In order to feel optimistic about the season, I need to start seeing our best players/starters getting reps. I understand we can beat Sacramento State with our reserves, but we can't beat Wisconsin with rusty starters. Sac State is an important tune-up game. We don't want guys taking the field for their first time this season at Camp Randall.

The injury bug is leading to a mindset, in both the media and fan forums, that the real season begins September 24th against UCLA. I understand why people are thinking this way, but it is disheartening to see people adjusting expectations before the season even starts.

Anyway, there's not a lot to complain about right now. Some things irking me:

• Sean Mannion's move up the depth chart. (Not a Mannion fan, sorry).
• Reuben Robinson being talked up. (It only exacerbates the problem).
• Media only highlights players' (e.g. Gwachum) positives and ignores their negatives (e.g. drops).
• Sac St. game still isn't on TV.
• Andrew Seumalo listed as a possible starting DT.
• Darrell Catchings is still in the picture.
• Sean Martin at nickle (he is too slow, groom someone better).
• Our never-ending bad luck (injuries), and Oregon's omnipresent good fortune (LSU incident).

I don't know about you guys, but the injuries are really starting to get on my nerves. I understand they are "part of the game", but they're not supposed to be the entire game, and that's the point we're at with the Beavers.

Injured starters:

• Brandin Cooks
• Kevin Frahm
• Cam Collins
• James Rodgers
• Michael Philipp
• Joe Halahuni
• Castro Masaniai
• Brandon Hardin

Injured reserves:

• Storm Woods
• Cody Vaz
• Shaydon Akuna
• Jordan Jenkins

Out for the season:

• Brandon Hardin
• Fred Thompson
• Micah Hatfield

So, almost half of our starters are injured. That's just ridiculous. Any theories on this? It seems beyond random since it's happened for several years and to a greater degree than any other Pac-12 program.

Also, regarding Ryan Katz…I am reading the same reports as last season. He's inconsistent, he's overthrowing receivers, he can't throw on the run, he's busy showing off his arm, etc. In short, he's still acting like Dirk Diggler. Can we just get a heady QB who converts third downs and knows how to check down? ARGH. Stupidity is so frustrating.

-End rant

The biggest stories so far this week:

1. Malcolm Agnew making a push.

2. Trevor Romaine's inconsistency.

3. Kevin Frahm on crutches.

4. Brandin Cook's domination.

5. Zimmerman's shift to safety.

6. Lamb beating out Ellis.

Seriously, why  has it taken over a year for somebody to unseat Ellis? Let's not get too excited. Lamb is almost as bad…though, to be fair, he is a slightly better run blocker.

Fans on other sites were raving about McCants since camp began. That to me comes off as wishful thinking, especially since a freshman is making a legit bid for the job. McCants was given the starting job with the hopes someone would unseat him. Can't blame Riley there, it's a smart move. Fans love to rave about McCants frame and potential–we go through this every year. My conclusion: McCants is simply not a winner.

I never thought I'd say Kevin Frahm being injured is a big deal. But, that's what it's come to. We actually need Kevin Frahm. That was painful to write. I really don't want to witness Ben Motter (who??) trying to tackle LaMichael James. God save the queen.

Oh, and on the topic of inadequate backups…if Romaine can't get it done, Max Johnson is next in line. Reports are that he's missed almost every FG attempt this fall. I saw him kick in pre-game warmups once. He looked like Charlie Brown trying to kick Lucy's pigskin.

The good news is that the defense is ahead of the offense.

Great updates, Silverstream. Keep them coming.

It's disheartening to hear Romaine is struggling. I hear he has the leg, but can't find any accuracy or consistency. We need to keep an eye on this situation. Is Max Johnson the answer? Uh. I hope not. This is so unexpected. Romaine came with high praise and looked the part. Hopefully it's just a case of nerves. For those of you who have been to practice, share your impressions of Romaine. Convince me not to worry.

Disappointed to hear Grant Enger is at LT and Philipp is #2 at RT. The correct move is Enger (or Kelly) at  RT and Philipp starting at RG. Rumor is Philipp won't change positions, but I find that hard to believe. If he said that to people in the program, the media should be able to get a quote and confirm, or at the very least confirm his disgust and frustration. At that point we could read between the lines. Of course, if Philpp is being a sour puss or prima dona then he deserves to ride the pine. Oregon media needs to step it up and get an answer.

Word is that Castro is back practicing (1 game suspension is pretty light if you ask me), but according to Joe Seumalo, he is not in football shape. With just three weeks before kickoff, that is obviously bad news. Makes you wonder what he's been doing while waiting for his court date.

Anyway, things will be low-key for the next couple days as I have family in town (through next Friday). I'll check in here and there to respond to emails, keep up on what's developing in camp, and create these placeholders once the old topic gets cluttered. But don't expect anything too enlightening until I have some more time to actually sit down and think. Thankfully you guys have been doing a great job of keeping things interesting in the comment area.

I don't think I'd garner much backlash if I said the Beaver's biggest strength is their wide receivers. Right now, it looks like Wheaton and Rodgers will line up in the base formation. It would be a real shame to have Cooks, Gwachum, and Bishop sitting on any given play. So, the question begs how do the coaches get them all on the field at once? A popular solution amongst fans is the Air Raid offense. It would get at least one more WR on the field, and would give the Beavers and identity. Less considered, but more importantly, it would masks some of the Beaver's biggest weaknesses. For example:

1. Short passes replace the running game.

Why it fits Oregon State: The Beavers don't have a dominant running back on the roster nor do they have an offensive line that can run block.

2. Short passes negate the blitz.

Why it fits Oregon State: There is nothing to suggest the Beaver's offensive line won't once again be the weakest link.

3. QB lines up in the shotgun.

Why it fits Oregon State: See above. Any way to buy time is a good thing.

It's a compelling case. So, the question becomes, why not run this offense?

My guess is Riley sees it as unbalanced. But, there isn't a whole lot of difference between a 2-yard pass with RAC (run after catch) versus a handoff. In other words, the short passing game is your running game. From there, the QB can throw intermediate and deep passes, or handoff traditionally. That is a form of balance.

There are a couple legit cons. The first is the weather in Corvallis. Wet conditions aren't ideal for a heavy passing game. Also, the Air Raid requires the QB to be highly intelligent, read defenses, and audible. Ryan Katz hasn't shown he can do that. These are legit concerns. In fact, they're the two reasons I'm not completely gung ho about an Air Raid offense.

The best compromise is probably employing more 4WR sets (ace spread, trips, etc) and even 5WR sets so the Beavers can get their best players on the field. Another option is making Gwachum a hybrid TE. It would also be prudent to make each WR's positions interchangeable (e.g. each WR knows each others' routes), as this would give greater versatility and keep the defense honest. Riley could then find advantageous matchups depending on down and distance.

The bottom line is that the coaching staff needs to find a way to use this stockpiled talent. To have three or four potential all-conference receivers sitting on any given play is a problem. A good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless. The solution lies in outside the box thinking, something Riley is not very skilled at. What we do know is that the ideal solution will not come to be on it's own or via blind luck. As a great philosopher once wrote, "if the ship-building art were in the wood, it would produce the same results by nature." Riley needs to start thinking like a crafty artisan (see Chip Kelly) rather than an antiquated simpleton. He's been given the tools…