Home Football How to Handle the Oregon State QB Controversy

How to Handle the Oregon State QB Controversy

260
  • Play Seth Collins inside the 10 yard line.
    • Reasoning: the field shrinks and life easier for DBs inside the 10. Let Collins do what he does best and run it in.
  • Play Nick Mitchell everywhere else.
    • Reasoning: takes advantage of his strengths (moving the chains/better flow) and minimizes his weakness.

Subject to change as we see more of Mitchell and dependent on whether the Seth Collins injury/transfer rumors are true.

Some variants are welcome, like running Collins on short yardage outside the 10, or using both QBs at the same time, but above is the best foundation.

260 COMMENTS

  1. I saw that Andrew nemec expects us to get a recruit very soon, does anyone happen to know who he is talking about? Is it chase Lucas from chandler az? If so, he would be a HUGE get for us and a great plug and play threat on offense.

        • I think the staff was feeling confident after his visit, but based on his recent tweets with Byron Murphy and Nkeal Harry (who both have said they wanted to play together) I’m thinking he sticks with them and goes to ASU. The Harry announcement also got him to change his commit date to this Monday, so just through reading the tea-leaves, it sounds like ASU will get all of them.

          As always, long ways to go till February.

    • I think Nemec was alluding to Finau, but during my digging around yesterday to find out who he was talking about, I found out about another one. Haven’t confirmed it with the player yet though, so I’ll just sit on it for now. No idea when it will get announced.

      • Damn. Well hopefully we can nab another good offensive player that can make an immediate impact. Was Deltron Sands able to get a medical red shirt? If so wouldn’t that make him a freshman next year again?

        • You can’t apply for medical hardship until after the season. Then it takes a month or so for a ruling. He’ll likely get it. Coaches are paid to manage their teams, and being correct about this kind of thing is a part of it.

  2. ICYMI –

    Next time GA says someone is hurt, maybe we try taking it at face value? Lot of commenters (& angry) on here looking pretty distasteful at the moment with the unsubstantiated rumor-mongering and attacks on SC the past week.

  3. Gary Horowitz reporting SC is out for UCLA.
    GA quoted “Seth had a great attitude today and he told me he aced his two tests when he didn’t go,” said Andersen, adding “that puts a smile on my face also”

    http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/sports/blogs/horowitz/2015/11/02/osu-quarterback-seth-collins-out-ucla-game/75061616/

    I hope he isn’t out for the season, I’d like to see him play in a backup role. Angry’s idea could work. They need to do something different to score.

    • I’ve been trying to find the article I read that said a MRI was scheduled for Collins’ knee and the possibility that he was done for the year.

      No luck. I must be dreaming or burned too many brain cells when I was younger.

        • Also in the article, “Andersen isn’t saying, but it could be that Collins’ initial reaction to sharing duty with Mitchell wasn’t positive.”
          During the old regime, Eggers often had inside info, now…probably not so much, but possible.

        • Well it’s in that article but that one wasn’t the one. I thought it was in one of Gina’s articles, but when I looked again I couldn’t find it.

          Regardless, I’m excited about the UCLA game and having NM & MMcM on the field. Could be an interesting game if our defense shows up in the first quarter instead of waiting around…

  4. Doubt he’ll transfer. At least this year. If Mitchell was winning games, sure but Collins will have another shot if he’s able to return from injury. But maybe it’ll be a good thing that he sits out. Rehab and grow. He needs to put on 20 pounds. Then work all off season on throwing.

    A non contact injury is usually pretty serious.

  5. I don’t think it would be fair to yank a guy every time you get inside the 10. Mitchell would be thinking if I led us down here why can’t I get a shot to punch it in? if they like bot QB’s, give them an equal opportunity.

        • exactly, gives you more options than putting Storm in the wildcat formation.
          Seems like having both Collins and Mitchell in at QB would give the most options, then depending on the defensive personnel, move one out as a WR and keep the other as the run/throw option. Worked pretty well in that first series of the CO game.

  6. I would like to see the 2 QB system more. What we are currently doing isn’t working, so when SC is healthy, why not just run it full time and see how that goes?

    • I don’t think you have to run it full time for it to be effective. Just do it enough that it causes confusion and lets you set up a few different plays from the formation.

    • Yes, but the opposite is not to run every play. It’s to pass every play. Tom Brady is the only QB I’ve seen who can beat anyone with that strategy. It’s highly successful for some college programs until they face someone who can stop that method. It is the weaker method unless you have a Tom Brady.

  7. So if we can only take two more players assuming were taking 18 and that number doesn’t change what other two do we want. Probably lucas? I don’t know the recruits well enough. What do u think bb.

