College BattleGround - Forum: Oregon St Hot Topics

College BattleGround on Oregon State Beavers part ways with head coach Gary Andersen

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 17:04:29 -0400

Gary Anderson is out as head coach of the Oregon State Beavers (1-5, 0-3 Pac-12), effective Monday per an announcement by the university. A decision that may have been brewing for quite some time arrived after the Beavers were dropped 38-10 by No. 14 USC, the fourteenth road loss in-a-row during Andersen’s tenure.

Assistant Cory Hall was named the interim coach replacing Andersen, who led OSU to a 7-23 overall record since taking over at the start of the 2015 season. Hall has been with the Beavers program since 2016 as a defensive back coach with stints at Weber State, Wisconsin, Clovis North HS (Fresno, CA) and Washington State going back to 2006.

The Colorado Buffaloes hit the road to face Oregon State this weekend (2 p.m. MT/ TV: Pac-12 Network). CU is looking to make it three straight wins over the Beavers after dominating last year’s game at Folsom Field, 47-6. The 41-point win is the largest margin of victory for the Buffs over a conference opponent in the past decade.

College BattleGround on Change the approach, not the Coach

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 17:34:57 -0400

Beaver Nation is disappointed. No question, the term “disappointed” is a major understatement of how the Oregon State community feels after the first three games of the season. Coach Andersen has put it out there that nobody is more frustrated than himself. I hope this is true. Not because I wish for Coach Andersen to suffer complications due to a season-long period of extremely elevated blood pressure, but because he might get desperate enough to make some changes.

Coach Andersen needs to re-evaluate his approach to the game. Go back to the very beginning and challenge every assumption he’s made going back from the off-season until now. It is pretty clear that the assumptions and the approach he has been working with are failing him.

Malcom Gladwell, the famed economist and and author, wrote a book about underdogs titled David and Goliath. One anecdote that Gladwell used to describe how underdogs can be successful is a story about a girls basketball team in the Bay Area. The savvy coach, recognized that his team wasn’t the tallest or most skilled, so he implemented an incessant and harassing full court press. This hid the fact that other teams should have been far superior due to better talent and years more of experience and practice. This brand of basketball wasn’t traditional or pretty, but the team overachieved and won a bunch of games they shouldn’t have.

There is no question that Oregon State struggles to attract blue chip recruits. The state as a whole shares this burden. The Portland Trail Blazers are notorious for failing to land big-name free agents, and that’s the big city. The schmucks (Oregon) found a way to differentiate themselves through the use of Nike’s branding team - but even the schmucks had to alter their approach at times in order to stay relevant. For all his quirks, former Coach Chip Kelly often changed his team’s playing style and went against the status quo. Going for it on fourth down? Commentators loved to call Coach Kelly an idiot if it failed, but there is a bunch of data that supports the aggressive approach of going for it. It was different, exciting to watch, and ultimately (to my dismay) successful for the schmucks.

For all the lack of perceived talent on this Oregon State team, it simply is not an excuse for the uninspired play that fans have had to endure. Coach Andersen has many players that would be starters on other PAC-12 teams. The question then essentially becomes, “so why do we suck so bad?”

Coach McGiven stated earlier this week that the schemes are more-or-less okay, it’s a matter of missed assignments.

In other words, maintaining the mentality that after a million, “if we had only made the block”-esqe assessments, there is a deeper root issue that needs to be addressed: how about implementing a game plan and calling plays that are more forgiving of a missed assignment?

The spread offense developed largely at schools that struggled to have the strongest and most powerful teams. Instead of struggling to beat the big-dog teams with the best talent and athletes, the spread offense changed the approach to create different angles and spaces that might provide better opportunity to a disadvantaged team. In other words, the spread originated as an attempt at changing the playing field and being more forgiving to less talented teams.

Let’s be clear, I’m not advocating for Coach Andersen to roll out a new offense on Saturday. I am simply pointing out the obvious that drastic changes are needed to level the playing field. Same goes for the defense. I don’t expect Coach Clune to change to a 4-3 against WSU - especially given their Air Raid offense - but I am looking for a drastic change in defensive calls. A tweak here or there is not enough. Through three games, the Beavers have zero sacks and Oregon State ranks 128th out of 130 teams nationally in scoring defense. Maybe it’s time to re-think the three man rush and call safety blitzes every other down.

Coach Andersen needs to take a step back and realize that minor tweaks will not placate a fan base that may have already given up on the season. People are looking for dramatic change in all aspects of the game. How the offense is run (like actually running Ryan Nall more than seven times), to how the defense runs (like running after the opposing QB for a sack rather than running after opposing players headed to the end zone). I’d be happy to lose to Washington State if the Beaver offense tries to run the ball with their plethora of talented running backs 80% of the time (serving the dual purpose of putting the ball in the hands of our most talented position group as well as potentially shortening the duration our defense has to stay on the field). I also wouldn’t be opposed to shorter, quick passes being executed.

I like Coach Andersen as a person and a leader of the Oregon State football team. That being said, I’ve been disappointed with his ability to execute game plans, make in-game adjustments, and get the most out of his players. There’s still time to turn things around this season. It starts with accepting that this team is more than just a few plays away from being successful. Big fundamental changes are needed. The worst that can happen is that we lose in a different way.

College BattleGround on Oregon State vs Colorado State Week 0: What We Learned About the Beavers

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 17:12:17 -0400

Colorado State capitalized on 5 Oregon State turnovers, out-gained the Beavers 525-456 yds., and triumphantly outscored the Beavers 34-7 in the second half as they defeated the Beavers 58-27 in front of a sold out crowd in their brand new stadium. The Rams were led by their Senior Quarterback Nick Stevens who was impressive going 26-39 with 3 TDs and 1 Int. Senior WR Michael Gallup was also impressive with 11 catches for 134 yds..

