Photo by: Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics
Beavers Headed to the Palouse to Face Cougs
October 13, 2015 | Football
UNIFIED FOR UCC: For the rest of the season, the Beavers will wear a black UCC ribbon on their helmets to honor the fallen from the tragic events of Oct. 1 at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. (115 miles south of Corvallis).
THE SERIES/GAME FACTS
• Saturday's game marks the 100th meeting between the two programs.
• Washington State holds a 49-47-3 advantage but Oregon State has won three of the last four and seven out of 10. WSU pulled off a 39-32 win over the Beavers in 2014 in Corvallis.
• The last three games in Pullman the teams have combined for 197 points with the Beavers winning each by an average of 49-17.
• Overall, the Beavers have a record of 19-23-2 against the Cougs in Pullman.
• In last year's contest, Victor Bolden made 10 receptions for 126 yards and Garrett Owens booted four field goals.
• Former Beaver and current St. Louis Rams quarterback Sean Mannion threw for 493 yards (OSU record) on 34-51 passing at WSU in 2013.
• In the 1979 game in Corvallis, Scott Richardson tossed four first half touchdowns to set the school record for TD passes in a half. It has since been tied three times, including by current OSU quality control coach Lyle Moevao against Oregon in 2008.
• In 1983, Ladd McKittrick hooked up with Reggie Bynum for a 92-yard touchdown pass - the second-longest in OSU history.
• OSU's Coquelle Thompson launched the longest punt in school history against the Cougars, an 80-yard blast in 1930.
SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE: Once again, this week's contest with the Cougars features match-up of opposing strengths. Washington State enters the game as the top passing team in the conference averaging 396.4 yards per game. Oregon State has the top ranked pass defense in the Pac-12 allowing only an average of 177.6 yards per game.
BEST COACH: According to a recent ESPN.com survey, 99 college football players were asked who (other than their own coach) is the best coach in the country? Gary Andersen tied for third behind the likes of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.
3-4: During the spring practice session, head coach Gary Andersen, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake and staff made the decision to shift to a primary defensive alignment with three down linemen and four linebackers. It marks the first time the Beavers have lined up in a primary 3-4 since the Jerry Pettibone era when Bronco Mendenhall, current BYU head coach, directed the defense in 1996.
GET OFF MY LAWN: The Oregon State defense has been stingy about letting opposing offenses get comfortable on the field. Opponents having taken the field on offense 63 times this season and have been turned away with a 3-and-out 38% of the time (24 times). That's an average 4.8 three-and-outs ranking 25th in the nation.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, WIN THE GAME: Over the last 142 games, Oregon State is 51-13 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, 11-37 when committing more and 16-14 when even.
2x1: In the Beavers' last game, senior tailback Storm Barrs-Woods became the second player in Oregon State history to achieve 2,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving during his career. Barrs-Woods has rushed for 2,505 career yards, sixth in OSU history, and 1,047 receiving yards. He joins Jacquizz Rodgers (2008-10) as the only other 2,000 x 1,000 player in OSU history. Further, Barrs-Woods became just the fourth player with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards joining Pat Chaffey (1986, 88-89) and James Rodgers (2007-11).
FRESHMEN QUARTERBACKS: Per a survey prior to the season, Oregon State entered the season as the only team in the nation that has no quarterbacks with playing experience and has only eligible freshmen signal callers. Prior to Seth Collins starting the season-opener against Weber State, the last Beaver true freshman quarterback to start for the Beavers was David Moran in 1996. Moran started three games in then a wishbone system, switched to cornerback prior to 1997 and before that season transferred to Northern Arizona.
QB ON THE MOVE: It didn't take freshman Seth Collins long to show his mobility and a very different skill set than Beaver fans are used to seeing at the position. Collins dodged, dipped, ducked, dived and dodged his way to 152 rushing yards against Weber State. It is the most yards an OSU quarterback has ran for since Tim Alexander set the school-record of 205 rushing yards against Northern Illinois in 1996 ... Through five games, Collins is averaging 72.4 rushing yards per game. At his current pace, Collins would finish the regular season with 869 rushing yards. Collins, who has rushed for 362 yards thus far in 2015, is more than half way to the Oregon State single season record for rushing yards by a quarterback which is held by Don Shanklin with 630 in 1994 ... Collins' start is especially impressive as he is the fifth leading rusher in the nation among quarterbacks ... Collins is also the third leading rusher in the nation among true freshmen (Lamar Jackson, Louisville & Taj Griffin, Oregon).
