Hall on Beaver football: 'The times are changing'

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Oregon State dropped to 1-6 in what has been a very disappointing season, but the Beavers came out with a newfound energy and played their most complete football game of the season.

OSU came out on the losing end 36-33 to the reigning Pac-12 South champs, the Colorado Buffaloes, but Cory Hall was very happy with what his players accomplished in his first game as the Beavs' interim head coach.

"When you look at the stride that was made, you look at the total yards [569] to [Colorado's] roughly 380, you see what direction we're heading in," Hall said in his postgame press conference. "We can run the ball, be physical, and play as a team. It's not lip service as you get to get to know me; I don't sugar coat and I tell the truth. This team is getting better, and it will continue to do that, whether I'm in this position or not.

"Those boys have come together tight and they're determined. I felt that they fought hard and showed a different side of Beaver football that I've seen since I've been here. I couldn't be more happier for them just to see the right kind of emotion after a game like that. The times are changing."

The Beavers had a season high in rushing attempts today - by far - with 46. Oregon State ran for 280 yards, led by Ryan Nall's 172 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven called an excellent game as the Beavers racked up 569 yards, which is a total that OSU hasn't surpassed in quite some time.

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"The way the offense performed and ran the ball - it's who we are," Hall said. "It's our identity. If you look at the stats, the score is no indicator of what really happened. Hats off to their offense - they made plays when they had to. On defense, we didn't make enough plays, but let the record reflect, when you look at both columns in total yardage, we won. That's why I said, 'Wow, we should have won.' By the numbers, cause numbers never lie, right?

"It's who we are. It's what the staff and this recruiting department has built. What we tried to focus on was boiling it down to one dynamic and one identity instead of saying that we're going to do what the situation called for. We're going to do what works and do what we're good at."

While there are certainly many positives to take a way for the Beavers, they still came out on the losing end in gut-wrenching fashion.

"Today was like if we were 6-0 and this was our first loss. It was that kind of emotion, if I can paint a different picture," Hall explained. "Those boys were determined."

Hall's press conferences are a lot more passionate and enjoyable than what Gary Andersen's pressers were. Hall was asked about what the Beavs' goal was on Saturday.

"The goal was to just inflict pain. That's it," he said. "That's why you run the ball - to soften players up. I mean, it's football. Football hurts. We want to be aggressive and physical, and that's our goal. That's what we're going to work on and get better at. Pain is a part of the sport, but as long as we're giving more of it than we're taking, we're going to accomplish our goal."

Oregon State's offensive and defensive coordinators have been under a lot of heat this season, but Hall praised McGiven and defensive coordinator Kevin Clune.

"We have professional coaches here. These guys have been in this profession for a long time, so for me to sit here and take pats on the back and say that I had anything to do with it - I give it to those coordinators on both sides of the ball. I just ask them to give me their best, give these their best, and give everybody a chance to be successful. Those coordinators took the game plan, did what the players felt comfortable, and that's what you saw today. Hats off to that offensive staff for putting together a great game plan."