Home Football Bye Week Thread

Bye Week Thread

414

Open topic for the buy week. Discuss anything you want, ask me questions, etc.

I’ll throw out a question to get things rolling: how many games do you think the Beavs win the rest of the season?

Also, Disney’s Gameday will be in SEC country again. Considering ESPN (50bil) is 1/3 of Disney’s market cap (150bil) I don’t see this trend ending any time soon. My suggestion: boycott their amusement parks and their media. If you do need to visit ESPN for some reason (i play fantasy football there), firefox in combination with adblock, betterprivacy, and ghostery are your friends. Do not give them a cent.

414 COMMENTS

  1. We finish 2-4. I think we beat Cal, and then one of either UW, Utah, or WSU. I can make strong cases for losing to any of these teams, but I don’t think we lose them all.

    Not impressed with the state of Beaver Nation.

    GWH

  2. My preseason prediction had the following wins remaining.

    Utah
    Stanford
    CAL
    WSU
    UW
    Oregon

    I’m pulling one of those off (my guess would be UW or Stanford on the road will be a loss)

    Peko will pass his online ballroom dancing course and make all the difference in the world.

    I actually think the defense is good enough for us to hang with anybody in the league that’s left on the schedule, as long as the offense can put together some clock consuming drives to give the D a breather. That of course means going to the run game more, which has proven to be effective the last 2 weeks, when used. I think Riley actually gets that now too, after having success in the 2nd half running the ball more against Colorado.

    • “I think Riley actually gets that now too” made me laugh. Through 5 games Ward and Woods each have 59 carries and each average 5.8 ypc and yet each only got 12 touches versus CU. Unless he was hit in the head after the game…

      • He specifically mentioned after the game that running the ball was what gave the Beavs the win in the 2nd half. If only we can get him to run on 1st down more rather than 2nd and 10.

        • He has for a long time SAID we need a running game….and then he doesnt work on it, or when he seems to have one, he doesnt use it.

          So what he says has no bearing on what he will/might do. He has needed to devise/use passing routes that might get his slow receivers open, but he doesnt do it.

          Like I have said before, I think he is capable of putting creative thinking into it, but he has been cruising for some time and isnt likely to. So you cant evaluate the remaining games on whether we are capable of winning them, but by what sort of effort/plan by Riley might go into it. A big unknown.

  3. I’ll go full retard and say every game on the schedule looks winnable. Utah actually scares me the most of the remaining games to be played. The backup QB looks like he’ll be a tough matchup. This bye week is HUGE. If Riley does what he’s says he’s going to do (use the time to stay home and re-evaluate everything) he might be waking up. He also explained what happened on the onside and gave some good answers including “That will never happen again.” He also mentioned staying tight lipped about strategies, changes and improvements then next week and a half as “Utah will be watching/listening to everything we do.”

    Really need the Peko crap to finally work out to get another big body on the field.

    • LOL … “that will never happen again” Nonsense. He isnt a rookie coach. So why did it happen last game? Because he gets befuddled in critical situations, …and WILL be so again. His explanation wasnt an explanation, it was double talk.

  4. But, but….the SEC just proved how tough they are! League games are murderer’s row! The #2 and #3 teams are meeting in an epic clash!….

    They need to delay their broadcasts so they can process the video and make SEC games look animated…

    Beavs win 2-3 more. Could be a shootout with Cal. If Mariotta gets injured, and Beavs RUN the ball, they could get by UO which would be a feel good event for Riley.

    I don’t know what’s worse for the future of OSU football – an OSU CW win or loss? Would a loss let Riley leave feeling good?

  5. Peko gets eligible and we win the rest of our games including the Pac championship game at home, the Rose Bowl and the one game playoff.

    In a game of retribution, USC also makes the Pac championship game despite one more loss, and Peko accidentally takes out Sark in a missed sideline takle, tearing all the tendons in both that cheap shot shit’s legs.

    And the final nail in the coffin will be a commercial following our national championship win:

    Narrator: Mike Riley… this is a neat story! You’ve won the NCAA Division 1 national championship with a bunch of two and three star recruits. What are you going to do next?

    Mike Riley: I’M GOING TO DISNEYLAND!!!!

      • ya know I honestly thought that was a retarded idea and now I’m sure of it. Think about it. Does anyone think that fans are gonna travel to the pac-12 title game, then a few weeks later travel AGAIN to a bowl game? They should have just kept it the way it was.

        • Or not even play the stupid thing. Hasn’t been necessary yet. Id rather everyone play an extra conference game or no extra game at all.

  6. This really is a silly question, or have you just not been paying attention to wtf has been happening in the Pac-12? Or did I mistakenly navigate to PO?

    All remaining games are winnable for the Beavers. Too many variables in this league to decide how many. Can only really address the game immediately ahead: Utah. Can the Beavers win? Yes. Will they? Too early to tell, but I am leaning toward yes.

    Utah’s backup QB (now the starter?) played like a pregnant vagina during the Michigan game. Does not impress me yet, but I have yet to watch the Utah/UCLA game to see wtf happened there…

    Hey maybe that is a worthwhile conversation: discuss the Utah/UCLA game. To determine how good (or bad), at this point, Utah seems to be. And discuss what Riley should (but won’t) do. Would be interesting to get angrybeavs.com’s take.

    • i didn’t watch Utah/UCLA either, but saw that Utah got 10 sacks on Hundley. That’s what has me most concerned about the next game. We can’t win with shell shocked Mannion playing. Need to protect him and give him more quick pass options to avoid getting hit repeatedly.

  7. If Connor’s numbers are correct, Ward/Woods have 685 yards on 118 carries, for a combined average of 5.8 yards per carry. This seems like a very high average for a Mike Riley offense.

    He ought to take notice of it…

  8. Honestly, I don’t know what to predict. I could feasibly see us losing the rest of our games.

    We can probably beat WSU. Our other opponents seem to be playing better than us though.

  9. Every game is near 50/50 now.

    Utah – They have a team built to beat OSU. Running QB, good RB, good pass rush. But the game is at home and Utah did lose to WSU.

    @Stanford – See above. Team built to beat OSU. Have to make Hogan beat them with his arm.

    Cal – While better, in conference play they have given up 49, 56 and 59 points.

    WSU – Showing they have a lot of fight but can’t finish.

    ASU – We’ll see this weekend of who they really are. The team that got blown out by UCLA or the team that won at USC.

    UW – Can look good at times but no one is seeing them at a big threat yet.

    UO – AZ has given the blueprint on how to beat them. Helfrich can be outcoached. The pace of play that they are known for is noticeable down this year. That was one of the biggest advantages they had.

    So with all games 50/50, I say they win 3 or 4. Schedule still sets up nicely with the 5 of the games at home.

    • • Oregon State has had at least one delay-of-game penalty in all five games — most of them at important times. It happened again Saturday when the Beavers were in a third-and-three situation early in the third quarter trailing 21-20.

      “I’m not sure what happened,” Riley said. “I didn’t feel like we got the play in late. It surprised me. We just took too long getting set up.

      “We’re going to continue to work on it, believe me. It’s not good to have (a delay-of-game penalty) even once.”

      Isn’t the definition of madness continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result?

      • No it is not…

        What I find perplexing is the man calling the plays isn’t sure what happened. Although
        “We just took to long getting set up” implies to me it was the fault of Mannion and the personnel on the field.

        Does anybody know what the play calling sequence is? I honestly don’t but guess it is something like:

        1) Previous play ends, it has an outcome and field position, down, and distance result. An appropriate play for this context must be called. Presumably, plays are organized in relation to these three factors such one can be selected in a short timeframe.
        2) Riley selects a play, and informs others (Garret? Signal man?);
        3) The play is signaled into the QB;
        4) At the same time, appropriate personnel must get into the huddle/on the field;
        5) The QB needs to call the play and count, players line up, Olineman have to call out blocking assignments, hike the bal.

        What else happens? Consultation with Garret and evaluation of alternative play choices?

        • Based on my younger football days, Garrett or Riley already have 2 or 3 plays in mind for the next play and will call the one that fits the situation. They both have play calling charts in their hands. It will be divided up by down and distance(and/or where they are in the field i.e. redzone plays) with the plays they want to run in those situations. probably more complex at the college level but same intent.

          40 Sec left – Play called, personnel/subs sent in.
          35 Sec left – Play relayed to signal man. Signal Man relays to Mannion.
          30 Sec left – Mannion calls the play in the huddle.
          25 Sec left – players line up for play
          20 Sec left – Mannion looks over defense and audibles accordingly. Oline makes their calls. WR’s make adjustments.
          15 sec left – play begins. Next play decided on outcome.