    • I dont think there’s a hard cap at 18 (also Finau wont count due to mission). I still think Fred Mauigoa is a guy to watch. A couple DL’s would be good too. Mbem-Bosse would be amazing, but just dont think that happens, despite the official visit. (I just noticed when I tweeted about him a couple weeks back I didnt put in his visit date and left it hanging…oops) If Lucas somehow chooses OSU, they’ll find a way to fit him in despite the current class size.

  8. OT: Bizzaro world. West Coast rodent’s game will be over by the time the Midwest rodent’s kick off.
    Need a new beer strategy.

    Mitchell ran better than I thought. Since he has a much bigger upside in the passing game, the injury to Collins may be a blessing in disguise, as it give him more reps. It is all about next year at this point. See how he does with extended PT.

  9. I think the only issue with StHC inside the 10 is those are exactly the throws that he can’t make, therefore you’ve basically said we’re running it. I guess there is more than one run threat, with a RB, and possibly HB, as well at Seth, but at this point his short passing game is still subpar.

  10. I think the logic of playing Collins at the same time as Mitchell (as either a WR or RB) can apply to Bolden as an RB too. The sooner he’s shifted out of a receiver position the better.

  11. Trent Dilfer just said Riley would make a great candidate to coach USC if he’s not feeling loved on Nebraska.

    Just lost respect for your opinions, Trent

    • Of course they put LSU and Alabama in there so whichever one wins that game gets in.
      The corruption in the sport will just turn off more people. It’s basically like boxing level corruption and trending down. As I wrote a few years ago, we’re in the process of “the death of college football” — paying players will be the final nail in that coffin, but this playoff is the penultimate.

      • the fact that Alabama and Notre Dame are ahead of 4 unbeaten teams just goes to show how much of a fucking sham it really is. Baylor and/or TCU both deserve to be ahead of those posers. i hope Stanford buttfucks Notre Dame into next spring at the end of this month

        • I haven’t researched the playoff system b/c college football is corrupt and a waste of time (outside the beavs!), so I don’t know how much SOS factors into the playoff. But I just saw Baylor is 109 is SOS.

          I think they left Michigan State out and put Ohio State in because OSU has a larger fanbase/travels well, etc. Corrupt. But they probably figure if MSU beats OSU that will be their shot to leapfrog into the playoff.

          This sport is a disaster. Someone on mainstream media should have the guts to call it for what it is.

          • Not really worried about non-con at this point. Win your conference first if you want claim to be a champion of any kind.

            All things being equal at the end of the season, then non-con can be the tie-break. But let’s talk about nine versus eight conference games first.

          • and what teams did the mighty SEC contenders play OOC? Or some of the others even? Let’s have a look shall we?

            LSU………..the powerhouses of McNeese St, Eastern Michigan, Syracuse and Western Kentucky
            Bama…….Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana-Monroe, Charleston Southern in a few weeks
            tOSU……..Virginia Tech, Hawaii, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan
            Iowa….Illinois St, Iowa St, Pitt, North Texas
            Mich St….Oregon, Air Force, Western Michigan, Central Michigan
            TCU…..Minnesota, SMU, Stephen F Austin
            Baylor…..SMU, Lamar, Rice

            tOSU gets credit for playing Va Tech and N. Illinois is no slouch either. Bama for Wisconsin. I’ll agree Baylor’s OOC is a joke. but so is LSU’s. Your argument is pretty weak considering almost ALL of these teams played a weak ass OOC schedule. Bama is only in the first four due to playing in the SEC merit. They do not deserve to be ranked ahead of anyone undefeated.

          • “This sport is a disaster. Someone on mainstream media should have the guts to call it for what it is.”

            Agreed. As long as mainstream television media benefits from it so much, I find it difficult to believe anyone will call it out. I am not sure people in other media formats have enough of an audience? Maybe if it starts elsewhere with a solid argument, lazy television media will pick it up and present it as their own.

            The have-nots that are left out will simply be dismissed as whiners: “You want to get in the playoffs? Then beat the SEC/tOSU!” As if it were only that…..

      • I’ve not seen the poll. And now I know two of the four. But I would make it this way:
        1. Clemson
        2. Mich St.
        3. TCU
        4. LSU
        5. Baylor
        6. Iowa
        7. Memphis
        8. Okie St.
        9. Houston
        10. Toledo

        I am not picturing what everything will be next week… or next month… or at the end of the season. I am only ranking players as they are now. It will, of course, change should any one of them lose. At that point they drop according to the quality of that loss.

        Win your fucking conference if you even want to pretend you’re a champion on any level. That is my first parameter.

      • or say Bama squeeks by LSU and both get in as a 1 loss. Because the SEC is so strong. Granted TCU and Baylor still have to face each other. Iowa, MSU and tOSU have some games against each other as well

        • I would stop watching college football altogether when two teams from one conference make it to a “playoff” consisting of four teams.

