After an off day on Wednesday, the Beavers returned to the practice field Thursday for what was their 2nd “official” practice. Here are the five things that we learned from Thursday’s practice.
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1. The quarterback derby will finish soon
For those of you who are keeping track of my hot takes of the 2017 season, this is the first one. I’ve only been to two OSU practices this year, and it’s evident to me that the competition is between Marcus McMaryion and Jake Luton. I’ve been high on Darell Garretson since he arrived from Utah State, but he really hasn’t looked the part of a Pac-12 starting quarterback since his injury last season. Granted, the media portion of practices don’t always tell the story, as Garretson is a “gamer” in my mind, I don’t see him walking away with the starting job.
As for Luton and McMaryion, they are in a dead heat right now, the way I see it. Luton has the upper hand in terms of throwing ability, while McMaryion has the upper hand in terms of the zone-read and the familiarity with the offense. My prediction is that Luton will be named the starter after the Bend practices.
2. The defensive line depth is a concern
Gary Andersen has mentioned over the past several days that the defensive line needs to step up and be big time this season. That’s great and all, but the lack of bodies on the line is 100 % a concern. With Craig Evans’ status in limbo, the Beavers can’t afford to have an injury or lack of production from anyone of the defensive line. Defensive coordinator Kevin Clune noted today that Elu Aydon is not practicing right now but expects him to be back very soon. I'll keep an eye on him in the coming days.
Personally, I believe the Beavers will have guys step up and be the players that Andersen wants them to be, but right now I’m simply not seeing enough to have me confident that the Beavers will be dominant in the defensive trenches to start the season.
3. The receiving core could be in line for a big season
One of the more impressive things that I’ve seen in the first two days of practice has been the receiving corps. Even with the departure of Hunter Jarmon, the Beavers might have the best receiving group top-to-bottom since Gary Andersen has been here, if the young guys can step up. If Jordan Villamin and Isaiah Hodgins can step up and be impact players in their last and first years respectively, the Beavers could have some big time weapons on the edge. Not to mention, OSU might finally have a quarterback that can get those guys the ball.
This position group could make or break the Beavers’ 2017 season in my opinion. If they have a great season, so will the Beavs, if not OSU will struggle.
4. OSU’s linebackers and secondary are a strength of the team
I mentioned earlier that the Beavers could be in some hot water potentially in terms of the lack of depth on the defensive line, but if OSU has a strength to fall back on, it’s the second and third level of the defense. This linebacking corps is uber-talented and deep, while the secondary is loaded with savvy veterans. The Beavers might not be able to get the push up front that Gary Andersen wants on defense, but they have enough playmakers to make up for the short comings. The defense has been experimenting with more linebacker and corner blitzes to help the D-Line out and I think that will be OSU’s secret "ace up their sleeve this season."
Guys like Bright Ugwoegbu and Xavier Crawford have a knack for being able to get themselves in the backfield quickly, and I think the Beavers will need to have more creative ideas this season to get pressure. Luckily for OSU, they have talent and depth in the back end, so they will have to use that to their advantage.
5. The offensive line looks ready for the challenge
Other than the quarterback battle, the status of the offensive line is by far and away the most important storyline. OSU has a bevy of talented running backs, but they need to have blockers up front. So far in fall camp, the Beavers appear to have a line that can open up holes for Ryan Nall, Thomas Tyner, and Artavis Pierce.
As of now, the offensive line looks like this: Blake Brandel-LT, Fred Lauina-LG, Sumner Houston-C, Gus Lavaka-RG, Trent Moore-RT. Personally, I like this lineup, and if they can build chemistry and gel, they could propel the Beavers to a huge season. Last year, the Beavers made changes mid-season that completely changed the dynamic of the offensive line, and helped the Beavers have get a school record in yards-per-carry. It’s never easy to replace guys like Sean Harlow, Dustin Stanton, and Gavin Andrews, but the Beavers do have the ability to reload and be close to where they were in 2016 in terms of running the ball.