First off, credit the Colorado State Rams for an phenomenal performance in their beautiful brand-new stadium. The Rams were the better team yesterday, and they are going to be a dominant force in the Mountain West this season. Credit the Rams Defense for taking away the Beaver running game in the 2nd half and pressuring Beaver QB Jake Luton into making key mistakes. Head Coach Mike Bobo has done a great job in Fort Collins. He coached an excellent game against the Beavers, and he has his squad prepared for great things in 2017. It will be interesting to see how his team will do against Colorado, on the road against top-ranked Alabama, and against Boise State.

On the other hand, it’s back to the drawing board for Oregon State. Sure, Colorado State looked impressive yesterday, but there is no excuse for Oregon State to get pushed around the way they did against Colorado State. Head Coach Gary Andersen said it best when he described the Beaver performance as, “embarrassing.” Yes, the high altitude was a factor, and the field conditions were hot (117 Degrees Fahrenheit on the field!), but it didn’t seem to bother Colorado State as much. The Beavers still have a ways to go to learn how to fight through adversity. Although, yesterday was mostly miserable for Beaver Nation there were some bright spots. The passing game for the most part looked much improved, and the Beavers were an impressive 10-16 on 3rd Down. Here are some things we learned from the Beavers’s loss in Fort Collins.

It seems the Passing Game has Improved

Jake Luton looks like he could eventually be the real deal at the Quarterback position for the Beavers. Despite his three interceptions, Luton was 27-47 with 3 TDs and threw for 307 yds. WR Jordan Villamin had a nice day with 7 catches for 77 yds. TE Noah Togiai had an impressive day with 7 catches for 67 yds. and 1 TD (Should have been 2, but Beavers were robbed on an obvious TD on instant replay). Although, the passing game looked much improved, there were plays that Jake Luton and the Beaver Coaching staff will look at on tape and wonder what could have been. The Beavers had open receivers, but missed them thanks to Colorado State’s pressure and not being able to connect on the deep balls. Although, it wasn’t the day the Beaver Offense wanted in the passing game, the potential is definitely there.

The Defense Needs Tons of Improvement:

On Colorado State’s first possession the Beaver Defense looked fast and aggressive. They did an impressive job holding the Rams to a field goal in the first half after Trevon Bradford’s fumble. Other than that, the rest of the game was a train-wreck. We don’t need to relive all the details but the Front 7 was consistently pushed around and could not get to QB Nick Stevens. In addition, tackling was also an issue. The major key was that the Beavers were not able to get Colorado State off the field, which caused the Beavers to wear down. The Rams were 8-14 on 3rd Down Conversions. In addition, the Beaver Defense looked lost, and they frequently missed assignments.

5 Turnovers, Ugh!

All 5 turnovers proved to be disastrous. Especially Luton’s pick 6 he threw when the Beavs only trailed by 7. Luton overthrew a wide open Isaiah Hodgins and the ball was tipped and returned for a Colorado State Touchdown. Also, another crucial turnover was Trevon Bradford’s fumble when the Beavers led 17-14. It happened at a crucial time where the Beavers may have had an opportunity to drive down and take a double digit lead. The Turnovers majorly shifted momentum into Colorado States favor and prevented lots of points on the Scoreboard for the Beavers. You’ve gotta bet Coach Andersen will address ball control this week as the Beavers prepare for the home opener vs. Portland State.

Final Thoughts

It was a nightmare day at the office for the Beavers, one they and the rest of Beaver Nation would like to quickly forget. Personally, I believe this Beaver team is better than they looked against Colorado State. The talent is there, it just comes down to the execution of the game plan and making plays. Credit Colorado State for getting the Beavers off their A-game. Gary Andersen is known as a fighter, and he will not let this team give up. It is a process to turn around a losing football program, which it was just two seasons ago (2015) that the Beavers went win-less in Pac-12 play. These players will run through a wall for Coach Andersen, and I would have to bet they will not quit on him. Getting to a bowl game is still the ultimate goal for this team. The Beavers need to regroup, get healthy, and refocus as they prepare for a Portland State team that put up a great fight at BYU.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Football: Most Valuable Player Countdown - #6 Jordan Villamin

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 16:06:15 -0400

Jordan Villamin has the ideal size (6-5, 222 lbs) and athleticism for the receiver position. When Villamin is at the top of his game, he is arguably one of the best receivers in the Pac-12. Villamin was impressive during his Freshman season in 2014 as he quickly established himself as one of QB Sean Mannion’s favorite targets. Villamin had 35 receptions, 578 yds. receiving, and 6 TD’s in 2014. Beaver Nation had high hopes for the talented receiver’s future from Fontana, CA.

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In 2015 Villamin led the team in receiving yds. with 660 yds. In addition, Villamin scored 5 TD’s and had 43 receptions. Opposing Defensive coaches made it a priority to slow down Jordan. His numbers were impressive, especially during the 2015 season where there was instability at the QB position. Although the Offense struggled mightily in 2015 (the entire team struggled for that matter), Villamin was one of the few bright spots of the 2015 season. It was widely speculated that Villamin was just at the beginning of his super stardom.

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Villamin was expected to put up huge numbers in 2016. Before the 2016 season, there were some people predicting that Villamin might declare for the draft after his Junior season. Villamin possesses the size and athleticism that NFL scouts drool over. In addition, Beavers had named Darrell Garretson starting QB, which meant that there was finally going to be stability in the passing game.