          • Watching the last game, they got to the line between 11 and 16 seconds left, and Mannion was watching the sidelines until about 15 to 20 seconds left before he approached the huddle and made the call before it broke a second or two later.

          • Audibles would occur between 3 and five seconds of lining up, and snaps would happen about two counts after. The first delay had Mannion clapping his hands for about a 1.5 count before the whistle blew.

      • i thought there were 2 different occasions where the cheerleaders were blocking the play clock so Mannion couldn’t see it (you could see him pointing to it after the penalty). The first time led to the penalty, the 2nd time, he had to call a timeout and told the refs about it. the refs warned the cheerleaders, but the timeout wasn’t given back to OSU

        • Yeah, that was pretty weird. CU cheerleader blocks the play clock — isnt that some kind of infraction? If not, its a damn clever thing to do….lol.

    • On the Arnold hit:
      “After watching the play on the game video, Riley didn’t think Arnold committed any foul.”

      Sorry coach. Any helmet to helmet contact on a blindside is, be definition, a foul. It didn’t look intentional because it looked like he slightly overran the block and jumped back and led with his shoulder expecting to hit the other kid in the shoulder. But the kid turned just in time to turn his head into Arnold’s helmet. That is a personal foul automatically whether intentional or not. Throwing him out probably wasn’t the right call technically. But it was a road game, and politics could have come into play. I’d rather the wrong call be made for right reasons. If he had not been tossed, the home team and crowd might have just gone bonkers and started intentionally doing things to our boys.

      Every game from here on out is a toss-up. There is not a single Pac team that is not Jeckyll and Hyde right now… except maybe UW, who is neither.

    • One of the “tidbits” which caught my eye, regarding the 30 yd punt by Kostol, “He decided to flip-kick it, because he was concerned about a big return,” Riley said. “I was shocked. (The flip kick) wasn’t what we needed at that point.”

      Shocked, I say shocked!

      • Is he saying Kostol decided to kick it that way, or Read decided to tell him to kick it that way?

        That should be Read’s call, and if I’m Riley and I’m paying that guy a half mil a year he needs to do his fucking job without me holding his hand. So I guess I can see Riley’s point about being shocked.

        • To me, at least, Eggers piece very clearly indicates that Riley is saying Kostol made the decision; can’t blame Good ‘ol Bruce Read!

          • That is not Kostol’s decision to make. That decision effects blocking and coverage. Punter cannot be doing a silent audible. Punt team including kicker should be given specific instructions prior to play.

        • Wilson on the radio said that is was a coaching decision to do that not a bad punt. It seems like Riley constantly blames the players ,he either has no control on the players or just throws them under the bus immediately. Sean didn’t see the open guy, the defenders werent in front enough,we got the play in not sure what happened, etc

          Aunt Patty fires the Special teams coach. Riley would never do that. Not saying it’s right or wrong.

  10. insanity, not madness is the quote. My bad

    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    Albert Einstein

  11. It seems ESPN has already decided to Boycott us. The Beavs haven’t always looked pretty, but the fact is that our record is 4-1. Our loss was on the road at USC after they had a bye week. That isn’t a terrible loss to have on your resume. Despite this, ESPN has us at #11 in their power rankings behind a 4 loss Washington State team. That’s hard to justify regardless of the competition.

    I don’t think Oregon State deserves to be highly rated necessarily, but most of the other teams don’t have a better claim to it than we do.

    The ESPN blog really likes to talk about how impressive the offense is at WSU and Cal, and Arizona. The perception of the PAC 12 should be that nobody plays Defense except maybe Stanford.

    I think the tone on this blog and the tone on ESPN is wrong. OSU is generally a pretty balanced team, but this is a boring brand of football in today’s PAC 12. Cal and WSU don’t put up 50-60 points because their offenses are that good – it’s because their defenses suck.

    With five home games and 2 on the road coming up, three more wins is the floor, which would be disappointing.

  12. Did the Beavs abandon the run in the second quarter? They rushed 3 times on first down, and passed 3 (one was a sack) times on first down. They really only had two possessions that quarter. The 3rd being when Mannion was sacked just before halftime.

  13. Hmmm….how many do we win.

    It seems like all the teams in the conference have the attitude and fire to win any game. None of them are “losers”. And we always do some boneheaded things in games. So it seems to me we could lose all our remaining games. I think it is up to Riley. Does he collect himself and make the right adjustments to upcoming game plans….does he decide to make appropriate ingame adjustments….does our team develop, like in Riley’s early years….

    We once upon a time would become stronger as the season progressed — find our “identity” in Riley-speak. But not in recent years.

    So the results in upcoming games could range from no wins to many. I think we get at least a couple and qualify for a gutter bowl game once again. That seems to be the max expectation for Riley these days. Sigh….

  14. The SEC earned their image as the strongest conference, by winning NC’s. The Pac is getting stronger, but we need to win one, to advance our image. Scheduling as few night games as possible would help, getting us more exposure on the east coast.

    • Who did the SEC beat for those NCs though?

      Bowl game Bob Stoops? Nikegon and their power trenches? Ohio State and the B1G, the best conference ever and of all time? Notre Dame?

      It’s easy to win a one-off game when the polls set you up. Let’s go backward.
      2014: FSU beats the SEC (good game)
      2013: SEC beats Notre Dame
      2012: SEC beats SEC in a game that never should have happened.
      2011: SEC beats Nikegon (good game)
      2010: SEC beats Texas in what was likely the right match-up, but I would have liked to see Boise and TCU get this year’s format.
      2009: SEC beats Okie, but USC and Utah were both better at that time.
      2008: SEC beats tOSU… again USC and others should have been considered.
      2007: SEC beats tOSU… about five other teams deserved a chance here.
      2006: No SEC… the best BCS championship there was by far.
      2005: USC beats down Okie… should have been Auburn getting embarrassed on national TV.
      2004: SEC beats Okie in a game where the best team in the country didn’t even play.

      • I agree with ya… but all those times the SEC was IN the NC, much less winning a bunch, gives the perception of superiority. Maybe the playoff will get the PAC more image….hope, hope…

        • I’m not arguing the perception as it’s presented. I’m just arguing against the presentation itself. The BCS was giving teams a whole month or more to be healed and prepare for a game.

          That in itself is just mind-blowingly ridiculous. Not a single one of those games had anything to do with the regular season. And half of them (conservatively) had very little to do with having the best teams in football on the field. Note how many championships the SEC had before this “system” took control.

          The more games there are in a playoff, the less likely the SEC wins, even if they stack the seeds with mostly overrated SEC teams. Supposedly the regular season is the playoff necessary. “Every game is important” is the mantra we hear from the coaches.

          Bullshit!

          Bama just lost, but most people think they are still worthy of being in the playoff. So apparently every game doesn’t really count. Never mind the BCSCG with Bama v. LSU. Sorry, what was that about every game counting? Why does someone who can’t get it done in the regular season get a second chance over the multitude of teams who did manage to be regular season champions?

  15. I honestly think this team has a lot of potential. Grimble will be back in 3 weeks or so, and the bye comes at a nice time for him. Getting Peko would be huge.

    It all comes down to committing to the run game. Unless our opponent is loading the box, we should be running the ball 60+% of the time. We should run on 1st down 90% of the time.

    If we do this, we rest our D, allowing them to succeed. We keep our opponent off the field, preventing high scoring shootouts that put pressure on our offense. We set up play-action, allowing Mannion and raw receivers to be more successful.

    5 games in, our run game looks better than it has in 6 years (since 2008). Our pass game looks worse than it has in 3 years (since 2011). If our coaches absorb that and act accordingly, I can see 9+ wins. If not, 5-6 wins seems realistic.

    • Run the ball 90% of the time on first down? I think people are losing it about the run game and are saying things that would lead to an overly predictable offense which is much easier to defend. First down should be slightly leaning pass 55 to 45 let’s say. If the play action gets you anywhere, maybe even a couple more tosses on first down.

      • Being “predictable” on 1st down is not a bad thing, IMO. It would make the occasional play action highly potent, and generally gives us more options on later downs. For instance, 2nd and short is a great time to pass. I’m not talking running up the middle on every 1st down either; mix in fly sweeps or bounce a few outside.

        Problem I see is when we don’t run on 1st down, we don’t run. 2nd and long seems scary to trust to a runner so we pass. Now it’s 3rd and long and we have to pass. Now we get a nice completion and it’s 1st and 10 again. Time to pass… Part of the problem is Riley doesn’t seem to trust our RBs to convert 3rd and short, so we pass nearly every 3rd down.

