of its luster after the Hokies got knocked off by James Madison by turning around and curbstomping Wyoming last week. They seem pretty focused on doing what they need to do, which is just beating everyone in front of them. If this game was anywhere but Boise, I would give Oregon State a slight chance at the upset. But in Boise? Not happening.
THE PICK: BOISE STATE 37, OREGON STATE 24
#22 West Virginia (3-0) @ #15 LSU (3-0) (9:00pm EST, ESPN2)
Can ESPN just air three hours of these two fanbases tailgating and hanging out before the game? That’s almost guaranteed to be more interesting than whatever these two winning-but-flawed football teams do on the field, given how passionate (read: totally goddamn insane) their fans are. I would not want to be a cop in Baton Rouge on Saturday night. Anyway, the game. LSU enters the game as the sole team in the FBS who’s managed to record three wins over fellow BCS teams; sure those three teams were SEC bottomfeeders Vanderbilt and Mississippi State and a hugely depleted North Carolina team, but hey: wins over teams that aren’t just there to collect a fat paycheck are nothing to sniff about at this stage of the season. After inexplicably giving up a career day to North Carolina’s TJ Yates, the LSU defense has buckled down considerably, holding Vandy and MSU to a combined 10 points and roughly 400 yards of total offense. Which is good because the LSU offense has looked a mite sluggish; they needed big second halves to break open both games. West Virginia’s 3-0 mark contains two wins over FBS competition, but they haven’t looked hugely impressive in doing so; they needed a quasi-miraculous comeback to get by in-state rivals Marshall two weeks ago and they let Maryland hang around for a good chunk of the game a week ago. Geno Smith is emerging as a solid quarterback (71/101, 800 yards, 7/1 TD/INT), but he hasn’t faced a defense nearly as brutal as LSU’s, nor a cornerback as impenetrable as Patrick Peterson, and while Noel Devine is slippery, busting off runs against CUSA and ACC defenses is one thing; doing it against one of the SEC’s best is another. And picking against LSU in Death Valley at night? You must be crazy.
THE PICK: LSU 27, WEST VIRGINIA 14
Cal (2-1) @ #14 Arizona (3-0) (10:00pm EST, FSN)
Arizona is the team of the moment, and justifiably so after picking up one of the young season's signature wins in knocking off a top-ten team in Iowa. But the college football season is a marathon, not a sprint; it's one thing to get amped up for one big night game on national TV, against an opponent that your coach has history with and that you wanted to beat to avenge a loss from last fall -- it's another thing entirely to be able to maintain that level of focus and passion throughout eight, nine, or ten more games. Arizona was well-coached and well-prepared for their game with Iowa and executed their gameplan very well... but 18-22 year olds can't (and won't) execute at that level, week in and week out. So the trick becomes winning when you aren't at your best. And a week after such a big win, after spending all week reading stories about how great they are and how they've shed the "mediocre" or "underachiever" labels that have dogged them in the past, it would be an absolute stunner if there wasn't a little bit of a hangover there. On the flipside, Cal's coming off one of the most humiliating losses of Jeff Tedford's tenure, a game in which their defense got utterly destroyed by Nevada's Colin Kaepernick. But they're not as bad as they looked in that game and they have the talent to give Arizona some troubles if their heads aren't totally in the game. On the other hand, the home team has won five straight in this series...
THE PICK: ARIZONA 34, CAL 30
Showing posts with label Oregon State Beavers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oregon State Beavers. Show all posts
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Game Re-Cap: TCU 30 Oregon State 21
This was the game I was most looking forward to on Saturday night. I had TCU ranked at #11 and Oregon State at #17 in my pre-season poll.
First Quarter
Oregon State won the toss and elected to receive. Sophomore QB Ryan Katz was sacked on the second play of the game and fumbled but OSU luckily recovered. OSU went three and out on their first drive on 3 pass attempts. TCU got the ball and made a first down but then Andy Dalton threw it right to OSU’s Lance Mitchell. Mitchell made the interception and returned it into TCU territory. Two plays later Katz hit a wide open James Rodgers in the end zone.
First Quarter
Oregon State won the toss and elected to receive. Sophomore QB Ryan Katz was sacked on the second play of the game and fumbled but OSU luckily recovered. OSU went three and out on their first drive on 3 pass attempts. TCU got the ball and made a first down but then Andy Dalton threw it right to OSU’s Lance Mitchell. Mitchell made the interception and returned it into TCU territory. Two plays later Katz hit a wide open James Rodgers in the end zone.
Oregon State 7 TCU 0
TCU’s best play in the early going was Andy Dalton scrambling. Dalton hit a nice 51 yard pass to Skye Dawson to set up TCU in the red zone. TCU put together a 9-play drive culminating in a TD run by Andy Dalton.
Oregon State 7 TCU 7
Oregon State broke out their Wild Beaver set on their next drive (insert your joke here). Oregon State missed a 47 yard FG wide left. OSU’s Stephen Paea came up with a big sack of Dalton on 3rd and 9 to end the quarter.
Second Quarter
Oregon State faked a punt and got 22 yards and a first down. Apparently their punter was a QB in High School. On the very next play Katz connected with Jordan Bishop for a 34 yard TD pass. It’s amazing how quickly momentum can change in College Football.
Oregon State 14 TCU 7
TCU put together a strong drive that culminated in a short 1 yard TD pass by Dalton on a play-action roll-out.
Oregon State 14 TCU 14
The teams traded the ball back and forth. OSU hit a really low punt and TCU’s Kerley took it back to the OSU 23 with 2 and a half minutes to go in the half. Ed Wesley finished off the short field with an 8 yard TD run to give TCU the lead for the first time in the game.
TCU 21 Oregon State 14
Third Quarter
TCU took the ball all the way down the field and looked like they were going to take full control of the game but OSU came up with an interception in the red zone. OSU drove the ball down the field behind the Rodgers’ brothers and tied it up on a Jacquizz run. Jacquizz really came alive in that last drive.
Oregon State 21 TCU 21
TCU responded to OSU’s scoring drive by moving down the field systematically. Andy Dalton took it in for a TD on a QB keeper out of the Pistol formation.
TCU 28 Oregon State 21
Fourth Quarter
Andy Dalton converted a big 3rd and 7 with a QB sneak with 7 minutes left in the game. Oregon State stopped TCU on the next 3rd down conversion and they got the ball back with 4 minutes left in the game. On OSU’s first play of the drive the center snapped the ball over Katz’s head and Katz kicked the ball through the end zone for a safety.
TCU 30 Oregon State 21
After getting the ball back after the safety TCU ran out the clock by staying on the ground and won the game.
