Home Football Hawaii Bowl: Oregon State vs Boise State

Hawaii Bowl: Oregon State vs Boise State

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I’m going to pose a simple question: does anyone care about this game?

Warning: now I’ll rant and get on my high horse a bit. If you’re going to whine about it, stop reading now.

I assume I’m an average fan at this point. Sure, years ago I was rabid, but now I follow the Beavs more casually. For those of you in my camp, do you care at all about this game? I mean, I’ll watch it, but the only slightly intriguing storyline is to see if Riley gets above .500 to take some heat off him. I haven’t read one article, watched any video, or even checked the Vegas line. It just seems there are better things to do in life than deal with this game, or the Beavs in general.

Am I alone? Or has there been a sea change where it’s hard to “get up” for these games, even as a fan? Since we were all into the Stanford game, I assume what I’m feeling is natural apathy that comes from losing and being “put in your place” after thinking, briefly, that your place was higher up the echelon. Riley lost the fanbase, yeah? He had it for two games this year: opening day (just the excitement that comes with a new season) and Stanford, and he lost it both times.

Now we’re supposed to be good fans and find reasons to care about Boise State? I just don’t see that as my responsibility, to manufacture excitement when it’s not there. The media is trying to do it with puff pieces and feel good stories, but they all fall flat.

The real story, one the media will never print, is that there is no reason to watch this game. If you want to get excited about recruiting (though, I have been watching film on these guys, and this is a bad class) that’s understandable. At least there’s hope and future there. You can delude yourself into thinking these diamonds in the rough (more like low hanging fruit) will raise the program to unforeseen heights. I get all that. But I don’t get why anyone would waste precious seconds of their life reading about Oregon State/Boise State.

34-24, Beavs

282 COMMENTS

  1. I’ll watch the game but tape delayed due to something else going on at 5pm on xmas eve. I’m not frothing at the mouth in anticipation for the game due to a few of the reasons you stated.
    I do hate Boise State however so I’d like to see a win over them just to shut my uncle and cousins (alums) up a bit.
    A Beaver loss gives Riley/BDC haters like me more ammo but it’s like using a .22 to drop an elephant.

  2. You guys probably already covered this in a previous thread but how about them WSU Cougars?! I’ve never seen a school coug-it so many times over so many years. I thought “couged-it” was a local NW term but I heard it on ESPN in reference to the game. Wow.

  3. It’s common to have it become more difficult to “get up” for Beaver as we age. It’s not your fault.

    Although it’s easy to blame ourselves and say it’s all part of our aging process, sometimes it’s just difficult to maintain interest in an aging Beaver that you’ve seen on a weekly basis, year after year. Occasionally, the Beaver can spice things up a bit, with new clothes, a haircut, or maybe trying some trick plays that are outside your normal routine, but in the end it’s the same tired old Beaver, and it’s probably bored with you too. Such is life…..

    • I was gonna say something serious about the opportunity to question Lindsay today, but Beavblazer’s post trumps that.
      Merry Christmas to Beavblazer and all AB’s !!

    • Let me second the notion that the above was the post of the year ! Classic. Oh for a game with South Carolina….anyways, the intial thread asked if anyone cared about the Beavs game with Boise St….crickets…..still crickets…. (Schnell due any time now to generate false excitement)…

      I guess my question is basically this; what can ANY BEAVER FAN get excited about for our football or mens basketball programs? Whatever happens, it sounds like only 300 care. I used to but the outlook from BDC and Smiley’s continuing failure in big games (or for that matter FCS games too) has just taken the enthusiasm right out of me. I was a DIE HARD in the worst way; now…eehhhh. I had begin to wonder last year if refusing to non-renew my Season Tix after the Sac St game from the year before was a mistake. Fortunately, financially speaking for me, it was smart to just let them go. Got suckered into going to USC this year and was reminded AGAIN why this program is declining so brutally. Until BDC, Robinson, and Smiley are gone we are left to rally around the Baseball Team.

      Speaking of the baseball team, isnt it supposed to be impossible to build a powerhouse program in cold weather, in Corvallis OR, without more $$ that only Nike can afford? Hhmmm. It seems our baseball program alone says it can be done rather well and at a high level, yet the Riley apologists keep saying Smiley is doing great things that NOBODY else can do in lowly Corvallis. Really????

  4. Q: does anyone care about this game?
    A: For me, the only OSU sports-related event worth caring about is BDC’s ouster. Everything else is a sideshow. OSU football (and basketball) are condemned to mediocrity — or worse — until BDC is gone.

    So, no, I don’t care deeply about this game.

    That being said, I’m looking forward to watching the Beavs play Boise State tomorrow evening. It’s probably the last game as a Beaver for Brandin Cooks. It would be nice to see Cooks and Mannion put up big numbers against BSU. Looking forward to seeing how other Beavs perform, too.

    So, even though it doesn’t matter, Go Beavs (and Happy Holidays to everyone on AB)!

  5. I suspect that 99% who post here echo your sentiments Angry. You’d have to go to P-O to find someone who really cares about this game. I’ll DVR the game just to see how Cooks does and if they try and run the ball. Since I have cohorts in Boise I sure hope the Beavs win so I don’t have to listen to their shit all next year.

    Speaking of Boise brings to mind “the punch” and those that missed it, Blount was in the news again. http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2013/12/22/Blount-Ray-Lewis

  6. I’m not seriously interested in this game, it’s just convenient viewing. Family Christmas get together won’t be until the subsequent, weekend, so Christmas eve will be casual eating/visiting.

    I’m curious to see how Cooks/Mannion do and if Ward can run again like he did in the CW. I would like to see Ward have a nice, last game, he’s earned it. My guess is the run-blocking returns to pre-CW form.

    But I don’t think the game is meaningful. Even if OSU won and played well in all three phases of the game, blocked and tackled, it’d be an anomaly for the season, not anything I would trust as a team apex.

  7. Ps. Chip Kelly is going to have the Eagles in the playoffs year 1. I remember arguing with guys (I think mostly the trolls) who said he’d be an awful NFL coach. Why would anyone think that? The guy has won big everywhere he’s been. People just bash the guy because he’s a Duck and innovative. Forget that, he is great.

    • And he’s done it with Nick Foles, a 2nd year QB who isn’t known for his running. Imagine if Chip had a team built of “his” players. I don’t see him coming back to the college ranks any time soon. He’s been very impressive in his first year, ever after things didn’t look very promising at first.

    • He’s also never married, no kids. His entire life revolves around football. I equate him to the super gamers who spend their entire days playing games and perfecting their craft. He can devote all his time to football which makes him a great coach.

      • I don’t know if that’s why he’s a great coach, but it doesn’t hurt.

        I think he’s great because he has fantastic creativity and instincts, and he seems able to quickly calculate the risk/reward of every play. Plus he has very high expectations of his players. He’s probably the best coach at any level of football outside Belicheck.

        • To me, creativity doesn’t mean shit.

          Chip Kelly’s strength is twofold. The high expectations you mention, and an absurd level of attention to detail. That’s the biggest difference between last year’s Oregon team and this year’s. They looked sloppy for long stretches of the season and it’s only going to get worse.

    • without tony romo back there to throw soul crushing interceptions dallas will beat philly next weekend to win the nfc least

    • concur. and he remains the best answer to the faux Lindsay question “who could you get to come to Corvallis?”. Nobody heard of him till Bellotti found him. Heck, Riley circa 1997 is the answer to that question.

      • Front runners had never heard of Chip but followers of college football knew a lot about Chip before Belotti got him. The surprise was that he crossed the country without ties to traditional western recruiting hot spots.

  8. Without Cooks, there is really no number one or even number two target next year. At this point all the other options are of equal value and pose limited threat capability Cook’s value will be highest this year. Yet his size will limit where he can play in the big leagues.

  9. I’ll watch but I’m not real vested in the outcome. I’m going in expecting this coaching staff to fuck it up and somehow find a way to lose it.

  10. My family does not care about college football, but they know I follow it closely. I have lied to them that it is an important playoff game for the Beavers, so I will get close to 4 hours to myself in a dark room with adult beverages and assorted salty snacks.

    I’m not sure what I’m going to say if the Beavs win as there will be no next round. I care more about the time to myself than I do about the Beavers although I think it presents an interesting dynamic if the Beavs lose and Riley has his third losing season in four years. I’m curious to see how BDC spins it, he may spin it by not commenting at all.

  11. I care. If not just for Cooks sake (Best Beaver of all time IMO: from the time he committed he was instantly recruiting other players, hardest working team guy who’s been a sheer joy to watch) then because I strongly dislike Boise State. I put them at 2nd most despised behind UO, tied with the Fuskies. From cheap shot’in dirty players to annoying fans to that god awful Smurf turf I dislike almost everything about them (accept for Peterson F!@# You UDUB!)

    Regarding the Beavers I’m still a masochist though. Just drink through the pain.

  12. Huge game, it doesn’t take much to get up for this.

    Unfortunately, we recruit against BSU. We need to beat the teams we recruit against. Too bad we’re not playing somebody better, and recruiting against somebody better, but this year is what it is. Beat their ass, steal some recruits, hopefully shitcan some coaches and try to get better in the offseason.

  13. Dont much care about a meaningless low-tier bowl game. But do hope for obvious coaching lapses to continue and be evident — lik bad clock management, substitution penalties, and no adjustment to something BSU is successful with early on.

    This would at least add ammo for coaching changes.

  14. I will watch because it’s convenient and an excuse to make nachos. I will be torn as I half want them to lose so I can point to BDC and yell DO SOMETHING! But I do want them to win and play well, so I can say WHY DON’T YOU DO THAT EVERY WEEK? I want to root for the program very badly, yet I just see average in the future.

  15. I’m looking forward to it because, oddly enough, I go to most of the games in person (home and away) (I know, go figure, but it’s mostly a friends and family thing now) and don’t get to see too many of them on TV. So there’s the novelty factor. I still care about Beav football but this site has helped me deconstruct what I see and what I feel about it.

  16. From Lindsey’s live chat today, her response characterizing Riley:

    “Losses absolutely kill him. They haunt him. Dee has told me about how he’ll toss and turn all night after a loss, occasionally “collapsing in sleep,” but up as soon as his body will tolerate it, trying to figure out what went wrong. He watches hours upon hours of film, always trying to assess the tiny details that went wrong, and how they can be fixed. It’s not like they lose, he high-fives everyone and goes home and is over it.

