First off, apologies if you've come here looking for reading material and haven't found anything new. I've been using the slow period to work on some personal hobbies and take vacation. I've also been entrenched in this debt ceiling debate, and I find myself reading more about that than the Beavers right now.
Anyway, you might have noticed the ads are gone. Yeah, I didn't enjoy working with Google. Those ads were terrible and spammy, and I'm convinced the folks at Google run on algorithms. If you own a business and want to either advertise or sponsor, shoot me an email and we can discuss the site's traffic and negotiate a rate. Otherwise, I'm doing the no ad thing and loving it.
Moving on, Reuben Robinson has been moved to OLB. People are praising the move. Personally, it makes no difference to me. Robinson is not a player. He's an okay backup, but whether he's backing up at MLB or OLB doesn't matter too much. There's a lot of depth and interchangeability at LB.
In other LB news, Michael Bibbee has left the program. This is bad news, but it's not devastating. Bibbee's style was downhill and aggressive. I like what I saw. He looked to be a player, but again, LB is a position with depth so I'm not losing sleep over it. I do ponder what he could have done in the coming years, and it's frustrating we won't be able to witness his budding potential, but as far as the team, they won't miss a beat. By the way, I heard grades were the issue for Bibbee, but nobody has confirmed.
Moving on a second time…Dax Dilbeck left the program. I was never a big Dax fan. Cool name, nice Oklahoma pedigree, awkward athlete. People claimed he ran a 4.3 and had a great arm…I never saw any of that in his film. I saw a gangly QB who might project at safety in college. Was he a bad athlete? No. But am I losing sleep over this? No. I feel bad for the kid and his dreams, but the team will rise above his defection. Has anyone confirmed the reason Dax left the team? I left him a message but haven't heard anything. I'm assuming it's due to injury since he was an excellent high school student. What I hope is that he's not leaving the program for anything OSU related, or even homesickness, as we don't want a bad name in Oklahoma.
Looking at the bright side, we just freed up two scholarships in a year we're recruiting better than ever. And people call me cynical…
What I have heard, is that Dax Dilbeck is coming off of a knee injury, and the recovery process has been taking longer than expected. I heard Michael Bibbee had academic, grades issues. I think your assessments here are correct and accurate. Reuben Robinson being moved to OLB will free up the MLB position for a more athletic play maker, downhill type. During the off-season I have watched a lot of re-runs of Oregon State football (some painful, I know) I noticed during last season, Reuben Robinson #13, was always a step slow to making a play, and he hesitated. When he runs, his arms move fast, but his feet are slow. It will be interesting to see if he improved his footwork, and if the 2010 game experience will translate into quicker decision making from Reuben? I expect to see Shaydon Akuna, T’eo Shiloah become playmakers at the LB position, along with Tony Wilson, Cameron Collins (after he recovers), Michael Doctor, and Feti Unga in 2011. All of these guys can move and really fly to the ball! The overall play at LB will need to step up and help the D-Line this year. Defensively, I really think OSU will have better speed, and will improve drastically from last year’s 8th in the Pac-10 defense! I agree that looking at the bright side and or silver lining is that we have been recruiting better and we did free up two scholarships! I hope you enjoyed your time off and vacation, but at the same time…. Welcome back!!!
Sounds like Akuna or Shiloah are on the bubble at OLB, how about moving one of them inside. Wilson and Unga aren’t pac-12 starters.
I like Shiloah. Akuna needed to add weight last I heard.
Unga was a pleasant surprise last year. I think he could start at MLB. Wilson? Hm. Tough call. He’s a tweener and had some good/bad moments. I think he’s a solid backup, and probably a serviceable stop gap (ala Cornell) somewhere down the line. He might be a little better than that, actually. I remember a handful of times last year someone made a play I didn’t see coming, and when I saw the jersey name it was Wilson’s.
I agree about the solid back-up/future stop-gap. He has flashes of brilliance but I think he is one of those players who only has flashes. He is inconsistent and not nearly as athletic. For every great play, there are two or three lackluster moments. They aren’t complete fails, i.e. Pankey, but they are minor mistakes that cost yards. My expectation of an MLB is complete stud, this is your defensive QB, I don’t see that out of Wilson. He is a role player.
Shaydon Akuna is 6’0 226 lbs, and can really run! If anyone can see him up close at a practice, you’ll notice he looks bigger than that. The entire Oregon State football team stayed in Corvallis and worked their butts off in the weight room and conditioning! They are hungry and they have a passion for winning. Everyone has made leaps and bounds during the offseason. I’ve also heard nothing but high remarks regarding Ariko Iso, the new athletic trainer, the players really respect her.
A variety of recruiting sites list Akuna to be 6’3″, maybe that’s why he “appears” bigger?
have you heard anything recruiting wise? It’s been dead silent for the past month.
Eh, I am just happy that we have had this much success to this point. I don’t believe we had a single commit yet at this point last year.
No not much, just that Weinrich and Jacobs are still high on us. I know other sites are reporting Jacobs is now a Cal lean. We’ll see.
Welcome back.
Do we know if Hardin is to remain a starting corner? Is there any corners challenging for minutes this year?
I love Hardin as a player and athlete, just not a corner.
I expect Reynolds to step up and challenge him for playing time.
I’d rank the corners like this:
Poyer
Reynolds
Hardin
Martin
Riley will start Hardin. Luckily he’s just average, not terrible. The improved LB speed should help the secondary out.
That’s a great list for CB’s. I’d like to add JC transfer Mishawn Cummings from Foothill JC to that list too!
While I get the digs on Hardin, I am on record (and will continue to be) that Hardin will make vast improvements this year. I love the potential with him and CB’s in this defense make huge improvements between their first and second year.
My comment comes off as anti-Hardin. I’m not. He’s an average/serviceable CB who should benefit from better LB play. I think Reynolds is a better talent, but experience does matter at that position so Hardin is the best option this year. Reynolds should be the nickle CB.
Twitter from Poyer:
“The big homie @JDOC4 got picked up by the rams!! Jus got me that much more motivated to make it to the top #congrats bro.”
Having never played college sports (I’m fat and slow, but I lacked talent and can’t jump), this comment from Poyer made me think about the effect on morale and motivation when you see a teammate make it to the bigs. Especially if you think you can ball with them.
Several other players tweeted about teammates getting signed, showing they are keenly aware. I like it!
Jason, the more players the Beavs put in the NFL the better their recruiting will get. As you noted, also a good motivating factor for players on the team. I’d like to see NFL players give more back (in terms of donations), however.