Final Score: TCU 30 Oregon State 21
Big win by TCU as this is one of the two toughest games on their schedule. TCU has one of the easiest remaining schedules in the nation with only Utah and BYU left as legitimate tests. TCU's experience really showed down the stretch and the huge botched snap by Oregon State was too much for them to overcome.
Player of the Game
Andy Dalton, QB, TCU
17 for 27 for 175 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
15 rushes for 64 yds, 2 TD
15 rushes for 64 yds, 2 TD
Star Watch
Ed Wesley, RB, TCU
17 carries for 134 yds, 1 TD
Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, OSU
18 carries for 75 yds, 1 TD
James Rodgers, WR, OSU
4 rec for 74 yds, 1 TD
Ed Wesley, RB, TCU
17 carries for 134 yds, 1 TD
Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, OSU
18 carries for 75 yds, 1 TD
James Rodgers, WR, OSU
4 rec for 74 yds, 1 TD
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Six Pack Games of the Week: September 2-6
Every week, I'll throw a spotlight on the six most interesting games of the weekend to tell you why these are the games you should try to catch, who's going to win (and why), and what ramifications they could have on the rest of the college football landscape.
Pittsburgh @ Utah (8:30pm EST, Versus)
While ESPN continues to torment us with a third-straight year of featuring South Carolina in the Thursday-night opener, Versus has stepped up to the plate with a game of actual intrigue. Unlike most opening week affairs, it pits two teams with a pulse against one another; in fact, these two teams are legitimate contenders to win their respective conferences. So it's got that going for it. It's also a rematch of the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, which would probably be more meaningful if it hadn't been, you know, one of the worst BCS bowl games in recent memory. You're probably going to watch just about anything on the first night of real college football in eight months, but here's a game that shouldn't just be empty calories.
THE PICK: Utah 27, Pitt 23
SATURDAY, SEP. 4
Purdue @ Notre Dame (3:30pm EST, NBC)
I wouldn't normally focus on a game featuring two unranked teams in this feature, but the pickings are slim on the opening weekend and this game should actually be fairly intriguing. On one side you've got Purdue entering Year 2 of the Danny Hope Era with hopes of new QB Robert Marve and stud DE Ryan Kerrigan spearheading a dark horse Big Ten challenge -- or at least a return to a bowl game for the first time in three years. On the other side you've got Notre Dame getting their first taste of life without Charlie Weis -- and life with Brian Kelly. Love or loathe Notre Dame, their first steps under Brian Kelly should be interesting -- and if you like high-scoring passing offenses, this game should have a couple good ones.
THE PICK: Notre Dame 34, Purdue 31
Connecticut @ Michigan (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN)
UConn's a slightly under the radar pick to win the Big East, and a win over Michigan (even Michigan in its current emaciated state) would be a hell of a way to jump-start that campaign. They have plenty of returning talent from a squad that was just a few plays away from being a 10-win team a year ago and they have a hard-nosed, underrated coach in Randy Edsall who's resisted overtures from bigger programs to try and do something special in Storrs; this year's team may be his best bet to do just that. Meanwhile, Michigan enters the season with a defensive secondary in shambles, uncertainty at quarterback, the lingering malaise of the last two bowl-less seasons, and a coach under intense fire to prove that his system can work in Ann Arbor. Oh, and Michigan's lost two of their last three season openers. So, you know, no pressure or anything.
THE PICK: UConn 35, Michigan 28
TCU vs. Oregon State (7:45pm EST, ESPN)
Boise State gets most of the preseason plaudits among the non-BCS crowd since they return twenty starters and are coming off a 14-0 season and a win over this same TCU team in the Fiesta Bowl. On the other hand, TCU returns a ton of talent in their own right (9 on offense, 7 on defense) and should be very, very good in their own right. This game is an early (and rare, given their normal presence on the TV ghetto that is The MTN) chance for them to state their case in front of a national audience, which should have them plenty fired up. Given their relative starting positions in the polls TCU is likely going to need Boise State to slip up somewhere to move ahead of them in the hunt for a guaranteed BCS slot -- or even a spot in the national title game, which is a realistic possibility with both teams starting in the top 10. But in Oregon State, TCU should have a solid test on their hands; the Beavers have to break in a new QB, but they do bring back both of the fabulous Rodgers brothers.
THE PICK: TCU 31, Oregon State 17
LSU vs. North Carolina (8:00pm EST, ABC)
To be fair, this game looked a hell of a lot more interesting before damn near the entire North Carolina starting defense was rumored to be suspended for various rules violations; back before that it looked like it was going to pit a pair of nasty defenses and two teams that are vaguely dark horse picks to win their respective conferences. Now you have a UNC team mired in scandal, likely to be missing multiple players off what was expected to be a very strong defense. LSU has question marks of their own, but nothing like what UNC is facing and they have the added benefit of not having to deal with distracting scandals and having a better offense. This game has turned into a de facto SEC-ACC Challenge; so far the SEC is 2-0, with Alabama picking up wins over Clemson and Virginia Tech. LSU should make it three in a row without too much difficulty.
THE PICK: LSU 27, UNC 14
MONDAY, SEP. 6
Boise State vs. Virginia Tech (8:00pm EST, ESPN)
These are the games where Boise has excelled in their rise to prominence over the past few years, splashy non-conference showdowns in which they have weeks to prepare for their opponent. And, as has been noted in just about every preview written about them, they return 20 of 22 starters from last year's 14-0 team. That's a good thing. On the other hand, they've never quite played a game like this one; the game is ostensibly at a "neutral site," but it's in FedEx Field at Washington, D.C., a few skips and jump away from the Hokies' home base in Blacksburg, VA -- and quite a few hops away from Boise. There should be no lack of motivation from the Hokies, either; they're ranked high enough to largely control their own national title destiny at this stage of the season and a win over a top-5 squad like Boise will only shoot them higher. Past BSU victims in high-profile games (Oklahoma in the '07 Fiesta or TCU in the '10 Fiesta) could point to the fact that the Fiesta Bowl was a consolation prize; Oklahoma had missed out on the national title game because of a pair of regular season losses (to Colorado and Texas Tech), while TCU had missed out on the national title game on account of Texas' last-second field goal in the Big XII Conference Championship Game. There won't be any such issues hampering Virginia Tech this year and there should be little reason for them to overlook Boise State after Boise's near-constant success over the past five years. There are some interesting match-ups to watch in the game, too; can Boise handle Virginia Tech's punishing running game (which should be even better with a healthy Darren Evans to spell Ryan Williams) and the athleticism of Tyrod Taylor? Conversely, can Virginia Tech's rebuilt defense handle the high-powered and experienced Boise offense, especially the pinpoint passing of Kellen Moore? It should be a fascinating battle.