    I think a lot of people are fooled by this because he has trained himself to be good in front of the camera, but Riley is really introverted, and pretty shy. When he’s upset, like after a loss, he really withdraws into himself.”

    How can he be so detail oriented and not manage the clock, or get plays in quickly and accurately on time?

    I don’t think Riley is dumb, but I do think he is a slow processor. Once he finally understands something, he holds onto it a long time, and others who understand things more quickly recognize it, and adjust. He on the other hand, cannot adjust quickly.

    The sleep issue explains why he looked so bad later in the season when the losses starting mounting.

    Maybe the guy just needs to retire for his OWN benefit…

    • Something is off with Riley. The way he thinks/processes, as you note. He isn’t dumb, but he’s something close to it. His logic and risk/reward radars are disoriented.

    • I always assumed he cared about losing. The problem is he never seems to learn from those experiences. So he loses, tosses and turns a lot, then repeats the same error that lead to the loss. Maybe he needs to hire someone to tell him exactly why he lost the game, or he needs to read AB. Does anyone know if there’s a name for that type of learning disability? i.e. repeating the same errors over and over.
      I know people say that Einstein defined that as insanity, but that isn’t true.

    • Just generalized observations, but Riley seems very frail looking for just 60 years old. He kind of has a stooped over appearance, dark circles under his eyes, an unhealthy looking skinny if that makes sense and I always chuckle about how bundled up he is on the sideline when it’s not really that cold for the Pacific NW.

    • A few thoughts on Lindsay’s chat:
      -Only three people asked questions, a sign of lack of interest in Beavs FB combined with holiday distractions?
      -She did a better job than usual at responding to each point presented.
      -I didn’t have time to push her further on Riley’s competitiveness, at least now we know why she continually claims he has plenty of fire. BTW…I agree with the feeling expressed here that he is a slow learner, slow real-time thinker and may have health issues.
      -FWIW we now have her on record saying she’ll ask his evaluation of all of his staff members at the close of the season.
      -Not easy to get solid facts from her, at least we know all coaches were present at all practices, even if Lindsay was not.

    • I think he over thinks everything and then ends up not making any decision quickly. When things are going well, he gets in a playcalling flow. However, when comes to making adjustments he can’t react quick enough, probably he has watched some much tape that he can’t decide what to do. He should have those already thought out and prepared for, or at least the OC has them accounted for and can help keep him on task.

      When you go on “feel” the game can go really well, but it also looks like your unprepared when the defense gives you a look you can’t counter, or if a specific player is getting beat and you don’t adjust to it.

    • Being private about concern, in the situation of being the leader of a team, may not be the best expression. If you are private, you give those under you the notion that losing is ok. So to me, that alone is a strike against Riley.

      And I agree that he seems to be a slow thinker. And that explains the lack of ability to make adjustments, clockmanage, and maybe substitution penalties. You can see the slow thinking in interviews, with the slow, generic answers he tends to give.

      A good game planner, if he makes the effort, but once its on, he seems lost.

  17. Congrats. OSU now owns the Lucky Standard of 2013 in CFB, hands down. To obtain a 6-1 record, they needed a late game fold by SDSU, Utah & WSU. Then, when confronted by tougher competition, they drop 5 straight, and STILL get a bowl bid. So. What happens? On the eve of the hawaii bowl? BSU’s starting QB is suspended, from a team that is losing their HC? Make no mistake about it, the beavers will win now.

  18. I’m actually thinking this is going to be a good game. Both teams had a season in which they didn’t live up to expectations. Sounds like they are enjoying their time in Hawaii. It’s a no pressure game so both teams should be loose and give a solid effort. As long as there is no major injuries, I think the beavs win in a shootout, 45-42.

  19. From O-Live, 5 things to watch for in the Hawaii bowl:

    http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2013/12/the_5_things_to_watch_for_in_t.html

    I hope the coaching staff isn’t thinking that the answer to beating BSU is simply Mannion-to-Cooks…that one trick approach was easy to scheme against even IF BSU has had trouble defending the pass.

    Is Caleb Smith available and healthy, or is he out? I think Smith and Tyler Anderson could be important compliments to the passing game today. Likely Woods will get several tosses his way.

    Hang loose Beavers!

    • I really wonder if Tyler is 100%. If he actually is then we have yet another example of Riley failing to utilize a weapon which works (ala abandoning the rush in the Alamo).

      Mike Parker this week said Mannion looks sharper than ever in practice. Put that with Riley’s history and I fear we will see the one trick approach you speak of.

      There is at least a 50% chance that any stupid moves by the Beavs players AND staff will be covered up for casual fans by the play of the Broncos who have every reason to be distracted.

      • There are two kinds of games Riley loses consistently, pressure games with something on the line, and games he has every right to win….OSU should beat BSU…..so…..

        • So he loses pressure games against difficult opponents, and he loses games he should win against inferior opponents. So I guess he just loses? What other games are there: Games against evenly match opponents that have no pressure? Every game in CFB is a pressure game do to the format. Lose one and your done so again there’s always pressure.

