Phil's Utah Game Analysis

Game recap provided by my backup(the best backup ever BTW) when I played at OSU:

Bernard - huge game when we needed it against a solid defense.

WRs - early drops hurt. Bailed out by youngsters.

Rogers - monster speed. Upside scares me BIG!

Catchings - not involved too much, but I can't wait to see what he will do when pass game shows up. Upside seems to be huge as well.

Sammie - seemed to be involved and into the game. Will be a welcome sight.

Perry - ankle sprain could slow running game a bit. We will wait and see the prognosis.

QBs - slow start. Signs of promise.

Moevao - mostly handoffs early. Shitty passer.

Canfield - still needs improvement, but settled into his new STARTER role. INT was great read, just underthrown.

Defense - brick wall against the run. Helped by Utah injuries, but still shut down initial starters. Will have a great season if they stay healthy.

Afalava - stepped up his game. Solid in all aspects.

Cavanaugh - great heart and BIG contribution when they needed him.

Serna - solid kicker. Horrible punter. If he doen't improve it will hurt the Beavs later on.

Over all - very pleased with the showing. Much improvement needed, especially in the passing game.

Reilly - nice beard! Keep it, it worked.

- P.S. Hammitt

OSU beats Utah 24-7

The Beavers came through tonight, handing a physical ass whipping to the Utes.

A couple notes:

Sammie Stroughter needs to come back pronto, OSU's WRs looked weak.

Sean Canfield should start and play all the time. Moevoa looked average with limited upside.

OSU's defense looked incredible. These guys are fast and hit hard. Very impressive. Tons of depth. Tons of speed. Al Afalava is the fatest DB in the Pac-10 and needs to lose weight.

24-7 Beavers 4th Quarter

OSU's Defense and their running game is just killing Utah right now. Bernard just ran in from 10 yds out to make it 24-7.

Utah is using second string players across the board and the hard hits and Willamette Valley heat are working against the Utes. OSU's defense is unreal.

9 Tackles for a Loss
4 QB sacks

Are you kidding me?

Don't forget, I told you the Beavers would cover the spread.

OSU's Defense is fierce

1st series since OSU's TD, and the defensive has knocked out 2 Utes so far- the starting QB and RB. Seems like every play Utah is losing a player to injury. I haven't seen hitting like this in a long time. OSU's defense is unreal. These guys are fast and hit hard.

Utah is starting to flinch from all the hard hits......

OSU's offensive line means business

OSU's offensive line if punishing Utah. Bernard is over 100 yds.

Beavers just scored on a TD pass to Darrell Catchings. Nice job frosh!

14-7, middle of the 3rd quarter. Canfield should be the starter from now on.

12:23 left in the 3rd

(Photo Source: Scobel Wiggins)

Utah is on it's 2nd string QB and he looks lame.

OSU's dynamic duo of QB donkeydom continue to make this a close game. Canfield just threw a pick.

7-7 still.

Utah's QB is hurt

One of the problems with running the option as a QB is that 300 lb guys get free shots at you. Too bad for Utah, Johnson was having a very good game.

Utah is bringing in a 6'7" freak to replace Johnson.

OSU's new uniforms

SUCK!

I can't believe OSU's athletic dept approved these designs. They are horrible. Can you say "sports bra"?

Of course, if you saw OSU's NCAA World Series game clinching win, and the raggedy ann uniforms they wore....

I think there is a conspiracy.....

Nike needs to go away.....

2 Qtr Report- OSU 7, Utah 7

OSU's coaching staff has realized their only hope at winning this game is to give the ball to Yvenson Barnard. He just carried OSU to a score. Darrel Catchings had a drop, then a huge 4th down catch to continue the drive.

2nd Qtr Report Utah vs. OSU

Moevao sucks. I mean really sucks. There is no way this guy is a baller. I have no idea what OSU's coaching staff was thinking.

Canfield is marginally better.

Bernard is one hard working running back.

Stroughter is sorely missed.

OSU WR suck.

The defense looks good considering how bad the offense looks.