NEW LOOK LINEBACKERS: Entering the season Oregon State needed to replace all three starting linebackers from 2014 - a group that had combined to start 91 games and make 628 tackles. The Beavers returned two players with starting experience, Rommel Mageo and Caleb Saulo, who combined to start 10 games in 2013. According to a recent survey, those 10 returning starts ranks as the sixth-fewest in the nation. Those two juniors plus sophomore Manase Hungalu have formed a new triumverate combining for 97 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Add Ricky Ortiz, who recently converted from H-Back to linebacker, and the linebacker corps has accounted for six of the seven turnovers the Beavers have forced this year.
APPLYING FOR MEDICAL HARDSHIPS: OSU head coach Gary Andersen announced two weeks ago that senior tight end Caleb Smith and true freshman running back Deltron Sands will miss the rest of the 2015 season. Because both players have played this year, OSU will apply for medical hardships from the Pac-12 Conference after the season.
SENIOR CLASS: The Beavers are one of the most inexperienced teams in the country entering the season. OSU possesses 13 seniors on the active roster, which ranks as the youngest team in the Pac-12 and is tied as the ninth-youngest team in the nation.
RETURNING O-LINEMEN: Oregon State returns all five starters on the offensive line for the first time since 2003 when Matt Brock, Brian Kilkenny, David Lose, Doug Nienhuis and Kanan Sanchez manned the trenches. This season, the Beavers have a group of linemen that started the final four games of 2014 together – Sean Harlow (LT), Fred Lauina (LG), Josh Mitchell (C), Gavin Andrews (RG) and Dustin Stanton (RT). In addition, Isaac Seumalo, who entered the season with 25 starts for the Beavers, returns from injury after missing the entire 2014 season and will fill in at right guard while Andrews will redshirt this season due to injury bringing about the possibility that the 2016 team could return five current or former starters on the line for the second consecutive season.
FRESH FACES: Oregon State has had 18 freshmen (true and redshirt combined) play already this season. Among those new guys are four true freshmen– QB Seth Collins, WR Paul Lucas, RB Deltron Sands and TE Noah Togiai. as well as redshirt freshmen OL Drew Clarkson, OL Kammy Delp, WR Datrin Guyton, DE Sumner Houston, WR Drew Kell, QB Marcus McMaryion, RB/TE Ryan Nall, S Gabe Ovgard, S Adam Soesman, LB Bright Ugwoegbu, NT Kalani Vakameilalo, CB Dwayne Williams, DE LaMone Williams and LB Jonathan Willis. In addition, nine others have played for the first time with the Beavers including transfers CB Devin Chappell, CB Treston Decoud, LS Ryan Navarro, NT Kyle Peko, and P Nick Porebski. Juniors K Ian Crist and TE Brent VanderVeen and sophomore LB Manase Hungalu and CB Charles Okonkwo also have made their OSU debuts.
TRUE STUDENT-ATHLETES: Twelve of the Beavers' 13 seniors are on track to graduate this academic year: Gavin Andrews (June/economics), Lavonte Barnett (March/sociology), Storm Barrs-Woods (December/human development & family sciences), Kellen Clute (March/digital communications), Jalen Grimble (December/economics), Jaswha James (December/sociology), Josh Mitchell (December/sociology), Naji Patrick (December/human development family studies/public health), Ali'i Robins (December/sociology), Larry Scott (December/human development & family studies), Caleb Smith (March/liberal studies), Shane Wallen (March/exercise & sport science).
PLUS .500 NON-CONFERENCE SEASONS: Oregon State achieved its fourth straight non-conference slate with a winning record. The Beavers won all three non-conference (non-bowl) games in 2012 and again in 2014 while they posted a 2-1 record in 2013 and this season.
