'morning, Beavlettes.

As is the weekly tradition, this is our gameday thread where ya'll get to complain, whine, cheer, and mock our beloved Beavs.

I'm just going to try to block out the disappointment of last week and enjoy the game with some good food and my lady Beav. I know the bowl situation looks dire, but I'm still hoping for the Alamo until it's no longer an option, and then I'll hope for the Holiday. What I am trying to say is this: as much as I/you want to root against the Beavs out of frustration and the hope that it will ignite (coaching) change, the reality is the roster improves next season and these coaches aren't going anywhere unless they have two or three bad seasons. So, here's a call for solidarity and a strong finish. A win today and some recruiting victories (Grant kids…*cough*) and we'll all be feeling better about the future.

Enjoy the game, and be glad we're not Auburn.

The Beavers, as a whole, have officially become unpredictable. It's ironic, since fans complain that their offensive and defensive units suffer the curse of predictability. The short of it goes like this: yes, everyone knows bomb on 1st down; Quizz dive left for 3 on 2nd, Quizz dive right for 2 on 3rd, then a punt; and every offense knows they'll see a base 4-3 with slow linebackers and one weak CB. But nobody has any F*$#*#ing idea what the outcome will be.

Counter intuitive stuff, right?

These eyes see the Beavers execute about the same (i.e. averagely) every game. So deduction leads me to believe that, in games with relatively equal talent, a win or loss is determined by how the opponent executes. If they do it well, the Beavers lose. Poorly, and the Beavs win.

Luckily Washington State suffers from poor execution and slightly less talent, so this game should be a win. A few months back, who would have thought we'd have to question it, though? In a season marked by polarizing opinions within the fan base, this is the one contest we unanimously penciled in the W column. It is supposed to be our shining moment of solidarity.

Do you still feel confident in victory?

I do, but instead of stat-padding-blowout, I see a modest two touchdown victory. And dare I say, I'm actually slightly nervous about…*gulp*…Washington State.

28-14, Beavs.

Edit: I heard from a reliable source that offensive tackle Darryl Jackson is now an Oregon State lean.

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According to Cliff, the starting DT this Saturday will be Kevin Frahm, and the backup will be one of these guys:

Evan Hull, Ben Motter and Nathan Hannah.

*Gulp*

Do I even need to tell you all three are walk-ons?

On the recruiting front, Blitz is reporting that Todd Peat has the Beavs in his final five. The problem with Blitz is that they sell subscriptions, and in an effort to get new blood signed up, they're always overly optimistic about 4-star recruits who have the slightest interest. They tend to do this even more after a bad loss when fans are jumping off buildings. But hey, I'm not going to try to prevent you from being excited about Peat if you want to be. Go for it.

One more thing: D. J. Welch reportedly will be ready to go come camp.

I have to say, I cannot wait for some of the current guys to graduate. I wish Remmers, Johnson, and Ellis were either seniors this season or scheduled to be backups next year. What I absolutely cannot deal with is all of them starting again next year. I might ask Bob D for my donation back if that happens. Anyway, the talent and potential look much better as you go down the depth chart.  Sure, it's raw talent, but by next fall it should be refined. It's clear 2010 is shaping up to be a "rebuilding" rather than "reloading" year. We have become accustomed to the latter.

What else. Oh, I could deal with Riley a lot better if he had an aggressive and imaginative staff. The problem is that all of these coaches have the same laid back, west coast temperament. They feed into one another and create an apathetic, workaday environment. If you don't believe me, think about how the Beavers looked before the TCU, Boise State, or Penn State kickoffs. "Anemic deer in headlights" would be putting it nicely. A few years ago when all the young mensches became head coaches in the league, the writing was on the wall. Evolve or die. This staff is not dead yet, but the young head coaches, and now two new teams, are out for blood and mean business. When watching Riley & Friends., I'm reminded of the Pink Floyd song Time. The lyrics read: "No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun."

If you're interested what happens after that, Google it, but it's not good.