THE PICK: Virginia Tech 28, Boise State 21
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Pac-10 Preview
2009 Standings
Oregon 10-3 (8-1)
Arizona 8-5 (6-3)
Oregon State 8-5 (6-3)
Stanford 8-5 (6-3)
USC 9-4 (5-4)
California 8-5 (5-4)
Washington 5-7 (4-5)
UCLA 7-6 (3-6)
Arizona State 4-8 (2-7)
Washington State 1-11 (0-9)
Returning Leaders: Passing
Kevin Riley, Cal, Sr (209 of 382 for 2850 yds, 18 TD, 8 INT)
Jake Locker, Washington, Sr (230 of 395 for 2800, 21 TD, 11 INT)
Matt Barkley, USC, Soph (211 of 352 for 2735, 15 TD, 14 INT)
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Soph (162 of 288 for 2575, 13 TD, 4 INT)
Nick Foles, Arizona, Jr (257 of 400 for 2465, 19 TD, 9 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
LaMichael James, Oregon, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Chris Polk, Washington, Jr (226 carries for 1113 yds, 5 TD, 4.9 ypc)
Shane Vereen, Cal, Jr (183 carries for 952 yds, 12 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
James Rodgers, OSU, Sr (91 rec for 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (78 rec for 522 yds, 1 TD, 6.0 rec/game)
Ryan Whalen, Stanford, Sr (57 rec for 926 yds, 4 TD, 4.4 rec/game)
Jeff Maehl, Oregon, Sr (53 rec for 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Jermaine Kearse, Washington, Jr (50 rec for 866 yds, 8 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Mike Mohamed, Cal, Sr, LB (111 total, 8.54 tackles/game)
John Boyett, Oregon, Soph, S (90 total, 6.92 tackles/game)
Mason Foster, Washington, Sr, LB (85 total, 7.08 tackles/game)
Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Wash St, Jr, LB (84 total, 7.64 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Kenny Rowe, Oregon, Sr, DE (11.5 sacks)
Ricky Elmore, Arizona, Sr, DE (10.5)
Nick Perry, USC, Soph, DE (9.0)
Thomas Keiser, Stanford, Jr, DE (8.0)
Cameron Jordan, Cal, Sr, DE (8.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Rahim Moore, UCLA, Jr, S (10 interceptions)
Trevin Wade, Arizona, Jr, CB (5)
Talmadge Jackson, Oregon, Sr, CB (4)
Akeem Ayers, UCLA, Jr, LB (4)
Around the Interweb
Who is your pick to win the Pac-10?
Scout.com's Oregon State site BeaverFootball.com:
It's hard not to pick Oregon, they have so much coming back. But the quarterback is so pivotal to that offense and team and Jeremiah Masoli had it down to a science. But with Masoli running afoul of the law and having been kicked off the team, the Ducks I think may falter in the chase for the crown. In the end, USC, allow they can't go to a bowl, finishes atop the Pac-10 standings.
Anthony from the USC based blog The Trojan Empire:
With 7 teams receiving first-place votes from the media, parity is evident in the Pac 10. I'm going to stray from the popular pick, which is Oregon, and choose the Beavers of Oregon State. Mike Riley's teams are notorious for slow starts, and have a difficult slate to begin the season, but once they enter Pac 10 play, they will entertain two of the conference favorites at home (USC, Oregon), while also welcoming the Golden Bears. Oregon appears a a world-beater at home, but no so much away from Autzen. USC has lost the last two games played in Corvallis, and if not for late Reggie Bush heroics, there would have been a third.
UCLA based blog The Trojan Haters Club:
One thing’s for sure – usc will not be representing the Conference in the Postseason this year. Even with all the defections, Lane Kiffin — a mediocre Head Coach at best — still has more talent on his roster than anyone else. But usc’s ban leaves Oregon in the driver’s seat to play in the Rose Bowl Game, even without dynamic stoner QB Jeremiah Masoli. The Ducks seemed like the Class of the Pac-10 last season.
Breaking Down The Pac-10
Arizona Wildcats
Chris (Prediction: #7): The only reasons I have Arizona falling this far is that I'm not sold on the offense's ability to win shootout games in this league. The offense is perfectly adequate, but adequate won't do it in a league this stacked offensively. Also there are some questions defensively, as the Wildcats only return 4 starters from a pretty good defense a year ago, and will also have to deal with switching to a completely different scheme. This all adds up to not being a contender for the Pac-10 title.
Ross (Prediction: #6): They lose a ton on defense (7 starters), return a ton on offense (8 starters), lose both coordinators... but they have a favorable schedule (5 conference home games and two of the conference road games are winnable ones @ UCLA and @ Washington State). If you wanted to swap them with Washington, I wouldn't argue.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Chris (Prediction: #9): Offensively the Sun Devils will struggle...but not as much as most people think. Who can forget that Steven Threet was adequate at Michigan two years ago before transferring away from Rich Rod's option heavy spread? Threet may not be the Sun Devils' savior in 2010, but 2011 may be a different story, especially if linebacking sensation Vontaze Burfict sticks around for the party. The Sun Devils' 2010 storyline: O will struggle and D will be good...not 2009 good, but good.
Ross (Prediction #9): LB Vontaze Burfict is one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately, his teammates kinda suck.
California Golden Bears
Chris (Prediction: #6): Separating the teams in the middle of the Pac-10 is like choosing the hottest girl at a Curves...in other words, it's difficult and extremely agonizing. To pick Cal over Arizona, I have to believe that Cal's pass defense will improve drastically (despite only returning one starter and probably starting a freshman). I don't, but in a quarterback's league, no guy has more experience than Kevin Riley. Riley will use that experience to exploit Pac-10 secondaries alongside one of the nation's best up-and-coming running backs in Shane Vereen. Also, Jeff Tedford coached teams play too well for the Bears to fall any further.
Ross (Prediction: #5): This seems to be in the default range that Cal is settling into under Tedford: good, but not great. Kevin Riley's back for a third year as starter, but he's shown little that makes you think he could lead them to the promised land. Still, the bottom rarely falls out on Tedford teams and they should have a strong offense.
Oregon Ducks
Chris (Prediction #1): At first I was skeptical about Oregon's contention (in the Pac-10 and nationally) without returning 2-year starter Jeremiah Masoli, but then a familiar name appeared in the starting lineup...one Nate Costa. Costa may not be a Masoli (which at this point we can't take as completely a bad thing, right?), but with all of the skill position talent at his disposal, and a completely intact offensive line, I have faith in Costa. Add in 8 returning starters on an improving defense and your have your conference champs. Oh wait, and did I mention LAMICHAEL JAMES!? How many guys in recent history can you remember who didn't start the season and finished with 1,500 yards rushing. Yeah, that's right, THIS GUY! They will ride on James' coattails all year, and James (who quickly became one of the nation's best) will lead them to Pac-10 glory.
