Cliff Kirkpatrick

Check out the above video of Oregon State football coach Mike Riley talking about the Las Vegas Bowl and BYU. The below video is of CB James Dockery.

Here are the main notes to come out of his Tuesday press conference. More may follow later as I get more info.

DT Stephen Paea won the defensive portion of the Morris Trophy. It goes to the best offensive and defensive lineman in the Pacific-10 Conference.

Riley clarified his greyshirt situation that he mentioned yesterday. He expects four to arrive in January and possibly one in April. The one who is being pushed back until next season due to grades is DE Josh Kaiwi.

There’s another player he wouldn’t name who has some work to do, but hopes he’s ready for April. That would be LB Michael Doctor or WR Reggie Dunn.

So, OL Michael Beaton, WR Kevin Cummings and WR Obum Gwacham are confirmed for January.

Riley says his staff is intact for next season – at the moment. That’s the big part. He said a headhunter for UNLV contacted defensive coordinator Mark Banker, but Banker said it’s only a rumor.

Riley said he’ll pitch his graduate assistants and undergrad assistants for full-time jobs to new Portland State coach and former OSU assistant Nigel Burton. Candidates would be Ryan Gunderson, Daniel Drayton and Alan Darlin.

Word is spreading about the TCU game add and Eastern Washington drop for next season. Here’s Riley’s thoughts on the game.

“I rather play a game like this,” Riley said. “For the kids, it’s a lifetime memory. I hope it works out. If it doesn’t we’ll be happy with what it is. But it sounds more real than ever. I’m excited about the opportunity if it does workout. It’s a tremendous venue and team.”

On a side note, OG Gregg Peat wanted to clarify something he told me yesterday. He’s not invited to the Shrine Game, yet. He’s looking into it still.

True freshman S Jordan Poyer is being worked in as an emergency CB now that Tim Clark (leg) is out. Dockery, Brandon Hardin are the starters for the game. Patrick Henderson is the No. 3 CB, then Hardin.

UPDATE: WR James Rodgers was named second-team AP All-American as an all-purose players. RB Jacquizz Rodgers was named third-team.

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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.

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The last time the Oregon State football team played Washington in Reser Stadium, a riot nearly broke out. That’s not an exaggeration. Combine Huskies QB Jake Locker getting injured, bad calls and the refs losing control and it was ready to go off.

The Beavers who were in that game remember it fondly, and even chuckle about it now. Even CB James Dockery.

Dockery was one of the players ejected that game. He was in a minor fight after the play.

The junior, then a redshirt freshman, was the gunner on a punt. He was doubled teamed, shoved off the field and people were in his face on the Washington sideline.

“That was a big game for me being able to mature as a young man, and not let the emotions get the best of me in games,” Dockery said. “There’s going to be games when the opposing teams get chippy. I remember coach (Mike) Riley saying to me that I have to be able to trust you out there, and I do trust you out there, and he does want me on the field. He had to trust me. And I’ve grown a lot since then. I’m not concerned with what the other team is saying to me anymore. I want to go out and make plays and help my team win.”

Do you remember the play?

“They hit me pretty good on the sidelines and they brought me down with some extracurricular actives,” Dockery said. “I got up, and being in that position you get defensive. Being young, I just had a reaction that was immature. You guys won’t see that more.”

Dockery has grown since then, and turned into one of the better CBs in the Pac-10. He’s tied for third in the conference in passes defended with nine. There have been eight pass breakups and one INT.

It was a challenge to reach this point. Dockery suffered a season-ending knee injury before last season. He took his time recover and has been steady most of the season.

“I feel good,” Dockery said “This is one of the most natural times I’ve felt at the position. I’ve been working hard in the film room, and see what the offenses are doing. I feel pretty confident right now, but I still have a lot of work to do.”

Teammates and coaches marvel at his study habits. When he was out during his sophomore season he would prepare for every game in the video room with his teammates, and give them advice from the sidelines.

Even though he missed a season of practice, he was mentally ready to take over the starting job this season.

“I do a good job watching a lot of film,” Dockery said. “At our position you have to be aware about they want to do with you, and know what your own weakness are.”

There have been some rough times during the games. He’s been burned deep and caught out of position to be flagged for pass interference. However, he keeps coming back for more.

“I just make a conscious effort to keep going,” Dockery said. “In our position there are going to be times you are not in the position to make the play. If something happens to me that is not as positive as I’d like it to be, you have to throw it out and go out and play better next time.”

That philosophy helped him and the rest of the first-year starting defensive backs mature. Big plays have occurred and they have been difference-makers at times.

“It’s too early to say we’ve arrived,” Dockery said. “When our group truly arrives, we’ll be able to dominate games in-and-out from the start to finish. From the chemistry standpoint of knowing where everyone is going to be in a certain coverage, we have. It’s week 10, we’ve pretty much matured and get the grasp of what we need to do.”

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