        If you run on 1st down and it fails, you’ve always got 2nd and 3rd down to pass. Passing on 1st all the time seems to just take the run out of Riley’s play book.

        But to your original point, at this point, with this team , I don’t think we’re capable of running too much. We’ll always have 3rd and long to pass… May make the team less interesting to watch, but I’d take it if it gave us more Ws.

        • Never hurts to drive home the point with Riley as he will be slower to increase these %’s then he should. I think 70% or just abive is good for the reasons you state. When you do go incomplete on 1st it isn’t ideal but a 2nd and 10 run often goes for 5-6 yards with our backs so we still get to a halfway manageable 3rd down.

          Steve Preece thinks 67% is about right. You want 1st down to produce and at 67% or a little above it will and the pass curve thrown in every few times is also likely to have good odds of working, and adds enough doubt that the whole thing ends up working well and you start having good success on drives and keep it chugging for more TDs.

          Riley just has to stay committed to running and find that sweet spot of control and “modest chunk” but not home run. This isn’t a home run team so a couple 5 yard runs with a modest chunk pass of 10-13 yards thrown in every 4th or 5th play and a little screen and tight end action and this offense will produce but also control the possession pretty good and rest up the defense for success more often.

          All about playing a smart dance with the odds for 60 full minutes and giving yourself the very best chance to win.

          • I’ll add that 3 most important players on offense are Mannion/Ward/Woods. The load to win should be spread more evenly across all 3 of these guys. It should never feel like we are going away from the run for amy more than a few plays max at any point. Because the run game is crucial Ward and Woids have to be mentally ready to run hard and support eachother in and out all game on offense. Tbey can take needed pressure off Mannion and give them all heavy roles in winning. When it is Mannion’s time then the receivers also step up and make it easier for all by being proactive to the ball and helping a great flow to the offense develop where committment to run is making tge passing work and then you can even flip it at times and it still works because the yin yang of the offense is working.

            More runs then passes mostly seems to work because fewer sacks, less turnovers, and easier to sustain drives which also adds by keeping other team’s offense on the sideline and resting your own defense. Its a virtuous cycle that works and Mannion, Ward and Woods are good enough to get this team some key wins with a strong commitment to the run helping Sean have alot of success with his part but not having to do too much and Ward and Woods being equal leaders almost in securing wins. Riley needs to give them that extra load as they will be needed to deliver as much as Sean for team success and together rgey can all do the OSU defense its biggest favor as well.

            I am nervous Riley may continue to revert at times and I think he will run less than what is best but if he keeps moving it in the right direction and the success starts to reinforce itself then I am optimistic. Running more works and the results will show it if Riley runs more and keeps Ward and Woods working hard throughout games.

            Utah is good so to beat them I am convinced we will need to run 52% or higher. Any less and I think it will be a loss. Riley’s move. I hope he is ready to give the team its very best chance.

          • Some extra running also gives the offensive line a chance to help directly contribute more in earning wins. Easier to give that extra spurt of energy to add a few yards to a run play then it is when pass protecting too often and not always knowing how much impact you made for the QB in trying to hit his target. By getting in that sweet spot where you maximize contributions and get the best iverall united team purpose it helps. The passing we do use will hit more and those players will also feel best in flow and contributing with success along with the purposeful running attack and drives will click and steadily move OSU into the red zone and as long as we stick to whats working and keep committed it will also make alot of them end in TDs.

          • Doesn’t it feel good to lose all that fluff about image and useless rants against whatever and crap like that and just get down and dirty in the weeds with some good clean stream of consciousness every now and then?

            I like it. I know what you’re saying. It’s a little rough like any SOC. But good deal.

            Btw… Riley will never go for it. To play on another post above, he will eventually get it right…. even if it’s just for the CW and the bowl.

            But I posit that isn’t getting it right. Having 11 chances at it before getting it right on your prospective last chance is not getting it right.

  16. Also, look at our last 2 games last year (CW and Boise St bowl game) to see how successful a run-heavy offense could be for us. Bear in mind that Woods looks like a new man this year and is vastly improved.

    Regarding Riley, he will eventually figure this out. Angry has pointed this out before- he is SLOW to make changes. He generally makes the right call, but it takes way longer than it should. I am hopeful- if not optimistic- that this bye comes at a good time for him to reevaluate the last two conference games (as he’s stated) and come to the obvious conclusion.

    We’ll see…Utah will be a very interesting game next Thursday. Go Beavs.

    • I’m with you on the bye week. I think this season, more than any in recent memory, he may actually believe he has a chance to put together a record that could put him in the Pac-12 Championship game.
      I think even with 2-3 league losses, as long as the Beavs win their Pac-12 north games, they’ll own the tiebreakers needed to win the North. Sure that’s alot of ifs, but at this point, it sortof feels like Stanford and WSU are already out of the running, leaving CAL, Oregon and UW. (and the 2 best teams in that group have a record equal to or worse than the Beavs)

      Riley will re-evaluate things from the last 5 games, and has time to learn from what he sees this week. And yes, i’m wearing orange tinted lenses….

  17. interesting tid bit I did not know. Last year Mullaney’s average yards per catch was 15.2, better than Cooks at 13.5. This year his average is 12.

    • We were in Phily one day this summer and the house Poe stayed at has been turned into a museum, not the best part of town and is only open certain days of the week. Even though it was suppose to be open on the day we were there it was all closed up. Maybe next time.

  18. FIRE GARRETT!!!!

    I read the stats on ESPN, and can not believe that Sean Mannion has THE WORST passer rating in all of the Pac12, and that he is not even in the top 30 for yards or TD’s this year. WTF!!

    I guess our record and results on the field aren’t too surprising when our ass clown O coordinator has found a way to make a future top 10 NFL draft pick look BELOW AVERAGE? How is that possible?

    FIRE GARRETT!!!!!!!!!

    • Who is “our” duckie?

      Passer rating in college football is beyond a joke. Just watch film. Your Mariota ain’t all that. Hell, he ain’t even Mannion. And I don’t have high hopes for Mannion unless he ends up somewhere with a good system and coach and a couple years to learn the playbook.

      In our system (which Ihave to accept because the coach will never change) I would rather have Mannion over Mariota. Can you imagine the number of cowering sacks and fumbles Mariota would give up behind our line? Holy shit! That would be a mess and a half.

        • That is a little unfair to Wallace. He had pocket presence and decent footwork. He only ran when it all broke down. And it broke down a lot at ISU.

          But he would have been spectacular at OSU if he would have stayed. Circumstances were otherwise, but he would have taken over for Smith in year one if he had stayed here.

      • Not to rail on “system” QBs, but QBs in UO’s offense don’t have to be accurate; that’s an advantage of the approach and why a young mobile qb can be effective.

        I don’t think Dennis Dixon stuck in the NFL, and he even had a tryout for Kelly in Philly last year.

        Accuracy and arm strength do matter in the NFL; the fastest and best DBs in American football are not forgiving of either.

        If Mariotta makes it in the NFL, work ethic will likely be the determining factor. If he doesn’t, it doesn’t (in my mind) detract from what he accomplished as college player.

        • Did anybody notice during the year that Darren Thomas was quarterbacking for the local Portland Arena team to start the season? He was being marketed heavily as the star player, trying to get fans interested in the new team. A few games into the season, and he was the back up defensive back. He wasn’t even playing QB any longer. I’m sure he was glad he left college early to play back up corner for an arena team.

        • Dennis Dixon just showed up in one of my Fantasy Football updates. He just signed with the Cardinals.

          I think Palmer is healthy again though. So he’ll be out soon enough.

  19. Riley is going to pass the ball, but what drives me crazy is 2nd and 5 and he calls a shitty pass play. You just get some momentum in the run game and then an incompletion stops it and stops the clock, puts pressure to execute on 3rd down,etc, etc. Run in there again and get 3rd and 2 which opens up an array of possiblities for the playbook.

    I swear Riley has ADD….a 15 play drive would tax his concentration abilities!

    • Some of that looked to be on Mannion to me after re-watching the film..

