After another historical month of June for the Oregon State baseball team; the Oregon State football team will have a second chance to capitalize on the momentum to make a run at the 2007 Pac-10 title.
After a mediocre 4-3 start, the Beavers finished their 2006 season 10-4; capped with a 39-38 win over Missouri in the Sun Bowl.
Perhaps their biggest win of the season was in a 33-31 upset win over #3 (AP #2 coaches) University of Southern California that snapped the Trojans 38 game regular season winning streak and 27 game Pac-10 winning streak.
The Beavers will be returning 16 starting players from the previous season, but will begin the 2007 season with a new guy under center. Sophomore Sean Canfield is the current front runner going into fall camp, but he'll be challenged by sophomore Lyle Moevoao. Canfield's a strong left handed pocket passer. While Moevao has the ability to create with his arm as well as his feet outside of the pocket.
Whomever gets the call will have a stable of All-Americans and All-Conference players to compliment him. Starting up front with guards Jeremy Perry and Roy Schuening. Both Perry and Schuening are premier lineman in college football and have been selected to several magazine's preseason All-American Team publications. Perry is already on the preseason "watch lists" for the Outland and Lombardi Awards.
Perry and company will create alleys for one of the best running backs in the Pac-10 this season. Preseason All-Conference running back Yvenson Bernard enters his senior season with 2,648 career rushing yards. Yvenson is a powerful back with deceptive speed and exceptional hands coming out of the backfield.
Bernard needs only 1334 yards to move into 6th place in total yards gained in Pac-10 history.
The Beavers have one of the most exciting players in the Pac-10 Conference in wide receiver/punt returner Sammie Stroughter. Stroughter's an electrifying athlete who terrorized opposing team's secondaries and special teams in 2006. Stroughter earned Third Team Associated Press All-American honors last season as a all-purpose player and enters this season as a candidate for the Biletnikoff Award.
Stroughter has a school record (3) punt returns for touchdowns, one short of a Pac-10 record. Stroughter is a much more versatile receiver than former Beavers and current NFL receivers T J Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson.
But Stroughter isn't the only weapon the Beavers have in the kicking game. Perhaps Oregon State's biggest weapon is All-American place kicker Alexis Serna. Serna is one of the most accurate kickers in the nation and will be a candidate for the Groza Award, which he won in 2005. His .805 success rate on field goal attempts is fifth among active kickers in the NCAA.
The majority of the Beaver starters return on defense, which was ranked second in the nation in tackles for loss, and within the top 20 in rushing defense in 2006.
Senior Linebacker Derrick Doggett is one of the top senior defenders in the conference. Arguably one of the fastest players in the league with the relentless ability to be around the ball; Doggett is possibly the next in a long line of Beaver linebackers headed to the NFL.
But the strength of Oregon State's defense is its front seven. Senior defensive end Jeff Van Orson is one of the most experienced players in the conference and will be one of the top lineman in the Pac-10.
OREGON STATE'S ROAD TO PASADENA.
Here's a few things that have to happen in order for the Beavers to wave roses December 1 in Eugene.
1) The Oregon State defense has to capitalize on what they finished a year ago. Derrick Doggett and company must play dominant and make their presence felt all season long. The Beavers can not afford having a young quarterback play from behind very often.
2) Either Canfield or Moevao has to step up and separate themselves as the established starter against Utah on August 30. Utah is a good solid opponent for a new starting quarterback. This game will allow him to get his feet wet and find a comfort zone within the offense. It will also allow Head Coach Mike Riley and his staff to game-plan for future opponents.
It's good to see Oregon State finally open against a decent opponent for a change. This could be the most important game of the first half of the season.
3) Someone other than WR Stroughter has to step up in the receiving game. The Beavers saw first hand what can happen when a star receiver gets triple teamed and the rest of the receiving core disappears. In 2005, with TE Joe Newton out for the season; QB Matt Moore let everyone on mars know he was throwing to Biletnikoff Award winner Mike Hass. He had no confidence in his 2nd, 3rd, or 4th options and it showed through his 19 interceptions on the season.
4) Win in LA
Perhaps the biggest Upset of Upsets. The Beavers haven't won in The Coliseum since "The Juice" suited up in the 60's. It's probably a long shot, but isn't that what everyone said last season in Corvallis?
5) A UCLA win at home trumps a lost at Cal; or vice versa.
6) Win At Oregon
Oregon State hasn't won in Eugene since 1993. If the Beavers have any BCS Bowl implications going into Civil War this season; without a doubt, this will be the biggest must-win in Oregon State history. This could be the biggest game of the 2007 season.
Impossible?
Not at all.
The USC Trojans won a share of the 2003 National Championship behind a strong-armed left hander who went on to win a Heisman Trophy and NFL stardom. Sean Canfield has already been compared to Matt Leinart for his strong arm and poised presence in the pocket. With the weapons around him, he has a great opportunity to step in and flourish for the Beavers.
Prediction: 10-2 (Holiday Bowl vs Texas or Oklahoma)
1 comment:
hmm..we'll see. OSU always keeps us up at night.
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