OSU NOTES: Beavers come to 'defining moment'

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Nov 3, 2009

Cal quarterback Kevin Riley from Beaverton High hopes to have better luck against Oregon State on Saturday than he's had in past seasons.

JEFF GROSS / GETTY IMAGES

CORVALLIS – Asked Tuesday if his Oregon State team is flying under the radar at this point, Mike Riley pondered the question for a moment before answering.

“I don’t know,” said the OSU coach, whose Beavers (5-3 overall, 3-2 in Pac-10 play) face a watershed game Saturday against 20th-ranked California (6-2, 3-2). “I like this team a lot. We have more defining moments ahead of us. If we continue to grow and do what we’re supposed to do, (flying under the radar) may be true, but we have to prove that.

“This is a big moment for our team. We can make a lot of headway with a win this week.”

If opponents are overlooking Oregon State in any way, “It’s kind of a good thing,” tailback Jacquizz Rodgers says. “People don’t expect much of us. That’s what we want, because we’re going to come in and play hard every week.”

Saturday’s matchup features two of the premier tailbacks in the country – OSU sophomore Rodgers (922 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing, 5.4-yard average, 49 receptions) and California’s Jahvid Best (838 yards and 11 TDs rushing, 6.3-yard average, 21 receptions).

Oregon State’s No. 1 priority defensively will be to slow down Best, a 5-10, 195-pound junior who Riley calls “one of the fastest players I’ve seen on a football field.”

“That’s where it starts – stopping Jahvid Best,” Oregon State senior linebacker Keaton Kristick said. “They run the ‘Wildcat’ some. That’s something we have to practice for.

“It’s going to come down to everybody swarming to the ball, and making sure we got him. They’re going to try to run the ball and use the clock, just like we do.”

Sophomore Shane Vareen – also 5-10 and 195 pounds – backs up Best and gets about nine carries per game. Vareen has picked up 377 yards for a 5.4 average.

“He gives them a great 1-2 punch,” Riley says. “On the backside of a play, (a defender) can never relax. You always have to be in position to make a play. Having the correct pursuit angle is critical.”

Best tweaked an ankle late in last Saturday’s 23-21 win over Arizona State, but a Cal official said Tuesday he is expected to be ready to go Saturday against the Beavers.

OSU’s No. 2 defensive priority will be containing Cal quarterback Kevin Riley. The junior from Beaverton High has thrown for 1,805 yards and 13 TDs with only two interceptions, including his best game of the season last Saturday against Arizona State – 27 of 44 passing for 351 yards and two TDs with no picks.

“Riley is doing good,” OSU sophomore safety Lance Mitchell says. “He’s making all the right reads. He’s pretty accurate. He doesn’t make too many mistakes under pressure. We have to get to him – at least try to get in his face and make it harder for him.”

• California uses a 3-4 defensive front. Only two other OSU opponents thus far – Cincinnati and Stanford – have employed the same alignment.

A year ago, Rodgers rushed for 144 yards and a TD on 27 carries in a 34-21 win over the Bears at Corvallis.

“The 3-4 makes you use different blocking schemes, but I think they’re going to have to switch out of it,” Quizz says. “Last year, they didn’t have success stopping the run with it.”

Quizz’s older brother had a memorable game in that one, too. James returned a kickoff 86 yards for a TD and caught six passes for 50 yards, including an 18-yard score.

Kevin Riley had a rough game, completing only 11 of 25 passes for 117 yards, and OSU cornerback Keenan Lewis returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.

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