      3 times on 2 and medium he checked to a pass and then through a questionable ball. Two deep 9 routes to Richy Mullaney and then a fade in the Red Zone to Richy when Bolden (maybe he drops it) was open underneath…

      You would think Mannion would be on point with these decision but he appeared to check down at the wrong times ( Jarmon’s dude slip on a in route) he checks short on 3rd and 5 or went deep with the ball when there were guys open underneath…

      Mannion has to be better than that but that should largely be mute since that game clearly dictated running on second and medium

  20. So… is everyone up to date with the forum post I made? I don’t expect everyone (hell… anyone) to have read Adam Smith in this short time. But I do expect the truth to be heard. Should I continue by going back to Montesquieu, or should I just push forward with Mill and Marx? I feel I need to go backward in order to display how abhorrent corporate control was to our founding fathers. And I don’t just mean abhorrent. I mean they fought a war over it.

  21. Jack … our founding fathers?? You mean those assclown terrorists that started this country? Today the good ‘ol boys in Homeland security would have em down in Guantanamo for a little friendly discussion.

    Question for Angry … and y’all.

    I am trying to think back to the early Riley years, for instances of the kind of boneheadedness we now often see. And I cant dredge any up. So am I just forgetting, or has Riley actually fallen into some demented, absent minded state?

      • If I recall correctly, he was pass happy in the first half and was only leading because of a pick-six and a Mike Hass long TD. He ran Jackson into the teeth of the D once then went all pass happy to finish up before the punt. I think there was one drive in the second half where he ran Jackson a couple times in a row and we gained mucho real estate… then he went to the pass.

        Actually, there might have been a couple potential drives killed by the pass happy play-calling.

        But that might all be on Chryst.

    • You’re not far gone with your extreme.

      But the nice thing about all this is that in government and in corporate America there are people who have families and think like we do. They can’t or don’t do so because they feel unemployment is a scar. But we need to be open with them about what we expect, and they will be open to making their part more compliant toward the mythical Utopia.

      Ignore those who say anything that does not better the commons. Those people will not even give you the commons. Why would you expect them to give you a fair shake personally?

      America is just dumb.

  22. OT… I’m fucking sick of subs who won’t show and won’t answer calls. If anyone wants to tell me Mexicans will do work white people won’t do, they can go fuck themselves. Labor is labor, and I pay by the job. The Mexicans I worked with in Texas knew this, and they turned around and were on the next job immediately. All I get from the putzes here is… well… nothing right now.

    Answer your damn phone you Obama-hating “he doesn’t have any accountability” shit!

    Why is irony the life of those who don’t even know what they’re railing against? I can point them to so much more than the darkie hate they harbor.

    • Aaaand… I get the crew who I imagine are the prototypical customers in an episode of Breaking Bad… without the pithy writing and with all the tell-tale signs of use and abuse.

      Now I have to spend my day baby-sitting a site instead of trusting the sub.

      This sucks.

  23. “I get the crew who I imagine are the prototypical customers in an episode of Breaking Bad”

    Sounds like my neighbors

    • I just spent an hour watching a spider spin a web. That little dude did more than the two man (i’m pissed about this) crew that was sent to me. And just now, one of them took off for something. I can only imagine it’s a connect. This doesn’t look like a guy who is looking for the best deli in the area… if you know what I mean.

      It sucks because I know the owner. But he’s so fired after yesterday… and today.

      • did one of them bring his pit bull with him? And why does it seem only trashy people own those dogs? My trashy neighbors have one

  24. Gina reports that Peko moved from scout team to working with the 2’s during Tuesday practice. She seems as tired of this fiasco as most AB’s!
    Just a matter of paperwork now, only need to pass the class which concludes today, sure………ha ha ha.

        • “It was probably the wrong kind of onside kick prevention that we should have been in. There is that deal where (the opponent) must onside and you know it’s coming and if you don’t have everybody up there, they can outnumber you. We got outnumbered in the middle against Wisconsin with a deep player a few years ago, and they almost got the ball. So in order to have the right numbers, you have two guys in that semi-deep position and then the other guys in a position to recover and to match up the number of people that they have on one side of the ball or the other. So it becomes interesting. We should have been in something that had a deep player but still an onside awareness, and we weren’t. Now, we (knew) that (the onside kick was) possible, and Storm (Woods) actually, I thought, panicked on the play. He had about 25 yards of room just to go down there. The No. 1 rule is don’t leave your feet. Wait for the ball to stop bouncing and just, with poise, pick it up. But he took a shot at it diving, and when you dive you have one shot. Thank God for Hunter (Jarmon) making the play. That one will be reevaluated and not repeated.”

          -or-

          Yeah… we screwed up.

          • Yeah… Tuesday was a day that ended in Y, and I don’t like purple. So making you sit here and read or listen to me is just a bonus I guess. But then I need you to accept purple as something relevant to what I’m saying, which is not much of anything. So woo-hoo! Yay for us if that’s really appropriate… and if not then boo-hoo? But then maybe not even that?

          • What is the translation of this in English Jack?” It was probably the wrong kind of onside kick prevention that we should have been in.” So,what was the right kind of onside kick prevention that they should not have been in?

          • The wrong what?

            It was a convoluted abortion of football. It was so bad that Kim Jong Il only rolled over to clap… many times… probably in that slow clap way.

            Nobody lining up would have been better. Then the opposition might have thought we were trying to pull something… maybe?

  25. So CR has officially been hired at ESPN. This means OSU doesn’t have to pay off his full contract, right? Anybody know what the rules are? Do we just get to reduce our liability by the amount ESPN is paying him each year he’s employed?

      • I think this is true. I’m hoping it’s not a matterof being a coach v being employed. I don’t really care. That “If I’m fired” quip was enough for me to throw him overboard. And I would say the same if he was a constant Sweet 16 coach. There is no room for statements like that ever.

        • I think it’s obvious how Bobby D runs his program by the time lapse between him being wholly embarrassed and thrown under the bus by a coach and when he actually canned the dude.

  26. Leach vs Riley recruiting: WTF?

    Leach has three 4 stars coming in and the rest are 3 stars and only two 2 star recruits in next class.

    Riley last year if I recall was vastly 3 star with a few 2 stars. So far this year he has seven 2 star recruits and less than that in 3 star recruits averaging something like 2.41 star or abouts per recruit whereas Leach is more like 3.1 star per recruit with some nice high end skill talent that often means more speed or better athletic frames.

    Riley continues to undersell being the rival to a top national prigram like Oregon. Really we are the Auburn to UO’s Alabama and Auburn plays that role very well and sells it and fields a talented and very dangerous team. The sales pitch vs a dominant program and being the big rival us working for them. Part of it is beating your rival more often to heighten the rivalry.

    Bottom line though is dropping so far from a 2.88 star per recruit average to about 2.41 is not what Oregon State needs to see. Easier to visit Portland from Corvallis and it is a great college town. Riley needs to do much better at building excitement in the program. Play smart and tough football, don’t be pass happy so we win more games and take advantage if every week and game as an opportunity to raise the Oregon State Football brand. Not enough true grit to do this IMO. Corvallis can be sold as a cool atmosphere with plenty of cute girls on campus who like it when we win most our games. Relish going out and being the better team and proving it through smart, tough football that runs it a little more than passing as that will produce more wins and fans and recruits will rally around winners. OSU needs to act more confident and Riley needs to trust running a bit more than passing and recruit for that for increased success. Also there is nothing wrong with a more mobile QB who still has a good arm for the Oregon State offense.

    • Ummm… okay?

      You were better yesterday. Now you had to go and do the whole brand crap and recruiting shit and whatever.

      So… whatever.

      • Just wish the recruiting results were a little better. In the Pac-12 I think almost every other school is probably doing from 2.75 stars all the way way up to 3.5 star averages or just above at the top few. Things are just s little more sleepy in approach then they ought to be.

        This isn’t the Pac-10 from 5 years ago. The Pac-12 has great depth and parity and many exciting teams. Think we should be able to up our game that quite a few other schools in the conference have. Like I said I am optimistic if Riley truly embraces more running as I am quite confident that is able to directly produce more wins and coming out on the right side of the result after 60 minutes.

        However, I also agree with you that Riley is too slow in his improvement. He upped the running by a few percentage points vs Colorado but will it keep rising to several percentage points above 50% where we would gut out some tough wins over the better teams in the conference and also get some more key road wins?

        I agreed with your thought that Riley often takes too many tries to benefit from a lesson or get it right. The 2000 team played throughout the whole season how they needed to. They didn’t have pass happy poorer games thrown in and sometimes revert to poorer form. If Riley can just learn the lesson to run a little more than pass with this and mist teams then we will be able to have more seasons like 2007 and 2008 when he averaged running it on just above 52% of plays. The formula works and Woods and Ward are very capable. Do atleast 52% and ideally between 55-58% run in every game and this team will go to a much better bowl than if we don’t.