Even Jordan Villamin would tell you himself that the 2016 season was a disappointment. He ended the season with only 21 catches for 253 yds. and only 1TD. Villamin found himself out of the starting lineup in several games. In fairness to Jordan, the overall passing game was not successful at all in 2016, which contributed to his low numbers. Villamin admitted in an interview in the Oregonian in 2016 that the frustration of losing got to him, which made him complacent on the field. Additionally, Villamin also blamed himself for not doing a better job paying attention to the opposing defensive coverages, which often led him to be in the wrong spot to receive the football. Villamin did have an amazing performance against Arizona, where he had 6 catches for 124 yds., including a 53 yd. touchdown reception on the Beavs first drive of the game. Villamin looked like the star receiver that Beaver Nation had grown accustomed to. Although, Jordan only had 1 catch for 4 yds. against Oregon, he did amazing job blocking, which aided the running game in the teams 34-24 victory over the Ducks.

2017 should be a banner year for Jordan Villamin. Villamin and his teammates are more comfortable in their knowledge of the offense. For the first time in his OSU career, Jordan will have the same Offensive Coordinator (Kevin McGiven) for more than one season, which will contribute to his comfort level within the Offense. Also, the Beavers have named Jake Luton starting Quarterback, and he has looked good according to reports. Stability at the QB position will help Villamin’s numbers rise. Plus, Villamin will be aided by playing with a talented receiving core, and opposing defenses are likely to focus on stopping the talented Beaver running game, which should open things up in the passing game. The overall improvement of the Beaver Offense, will also likely boost Villamin’s level of play in 2017. Villamin is expected to be a huge part of the passing game with his impressive frame, athleticism, and his experience. Will Jordan Villamin live up to his remarkable talent level in the 2017 season? Stay tuned...

College BattleGround on Oregon State Football: What We Learned from the Washington Game

Sun, 23 Oct 2016 19:13:38 -0400

Takeaways from Oregon State’s 41-17 loss to Washington

Oregon State was defeated by an undefeated Washington Huskies team 41-17 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. The Beavs trailed at halftime 31-0 and looked overmatched by the talented Huskies. Here are things we learned after the Beavers 24 point loss.

Washington Is An Elite Team

Although, the Beavs wished they had a better performance vs the Huskies, they shouldn’t be too down on themselves after losing by 24 points. Washington is a great team. They are strong in all phases of the game. Head Coach Chris Peterson is doing a great job with this elite talented roster. Most of the Husky starters are capable of playing on Sundays. Flat out, the Huskies were just simply better than the Beavers at all positions. Not only do the Huskies look like the current favorites to win the PAC 12, they look like National Championship contenders as well.

The Running Back Position is in Great Hands

Beaver fans were on edge not having Ryan Nall or Artavis Pierce. Senior RB Tim Cook filled the void with a great performance against one of the best defenses in the nation. He rushed for 108 yds. on 18 carries including 1 td. Cook established himself as a solid runner who will help the Beavers down the stretch. Cook, with his size and speed, hit the hole hard against the Huskies. The Beaver Running Game has evolved into the team’s strength on offense. A huge part of the success has been improved play by the Offensive Line. Look for Tim Cook to get more looks at Running Back as the season progresses.

McMaryion Will Grow from Saturday’s Performance

Marcus McMaryion completed his first start of the season and his numbers looked pedestrian. He was 12 of 26 with 148 yds. and 2 interceptions. When the team had to burn all three timeouts in the first quarter to avoid delay of game penalties, it demonstrated a lack of organization on offense, which is common with a new starting quarterback. It is very difficult to judge Marcus based on his performance vs Washington. He was going up against one of the top Defenses in the nation. His 2nd interception was an amazing play by Husky Austin Joyner. In addition, the Beavs had several dropped passes that would have aided Marcus tremendously.

Marcus had some great downfield throws to Victor Bolden. Also, he was able to complete a nice 35 yd. pass to Jordan Villamin down the sideline (Welcome back Jordan Villamin!) on a 4th and 15. At times, McMaryion displayed flashes of great play that can give Beaver Nation hope down the stretch.

There is No Quit in This Team

PAC 12 Color Commentator Yogi Roth admired the heart, and the refusal to quit attitude of the Oregon State players during the second half of the game. It is easy for a team to quit when they’re over-matched and outscored by a wide margin. The Beavers never stopped playing hard. Coach Andersen deserves credit for his influence on the players. Teams with heart can build a fan-base. The Beavers no quit attitude is essential for the growth of the program. The Beavers sit at 2-5 with 5 games left in the season. It is likely they will be double digit underdogs this week when they host Washington State, and they will likely be underdogs in upcoming road games against Stanford and UCLA. From what we learned about this Oregon State team, they will not throw in the towel, which will make the rest of the season interesting to watch.

College BattleGround on Treston Decoud Earns Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week Honors.

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 16:36:17 -0400

Decoud’s stout play, headlined by two interceptions helped win him the award.

Treston Decoud earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors today. Check out the full release here.

In the season opener at Minnesota, Treston Decoud recorded 7 tackles (3 solo) and then on Saturday at Reser, Decoud had a stellar performance. He had 4 tackles (2 solo) and also had 2 huge interceptions one that he returned 75 yards to the house. On top of scoring his first touchdown for the Beavers he also had 2 pass deflections.

Watch the Beavers 5 forced turnovers against Idaho State below:

Decoud earned the vacant left cornerback spot after he transferred in from Northwest Mississippi Community College. He played in ten games in 2015, starting nine. He finished his 2015 campaign as the fifth leading tackler, despite missing the better part of 3 games. He also led the Beavers in passes deflected last year with 5. Treston is also cousins with Thomas Decoud who is a safety for the Carolina Panthers.

