With the Oregon State football team dropping a 24-10 decision to the Oregon Ducks in Autzen Stadium on Saturday, BeaversEdge.com writer Keenan Puncocher gives you his five most important takeaways as the Beavers prepare for the offseason.

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It was to the surprise of many that during the first offensive series of the game, Oregon State did not have their senior starting QB, Jake Luton. It was strange to see backup QB Tristian Gebbia on the field during pre-game warmups taking most of the snaps, getting loose. Luton was on the field dressed, all indications were that he would play. It was an obvious surprise when news broke – just minutes before the game – that Luton would not be starting due to an apparent forearm injury he suffered last week against Washington State. Head coach Jonathan Smith said after the game that Luton was experiencing severe discomfort in pre-game warmups and that’s when the decision was ultimately made that he would not be playing.

With Luton out, Gebbia started his first career game, the Beavers needing just a single win to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. Despite the pressure going into the game, Gebbia did what he could against a stout Oregon defense that looked determined to finish the season on a winning note. He was able to complete 26-40 passes, throwing for 243 yards– he did not turn the ball over. Unfortunately – as is often the case – the numbers do not tell the whole story. Don’t get me wrong, Gebbia had several impressive throws to both Isaiah Hodgins and Trevon Bradford, fitting the ball into some tight windows. He made the conservative downfield throws that the team needed him to make to stay competitive. Overall, I thought Gebbia played quite well for this being his first career start.

Despite the decent performance by Gebbia, it was obvious the offensive rhythm was not the same without Luton. The Beavers managed just one touchdown and a field goal against Oregon. The offense lacked the threat of the deep ball and play action was rarely used. Without the threat of the deep ball, OSU struggled to get anything meaningful done on the ground. The Beavers were able to move the ball at times but only made two red-zone appearances. It was clear the offense struggled against Oregon and the loss of Luton only made matters worse.

It was already a point of emphasis entering the game that the Oregon State defense would have to limit Justin Herbert and the explosive running back core of Oregon. This point was further emphasized when it was announced that Luton would not be starting.

After allowing 54 points to Washington State last week, the Oregon State defense was able to make a serious adjustment this week, holding Oregon to just 24 points. For all of the hype surrounding Herbert, the Oregon State defense forced him to make several erratic, ill-advised throws throughout the game.

Herbert never looked totally comfortable and it led to multiple three-and-outs that kept the Beavers chances alive for most of the game. Although the season is over, this is an Oregon State defense that keeps most of their key players next year.

The bottom line is that the defense has made improvements compared to last year. I fully expect the defense to carry the momentum they have into the offseason, getting better day-by-day.

Say what you want about OSU’s chances entering the game, but the Beavers were 19.5-point underdogs against a very talented 9-2 Ducks team. Many thought the game would be more competitive than the spread indicated. This was all before it was announced that the Beavers would be without Luton for the entire game. The offense struggled and yet the Beavers had a chance to tie the game or go for two and the win in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. It took almost three quarters for OSU to score a TD but it was a single possession game for most of the final quarter.

Given the circumstances, the score could have been much more lopsided than it was. Oregon State fought hard until the very end in a hostile environment when the odds were increasingly against them. I remember sitting in the same spot two years ago stunned at the final 69-10 outcome.

Make no mistake, this is not the same team that used to lay down when the going got tough. Smith has created a new culture and it shows in the way OSU stayed within striking distance for most of the game today. The outcome stings, especially in a close game, but Oregon State did not lay down.

Oregon State has the benefit of returning many of their key players on both sides of the ball. This allows them to improve during the offseason in year three under coach Smith. However, the status of two critical pieces of the Beaver team this season is in doubt. Both Hamilcar Rashed and Hodgins will be seniors next season.

There is no denying the impact both players had this season but there is a question of if either will declare for the NFL draft or utilize the transfer portal. Both were elite this season and to lose either would be a significant loss for Oregon State. While the Beavers return many significant names next season, the team would not be the same without Rashed and Hodgins.

Oregon State fans might have had an early preview of next year’s starting QB today in Gebbia. Many thought before the season began that Gebbia had a serious shot of being named the starting QB before it was ultimately Luton who won the job. Besides Luton, Oregon State will lose several key contributors on both sides of the ball, including Artavis Pierce, Gus Lavanka, Blake Brandel, Elu Aydon and Jalen Moore.

The future still looks bright for several newcomers but it goes without mention that the Beavers will miss their seniors. There will be questions as to who the Beavers look to at QB, whether the Beavers will have Hodgins & Rashed, and how the Beavers fill the gaps left by the highly-experienced senior class.

Year-to-year change is a part of any college football season. Just look at this year for the Beavers compared to last year. This was a team on the edge of bowl eligibility and now we will have to wait to see how Smith and the coaching staff prepare the team so they can finally get over the hump next year. I for one am looking forward to the road ahead.