        Take advantage Riley and the Oregon State team I say as fans will rally to smart, tough wins against good competition. Do alot mire right things over 60 minutes and your team is the one that will be in good position to win. Don’t deviate. Stay committed to tough running and grind out wins.

    • Plenty of cute girls? I went to OSU for about 6 years…. They must have been hiding from me.

      Texas has waaaaaay more attractive women, I’m sad to say.

  27. Awwwww, Goe writes of the loyalty and trust between Riley and Banker…..sweet. We can expect Riley to never change from Banker unless Banker leaves first.

    “Banker has been a frequent lightning rod for fan discontent over past 13 seasons, the critics unhappy with the Beavers’ six-game Civil War losing streak.

    They were after his head last year, incensed by the way Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams picked Banker’s defense apart.

    It can be hard on Banker’s family to see him trashed by anonymous message board posters, but the vitriol has quieted this season.

    OSU’s defense ranks second in the conference statistically after five games, and is playing well enough to keep the Beavers in every game remaining on the schedule.

    Whatever happens, Banker is Riley’s guy.”

    http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2014/10/oregon_state_defensive_coordin.html

    Regarding the 2015 recruiting differences between WSU and OSU, I think it’s hilarious because it further debunks the myth that “Corvallis is such a hard place to recruit talented players to.” Right, and Pullman is SO much easier because of the urban environment and leading-edge facilities….

    • “…see him trashed by anonymous message board posters….”

      ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? DO YOU ALL IN THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT NOT HAVE EARS?

      Or is the common refrain just a hum-a-long tune in the background?

      I know Mikey Jesus and Marky Mark ain’t goin’ nowhere. Why would they? We accept suck. Hell, half our fan base create weird lies in order to pile on false excuses in order to make us look like suck… just to make it look like accepting suck is the right thing to do.

      What the fuck people? I call y’all pollyannas. But you really just suck.

    • I’ve been noticing that Goe has become quite an apologist for Riley and the gang. They may be second in the league in total defense, but they haven’t played a lot of offensive juggernauts and when they played a team with some skill…..that team had three CONSECUTIVE drives of 75 yards for touchdowns. Hold on there Goe, let’s see what happens over the next few games.

      Also, stop the drama Goe…”lighting rod”, “trashed by anonymous posters”, ‘vitriol” Give me a break, this is Oregon, not New York City.

  28. I’m thinking if the Beavs are going to win the more difficult games here on out, it relies on Bolden’s play. We know what were getting with Ward, Woods, and Mannion, but I think for the offense to go up a notch, Bolden will need to open up more of a downfield threat. That will trickle down to Mullaney and give him a little more space, and then also make the run game that much better.

    • How does Bolden get deep? He is a good hard working college football player, but dbs are just as fast. Are there route combinations designed and executed to isolate him in space. Are mismatches set up for him? How is a guy going to get deep in a predictable universe of vanilla pudding?

      • How is the question, and that’s my point. If he is able to, things open up. He probably had six on the play where ended up jamming his finger in his facemask instead of catching it.

        You’re saying the Beavs are predictable, but read above and you have several people asking the Beavs to be even more predictable.

        • I disagree. We’re asking them to not be as predictable by running more. When we run more, the play action suddenly works. Play action without a run game is not play action. It’s just wasted movement. A run for no gain is still better than an incompletion or even a small gain on a pass. That’s because you don’t know if the next play will be another run or if play action will be utilized. Even running consistently on 1st and 2nd but getting no gain is less predictable than what we’re doing now.

          It’s the mindset that counts. We have a line who can run block well. Let them play. Reserve passes for when necessary or for a mindset misdirection. We have the team who can do this even without Isaac. And we will need to be this way even more so next year with an inexperienced QB and with Isaac. Set up next year’s identity now and find one this year… other than the one everyone knows is coming… which is run for five yards, pass, pass, maybe more passes, play action pass, pass, punt.

          • Its also about controlling time of possession. The Beavs arent built to win a shootout against most of the high powered offenses in this league. The more they can limit the other team’s offensive opportunities, the better chance they have at success. The Beavs defense is good enough to stop teams as long as they’re not fighting fatigue from spending all game on the field. A quick 3 and out on passing plays is much worse than a long drawn out 3 and out on running plays. The hope of course is to convert 1st downs, but chewing up clock should be part of the strategy too

        • I was actually impressed with Dockery before he was injured.. I’m not sure why he could return punts last week, but not run pass patterns? I hope he is part of the rotation. He looked like a receiver on that long catch he made.. He and Bolden would seem to be a good one/two deep threat possiblity.

          Bolden is another one of the “mighty mights” that the Beavs coaching staff seem to be able to develop over time. James Rodgers and Cooks took a little time to explode, but Bolden needs to show significant progress for the rest of the year to get to that level and I’m concerned that his injury will impede progress.

          • Not an exact science but the results of last year’s indoor track meets indicated Beaver sprinters (football players) to be about average in relation to runners from other schools. Cook’s and Wheaton’s times from years past were well above average. Fast is a relative term. But if the defenders are as fast as our guys, then our guys will have a hard time getting open deep without an honest running game to draw more defense bodies into the box. Fast paced quick snaps ( before defenders are ready) are not in the cards for this staff.

  29. OT: Funny HS team names. Story about a recruit for the Gophers from IL playing a game against the Pretzels! Wonder how that came about? Pretzel factory in the town?

  30. Can someone please explain to me why the Beavs aren’t being discussed as a potential playoff team? I know we looked bad vs USC but technically we are still alive in the race. Anything can happen, and it looks like everyone in the North has a loss, its still anyone’s championship to win. Not saying the Beavers should be favorites, but they’re no worse off than any other one loss team.

    • See: ’08/’09 CWs for Rose Bowl, Alamo bowl, and opportunity for OSU record seventh-consecutive win at UW.

      If there’s something on the line, if there’s pressure, Riley chokes. OSU’s coaching staff isn’t capable of getting this team to the Pac-12 title game, let alone the playoffs. If even an OSU Pac-12 championship game were to happen, its because OSU backs into it, not because they run into it. Ha. I said “run.”

  31. Thug U

    “I was aware of Elgin’s background prior to his arrival at the University of Oregon,” Altman said. “The two years before he arrived here, Elgin did very well at prep school and junior college, especially in the classroom. We would not have recruited Elgin if we didn’t believe he was capable of receiving a college education that he would appreciate and value.”

    LMFAO!

    http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2014/10/dana_altman_was_aware_of_elgin.html#incart_river

      • You know there will be something else. He probably added his score for his online bowling class incorrectly and still has pick up a tough spare or something. Or he will actually play and get a season ending injury on his third snap or so. Luck O the Beav’s.

        • The season ending injury will come while try to stop a game winning drive by Utah. Season ending injury coupled with game lost. Luck O the Beavs.

    • In other breaking news, Oprah has revealed that she will have a heartfelt interview with a yeti, who will apparently explain his reticence for public confirmation of his existence, and well as his hopes for someday playing DT for Oregon State, inspired by the intrepid efforts and example of Peko…

      • ….just as soon as he, Yeti, finishes an online class on human relations….

        Meanwhile Oprah falls in love with Yeti, and OSU gets a huge boost in media notice… …Mike Riley says..its a neat deal!

  32. I kind of feel sorry for Mannion and Mariota. Both came back for another year, and both are the victims of a lesser cast around them, and not looking as good as they did a year ago. You pays your money and you takes your chances…

    • Meh. Mariota was chasing I think a championship, Mannion better draft placement. To be fair, Mannion might have also thought a veteran D and improved offensive line might help him take the Beavers to a decent bowl game this year.

      Both seem smart enough to appreciate the college experience.

  33. Sabre Metrics Prediction vs Utah:

    Oregon State will lose unless they have 34 or more runs versus Utah.

    That should put them around 52% run which is likely the minimum running production it will take to beat a good Utah program.

    • Cut blocks are for pussies and/or those too small to physically maintain control of the LOS. U$C’s line is not small, they are however pussies.

      And while I’d maintain that even legal cut block is for pussies, a shot at the side of the knee is grounds for retribution… their D-lineman, their WRs, their coaching staff on the sideline, all become fair game.

      • This quote from Banker seems to align with your thoughts pretty well. Banker says if this were the NFL, “…somebody would probably go rough the guy up a little bit — not the center, either. Probably the offensive line coach.”