          My relationship with college football would end faster than cold turkey.

          • And I would spite my old habit more harshly than a former smoker does his. I would rail against complete stupidity and all projected stupidity based on the current stupidity.

            I would say I would do it tenfold. But that’s a lie. I could fall out of bed and write a treatise on the evils of NCAA football. Blah blah blah.

  12. Hey Jack!

    off topic, but since the offer with the Nationals fell thru, what do you think of Bud Black? Reportedly he is going to interview with the Dodgers. I think he did alright with a Padres organization that really wasn’t intent on spending on free agents to win but rather thru development from within their farm system. Gabe Kapler has been the rumor to be the most likely replacement for Mattingly. That hire would do nothing to excite me. What say you?

    • I like Black if only for the pen. Our bums are the last to embrace moneyball. And that’s if it is to happen. Great pitching… great D…. timely hitting. Those will win once again.

      Those tenets are what have been winning play-off and WS games since previous management teams have been selling off our farm talent for this or that late season slug… year after year.

      Kapler is doing a fine job… at his job. I see no reason to turn that table.

      I would spend everything for two years with La Russa getting the ship on course. I would spend less, but love just as much, bringing Mikey home. If we can’t convince either of those two, I choose Haselman.

      But it would be a bonus if Black was in the pen.

      • last I heard LaRussa was with the D-Bags organization. Highly unlikely they allow him to move over to their much hated rival after they partied and pissed in their pool 2 years ago. Scoscia is also unlikely. Doesn’t mean they can’t try. Latest I’ve heard it they are trying to sign Honeycutt and Wallach to stick around long term no matter who the next manager is. Although Wallach’s name has come up for new manager as well. Other names I’ve heard rumored, Dave Roberts and Darin Erstad.

        • LR is just some executive ambassador or assistant or advisor or such. I’m sure they hired him to look at their system and point out what is wrong. I’m sure he’s very good at whatever they’re asking him to do.

          I don’t presume to know what people like. But living in Phoenix is more than a poor life decision. Living in Zony is the same. There’s a reason the Spaniards colonized New Mexico and California… and paid no mind to Zony.

          • I had to look it up. Chief baseball officer…………….from May, 2014. Gibson and Towers are both long gone……….

            La Russa will report to team president and CEO Derrick Hall and oversee the entire Baseball Operations department, placing him above Towers in the pecking order. Via the statement from Hall in the team’s press release, it certainly sounds like the GM and manager, respectively in their fourth and fifth seasons in their current positions, will be under the magnifying glass:

        • I saw Roberts and Erstad. Rumors are Roberts impressed the brass in several interviews. I’m surprised he isn’t already the M’s manager.

          And I was mistaken. I’ve gone back and looked at what Friedman has said over the past year. He definitely subscribes to moneyball. He just calls it advanced statistics.

  13. I don’t put a lot of stock into who ESPN has listed as who a player is considering as they’re 50/50 at best based on prior observations. She visited and seems to have a friendship with Tudor via Twitter who was on the trip with her and all OSU during it.

    • On the first drive he was rushing to the point of attack and getting knocked out of the hole. He adjusted and started to be patient and scrape off blockers and right into the ball carrier. And when he had shots at Wilson, his angles were such that Wilson couldn’t deke and run forward, allowing help to catch him if he missed.

  14. Good to see that Jack’s meds have kicked in and he’s back to normal, or what passes for normal in Jack’s world. After that weird gynecologically obsessed lost weekend.

    The good news for Jack is that all his coat hangers are sorted by color, the toothpaste tube is at a precise right angle to the faucet all the home doors locks have been tested dozens of times. JB

    • For the most part I like Andersen’s openness to experimentation; this is probably practice for the time (if or when) Collins gets back.

    • One of the very observant Husker fans on 247 (Cleatus) suggest Joe Moglia to replace Riley, since he has Nebraska ties.

      Since he isn’t in it for money (millionaire many times over), it’s going to be hard for USC to lure him to the West Coast, I think. Many NYers retire to the Carolinas (Moglia is 66), so he has a pretty good thing going and doesn’t seem to have coaching ambition.

      • While that all may be true, I think he does have ambitions to lead at the highest level of his profession. And I don’t think it’s a competitive thing. I think he just believes in what he does and would like to impart that wisdom to the widest audience available.

        Wherever he ends up, I can see him standing above the fray, directing his team with cold, hard decisions that are best for the team and individuals alike… making them neither cold nor hard. He reminds me of another New Yorker who went on to get an NFL championship trophy named after him.

      • Moglia basically built that program by himself, and they’ll be making the move to FBS soon. It’s a matter of whether he’s more enticed by continuing to elevate CCU, or moving up in his profession.

        That said, he isn’t in the vein of the recent hires at either USC or Nebraska.