Ross (Prediction: #1): Even without Masoli, this team is loaded on offense (9 returning starters, including the entire offensive line) and features a lot of returning faces on defense, too. If they get decent performance out of whoever emerges at QB, they should again be very, very good. The one concern: the schedule has them going to USC, Cal, and Oregon State, three difficult road games.
Oregon State Beavers
Chris (Prediction #4): The Rodgers' brothers are going to rewrite a lot of Oregon State records together. That doesn't necessarily equal Pac-10 contention, but if they stay healthy, there's no arguing that they can make a run at the Rose Bowl. The key will be sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz (assuming he's the starter). If the Rodgers' brothers have to drag him along for the whole ride, it's unlikely the Beavers will even crack the top half. But the offensive and defensive talent is such that if Katz is just efficient and the Beavers' staff plays not to lose (a risky way to play believe it or not) they should finish high enough to warrant a good bowl and season they can be proud of.
Ross (Prediction #2): Definite potential to be atop the league, given how much they return on offense (8 overall, including 4/5 of the offensive line and the marvelous Rodgers brothers) and the fact that Riley has developed into one of the most consistently good and reliable coaches in the Pac 10. They also have a fairly favorable schedule, with three of their top opponents (Cal, USC, Oregon) all coming to Corvallis. Breaking in a brand-new QB is a worry, though.
Stanford Cardinal
Chris (Prediction: #3): Even if the Cardinal lost Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart, they return the Pac-10's most efficient passer...yes, sophomore Andrew Luck...not that kid named Clausen. The Cardinal may have snuck up on some teams last year, but this year teams will be wary from the get-go. Luck will have to turn that efficiency into even more productivity after losing his backfield mate, and especially with a suspect defense, will have to win more shootouts this year than a year ago. But don't sleep on Coach Jim Harbaugh. He is almost ready to contend annually for the Pac-10 hardware.
Ross (Prediction #4): There are reasons not to like them, like their porous defense, the fact that their star player and leader (Toby Gerhart) is gone, and the fact that they have a slew of potentially difficult road games (@ Notre Dame, @ Oregon, @ Washington, @ Cal)... but they also have arguably the best QB in the conference (Andrew Luck) and he has a lot of weapons back and Harbaugh has done such an incredible job of turning that program around that it's hard to bet against him.
UCLA Bruins
Chris (Prediction: #8): The Bruins have improved under Rick Neuheisel, and enjoyed some tempered success. However, this group is too young to contend for anything and the upward trend will at least be put on hold this year. That doesn't mean watching that other team from Los Angeles couldn't be exciting too. For one thing, the Bruins boast preseason All-Conference pick Rahim Moore, who last year picked off a PHENOMENAL 10 passes! $20 on him not topping that total this year to anyone who will take it, but if he does, doesn't that validate my they can be exciting claim?
Ross (Prediction: #8): They return a lot on offense and another year with Norm Chow should only help them progress on that front; unfortunately, they're going to need to outscore most of their opponents because they return little on defense and just lost one of their best players (Datone Jones) to an injury.
USC Trojans
Chris (Prediction: #2)- Many have the Trojans winning the Pac-10, especially now with Jeremiah Masoli moving on to Ole Miss, but I'm not sold. First off, how will the Trojans perform under the damper of not being able to play in the postseason? What about the other restrictions imposed by the NCAA? What about their enigmatic new head coach Lane Kiffin, who although has shown some impressive recruiting tactics, has yet to prove himself to be a great coach. Or how about their savior of a quarterback? You know, the kid who sort of kind of did something that was almost amazing but not really (beating Ohio State by giving the ball to Joe McKnight on pass plays to pad his stats on that final drive). Also, as a Pac-10 assistant correctly pointed out, Barkley didn't really improve with time. He makes too many mistakes, as was highlighted in his senior year of high school when he threw more picks than TD's...yet still managed to be a top prospect. Add to that the Trojans numbers last year (especially offensively where they struggled mightily for USC standards) and their sub-par defensive stats, and you've got the classic case of over-hyped team! The only reason that I am ranking them this high is that yes they are USC, and yes they have talent, especially at running back. If they can utilize their running backs' talent, get Matt Barkley to start throwing to his teammates and improve upon what is likely to be the worst SC defense of the last ten years, they have a chance to even be #1 in the Pac-10 next year. But any injuries become truly perilous, because their two-deep is just slathered with freshmen.
Ross (Prediction: #3): The bottom is going to drop out soon enough, but in the meantime they still have quite a bit of talent in the two-deeps and the ability to play the "us against the world" card while it's still fresh. On the other hand, Kiffin's track record as a HC isn't exactly great, they have a few tricky road games (@ Stanford, @ Oregon State), and this team will have a lot of distractions to try and overcome.
Washington Huskies
Chris (Prediction: #5): Despite not buying into the Jake Locker is the best quarterback in America circus (he's very good, but at least on the college level he's a poor man's Tebow...which pains me to say), it is impossible to ignore the offensive firepower they return. Add in what should be an improved defense, and you've got a team destined to finish in the top half of the conference.
Ross (Prediction: #7): The Huskies have a lot back on both sides of the ball (10 on offense, 8 on defense), good coaching, and made a lot of progress last year. A higher finish certainly wouldn't be a big surprise; I'm holding off until I see them win a few more games and prove that they can get over the hump. They're right on the cusp, though.
Washington State Cougars
Chris (Prediction: #10): Not very many people know how bad the Cougars were last year, because in an improved Pac-10 there was plenty of good to focus in on...which left the magnifying glass off the Cougars at the bottom. Not only did they not win a Pac-10 game, going 0-9, the Cougars failed to score 20 points on any team not named SMU...which represented their one win on the season. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-10 in every major offensive and defensive category, and save passing offense (which ranked 100th nationally), they finished every major offensive or defensive category ranked below 115. The team brings back 11 starters total. A total which doesn't include their leading passer, rusher, or a returning punter or kicker. You can look at that one of two ways...the first, it's a lot of new blood that can possibly improve upon their dismal showing from a year ago. The second way...it's going to be an even rougher season in the basement of the Pac-10. I tend to side with the second one.
Ross (Prediction: #10): Someday they'll be good again. Probably. Maybe. In any event, it ain't happening this year. Their goal should be getting their average margin of defeat under 30 ppg -- then they can start thinking about inching towards respectability again.
