Sean Mannion must come back strong next season.
The Oregon State football team goes into a crucial spring practice after two losing seasons, so let’s check out the various position groups to talk about the depth chart and focus.
The most stable position on the team is QB with sophomore Sean Mannion leading the way. He took over as the starter last year in the third game.
Coach Mike Riley stuck with him good and bad all season. Mannion looked great with a huge upside at times and as an inexperienced rookie at others.
The plan for him is to just get better for the fall. The backups in order are junior Cody Vaz, junior Jack Lomax and redshirt freshman Richie Harrington.
Riley wants Vaz to push Mannion, and trusts him as a short-term backup. Lomax and Harrington are still developing.
There’s no long-term future of the position. Incoming freshman Brent VanderVeen might be, so he has some time develop with Mannion the starter for three more years.
So the QBs should be a quiet position leading up to the season. Is that good? Are the fans comfortable with the starter moving forward?
33 comments
aaron_ says:
Mar 21, 2012
i don’t think i am comfortable with this group. I do like Mannion as the starter, but after that it gets sketchy. Vaz and Lomax are good #3′s. We should have a better #2 in there. But what can you do the plan was to have Katz starting and Mannion as the #2. That would have given us security at the position. But things happened and we have to roll with it. Lets hope that our OL is much improved this year so Sean can stay upright and not get hurt. last thing we need is a serious injury to Sean and Vazout there for an extended time.
We must get our selves a solid prospect in at QB. This is a must. But Riley seems to be able to get those so i am not concerned too much. Yet…
Real says:
Mar 23, 2012
The ONLY reason that we are in this position is Riley’s mismanagement of the QB situation last year. One way or the other, we should have a solid backup (Mannion/Katz or Katz/Mannion). And anyone who knows football knows that this year it will probably bite us. QB’s get nicked up, it’s football, and we haven’t been for two years so we’re due. When Mannion goes down at some critical point this year, and Vaz goes in and loses the game, we only have Riley to blame. Vaz is a great kid and a super talent, but he will not be prepared to win a competitive Pac 12 game. WAKE UP BEAVER FANS……THERE IS NO REASON FOR A PAC 12 FOOTBALL TEAM TO BE IN THIS SITUATION!!!!! Whether Riley was right or wrong about Mannion being better than Katz, there is absolutely NO reason that both should not be wearing black and orange this year. Look at Oregon’s QB situation, they have good QB’s stockpiled like every good program does. Riley can hardly keep ONE good QB on campus!
fahlgren says:
Mar 21, 2012
How do we know Mannion will be the starter? Thought Katz was the starter last year
Hordaine says:
Mar 21, 2012
fahlgren, Katz is no longer on the team. He moved on to SDSU.
oneoldbeav says:
Mar 21, 2012
I believe fahlgren’s point is that the individual named as starter early in the spring may not turn out to be the guy when the season gets going.
While the Katz/Mannion thing was poorly handled (MR has admitted as much) the principle that there is no “cast in stone” roster till very late in Fall Camp is one I believe to be not only valid, but foundational.
fahlgren says:
Mar 21, 2012
Thanks oneoldbeav, sarcasm doesn’t come across on the internet.
oneoldbeav says:
Mar 21, 2012
Really?
tcinaz says:
Mar 21, 2012
Yeah, Katz, is at SDSU, where he’s projected to start on a team that’s projected to get to a bowl. Good coaching.
oneoldbeav says:
Mar 21, 2012
Projections, projections, put ‘em with, what $3, and you can buy a cup of coffee.
tcinaz says:
Mar 21, 2012
Or with “foundations” and get what, 18 int’s and 3 wins. Great coaching.
Tagup says:
Mar 21, 2012
Katz’s spring game results at SDSU seem to show that Ryan is not the same player he was a couple years ago…..I think his injuries were more than we knew.
osu92 says:
Mar 21, 2012
Not the same player? Based on their spring scrimmage only he looks worse. 5-23 with 2 picks? Granted the weather looked really crummy but still, that makes me very happy with Mannion.
Tagup says:
Mar 21, 2012
I don’t disagree, but Katz is getting the most reps with the 1′s and I think he will end up the starter.
bbb says:
Mar 22, 2012
TAGUP-
Fail again. The conditions in SDSU’s spring game were abismal. Plus he is learning a brand new offense. i think you are just trying to smootch riley rear again. man love on full display.
Tagup says:
Mar 22, 2012
5-23, 81 yds 2 picks zero td’s……sure the weather was bad but c’mon 22%?….it rains in Corvallis too…
Not sure what the “fail” reference means (other then you like to use the word).I just said he will probably be the starter at SDSU, and I stated earlier that Katz’s preformance seemingly strengthened Riley’s decision. Do you disagree?
OSUSupporter says:
Mar 21, 2012
Katz is good but Mannions upside is way higher and while Riley was unbelievably pathetic in handling Katzs demotion last year I believe his decision to play Mannion will reap long term benefits. I hope he has worked on his mobility in the offseason.
mike says:
Mar 21, 2012
Decent play calling would help.
wcjr says:
Mar 21, 2012
We have a winner!! Come on down!!!
TKS says:
Mar 21, 2012
Amen. Seeing as Langsdorf is still here…. I’m putting our O line #1 on my wishlist. God I hope they are good this year.
Im all in with Mannion, he has a ton of potential and looked really good at times last year. The situation was what it was. I think Riley did the right thing even if it was handled poorly and *may* have cost us at most two games. The team had more problems than just QB play. But, heres to a new season where every team is 0-0. GO BEAVS
AndyPanda says:
Mar 21, 2012
“Mannion looked great…”???