        • He’s nowhere near those hires. I imagine he is superior with boosters and his team alike. I can’t believe anyone would listen to what he has to say and would come away with any doubts about who they are and who they could be. I’m just blown away at how honest he is… and how correct he is. I thought I liked GA for his ability to be frank. Moglia surpasses that by a bunch.

          Isn’t CCU the school with something like a 65/35 ratio of women to men attending school? Are they a commuter school?

          • I don’t think that’s true. He said specifically he has not given to the school because it would look like he bought his position instead of earning it. And he goes so far as to say that he likely won’t be giving anything in the near future because “schools have enough money as it is.”

            I remember that statement because I’m thinking he would know this truth coming from a money background. The arms race that is college football could just be a waste of money. I take from his statement that “facilities” spending is like that third ice sculpture fountain at a six-year old’s birthday party.

  15. Let’s talk hoops: im predicting our men’s team goes 21-9 in the regular season before getting to the semis of the PAC 12 tourny. Also think they will get around a 9-12 seed in the NCAA tourny. PAC 12 is going to be surprisingly deep this year, I think teams 1-4(zona, cal, Oregon, Utah) will be top 6 seeds in the tourny. I think USC will surprise people this year too. If we can beat mom conference teams like Iona, Tulsa, and Kansas we will definitely be a top 25 team going into PAC 12 play barring any upset losses! I think Stephen Thompson Jr. And tres tinkle will get tons of minutes early and I can see STjr scoring as many as 11 a game this year. He’s draino from anywhere on the court. Go beavs!

    • First they have 29 games. The first game is an exhibition.

      Second, that’s pretty optimistic to beat Kansas on the road. I have them at 18 and 11.

      I’m predicting they go 8-3 in non conference. Lose to Kansas, split the far west classic and lose a dumb one on the road to UC Santa Barbara or Rice.

      Go 6-3 at home in conference and 4-5 on the road, finishing at 18-11. Bubble team for sure. NIT guaranteed.

      1-1 in the conference tourney.

      They’ll make the tourney for sure IF these things happen,
      1. Beat Kansas.
      2. No home losses in non-conf.
      3. At least go .500 against tourney teams in conference. (AZ, Cal, UCLA, Utah, Oregon).
      4. No bad home losses in conference.
      5. Make the semis or finals in PAC12 tourney.

      With a weak non-conference schedule, they’ll need have a winning record in conference. It’s not going to be easy making the tourney this year. The freshman will really need to contribute. Expectations are probably too high for the freshman. Don’t be disappointed if they run into rough patches.

      Would be really fun if they made the tourney. Payton leads the team to NCAAs after his dad was the last one to do it.

    • 9-2 in noncon with L to Kansas and Valpo or Tulsa
      11-7 conf play which gets us 4th
      1 win in the conf tourney
      21-10 overall and we squeak into the NCAA’s as an 11 seed in Dayton.

      If we go 10-1 in noncon, we’ll bypass the play-in game.

      • I’m buying Tulsa as the tougher out. They have nine returning seniors from a good team. Perhaps Tinks can glean a better scouting report from one of his commits?

        • I’m just glad to see they’ll have more games under their belt, including KU, before playing Tulsa. Iona out of the gates is a bit scary but as long as GP can control English, we should be ok.

    • I think that’s fair. I do think the conference is wide open this year and may end up with as many as seven or eight teams in the Tourney.

      Astute observation with USC. They have been young and undisciplined. But they are talented. If it comes together for them, they could be really good. They could be monster next year if they all stay. That’s the trouble with making it big time. If they do well this year, some will leave and disrupt their roll.

      I’m not quite sold on Utah… or even Zony for that matter. Wright was the gear that all other gears meshed with. I expect a drop off from them. But Coach K will mitigate that some. He is that good. Zony, however, needs time in system because Miller really isn’t as good a coach as he is a recruiter. Still, never discount the talent he does recruit.

      Nikegon… harumph! I want to say they’ll be worse off without Young. That may be the case. Everything I want for them as a rival and as a fan of justice (renamed karma for this purpose?) probably won’t happen because the one thing Dana can do right is coach a hoops team to success. I think they have great talent incoming (equal or just a little lesser than ours). If they come around by New Year, they could be a tough out for anyone.

      Cal… absolutely impressed with their incoming frosh. I don’t see the coaching doing anything to elevate any of their games. That being said, their talent is really really high. Dawkins is the better coach in the Bay. But he has admissions problems as well as his inability to be a salesman. If he could recruit like fellow Dukie, Amaker, he would not have to build and reload in cycles.

      You didn’t mention ASU. I’m actually scared of Hurley. His pedigree is stellar. He did an awesome job at Buffalo. ASU might struggle this year. But they will be stellar for decades if they take care of that dude. And he will make Miller look like a so-so recruiter. Maybe not this year… but I fear for the future Pac with that dude.