          On the original question: Smith has been healthy since the end of the season. It’s Hamlet who’s been injured, and by all accounts he’s practiced well and should be game ready. Same for Cummings and pretty much everyone else.

          • No, every game is not a pressure game. A properly coached team will or should feel small pressure against an obviously inferior opponent….like a D2 shcool. But the big pressure will be on if you aspire to great things, and you face a superior opponent. The fulfillment of greatness will hinge on beating that superior team, and the pressure is on.

            A team that doesnt aspire to much, has no or few pressure games.

          • Pressure game examples I am thinking of ’08 and 09 CWs, Stanford last year and this year.

            Examples of games he should be expected to win – Sac State at home, EWU at home, UW on the road last year.

            There are more of each, but I think those are good examples.

            You point out that in D1 football every game is a pressure game, but after a certain point (2+ losses), you’re out of championship contention usually, and lose 2+ in league play and you’re usually out of league championship contention, and it’s when OSU is out of it that Riley typically has his “best” wins, like an upset of USC or a nice sun bowl victory against Mizzou (which was competitive and entertaining).

            Take this past CW, on the road, significant underdogs, no pressure from BDC, Autzen crowd, and OSU runs the ball for the first time in 2013, competes with the Ducks really for the first time since ’09, and only the second time in 6 years.

            Tonight OSU should beat BSU. BSU has interim coaches, player discipline distractions, and they don’t play the passing game well. Then again, there is no pressure on Riley.

            So what will happen? It’s difficult to predict due to Riley’s inconsistency as a coach as much or more than the level of competition and the match ups. A coach that can get the best out of his players on a consistent basis, and not have the team beat themselves, wins a game like this.

      • Ken Goe’s article today:

        “So the Broncos (8-4) have had plenty of distractions in the run-up to the game, and who knows how focused they will be when this thing kicks off.

        In other words, no excuses for Oregon State, which is sliding into action on a five-game losing streak.”

        THIS IS WHAT CONCERNS ME A BIT.

        “But the Beavers (6-6) have distractions of their own. Many close to the program believe Brandin Cooks, the Biletnikoff Award winner as the country’s top college receiver, will declare for the 2014 NFL draft.

        Junior quarterback Sean Mannion has sent conflicting signals about what he might or might not do following the season.

        There is a growing discontent with the direction of the OSU program among a vocal minority of the OSU fan base. The Beavers are 23-26 over the past four seasons. They last won a bowl game in 2008. A decisive victory would help quiet the critics and give coach Mike Riley a boost going into 2014.”

        This minority fanbase needs to remain vocal!

  20. Here comes Peterson and Boise…errr UW
    @BrandonHuffman 2m
    According to @BellevueFB, defensive end Shane Bowman, an Oregon State commit, has been offered by Washington…

  21. always watch the Beavs, win or lose…speaking of w/l–here’s some interesting props for today:

    1) Mannion over/under 369.5 passing yards?
    2) Woods o/u 5.5 pass receptions
    3) Cooks o/u 122.5 rec yards
    4) Cooks o/u 9.5 receptions
    5) Mannion o/u 30.5 completions

    yes, no, yes, yes, no

  22. National exposure today so are the Beavs going to “f” this up? Seems to me most games where there’s a lot of exposure it usually doesn’t go well.

    • We effed up games we should win, imo, so now in our bowl, we face a team that is our inferior. This is one of the bennies of losing games you should win., and maybe one of the reasons for that long bowl win streak that Riley had in the early part of his OSU career. So you get to end the season on an up note.

      I think that alone determines an OSU win. But its in Hawaii, and dissipation may weaken everything, so who knows.

  23. Phil Steele’s breakdown of today’s game:

    While Oregon State has a 4-3 series edge, Boise has won 3 of the last 5 meetings. The Beavers are bowling in B2B years while this will be the 12th straight for Boise, but the 1st since 2005 without head coach Petersen manning the sidelines. Oregon State’s potent offense features QB Mannion & Biletnikoff winner WR Cooks, whom will have a huge edge against my #112 pass defense that the Broncos counter with. Beaver head coach Riley is 5-2 in bowl games and I look for the Beavers to take advantage of a Boise team with an interim head coach away from the comforts of the blue turf.

    OREGON STATE 34 BOISE STATE 27

    Projected Rushing: Boise State 194-83
    Projected Passing: Oregon State 393-211
    Experience Edge: Oregon State
    Schedule Strength: Oregon State

    POSITIONAL BATTLES: when the Beavers have the ball
    Oregon State QB/WR vs Boise State DBs: Oregon State +3.56
    Oregon State RBs vs Boise State LBs: Boise State +0.37
    Oregon State OL vs Boise State DL: Boise State +1.09

    POSITIONAL BATTLES: when the Broncos have the ball
    Oregon State DBs vs Boise State QB/WR: Oregon State +0.62
    Oregon State LBs vs Boise State RBs: Boise State +0.33
    Oregon State DL vs Boise State OL: Boise State +0.55

    INTANGIBLES
    Special Teams: Boise State +3.47
    Kicking Game: Boise State +0.10
    Coaching Staff: Boise State +0.20

    Total position by position breakdown: Boise State +1.93

  24. Per Angry’s post. My reason for watching this is that I am a CFB addict, even with all the flaws and faults that have been discussed at length on this site. I also love my alma maters and it would take a major family medical emergency to pry my ass away from the TV tonight and Friday night.
    That being said, I have a very bad feeling about the game. Logically we should kick their ass, with the coaching turmoil and QB situation, so the table is set for a MR letdown. Serving up some Hawaiian style grub tonight to get in the spirit. Merry Xmas to all AB’s. I’m hoping Santa brings me a couple of bowl victories. Go Beavs!