Fair point about Hardin. I guess my position is that he will be the best corner on the roster this year or tied for first with Poyer.
Hardin may improve, but catching Poyer will not happen.
Anyway, is there any easy way to see how many players each school puts into the NFL relative to each other? I’ve googled a couple different ways but couldn’t find anything useful.
Jason, this is one site I use for research:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/draft-history-graphic.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Might have what you’re looking for.
Thanks Angry, exactly what I was looking for!
No problem. The only problem with that list is it only shows drafted players. You could try specific universities’ Wikipedia pages for undrafted free agents. They usually list all players in the NFL.
Here’s the Beavers’ list of players in the pro’s by teams in the NFL and CFL, obviously more players in the NFL than the CFL, but I didn’t realize that the list was so big! I counted 35 players in the NFL with the Buff’s having the most Beaver players.
http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/beavers-in-the-pros.html
Where is Billy with the barbecue report?
I cut and pasted this rather than post the link to the entire article about the Brewers. I trust it will be of interest to angrybeavs. I’ve also watched 2 games and IMHO he is disciplined behind the plate, as well. OSU coaching?
Berberet shows discipline with runners on
AMBER KUEHN Independent Record | Posted: Thursday, July 28, 2011 11:56 pm | (0) Comments
Independent Record
Parker Berberet
. .
Parker Berberet took a few quick swings in the on-deck circle, watching as teammate Yadiel Rivera drilled the first pitch he saw for a double.
The Helena catcher then strolled nonchalantly to the plate, and appeared to stay cool as he fell behind in the count. On the 1-2 pitch, Berberet ricocheted an RBI single off the Casper pitcher to score Rivera from second and put the Brewers on the board.
No big deal. It’s what Berberet’s been doing all season long. And nobody on the Brewers squad is better than Berberet with runners on base.
The 25th-round pick is 16 for 44 with runners on, a team-best .363 average. Four of his home runs this season, including his two this week, have come with runners on and he has knocked in 20 runs in those situations. Berberet’s 23 RBIs is second on the squad (Rivera has 25), and he has eight extra-base hits with runners aboard.
While some rookies tend to try to do too much in those situations, Berberet’s patience at the plate has paid off.
“He’s very disciplined,” Helena manager Joe Ayrault said, when asked what makes his catcher so successful in that area. “Some hitters, the young hitters, they give in. They start chasing. But that’s the time you’ve got to realize the pitcher’s in trouble, shrink your zone a little bit, and get your pitch.”
That’s one thing Berberet does very well.
“He’s a disciplined hitter; he gives you quality at-bats everytime he’s up there,” Ayrault emphasized.
Berberet said performing with runners on base and in scoring position was something that was drilled into him at Oregon State. Situational hitting just comes natural to the 21-year-old.
“It’s just been a strong point of mine these last two years in college,” said the 6-foot-3, 205-pound California native. “Bringing that to pro ball is just a focus thing. Runners on base is where you make your money.”
Read more: http://helenair.com/sports/berberet-shows-discipline-with-runners-on/article_439055ce-b9a8-11e0-8c28-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1ThCej6Vu
Dwight Roberson went to the New Orleans Saints.
Suaesi Tuimaunei to Atlanta Falcons.
Jeff Maehl to the Houston Texans.
Linnenkohl went to the Bears.
Aaron Nichols went to the Arizona Cardinals.
Your intrepid reporter william c., jr. here , finally ready to discuss barbecue with the beavs. First, humble apologies to oobeav on my tardiness. We had Int. Pinot Noir Conf. in McMinnville and I had to spend my weekend overseeing hundreds of wine snobs.Oh well, it was a nice break from my ducky pals from grad school, all of whom continue to remind me that all we won from them last year was 1 non-league baseball game. Excruciatingly humbling!
First, the injury report. Halahuni was the first person I spoke to and he was cautiously upbeat. However, I got the impression we won’t see him suited up before the first league game, although he would love to play vs the Badgers. As for Bishop, Joe said he thinks he’s good to go right now. Katz assured me his arm is fine and he’s also ready to go. None of them wanted to discuss former trainer Barney Fuck-Up but they are all quite pleased with Ariko. Lastly, James.I got the same answer from all 5 players and asst. coach Gary Beck. All said if anyone can do it James can. Easy to tell they all had doubts as this was a very serious injury. Got the impression they would be thrilled if he was back for the last half of the season and even more thrilled if he is the same player.
All five kids were very polite and personable. You aren’t gonna see any of them demolish a phone booth. Katz was the main spokesperson but they all took the mike. Hekker and Frahm each displayed a great sense of humor. Speaking of Kevin Frahm,he totally impressedeveryone. Few knew he has a speech impediment and weren’t
ready for the way he faces it head on. It sometimes took him 4 or 5 times to start a sentence but he had a smile on his face the whole time. He always finished what he started to say no matter how long it took him. Most impressive. Talked to him for about ten minutes at the end of the evening and somehow ended up owing him a bottle of wine for every sack he produces this year. Being a senior, at the end of the season all will be legal.
Question session didn’t produce much. I was roundly booed when Frahm said he wasn’t sure what the future held after he graduates. All I did was suggest he could always do what I did and go to grad school in Eugene and live among Ducks for 2-3 years. Best comment came when a guy in the back shouted out “I don’t see any offensive lineman up there.” Katz replied they were all eating together right then. When that didn’t go over well he changed it to they were all working out together and getting better. A lot of doubtful murmuring ensued.
Plenty more to tell but this is lengthy enough. I’m starting to look as loquacious as Jack(kidding, of course). Speaking of Jack, I thought of you as I was conversing with new track coach Kelly Sullivan. In the course of the conversation my brother’s father-in-law Berny Wagner naturally came up and I couldn’t help but think that Jack and Berny share the same favorite person, Lynn Snyder!
Any questions, feel free to ask. One other item. Attendance was down quite a bit from last year. There are a lot of pissed off and disgusted people out there. Mr. Riley and his staff have a huge task in front of them.
Great stuff.
No apology necessary, Billy. Thanks so much for the report, I had hoped for better news on Halahuni but time will tell. Good to know also that Beaver Nation isn’t satisfied with last season’s results. Again, thanks for sharing your observations.
GRRRR!!!… Lynn Snyder… grrrrrr.
Berny would be so proud of you!!
I went to the BBQ in Albany last year and decided not to attend this year due to 2 factors.