Treston Decoud is off to a strong start in his senior season and will get plenty more opportunities to showcase his talents against the pass-heavy Pac-12. Oregon State will need a few more stellar performances from Decoud if they hope to improve on their record from last season.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Football: Christian Wallace Joining Team and More

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 15:55:49 -0400

Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports

Today it was announced that 4-star recruit Christian Wallace will join the football team on Thursday, in Corvallis. He is planning on playing this year as well. He will not redshirt, according to his Twitter.

Not redshirting I will be in action on the field

— نصراني (@Kingwallace22) September 6, 2016

The 6’1 Athlete was back in Texas taking care of academic issues. This is big news for Oregon State. He was considered one of the top athletes in the Nation and was among the top 150 overall prospects in the 2016 class.

Wallace, who runs a 4.78 40, could help Oregon State right away. He will wear #29 and is listed as a Cornerback. He played running back and cornerback at Sealy High School and rushed for over a 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns his Senior season, leading SHS to the second round of the class 4A Playoffs.

In other news, Rahmel Dockery has been moved to Cornerback. The former Wide Receiver, adds depth to the defensive backfield. The former Washington State Transfer at the very least will provide speed to the secondary.

It'll be interesting to see where Wallace and Dockery fall on the depth chart. The good news is that they will both have a little extra time to get situated because of Oregon State’s early bye week. They return to action on Sept. 17th, facing Idaho State at home.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Transfers: Where Are They Now?

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 18:19:55 -0400

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

“It’s not you, it’s me.”

Probably not the exact words that Oregon State Head Coach Gary Anderson used to “break-up” with select players immediately after the 2015-16 football season -- but something along those lines. Following the surprise effort the Beavers put together in the 52-42 loss to the Oregon ducks in the 119th Civil War, one thing was pretty clear: “We’ll have some honest discussions...and see where we are” Anderson said.

In the aftermath, six Beavers transferred including starters Rommel Mageo and Justin Strong. Additionally, quarterback Nick Mitchell, linebacker/nickelback Malik Gilmore, defensive lineman Luke Hollingsworth and defensive back Chris Hayes all announced their departure from Oregon State.

The discussions that coach Anderson and his staff had with the Oregon State players were not entirely based upon talent or work ethic. The success that the ex-Beavers have had thus far in their new programs demonstrates this. Rather, coach Anderson had to be honest about players fit and role within his vision for the team. And certain players like Rommel Mageo had to be honest about the direction of the program and where they wanted to spend the remaining year(s) of their eligibility.

Coach Anderson had previously had the discussion revolving around ‘program fit’ in spring 2015 with quarterback Luke Del Rio. While a talented pocket passer, Del Rio would not be mistaken for a running threat.

Change is not easy. While the players may not have fit within the new schemes at Oregon State, several are making an impact on the field at their new programs:

Rommel Mageo - Ole Miss:

The Rebels quietly picked up Mageo as an immediate fill-in for C.J. Johnson at middle linebacker and he has been running with their first string defense at middle linebacker. Mageo can play immediately due to the graduate transfer rule. There were reports that Mageo had to adjust to the SEC speed of play, but is learning the new playbook quickly and has been lauded for being big and physical. Mageo’s size also impressed at least one Ole Miss reporter.

Luke Del Rio - Florida:

On Thursday, Del Rio was named the Gators starting QB by head coach Jim McElwain after sitting out the 2015-16 season per transfer rules. Del Rio was in competition with Purdue graduate transfer Austin Appleby after coach McElwain refused to name a starter for most of fall camp. Del Rio appeared to emerge as a front-runner for the job during the spring, where he went 10-for-11 with 176 yards and two touchdowns in the Orange & Blue Debut, but was not confirmed until recently.

Justin Strong - Montana:

Strong joined transfer TJ Reynard (Wisconsin) to bolster a secondary already featuring last year’s transfers Yamen Sanders (Arizona) and Markell Sanders (Washington State). Numerous sources state that the secondary is a major strength of the Grizzly defense with Strong playing a key role. In Montana’s second fall scrimmage, Strong was one of the top tacklers with five and and he snagged an INT.

Nick Mitchell - Dixie State:

Mitchell transferred to Dixie State, which is below the Football Bowl Subdivision Level, and thus is eligible to play immediately in 2016. He is battling sophomore Tyson Blackner who was the Dixie State’s starter last season. Regardless of whether he wins outright, Mitchell may see action as Dixie State head coach Shay McClure has been known to utilize multiple players in different situations based off of skill-sets.

Luke Hollingsworth - Southern Utah University:

Hollingsworth will play immediately after transferring to Southern Utah and will be in the two-deep on the defensive line behind entrenched starters Torgerson and Vaa’ivaka. Thunderbird’s head coach Demario Warren has praised Hollingsworth and the defensive line and expects to leverage his depth at the position to maintain pressure on opposing offenses.

Chris Hayes - Portland State University:

Re-locating 90 minutes north of Corvallis, Hayes joined the preseason No. 17 FCS Vikings on defense and looks to make in-game plays after spending two years on Oregon State’s scout team. Hayes will compete with Junior College transfer Taylor Biaggi and PSU juniors Beau Duronslet and Tyler Foreman to replace Viking All-American and National Defensive Player of the Year finalist Patrick Onwuasor.

College BattleGround on Backups Gain Valuable Experience in Oregon State’s Last Scrimmage

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 16:30:18 -0400

Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images

The Oregon State football team held it final public scrimmage this morning. They had previously moved the time from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. to try and avoid the heat wave sweeping through Corvallis.

