Cliff Kirkpatrick

Caught up with Oregon State football coach Mike Riley on Tuesday going into tomorrow’s signing day. There will be plenty of stuff to read about in Wednesday’s GT.

Here’s a link to the news of the day in notebook. Here’s a link to Riley’s thoughts on the 2010 recruiting class.

“You hope you don’t get any surprises,” Riley said of the wait until Wednesday. “We are waiting on a couple of decisions. And that’s about it. The main thing we don’t want is any surprises. We hope the committed players stay committed. And those still making decisions say Oregon State.”

Anyway, here are the news highlights:

CB David Ross is transferring to Portland State. … It’s unknown if WR Reggie Dunn will make it into OSU academically. Riley is not optimistic. “I don’t know if he’ll be in the spring,” Riley said. “That’s to be determined.”

It’s not settled who, or if, a scholarship player hampered by injury will be off scholarship this season. OT Wilder McAndrews is the likely person because it was looked into if he can be listed a physically unable to perform from his many wrist and finger injuries.

Appeals for the extra year for WR Darrell Catchings and QB Lyle Moevao won’t be known until at least March. Catchings’ case will be decided at the Pac-10 basketball tournament by the conference faculty reps. Moevao’s must be decided at the NCAA level.

“I try to remain hopeful and no more,” Riley said of Moevao’s long shot. “I’m not counting on it. I’ll being ecstatic if it happens.”

DE Mana Rosa (shoulder) had surgery. He was hurt in January in a freak accident. He’ll miss spring practice.

WR Micah Hatfield (leg) will be back in the spring. He’s about to get metal taken out.

CB Sean Martin (shoulder) will have surgery Thursday and is out of the spring.

OG Grant Johnson (shoulder) had surgery and is out for the spring. That opens up practice time for the young guards with a starter out.

S Lance Mitchell (knee) had surgery and will be ready for the spring.

OL Rory Ross (knee) had surgery and should be ready in the spring.

DT Mitchel Hunt (knee) is in a long rehab process and will be out of the spring. “It’s going to be a long haul,” Riley said.

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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 Oregon State football team practiced in the indoor facility Thursday instead of the stadium, and it wasn’t even raining. Coach Mike Riley moved it inside due to wind.

“We are not going to be playing in any elements this week,” he said of Saturday’s game at Cal.

The only problem with the setup was the Beavers couldn’t practice with the stadium noise piped in. It’s a Thursday tradition, started off of a winning streak back in 2004.

“We’ll be all right,” Riley said. “And, no I’m not superstitious.”

The dinged up players returned full force with C Alex Linnenkohl (sick), who should start. CB Tim Clark (concussion) returned to practice after being out all week.

Riley said Clark won’t start, but Brandon Hardin will. “Hardin is probably going to start,” he said. “Tim has missed so much this week, that’s what’s going to happen.”

That’s not the case with Linnenkohl because he’s more of an experienced player, Riley said, and will step back into his role easily with one practice and a walkthrough. If he can’t go Ryan Pohl will take his place.

S Suaesi Tuimaunei worked in with the first string for Lance Mitchell, who has been slowed by a leg injury.

“Lance is gimpy,” Riley said. “He was late coming out today to get treatment. He’ll be all right and play in the game.”

Freshman RB Ashton Jefferson, who is redshirting, has been out recovering from a broken bone in his left foot. He should be back for spring practice. “I don’t think he’ll practice again this year,” Riley said.

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