1) I am 40 and I was still out-aged by 25 years in the attending crowd. I can hang with an older crowd but these were primarily hard core supporters that had no interest in any critical discussion whatsoever.
2) Ryan Gunderson was the only football team representative present. And in fact he was an hour late and forcing Mike Parker to kill time. Craig Robinson was a good speaker.
I have now purchased tickets to the BBQ on Friday the 12th but only because I’m going to the practice beforehand and the premier of “Beavers without Borders” afterwards.
Great info from William C., thanks!!
I am wondering if Zimmerman or Cooks are precocious enough to help mitigate the early season absence of James Rodgers? I would not expect either to replace him, but it would be nice if they can at least spell Wheaton on fly sweeps and Poyer(?) on punt returns. I suspect either will be capable of KO returns.
Speaking of James and his last year at OSU reminds me how long its been since OSU won a CW – with true freshman James Rodgers running the fly sweep at Autzen. Seems like a LONG time ago, but I don’t see history repeating itself this year unless UO gets hit with multiple, significant injuries.
I still like the MLB depth. Remember that Wilson was playing on the first year back from major knee surgery, and he was playing major minutes for the first time. He will be who we all thought he would be coming out of HS. The timetable was just altered with the injury.
And Feti will be fine. He has a knack for handling blockers instead of them handling him. He’s still rough around the edges, but he doesn’t mind being a blunt weapon.
OLB and S are going to be exciting to watch this year. I don’t think anyone in our league has the same combination of speed and strength those guys have.
Now it’s just hoping that the o-line grows up.
Jack, I think you are spot on with Feti. To me, he played with more passion than most on last years squad. While passion alone won’t get the job done, it can ignite the others around him and Feti does have the tools and motor to be effective.
I’m anxious to find out if Castro will play and live up to his (very good) potential.
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/07/2011_oregon_state_beavers_offe.html
We’re 3-deep with walk-ons at RG. That is just ridiculous.
edit: RG
I think you mean RG. Johnson, Phillip and Remmers have all shown flashes it just comes down to those guys showing consistency which is huge. Even Lennikhol with his NFL body disappeared far too often last year. I think adding one new face to the mix could greatly improve the line. Either finding a solid OT and moving Phillip into Ellis’ spot or putting Enger in for Ellis. I think if we can do one of these two things we should have a much improved O-line from last year.
Also I felt like last year the team did not put their best 5 guys on the line. I know Cliff was saying that Cav doesn’t like moving guys once the season starts. I guess that makes it very improtant to identify the best 5 guys in fall camp.
Great stuff as usual from the AB contingent. I need to work on a summation so I can pass it on to my Grandpa! (98 years young). He loves the inside scoup that the Mid Valley papers/Oregonian can’t give him.
Thanks!
Did anybody hear this Scott Reed guy on the radio? He talked about how Willie Lyles was not the mentor of Lache and tried to say the Ducks committed no violations. He fabricated much of the story and Duck fans believe it 100%. Wow. Duck fans are something else. A lot of what he said I know for a fact is incorrect.
I could see that a mile away just by the way Chad Doing teased it this morning on the radio.
What anyone says about Lyles is totally immaterial. The UO paid him big money for no reportable reason. They appeared to try to cover up the real reason, by asking him for normal recruiting material, way after the fact. He wasnt a legal recruiting service, by NCAA rules, and so paying him anything was a violation. Almost certainly he was paid for what he says, for influence. Illegal.
What is important, though, is what the NCAA believes. As others have pointed out, if they think you are cheating, they can bend you over a chair and pound it to you — they dont have to prove anything.
UO fans are in denial, and in fact, since the university seems to not be into self sanctioning, they get to play out this coming season, probably with huge success. And if it is all struck down by the NCAA later, they probably will gloat over it ad infinitum, anyway.
Great post by the way! I wasn’t trying to detract from the points you were making, I agree with you 100% I just care more about the Beavers than I do about the ducks (crap, I said ducks! I meant _ucks.) If the _ucsks lose every game, Oregon State still must play well enough to win their gams. Oregon State has enough work ahead of them to overcome! I still HATE the _ucks, don’t get me wrong. I believe in doing things the right way, what they are doing in Eugene is wrong by every definition of the word. Now the entire Nation is starting to see what we have all known all along. But, Oregon State needs to worry about Oregon State. Last season, the Beavers worst enemy was the Beavers. If OSU had a defense like the defenses of old, games vs UCLA, UW, and WSU all would have been wins. OSU most likely would have played in the Holiday Bowl. Ofcourse this in my opinon. I really believe what goes around comes back around, you reap whatever you sow. This is why I believe one day OSU will break through and become a top 5 team.
Ok, enough about the _ucks! Let’s talk about the Beavers! How do you see Oregon State doing this 2011 season? What reasons do you have for your outlook? I really think OSU’s success depends on the Offensive and Defensive Lines (duh, some may say. I know, I know, but it’s true!) I could see OSU playing out of their minds and blowing everyones face off, everything coming together, the team playing with confidence and with swagger, 9+ wins. But, I could also see “growing pains” learning curves, and OSU “finding their identity” in November, a .500 team at best. I know that is the general feeling with this years team. Basically nobody really knows, I guess that’s why there is so much anticipation, why we watch and why we love the game? I really want to believe that one day OSU will have a break-out, break through season. A season where they go to a BCS Bowl, a season where they dominate their opponents, a season OSU plays together, with a chip on their shoulders and with confidence, a season they exceed even the most die-hard Beaver fan’s hopes and expectations! Each year since the 2000 Fiesta Bowl team, I have hoped that this year would be the year OSU returns to glory. This season is no different, and always….Go Beavs!!!
Go Beavs! I think we will suprise some people. I’m hoping for 9-4 or bettter. 8-5 should be the minimum
I feel that they will be better than last year for sure, but how much better truly lies with the entire team. Not just the O-Line and the D-Line. It lies with each and every player to help motivate each teammate when they are struggling or in a slump. It’s like in baseball, you’re going to have off days, but it’s how the team picks up the slack that will determine your success. It takes determination and effort to practice hard day in and day out. What you put into practice, is what you will get out of games.