The biggest news of the day came in the form of a position change. Kyle White has been moved from running back to cornerback.

JC transfer Kyle White has moved from RB to defense. He didn't get any notable reps that I saw on offense at Monday's practice.

— Danny Moran (@DannyJMoran) August 18, 2016

This move gives the junior college transfer the best chance to see the field as he had been falling behind, in the race to back-up Ryan Nall at running back. The secondary for Oregon State is paper thin with the recent departures of Gabe Ovgard and Cyril Noland-Lewis. And while Kyle White will be forced to learn a new position on the fly it never hurts to add an additional athlete to the secondary.

As for the scrimmage portion, it seemed that the coaching staff wanted to see what the second and third stringers could do and limited a lot of the Beavers top contributors.

Coach Andersen was quoted by Comcast Sportsnet and said “the mindset was to really get the new kids... kids that are in position to be in the two-deep a lot of reps and live reps”.

The coaching staff kept the offense watered down and Darell Garretson hardly threw the ball. Coach Andersen explained “Darrell didn’t throw the ball much and that’s by script”.

The most exciting action of the day was watching the position battle for back-up RB. Tim Cook and Artavis Pierce continued to battle for the opportunity to back up Ryan Nall. Tim Cook ran the ball eight times for 40 yards; while Pierce totaled six carries for 46 yards and a touchdown.

Marcus McMaryion and Mason Moran also got some opportunities to show their stuff. McMaryion finished the day going 5-of-8 for 67 yards. Moran’s most impressive plays came through the use of his legs; he had a couple nice carries totaling 31 yards during the live stats period, but his throws weren’t where they needed to be.

It’s hard to believe that the season is just two short weeks away. The coaching staff will pour through the tape of this scrimmage and start finalizing depth chart decisions. And will also start making decisions on who is going to redshirt or play immediately.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Football sends Official Offers to Recruits

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:37:41 -0400

Recruits have been excited to receive and post their official scholarship offers on Twitter today. The bad news is one of OSU's top targets, Antwan Collier, committed to Illinois.

As the calendar rolls from July to August it marks a big day for college football. August 1st is the first day that high school football prospects from the 2017 class can receive written scholarship offers.

It is no secret that Gary Andersen and his staff have been making recruiting a priority. And they wasted no time in getting their written scholarship offers out as soon as possible.

8/1/16. Coach Andersen and the staff are changing lives - getting the offers out! #BuildTheDam #OfferLetter pic.twitter.com/d7aIzuD2S2

— Build The Dam (@BuildTheDam) August 1, 2016

The offers have been rolling in and they have gotten even more elaborate. When schools battle for top recruits they constantly look for ways to stand out and separate themselves. Oregon State is no different and they did a great job with their official offers.

Among those to post their official offers were Oregon State commits Arex Flemings, Brock Wellsfry, Fabian Kratz and Isaiah Miller. Here's an example of Oregon State's official offer: (courtesy of Arex's Twitter)

It's official #GoBeavs ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/ejmlSpw32I

— Arex. (@deucethedon) August 1, 2016

Other high school recruits to receive Oregon State offers and post them to Twitter are listed below: (click on the players names to see the tweets)

Also, Jeffery Manning Jr, a 3-star cornerback decommitted from UCLA today. He went on to announce that his recruitment is 100 percent open. He also posted his official Oregon State offer on Twitter and is a guy Gary Andersen and his staff will be recruiting heavily in the coming months.

Obviously with some many guys receiving offers (and these were only the ones who posted them on Twitter) Coach Andersen and his staff are not expecting them all to choose the Beavers. With 13 recruits having already verbally committed to Oregon State; the 2017 class is getting closer and closer to completion. Landing a few of these three and four star recruits would really give Oregon State's 2017 recruiting class a big boost though.

In other recruiting news, Antwan Collier a top defensive back from Florida has decided to attend Illinois and announced his decision on Twitter today. He was someone Oregon State was heavily recruiting and hoping to earn a commitment from.

Committed to Illinois pic.twitter.com/EpGG8vMCqc

— Antwan Collier (@9millyy_ac) August 1, 2016

College BattleGround on Oregon State Football will open Fall Camp in Bend

Sat, 23 Jul 2016 11:54:38 -0400

Susan Ragan-USA TODAY Sports

The Beavers will start practicing for the 2016 season in Bend, OR.

The Oregon State football team will begin their first practices of the 2016 season in unfamiliar territory. Because of the on-going construction in the North end zone of Reser Stadium, as well as the many renovations that include the locker room, equipment room and sports medicine facility, The Beavers will be holding their first week of fall camp in Bend, Oregon at Summit high school. The $42 million project is expected to be ready for Oregon State's home opener on September 17th vs. Idaho State.

Oregon State has never held a full week of practices outside of Corvallis before but, Beaver fans in Central Oregon should be excited to hear that one of Oregon State's practices will be open to the public. The open practice will be held Saturday, August 6th starting at 10:15 am. Although, the practice will not include pads or tackling, per NCAA rules, it should be an exciting event for fans to get an early look at the team.

Moving the start of fall camp 3 hours and 130 miles away from Corvallis is no small undertaking. The football team will take all players (around 105 total), all of the staff and much of their equipment. School officials are expecting to take at least 5 buses on the journey.

Starting practices in Bend will give the team a unique opportunity to develop on the field and bond before the season begins. It will provide an old-school camp feel, that will hopefully unify the players. The Beavers will head back after their last practice on August 10th and resume normal practice schedules in Corvallis.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Fall Defensive/Specialists Depth Chart Released

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 08:45:53 -0400

Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

The Beavers have released their defensive/specialists depth chart heading into Fall Camp.