  25. By the way Phil also picks Oregon State as the 27 point choice on confidence. (Meaning there are only seven matchups he feels better about)

  26. Still amazed with two seniors who have played a ton and a blue chip soph, we can not get enough a push to pick up less than one yard. Cav needs to go.

  27. TD run by Woods. 13 play, 94 yard drive. 38-6 Beavs. Stick a fork in the blue donks. They’re fucking done. I did not expect this.

  28. Now Holtz thays Harlow is the “firth frethman to start in a while…”

    Yeah, like, since Isaac? Hasn’t even Bolden started on returns?!?

    No need to know the roster or its history when you’re covering the “Theraton Hawaii Bowl….”

    Ok. Enough cheap shots. Unless more are necessitated…

  29. Riley going super conservative and pussyfootin’ around as usual with a huge lead. He’ll play not to lose if up 30+. Anyone have a spare set of balls to loan Riley?

  30. The guys in the booth can’t seem to believe Holtz is thaying Mannion played an outstanding game, and should be the player of the game….

  31. Well we won. Did get some love from ESPN. Perhaps it helps with ra-crutin in Hawaii.
    Thank you Brandin. It has been a pleasure to watch you. Good luck in the league.

  32. Interesting box score….defense giving up major yards….again — doesn’t bode well for next year with Crichton (thought I heard he was leaning NFL) and Reynolds leaving.

    ….was hoping Cooks would get the PAC12 receiving record.

    Seems like so much potential for this group was wasted this year….be nice to see Mannion finish career in the Rose bowl….

    Overall nice win against a team that seems to have our number last couple of meetings! ….still doesn’t make-up for the excruciating Alamo loss…but hey, good to have a winning season….the bar is set low.

    Go Beavs!!!

    • Apparently Cooks did get it? From the P-T:

      “Cooks set a Pac-12 record for most receiving yards in a season, surpassing USC’s Marqise Lee. Cooks had eight catches for 60 yards, giving him 1,730 for 2013. He finished the season with a Pac-12-record 128 receptions.

      Mannion set the conference single-season record for passing yards, totaling 4,662. “

    • Game never in doubt? Dont think that is true. BSU moving the ball at least as well as we were, and we didnt have a big lead until the two defensive fumble td’s. Without those and a couple breaks for BSU and the outcome could be different.

      But in the end, yes, a solid win.

  33. It’s early to talk about next year since we don’t know who is staying and going. Biggest loss would be Mannion. No experienced reps. Vanderveen?

    Isaac could be out Spring if he has broken foot. Bays and Mitchell most experienced. Harlowcomes back. But what do G Andrews and Weinreich gives us?

    We will have some big holes on offense. We should be okay on D.

    • “This is not enough for us,” OSU athletic director Bob De Carolis said. “We want to do better than that. Our goal is to get to the Rose Bowl, or at least play in the championship game to get to the Rose Bowl. That’s the goal.”

      ….so….a low tier, meaningless bowl game win and a 7-6 season, a loser in conference play, isnt enough. He talks like they won a real bowl game.

      And I would like to hear the head coach say that and actually show it by being ready to play when the season starts…..instead of letting the team “find its identity”, and losing to D2 schools. But I dont expect anything new from Riley. Its just talk.

        • That defense gave up 100yd above their avg yesterday. Now with the defense scoring they had more plays. They were disruptive at times. However, still a ways away from being a strength.

          • I thought the defense was hit or miss yesterday. Holtz kept praising the secondary, but it seemed to me that Boise receivers were running free all night. Turnovers define most games and the Beavs had two huge ones go in their favor.

            Banker’s lucky he’s with Riley, the Huskie performance could get a DC fired and giving up a TD on a 4th and goal from the 11 against the Ducks is pretty unacceptable too.

      • Maybe in a few years when Riley retires we can bring him in as head coach. It could be awesome to have a Peterson groomed, OSU alum as our head coach.

        • Wishful thinking.

          Riley has had ample time and reason to hire Jonathan; he stays in touch with MR and visits his grandparent in Corvallis regularly, they share the same faith based values. Combined with Riley’s loyalty to Langs this is another example of Riley being slow to make a decision.

          Petersen’s decision here takes away the possible questions as to whether Jonathan’s abilities go beyond the mental aspects of coaching, I think this shows he has the emotional/leadership bases covered as well.

          • To me it would be better if Smith ends up our coach after learning under Peterson than if he had stayed with us and learned under Riley’s wing. Peterson is undoubtedly a better coach than Riley so I feel like that would be better experience.

