Oregon State Makes Third Consecutive Trip to Husky Stadium Saturday

The Beavers have won two straight in Seattle.

Photo: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS - Oregon State looks to rebound from back-to-back defeats when it travels to Husky Stadium to play the University of Washington Huskies. The Beavers have won two straight in Seattle. The 4-2 Huskies have more victories already this season than the last two combined (3) and are 3-0 at home.

THE SERIES: Saturday marks an opportunity for Oregon State to win its third consecutive game in Seattle against the Huskies; it would mark the longest streak since the program won in 1945, ‘47, ‘49 and ‘51. Oregon State has won three straight in the series overall only twice (1937-39 & 1945-47).

This is the first time Oregon State has played in Seattle three straight years since then Oregon State College played eight straight between 1924 and ‘40. Overall, the Huskies have a 57-29-4 advantage.

THE LAST TIME: Miserable! The Beavers and Huskies played in one of the worst weather games in recent memory -- 46 degrees, “soaking rain” and gusting wind. OSU won an 18-10 decision, scoring all its points on Alexis Serna field goals. There was just one touchdown, a late UW score by Craig Chambers on a 25-yard pass from Johnny DuRocher. Serna booted two field goals in the first half and wound up with a Pac-10 record matching 6-for-6 performance (18, 28, 32, 32, 41, 46) -- he was named Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week two days later.

Beaver running back Yvenson Bernard carried the ball 35 times for 122 yards, quarterback Matt Moore was 17-for-27 for 136 yards in what should be considered a good performance in the elements. DuRucher and starter Isaiah Stanback combined for just 16 of 42 and were sacked four times. Turnovers have been key; Washington has 10 over the last two meetings, OSU 3.

BAD WEATHER, NO PROBLEM: Beaver placekicker Alexis Serna has made 45 career field goals, 24 (11) percent have come at Husky Stadium. Serna is 11-for-11 at one of the most notoriously difficult place for kickers. After both games, played in inclement weather, he was named the Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week. Serna booted then the longest field goal of his career as time expired in the first half of the 2004 game -- 55 yards into the wind. His 11 kicks have come from 18, 23, 25, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 41, 46, 55. The early forecast is for 55 degrees Saturday.

HUSKY COACHES, FORMER BEAVERS; BEAVER COACH, FORMER HUSKY: Washington assistant coaches Tim Lappano (1999-2002) and Eric Yarber (2000-02) were on the staff at Oregon State. UW strength coach Trent Greener (1999-2003), previously served as OSU’s strength coach. OSU assistant coach Nigel Burton was a cornerback at UW (1996-98) and deflected a Jonathan Smith two-point conversion pass with no time remaining in the Beavers 35-34 loss at Washington in 1998.

THE RUSH IS ON: Oregon State enters Saturday’s game tied for third (UCLA) in the Pac-10 and tied for seventh in the nation for quarterback sacks averaging 3.4 per game (17 total). OSU has 11 players with sacks and the 17 total is just five shy of all of last season’s mark. Defensive linemen Joe Lemma and William `Akau’ola Vea share the team lead with three.

Both quarterbacks were hurting after the game last week as the Cougars corralled Matt Moore six times and the Beavers downed Alex Brink five times. Beaver defenders will have a challenge this week as Washington quarterbacks have been sacked five times in six games, the second-lowest in the conference (Oregon - 3).

NOT ALL SACKS: In addition to Oregon State’s 17 quarterback sacks, it has also added 25 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The 42 total tackles-for-loss averages to 8.4 per game, fifth in the NCAA -- only Florida International, Connecticut, Oklahoma State and Middle Tennessee have a higher average. Linebacker Derrick Doggett leads the team for TFL with six, followed by linebacker Alan Darlin and lineman William `Akau’ola Vea with 5.5. OSU TFLs have accounted for 205 total yards in losses.

PUNT TEAM! The Beaver defense has been among the best at third-down conversion defense this season, allowing just less than 30 percent -- tied for 17th in the NCAA. Washington is 30th at 32 percent. Opponents are just 1 of 11 (9%) on third down conversion in the fourth quarter, but the Beavers have also struggled in the final frame converting 4 of 18 (22%).

TRICKY GUY: Junior safety Daniel Drayton has been involved in some deceptive plays this season, resulting in first downs. Against Boise State he was on the receiving end of a Kyle Loomis pass (fake punt) in the first quarter that resulted in 27 yards and a play that would eventually lead to a Beaver touchdown. He also had a seven-yard rush against California on a fake punt that resulted in a first down. Drayton has also played a significant role on other special teams units.

FRESHMAN PUNTER MAKING STRIDES: Many wondered how Kyle Loomis, the first true-freshman punter to start at Oregon State since 1983, would perform at such a pressure position. After averaging 28.0 per kick in the opener, he has since averaged 42.3 yards per attempt. Over the last two games he has averaged 48.7. Loomis ranks 55th in the nation for overall average at 39.7 and is the highest true freshman punter and second overall for freshman -- Iowa State’s Mike Brandtner is a redshirt-freshman and is 45th at 40.5 yards.