Oregon State has released their "Fall Depth Chart" for the defensive and specialists side of things and despite some small tweaks, the basic look of the upcoming Beavers is beginning to take shape. Heading into Fall Camp, the defense is led by inside linebacker Caleb Saulo, and defensive backs Treston Decoud and Devin Chappell.

The depth chart is as listed below:

DEFENSIVE END
95 Baker Pritchard (Junior)
OR 90 Phillip Napoleon (Junior)
96 LaMone Williams (Sophomore)
98 Andrew Iademarco (Redshirt Freshman)

NOSE TACKLE
94 Sumner Houston (Sophomore)
OR 99 Elu Aydson (Redshirt Freshman)
91 Noke Tago (Senior)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
97 Kalani Vakameilalo (Sophomore)
92 Paisa Savea (Junior)
57 Chris Mengis (Redshirt Freshman)
56 Thor Katoa (Redshirt Freshman)

DEFENSIVE END
53 Isaac Garcia (Freshman)
OR 34 Kenny Turnier (Freshman)
OR 52 Joah Robinett (Freshman)
OR 54 Shemiah Unutoa-Whitson (Freshman)
48 Reed Woodward (Freshman)

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (F)
47 Bright Ugwoegbu (Sophomore)
41 Shemar Smith (Freshman)
43 Adam Soesman (Sophomore)
42 Doug Taumoelau (Freshman)
OR 37 Ke Whetzel (Freshman)

INSIDE LINEBACKER (M)
55 Manase Hungalu (Junior)
32 Jonathan Willis (Sophomore)
58 Hamilton Hunt (Redshirt Freshman)
51 Luke Leonnig (Freshman)
44 Ricky Liuchan (Redshirt Freshman)

INSIDE LINEBACKER (R)
35 Caleb Saulo (Senior)
50 Wesley Payne (Junior)
OR 5 Kyle Haley (Senior)
45 Kiahve Dennis-Lee (Freshman)

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (B)
93 Titus Failauga (Junior)
49 Andrzej Hughes-Murray (Freshman)
OR 59 Hamilcar Rashed Jr. (Freshman)

LEFT CORNERBACK
14 Treston Decoud (Senior)
28 Shawn Wilson (Redshirt Freshman)
22 Xavier Crawford (Redshirt Freshman)
29 Christian Wallace (Freshman)

SAFETY
3 Brandon Arnold (Junior)
15 Gabe Ovgard (Sophomore)
33 Jalen Moore (Redshirt Freshman)
OR 12 Kendall Hill (Senior)
40 Jonas Dahl (Sophomore)

SAFETY
9 Devin Chappell (Senior)
13 Landry Payne (Junior)
10 Omar Hicks-Onu (Redshirt Freshman)
OR 30 Drew Kell (Sophomore)
29 Jordan Gregory (Freshman)

RIGHT CORNERBACK
4 Dwayne Williams (Sophomore)
24 Jay Irvine (Redshirt Freshman)
17 Cyril Noland-Lewis (Senior)
23 Chris Henry (Freshman)
26 Jaydon Grant (Freshman)
OR 38 Charles Okonkwo (Junior)

NICKELBACK
4 Dwayne Williams (Sophomore)
22 Xavier Crawford (Redshirt Freshman)
9 Devin Chappell (Senior)
28 Shawn Wilson (Redshirt Freshman)

DIMEBACK
22 Xavier Crawford (Redshirt Freshman)
28 Shawn Wilson (Redshirt Freshman)
9 Devin Chappell (Senior)
17 Cyril Noland-Lewis (Senior)

SPECIALISTS
PAT-FG/KO
21 Garrett Owens (Junior)
27 Ian Crist (Senior)
46 Jordan Choukair (Redshirt Freshman)
39 Daniel Rodriguez (Redshirt Freshman)
28 Zach Standish (Redshirt Freshman)

KICKOFF
46 Jordan Choukair (Redshirt Freshman)
21 Garrett Owens (Junior)
27 Ian Crist (Senior)
39 Daniel Rodriguez (Redshirt Freshman)
28 Zach Standish (Redshirt Freshman)

PUNTER
31 Nick Porebski (Junior)
39 Daniel Rodriguez (Redshirt Freshman)
27 Ian Crist (Senior)
46 Jordan Choukair (Redshirt Freshman)
21 Garrett Owens (Junior)

LONG SNAPPER
36 Ryan Navarro (Senior)
57 Connor Kelsey (Sophomore)
37 Keegan Firth (Redshirt Freshman)
94 Sumner Houston (Sophomore)

SHORT SNAPPER
36 Ryan Navarro (Senior)
94 Sumner Houston (Sophomore)
57 Connor Kelsey (Sophomore)
37 Keegan Firth (Redshirt Freshman)

PUNT RETURN
6 Victor Bolden Jr. (Senior)
19 Trevon Bradford (Freshman)
18 Timmy Hernandez (Sophomore)
7 Xavier Hawkins (Junior)

KICKOFF RETURNS
6 Victor Bolden Jr. (Senior)
19 Trevon Bradford (Freshman)
22 Seth Collins (Sophomore)
7 Xavier Hawkins (Junior)

College BattleGround on the Gekko Files: Previewing Oregon State Football for 2016

Sat, 02 Jul 2016 18:41:58 -0400

It is Year 2 in the Gary Andersen rebuild and Oregon State is looking to make it offensive.

Gary Andersen knew it was going to be difficult. Perhaps he didn't know exactly how difficult it would be.

Taking over a team that just three years prior had been one of the surprise "breakout" teams in the nation, you would forgive Andersen if he had assumed all that was required was a little tinkering of the playbook, a few well-placed transfer candidates and a little bit of his patented "tough love" leadership style.

