Cliff Kirkpatrick

Here’s the leftover interview from Oregon State coach Mike Riley from Sunday. Check back on the blog throughout Tuesday as I spend the morning, midday and part of the afternoon with the Beavers as they prepare for Saturday’s Washington game.

Are you worried about the lack of running game from Cal?
“We were disappointed we didn’t block them better for the running game, but pleased with how we picked up protection. They did a good job picking up the hard parts of the 3-4.”

Why did the defense all of a sudden click in that game?
“They are all individual stories. Our team was very efficient. They just went play to play and competed. We got on top of things pretty well.”

How do you look at the defensive line success?
“I was truly impressed with that. There was good pressure, and there were quite a few times (Kevin Riley) got rid of the ball and he was still harassed. That was the difference in the game.”

What are your thoughts on WR Damola Adeniji’s play?
“I’m really, really proud of him. He played well. We got in the game were we weren’t able to run the ball like we were able to, then Sean, our line and receivers picked us up.”

What do you think of everyone else on the offense picking up the slack for the Rodgers brothers?
“I think it was a good statement. The balance is very important. That’s important for their success. They can’t get an entire attention of a defensive game plan going into them. When there are other weapons, that’s good for everybody.”

Looking at Washington, would you ever put one guy in charge of stalking QB Jake Locker?
“It’s difficult to do that when the guy can throw the ball. You take him out of the pass run and the pass coverage. You strengthen yourself in one area, and you are weakening yourself in other areas.”

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BERKELEY, Calif. – The Oregon State football team put together a complete game and defeated No. 23 California 31-14 Saturday night to become bowl eligible with its sixth win of the season.

Here’s a link to my main story in Sunday’s GT on the state of the Beavers and how they did in the game. Here’s my secondary story on Cal’s Jahvid Best and OSU’s defense.

Here’s a link to the Beavers Report Card. Here’s a link to the notebook. There’s always a lot of good tidbits in there.

The only concern was the lack of a running game. QB Sean Canfield picked up Jacquizz Rodgers with a big game.

“Their defense did a good job of handling our run game,” TE Joe Halahuni said. “We just had players step up and do our job.”

What was impressive was the adjustments the coaches and the players did on the fly when Quizz couldn’t go anywhere. And then Canfield just just took it on himself to carry the team.

“We kept our composure,” Canfield said. “We put some points up in the first half, and I think we are very close to putting up a lot more points.”

Coach Mike Riley attributed the offense’s success to the pass protection. Not run blocking didn’t bother the linemen. They stayed focused on the pass.

“(Cal) played very well, and we protected our quarterback very well to allow him to throw the ball,” Riley said.

The defense stuffed the run, contained the pass and pressure the passer. LB Keaton Kristick had a good game. Overall special teams were solid.

“Our (coaches) just prepared them to play against this offense, and we were well-prepared,” Riley said. “Then we played very aggressively.”

A big move was starting Gabe Miller and Matt LaGrone as the DEs. They have been the most effective of the group in part-time roles.

“It was Gabe and Matt playing well,” Riley said. “And we need all our ends playing well.”

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BERKELEY, Calif. – So much for the bad weather when I arrived Friday. It’s a beautiful day in the Bay Area.

Check out the photos of San Francisco from the back of the press box. It’s a little hazy, and cool.

The Oregon State football team arrived with no issues. There’s bad traffic, of course, three hours before the game. Driving around here is brutal.

There are no oddball starting lineup changes. Expect CB Brandon Hardin to start in place of Tim Clark, but Clark will play. S Suaesi Tuimaunei may start for Lance Mitchell, but Mitchell will play.

The word is this is the last time OSU will play in Memorial Stadium until 2013. The stadium will be under going a remodel during 2011. The Bears will have to play somewhere else for a little while.

First quarter
Mitchell starts, as does DEs Gabe Miller and Matt LaGrone. Hardin was in on the first drive. WR Markus Wheaton started at split end. Damola Adeniji goes in after the first play.

Big 48-yard reception by TE Joe Halahuni sets up a QB sneak by Sean Canfield. Beavers up 7-0, 3:48.

Looks like the DEs are rotating per drive. Clark is now in at right CB. Offensive looked good until the last play of the quarter when Jacquizz Rodgers lost five yards.

Overall, the passing game will work. And as long as the defense contains the big play, it will contain Cal.

Second quarter
Halahuni and James Rodgers make key catches on a 90-yard drive and Beavers are up 14-0 with 13:46 left.

Cal makes a long drive, despite penalties and score. Jahvid Best scores  but injuries his neck or shoulder. He lands on his shoulder. He’s being carted off. It doesn’t look good. He jumped up high was flipped up very high and landed on the back of his shoulder/neck. OSU still leads 14-7, 6:07. It was 15-minute delay.

A short kickoff gives OSU good field position to pick its way up the field  for another TD, this time a 3-yard pass to Jordan Bishop. OSU up 21-7, 1:56.

The first official word on Best, and it’s not much, he went to ER for observation. So that could mean stinger or concussion. Both good for him as opposed to other options.

OSU smells blood. LB Keaton Kristick just leveled QB Kevin Riley. His bell was rung. It was helmet to chin. Riley is walking off the field.

That’s the half. Here’s a pic of the OSU section. There’s a lot of orange out there.

The preliminary report on Best is that he has a concussion and movement in all his extremities.

Third quarter
The teams trade INTs, but Beavers get the best of it. Mitchell returns his pick 19 yards to Cal’s 15-yard line. OSU’s running game is struggling so it settles for a FG, a 24-yarder by Justin Kahut. OSU up 24-7, 10:29

Quizz had 38 yards in the first half. There was a long of 28 yards, and several negative runs.

Fourth quarter
Kahut misses a 50-yard FG wide left. He had plenty of leg. There’s 14:44 left in the game.

OK, games basically over. I have to chip off the ice that has formed on me in the outdoor press box. Check back in a little bit for the postgame blog.

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