San Diego State is going with a new QB, Quinn Kaehler, this week. I watched some film on him. He’s a decent looking pocket passer. No threat of rushing, at least on film. He should have some success against the Beavs’ secondary, though since game 1 you can see Nelson improving. If he becomes lockdown, Reynolds stock shoots up and things maybe click.

Beavs, though atrocious on the ground thus far, should be able to run the ball on SDSU. I expect Ward to be serviceable and Brown to average somewhere between 4.0-4.5 YPC. Beavs will probably try to run more this week and try to get the ground game going since they’ll need it the back end of the schedule. If they get in trouble, they can fall back on the passing game.

I expect a short game with 150+ yards on the ground, Mannion a more conservative 250/2TDs, and the defense to look good vs a weak opponent and pocket passer.

The risk is Ranker is bad in games he’s expected to win. Keep expectations low for that reason.

34, 17 Beavs

The Pollyanas have some nerve peeking their heads out of their underground bunkers after this one! JP is on the prowl–lock up your children!

Like, everyone in America expected the Beavs would be 6-0 because of the ridiculously easy schedule. This was the hardest game, and they gave up ~50 points and won by 3 due to having three future pros on offense at key skill positions. Ranker (outside of a ballsy flea-flicker call, which would have been a terrible call had it failed) and the defense were a disaster.

The pressure was actually off the Beavs in this game because everyone thought Utah would win, which is why I waffled on gameday and felt the Beavs could pull it off. They are fine when there’s no pressure or expectations. The next few games are very easy, but the Beavs are expected to win them. That alone will make them closer than they should be. I think they beat SDSU and probably Colorado, but slip up vs Washington State. Say they are 4-2–that is an epic fail given this schedule and the top 25 opening ranking. Great teams and coaches seize opportunity.

There are many who will be happy at 4-2. To them I say, you are a born loser, but also enjoy the back end of the schedule and the Civil War!

Ps. I am neither happy nor upset the Beavs won. I don’t think in those terms anymore, but probably more happy since I can brag to friends when they have a good record. I realized NCAA football is all about living vicariously through jocks and having bragging rights with friends. But in general, I am just watching the freak show that is this staff, and mass rationalization that is “Beaver Nation” unfold.

Any game that has Mark Banker against an option offense makes for an interesting and volatile evening. I expect a lot of “told you so” tonight, either from those of us who feel Banker can’t stop this type of offense or those who feel he’s still learning how to stop it and one day everything is going to click (lol).

Beaverblitz is rallying the troops with a “Road Warrior” slogan, mentioning wins last year versus UCLA, Arizona and BYU. Those opponents did incorporate some pistol/read formations so maybe there is hope, but the Beavs won two of those games buy one score and gave up 1400 yards combined. Road Warriors might be a stretch.

The Beavs should lose this game, but I feel like everyone is piling in that bandwagon, and the majority is never right. Still, I expect a loss and to envision the injury excuse being played tonight.

Whittingham on the offense they’re running:

“We’ve gravitated back to a more traditional spread scheme,” says Whittingham, referring to a move away from the multiple offense of the past few seasons. “We’ve added some new elements, done some streamlining and simplified things. We need to improve dramatically on offense from last year and we’ve worked hard in the offseason to get that done.”

Traditional spread = loss. Do I need to write anything more?

Well, he says they’ve added new elements. So, spread with wrinkles in it. Loss. Do I need to write more?

How about this one: Travis Wilson has a 202 QB rating and averages 9.3 per rush. Big day?

Ranker’s hot seat cooled after Hawaii, and being a road game with injuries there isn’t much for him to fear.

I am thinking the Beavs will be able to pass on Utah, so the score won’t get out of hand.

34-24, Utah.

Go Beavs?