  34. Guess who the media picked to finish last in the Pac 12? WSU? USC? No. Our god damn Beavs. If this fucking Tinkle guy doesn’t figure it out, BDC should be fired mid-season. I’m sick and tired of people not realizing how much tradition we have, and the media not referring to us along with the Kentucky’s and UCONNs of the world. Makes recruiting tough when everyone tries to sweep our history under the god damn rug!!!!

    • Under Tony’s leadership our program made great strides, but unfortunately his bastard officials called pass interference against me one too many times and I’m struggling enough already so I had to let him go said Larry Scott when questioned about the departure.

    • There have been multiple issues with OSU’s compliance office, Banker conceded, but “a lot of it” has been on Peko. At times, he has struggled to fulfill academic requirements.

      Oh, so you mean many of us were correct in our assumption that he’s extremely lazy or dumb as a post?

      • I can’t believe anyone expects him to STAY eligible.

        Might as well be giving his reps and coaching attention to that promising FR or RFR DT, can’t think of his name.

        • Here’s the kid I was thinking of: Kalani Vakameilalo, listed at 6′ 3″ 300-338 lbs, raw, but full of potential.

          With Hautau and Delva both gone after this year(?), and Tago to be working his way back from knee injury, Vakameilalo seems like someone into which to strategically invest extra teaching and development time so he can see the field next year.

          Peko’s CC coach was not at all complimentary of Peko’s study habits.

          • allergic to libraries and books? Seriously, go look at his twitter feed. The only thing Peko has been successful at it is butchering the English language

      • It’s also interesting that Riley has been asked about Peko many times and I don’t think he ever mentioned compliance office issues. Has Banker gone off script? Good for him! Makes me wonder about “compliance office issues” with Roberto Nelson also.

        Of course, it’s up to the student to pass a damn class, but what’s the point of a compliance office if they can’t guide you to the correct class to fulfill a requirement?

      • It sounds to me like Peko is going to be another Chad Johnson. One season and gone. For his sake here’s hoping he has a lights out season; whats left of it.

  35. Georgia’s “girly man” is an idiot.

    Todd Gurley Suspended
    Star Georgia RB Todd Gurley has been suspended pending an investigation into an alleged NCAA violation. Story »Where Georgia goes next »Recruiting wins mean RB depth »On-field impact Video

  36. Here is what my power projections say for the rest of the season
    AS OF THE BYE WEEK: (as always, these are subject to change):
    (- means favorite, + means underdog, and the point spread is the difference)

    While it certainly isn’t a 100% predictor, it has served me pretty well for the last decade, and I would say it’s right about the straight up winner maybe 90% of the time, and it does readjust every week, but this is about what the game lines would be if every remaining game was played THIS week.

    Utah (-2 1/2)
    @ Stanford (+12)
    California (-10)
    Washington State (-7)
    Arizona State (-1.5)
    @ Washington (+5)
    Oregon (+9.5)

    • While Cal and Wazzu can score a ton of points I’m with you. They don’t scare me because their defenses aren’t even a joke. They’re so pathetic it’s not funny. If Nevada can hold Wazzu to 13 pts and the ducks porous D hold them to 31, well you get the idea. The Buffs scored 49 on Cal and we held them to 31. We may have some similar scores to the Buffs game in Boulder but those to me are winnable games. The intriguing one you have there is Stanford. You really think the beavs would be a 12 pt dog on the road? Stanford’s offense scares no one. D? Yes they are probably the best in the conference. While I’m still not sold on the beavs I’d lay money on them at +12 if that game were this weekend. And I were a betting man. And had extra scratch laying around.

  37. and I have another thought for the group. Oregon has been doing this for years. Cal and Wazzu are playing the game now too. Arizona to an extent yes. Cal and Wazzu have awful defenses. They know that. Play up tempo and try to outscore your opponent. Our horses will get to the finish line before yours. Get ahead and the opposition panics. Be stout against the run and force them to pass. Then capitalize on mistakes.

    The key is NOT to panic if you get behind and continue to play your game. Don’t try to play at the same pace on offense as they do. I know Riley is not adept at this. However, against the Buffs, Beavs did not panic when Colorado stormed back and took the lead. And that 4th quarter long TD drive was a thing of beauty. Despite the fact that was not a perfectly played game by any stretch by the Beavs, I sincerely hoped the coaching staff learned something. Even though the Buffs had an opportunity to win that game at the end, they didn’t. The beavs have something this year that is better than probably 80% of the other teams in this conference. A pretty decent defense. Don’t panic if you get behind. I think the beavs biggest problem is the O. Run the ball more dammit. A steady diet of Ward and Woods is a good thing. Use the run to set up the pass instead of the other way around. Long time consuming drives eat up clock and allows less time in 60 minutes for the opponent that wants to play a track meet on a football field to score points. It’s not that difficult of a concept to understand.

    Lastly, that toss sweep on the 3rd and 3 against the Buffs I hadn’t seen from the beavs in years. A thing of beauty. And it worked. Maybe a little less fly sweep and some more toss sweep adds an element of unpredictability to an offense that has become a little more predictable. Notice the fly sweep that worked late in the game? Because the Buffs hadn’t seen it all game. And caught them off gaurd. Just like the toss sweep. Imagine that? Maybe our coaches are starting to trust the running game a little more. We got 7 more regular season games to find out. And some of these games against some pretty terrible defenses. RUN, RUN, RUN some more, then throw in they play action pass! End of rant. Carry on, Love, peace and geese

  38. I have crawled through philsteele.com and sorted his game grades for every team (no Beaver game to mull over this week), so this is a performance-based grade based on opposition played and performance against, yards gained, given up, turnovers, points scored and given up against the quality of the opposition. They are sorted by conference for easier access, but it also gives you a good idea of how each team is playing. More cannon fodder for the bye week.

    SEC
    2. Auburn
    3. Alabama
    4. Mississippi
    7. Texas A&M
    12. Georgia
    13. Mississippi State
    17. Arkansas
    29. Florida
    30. LSU
    32. Tennessee
    41. Missouri
    42. Kentucky
    44. South Carolina
    103. Vanderbilt

    PAC-12
    14. UCLA
    18. USC
    24. Stanford
    25. Arizona
    26. Oregon
    27. Utah
    31. Washington State
    33. Arizona State
    43. California
    51. Oregon State
    52. Colorado
    74. Washington

    BIG 12
    1. Baylor
    5. Oklahoma
    6. TCU
    10. West Virginia
    38. Oklahoma State
    48. Texas
    57. Kansas State
    82. Iowa State
    87. Texas Tech
    100. Kansas

    ACC
    9. Clemson
    20. Louisville
    22. Florida State
    35. Virginia
    36. Virginia Tech
    40. Pittsburgh
    45. Miami FL
    46. Boston College
    50. Syracuse
    53. Duke
    60. Georgia Tech
    65. NC State
    91. North Carolina
    116. Wake Forest

    BIG TEN
    8. Ohio State
    11. Nebraska
    15. Michigan State
    19. Wisconsin
    37. Penn State
    49. Minnesota
    54. Maryland
    56. Indiana
    61. Michigan
    63. Northwestern
    69. Iowa
    70. Rutgers
    94. Purdue
    98. Illinois

    AMERICAN
    23. East Carolina
    28. Memphis
    66. Temple
    77. Houston
    83. UCF
    93. Cincinnati
    97. Tulane
    114. Tulsa
    118. USF
    119. Connecticut
    127. SMU

    INDEPENDENT
    16. Notre Dame
    34. BYU
    67. Navy
    105. Army

    MOUNTAIN WEST
    39. Boise State
    59. Colorado State
    71. Utah State
    75. San Jose State
    80. Nevada
    81. Air Force
    84. San Diego State
    85. Fresno State
    92. Hawaii
    96. Wyoming
    112. New Mexico
    125. UNLV

    MAC
    58. Northern Illinois
    72. Akron
    73. Toledo
    79. Western Michigan
    95. Buffalo
    99. Ohio
    101. Central Michigan
    109. Miami OH
    110. Bowling Green
    117. Ball State
    120. Massachusetts
    123. Kent State
    128. Eastern Michigan

    CONFERENCE USA
    21. Marshall
    47. Louisiana Tech
    62. UAB
    68. WKU
    76. Rice
    78. Middle Tennessee
    89. North Texas
    90. UTSA
    102. FIU
    107. UTEP
    108. Florida Atlantic
    113. Old Dominion
    115. Southern Miss

    SUN BELT
    55. Georgia Southern
    64. Arkansas State
    86. South Alabama
    88. Texas State
    104. ULM
    106. Louisiana
    111. Appalachian State
    121. New Mexico State
    122. Georgia State
    124. Idaho
    126. Troy

  39. Dis bye week is weak y’all! I been tryin’ get up and do my thing but you know how it go…

    My questions about dis Peko kid… Do y’all think he will help doctor? I was expectin some big things outta dat dude but seem like he da first to run and hide when dem bullets start flyin!