The team has great leadership and great coaches and are working hard right now, but it must continue throughout the season to succeed. I know that no matter what happens, I’ll be at the game in section 111 standing and cheering my heart out in the hopes of losing my voice for our team. It seems that when Riley’s teams have a down year, they use that as a learning opportunity to know what not to do for the future of the program. The players make the program, but the fans will buy into what the players say and feel. The players are really starting to understand that it seems at OSU and know that if they show confidence in their play and buy into what they’re doing, then the fan base will buy into it as well. The way I see the players’ comments right now is this, “We had a bad year last year. Our fans are unhappy and unsure. We are doing our best to fix that, but the only way to prove to everyone that we’ve improved is to show it on the field in a game.” That’s what they’re preparing for right now, to be the best they can be and to make a statement. That statement is, should be, and will be: “We are better, bigger, faster, and stronger this year.” That should be the slogan, : “Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger…We are Oregon State!”
Regarding Duck players selling merchandise: http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/299630-oregon-tracks-players-game-worn-memorabilia
Only some Arkansas site behind a pay wall (somehow fitting, that) is reporting that Seth Jacobs came out with a top five as expected after his Cal visit. From the headlines, I can only tell that Arkansas is one of them. Who are the rest?
Cal, OSU, ASU and UW?
Buker is tweeting about a depth chart released today. Crichton and Rosa are listed as the starting DE’s. Maybe they’re trying to push Fernando? I think Angry has been asking for Crichton and it’s nice to see Rosa mentioned.
Glover has academic issues, ughhh!
http://twitter.com/#!/Pnbuker
I was slightly excited to see that Rosa was up to 270 this year. He was SOOO good in high school, and I was SOOO frustrated that injuries have kept him on the sideline thus far. I expect big things from him in the years to come.
And I’m happy to see Crichton up to 260 and playing at a level we all expected. He should be a fixture on the end for some time.
Glover being out will hurt on the depth. Of course, he has the skill to start, but I don’t think there’s much drop off, if any, with the other two. I think we may see some time from at least Wynn this year regardless of Glover’s status. i’ve heard he’s close to 260 and game ready now. That would be a huge plus.
I don’t know what to expect from Henry after last year. He has the quickness to play at a high level, but he gets handled a little too easily.
It should be noted that we’re talking about the strong side DE position. Henry is listed as the weak side starter.
I forgot Glover was moved to DT… depth is a little more precarious there. No Thompson or Masaniai for now. We’re looking at Frahm, Seumalo, Braun and Tuivailala needing to step it up?
Don’t forget Ben Motter! ;)
I can see this years Beavers doing well again. They are now in that fav underdog role, with no pressure from outside. Given a few more points or some luck they would have been winners last year. And with recruiting getting better, it could be the start of a good run. Its easier now to be a conference champ, given the divisional titles, though with Luck at Stanford and the current crop at u-know, it will be tough this year. Comeon, team — get MOTIVATED!
Buker’s article up on O-live:
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/08/oregon_state_football_update_r.html
Hmmm…
“Their intentions are to win the championship,’’ said Riley.
“They think they’re going to win it.’’
That’s going to hurt the feelings of some fans who don’t want to expect too much.
Cool:
“Bibbee hopes to come back in the winter when he gets his schoolwork in order.”
I like that. I hope he gets back on track.
THEIR intentions?? THEY think??!?!
Where is the OUR?
Don’t they have common goals?? Is Riley a football coach or a Key Club facilitator? Is this D1 football or a Montessori school?
Spot on, Alex. Riley needs to show he is part of the organization; just like he ought to back up his players when they receive cheap shots from opponents (see the injury to JR and Burfit’s head butt on Katz, and….).
I think you might be reading too much into that comment. That was obviously answering a specific question. Riley answers questions directly and doesn’t give the company line. I actually am excited to see the players taking ownership this year. I think Riley is good at many things but as was evidenced last year, he is not strong at fixing a fracturing team. If you have leaders on the team that are taking ownership, then that will not be needed.
Heh, heh…
“The thing that’s most (worrisome) to me is this tight end deal.’’ … Riley said redshirt frosh Connor Hamlett, one of the stars of the spring game with Halahuni out, is probably going to play H-back with Colby Prince at the tight end starter until reinforcements arrive.
Reinforcements=Kellen Clute ;)
This always makes me smile:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_2kmpxsoI
Just confirmed that there’s not TV broadcast for the Sac State home opener. :(
If we can have a student organization do the broadcast for the baseball games, shouldn’t they be able to put together at least a rudimentary football broadcast also?
Yea, I’m wondering if it’s going to be picked up by Beaver Nation Online. Typically they broadcast home games that nobody else wants. http://www.osubeavers.com/allaccess
I was really disappointed in reading that. Does it have anything to do with the “Root” network versus old Fox Sports NW? Fox Sports always picked up that FCS game in the past i.e Easter Kentucky, Portland State, etc. Can’t believe it’s not going to happen this year.
There’s still time. Maybe it will get picked up.
That would suck to have to wait an extra week to see a game.
That does suck. I’m going either way, but I do like to Tivo and watch later.
Uh….if you live in the state of Oregon, buy a ticket and come watch it live. It’s better than on TV and it’s going to be great weather. Corvallis is beautiful in September. Come support the team guys.
Already have my tickets! Section 116 row 22!
I’m in section 111 not sure which row they are in though.
Uh… not everyone lives in the state of Oregon.
Hm. Good point.
Maybe I’ll drive up for that game.
I’ve got a guest room and live about 10 min from Reser angry ;-)
Should not be an issue next year because I think every Pac-12 game will at least be online.
Cliff published a walk-on list: http://tinyurl.com/3jyzmuo. Bummed that Alex Kamara isn’t on it.
—-
Also, the roster was updated with incoming frosh: http://tinyurl.com/3vw5dr6. Jaswha James checks in at 6’1″ 247. MLB anyone?
James is third on the depth chart at MLB.
Sounds great. 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage last year (10 tfl, 8 sacks). Only two years playing football in high school, so may take some time to develop, but sure looks like the legitimate MLB that’s been missing for a while.
I like the sound of that.
I talked to Collins a bit about a week ago…he’s really big. He’s big enough to line up and be a speed rusher.
Anybody know when James Rodgers appointment was supposed to happen today? Anxious to see whatever news comes from that.
About as good of news as we could expect at this time, but vague enough that there is still a chance James misses several games. I hope to have him playing by the UCLA game. Playing him at Wisconsin isn’t worth the risk.
http://mobile.oregonlive.com/advorg/pm_29234/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=hiANsR4d
From Cliff Kirkpatrick, “Kevin Unga won the starting middle linebacker job out of spring practice. Tony Wilson is the backup.”
I bet this puts a smile on Angry’s face!
http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/article_764aa684-bd6a-11e0-a63a-001cc4c03286.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Sorry, forgot to post the link.
There are no greyshirts this year and the full 85 schollies are filled…I wonder who got the 3 that were opened up from Lyon’s who “retired”, Michael Bibbee leaving, and Dax leaving as well…any ideas?
I am seeing that members of this forum have watched the team in detail. Could someone give the defensive lineup from last year, and then give the new faces, if any, and estimates of improvement, or not?
I’ll take a quick stab. There could be a lot more detail but i’ll let others jump in.
——–
Position: Last years starter
(New starter(s) – My poor evaluation – Grade)
DE: Gabe Miller
(Chrichton, Rosa, Fernando – Inexperienced but good athletes. I think Chrichton is someone to watch. Rosa has been injured most his career. Fernando is a speedy 3rd down guy. – Even)
DE: Dominic Glover
(Henry – Started last season but was quickly passed up by Glover. Speed guy who got pushed around. I hope someone passes him on the depth chart. – Downgrade)
DT: Paea
(Glover, Masaniai – Both are good players with potential. Glover, who switched from DE, is undersized. – Downgrade)
DT: Brennan Olander
(Frahm – Undersized. I don’t think i’ve ever seen him penetrate. Experienced. – Downgrade)
OLB: Keith Pankey
(Michael Doctor – Inexperienced but damn fast and athletic. – Upgrade)
OLB: Dwight Roberson
(Cameron Collins – Senior who finally gets a starting gig at the right position. Very smart guy. – Upgrade)
MLB: Tony Wilson
(Kevin Unga – Physical player, who showed flashes last season, but looked lost at times. Expecting him to step up. – Upgrade)
CB: James Dockery
(Jordan Poyer – Stud. – Upgrade)
CB: Brandon Hardin
(Brandon Hardin – Too big to be a corner, but coaches like the story. – Even)
S: Lance Mitchell
(Lance Mitchell – Stud. Has a lingering groin injury. Chose not to have surgery. – Even)
S: Suaesi Tuimaunei
(Anthony Watkins – Looks like a LB playing safety. Showed good quickness last season. Needs experience. – Upgrade)
——–
(This is just what I’ve gathered, i have NOT attended any practices this year.)
That’s pretty accurate.
Frahm came on strong. He’s at worst even with Olander. Might be a slight upgrade because of his work ethic and attitude.
He’ll continue to come on strong. In addition to his work ethic and attitude, he knows he has a fine bottle of pinot noir coming with every sack. Of course, only after his elgibility expires in December (hopefully late in the month if we are lucky enough to qualify for some lower level toilet bowl).
I have done more than my share of bashing Brandon Hardin. I am hoping and expecting that BH has improved significantly in the off-season, and that he will do a MUCH better job covering receivers this season.
I plan to attend camp sessions starting next week, and I’ll be focusing a good deal of attention on BH. Fingers crossed that it won’t be the same old BS from BH. If it is, BH should not see much time at cornerback, and should be relegated to special teams and nickel-back duties….
I will always believe Hardin’s talent was wasted at CB. He might turn into a solid player at that position this year, but with his body type, speed, and tackling ability, he seems more suited for an OLB in OSU’s defense. The guy should be blitzing, stringing out runs outside the tackles, and making plays in the middle.
Poor personnel decision. Hardin reminds me of Joey Larocque.
I’m going to Friday, 12th practice. Should be fun to see these new guys and who is stepping up. Though I find it hard to do any real evaluating from the sidelines because they move around so much and you often can’t tell what the coaches are saying.
Like the corner blitz they called for BH against someone last year and he had the QB in his sights and he goes for the tackle…..WIFF!!! QB at the last second steps up and throws a deep ball for a completion and maybe a TD for the highlight reel! Ya, That’s blazing speed and tackling at it’s best. I’m not saying he won’t get better, but it’s like the old saying when a DB drops an INT, “I guess that’s why he plays defense.” In this case, I guess that’s why he plays corner…cause in that position, he doesn’t need to worry about missing a tackle at the line of scrimmage, he needs to worry about the tackle after catch or knocking a ball down. That’s what he’s better at and that’s why he’s a CB and not a LB. Just my 2 cents…sorry if my sarcasm is too much for you.
I remember that play you’re talking about. Terrible miss. But I don’t think it’s representative of his ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage. He’s big and he’s an athlete. In football that usually translates to LB – the spot where you put your best athletes. We’ll never know though, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that a light bulb clicks on in his head this year and we see a breakout season from Hardin.
And the sarcasm isn’t too much. I appreciate a healthy debate and that’s part of it.
It was against QB Kellen Moore at Boise State and I was there, slapping my forehead. Here’s the thing… that was the closest anyone got to him that game!
PS
Don’t forget that was the same game that BH pushed his receiver out of bounds then gave up covering because he thought he was now an ineligible receiver. Well we all know that’s not the case, and they scored a TD because of it.
He’ll improve, just like Katz will stop overthrowing his receivers right?
Yes, that was classic Brandon Hardin (pushing receiver out of bounds, then leaving him wide-open for a TD). I don’t know whether BH has good grades in class, but on the football field he does a LOT of dumb things. He blows coverages. He gets beat repeatedly by the same moves (usually slants over the middle, which he just can’t seem to cover to save his life). He is easily fooled by QB pump fakes on scrambles (or attempted sacks). He has hands of stone (never seen an interception he couldn’t drop). And then he beats his chest and talks trash when his (wide-open) man drops a pass. Drives me nuts!
I’m hoping that this season BH plays a lot better, and smarter, but that’s more hope than expectation. I’m afraid he is what he is….and really shouldn’t be a starting CB this year.
Yes, he did do a lot of dumb things. But he was also inexperienced, and he had to cover the whole right side of the field. The backer and SS were nowhere to be found in coverage situations, and if the run came to his side he was the primary defense.
He looked a lot better when he had Doctor and Watkins in support rather than Pankey and Tui. I don’t know why we started keeping assisted tackles as an equal stat to UT’s, but it paints a different picture when we count them the old way–as 0.5 tackles. In his whole career, Pankey accounted for 45 UT’s and 70 AT’s. That’s not even one good year for an OLB in a 4-3. And Tui accounted for 1 INT, 1 break-up and two PD’s… in his whole career. I know, that looks like a typo for a SS. But it isn’t.
When you have that kind of responsibility at the CB position, you are thinking too much about doing things other than playing your own position, let alone developing the proper skills to just play your position.
Two words for this season – “Team Defense”. That’s OSU’s key to success in 2011.