Utah- 7
OSU- 0

OSU vs. Utah Game Info

Date: Thursday, August 30

Kickoff: 7:02 p.m. PDT

Site: Corvallis, Oregon

Stadium: Reser Stadium (45,674)

Series: OSU 8-4-1

Television: LIVE -- FSN Northwest, FCS Pacific, FSN Utah

Replay -- FSN NW, Aug. 31 (Noon)/FCS (TBA)

Television Crew: Todd Mansfield, Steve Preece,

Cathy Marshall

Radio: Beaver Sports Network (osubeavers.com)

Radio Crew: Mike Parker, Jim Wilson, Todd Mansfield,

Ron Callan, Steve Preece

Radio Broadcast: 4 hours prior on KEJO (1240 AM)

3 hours prior on 860 AM KPAM

2 hours prior on the entire Network

XM Radio: Pac-10 Channels 193-195

Spanish Radio: Churchill Media’s LaX Network

Spanish Crew: Juan De Dios Andrade, Javier Cervantes



Special Programming

Preseason Show: FSN NW (30 min.) & FCS (tbd)

Aug 25 (6 p.m.), 27 & 30 (1:30 p.m.)

FSN Pregame Show: FSN NW (6 p.m.) -- Aug. 30

Riley Press Conference: FSN NW/FCS -- begins Sept. 5 (2:30 p.m.), osubeavers.com/KEJO (1240 AM)

Beaver Sports Talk: Every Tuesday 7-8 p.m.

(osubeavers.com/Beaver Radio Net.)

Beavers All-Access: FSN NW - Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m.)/

Sept. 7 (12:30 p.m.). Replays on FCS

Sammie Stroughter is practicing again

Good to have you back Sammie!

Read More from OSU


OSU Beaver Football Team Analysis:

Cliff Kirkpatrick did a good job reviewing the depth chart for the Beavers, but I am concerned about the lack of height in our Secondary this year. We have 1 guy over 6'-Keenan Lewis. I am not sure if OSU's coaching staff has noticed that the trend in the Pac-10 is 6'3" WR's. I remember when we played Louisville and they put a 6'5" WR on our puny DB's and we got clobbered. I don't expect this to be an issue for our game against Utah. But it will be an issue later.....Cincy got a couple 6'4" WR's. Yikes.

Utah Football information

Utah Football Press Releases

ESPN Utah Football Home

USA Today Utah Football

Rivals Utah Football Homepage

CBS Utah Utes Homepage

OSU favored by 7 against Utah

(Photo Source: Uncov)

I caught some of the initial lines for the game. Usually the best time of the year to bet on college football is early in the season. Lines makers have a brutal time gauging the development of college football teams. However as the season progresses they get better at it.

The over/under is 52.5.

I don't think it's going to be this close. OSU should win by at least 10. Quote me on it.

Here are some high quality sites that handle NCAA college football sports betting:

Bodog- The world's largest online sports betting website

BetUS- The world's second largest online sports betting website

Sammie Stroughter explains his absence

Sammie Stroughter has suffered the loss of 3 people he knows this summer based on a today's press release- READ MORE

The cliff notes: 2 men who were close to Sammie and Coach Gilstrap died, thus causing him to wig out and bail on his team.

My Opinion: I've have lost multiple family members in a matter of 6 months before, and I know how difficult it can be to go through the grieving process. I've cried, I've asked why, I've hugged it out with remaining family members, I've gotten shit faced drunk, I've laid in bed for too long, etc. etc.

The only things that really helped with getting through the grieving process was to get exercise, dive back into work, and be around supportive people. Eventually you get through it and rationalize the loss and move on with your life like you should.

Sammy's behavior is kinda weird in my opinion. If I were him I would thank god everyday that I had football to take me away from thinking about the people I miss. I would want to be around my teammates too. I was on a team that could barely win a game, and I still loved the guys I played with.....well not all of them, but enough that being with them was important to me. The fact that the team needs me was also important....I am not saying they really needed me, but I felt like I would be letting people I cared about down. Sammy could care less.

Ok, I am glad that God and family is important to Sammy, but it is for a lot of us in the world. Sammie is immature. He doesn't get it. Maybe he is a world class student and is going to graduate school or something....maybe he has something to fall back on besides football..........but I doubt it. I know when I was playing all I could think about was football. It was only after I was done did I get to spend time learning and enjoying the real college experience.

I admit I don't know much about Sammy's family, income levels, academic background, etc.

But I can tell you he is screwing up. Coach Gilstrap would tell him to get back on the field and play for the people you loved that are gone. He would also tell him to play for himself.

Message to Sammie: Catharsis is good...use football to get free.......

Final Scrimmage Report

I wasn't exactly there at the scrimmage, but Jason Prothro was. He has a great report, and an equally excellent set of pictures from the practice.