    Also, I haven’t heard bout no LB recruits in a while. Wit all dem 4 & 5 yr seniors why ain’t we picking up some younger kids?

    Thanks yall

    • They’re finally facing a legitimate defense and have barely over 100 yards of total offense late in the first half and are making Kevin Hogan look good. 4 win team by the end of the season

      • Was just going to write that. See how the air raid looks against a legit D? I’m not sayin the beavs have the best D in the Pac-12 but it’s certainly in the top 3 or 4.

        • That isn’t saying a lot though. The conference has some putrid defenses. Across the board college football has some painfully awful defense. Difficult to watch

          • this is true. teams are gearing more towards high powered fast attacking offenses. Just goes to prove that a good, sound defense can still shut them down. See Stanford vs ducks last 2 years and wazzu. How in the hell did they manage to lose to notre lame?

          • Kevin Hogan, basically. He’s a liability. He was main reason they lost to USC last year and why they lost to Notre Dame this year. He has a weak arm and doesn’t make any plays. He’s just getting further exposed this season cause he doesn’t have a strong running game now. If Stanford had a good QB I think they are in the final 4 at the end of the year, but they don’t.

    • Yeah. They have hung with Oregon and now Stanford (still possible upset)…and should have beaten Cal. Not sure what people here expect from WSU. If I had to pick WSU/OSU right now I think the Cougs win.
      I’d call them dangerous upset threat each week and improving. In a year or two they could be really good. Leach has a bunch of 4-stars coming in.

  40. OT – How is Barry Sanders Jr. looking? I expect WSU to keep improving. As pointed out above, Leach is improving recruiting.

    Another OT – Manning improving in NY. Two interesting things, one is the head coach’s willingness to bring in somebody new (McAdoo) and significantly change his offense, and second is the complete omission of Langsdorf. I understand NFL QB coaches don’t get a lot of attention, but if Manning is on a 3-game streak of 70% completion rate, you’d think they might mention Langsdorf.

    http://mmqb.si.com/2014/10/10/nfl-week-6-new-york-giants-tom-coughlin-ben-mcadoo-eli-manning/

  41. OSU entering the stretch run with no more byes left; it sets up well with time for rest/prep for a Utah team with a tough D, then 9 days until Stanford. OSU then finishes with most games at home against a slate of teams with questionable defenses. People are talking about PAC parity, but I agree with others here, there just doesn’t seem to be any consistently high functioning defenses in the PAC. Running the ball and trusting its D (as suggested above) looks like OSU’s best strategy. This is when and where a senior QB is supposed to be an advantage; can Mannion deliver in the heart of the schedule this year?

    I have been impressed with how hard Woods is running – he looks like he’s running angry and looks more like he did in his HS film. I had essentially written him off as being too tentative after his concussion and thought he was best suited as a pass-catching third down back, glad to be proven wrong. I would still like to see Chris Brown get some reps however, OSU really needs some speed on the field. It would be fun to see him get some toss sweeps.

    Enjoy the Beavers best chance at decent bowl game, I think it will be years before OSU’s roster provides the experience, talent, and balance this one does. Next year, its a new QB who’ll have little/no game experience, and we know how Riley QBs do in their first year. Recent and incoming recruiting classes look underwhelming for the most part.

    OT – I would actually be interested in a Duck loss today; not because of what it means for the standings necessarily, the farce of the “playoffs,” or Mariotta’s heisman chances, or that it would make me feel better about an unsatisfying OSU team that can’t put together a full game of good play, but rather to see how the public and UO program would react. Given Oregon’s poor offensive line play and defensive coordination, and the way WSU played them, UCLA, CAL, Stanford, Utah, and OSU all legitimately threaten them this year. Even if UO wins today, the rest of the season presents a few opportunities for derailment. Post-Kelly, they appear to be declining faster than I thought they would.

    OT2: The downside of the PAC lacking a real national threat is the “dominance” of the SEC. “Will the SEC west have two teams in the playoffs?” Give me a break.

    Enjoy your Saturday.

  42. I like how Fox broadcasters described the verbal altercation between Mora Jr and his defensive coordinator as “That’s just two passionate men going at it…”

    • After UCLA barely got by Memphis 42-35 I was skeptical they were really contenders,
      but I was hoping they could somehow get by the Ducks and shut up ‘natty discussion” for this season at a nice early date.

    • Was actually at that game yesterday. When that final field goal went in to seal the comeback, it was absolutely deafening. Only time I’ve been at a game that got that loud before was the tipped pass on the 2-point conversion in the OSU-USC game in 2006.

  43. More OT – Found the most entertaining college gootball viewing on Netflix; Blue Mountain State. Makes fun of the entire college football context and lack of institutional control. thought it would just be completely juvenile (plenty of that), but there’s actually some good humor there. I think the episode at the end of season 2, when the team goes 12-0, and the fans riot, features footage of OSU storming the field in ’06 after upsetting #3 USC(?).

    • That’s very disappointing to see. Tago is out for the season, and I’m guessing would likely need next year to fully recover.

      Glad to see Banker call this out, wish Riley would.

      How is it that players get ejected for leading with the helmet, but this guy goes right for Tago’s knee and nothing happens?!?

      • That was my thought also…..where is Riley in all of this? It’s nice that Banker has called out Sark, but this should be a head coaches bidding.

          • I hope someone at OSU has also sent this to the league for review. This was a straight shot at the knee cap. He was not knocked into Tago. Even if it wasn’t coached it was intentional.

          • I don’t think it’s illegal for one player to go straight at the defenders knee when you’re within the tackles. A two on one chop block is illegal, though.

          • The block is still legal in the NCAA(not in the NFL though), but the method the USC center used is not. He led with the crown of his helmet to specifically take out the knee.

            http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=2342

            “Targeting and Initiating Contact With the Crown of the Helmet (Rule 9-1-3)”

            “No player shall target and initiate contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet. When in question, it is a foul.”

          • This is bullshit! You can clearly see the gaurd pulled, the tackle started to want to block tagao, but didn’t because the center was already moving in to chop block. If the tackle engaged and the center chop blocked, that would have drawn a penalty, but since it didn’t, this got overlooked as a legal chop block and eyes went elsewhere. It’s not high school ball where you have to engage, then chop block. As long as a player isn’t already being engaged with another player, he’s fair game to chop block within the tackles. Though he hit with the helmet, he started to lead with his shoulder initially but purposely lowered his head
            And took his eyes off the feet of tagao. That’s poor technique; always keep your eyes on the defenders shins and lead with the shoulder and aim for either the thighs or shins, never the knee. That’s why this is dirty and was done on purpose. If the center had kept his head up, shoulder aiming for thigh or shins, it would have been legal.. Also, the center leapt too early from where tagao was lined up cause the venters knee landed too early and he had to stretch himself out more.

          • Oh and Sark is an asshole on a grand scale…..”I tend not to get in conflicts with assitants from other programs”. What a flippant dismissal of somone who was coaching while he was still in diapers.

            I have no love for the Arizona program, but I really wish that kicker had not choked although with 2 losses already I suppose the Trojans are irrelevant enough this season and that’s what bothers Sark the most.

    • I’ve felt that most of the changes in recent years in the name of ‘player safety’ have been over the top and taken away from the game for minimal benefit. That said, I would fully support the banning of cut blocking on the lines, with ejections and suspensions being warranted. This is how you end a defensive lineman’s career before it starts, and I have absolutely no respect for any coaches that teach or endorse this technique.

      • A cut block that starts from a head up defender and starts at the thighs (or below the knees) is a completely different animal than the cheap ass bullshit that you see in the videos posted. A ‘legal’ cut block while it can be effective in slowing a defender, it can also be defended against/combated fairly easily if the defender is even remotely athletic.

        Cutting a defender from the side and targeting the knee area is a weak ass way out for pussies like Sark. In my day anyone that employed such tactics would have paid the price tenfold on the field. If not immediately, then the next time we met.

    • In this interview, Riley doesn’t seem to fired up about officiating. Also, he says he is “very optimistic” Peko will play against Utah

      Note: Riley is currently 57-57 all time in conference play. He can have conference winning record with a win over Utah!

    • What that tape doesn’t show is that the C was staring at the knee for a couple counts before the snap. He knew exactly where he was going to go before the play even occurred.