@JackBeav — I really hope you are right, and that Hardin flourishes this season with better/faster defenders on his side of the field, and with a year more of experience under his belt. I also hope that BH stops dropping easy interceptions, stops trying to pick up and body slam opposing receivers to the turf, and stops jumping at outside fakes on slant routes. Is that too much to ask? I guess we’ll find out soon…
I agree with this for the most part. But I think I give the overall status of our DE’s an “Upgrade” because Crichton will be better than Miller by a lot, and the depth is outstanding. Last year we had a bunch of guys playing an unnatural position or just walk-ons who needed at least another year to create themselves… if they were in the correct position themselves.
We had Glover and nobody else who was a true 4-3 DE. And even Glover is recognized as strong enough that he should have been playing inside. But he’s good enough for us to say DE is his natural spot for this discussion.
Miller should have dropped 10-15 pounds and been our MLB. He’s a natural in the 4-3, and a natural OLB in the 3-4… which is what Kansas City saw in him.
Henry showed he should have been a pass rush specialist. So even he was a year or two from becoming the every down guy. I think he puts it together this year like Norris and Butler did their senior year. Or at least he improves enough to split time with depth.
And we have twice as much depth as we did last year. We have Crichton, Henry and Rosa as naturals at the position. I know Rosa has been injured for two years, but I’ve been as high on him as I have on Crichton, minus some for the injuries. Those three along with walk-on depth should be enough to be even with last year’s DE’s. But now we throw in the three JC guys (Fifita, Fernando and Harrah), and we should expect an upgrade there as well. We may not be high on these guys as potential stars, but they fill in the depth with experience.
Barnett, Collins, Gonzalez and Wynn might or might not see the field. They may be our future. And that’s fine. But I think a couple of those kids can crack the two-deeps if given a chance. I’d be surprised to see Wynn redshirt, and Collins might be ready for some time as well.
So as a whole I think the DE group is an upgrade.
Thanks! I realize others may have different opinions, and we will see, but this clarifies things for me.
Decent article on Ward – his responses seem responsible without falling totally into the realm of cliches:
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=131240354128567600
I hope if he’s the best player on the field, he gets his fair share of reps.
Who is this Terron Ward person? I have never heard of him before.
,” said the other 11 Pac-12 head coaches, after TW dices up their collective defenses in ’12.
Jack, are you joking??
Dude! I was banging a great big Terron Ward drum from December 2009 to February 2010.
That’s what I thought:) Ifigured you were being sarcastic or someone tookover your log-in.
I wish we had more 2 back sets.
I’m really impressed by Scott Rueck. Not only can he manage a game but apparently he can recruit as well.
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/08/osu_womens_hoops_picks_up_thre.html
I have to agree. I know women’s ball might not be as exciting to some, but watching a coach like Rueck actually TEACH these players how to play a game and keeps them competitive all year even though they have been ravaged by the coach before them is a testament to his ability as coach.
Unlike a certain Beavers coach, whose only accomplishment has been riding the Hope n’ Change bandwagon into his position and hasn’t done jack shit since.
This blog has quickly turned into my favorite place to turn for OS Beaver news and discussion. I think you’ve really filled a niche nicely with this being a place where fans can go to get critical discussion about the team. Seems like every other Beaver blog out there (all 3 of them??) are Beaver love fests and don’t have nearly the amount of banter in the comments. Not only are the original posts well thought out, but I’ve found that the majority of the members who comment on the posts do a great job of bringing new thoughts to the table.
So what kind of Blog do you want this to be, Angry? Do you prefer the current size of readership you have? Or would you prefer to be the main place the masses turn to for their Beaver news? On the one hand, by flying a little under the radar, you manage to keep trolls at bay, on the other hand, more readership means more diverse opinions and chances to earn revenue through advertising. Do you think of this site as more a labor of love(and hate) or do you want to one day be the most heavily followed Beaver news source?
Either way, just wanted to say I appreciate the work being done to keep this thing going and that goes out to the readers too. Well done.
The things I like in life tend to have small, cult followings, so it’s no surprise that’s what this site has (organically) become.
As far as it being the most heavily followed Beaver site…I don’t have that goal, but if it happened that would be great. It’s cool that people read the site, but I’d be writing even if they didn’t. What readership does do is help confirm that my view is not distorted or unrealistic. I also enjoy many of the comments.
I think the reason you don’t see bickering here is because of the precedent that’s been set. The Duck fans who read the site know and respect the tone, and the Beaver fans who used to be critics of the site have converted to the darkside and simply lurk, or they came too close to blowing a gasket and stopped reading all together.
ps. Thanks!
I come back to this site time after time for OS news because the people here offer good quality retorts/remarks about the Athletic Department, Athletic staffs, Athletes, and the University’s management itself. I often come here and learn about new information before I read it on the O-Live, ESPN, and Gazette Times articles.
Also, I enjoy that the people here listen to other peoples’ arguments, thoughts, and comments and not scrutinize anyone(rarely if ever) about their comments.
I was thinking something similar to what violation said above. Every O-live piece seems riddled with UO trolls’ assinine comments, and retaliation from others. The constructive commentary gets lost. If I ran such a site, I would ban trolls as fast as I recognized them (there are OSU trolls on the UO articles, as well), but in looking at a few blogs from elsewhere, like the SEC, its the same–nasty trolls. Maybe getting rid of them is too much trouble.
In any case, its a big plus that this site is missing that problem.
One thing I like is that you folks are giving space to rumors and personal observations, providing insight and expansion on the usual sports news. I also appreciate the live links to associated articles. Thanks!
Ditto, love reading informed opinions om our beloved (sometimes hated, bust forever beloved) Beavers.
Thanks! and GO BEAVS!!
Looking at the roster…Masaniai is the biggest D-lineman by 57 lbs…wow
Anybody surprised that Phillips is #2 at the tackle spots on the depth chart?
http://cliffkirkpatrick.mvourtown.com/2011/08/04/offensive-depth-chart/
Riley has said its not a criticism of Phillips, but an endorsement of Colin Kelly (#1 at RT). Haven’t they changed Phillips’ position every year;, LG, LT, RT? If so, to do so then bury him in the depth chart seems very counter-productive to his development and performance, especially if he has the athletic ability the walk-ons appear to be lacking. Does Phillips have some kind of attitude or work ethic problem?
He has always had a horrible work ethic. He is also aloof. As a freshman he dint study the playbook because he “didn’t have to.”
I don’t think he was ever a guard. He started out as a LT his freshman year IIRC. I wish they would move him to OG though.