PS- Sammy was spotted at the scrimmage. Source

BTW- The OSU Beaver Nation is replaying their list of the best OSU Football games of all-time. I think the #1 game is the one I've posted below from 1998 when OSU played Washington, when Jonathan Smith got his first break and played his heart out. I think this was the game that really started it all for the OSU Beavers resurgent football program. Yes, the Beavers lost this game, but they made a statement that they weren't going to be doormats anymore.

Troubling Sammie Stroughter Situation

Sammie Stroughter is still missing practices. "Personal reasons" for missing practice is lame. If Sammie had a problem at home, I think OSU would say so. The fact that no one is at least doing a PR dance is telling.

Here are my top ten possible reasons for Sammy being MIA:

10)He thought practice was for second string players
9)He is mad at his position coach for making fun of him in practice
8)He is mad at the press for their pre-season evaluation of him
7)He is in debt to some gangbangers
6)He is mad that he wasn't on the cover of the 2007 Media Guide
5)He is mad about OSU's new uniforms
4)He is mad about Coach Riley's dismissal of Coye Francies
3)He knocked up a girl who is interested in blackmailing Sammy
2)He knocked up a girl who happens to be the daughter of an Oregon football coach
1)He knocked up a girl who happens to be the daughter of an OSU football coach

If anyone else some ideas, feel free to comment....I am out of possible reasons......

Sammie, if the reason is #4.....you are one major league donkey......

I miss Ocho Cinco too.....

Ocho Cinco doesn't miss practice....

Sammie Stroughter is MIA

Uh, I don't know what to make of this but Sammie hasn't been at practice for six days....

This is not good.....

I don't know what Mike Riley is thinking letting things get to this point. OSU's athletic dept. has already taken down any ads with Sammy in them. This means that something serious is amiss. If his absence is due to "personal reasons", he needs to get his shit together and get out in the field. He is a major league moron if he thinks that pro scouts aren't going to look negatively on this situation. Nobody wants another T.O. or worse.

Message to Sammie Stroughter:

You are f**king the biggest opportunity of your life.

Message to Sean Canfield:

Dude... you are about to lose your job.

Notes from someone outside Oregon...

I haven't been to a single practice, and even if I did I wouldn't know what the hell I am looking at. But thanks to the internet, I can read about different opinions and form my own based on my own personal experience of being a full scholarship football player at Oregon State and going thru double days.

Here are my ramblings: (pass me another Sierra Nevada)

Derrick Doggett- What's up Doggin' Doggett? How are the ice skating lessons treating you?

Sean Canfield- Interceptions are not good.

Lyle Moevao- Uh, you gotta step up to beat out the physicality of Canfield.

Darrell Catchings- Can you keep ballin' like you have in practice in a game? Frosh go get me some donuts.....

Oregon State Beaver Football Practice Pics

Is it me? Or does OSU look physically improved? I don't remember seeing WR's with guns like Sammy or Brandon since.......ever. I hope it is all natural......






Photos by: Doug Beghtel
Source

Get Fired Up

This video is not new, but it's cool. I'd like to see OSU beat UCLA this year. I am sick of losing to those scrubs. Last year's loss was brutal because we gave the game away with turnovers.

Not a Good Start to the 2007 campaign

I feel sorry for Mike Riley, he has to deal with meathead 17,18,19,20,21,22 year olds. He also has to deal with shrinking depth on his roster. The news about 5 football players being out already is not good.

The reasons are either academic(your players are knuckleheads), legal(your players don't know right from wrong), or personal (your players have more issues than National Geographic).

Who is currently out?

CB-Coye Francies Sr.
RB-Micah Strickland So.
Punter-Kyle (I've got) Loomis So.
RB-Clinton Polk, Sr.
LB-Eric Moala Liava’a Jr.

Welcome OSU's new punter:

Football Practice Starts Tomorrow

Are you ready? If not, let my main man Bluto explain things......



See the OSU practice schedule HERE

Ocho Cinco offers MBA to Jerry Yang CEO of Yahoo

I saw this funny article in one of my favorite silicon valley blogs, it details why Chad Johnson knows how to market himself and how Jerry Yang (CEO of Yahoo) could learn a thing or two from Chad.


I know some ex- OSU Head Coaches who should read this article. Kragthorpe? Is he even still alive?

My favorite:

2. Display confidence and superlatives in spades. Whenever Johnson speaks, you'd believe he singlehandedly led his team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to win five straight Super Bowls. In fact, with Johnson on board, they only made it into the playoffs once -- and barely -- and lost. When Jerry Yang stumbled over "a Yahoo that can win" in the recent earnings call, he just revealed that he, like everyone else, doesn't actually believe it's winning. That's got to change.

Read the full post