What transpired was completely different. A QB race that at one point featured seven players turned into a one-man race where a true freshman whose only other major scholarship offer was from San Jose State essentially competed against his own experience level to win the job. A defense which had boasted the return a difference making DT and an All PAC 12 shut down corner turned into a disaster of a unit that was able to record just 18 sacks on the season (9 fewer than the next worst) and force just 167 opponent third down attempts (fewest in the PAC since Colorado in 2012). A passing attack that featured standout receivers across the board and had averaged roughly 4000 yards per year over the previous three couldn't even eclipse the 2000 yard mark (think Washington 2008 as a point of comparison).

It was that bad.

The record reflected it. Oregon State managed just two wins on the season, none of which came against a PAC 12 opponent. And, yes, Colorado was on the schedule.

The Beavers did finish the season on a bit of an upswing as they put arch-rival Oregon through the ringer in a 52-42 loss that, in many ways, could easily (and should have been) an Oregon State victory. Coach Gary Andersen hopes that the Civil War is a precursor to the kind of hustle and effort that the rest of the PAC can expect from his team in 2016.

Are the Beavers on the upswing? Is there any juice left in the Orange? Let's put the Gekko File to the test and find out.

OSU's Offense:

Offensive Coordinator	Strengths	Weaknesses	Key Players	Newcomers to Watch
Kevin McGiven TJ Woods	Run Blocking WR Play	Spread Experience Playmaker Depth	RB/TE Ryan Nall WR Jordan Villamin	QB Darell Garretson (txr) RB Kyle White (JC)

Ryan Nall might be the best player nobody knows about in the PAC 12.

In an era where teams seem to be increasingly moving back to pro sets and multiple looks, the Beavers are now into their second year of moving forward in their quest to become Oregon North. A youth movement to accommodate that change is underway as 9 of Oregon State's offensive starters from a year ago return. But when your offense manages just 19 points a game and is widely panned as the worst in the conference, is that a good thing?

It's hard to project OSU's offense based on last year's mostly because junior QB Darell Garretson, a transfer from Utah State, was not a factor. Instead, Gary Andersen was forced to start true freshman in Seth Collins who was mostly incapable of delivering the ball to weapons like senior WR Victor Bolden and junior WR Jordan Villamin. Garretson is a upgrade over Collins. The best comparison for Garretson might be, ironically, former OSU QB and current UW offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith. He is an average-sized, average-armed, heady, accurate QB who understands what it means to be a point guard as a quarterback. The biggest concern for a guy like him might be his durability. If he can't go, OSU does have experienced backups in Marcus McMaryion and, if necessary, Collins.

Garretson has some weapons to work with. In fact, it is hard to not look at two players - RB/TE Ryan Nall and Villamin - and not consider them as legitimate all-conference types of guys.

Nall was an absolute revelation in 2015 despite the fact that most people still haven't heard of him. As a hybrid player in Andersen's spread attack, Nall was a weapon as a receiver and a rusher. He resembles former Seahawk FB John L. Williams in how he approaches the game. He's not fast, but he's quick. He's not big, but he's strong. When he gets a head of steam going, he is hard to take down and he's used in a way that results in him showing up all over the field. He's just a grit and grind kind of guy and a joy to watch. If you saw him put up 253 total yards in the Civil War against Oregon, you know what I'm talking about. Oh, and he's just a sophomore this year.

Villamin is no longer a spring chicken. The junior still hasn't had a true breakout season, but that is likely more about the OSU QB situation than it is the receiver. When you look at him, he's got all of the tools: 6'5", 230 lbs, soft hands, and 4.5 level speed. Expect to see a heavy dose of Villiamin as the beneficiary of short slants, rub routes and bubble screens in Andersen's offense.

Beyond those guys, there are some capable players that could really help out a new QB. Senior Victor Bolden is a legitimate upper-tier-of-conference receiver. Senior TE Caleb Smith is a big, reliable target. Big sophomore TE Noah Togiai is a high-upside guy. Junior Hunter Jarmon and Collins will both be factors as receivers (by the way, watch Jarmon as a blocker from the slot - he really embraces the role). JC transfer Kyle White looks like a capable go-to running back to balance out the run game. Given the tear down that Andersen went through, this is a relatively well-stocked offense.

The line is of particular interest to me. Senior and 3-year starter Sean Harlow returns after missing most of last year due to injury. When healthy, Harlow is one of the most reliable LTs in the league - particularly when he gets to attack. His right-side twin, senior Dustin Stanton is another big, nasty road grader. In fact, the entire OSU offensive line is made up of seniors and juniors with about 75 career starts between them.

I'm telling you now, Oregon State is going to surprise with this offense in 2016. I'm not saying that they are top-half levels - there are still depth and team speed issues that can't be overlooked. However, if Garretson can stay healthy, I don't see any reason that they can't be the fastest rising offense in the PAC.

OSU's Defense:

Defensive Coordinator	Strengths	Weaknesses	Key Players	Newcomers to Watch
Kevin Clune	LB Experience Interior Size	Pass Defense Pass Rush	LB Caleb Saulo DE Baker Pritchard	DE Isaac Garcia (TFr) CB Christian Wallace (TFr)

Linebacker play will be critical in stabilizing a shaky Oregon State defense.

As bullish as I am on the OSU offense, I'm equally as bearish about their defense. I fully acknowledge that trying to project the OSU defense in any of these past few years has been a futile exercise. They've been remarkably dependent on JUCO transfers each of the past three of four seasons. That makes projecting them difficult.