I agree, Ean.
What I don’t understand is that we have a logjam of walkons at RG I believe. What is the fucking point of that? No point. None. Zilch. Zero.
If the O-line doesn’t grow up this year then it is my belief that Cavanaugh has lost his touch completely. If I were him during the past 5 years of recruiting I would have only pursued guys that could play on the line wherever I recruited because my compatriots on the coaching staff sure as shit weren’t doing so.
That’s been my problem with OSU’s recruiting. We shouldn’t have this many holes on both lines…Offensive and Defensive line should be the LAST place to see a walk-on starter, if you ask me.
I’ve heard a rumor that Phillip refuses to play guard.
If that is true then I’m glad that the coaches finally grew a dick and refused to play him…because it wasn’t like he was amazing at tackle.
That’s what I thought, and I’ve been thinking that the switch to RT and drop to #2 on the depth chart are subtle ways the coaches are sending a message that he should play guard and that they’re waiting for him to have that epiphany on his own.
Of course, I’m from the school where you tell your player what’s what, and if he doesn’t like it or he doesn’t intelligently provide a solution on his own, then he gets to watch. There’s absolutely no way Philipp plays OT in the NFL, and unless he moves to the inside and shows good work, he won’t even be drafted. He has enough talent that he’ll make it on some NFL roster as an UFA. And they won’t mince words when they put him at OG and make him play there. Some NFL coach gets to look like a genius because of it.
If I were Philipp, I would tell Cav to make me the next Randall McDaniel or Will Shields rather than waste my time on the edge playing with the little people.
Phillips seems too short for an NFL tackle (at least by today’s preferences), and I don’t think he has the foot speed and agility to play that at the next level. He seems ideally suited to be a guard.
Am I alone in thinking that Cavanaugh is overrated? I know he has walk-ons to contend with, and maybe that’s an indictment of his recruiting ability more than his coaching ability. But line play has been inconsistent for years (back in Roy Schuening ‘s last year, some college football magazines tabbed OSU’s line as one of the top five in the country, but they sure didn’t play like it.)
Last year, the O-line looked competent and effective against USC and Cal, but looked like D-IA talent the very next week.
A few years back we consistently heard “he’s one of the best in the country. He has little to work with coaches ’em up!” But that plays into OSU’s irritating “we’re overachievers” mentality, which really means, “we don’t expect to win.”
But if Cavanaugh is such a great coach, why don’t we hear about pancake blocks and having all day to throw? Why can’t OSU attract o-line talent consistently? Instead we hear about his foul-mouth and bear crawls. I just think the media seem focus more on him as a personality than his abilities as a coach.
That sucks. He’d be better there, and the line would improve sans Ellis.
Why would he care so much? Is tackle really that glamorous a position compared to guard?
He could easily cost himself a lucrative career with this stupidity. An NFL coach -could- end up looking like a genius, but they could miss him as well. With a mediocre to bad college career he could certainly fall through the cracks. And there is no way he could ever project at tackle at the next level.
Interesting article on Scott:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/george_schroeder/08/05/pac-12-larry-scott-realignment/index.html?sct=cf_t11_a0
The mention of “four, 16-team conferences of have’s and have-nots” is interesting to me. I’ve often thought that the answer to the screwed up bowl system is realignment (potentially greater divisional differentiation) that allows for conference champions to be rewarded in play-off seedings. Throw out the polls completely. Let performance dictate seedings. Stop telling DI schools they can’t play for the DI championship because they’re schedule is too soft, and further differentiate so they can play for a different championship.
The press can still have their fun with “power polls” (e.g. like we see for NFL and NBA teams), but performance would dictate seeding and advancement. You’d probably have to wipe out the “pre-season” non-conference games to provide enough time for a play off, but I think the viewer would be rewarded with interesting matchups in the playoffs.
Anyhoo, interesting to see where Scott goes next. Improving officiating should be a priority….
Who is the new commit?
I’m not sure. I saw Uso Olive was supposed to be visiting today, so maybe we offered and he committed on the spot? Other than that, I don’t really have a clue.
Junior Espitia committed to us. I’m pretty sure he’s coming here to play OLB.
Ooooh! I like Maximo! He can be a WR for all I care, but if he plays OLB, I like him that much more. The kid’s good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4nl7aALsCg
Or H-back. He’d be good at either, but I’d prefer him at H-back.
He’ll have a lot of value on either side of the ball. I can see wanting him with the ball in his hands, but I can also see him being the hybrid LB/S type who leads on the field as well.
Hell, I would play him at LB, then bring him in for the wildcat formation.
Either way, what I like most about him is that he looks like he runs with a purpose, and he’s rarely denied that purpose. I think he’s Mitch Meeuwsen 2.0.
He said Cal recently offered, but he’s gonna work with Isaac in recruiting kids to Corvallis.
Where’d you read that?
Everything you ever wanted to know about Espitia.
http://www.maximocesarespitiajunior.com/?page_id=63
Does he have the speed we want our OLBers to have?
No, that’s why I’d prefer him at H-back. Plus he is a receiver now, so he’d be ahead on the learning curve.
Also makes sense with OSU being rather WR rich in the next few years.
I like Olive. He’s raw, but he has A LOT of strength and plays with a mean streak. And he fits the criteria for a “feel good story” if ever I heard one.
Besides, we can mix it up by chanting, “YOUUUUU!!! ESSSSSS!!! OHHHHH!!!”
Hey angry!
Where’s my fresh new “Maximo Cesar Espitia Jr.” post?
Or are you waiting to see if more commits occur this afternoon?
/start sarcasm
What is his uber popular, super important, only thing that matters * rating?!? ;-)
/end sarcasm
Seriously, I know nothing about this guy, can I get some info?
Forgot to add “always correct” * rating.
Oregonian reviewed the linebackers this morning. Gave them a “3”, same rating as the Ducks. I liked the snarky blurb about last years LB’s not being able to run. No naming of names, but at least it’s nice to see that acknowledged for once by somebody. I am keeping my fingers crossed for big improvement, especially if Collins can recover quickly.
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2011/08/2011_oregon_state_beavers_line.html
That was an awesome jab. I left Buker a comment about it, because he failed to see Robinson is essentially Pankey part II.
Is there a 40 time out there for Robinson? When Pankey finally had to run a 40 for that NFL tryout and it was a 4.8, it sure confirmed a lot of what we were seeing game and game. It also produced a real head scratcher concerning personnel decisions made by the coaching staff. I would guess there are NAIA Linebackers who run 4.8s. Shouldn’t speed be the non-negoitable at the D-1 level for the back 7 on defense?