      I don’t know if Alford is strong enough to overcome the turmoil he inherited at UCLA in as short a period as they may demand. He’s one helluva coach, and he’s at the premier hoops school, which is what he wants. But Howland just killed that program with a thousand little cuts… and a couple slashing melees. He needs a couple years to flush out the stale culture of past-borne entitlement. It’s like the players there have some malaise where they just need to walk on the court, and they win… and then they don’t. It’s just hard to put a finger on who they are now. Alford will Hoosiers that team given time. But will he get time?

      I’ll never discount Boyle. But I think other Pac coaches took notice of his evaluations and cut him off. He might have problems with geography in terms of where he is and where his recruiting bases are.

      I think Kent is the best Pac coach in Washington (and Mexico). And I think Romar has great incoming talent and will just throw the ball on the court as he always does. I expect hot and cold from both teams.

      And then there’s OSU. We have a great core returning. They’re not all NBA talent. But they have built themselves and become relevant on their own terms. They were the best defensive team in the conference and one of the top five in the country last year. But depth made itself known and diminished reality… which I guess makes it a reality of its own. But now we have what we had last year times two. Stevie, I think, will be the lead scorer. He is so pure, it’s ridiculous. Little Tinks will take about half a season to hit his stride. But he still has the ability to be a major contributor while finding his way. I’m interested in the bigs. And they will be tested early due to injury. There going to be some situational tinkering. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tinks go small many times early. But it looks like we have a choice between an enforcer in GR and a run-starter in DE. Both will buy in and play their roles. And Bruce looks like he’s always playng in slo-mo (as does Stevie). When the game looks like a stroll in the park, that has to be scary for the opposition. I don’t see the strength he needs at this moment to be a lead G in the Pac. But his abilities are there in spades. And I think Malcolm has grown significantly within his game, giving Bruce an excellent model.

      I like your projections as far as records go. I would say 22 is the number +/- 2. I think the non-con games you mention are the ones we can lose and still save face. And I think we win 2.5 of them… hoping the .5 of one is better than the other team’s .5. It’s hard to imagine beating KU there. But I would rather we beat our heads against that wall until we do so, making them respect us enough to take a try at Gill.

      It’s amazing that we are riddled with various injuries, yet there is still a calm about the program. That would not be the case this time last year. It is quite apparent we have very good players two deep everywhere. I’m excited to go watch a bunch of games this year.

      I just need to find good seats where those stupid seat backs don’t kill leg room… and the band isn’t in my ear.

    • I went through the games and I think men’s goes 7-3 non con, with losses to Tulsa, Kansas, and Valpo. Go 11-7 (8-1 home, 3-6 road) optimistically, probably 10-8 in conference. So I’m thinking 18-10 through the season, or 19-11 post Pac-12 tourney since I expect a 5 or 6 seed playing against a 11 or 12. That’s fat bubble team right there. But anything goes better than this, from the Pac-12 tourney picking up an extra win, beating a team like hole or Stanford or UCLA on the road, beating Cal at home, being Tulsa and Valpo, all things being constant I can see them making the tourney. W

      For tourney purposes, we can’t really count NW Christian as a game even though it does count for our record i.e. it’s not an exhibition. I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’ve watched every team play so I don’t know if we’ll just win a lot, but the team should do well and I’m excited.

  16. Also, yes, he’s been consistently good, but CCU plays in one of the weakest FCS conferences.

    There’s also the poor track record of FCS coaches moving to FBS that Angry pointed out last year when people thought Beau Baldwin would be the next Beaver head coach. For whatever reason, it rarely works out.

    • Another reason why freshman should be off limits to media. Until they’ve seen their teammates go through the process and are coached up on how to respond to questions, they shouldn’t be available to the media. They need to learn the media isn’t their friend, they will keep asking follow up questions. A non answer isn’t going to cut it.

      As for the interview, he sounds embarrassed. Probably one of those injuries where you do something dumb and hurt yourself. Like jump off a roof like me and feel fine. But then later the pain hits you.

  17. Collins has a hyperextended knee, which typically only requires 1-2 weeks for recovery. My guess is we see him back in practice next week.

    Baldwin tells UCLA the gameplan and says we’ll be running up the middle on Saturday.

    • pretty much. he was once a good coach. good, but not great. The game has passed him by and he refuses to rid himself of dead weight (his good ol boy coaching staff). He seems stuck in the “it worked once so it will work again” mantra. Maybe someday the pro offenses will make a return to the college game. But for now, he and his posse are outdated. Yesterdays news. The dinosaurs couldn’t adapt. They died. Adapt and survive. He refuses to do so. And that will be the final nail in his head coaching coffin.