          • Inbreeding is a problem with the Beavs, I agree Smith’s knowledge, ability, (and pay rate) are going to increase under Petersen at UW. I had hoped he’d go to UW as a QB coach and be ready for OC at OSU in a couple years; now its hard to imagine him joining the Beavs as anything but HC.

            Maybe a new AD would think outside the box and leverage Riley’s family image to lure Smith in as an Assistant Head Coach. Fire BDC!

          • completely agree. Let him get some additional seasoning in a big time program under a top notch coach (Peterson). With a modicum of success up there Jonathan becomes the obvious HC prospect for OSU as Riley ages/retires. Maybe even with a “home town discount” so we can afford him; I say that sarcastically for the benefit of Lindsay/Feldman.

      • It occurs to me that from a career standpoint, Banker and Langsdorf are probably hurting themselves now. Their respective units are not ascending; Banker’s in particular wallows in mediocrity now and is year’s from it apex, Langs at least can point to some individual standout performers every few years. Banker has, to his credit, tried to move on (Hawaii HC job), but what does it say when nobody hires him?

        Getting stagnant in any career is dangerous. A scientist who doesn’t publish for example has no standing in his or her field.

        Managed change is good. I think it’s in their best interests to pursue other jobs, interact with other colleagues and get new ideas. Likely they’ll keep hitched to the Riley gravy train and then scatter to other mediocre programs when Riley finally retires.

        • Langs can also point to having play calling taken away, standing by while Riley mismanages the clock and TO’s, and not seeming to have a well thought out plan for QB succession.

          Riley is loyal, some players like Langs, and excuses are excepted throughout the program…why would he leave? It’s not like he is self motivated to strive for perfection (nor is he pushed by his boss to do so). Thus, your gravy train assessment is spot on!

          • Banker is probably too old to get a HC job, unless it is at a smaller school. That ship has sailed, so we are stuck with him until MR is gone.
            Danny has essentially been demoted, with the loss of the play calling duties, so job security is obviously his motivator. Asst. coaches generally lead a very transient lifestyle. If he has young kids,
            he may want to stick around with a good paycheck and hope Mike tosses him the keys on the way out the door.

          • I am sorry but anyone that believes Langs isn’t calling the plays is a fool. Riley doesn’t even carry a play sheet, no football coach on this planet that is calling a complicated pro style offense (or a simple Pee Wee offense) does so without carrying a play sheet. The most Riley is doing is giving input, Langs is calling the plays. I don’t care what BS Riley is trying to claim, he ain’t calling the plays on game day.

          • concur. compare Riley when the camera pans to him between plays and compare his activity to that of say, Chip Kelly or Mike McCarthy (or Holmgrem when he was still active), or any of those pro coaches who are truly calling their team’s plays. Riley comports himself (speaking figuratively here now) more like Pete Carroll between offensive plays. He’s got the head phones on and may be in a position to veto or dial something up if he wants, but neither Riley nor Pete carry a play sheet.

  34. Great. Well looks like Robinson’s team was on vacation, so It’s OK they got flat-backed by Hawaii today. We are so screwed this season.

    • Holtz just sucks. There is nothing more than can be said. I actually muted the TV in the 3rd quarter for the rest of the game. He is like nails on a chalkboard. And I swear to god that old fucker spit so much so of it came through my tv and soaked my floor.

      • It’s schtick with Holtz and I guess ESPN thinks it’s cute to have the old man slaughter words. Gopher’s comment about Holtz screwing Minnesota over got me reading more about his past, NCAA violations seemed to have a habit of following Uncle Lou around.

  35. From CSNNW, a comment about the lack of fit between OSU’s football budget and BDC’s professed goals for a Rose Bowl:

    “Ken Goe’s column about the game included this quote: “This is not enough for us,” OSU athletic director Bob De Carolis said. “We want to do better than that. Our goal is to get to the Rose Bowl, or at least play in the championship game to get to the Rose Bowl. That’s the goal.” Look, I understand you have to say stuff like this, but you really better understand that when it comes to football — and about anything else — you get what you pay for. Oregon State’s football budget in 2012 was about $12.3 million. Oregon’s was third-highest in the conference behind Washington and USC and the Ducks’ was about $18.2 million. Only two Pac-12 programs had lower budgets than the Beavers, nine were higher. De Carolis should be jumping for joy that the Beavers have fairly consistently outperformed what could be expected from them, given the money he’s given that program to work with over the years. Bobby D. — either adjust that goal or adjust the budget because you’re building the expectations of your fans and boosters to expect a Lexus on a Kia budget.”

    • I would like to let Dwight Jaynes know that I “jumped for joy” when the Beavers lost to Eastern Washington or gave up 69 points to UW or barely beat SDSU on a poor QB decision in the closing minutes of a game and that’s just in one season. Is that the definition of “fairly consistently outperformed budget”?

    • What nonsense. A football program isnt a bank account, where you get out what you put in. OUTperformed??? Check out the last couple games performance and compare with earlier in the season — was there suddenly more money put into the program for those last couple game??

      The difference has to be the application/output of the coaching staff…..and that can be affected no matter what the program budget is.