What part of 18 interceptions, 1 away from worst in the entire country, and 27 sacks looks great to ANYONE other than opposition defenses?
bone says:
Mar 21, 2012
“…at time” which he definitely did. Not getting any real work in with the first offense last off season, playing behind the worst o-line, and no threat of a running game allowing defenses to drop 7+ people in coverage, having to throw the ball upwards to 50 times a game is going to lead to interceptions, he was sacked less times that Katz who is described as a “mobile quarterback” . Mannion was put in a pretty tough situation last year and for the most part did a good job, another year under his belt a year working with his receivers and learning college coverages. I feel much more confident this year with him under center than I did with Katz last season.
Tony Diamond says:
Mar 21, 2012
For a freshmen unexpectedly starting, with a terrible line, and no rushing game, ya he did pretty well.
Secondly Katz’s injury was undoubtedly a problem. His hand was still hurting him after spring. He should have redshirted and been back competing for his job this year. Regardless bagging on Mannion is pretty weak, unless you don’t like the game of football and are just worried about whether we get a W or an L.
RenoNVbeavr says:
Mar 21, 2012
Just as Agnew should have had 40+ carries vs FCS Sac. St., Mannion would be further along had Danny/Riley made him attempt 70+ passes in the loss at ASU. 62 attempts clearly was not sufficient in his development (eyes firmly rolling).
ObjCritic says:
Mar 21, 2012
Mannion is solid and I think likely to perform like Canfield did his SENIOR season, with at least a 2:1 td:int ratio. Harrington should be allowed to challenge for number 2 if his play is there – Vaz does not stand out to me for some reason. Looking at Harrington, he is like Mannion in his ability to move around the pocket and find time, not a runner, not elusive, a time-buyer who completes the play with his arm, not his feet.
dunerat says:
Mar 21, 2012
After looking at the Pre Spring Lineups I can’t get real excited about next year. We are still young and will still have growing pains at QB. Same thing at RB, because we have average returners in the OL and possibly some good young talent but probably a year away. Receiver? Solid. Then the bigger problems Defense. Ends? OK, depth might be a problem. LB? OK, depth is a problem. DB? OK, but DL will hamper this group. And DT? poor at best. Seumalo could be good 2nd teamer. Masaneai wont play more than 2 games then be hurt. The rest will be young and inexperienced, a year or 2 away. Offense? predictable, the same as last year poor running and the load will be put on Mannion and the Receivers. Defense? can’t top the Spread, won’t stop the Run and give up 3rd downs. Riley will go with Youth, cause his Contract allows it. I’ve said this before, this program is back where it was when Riley took over in ’96. He gets his second chance to turn things around, only this time he will have to do it without Erickson. Next year? 4-8 at best. I hope I’m wrong. We’ll see.
Beavrob says:
Mar 21, 2012
Like many others, I was very disappointed in the way Riley handled the QB situation last year. If it is true that Katz has really regressed as some claim, then going with Mannion was the right decision, but it could have been handled much better. That said, I like Mannion’s upside and I don’t see anybody challenging him for the #1 spot. Mannion will be much better this year. I think Vaz is a stable backup and has an accurate arm but IMO he lacks the arm strength to seriously challenge Mannion. As long as Mannion stays healthy this year, QB won’t be the concern – the concern will be the O-line.
RenoNVbeavr says:
Mar 22, 2012
BEAVROB – Can Vaz’s arm strength be any worse than Case Keenum, Houston’s record settting QB or Kellen Moore, arguably the greatest QB the WAC has ever had and a QB with the highest winning % in CFB history? I would argue his arm strength is just fine. Riley/Langs need to tailor their offense to accentuate their QB’s strengths, not have one cookie cutter scheme. VAZ wasnt a 3 star QB out of HS because he handed the ball off to his RB.
oneoldbeav says:
Mar 22, 2012
Excellent point, Reno. Riley/Langs must have more than 3 pages in the playbook but you’d never know it by watching the games.
Beavrob says:
Mar 22, 2012
I see your point, and I agree – arm strength isn’t everything but it is important. The coaches would need to tailor the offense since the lack of arm strength would limit the play calling.
RenoNVbeavr says:
Mar 22, 2012
As OS may never get 4-star quality QB’s, developing a system that uses the skillset of the QB’s they do bring in should be paramount.
Side note: Its time for Langs to give up that ridiculous WR screen and TE screen up the middle, which every DC in the land now can predict, along with the Beaver fan base. There is alot of gum flapping by the coaches on what they are going to do in Spring training (i.e. the often used “Obum in the red zone” strategy) but come Fall camp or the games its back to A) Throwing to Wheaton 80% of the time, B) WR screen to likely Wheaton or C) Well…is there really a 3rd option here other than hand the ball off?
wcjr says:
Mar 22, 2012
Reno! Reno! Reno! You’re hoping Langsdorf will become a creative play- caller?!! Unfortunatly, we both sadly know better. I know for a fact that Chip went for it on 4th down his 1st 3 possessions vs us last year partly because he knew his defense wasn’t going to have much trouble stopping Danny’s innovative offensive scheme. Why not go for it when you know you will soon have possession again?
bbb says:
Mar 22, 2012
we should make mannion wear iron rods from hip to ankle to protect his legs from being ripped off his body. all shot gun and 2 second releases. this o-line will be crap again. mannion should also be allowed to swing a mace with his left hand at the first free rusher. that is the only way to make it fair for him next year.
RenoNVbeavr says:
Mar 22, 2012
Well noted, BBB.