There’s only a brief time to catch up with the reading for the Oregon State football game against Washington at 12:30 p.m. today in Reser Stadium. So I’m using this post for the Saturday reading and game thread.
Feel free to comment here throughout the day, or ask questions. And you can follow along at twitter.com/cliffgt.
Here’s a link to my main story in Saturday’s GT. It’s on DEs Gabe Miller and Matt LaGrone taking over the starting job and the positive impact they had on the pass rush. From there you can find links to the whole week of work.
Here’s a link to my five keys to the game that the Beavers must do to win. Here’s a link to the players to watch. My pick this week is S Lance Mitchell and Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker is a stud and Mitchell is having a very good year stopping the pass and run.
“(Locker) can do everything,” CB James Dockery said. “We have to bring our A-game. We have to play the pass. We have to keep our eyes one our man. There are times you think he’s going to get sacked and he breaks the pocket and makes plays down field.”
My pick for the game is OSU over Washington, 31-14. The Huskies are tough but the Beavers are playing well, are at home for the last time this season and have a desire for a good bowl game. And of course there’s the rivalry.
“Any time you get to play some Northwest team, that’s bragging rights,” Dockery said. “You want to win. But I want to win every game.”
Sad news
OSU football public address announcer Mike Stone will not be at the game today. He is with his ailing father out of state. He started in 1997 and not missed a game.
And to get you excited for the game, remember this play? It’s the last time to bring this one up since QB Lyle Moevao is graduating this year.
First quarter
After both teams punt the ball, LB Keaton Kristick had one of the most amazing diving picks ever. OSU takes the ball on the UW 17.
Two plays later and QB Sean Canfield hits TE Joe Halahuni on a 3-yard TD pass. OSU up 7-0 with 10:22 left.
An awful punt by UW sets up a 44-yard FG by Justin Kahut. OSU was a little too fancy with a failed reverse and a dropped Wild Beaver play. OSU leads 10-0 with 3:18 left.
OSU is charmed so far. Canfield, Quizz and Ryan McCants have fumbled but got it back. And for Quizz, he fumbled a Wild Beaver handoff to James Rodgers.
Second quarter
Beavers finish off the latest drive with another 44-yard FG by Kahut. OSU up 13-0, 13:28.
Beavers defense is on fire. There’s a massive pass rush. Coverage is good. Quizz makes four stunning moves on a 42-yard run to set up the next TD. Canfield hits James Rodgers on a 6-yard TD pass. OSU is up 30-0, 7:38.
UW rallies with a 66-yard drive. Penalties and bad tackling help keep it going. Jake Locker hits Jermaine Kearse on a 3-yard TD pass. OSU still leads 20-7, 2:21.
RB Jovan Stevenson is in on the final drive of the half because Quizz has a leg issue. Beavers still score a TD on a 70-yard drive. Canfield his James Rodgers on a 10-yard pass. OSU up 27-7, 0:24.
The update on Quizz is it’s a left hip, but not serious. OSU was being cautious. There could be more McCants and Stevenson in the second half.
Third quarter
James Rodgers returns the opening kickoff to the UW 1. It was an 84-yard return. Quizz scores on a 1-yard run. OSU up 34-7, 14:05
More OSU defense stops UW and more OSU offense leads to another Quizz score. OSU up 41-7, 7:31. Quizz topped 100 yards on that play. That’s the 13th time he has done that in his career.
Beavers are forced to punt after scoring on seven straight drives.
Fourth quarter
Beavers emptying the bench on defense. S Jordan Poyer getting some playing time, among other second/third string guys. And they force a fumble. Matt LaGrone forced the fumble. Poyer recovered it.
Washington makes it interesting by forcing Canfield to fumble. Well, it’s not that interesting even though the Huskies score on a 39-yard TD pass by Locker to Kearse. OSU still up 41-14, 9:27.
OSU responds with another TD, this time by Halahuni. It’s 48-14, 8:18. The game is over check back in a little bit for the postgame blog.
18 comments
patrickdlogan says:
Nov 14, 2009
Glad to see Miller and LaGrone are juniors, so the team has them back next year. Meanwhile, congratulations to all the seniors!
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
i really though Frahm and Terry would have more of an impact as far as disrupting the qb and getting sacks. They are good players but for some reason they were not getting it done. What are your thoughts on those two Cliff, why didnt they have the impact the Riley and Banker thought they would have?
i am excited by LaGrone and Miller, they do look very good,
ckirkpatrick says:
Nov 14, 2009
Reading between the lines talking with DL coach Joe Seumalo, it's the athletic ability that made the difference. Miller was a four-star athlete out of Lake Oswego and needed to find his niche. LaGrone is a big, athletic former basketball player. He needed to find himself. He also needed a lot of football teaching.
Frahm and Terry were not getting to the ball because they were blocked out, and couldn't recover in time. They needed more size to not get blocked out. If they got more size, they wouldn't be as quick.
You'll notice Taylor Henry getting a lot more playing time. He's quick and athletic in the Victor Butler mold.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
Thanks Cliff, and yes you can see the athletic ability of both Miller and LaGrone out there. it is quite impressive.
I thought when Terry came in that he and Simi Kuli where going to dominate. But Terry has quite made it there and Simi is nowhere to be found. Speaking of him, and i know i asked you a million times before about him, but do you know where he ended up? Did Simi finish up his playing days at his JC or did he ever make it to a 4-yr university?
ckirkpatrick says:
Nov 14, 2009
No idea.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
Nice pick by Keaton!
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
i like the idea of using McCants, but he needs to hold on to the ball.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
the Beavers are looking pretty darn good. Especially on defense. The swithch to Lagrone and Miller that you talked about, Cliff seems to really be paying off. They are very disruptive.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
Now the offense is looking just as sharp as the D. The beavers are looking really good today. If they keep this up they can be very dangerous down the stretch in the Pac-10 race. I am amazed by the improvement in Canfield…
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
Nothing against Stevenson, but Riley must play McCants. He has to see if he has what it takes.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
special teams, defense and offense-all looking good.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
Matt LaGrone is playing like a monster!
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
time to get quizz out of the game. It is McCant and Stevonson time. Riley has always been bad about this, he needs to take him out now.
aaron_ says:
Nov 14, 2009
may be time for Katz too…
rooruns says:
Nov 15, 2009
Cliff,
Why didn't Riley take Quizz out for a break and allow McCants to get some game time action? I think McCants has a lot of talent, but he needs some game time. Also why were the kickoff so short all day regardless of which direction? It's like we give up 15 to 20 yards each time we kick.
ckirkpatrick says:
Nov 15, 2009
Riley is a big-time worrier about losing leads. He leaves guys in too long at times.
The short kickoffs were planned, trying to pin their returns and let the coverage do its job.
Tweets that mention Cliff: UW pregame/game thread « Cliff Kirkpatrick -- Topsy.com says:
Nov 15, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cliff Kirkpatrick, The Orange One. The Orange One said: @RayHogan_LA Lance Mitchell mention: "My pick this week is S Lance Mitchell" http://tinyurl.com/y868dqe [...]
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Nov 15, 2009
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