CFBZ Predicted Pac-10 Finish
1. Oregon Ducks
2. Oregon State Beavers
3. USC Trojans
4. Stanford Cardinal
5. Washington Huskies
6. Arizona Wildcats
7. California Golden Bears
8. UCLA Bruins
9. Arizona State Wildcats
10. Washington State Cougars
Oregon 10-3 (8-1)
Arizona 8-5 (6-3)
Oregon State 8-5 (6-3)
Stanford 8-5 (6-3)
USC 9-4 (5-4)
California 8-5 (5-4)
Washington 5-7 (4-5)
UCLA 7-6 (3-6)
Arizona State 4-8 (2-7)
Washington State 1-11 (0-9)
Returning Leaders: Passing
Kevin Riley, Cal, Sr (209 of 382 for 2850 yds, 18 TD, 8 INT)
Jake Locker, Washington, Sr (230 of 395 for 2800, 21 TD, 11 INT)
Matt Barkley, USC, Soph (211 of 352 for 2735, 15 TD, 14 INT)
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Soph (162 of 288 for 2575, 13 TD, 4 INT)
Nick Foles, Arizona, Jr (257 of 400 for 2465, 19 TD, 9 INT)
Returning Leaders: Rushing
LaMichael James, Oregon, Soph (230 carries for 1546 yds, 14 TD)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Chris Polk, Washington, Jr (226 carries for 1113 yds, 5 TD, 4.9 ypc)
Shane Vereen, Cal, Jr (183 carries for 952 yds, 12 TD, 5.2 ypc)
Returning Leaders: Receiving
James Rodgers, OSU, Sr (91 rec for 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game)
Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU, Jr (78 rec for 522 yds, 1 TD, 6.0 rec/game)
Ryan Whalen, Stanford, Sr (57 rec for 926 yds, 4 TD, 4.4 rec/game)
Jeff Maehl, Oregon, Sr (53 rec for 696 yds, 6 TD, 4.1 rec/game)
Jermaine Kearse, Washington, Jr (50 rec for 866 yds, 8 TD)
Returning Leaders: Tackles
Mike Mohamed, Cal, Sr, LB (111 total, 8.54 tackles/game)
John Boyett, Oregon, Soph, S (90 total, 6.92 tackles/game)
Mason Foster, Washington, Sr, LB (85 total, 7.08 tackles/game)
Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Wash St, Jr, LB (84 total, 7.64 tackles/game)
Returning Leaders: Sacks
Kenny Rowe, Oregon, Sr, DE (11.5 sacks)
Ricky Elmore, Arizona, Sr, DE (10.5)
Nick Perry, USC, Soph, DE (9.0)
Thomas Keiser, Stanford, Jr, DE (8.0)
Cameron Jordan, Cal, Sr, DE (8.0)
Returning Leaders: Interceptions
Rahim Moore, UCLA, Jr, S (10 interceptions)
Trevin Wade, Arizona, Jr, CB (5)
Talmadge Jackson, Oregon, Sr, CB (4)
Akeem Ayers, UCLA, Jr, LB (4)
Around the Interweb
Who is your pick to win the Pac-10?
Scout.com's Oregon State site BeaverFootball.com:
It's hard not to pick Oregon, they have so much coming back. But the quarterback is so pivotal to that offense and team and Jeremiah Masoli had it down to a science. But with Masoli running afoul of the law and having been kicked off the team, the Ducks I think may falter in the chase for the crown. In the end, USC, allow they can't go to a bowl, finishes atop the Pac-10 standings.
Anthony from the USC based blog The Trojan Empire:
With 7 teams receiving first-place votes from the media, parity is evident in the Pac 10. I'm going to stray from the popular pick, which is Oregon, and choose the Beavers of Oregon State. Mike Riley's teams are notorious for slow starts, and have a difficult slate to begin the season, but once they enter Pac 10 play, they will entertain two of the conference favorites at home (USC, Oregon), while also welcoming the Golden Bears. Oregon appears a a world-beater at home, but no so much away from Autzen. USC has lost the last two games played in Corvallis, and if not for late Reggie Bush heroics, there would have been a third.
UCLA based blog The Trojan Haters Club:
One thing’s for sure – usc will not be representing the Conference in the Postseason this year. Even with all the defections, Lane Kiffin — a mediocre Head Coach at best — still has more talent on his roster than anyone else. But usc’s ban leaves Oregon in the driver’s seat to play in the Rose Bowl Game, even without dynamic stoner QB Jeremiah Masoli. The Ducks seemed like the Class of the Pac-10 last season.
Breaking Down The Pac-10
Arizona Wildcats
Chris (Prediction: #7): The only reasons I have Arizona falling this far is that I'm not sold on the offense's ability to win shootout games in this league. The offense is perfectly adequate, but adequate won't do it in a league this stacked offensively. Also there are some questions defensively, as the Wildcats only return 4 starters from a pretty good defense a year ago, and will also have to deal with switching to a completely different scheme. This all adds up to not being a contender for the Pac-10 title.
Ross (Prediction: #6): They lose a ton on defense (7 starters), return a ton on offense (8 starters), lose both coordinators... but they have a favorable schedule (5 conference home games and two of the conference road games are winnable ones @ UCLA and @ Washington State). If you wanted to swap them with Washington, I wouldn't argue.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Chris (Prediction: #9): Offensively the Sun Devils will struggle...but not as much as most people think. Who can forget that Steven Threet was adequate at Michigan two years ago before transferring away from Rich Rod's option heavy spread? Threet may not be the Sun Devils' savior in 2010, but 2011 may be a different story, especially if linebacking sensation Vontaze Burfict sticks around for the party. The Sun Devils' 2010 storyline: O will struggle and D will be good...not 2009 good, but good.
Ross (Prediction #9): LB Vontaze Burfict is one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately, his teammates kinda suck.
California Golden Bears
Chris (Prediction: #6): Separating the teams in the middle of the Pac-10 is like choosing the hottest girl at a Curves...in other words, it's difficult and extremely agonizing. To pick Cal over Arizona, I have to believe that Cal's pass defense will improve drastically (despite only returning one starter and probably starting a freshman). I don't, but in a quarterback's league, no guy has more experience than Kevin Riley. Riley will use that experience to exploit Pac-10 secondaries alongside one of the nation's best up-and-coming running backs in Shane Vereen. Also, Jeff Tedford coached teams play too well for the Bears to fall any further.
Ross (Prediction: #5): This seems to be in the default range that Cal is settling into under Tedford: good, but not great. Kevin Riley's back for a third year as starter, but he's shown little that makes you think he could lead them to the promised land. Still, the bottom rarely falls out on Tedford teams and they should have a strong offense.