BEAVS AT 111: Oregon owns the most victories in the Pac-12 Conference this century with 149, followed by USC (145/121 with vacated wins), OSU (111), Arizona State (108), UCLA (106), Stanford (104), Cal (96), Arizona (91), Washington (90), WSU (78). Non-traditional Pac-12 teams Utah has 128 victories this century and Colorado has 75. The Beavers hit the 100-win plateau this century in the Sept, 21, 2013 win at San Diego State. The previous 100-win stretch started during the 1966 season, ending with 1999 – nearly 34 seasons (365 games). This century's 100 victories were achieved in just over 13 seasons (168 games).
UNDAUNTED BY RANKINGS: Since 2005, Oregon State is tied with North Carolina State for the most wins by an unranked team against an FBS ranked team with 12.
THE DRIVE: The Oregon State and Utah football programs will be featured in the Pac-12 Networks' The Drive: Pac-12 Football this fall. Episode 1 airs Sept. 23 and covers training camp through the San Jose State game. Other episodes are scheduled for initial air dates as Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11, Nov. 18, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.
CAMP WILLIAMS: Earlier this summer 12 OSU football student-athletes spent a week at the National Guard Training Site in Bluffdale, Utah, for a crash course in leadership skills taught by the U. S. Army's 19th Special Forces Group. The participants learned leadership and teamwork skills and how to prioritize, sacrifice, brainstorm and trust, and how to synergize in small and large units for the good of the group, attributes that translate to the football field and to their professional and personal lives once they embark on a life beyond football after graduating from OSU. Players involved include: Lavonte Barnett, Victor Bolden, Devin Chappell, Kammy Delp, David Henry, Fred Lauina, Rommel Mageo, Josh Mitchell, Cyril Noland-Lewis, Ricky Ortiz, Kyle Peko and Caleb Saulo. For more of the story go to osubeavers.com.
ONE OF EIGHT: Fifth-year head football athletic trainer Ariko (uh-REE-ko) Iso (EE-so) is one of only eight females in the FBS in charge of the athletic training function of their football programs. Jennifer Brodeur (Massachusetts), Sally Nogle (Michigan State) and Kelli Pugh (Virginia) also head football athletic trainers while Jennifer Brown (Eastern Michigan), Brandy Clouse (Georgia Southern), Mary Vander Heiden (UCF) and Dawn Hearn (UTEP) are sports medicine department heads.
THE SERIES/GAME FACTS
• Saturday's game marks the 100th meeting between the two programs.
• Washington State holds a 49-47-3 advantage but Oregon State has won three of the last four and seven out of 10. WSU pulled off a 39-32 win over the Beavers in 2014 in Corvallis.
• The last three games in Pullman the teams have combined for 197 points with the Beavers winning each by an average of 49-17.
• Overall, the Beavers have a record of 19-23-2 against the Cougs in Pullman.
• In last year's contest, Victor Bolden made 10 receptions for 126 yards and Garrett Owens booted four field goals.
• Former Beaver and current St. Louis Rams quarterback Sean Mannion threw for 493 yards (OSU record) on 34-51 passing at WSU in 2013.
• In the 1979 game in Corvallis, Scott Richardson tossed four first half touchdowns to set the school record for TD passes in a half. It has since been tied three times, including by current OSU quality control coach Lyle Moevao against Oregon in 2008.
• In 1983, Ladd McKittrick hooked up with Reggie Bynum for a 92-yard touchdown pass - the second-longest in OSU history.
• OSU's Coquelle Thompson launched the longest punt in school history against the Cougars, an 80-yard blast in 1930.
SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE: Once again, this week's contest with the Cougars features match-up of opposing strengths. Washington State enters the game as the top passing team in the conference averaging 396.4 yards per game. Oregon State has the top ranked pass defense in the Pac-12 allowing only an average of 177.6 yards per game.
BEST COACH: According to a recent ESPN.com survey, 99 college football players were asked who (other than their own coach) is the best coach in the country? Gary Andersen tied for third behind the likes of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.
3-4: During the spring practice session, head coach Gary Andersen, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake and staff made the decision to shift to a primary defensive alignment with three down linemen and four linebackers. It marks the first time the Beavers have lined up in a primary 3-4 since the Jerry Pettibone era when Bronco Mendenhall, current BYU head coach, directed the defense in 1996.