THE SPEED OF THE GAME: Through five games this season Oregon State contests have averaged 3 hours 11 minutes and 123 plays. Through five games last season, the average was 3 hours 36 minutes and 155 plays.

SPECIAL GUYS: Oregon State’s special teams continue to make strides over the last several seasons and two individuals have climbed to or near the top of the league in their respective categories. Junior Sammie Stroughter is second in the nation for punt return yards per attempt at 23.6 and junior Coye Francies is fifth in the Pac-10 for kickoff return yards per attempt at 22.2. Overall, OSU is first in the Pac-10 for punt return yards per attempt at 20.9 -- the program has never led the conference and finished second only once since team punt return yards have been kept by the league (since 1980).

STARTERS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Another sign of Oregon State’s developing special teams is the fact that fewer starters appear on the first team units. Minus the field goal/extra point team, the following offensive and defensive starters appear on these units -- Sabby Piscitelli (punt), Al Afalava (punt/kickoff), Joey LaRocque (punt/kickoff), Alan Darlin (punt), Derrick Doggett (punt/kickoff), Jeremy Perry (kickoff return) and Anthony Wheat-Brown (kickoff).

Sophomore cornerback Greg Laybourn also plays on special teams and was a reserve outfielder on the 2006 OSU NCAA champion baseball team.

SUPER SAMMIE: Beaver junior receiver and punt returner Sammie Stroughter has started the season with an impressive run. Stroughter leads the team for receiving yards per game (65.8) and overall receptions (22). He is second in the nation for punt return yards per attempt at (23.6). He is one of three players in the nation (Jeremy Trimble, Army & DeSean Jackson, Cal) with two returns for touchdowns this season.

TOTAL DEFENSE: Oregon State enters Saturday’s game third in the Pac-10 and 45th in the nation for total defense, allowing 311.2 yards per game. The Beavers are fifth in the conference for rush defense (114.4) and pass defense (196.8).

TRUE STUDENT-ATHLETES: Three Beaver football student-athletes (all starters) enter their last term of school this fall (Sept. 25th) as they will have met their academic requirements for graduation following Finals Week in December -- left tackle Adam Koets (international business and finance), left end Joe Lemma (speech comm.) and tight end Joe Newton (forest mgmt).

The list continues at the conclusion of winter term -- on track are snapper Joel Cohen (economics), right tackle Josh Linehan (sociology), strong safety Sabby Piscitelli (speech comm.) and tight end Jason Vandiver (sociology). On track to be finished at the end of spring term are right guard Zach Harris (sociology), cornerback Rickey Herod (speech comm.), wide receiver Ruben Jackson (liberal studies), cornerback Kellen Marshall (economics), quarterback Matt Moore (speech comm.) and left tackle Ben Siegert (housing studies).

HAVE BALL, WILL PASS: Oregon State is one of only three programs over the last three years to finish in the top 10 in the nation for passing yards per game, joining Texas Tech and Hawaii (‘06 opp.). Over those three seasons the Beavers averaged 312 yards per game through the air and completed 828 of 1,525 (.543) attempts. Oregon State and Hawaii are also the only two programs over the three-year span with a receiver to finish in the top 10 nationally for yards per game.

NOT SINCE 1977: Oregon State entered the season returning all five starters on its offensive line for the first time since 1977. The line features Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award candidate sophomore left guard Jeremy Perry, and Rimington Award candidate junior center Kyle DeVan. The Beaver offensive line has combined for 116 starts. Only Stanford, Fresno State, Tulsa, Notre Dame, Central Florida and Wake Forest have more combined starts.

LONG SEASON: For the first time ever the Oregon State University football program plays a 13-game regular season schedule. Within the schedule is 11 consecutive weeks with a game, marking the first time for a Beaver team since the 1989 club played 12 consecutive weeks (season ended at Hawaii).

TOUGH HOME SLATE: The 2006 season features possibly the program’s best ever home schedule. The Beavers five conference home games feature opponents that combined for a 41-19 record in 2005.

RILEY WITH THE LEAD: Oregon State is 26-5 when leading after three quarters under head coach Mike Riley, including 12-1 in the combined 2004, ‘05 and ‘06 seasons.

TOTAL RECLAMATION: It’s hard to imagine a college football coach entering a situation with a more daunting task than Mike Riley did in the winter of 1997. The Oregon State program had won three games over the previous two seasons and the former coaching staff ran the spread option offense. Riley not only had to change the entire offensive philosophy, but also the entire attitude of the program. Riley immediately moved the program to a competitive stage in his first two years and laid the foundation for five bowl appearances in the last seven years.

LATE ADDITION: Sophomore receiver Chris Johnson enrolled at OSU during the summer. His bio is not included in the media guide. Johnson played one season at Grossmont CC in California where he caught 40 passes for 625 yards and 10 touchdowns. He played four seasons of high school football at Dillard in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He attended Norfolk State in Virginia as a true-freshman, but did not play.

FRESHMEN ACTION: True-freshmen to have played to this point in the season include Keaton Kristick, Kyle Loomis, Micah Strickland, Howard Croom, and John Reese.

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