      • There’s nothing wrong with the pro-style offense. The right staff could bring in it to a program and be successful. Unfortunately, the MR team wouldn’t be that right staff anywhere.

        • Not saying there is. However the landscape has significantly changed, geared towards spread and up tempo offenses. So defensively would you expect their schemes to work against those teams? How can Gary Patterson install a successful 4-2-5 scheme? My entire point was Riley and his coaching staff are dinosaurs the game has passed by. They aren’t willing to change because it worked in the past

    • how sweet it is to see Ted “be careful what you wish for” Miller eat crow. And a whole lot. These are my favorites: (1) “the most obvious facts don’t speak favorably of Riley and his staff;” (2) “mistakes, of which there have been plenty;” (3) “tangible reason to believe the 62 year old Riley isnt’ going to work out in Lincoln;” but it gets better with: (4) the team Riley left was “in a shambles” with GA taking over a very weak program; (5) and his new team “is in a shambles, too;” (6) principally because of “ineffective end-game coaching;” (7) with the loss to Purdue being the worst since to Hawaii in 1955; (8) ending with the coup de grace; the AD’s statement about rebuilding Nebraska “brick by brick” being more customary at Vandy than Nebraska. Just a devastating indictment and complete vindication of the AB argument.

      • The same Ted Miller who said over and over that OSU fans who wanted Riley fired were “nuts” and even alluded to the “be careful what you wish for” line.

        • Yeah, can you fucking believe it? After kissing Riley’s ass for the better part of a decade, Miller has the balls to now say that Riley left OSU in shambles and is driving Nebraska into the ground. He may be accurate, but I don’t want to hear it from this fucker!

          • be sure to click on Ted Miller’s link to the video and story on how the loss to Purdue was an epic fail on Riley’s part not equaled since the loss to Hawaii in 1955. Pure gold!

          • Totally agree with both of you. Ted has always been very even-keeled with regards to controversy, except when it came to criticizers of Riley. Then he resorted to name-calling.

    • There’s interesting discussion on reddit about this article.

      UCLA fan says: He also made Oregon State–which is probably one of the worst jobs in the conference and incredibly hard to recruit–a Pac-12 contender and sent dozens of players to the NFL

      You sound like a lot of Oregon State fans I know with those excuses, that’s why we kept him around far, far too long I guess. Dennis Erickson got us to the Fiesta Bowl his second year on the job. Gary Andersen is recruiting 3x better than Riley ever did in his second year.

      People act like Corvallis is some kind of shithole like South Bend, Indiana or something. It’s a great town, a fantastic college environment that some kids are looking for, you just have to be willing and able to sell it. Mike Riley was too nice to be a salesman, or too much of a pussy, so he’d get a bunch of okey-doke kids who didn’t mind cruising through 5 years on scholarship. (I believe he secretly hated Corvallis and that’s why he didn’t recruit very well.)

      Look at our baseball team, both of our basketball teams…recruiting at a high level to the same town, the same campus. What’s the difference? Mike Riley isn’t coaching baseball or basketball.

      • It’s obvious Riley couldn’t sell Corvallis. Whether or not we keep this recruiting class intact, GA is successfully selling the town and the culture of OSU to kids Riley couldn’t even get a response from. Corvallis ranks near the top on tons of annual livability rankings, using all sorts of different metrics amongst them, but any journalist, columnist, or whoever is so damn lazy to bother researching anything, so they just spew a misleading narrative to fit their biases. Corvallis is a perfect example of THE college town and experience, and it sounds like GA and company know how to run with that. Riley and others just appear to use it as an excuse as to why you can’t be successful here.

        You can’t sell Eugene to some kid from LA easily either. They fixed that issue with fancy facilities. With the new locker rooms, media room, players’ lounge, etc. next season we will finally be on par with the rest of the country.

        Regarding the other comments, Riley doesn’t get a pass like GA due to circumstance. The cupboard wasn’t bare at Nebraska and they aren’t one of the youngest teams in the nation. They’ve won at least 9 games for years and can hardly even be compared to the mess GA inherited–a team that lost their last 12 of 14 Pac-12 games, a 2015 recruiting class that was looted, and crop of players who weren’t recruited for a spread offense. I expect a winning season next year. Nebraska fans expected at least 9 wins, with 8 being a worst-case scenario this year. One thing’s for sure, for all those who wondered how Riley would do with “talent,” you now have your answer.

        • I think Angry made an excellent posit a few years ago that Riley had become enamored with the success of diamonds in the rough like Mike Hass, and wrongly assumed he could reliably reproduce that success as a large component of the team. This probably contributed to less aggressive recruiting.

          • I think he just wasn’t the salesman type and he set the tone for recruiting throughout the program. Attitude ALWAYS starts at the top.