      • I think you are missing the point steve. What Goe is saying is that if you want to be a team who is regularly in the hunt for Pac 12 titles, you can’t be in the bottom third in budget and have one of the lowest paid coaches. That isn’t realistic. When you have a lower budget you need to buy low and hopefully have a high payout. You see this in high school, college, and in the pros; teams with more money tend to better at sustaining success. And there are cases where a magical season happens for a team (2001 fiesta bowl, Wazzu Rose Bowl, even this years Michigan St.) Goe is challenging BDC to walk the walk. If you want more, raise more.

        • This. Honestly I think Goe nailed it with that article. You get what you pay for. When you pay for 6-8 win seasons that’s what you get. Occasionally you’ll get a 9 or 10 win season. But it’s the exception not the norm. What I want to know is where the fuck this Pac-12 TV revenue money went? Wasn’t that supposed to be a big chunk of change. Or did that give Riley’s worthless assistants all a raise last year? BDC claims the athletic department is broke and has no more money to give. I think he’s full of shit

          • You should ask him then. It’s no secret what the finances for the dept look like. Donations have fallen off the map in recent years and the athletic dept still takes a subsidy from the general university fund. Which means they are in the red every year.

            The new pac 12 deal with ESPN/Fox is helping but the pac 12 network itself breaks even right now.

            Until donations increase significantly, there really isn’t money to use. That’s one of the reasons I think BDC needs to retire now. The next AD has to be someone who is good at fundraising and alumni relations.

            http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/schools/finances/

        • Would this be like the Yankees or the Knicks? How about UCLA over time or even USC over the last 20 years when you factor in the post John Robinson years. If spending money guaranteed success, then US Government runaway debt is probably fueling unprecedented success on the world stage. Spending does not necessarily mean investment. Success is more closely correlated to investment rather than to spending. Big salaries, big names…not so much the answer to all issues and problems.

          • There are exceptions to the rule of course. You are right, just because you spend money does not guarantee success (I would have used the Nets as an example instead of the Yankees), you need to be smart with the money and make good investments. And when a team with a larger budget makes a hiring/signing errors and the team has trouble winning games, they can fix their problems easier and quicker than a team with a low budget. But if you look at house a college teams spends they are more often than not teams that are continuously playing for conference championships and BCS bowls. Right now Oregon State total coaching staff is 10th in total pay (assuming Stanford pays more, if not 9th) and the coordinators are getting payed what they are worth, I don’t think anyone is being grossly overpaid, realistically. So we have the 10th highest paid coaching and bring in recruiting classes around that ranking, yet we usually finish higher in the rankings than that, so we get a little more than we pay for. If OSU’s budget was 6 million more, would things remain the same? Would we have the same coaching staff?

          • Low pay and a lifetime contract vs high pay with terms that can and will get you fired. If you factor in the no fault insurance built into OS coaching contracts, the OS coaching contracts are way more valuable at a lower cost place to live than many other schools in the PAC 12. Before throwing out statistics and so called facts, put them into context. A tiny bit of research would be enlightening. Stanford, during Harbaugh early years, could not afford to pay assistant coaches what they needed, to afford living near campus. A line coach, Stanford alum, had to quit because he was commuting from Gilroy every day. Alumni bought a bunch of houses in Palo Alto and they now lease them to assistant coaches and grad assistants. Coaches/families can bond and can walk to campus. Assistant coach pay is no longer a big issue at Stanford. If folks are creative, than can avoid the nuclear war of escalating salaries. Oregon State will never win that war. Ever.

        • I dont expect OSU to be “regularly” in the title hunt. That does take money and booster action. UO is there now…..USC used to be there, probably will be again, now. Stanford is usually there.

          I want to see consistent performance. Not lose to EWU and then almost beat UO. I want the seasons starting strong. I dont see that costing money, just coaching effort. ….and then an occasional banner year when it all comes together.

          The past several years have seen 5-7, 3-9, 9-5 and this 7-6. Are we spending less on our coaches now, as opposed to the early half of the 0-10 decade? Same coaches, pretty much…..why the lesser performance/results.

          So it clearly isnt the money. But I agree that BDC should generate more money and use it.

          I see the recent results as a lack of effort by the coaches and BDC should be putting pressure on them to do better, not giving out contract extensions.

  36. Ducks retire a man at the appropriate time when some fresh blood is good for the program even if Allioti had done a good job. If this was OSU he would have gotten a 10 year extension for this year as he will likely win the Alamo Bowl. Riley’s best, now going into his 14th year is a Sun Bowl win. Scoring only a field goal against Pitt in smelly El Paso earned Riley what will amount to a 17 year deal when the extensions are done for bad years like this year. If you want to never be better than mediocre then run your program like OSU. Pretty disgusting leadership from BDC. Fire BDC this summer and bring in someone who will hold football and basketball accountable for achieving goals and a higher level of success because what we are doing is not working. BDC has handcuffed himself so he is the obvious man to fire for poor management. I am returning Oregon State Christmas gifts because I have contempt for BDC and the same old status quo. We can do much better and it starts with a new AD!

    • The staff may in fact be great. Problem is, like Riley refusing to call the plays, the staff clearly doesnt work very hard, or at least doesnt apply their greatness. Look at the disconnect between the start of the season this year, and the last couple games. Does a great staff produce two season opening losses to D2 schools in a 3 year period (or ever, for that matter)??