Robinson, according to Rivals and Scout runs a 4.6.
I do think he is a little faster than Pankey, but 4.7 would have been more accurate. Many times those sites go with the kid’s self-reported 40 time. Probably the case here since I don’t think Robinson was big on the camp circuit.
He has problems besides speed. He was undersized, underweight, and was making tackles 10 yards down field. He was overwhelmed (due to lack of size) at MLB, and he’ll be overwhelmed outside due to speed. Doctor is the play, and I heard he was going to be the starter until recently. Again, a real head scratcher by Riley. Unless he’s trying to motivate Doctor, but I don’t see the reason to do that since Doctor played with intensity.
To be fair, Doctor has some issues, too. He is undersized as well. And he (a) blew pass coverages and (b) wasn’t the surest tackler. I like the guy from BYU a lot. Need to see what his speed is like, though.
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=71250&draftyear=2011&genpos=OLB
it says he ran a 4.94…lol
Hahaha. He’s by far the worst Beaver since I started following the program.
Johnny Hekker is up there, too. Hm, that would be a fun list to make.
I was too kind. Like I said, don’t you have to go down a divsion or two usually to see those kind of speed numbers. What the hell was Banker thinking last year? It just goes back to Angry’s argument about the program sticking with veterans.
Teo? Yeah, I didn’t realize they had converted him. I think he was a DB at BYU. Mendenhall has a great eye for defensive talent. Even when BYU did not have great defenses, they always hit hard. Looks like he is third on the depth chart though. Didn’t he have a highly recruited brother awhile back or am I thinking of someone else?
Yeah, Teo. He has a listed 4.5/40. He was the 4th ranked prospect in Hawaii and a 3-star recruit with offers from Byu, Utah, and Hawaii and interest from some major programs. I just think he looks like a well put together athlete. Robinson looks maladroit and gangly…he only had a Northwestern offer and was a 2-star. I think the star system got this one right.
Here’s his film (he’s #2)…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1feTWqAYL1U
Geez, now Kirkpatrick is calling last year’s defense “inept”. What’s with the “media pile on” about ten months after the fact???? Would have been a little more impressive if they actually had called out Banker/Riley during the actual 2010 season!!
http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/article_0c9fb848-bfac-11e0-9fdd-001cc4c03286.html
This about says it all.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Debriefing-Oregon-State-shakes-out-the-cobwebs?urn=ncaaf-wp4564
snippet
The bigger problem: The Beavers haven’t discovered anyone else in the current lineup who’s up to the same speed. Before Rodgers’ season-ending injury, he and his brother, Jacquizz, basically were the offense: They personally accounted for almost two-thirds of Oregon State’s total plays, yards and points. After the injury, the whole operation went pear-shaped: The Beavers dropped six of their eight games, including back-to-back flops against Pac-10 bottom dwellers UCLA and Washington State, in which they managed just 14 points apiece against the two worst defenses in the league. Even with another productive season from Jacquizz Rodgers, OSU finished next-to-last in the conference in rushing and total yards.
snippet
snippet
Blown blitz pickups killed the Katz. The uncertain supporting cast was one obstacle to quarterback Ryan Katz’s comfort level as a first-year starter; his not-so-supportive offensive line was another. Katz’s rough debut as a passer came amidst a steady barrage of pressure from opposing defenses, which dropped him at least twice in every game except one, and at least three times in each of the last eight. Within the conference, only Washington State’s Jeff Tuel was sacked more often.
Glass-half-full: Katz is a year older, as are four returning starters in front of him, and more familiar with the various non-Rodgers elements of the offense after a full offseason to adjust to the brothers’ absence. Glass-half-empty: Those same players displayed no discernible progress as the season wore on and could just as easily resume their porous ways.
snippet
What the hell, here’s one more:
snippet
• Hate to see ya go, ya bums. There’s no end to the doubts on defense, where the absence of All-American road-grader Stephen Paea and his extraterrestrial strength in the middle of the line is only the top of list. Also gone: Six of the top eight tacklers on the team, six of the top seven in tackles for loss and each of the top three pass rushers.
Again, a silver lining: The 2010 D was well below par by Oregon State standards across the board, especially against the run, where even Paea’s presence couldn’t keep the Beavers from plummeting to 89th nationally in one of their most consistent strengths. By every possible measure, it was the worst OSU defense since the last losing season in Corvallis, way back in 2005, which isn’t the kind of anomaly even seven new starters should be expected to repeat. Still, there’s no specific reason to expect them to be that much better, either.
snippet
That’s not a very good 2011 analysis. He spends more time analyzing 2010.
And then he sputters and flames out when he finally begins to make a relevant point about this year’s D.
just got our season tickets in the mail today! Section 111row 38 & not sure what seats they are because we haven’t opened the package up yet. It’s tradition that my dad opens them up with me and we look at the players on the ticket stubs and to make sure they are all there. :) Here’s to a great season this year!
Going to SacSt game, any ideas on parking that is close that you don’t have to be there two hours early? Willing to pay for it…
There is a church parking lot on Monroe street, parking is about 10$ I get there about 1-2
Hours early to tailgate, so I can’t vouch for it not filling up.
New parking facility across from Gill. Tailgating up on the wide-open 4th floor is great, even though there are signs all over saying tailgating is not allowed in the structure. You just walk across the street to the game.
I’ve never been against walking. So I’ve either parked on 15th or 16th or 31st or 32nd. When I get there extra early, I try to hit Normals for a meal before walking all the way across campus… however I feel. Hit Local Boyz on the way back, and then just drive home or sit down at Clod’s.
The other thing you can do is to be as forward as I am and just scout the area for owners of long driveways… maybe down Brooklane?
There is a new Hawaiian place in town, on 9th street. It is much better then local boys. :-) give it a shot!
Than* damn iPhone.
blasphemy
How could I forget about Normals? I need to go to NNormals this fall!!
Best option by far imo is the fairgrounds. Free parking & only $2 for a shuttle to/from the stadium.
Added bonus, the Flat Tailgate Society party in the far corner.
On a side note, went and watched planet of the apes tonight, saw Mike Phillip in the lobby, that guy is one of the biggest human beings I have ever seen in my life. Lol
Tell him to play guard the next time you see him.
Haha I’m not a small man myself, but I looked tiny next to him. He was with another player I didn’t recognize, he looked like the new TE we got that looked like a criminal in his mugshot… I can’t remember his name.