What I can say is that they are missing some important pieces from a defense that was truly awful (rivaled only by Oregon) a year ago. Their best player - DT Kyle Peko, their DC in Kilane Sitake, their entire defensive line, their star CB (Larry Scott) and their leading tackler (LB Rommel Mageo) are all gone from a year ago. In their place ... well, let's just say it's going to be hard to put it all together.

Kevin Clune is the new DC and has a long history with Andersen. He'll bring in a more flex/hybrid style than what Sitake was running a year ago. As such, you can expect OSU to schematically look a little different. They'll be more 3-4 in their alignment with more dropping of their BUCK style backer into zone coverages. Sitake was very aggressive and it opened OSU up to a lot of chunk plays. Only the Arizona and Oregon surrendered more plays of 10 yards or more in the PAC. I expect more bend-don't-break looks this year.

Personnel will be a fluid situation. The most stable group is the linebacking corps that returns senior MLB Caleb Saulo and sophomore Jonathan Willis. This duo returns over 100 tackles and are each capable guys, even if they don't wow you with their measurables.

I mentioned the d-line as a complete unknown. There are three returners who have game experience - senior DE Baker Pritchard, junior NT Kalani Vakameilalo, and sophomore DE Sumner Houston. Of the three, Baker is the probably the most important. Not really a flashy guy, he's a big end that will shine the most in sealing off the pocket and defending the run.

Those guys are going to need some help. 324 lb redshirt freshman NT Elu Aydon is an interesting prospect who will definitely get some snaps. Also, keep you eyes on true freshman Isaac Garcia. He may get a chance to start right away as a pass rush specialist for a team that has no obvious candidate to fill that role.

I'm just as concerned about the secondary that, by my eyeball, returns just a few pieces of moderate accomplishment and not much else. Big corner Treston Decoud is probably their best player. The 6'3" senior is an effective enough coverage guy with 3.5 PBU last year, but he is more effective in run support. CB Devin Chappell and Cyril Noland-Lewis are both good players who will provide some depth, but neither has shown effective coverage skills. If some of the young guys like Jalen Moore or Jay Irvine don't step up and seize the opportunity, I fear that this secondary will continue to get exposed by PAC 12 opponents.

One Breakout Star

TE Noah Togiai

Since I am coming around on this idea that OSU's offense is going to surprise some people, it only makes sense that I look to that side of the ball for a breakout player. It would be a little too cliche to jump on the Garretson bandwagon, so I'm going to highlight a player that I think will make Garretson look that much better.

Sophomore TE Noah Togiai is an interesting prospect who really fits well into what Gary Andersen is trying to do on offense. More of a receiver than a blocker, Togiai has good height and flashes really soft hands. He looks a lot like Joshua Perkins as a younger player. I expect that he'll be a regular part of the receiving rotation and, as evidenced by his team leading 7 receptions for 107 yards in the OSU spring game, he already has struck up a rapport with Garretson. It wouldn't shock me in the least to see Togiai's production jump up into the 35 catch / 500 yards range which, for the Oregon State offense, would be a huge contribution.

Predicting 2016

I like what the Beavers are putting together under their new coach and his staff. The offense has the benefit of an experienced offensive line and leadership at the QB position. It also has more playmakers than you think, even if depth is an issue for what is otherwise a young team. Defensively, the Beavers are at least coalescing around a plan that makes a little more sense than what Kilane Sitake was doing with them. The fact that they continue to be so heavily reliant on JC transfers is an indication of how much work is left to do to stock up the talent pipeline on that side of the ball.

OSU's schedule is one of the more interesting of the PAC. The first thing that jumps out at you when you look at it is the timing of the BYE. OSU's break comes after their Thursday night home opener. Once past that September 10th date, the Beavs are playing every week until the end of the season.

Fortunately, OSU does have a pretty good run of home games. After their road trip opener at Minnesota, they only leave home one time - an October 1st trip to Boulder - before taking on the Huskies on October 22nd. The Beavs are really going to have to take advantage of that time because the end of the schedule is highlighted by a brutal stretch of @Washington, vs Washington State, @Stanford and @UCLA.

I don't really expect Oregon State to survive that stretch wholly intact. While I think that they will compete in a few games that people don't really expect - Boise State and Cal, for example - I don't see too many scenarios where attrition and depth challenges don't take steam out of their sails by the end of the year. I do, however, expect Gary Andersen to improve upon the two-win mark he hit on last season and to put the Beavers within a game or two of bowl eligibility before it is all said and done. If he does that, we'll be talking about Oregon State as a team on the rise in 2017.

College BattleGround on Oregon State Season Kickoff Set

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:38:40 -0400

[Image Can Not Be Found]Oregon State will start their season with an evening game against Minnesota.

Oregon State will open their 2016 football season Thursday evening Sept. 1 in Minneapolis, MN, against Minnesota.

We now know when, with today's tv schedule announcement that the Beavers and Gophers will kickoff at TFC Bank Stadium just after 8 PM CDT, which will be a 6 PM PDT tv start time. The game will be on the B1G Ten network.

This makes 2 known kickoff times, for the first 2 games, with the home opener 9 days later against Idaho State set for 2 PM PDT.

The evening start is favorable, as lingering midwest heat and humidity will be relenting at that point, and for those making the trip, its late enough in the day to allow easier travel logistics.

For those not making the trip, its about as good a start time as possible, coming on a work night, as its late enough to allow time to get home (avoiding the dreaded 4 PM PDT start), and also not so late as to make it a late night, with the game likely ending by around 9:30 PM.

And given the disastrous outcomes of several 9 AM PDT starts for midwest and eastern time zone games Oregon State (and sometimes other Pac-12 teams), it should afford a better chance to be competitive for the win.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com