          • Well, if you just look at the lack of energy Riley showed during games, you get the notion he didnt really care about winning…just kind of hoped for it. So one might expect he did the same in recruiting. Didnt put real energy into it…..

        • That’s kinda the point. Riley always had talent. But he rarely had depth (if talent) in the trenches. And when he did, schemes and techniques were flawed. Our losing team last year had how many draftees and how many UFAs?

    • Cav always seemed to get a free pass by most; so overrated. The O line talent at NU can’t be that bad. Leave it to this staff to “Coach ’em down!”

      God what a horrible staff…

    • From the article, regarding leaving Tommy Armstrong home last week

      A captain, a supportive teammate — he should have been on that plane. You figure out a way to make that happen, especially when the guy whose redshirt was burned to become the kickoff returner — Jordan Stevenson — wasn’t one of the three guys who returned kickoffs against Purdue.

      Reminded me or our recent discussion of StHC staying in Corvallis last week.

      Also, gotta wonder if MR confused Jordan Stevenson with Jovan.

  18. Someone go post there. They couldn’t believe what angry and SS said (and others?). They are wondering what the hell. Ted Miller is no expert on Riley except he’s a fucking idiot who likes to make money for talking about sports. I have always and forever loved and respected every word out of his mouth.

    http://forum.huskermax.com/vbbs/showthread.php?79783-Woeful-seasons-at-Oregon-State-Nebraska-point-to-Mike-Riley-s-mismanagement

    Hit that link many many times. Make the admin realize we have always known about Riley and his “loyalty”. Yay for us. Yay for NU.

    Oh… and thank you so very very much. At least you get a dedicated special teams coach out of the deal.

  19. Las Vegas has the Bruins pegged as a 17.5 point favorite in this game. QB Josh Rosen is on pace for several Freshman records and I believe he still has yet to play his best game.

    The Oregon State defense has been interesting this year holding some teams below their averages of yards and points. How do you feel about how the team is playing? Has the team gotten better as the weeks go by or are there too many injuries and they are regressing?

    I feel like UCLA has been uneven but we have lost a ton of players to injury and with a freshman at QB I think most expected some inconsistency.

    The Bruins are still alive in the South race, but can’t afford to overlook anyone, even if the Beavers show up without a win in conference play.

    • Beavs lost by 15 at Utah, I think they match up better vs UCLA…and the game is in Corvallis.
      Without going online or to LV, where can I get a piece of that 17.5 action?

    • I think this has become pretty simple:

      OSU has to play their “A game” to win, and they haven’t been able to string together an offensive, defensive, and ST performance yet. We all feel they will once this year, but it’s impossible to predict when. Making most lines and predictions just complete guesses. A reasonable person would think UCLA wins the game, but Beaver fans know this team probably has one complete performance in them at some point, and they hope this is the week (every week). So far it hasn’t happened, but they seem to be getting closer toward that.

      • If we’re taking for granted that Nall will be reliable when called upon, and the current trend of the defense will hold, it’s really all on QB play. Mitchell has definitely improved, but I still have a hard time believing he can win a game.

        • He’s progressing to later reads. But his release looks long, and his throws to those late reads are behind. But he’s throwing to windows that won’t get receivers killed. I think the play calls are what bog him down. When we get behind the chains, he’s not as efficient. So running early and setting a habit of tiring their D-line for the second half (as always) should be a priority. He can move the ball between the 20s. But his inexperience and current habits make it hard for him to push it deeper. I think that’s why angry suggested SC would be better once we’re in that position. SC is not good between the 20s, but his mobility opens up the D in a short field, even if he is predictable with his throws.

        • What we need is an opposing team on a downer, who bozo it up.. Meanwhile our guys finally get it together and do without the mistakes. Doesnt have to be fantastic play, just no mistakes. And we get a win.

      • Players gotta play by ability not seniority meaning if a kid displays spark continue to mix it up keep
        the opponent guessing stop being predictable; GO Bevs!!

    • You say you feel UCLA has been uneven, and then you go on to say the Ducks have a lot of injuries and a frosh QB. I fail to see the relevance.

  20. No wonder all the CFB coaches like MR. He just saved another one’s job.
    Boilermakers to stay with Hazell in ’16
    ESPN.com – 5 hours ago

  21. Oregonian posted a projected starting lineup for tonight’s exhibition
    Payton
    Duvivier
    Morris-Walker
    Schaftenaar
    Eubanks

    Interesting to see if Moran has some inside info to project Thompson and Tinkle coming off the bench. Coach Tinkle did say that this game wouldn’t feature the regular season rotation.

    I’m most curious to see how the young bigs handle themselves. How fluid they look and how they fit into the offense.