GET OFF MY LAWN: The Oregon State defense has been stingy about letting opposing offenses get comfortable on the field. Opponents having taken the field on offense 63 times this season and have been turned away with a 3-and-out 38% of the time (24 times). That's an average 4.8 three-and-outs ranking 25th in the nation.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, WIN THE GAME: Over the last 142 games, Oregon State is 51-13 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, 11-37 when committing more and 16-14 when even.
2x1: In the Beavers' last game, senior tailback Storm Barrs-Woods became the second player in Oregon State history to achieve 2,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving during his career. Barrs-Woods has rushed for 2,505 career yards, sixth in OSU history, and 1,047 receiving yards. He joins Jacquizz Rodgers (2008-10) as the only other 2,000 x 1,000 player in OSU history. Further, Barrs-Woods became just the fourth player with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards joining Pat Chaffey (1986, 88-89) and James Rodgers (2007-11).
FRESHMEN QUARTERBACKS: Per a survey prior to the season, Oregon State entered the season as the only team in the nation that has no quarterbacks with playing experience and has only eligible freshmen signal callers. Prior to Seth Collins starting the season-opener against Weber State, the last Beaver true freshman quarterback to start for the Beavers was David Moran in 1996. Moran started three games in then a wishbone system, switched to cornerback prior to 1997 and before that season transferred to Northern Arizona.
QB ON THE MOVE: It didn't take freshman Seth Collins long to show his mobility and a very different skill set than Beaver fans are used to seeing at the position. Collins dodged, dipped, ducked, dived and dodged his way to 152 rushing yards against Weber State. It is the most yards an OSU quarterback has ran for since Tim Alexander set the school-record of 205 rushing yards against Northern Illinois in 1996 ... Through five games, Collins is averaging 72.4 rushing yards per game. At his current pace, Collins would finish the regular season with 869 rushing yards. Collins, who has rushed for 362 yards thus far in 2015, is more than half way to the Oregon State single season record for rushing yards by a quarterback which is held by Don Shanklin with 630 in 1994 ... Collins' start is especially impressive as he is the fifth leading rusher in the nation among quarterbacks ... Collins is also the third leading rusher in the nation among true freshmen (Lamar Jackson, Louisville & Taj Griffin, Oregon).
NEW LOOK LINEBACKERS: Entering the season Oregon State needed to replace all three starting linebackers from 2014 - a group that had combined to start 91 games and make 628 tackles. The Beavers returned two players with starting experience, Rommel Mageo and Caleb Saulo, who combined to start 10 games in 2013. According to a recent survey, those 10 returning starts ranks as the sixth-fewest in the nation. Those two juniors plus sophomore Manase Hungalu have formed a new triumverate combining for 97 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Add Ricky Ortiz, who recently converted from H-Back to linebacker, and the linebacker corps has accounted for six of the seven turnovers the Beavers have forced this year.
APPLYING FOR MEDICAL HARDSHIPS: OSU head coach Gary Andersen announced two weeks ago that senior tight end Caleb Smith and true freshman running back Deltron Sands will miss the rest of the 2015 season. Because both players have played this year, OSU will apply for medical hardships from the Pac-12 Conference after the season.
SENIOR CLASS: The Beavers are one of the most inexperienced teams in the country entering the season. OSU possesses 13 seniors on the active roster, which ranks as the youngest team in the Pac-12 and is tied as the ninth-youngest team in the nation.
RETURNING O-LINEMEN: Oregon State returns all five starters on the offensive line for the first time since 2003 when Matt Brock, Brian Kilkenny, David Lose, Doug Nienhuis and Kanan Sanchez manned the trenches. This season, the Beavers have a group of linemen that started the final four games of 2014 together – Sean Harlow (LT), Fred Lauina (LG), Josh Mitchell (C), Gavin Andrews (RG) and Dustin Stanton (RT). In addition, Isaac Seumalo, who entered the season with 25 starts for the Beavers, returns from injury after missing the entire 2014 season and will fill in at right guard while Andrews will redshirt this season due to injury bringing about the possibility that the 2016 team could return five current or former starters on the line for the second consecutive season.