  44. Had a proud parenting moment this weekend. Last weekend I was showing my 15 month old daughter the hand signal for a touchdown during the Beavs game. She mimicked me a few times but that was it. Then Friday night, while we were out to dinner, she broke out the signal mid meal with a huge smile on her face. At first I was confused, until I turned around and saw across the room a tv was showing WSU/Stanford. One of the teams had just scored and she was able to tell a touchdown had just happened It was a very cool moment.

    Then last night during the USC/Arizona game, she busted out the signal a few more times after scores. But the most proud moment was when they showed a closeup shot of Sark on tv, she started cracking up and laughing at him, no joke. Even at 15 months, she can tell he’s the poster boy for Summer’s Eve.

    • If she only watches Beaver games she will never learn the time out signal.
      However, she will learn the false start signal pretty quick.

  45. For a Beaver fan, waiting to find out if Peko qualifies has that same sick feeling that each Beaver football season has. Coming back each day to check on the status, hoping, but knowing it’s going to turn out disappointing in the end anyway. I need an Intervention.

  46. Yo any y’all actually know anything on the real bout Peko? It seem dat mos y’all subscibin to IDIOT theory: Incoming Dude Is Obviously Transcendent.

    ….. But all I’m sayin is anyone actually SEE did kid play vs anyone? He’s big and all, but so was dat big fat Hawaiian mofo we had and all he ever did was clean up at training table, lose his damn mind throwin up and practice and fall over when blocked in games.

    I want did kid to match da hype, dem Beavsies need a spark y’all.

  47. Now Oregon players are accusing UCLA of taking cheap shots during Saturday’s game. The Oregon schools are going to come off looking like whiners instead of the SoCal schools looking like thugs. I watched the game on Saturday though, and I have to say, it looked like UCLA was coached keep making contact after the whistle and shove/sit on/etc. the duck players on every opportunity. Their defensive style looked a little like pro wrestling, where the players would give an extra little pop, then walk away with their hands up when the refs said something. I sortof half expected some one to be sneaking a 2×4 out from under the turf or a folding chair to smack a player over the head when the ref had his back turned.

  48. UCLA= major disappointment. It is not out of the realm of possibility the PAC get shut out of the playoff. Quacks will lose another one. Hogan is the best Furd can do at QB? A bunch of pretty good teams, but certainly no great ones.

    • Did Eggers ask ole Dennis how he got Burfect from 1.0 high school gpa [ only had enough units to qualify as high school sophomore] to college eligible in six months? Dennis would be Burfect with Peko.

  49. Watched a few clips of Utah QB Kendal Thompsom. I’m worried now for Thursday. They play the read option with him and he’s big and fast. Reminds me of Mariota but maybe a little bigger. Looks like he’s a pretty accurate passer too.

  50. Stanford game will be a 12:30 start time next week, on one of ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. I’ve got my money on ESPN2 or ESPNU, but the early start time will be nice for a change. Wonder if any of the remaining home games will be early?

    • I seriously doubt a Pac-12 game is going to be pushed all the way to ESPNU, especially considering Stanford is a frequent visitor to the top 25.

  51. Mizell’s practice notes:

    “Newsworthy

    Defensive tackle Kyle Peko, who is still in eligibility limbo, was not at practice. A team spokesperson said there was no update on Peko’s status and did not know why he was not at the workout. ”

    Surprise! Doesn’t sound like somebody who’s going to play Thursday night….

    “2. Gavin Andrews, who is coming off a sprained ankle, and Sean Harlow flipped sides, with Andrews lining up at right tackle and Harlow at left tackle. They and the rest of the OSU offensive line, of course, will have to combat a formidable Utah pass rush that leads the nation in sacks. ”

    Seems like a strange time to flip these two? Right before facing the team with the most sacks?

    “3. I asked about the TV situation for Thursday’s game, now that Game 5 of the NLCS is slated to air on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 is not available in a lot of Oregon homes. A team spokesperson said local affiliates will pick the game up but that those networks had not been finalized. They had already changed multiple times Monday morning. We’ll pass along all that info when it’s finalized. ”

    Could be difficulty in watching the game? Kind of defeats the purpose of having a Thursday night 7 pm game, and it seems like the PAC should protect the telecast somehow.

  52. OOOHHH ShIIITt!!!!! Can’t believe what that POS Whittingham is saying!!! Hey bro, pretty sure Riley has been doing this a while. WTF kinda crap is that??!? How long has Utah been in the Pac12? Hello??!??!??

    • sigh……

      I like how the articles talks about “If he gains eligibility after fall term, Coach Mike Riley has promised to put him on scholarship in January”

      Does anybody really think he’ll ever gain eligibility? Why does the guy bother to even keep taking classes? It’s on his dime and at this point, those dimes aren’t paying any dividends. Cut your losses dude, but thanks for trying at least.

    • here’s a thought. Instead of being lazy how about Peko signs up for some actual classes. And attends them. And study groups. There’s resources out there for students who are struggling. The fact he continues to take “online courses” and isn’t passing them isn’t shocking.

  53. Ok so I sent an email to Ted Miller at ESPN.com linking those two plays asking why those were not reviewed by the Pac-12 office since on Tago’s injury it was not a legal block since he led with the crown of his helmet. It may not do any good but hey if someone can get the media onto this and calling out the Pac-12 office or investigating it, why not try? Since we haven’t heard one word from Riley about it.

    • let me rephrase that. It was not an illegal block but leading with the crown of his helmet should have drawn a flag. But either way it was a dirty play

      • It’s Sark’s MO. Remember that cheap shot on Wheaton that took him out at Washington in 2012.

        Until the beavers fight back once in a while, teams will keep doing it.

        • One of my biggest areas of disappointment with Riley is his lack of response to cheap shots against his players.
          He probably tries to respond in what he thinks is the “right” way; a few weeks back there was a story about his attempt to get on the committee which reviews rules, even with his much publicized reputation among his peers he was not selected. It is one thing to be a “nice guy” it is something else to be a doormat.
          Ah, the angst of being an angry beaver!

  54. Why was he taking Psychology? Did he really have to? I think OSU hasn’t advised very well with Peko for more than a year regarding best path to eligibility. Yoga or Tennis or Golf would have been better choices. All the bowling and everything else to still not get what we want at the end is just ridiculous. Have an assigned tutor who meets with him an hour a day to go over his Pysch lessons if necessary.

    Time for a new thread Angry…this one is long and cluttered now.

    PLEASE ANGRY! Thanks!

  55. Simply put, Mr. Peko has neither the intelligence and/or the self-motivation to be a D-1 athlete. It really isn’t that hard, unless there is a mental capacity issue and if that’s the case then we should be having a completely different conversation. Beavs did every possible thing they could with this kid.

    • If Steven Nelson can truly run a sub 4.4 40, he’ll have a good chance of being picked in the top 3 rounds. He’s making a good case to be all conference.

  56. About Peko.. I would like to clear my hometown’s name Cerritos is a brilliant city with one of the top school districts in the entire land… My K-12 schooling prepared me exceptionally for life at OSU.

    http://www.statisticbrain.com/los-angeles-county-school-rank-by-api-scores/

    Kyle breifly “went” to Cerritos College which is technically right outside of Cerritos in a city called Norwalk and went to high school somewhere far far away. I speak on behalf of all former, current and future Cerritos residents in making sure Kyle is not associated with Cerritos academia..

    AN ONLINE Psychology class really!!!?

    • Cerritos CC Coach on Peko……………………..

      “He didn’t make the NCAA Clearinghouse, which means he had to go to junior college to get an AA degree. That basically was what held him up from getting a major scholarship out of high school. … He just kind of fell through the cracks a little bit. He’s such a social butterfly that he doesn’t take care of schoolwork as fast as he should. He always thinks there’s another day, another class, another week.”

      and then this gem

      He doesn’t think football’s ever going to end. I tell him, ‘Kyle, you’re running out of time.’ He just doesn’t have any time. He doesn’t get that.

      Dumb as a post

      http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2014/08/cerritos_college_coach_discuss.html

  57. Yesterday evening Whiskey posted regarding getting some publicity about the helmet to knee targeting on Noke Tago.
    Canzano now has a piece up regarding officiating, I’ve taken the opportunity to, again, post the video and point out that blown calls by officials allow this type of dirty play to continue. Chime in on O-live if you care to.
    http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2014/10/canzano_pac-12_officiating_deb.html

  58. Might as well give up on Peko. How many chances has he gotten and wasted?

    It doesn’t even sound like he’s a full time student either.

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