      Like you say, disconnect between greatess and the game results. Maybe Riley means they are great to have around … you know, fun to talk to, always ready with a joke….

  37. Knew Minnesota would lose the minute Jerry Kill came down to the sideline. Should have stayed in the booth or at home Jerry. Do the Gophers want a new AD to double their pleasure?

      • He was terrible at Oregon State. He was unreliable, which is a terrible quality to have in a punter. He seemed to find the worst possible times to shank punts.

        Now, maybe it was just a rugby punt problem, or maybe it was just poor coaching. But in any case, I’d still take Kostol over Hekker hands down. Kostol has never hosed us on a punt.

        • I should say… Hekker was terrible at OSU, and he deserved all the criticism he received. If he was good or great, he would have been recognized in the time-honored fashion of all the punters before and after him. He would have been ignored. He was obviously really really bad, but now he’s one of the best. So the only conclusion that can be had is that the instruction he receives now is that much better than when he was a punch line.

  38. When I played with Nicky Joe in the early 70’s, he was a fun loving high school db converted to RB at the college level. He lived, dreamed, ate and drank football and was a reliable good guy. Congratulations for getting out while he was an asset rather than a liability. Our generation has sucked up far too much of the nation’s resources.

  39. couldn’t help but notice that at the end of the Texas bowl when Syracuse found themselves in an analogous position to Beavs in the Civil War (opponent needing a TD to win with around 1:30 to play) the SYR defensive coach dialed up a series of 5-6 man rushes that completely bamboozled
    the Minnesota QB. Gophs didn’t make a single first down. Game over. Syracuse wins. So obvious a strategy; so lame is Banker. And, though I didn’t see it remarked upon much in this forum, now we have to deall with the consequences of that that 3 hour love affair between Mark May and Lou Holtz and the OSU coaching staff. You can just bet Bob DeCarolis has made a transcript to put in his vest pocket. I figure another six, seven wins next year, tops.

    • Six or seven wins? Who do you think we beat next year? Without Cooks we will have no impact receivers. Without Crichton we will not have a strong rotation at DE. We have to replace three OL. We might have to replace a QB. If Mannion leaves, I don’t see more than 4 wins.

      • I see Wins over Portland State (I know, with recent history that’s a bit of a reach); @ Hawaii and home to San Diego State. I also see home W’s vs. WSU, Utah, and Cal (whom we beat on the road last year and even with diminishment at several key positions I see the prospect for victories), with a game @ Colorado in reserve if we blow one of those. That would be the seventh
        if we hold the first six.

      • If the three lineman came back, you would still need to replace all of them. If Mannion were to leave, where would he go? He is not ready to play at the professional level. So next year could be better.

  40. I learned today that Coach Casey invited my wife’s cousin to visit OSU on Monday. He’s a junior in hs who pitches and can play ss. Was throwing around 90mph as a skinny sophomore. Already has offers from Wsu, UW, Arkansas st, Witchita st, and visits planned to the Arizona schools and ucla so far. I’m hoping Casey’s offer is good enough to make him want to stay in Corvallis. I never realized full ride baseball scholarships were so rare.

  41. Found this over at Pure Orange, comparison of Riley Era II, years 1-6 v. the last 5:

    The first 6 years:
    won/lost was 31/22 (won 58% of games)
    won 5 bowl games
    2006 finished with AP ranking of 21st
    2007 finished with AP ranking of 25th
    2008 was his best PAC-10/12 record of 7-2
    2008 was his best end of season AP ranking of 18th
    2008 was the 3-0 (Kahut field goal) win over Pittsburg

    The last five years:
    won/lost was 23/25 (won 48%)
    won 1 bowl / lost 2 bowls
    2012 finished with AP ranking of 20th

    Even some of the posters there are questioning the direction of the program and Riley’s processes and methods.

    This recruiting class doesn’t look particularly special, and looks weak at need areas of DT and LB, but I’d defer to nformed assessments by Beaverkman, SS, Jack….hopefully from the 2013 class Hunt, Scott, and Onkwonko can deliver at CB, Jarmon/Villamin/Bolden at WR, the JC DTs + Grimble will contribute and Alexander/Doctor will improve and stay on the field…after next year though, opportunities for program success look to be declining.

      • Do I have to say anything about the logic of, “We made a BCS bowl with DE in 2000, therefore, we shouldn’t expect to ever make one with MR.”

        ?

        What if DE never took us to that Fiesta Bowl? Would we then be justified in wanting to make a BCS bowl? The numbers apparently say yes. Would we be complaining about the “43 years” instead of excusing poor coaching with a wave of the hand and some mention of the 28 years?

        I don’t get the “looking at the past to justify failure” method. My sophomore year in high school, I was a part of a hoops team who was historically really really bad. We were bad my frosh year. We were bad for years before that. As we were sitting in the locker room before our first game that one year with a new coach, that coach told us to forget everything about the past. None of that was who we were. None of that would define who we would be.

        We did something Mike Riley is apparently not expected to ever do… because it’s just hard. We won two league titles in the next three years.

        I do not accept the failures of the past as my own unless I was a part of those failures. Why would we expect any college athlete to do the same unless we inundate them with such crap?

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