Much of the talk about the Oregon State football team going into Saturday’s game at USC is about the offense being able to move the ball like it did last year.
However, stopping the Trojans is just as big of an issue. The Beavers have had success there, too, in the two wins in the last three meetings. The feeling from the players is they can do the same this time around.
“The offense is the same,” DT Stephen Paea said. “What we have to do is fill our gaps and wrap up. They are not a special team, but they find ways to win.”
Before you get up in arms about what Paea said about USC not being special and it being bulletin board material, English is his second language. So let me translate what he meant. What special meant was gimmicky. It’s not the spread. It’s basic football, which OSU plays well against.
Paea feels the success of the defense from last year started from the work of DEs Victor Butler and Slade Norris and S Al Afalava bottling up the run and pass. Those guys were NFL draft picks last year.
“Then it was everybody playing together,” Paea said. “Everybody was pumped up. It was a good feeling.”
Can the Beavers do it again without them? Paea felt they could, but that’s a lot of talent that has yet to be replaced at the same level.
“Everybody feels the same about this game,” Paea said. “We haven’t done anything, yet. We have to show up and play well. It’s a football game we have to win. The defensive line just has to grind it out so the linebackers can do their job.”
AD search?
Michigan announced that AD Bill Martin will retire next September. Why do you care? OSU AD Bob De Carolis began his career there in 1979 as an administrative assistant, then business manager and softball coach. He worked there in various capacities until 1996.
I’ll have to ask him if his resume is in the mail the next time I see him. I’m sure he’ll avoid me now.
Last year he was in the running for the Indiana job, and he’s a Big Ten kind of guy. So I wouldn’t be surprised.
De Carolis is a good candidate for any AD job in the country with what he has done at OSU. If you like him or not, if he ever leaves it would be a big loss to the program.
5 comments
WebTraveler says:
Oct 22, 2009
The loss of Bob would be a downer for the program. He has done so much in his time here and brought the program to a much higher level.
Tweets that mention Cliff: Paea on USC, De Carolis « Cliff Kirkpatrick -- Topsy.com says:
Oct 22, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rohan Watches and Cliff Kirkpatrick, The Orange One. The Orange One said: Cliff: Paea on USC, De Carolis http://bit.ly/m8hEX [...]
aaron_ says:
Oct 22, 2009
losing DeCarolis would be huge. He has done so much for all of Beaver athletics; Raising Reser,craig robinson, mike riley, face lift of Gill, retaining Casey, the renovation of Goss…to name a few. I hope he sticks around. He understands what the deal is with OSU and the issues that they encounter with money and donations and what needs to be done. Lets hope he stays!
AndySnacks says:
Oct 22, 2009
He does understand the deal at OSU, and he has been great for the school. However, recent comments he made seem to have the tone of someone who's frustrated with "the deal" and might be ready for a new challenge. Perhaps someone fresh to OSU would be able to pump a little juice into those 4,000 fans that can't seem to get to Reser six Saturdays a year.
Beaverfuzz says:
Oct 22, 2009
Tiered ticket pricing is a good start, no way should an endzone seat cost the same as a ticket on the 50 yard line (donation's excluded). I'll shed a tear for Bob the Builder, I won't shed a tear for Bob the Marketer if he left OSU.