FRESH FACES: Oregon State has had 18 freshmen (true and redshirt combined) play already this season. Among those new guys are four true freshmen– QB Seth Collins, WR Paul Lucas, RB Deltron Sands and TE Noah Togiai. as well as redshirt freshmen OL Drew Clarkson, OL Kammy Delp, WR Datrin Guyton, DE Sumner Houston, WR Drew Kell, QB Marcus McMaryion, RB/TE Ryan Nall, S Gabe Ovgard, S Adam Soesman, LB Bright Ugwoegbu, NT Kalani Vakameilalo, CB Dwayne Williams, DE LaMone Williams and LB Jonathan Willis. In addition, nine others have played for the first time with the Beavers including transfers CB Devin Chappell, CB Treston Decoud, LS Ryan Navarro, NT Kyle Peko, and P Nick Porebski. Juniors K Ian Crist and TE Brent VanderVeen and sophomore LB Manase Hungalu and CB Charles Okonkwo also have made their OSU debuts.
TRUE STUDENT-ATHLETES: Twelve of the Beavers' 13 seniors are on track to graduate this academic year: Gavin Andrews (June/economics), Lavonte Barnett (March/sociology), Storm Barrs-Woods (December/human development & family sciences), Kellen Clute (March/digital communications), Jalen Grimble (December/economics), Jaswha James (December/sociology), Josh Mitchell (December/sociology), Naji Patrick (December/human development family studies/public health), Ali'i Robins (December/sociology), Larry Scott (December/human development & family studies), Caleb Smith (March/liberal studies), Shane Wallen (March/exercise & sport science).
PLUS .500 NON-CONFERENCE SEASONS: Oregon State achieved its fourth straight non-conference slate with a winning record. The Beavers won all three non-conference (non-bowl) games in 2012 and again in 2014 while they posted a 2-1 record in 2013 and this season.
BEAVS AT 111: Oregon owns the most victories in the Pac-12 Conference this century with 149, followed by USC (145/121 with vacated wins), OSU (111), Arizona State (108), UCLA (106), Stanford (104), Cal (96), Arizona (91), Washington (90), WSU (78). Non-traditional Pac-12 teams Utah has 128 victories this century and Colorado has 75. The Beavers hit the 100-win plateau this century in the Sept, 21, 2013 win at San Diego State. The previous 100-win stretch started during the 1966 season, ending with 1999 – nearly 34 seasons (365 games). This century's 100 victories were achieved in just over 13 seasons (168 games).
UNDAUNTED BY RANKINGS: Since 2005, Oregon State is tied with North Carolina State for the most wins by an unranked team against an FBS ranked team with 12.
THE DRIVE: The Oregon State and Utah football programs will be featured in the Pac-12 Networks' The Drive: Pac-12 Football this fall. Episode 1 airs Sept. 23 and covers training camp through the San Jose State game. Other episodes are scheduled for initial air dates as Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11, Nov. 18, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.
CAMP WILLIAMS: Earlier this summer 12 OSU football student-athletes spent a week at the National Guard Training Site in Bluffdale, Utah, for a crash course in leadership skills taught by the U. S. Army's 19th Special Forces Group. The participants learned leadership and teamwork skills and how to prioritize, sacrifice, brainstorm and trust, and how to synergize in small and large units for the good of the group, attributes that translate to the football field and to their professional and personal lives once they embark on a life beyond football after graduating from OSU. Players involved include: Lavonte Barnett, Victor Bolden, Devin Chappell, Kammy Delp, David Henry, Fred Lauina, Rommel Mageo, Josh Mitchell, Cyril Noland-Lewis, Ricky Ortiz, Kyle Peko and Caleb Saulo. For more of the story go to osubeavers.com.
ONE OF EIGHT: Fifth-year head football athletic trainer Ariko (uh-REE-ko) Iso (EE-so) is one of only eight females in the FBS in charge of the athletic training function of their football programs. Jennifer Brodeur (Massachusetts), Sally Nogle (Michigan State) and Kelli Pugh (Virginia) also head football athletic trainers while Jennifer Brown (Eastern Michigan), Brandy Clouse (Georgia Southern), Mary Vander Heiden (UCF) and Dawn Hearn (UTEP) are sports medicine department heads.
