Sports Column

Beavers in position for strong second half

Schedule offers shot at another big finish

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Oct 12, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

CORVALLIS – After helping Oregon State wallop the ultimate Pac-10 pushover, Slade Norris sniffed at the oddsmakers’ 30-point spread.

“On any given day, a team can be beaten,” the senior defensive end said after the Beavers’ 66-13 win over Washington State. “You have to come into every game ready to play your best. You might need it, no matter who you’re playing.”

Oregon State didn’t need it Saturday in Corvallis.

The Cougars, in their first year under coach Paul Wulff, are God-awful.

Bill Doba – who never won fewer than four games in his five seasons – left the cupboard pretty bare, and injuries at the quarterback position have taken care of any chance of really competing.

Is it the worst Pac-10 team in the modern era? Joe Avezzano’s first Oregon State team went 0-11 in 1980 (“Oh with Joe”), but only once gave up more than 42 points. Wulff’s Cougars have allowed more than 60 three times and an average of 59.4 against five D-I opponents.

The only way Saturday’s game wasn’t going to be a smackdown was if Oregon State 1) went wack-o with turnovers or 2) flubbed the kicking game. Four first-half Lyle Moevao interceptions gave Beaver Nation pause, but order was restored quickly in the second half.

As for kicker Justin Kahut and punter Johnny Hekker, Kahut kicked a 28-yard field goal when such things were still important just before halftime. Hekker, who punted once for 38 yards, probably owed coaches some stationary-bike work afterward.

I once played golf with Wulff in a media/Big Sky coaches event, and he’s a regular guy, the type of coach you pull for. Perhaps he will turn around Washington State’s program, but it appears that it will take awhile.

Wulff seemed quick with Riley in the ritual post-game handshake, probably because he thought Sean Canfield’s fourth-quarter TD bomb to Damola Adeniji, with the score 59-13, was pouring it on.

A few thoughts on that: Riley had long since gone to all reserves at that point. There were still nearly eight minutes on the clock. Short of going for an onside kick, anything’s fair in that case.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit