silverstream055 says:

I went back this week and reviewed most of the Beaver’s first game win over Wisconsin, focusing on the line of scrimmage, and using slow motion to figure out who was doing what on each play. Based on that review, and based on the little I’ve seen and read about UCLA, I like the Beaver’s chances today against the Bruins. Here’s why:

1) I think OSU’s defense is for real. We are better at just about every position than we were last year, either because of new, young, talented players (safeties Murphy and Zimmerman) or players who are bigger, stronger, faster, and more experienced than they were last year (Poyer, Reynolds, Crichton, Wynn, Welch, et al). The defense is playing with more physicality and also with more discipline, making OSU’s gap cancellation schemes effective (unlike last year). And we are taking advantage of our experience and personnel to do a better job of mixing up the looks we present to the offense, and running stunts to confuse our opponent’s blocking schemes. Facing a talented but young and inexperienced UCLA O-line, and a first-year QB who locks on his receivers, OSU’s defense should be effective today. As Angry suggests, the main challenge will be keeping outside containment to avoid the UCLA QB from killing us on scrambles and broken plays. Fingers crossed on that…

2) I think OSU’s O-line is much better than last year’s version (again, not saying much, but still…) Seumalo was critical of his own play against Wisconsin, but after reviewing the tape in slow motion, I think Seumalo played great, especially considering it was his first college game, and he was up against an experienced 335 lb nose tackle. Overall, the O-line did a good job protecting Mannion, and also opened up some large holes for the RBs (not all of which the RBs saw or used properly). Watching the game in slow motion, the Beaver O-line, on some plays, executed some complex blocking schemes to perfection (schemes where every player on the O-line was sliding or pulling to block someone other than the defender in front of him). Just a question now of staying healthy and getting more consistent, but I think this O-line could be good.

3) Mannion seems to have made the necessary changes this season to reduce the number of interceptions he throws. Mannion only forced a few balls into tight coverage against Wisconsin. More often, if he saw tight coverage, Mannion either checked down or threw the ball away, as he should. Yes, Mannion missed some downfield opportunities against Wisconsin by being cautious, but I think that’ was a good tradeoff for Game 1. I expect Mannion will hit more of those opportunities today against UCLA in Game 2.

If our special teams play better today (which shouldn’t be hard to do), I think the Beavs emerge from today’s game 2-0 and ranked in the Top 20. Go Beavers!

OneEyedKing says:

Is the chat going up? Or am I screwing something up lol.

OneEyedKing says:

That was a SCARY play; defender lost the ball about 4 times.

OneEyedKing says:

Wheaton could BARELY handle that pass; I hope it’s because it almost hit the ref.

OneEyedKing says:

Seeing Cooks execute the WR Bubble Screen just reminds me how bad Landsdouch called plays, and how he wasted James’s career. Fly Sweep+Bubble Screen= unstoppable.

Gman says:

Need to score

OneEyedKing says:

Old Beavers; 3rd and 9, QB takes off for 30 yards. Classic Beavs!!!

Where is the spy?

GoBeavs90 says:

Beavers are throwing a lot of the 15-20 yard routes a lot more today. Mannion making good throws

Afghanbeav says:

And boom goes the dynamite!

BeavGirl says:

cooks looked a bit like a Duck there with that run. he made 75 yards look like 10 feet

OneEyedKing says:

DAMMIT D, STOP SCREWING UP!!!

OneEyedKing says:

Nice run by Storm; dodging tacklers and fighting for yards.

Even with our massive errors, we’re up. Good sign.

OneEyedKing says:

LOL our guys got owned hard by that fair catch. Luckily it was another great pin-punt and just died around the 5.

GoBeavs90 says:

Can Mike Riley call a different play on third and 4? He calls that play every single time. Defenses know it’s coming. Get creative.

GoBeavs90 says:

Beavers needs to put this in for 6. Need to take a 17-3 lead at least into halftime. Think UCLA’s offense will be better in the 2nd half

OneEyedKing says:

Crushed that zone-read in the backfield. Great work by the d-line, again.

OneEyedKing says:

Oh my god. They get the lucky bomb. Horrible coverage, and a drive that was extended by a stupid penalty by Doctor. Come on!!!

WFO says:

That’s the way,Riley. Throw away two possessions in a row with shit conservative play calling.

GoBeavs90 says:

Dumb decision by Riley

HopefulBeav says:

I would have killed for a play action bomb right there. Why not? Wheaton and Cooks are killing their CBs.

GoBeavs90 says:

Watch when the Beavers lose this game by 3

Timber! says:

this is why I’m not watching…our margin of error is non-existent for winning games like this so when we play stupid football (i.e. leg whip, late hit on QB, Rashaad taunting after nice stick, etc.), I can’t watch. (I acknowledge any good football being played.)

OneEyedKing says:

The Rose Bowl is half-empty. Part of that is people getting concessions, but that’s a LOT of people missing…

OneEyedKing says:

BTW, first play of a new drive; pass. It has to be a near 90% tendency.

Beaver Byte says:

Wasted timeout

OneEyedKing says:

That WR was SCARED!!!

Good hit by Murphy too.

Hundley showing that inaccuracy.

OneEyedKing says:

First play of the drive, let’s see if we get another pass.

I think we’ll actually run it here, because we really, really need to get the run game going, but the numbers say Riley loves to pass.

OneEyedKing says:

Should be 4-down territory.

OneEyedKing says:

THAT DEFENSE!!!

Is just bailing us out. So awesome.

GoBeavs90 says:

Defense is playing their asses off. Really only one bad play on defense. Beavers need 10+ 2nd half points and they win. UCLA I don’t think can score more than twice this half off the Beavers.

orangejulius says:

And just like that….

OneEyedKing says:

Throwing the ball into 4 players because you HAD to throw it there…Dear god that’s a scrub-ass play, Mannion.

OneEyedKing says:

The most obvious hold of the game, thankfully the refs actually saw it.

Hopefully they see those during the Civil War, because all UO’s line DOES is hold.

GoBeavs90 says:

Hundley missed that one. Should have been an easy TD. Beavers can’t a receiver get that wide open down the middle of the field

orangejulius says:

Sweeps to the short side of the field…lol…very pop warnerish.

OneEyedKing says:

Those middle drag-routes are killing us. And middle posts. I think this is a gameplan-decision, but they hurt right now.

And that looked like a fumble.

GoBeavs90 says:

Should have been a penalty on Franklin

GoBeavs90 says:

WOOOOOO!!!!!

OneEyedKing says:

Fourth and inches, gotta kick the FG though, right?

orangejulius says:

go for it mike!

Timber! says:

that is just wuss action

Sad Beaver says:

Whew… close one. Need some nice runs now with some play action and screens. Go Beavs!