Oregon Ducks
Chris (Prediction #1): At first I was skeptical about Oregon's contention (in the Pac-10 and nationally) without returning 2-year starter Jeremiah Masoli, but then a familiar name appeared in the starting lineup...one Nate Costa. Costa may not be a Masoli (which at this point we can't take as completely a bad thing, right?), but with all of the skill position talent at his disposal, and a completely intact offensive line, I have faith in Costa. Add in 8 returning starters on an improving defense and your have your conference champs. Oh wait, and did I mention LAMICHAEL JAMES!? How many guys in recent history can you remember who didn't start the season and finished with 1,500 yards rushing. Yeah, that's right, THIS GUY! They will ride on James' coattails all year, and James (who quickly became one of the nation's best) will lead them to Pac-10 glory.
Ross (Prediction: #1): Even without Masoli, this team is loaded on offense (9 returning starters, including the entire offensive line) and features a lot of returning faces on defense, too. If they get decent performance out of whoever emerges at QB, they should again be very, very good. The one concern: the schedule has them going to USC, Cal, and Oregon State, three difficult road games.
Oregon State Beavers
Chris (Prediction #4): The Rodgers' brothers are going to rewrite a lot of Oregon State records together. That doesn't necessarily equal Pac-10 contention, but if they stay healthy, there's no arguing that they can make a run at the Rose Bowl. The key will be sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz (assuming he's the starter). If the Rodgers' brothers have to drag him along for the whole ride, it's unlikely the Beavers will even crack the top half. But the offensive and defensive talent is such that if Katz is just efficient and the Beavers' staff plays not to lose (a risky way to play believe it or not) they should finish high enough to warrant a good bowl and season they can be proud of.
Ross (Prediction #2): Definite potential to be atop the league, given how much they return on offense (8 overall, including 4/5 of the offensive line and the marvelous Rodgers brothers) and the fact that Riley has developed into one of the most consistently good and reliable coaches in the Pac 10. They also have a fairly favorable schedule, with three of their top opponents (Cal, USC, Oregon) all coming to Corvallis. Breaking in a brand-new QB is a worry, though.
Stanford Cardinal
Chris (Prediction: #3): Even if the Cardinal lost Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart, they return the Pac-10's most efficient passer...yes, sophomore Andrew Luck...not that kid named Clausen. The Cardinal may have snuck up on some teams last year, but this year teams will be wary from the get-go. Luck will have to turn that efficiency into even more productivity after losing his backfield mate, and especially with a suspect defense, will have to win more shootouts this year than a year ago. But don't sleep on Coach Jim Harbaugh. He is almost ready to contend annually for the Pac-10 hardware.
Ross (Prediction #4): There are reasons not to like them, like their porous defense, the fact that their star player and leader (Toby Gerhart) is gone, and the fact that they have a slew of potentially difficult road games (@ Notre Dame, @ Oregon, @ Washington, @ Cal)... but they also have arguably the best QB in the conference (Andrew Luck) and he has a lot of weapons back and Harbaugh has done such an incredible job of turning that program around that it's hard to bet against him.
UCLA Bruins
Chris (Prediction: #8): The Bruins have improved under Rick Neuheisel, and enjoyed some tempered success. However, this group is too young to contend for anything and the upward trend will at least be put on hold this year. That doesn't mean watching that other team from Los Angeles couldn't be exciting too. For one thing, the Bruins boast preseason All-Conference pick Rahim Moore, who last year picked off a PHENOMENAL 10 passes! $20 on him not topping that total this year to anyone who will take it, but if he does, doesn't that validate my they can be exciting claim?
Ross (Prediction: #8): They return a lot on offense and another year with Norm Chow should only help them progress on that front; unfortunately, they're going to need to outscore most of their opponents because they return little on defense and just lost one of their best players (Datone Jones) to an injury.
USC Trojans
Chris (Prediction: #2)- Many have the Trojans winning the Pac-10, especially now with Jeremiah Masoli moving on to Ole Miss, but I'm not sold. First off, how will the Trojans perform under the damper of not being able to play in the postseason? What about the other restrictions imposed by the NCAA? What about their enigmatic new head coach Lane Kiffin, who although has shown some impressive recruiting tactics, has yet to prove himself to be a great coach. Or how about their savior of a quarterback? You know, the kid who sort of kind of did something that was almost amazing but not really (beating Ohio State by giving the ball to Joe McKnight on pass plays to pad his stats on that final drive). Also, as a Pac-10 assistant correctly pointed out, Barkley didn't really improve with time. He makes too many mistakes, as was highlighted in his senior year of high school when he threw more picks than TD's...yet still managed to be a top prospect. Add to that the Trojans numbers last year (especially offensively where they struggled mightily for USC standards) and their sub-par defensive stats, and you've got the classic case of over-hyped team! The only reason that I am ranking them this high is that yes they are USC, and yes they have talent, especially at running back. If they can utilize their running backs' talent, get Matt Barkley to start throwing to his teammates and improve upon what is likely to be the worst SC defense of the last ten years, they have a chance to even be #1 in the Pac-10 next year. But any injuries become truly perilous, because their two-deep is just slathered with freshmen.
Ross (Prediction: #3): The bottom is going to drop out soon enough, but in the meantime they still have quite a bit of talent in the two-deeps and the ability to play the "us against the world" card while it's still fresh. On the other hand, Kiffin's track record as a HC isn't exactly great, they have a few tricky road games (@ Stanford, @ Oregon State), and this team will have a lot of distractions to try and overcome.
Washington Huskies
Chris (Prediction: #5): Despite not buying into the Jake Locker is the best quarterback in America circus (he's very good, but at least on the college level he's a poor man's Tebow...which pains me to say), it is impossible to ignore the offensive firepower they return. Add in what should be an improved defense, and you've got a team destined to finish in the top half of the conference.
Ross (Prediction: #7): The Huskies have a lot back on both sides of the ball (10 on offense, 8 on defense), good coaching, and made a lot of progress last year. A higher finish certainly wouldn't be a big surprise; I'm holding off until I see them win a few more games and prove that they can get over the hump. They're right on the cusp, though.
Washington State Cougars
Chris (Prediction: #10): Not very many people know how bad the Cougars were last year, because in an improved Pac-10 there was plenty of good to focus in on...which left the magnifying glass off the Cougars at the bottom. Not only did they not win a Pac-10 game, going 0-9, the Cougars failed to score 20 points on any team not named SMU...which represented their one win on the season. The Cougars ranked last in the Pac-10 in every major offensive and defensive category, and save passing offense (which ranked 100th nationally), they finished every major offensive or defensive category ranked below 115. The team brings back 11 starters total. A total which doesn't include their leading passer, rusher, or a returning punter or kicker. You can look at that one of two ways...the first, it's a lot of new blood that can possibly improve upon their dismal showing from a year ago. The second way...it's going to be an even rougher season in the basement of the Pac-10. I tend to side with the second one.