  22. Am I the only one still trying to wrap my mind around Nall getting zero carries? Baldwin finally tries to explain over on O-Live today.. Paraphrasing, but he said “Utah’s front line is impossilbe to run on so it was futile to try”? WTF, you have an experienced line, you have a beast at RB, you can’t give him the ball three or four times and see what happens? Plus, we get the ineffective Wildcat crap with Bolden UP THE MIDDLE. Sorry, ti’s bullshit and gives me pause for concern about Baldwin long term.

    • They answered that Q and said it was that they didn’t think he was a good matchup vs that opponent. Makes no sense, but that’s their logic

    • You think to O line is good? If you watched the episode of The Dive last night GA explained this in a little more detail. Utah is only giving up a very LOW average ypc on runs up the middle. I do agree you should try a few times at least. But, they felt it would they more successful trying to get to the edge

      • “Speed Kills” With 1 – 2 good blocks your speedsters can run full speed on the edge to the HOUSE Baby!!!! Gotta Trust & Believe !!!

    • The two-minute drill, which typically ends a Thursday practice, did not start well for the first-team offense. On the first play, Victor Bolden dropped a pass over the middle.

      Color me shocked

  23. PHIL STEELE REPORT:

    UCLA – Offense: #17 – Defense: #20 – Special Teams: #9
    Oregon State – Offense: #95 – Defense: #92 – Special Teams: #74

    UCLA has won 7 of the L/10 meetings in this P12 rivalry, but there have been 3
    str outright upsets. That won’t be the case this yr as the Beavers st’g QB Seth
    Collins, who is also their leading rusher is not expected back this week after inj
    his knee. His replacement, rFr Nick Mitchell has been a disappointment thus far
    as he is completing less than 50% of his passes. Not only do the Bruins have
    significant edges on offense & defense, but they also have a huge edge on ST’s
    as UCLA has my #9 ranked unit while OSU has my #74 ranked ST’s. I’ll call for
    the Bruins to win by 3 td’s.

    UCLA 38 OREGON STATE 17

    Position by Position Edges
    WHEN UCLA HAS THE BALL:
    UCLA QB/WR’s vs Oregon State DB’s: UCLA +1.72
    UCLA RB’s vs Oregon State LB’s: UCLA +1.87
    UCLA OL vs Oregon State DL: UCLA +1.18
    WHEN OREGON STATE HAS THE BALL
    UCLA DL vs Oregon State OL: UCLA +0.23
    UCLA LB’s vs Oregon State RB’s: UCLA +1.68
    UCLA DB’s vs Oregon State QB/WR’s: UCLA +2.00
    MISCELLANEOUS:
    Special Teams: UCLA +1.40
    Kicking: UCLA +0.49
    Coaching: UCLA +1.55
    OREGON STATE TOTAL: 0.00
    UCLA TOTAL: 12.22
    Position Edge Awarded To: UCLA by 12.22 Points

    PROJECTED BOX SCORE (UCLA/ORST):
    Projected Rushing: 215/210
    Projected Passing: 228/143
    Projected Yardage Total: 442/353
    Projected Final Score: 37/19
    Experience Rankings: 22/120
    Team Schedule Strength: 15/27

    COMPUTER CALCULATIONS:
    Las Vegas Line: UCLA by 17.5
    Las Vegas Total: 57 Points
    +/-: UCLA by 18.0
    Game Grade: UCLA by 12.1
    Computer Yards: UCLA 442-353
    Computer Points: UCLA 37-19

    Other Pac-12 Predictions from Phil Steele:
    Stanford 35 Colorado 17
    Washington 19 Utah 16
    USC 47 Arizona 24
    California 43 Oregon 40 – ONE STAR BEST BET ON CALIFORNIA +4.5
    Washington State 34 Arizona State 31

      • Before last week’s game, had you seen anything to indicate otherwise? Don’t get me wrong, I want the Beavers to win, but before the narrative changes, the play on the field does.

        • yes. I’ve seen it for the last 10 quarters. Slowly, they are growing up and starting to “get it”. UCLA is decimated by injuries and starting a true freshman QB. He’s a very good freshman QB, but still a freshman. I expect a close game on Saturday. If things break right and the beavs make some plays, dare I say it? A win??? Could happen. Shut down the FUCLA run game and force that frosh to beat you with his arm. That’s what you gotta do to beat them. Whiskey’s prediction?

          Beavs 20, FUCLA 17

          • Hell yeah whiskey!!! Go Fffing BEAVS! Ships getting straight and players are buying in. The first conference win is coming up. Also I missed the last cal game down here due to my kids sports but I don’t recall ever losing a game previously for about a decade that I attended. Sorry but I’m supersticious with sports…= I’m going. Anyone going to the cal game too? We always take over a parking lot in Berkeley and throw a nice tailgater.

            Go BEAVS!

          • I’m heading down there as well, already signed up for the OSU Tailgater. Now I have to figure out where a good spot to park is…..

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