With the Oregon State football team just over halfway through the 2019 season with seven games played and sporting a 3-4 (2-2 Pac-12) record, BeaversEdge.com is set to give it's midseason superlatives...
Today, we break down the OSU offense.
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MVP 1A: WR Isaiah Hodgins
Is there anything that Isaiah Hodgins can't do?
Throughout the course of the 2019 season, Hodgins has made most of the Pac-12 defensive backs look silly en-route to 745 receiving yards (eighth nationally) while also reaching the endzone 10 times to be currently tied for the NCAA lead in that category.
Whether it's been crazy one-handed catches, crucial touchdowns with the game on the line, or securing a drive-saving first-down pass on fourth down, Hodgins has been the ultimate security blanket for offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren and quarterback Jake Luton.
Despite Hodge being somewhat limited in terms of his usual receiving output against the strong defenses of Utah and Cal, Hodgins should be primed for a huge game against Arizona. Simply put, the Wildcats haven't been good against the pass and the Beavers will certainly look to exploit that mismatch.
Hodgins is a next-level talent and without him, Oregon State would be likely be in a world of hurt offensively... he's the 1A MVP on offense through seven games no doubt.
MVP 1B: RB Artavis Pierce
While Hodgins was certainly deserving of holding the mantle of MVP alone, it didn't seem right not having Pierce there as he's been just as instrumental in Oregon State's offensive success this season.
If it wasn't for Jermar Jefferson's injury, we might be talking about a different situation, but Pierce absolutely deserves props for locking-down the OSU backfield in his absence. In the five games that Jefferson has either missed or hasn't been effective, Pierce has gone into overdrive. In those five contests, Pierce has averaged 16 carries per game and is averaging just north of 90 yards per game. However, those numbers are slightly bogged down by the Utah game (10 carries, 21 yards) and could be a lot higher.
Additionally, Pierce has shown the ability to be a real factor in the receiving game as well. On the year, he's tallied 15 catches for 127 yards and one touchdown, proving he's a reliable failsafe option for Luton when the pocket is breaking down.
He'll certainly have to battle Jefferson for carries once he returns, but make no mistake, the Beavers wouldn't have won games this season without Pierce, most notably against Cal and UCLA. Hodgins may be the overall offensive MVP, but Pierce is hot on his trail thanks to an impressive last few weeks.