Ross (Prediction: #10): Someday they'll be good again. Probably. Maybe. In any event, it ain't happening this year. Their goal should be getting their average margin of defeat under 30 ppg -- then they can start thinking about inching towards respectability again.
CFBZ Predicted Pac-10 Finish
1. Oregon Ducks
2. Oregon State Beavers
3. USC Trojans
4. Stanford Cardinal
5. Washington Huskies
6. Arizona Wildcats
7. California Golden Bears
8. UCLA Bruins
9. Arizona State Wildcats
10. Washington State Cougars
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: Oregon State Beavers
2009 Record: 8-5 (6-3 in Pac-10)
2009 Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl (lost to BYU 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Mike Riley (64-47, 37-23 in Pac-10)
Non-Conference Schedule: TCU (9/4), Louisville (9/18), at Boise State (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 31.5 points per game (3rd in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 139 (6th in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 270 (1st in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 410 (3rd in Pac-10)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.0 points per game (6th in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 114 (3rd in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 235 (6th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 349 (6th in Pac-10)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.38 per game (2nd in Pac-10)
Penalties: 59 yards per game (7th in Pac-10)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ryan Katz, Sr (14 of 27 for 232 yds, 1 TD)
Rushing: RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc, 110 ypg)
Receiving: WR James Rodgers, Sr (91 rec, 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game, 79 ypg)
Tackles: FS Lance Mitchell, Jr (72); SS Cameron Collins, Jr (67)
Sacks: DE Gabe Miller, Sr (3); DL Stephen Paea, Sr (3)
Interceptions: FS Lance Mitchell, Jr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #27
Mark Schlabach: #22
Phil Steele: #38
Rivals: #20
Sporting News: #15
Sports Illustrated: #17
2010 Pre-Season Pac-10 Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #5 (tie with Stanford and Washington)
Bowl Predictions:
Athlon Sports: Holiday Bowl (vs. Texas Tech)
Phil Steele: Las Vegas Bowl (vs. Utah)
Over the last 4 years Oregon State and coach Mike Riley have amassed a 35-17 record and have gone 25-11 in the Pac-10 with their lowest finish being 3rd in the conference. This year Oregon State has a really tough out-of-conference schedule (they also played a really tough schedule two years ago falling to Penn State and Utah out of conference and had a bit of an easier road in 2009 but did schedule and fall to Cincinnati) facing TCU in week one and playing at Boise State in week three (as well as a game against Louisville under new coach Charlie Strong). Oregon State is capable of winning the Pac-10 this year (as are many teams in the Pac-10). We spoke with Jim Phillips of Scout.com's BeaverFootball.com to find out more about the 2010 Oregon State Beavers.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the Beavers?
Oregon State fields a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who has carried the mail to the tune 2,693 rushing yards in his first two seasons. They also have a dominant defensive lineman and All-America candidate in DT Stephen Paea. Although they were stout defensively in most areas, the defense had a paltry 17 sacks last season, by far the fewest by OSU in the decade. They’ll need to improve that stat significantly if they are to once again contend for the Pac-10 title.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
OSU has arguably the toughest non-conference slate in the nation this year. They play on the road in Texas to open the season against TCU – who is ranked a consensus No. 5 by most preseason pollsters.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
What’s most concerning is a combination of teams, really. The Beavs open with TCU, Louisville and Boise State. TCU and Boise State both figure not just to be ranked but to show up in the nation's Top 5 and both games are on the road – that makes for a flat out brutal non-conference schedule. The other non-con opponent sandwiched in between, Louisville, is no slouch. In fact, each one of the Beavers' three non-conference games will be against a team that's been in one of the BCS bowl games during the past four years. Add in that OSU has started slow the last few years in a row and it gets even tougher.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
That’s a tough one, there are a lot of unsung players worthy of mention. We’ll go with one who we think is ready to take another big step forward – TE Joe Halahuni. A small-school product from Orting, Wash., Halahuni as a burst onto the scene midseason last year, finishing with 35 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns. In the last seven games, he snagged 27 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns. His nine catch performance at USC and his two 100 yard plus receiving games are school records for a tight end. And he's only going to be a junior this season.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
It’s hard not to look at Quizz – he needs only 1,169 rushing yards to move into second place all-time at Oregon State and he too is only going to be a junior this season. But we would be remiss if we didn’t also mention his brother, James Rodgers. The senior wide receiver is on the verge of setting a number of all-time program marks but what’s most impressive is how he’s gone about it. He transformed the OSU offense his freshman year with his running the fly-sweep. Then, he went out and became one of the nation's top-flight pass catcher the past two years.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
By the time the season ends, Stephen Paea may well be considered the best defensive tackle in all of college football. His strength is ridiculous – he’s already a virtual shoo-in to set the all-time NFL combine mark in the bench press next spring. He can beat double teams, chase down quarterbacks and often tosses aside solid o-lineman like they were chew toys. What OSU needs is for someone to also command respect next to him, and midway through the ’09 season they found it in Brennan Olander. If Olander plays the way we think he will in ‘10, the combination of Paea and Olander on the interior of the d-line could be a sight to see.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
You could choose multiple players here but two who will be key are wide receivers Markus Wheaton and Jordan Bishop. Both are young and have a world of potential but it’s also time to turn that potential into production – doing so will not allow opponents to overplay star James Rodgers.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Oregon State took a small signing class and the bulk of players were for defense. The ones who are on the offensive side of the ball are likely to redshirt with upperclassmen ahead of them.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Dominic Glover will be counted upon to shore up the defensive ends, Scott Crichton has potential star power out on the edge as well. Watch for Ryan Murphy – safeties usually take a few years to develop but he might make an early impact on special teams.
Who is your pick for the Pac-10 this year? Is there anybody flying under the radar that you think will surprise people this year in the Pac-10?
It’s shaping up to where a repeat of last year might be in the cards – Oregon State and Oregon slugging it out in the Civil War for the Pac-10 title. Stanford might not be quite as good as most seem to think they will be – Toby Gerhart was such a big part of their success in ’09 – but they should still have a decent year. With everything hanging over their heads, USC might be in for, by their recent standards, an off year.
Thoughts on Colorado and Utah joining the Pac-10?
A good deal on all fronts. Now let’s get the Pac-10 TV network up and running.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Despite having a new QB and a brutal schedule, we'll go bold and say the Beavs will finish 9-3 or better. A bowl game makes the season a success. Competing for the Pac-10 title would make it that much sweeter.
