The obvious first pick was WR Damola Adeniji since he grew up in Eugene. The others are OG Burke Ellis and WR Markus Wheaton because family members played for the Ducks.
Here’s a funny story OT Mike Remmers told about Ellis that didn’t make the story. Remmers is a diehard Beavers fan. When the Ducks sent him recruiting letters, he didn’t even open them. He was either getting a scholarship with the Beavers or walking on.
Anyway, Ellis and Remmers are good friends. Ellis’ brother is Remmers’ current roommate. Now that the buildup to the Civil War has begun, there’s a different vibe around the apartment.
“I don’t talk to him right now,” Remmers said of Ellis’ brother. “It’s an agreement. You don’t say anything to me, and I won’t say anything to you.”
Remmers plans to go duck hunting on his family farm on Thanksgiving to put food on the dinner table that night. And of course he’s taking Ellis with him.
“We do have to kill those ducks,” Ellis said with a smile.
It wasn’t a foregone conclusion the Oregon State football team’s offense was going to be successful this season.
There was a returning QB and star RB, but the offensive line needed to be rebuilt with two underclassmen on the left side, true freshman Michael Philipp and walk-on Grant Johnson.
Read more about the linemen and the man behind them, Mike Cavanaugh, in Thursday’s GT here. And check out the above video of OG Gregg Peat. He talks Washington State and Cavanaugh.
Here are a few comments from Peat that didn’t make the story or the video:
“That’s the way he coaches,” he said of Canvaugh’s aggressive approach. “He gets the most out of us. We like that.”
“In the beginning of the season it was a rocky start,” Peat said. “We gave up a lot of sacks and the run game wasn’t where we wanted it. But as the season went on we got better, but we are not perfect, by far.”
The offensive lines development led a stellar offense. Sean Canfield leads the conference in passing and Jacquizz Rodgers is up for several postseason offensive awards.
“This offense has turned into a pretty good picture,” coach Mike Riley said. “Our offense threatens people with the interior running game with Quizz. It threats on the edge with James (Rodgers) and Markus Wheaton. Our running game is balanced. We have a number of guys making plays in the passing game.”
OSU reached the point that if the running game is stopped, the passing game takes over, and vice versa. There can be gimmick plays such as Wild Beaver or be conventional.
“Its fun to see the overall growth and production,” Riley said. “It’s important for us to continue to climb. You can feel it when we are going good with the execution and guys making plays.”
Balance has come from the backups and support personnel. TE Joe Halahuni and WR Damola Adeniji are prime examples of the offense spreading the wealth.
“Playing for Joe was a big deal,” Riley said. “He hasn’t played much before. He was overcoming a significant (knee) injury. It was just a matter of time before it clicked in. Once it did, it’s a good thing. The quarterback looks to him more, and there’s more in the game plan for him.”
RB Jovan Stevenson and WR Aaron Nichols are examples of the backups stepping in so there’s no difference in the offense.
“When you got that going that whoever goes in and it doesn’t matter, that’s a good thing,” Riley said. “We try not to be overly excited about that. That’s what we expect. That’s why they practice and that’s why they are on the team. When they go in the game our expectations is to help us carry on if we are doing well, and if not, help us get better. They are very good examples of us being able to do that.”
Getting to know …
Here’s a link to my oddball Q&A with C Alex Linnenkohl. For a preview, he’s another player afraid of these creatures.
The Oregon State football team laid the wood on Washington on Saturday. The 48-21 victory was a complete domination.
Here’s a link to the main story in Sunday’s GT on the state of the Beavers and their postseason hopes. Here’s a link to the report card. Here’s a link to the notebook with a ton of interesting stuff. Here’s a link to the sidebar about WR Damola Adeniji proposing to his girlfriend.
And some of you commented about the success of the defensive line and Gabe Miller and Matt LaGrone in particular. You may not have read this story since it ran in Saturday, but check out the changes that made a difference with them starting.
The offense moved the ball up and down the field any way it wanted. The defense stuffed everything – with the exception of one Washington drive that was before garbage time.
“We got the running game going,” QB Sean Canfield said. “That’s consistent every week. If the run is going we are going to stick with the run. If not, we’ll look to make the plays down field in the passing game. It was great. It was a whole team effort. The special teams did their thing like they had all year.”
Special teams were strong. The kicking game and return game was game-changing.
“The defense played well in the beginning of the game,” LB Keaton Kristick said. “We had a party in the backfield. We really stressed to do that.”
RB Jacquizz Rodgers had a glut stinger, but he’s fine. There were no injuries to come out of the game.
“It was hurting bad,” Rodgers said. “I couldn’t walk, but I’m good. It happened on the goal line. Someone hit me in the back (butt) area.”
Check out the above video of Canfield talking about the win and Rose Bowl chances. Check out Adeniji talking football and marriage.
Senior thoughts on final home game
“It was an emotional day, more for my parents,” Canfield said. “It hadn’t hit me yet that it was my last game in Reser Stadium.”
“It hit me all at one,” Kristick said. “I didn’t expect it. It was a great sendoff. We had a lot of fun.”
Washington coach Steve Sarkisian postgame quotes
“Well that was an ugly football game. There wasn’t a phase where we performed to our capabilities, and that’s what’s disappointing for a coaching standpoint. You always go into a game and you want to achieve or play as close to your level of capability as possible. Today, for whatever reason, we didn’t do that. We did not perform at a level that we are capable of, not even close. Tip your hat to Oregon State. They came out and played well, but I don’t know if it had as much to do with them, or if it just had to with us. We couldn’t get out of our own way there for a while.”
On playing in Reser Stadium
“Yeah, I don’t like this Reser Stadium a whole lot. It’s three times in a row when I’ve been here now (at USC before). What’s funny about these games is that they’ve all gone the same way in the first half. It’s almost just disastrous offensive football where you can’t get out of your own way. I don’t know maybe we’ll just get dressed on the bus and take the field. We won’t even go into the locker room.”
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