Previous Pac-10 Previews:
Arizona State Sun Devils
California Golden Bears
Oregon Ducks
Stanford Cardinal
USC Trojans
Washington Huskies
Washington State Cougars
Next Up: UCLA Bruins
Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big 12- Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Syracuse Orange, UConn Huskies, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- FIU Golden Panthers, North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Las Vegas Bowl (lost to BYU 44-20)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Mike Riley (64-47, 37-23 in Pac-10)
Non-Conference Schedule: TCU (9/4), Louisville (9/18), at Boise State (9/25)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 31.5 points per game (3rd in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 139 (6th in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 270 (1st in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 410 (3rd in Pac-10)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.0 points per game (6th in Pac-10)
Rushing Yards/Game: 114 (3rd in Pac-10)
Passing Yards/Game: 235 (6th in Pac-10)
Total Yards/Game: 349 (6th in Pac-10)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.38 per game (2nd in Pac-10)
Penalties: 59 yards per game (7th in Pac-10)
Returning Starters
Offense: 8
Defense: 7
Kicker/Punter: 2
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Ryan Katz, Sr (14 of 27 for 232 yds, 1 TD)
Rushing: RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Jr (273 carries for 1440 yds, 21 TD, 5.2 ypc, 110 ypg)
Receiving: WR James Rodgers, Sr (91 rec, 1034 yds, 9 TD, 7.0 rec/game, 79 ypg)
Tackles: FS Lance Mitchell, Jr (72); SS Cameron Collins, Jr (67)
Sacks: DE Gabe Miller, Sr (3); DL Stephen Paea, Sr (3)
Interceptions: FS Lance Mitchell, Jr (3)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #27
Mark Schlabach: #22
Phil Steele: #38
Rivals: #20
Sporting News: #15
Sports Illustrated: #17
2010 Pre-Season Pac-10 Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #3
Phil Steele: #5 (tie with Stanford and Washington)
Bowl Predictions:
Athlon Sports: Holiday Bowl (vs. Texas Tech)
Phil Steele: Las Vegas Bowl (vs. Utah)
Over the last 4 years Oregon State and coach Mike Riley have amassed a 35-17 record and have gone 25-11 in the Pac-10 with their lowest finish being 3rd in the conference. This year Oregon State has a really tough out-of-conference schedule (they also played a really tough schedule two years ago falling to Penn State and Utah out of conference and had a bit of an easier road in 2009 but did schedule and fall to Cincinnati) facing TCU in week one and playing at Boise State in week three (as well as a game against Louisville under new coach Charlie Strong). Oregon State is capable of winning the Pac-10 this year (as are many teams in the Pac-10). We spoke with Jim Phillips of Scout.com's BeaverFootball.com to find out more about the 2010 Oregon State Beavers.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of the Beavers?
Oregon State fields a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who has carried the mail to the tune 2,693 rushing yards in his first two seasons. They also have a dominant defensive lineman and All-America candidate in DT Stephen Paea. Although they were stout defensively in most areas, the defense had a paltry 17 sacks last season, by far the fewest by OSU in the decade. They’ll need to improve that stat significantly if they are to once again contend for the Pac-10 title.
Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?
OSU has arguably the toughest non-conference slate in the nation this year. They play on the road in Texas to open the season against TCU – who is ranked a consensus No. 5 by most preseason pollsters.
What team on the schedule do you fear the most?
What’s most concerning is a combination of teams, really. The Beavs open with TCU, Louisville and Boise State. TCU and Boise State both figure not just to be ranked but to show up in the nation's Top 5 and both games are on the road – that makes for a flat out brutal non-conference schedule. The other non-con opponent sandwiched in between, Louisville, is no slouch. In fact, each one of the Beavers' three non-conference games will be against a team that's been in one of the BCS bowl games during the past four years. Add in that OSU has started slow the last few years in a row and it gets even tougher.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
That’s a tough one, there are a lot of unsung players worthy of mention. We’ll go with one who we think is ready to take another big step forward – TE Joe Halahuni. A small-school product from Orting, Wash., Halahuni as a burst onto the scene midseason last year, finishing with 35 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns. In the last seven games, he snagged 27 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns. His nine catch performance at USC and his two 100 yard plus receiving games are school records for a tight end. And he's only going to be a junior this season.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
It’s hard not to look at Quizz – he needs only 1,169 rushing yards to move into second place all-time at Oregon State and he too is only going to be a junior this season. But we would be remiss if we didn’t also mention his brother, James Rodgers. The senior wide receiver is on the verge of setting a number of all-time program marks but what’s most impressive is how he’s gone about it. He transformed the OSU offense his freshman year with his running the fly-sweep. Then, he went out and became one of the nation's top-flight pass catcher the past two years.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
By the time the season ends, Stephen Paea may well be considered the best defensive tackle in all of college football. His strength is ridiculous – he’s already a virtual shoo-in to set the all-time NFL combine mark in the bench press next spring. He can beat double teams, chase down quarterbacks and often tosses aside solid o-lineman like they were chew toys. What OSU needs is for someone to also command respect next to him, and midway through the ’09 season they found it in Brennan Olander. If Olander plays the way we think he will in ‘10, the combination of Paea and Olander on the interior of the d-line could be a sight to see.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
You could choose multiple players here but two who will be key are wide receivers Markus Wheaton and Jordan Bishop. Both are young and have a world of potential but it’s also time to turn that potential into production – doing so will not allow opponents to overplay star James Rodgers.
Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Oregon State took a small signing class and the bulk of players were for defense. The ones who are on the offensive side of the ball are likely to redshirt with upperclassmen ahead of them.
Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?
Dominic Glover will be counted upon to shore up the defensive ends, Scott Crichton has potential star power out on the edge as well. Watch for Ryan Murphy – safeties usually take a few years to develop but he might make an early impact on special teams.
Who is your pick for the Pac-10 this year? Is there anybody flying under the radar that you think will surprise people this year in the Pac-10?
It’s shaping up to where a repeat of last year might be in the cards – Oregon State and Oregon slugging it out in the Civil War for the Pac-10 title. Stanford might not be quite as good as most seem to think they will be – Toby Gerhart was such a big part of their success in ’09 – but they should still have a decent year. With everything hanging over their heads, USC might be in for, by their recent standards, an off year.
Thoughts on Colorado and Utah joining the Pac-10?
A good deal on all fronts. Now let’s get the Pac-10 TV network up and running.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Despite having a new QB and a brutal schedule, we'll go bold and say the Beavs will finish 9-3 or better. A bowl game makes the season a success. Competing for the Pac-10 title would make it that much sweeter.
Previous Pac-10 Previews:
Arizona State Sun Devils
California Golden Bears
Oregon Ducks
Stanford Cardinal
USC Trojans
Washington Huskies
Washington State Cougars
Next Up: UCLA Bruins
Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big 12- Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Syracuse Orange, UConn Huskies, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars, SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- FIU Golden Panthers, North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
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