Quotes of the Week: Oregon State looking to bounce back against ASU
JuCo DL Nick Figueroa excited about Oregon State offer
Oregon State Beavers Football: Smith says Luton is doubtful
5 questions with Arizona State expert
Tight end Noah Togiai on how he feels after playing in his first game in nearly a season
“It feels really good to be back out there and I had a lot of fun playing again,” Togiai said. “It’s not fun being on the sideline. I’m still a little rusty and I have to get back into playing shape. I learned not to take anything for granted as I’ve been hurt multiple times here and each time I’m more and more thankful everyday that I get to keep playing on this field.”
Brian Wozniak on Noah Togiai making his way back to the field
“One of the biggest things with Noah is getting him back and making sure he feels healthy out there while also getting his conditioning back,” Wozniak said. “The more and more he can do, the better off he’s going to be in practices and in the games. For him right now, it’s all about knocking off rust and getting back into a rhythm.”
Wide receiver Trevon Bradford on whether or not there’s a different mindset as a receiver going from one QB to another
“It doesn’t change too much because we work with both guys a lot,” Bradford said. “Jake’s been hurt so he hasn’t been able to step in and get his chance to play. When Jake is back, we’ll most likely go back to using them both. While Jake has been out, Conor has really stepped up and has been a leader for us.”
Safety Jalen Moore on how the team needs to start against ASU
“We have to execute from the start to the finish,” Moore said. “We can’t come in sluggish or anything like that. We have to come in focused and physical because if the offense can’t score, we have to get stops and force turnovers. Football is a physical game, and we were lacking in that aspect of the game against Arizona.”
Bradford on how Blount has led the team post-Arizona
“He’s been leading by his play on the practice field,” Bradford said. “Conor is always the last guy to leave the field trying to get extra work and has been a vocal leader in the huddle. All those things are important from the quarterback position and he’s been doing a really good job. He’s been more of a lead by example guy, but lately he’s been trying to be more vocal.”
Moore on what makes ASU wide receiver N’Keal Harry so special
“He’s a very tall receiver who’s very good with his body and is one of the best receivers we’ll face all season,” Moore said. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to go against him and compete to show what I got.”
Outside linebacker and Phoenix native Hamilcar Rashed on the emotions of playing against former teammates in front of his family
“It’s going to be a big honor for me,” Rashed said. “I have a lot of former teammates on ASU and it’s going to be fight. I know they’ll be talking smack and you just gotta let that go in one ear and out the other and keep balling.”
Rashed on what advice he can offer his teammates about playing in extreme heat
“It’s going to be a grind, that’s for sure,” Rashed said of the expected 90 degree temperatures at kickoff. “We’ve been hydrating all week and emphasizing the importance of being more hydrated than usual because it’s going to be a hot game even when the sun goes down.”
Top BeaversEdge.com stories of the week
Oregon State Beavers Football: Wednesday Report
Prior to the Arizona game this past weekend, the Oregon State defense appeared to be finding its stride after shutting down a potent Nevada offense in the second half.
After spotting the Wolfpack 30 points in the first half, OSU’s defense clamped down in the second half, and gave their team a chance to win the game with a strong performance that many thought would carry over to the Arizona game.
Unfortunately for the Beavers, that didn’t happen.
Arizona’s offense against Oregon State’s defense was like a knife against butter as the Wildcats dominated offensively with two 100 plus yard rushers in JJ Taylor and Gary Brightwell and a solid two touchdown performance from quarterback Khalil Tate.
“We weren’t physically competitive,” Tibesar said. “We were more physically competitive against Ohio State as far as not controlling the line of scrimmage. We got knocked back and around and weren’t able to come off blocks and make tackles.”
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Larrier says Oregon State is a top choice
Over the summer, Elk Grove (Calif.) Monterey Trail athlete Zach Larrier was at Oregon State this past weekend for an official visit. The Beavers offered the talented defensive back in April and have stayed on him since.
"The visit was amazing!" Larrier sent in a message to BeaversEdge.com. "The highlights would be the culture of the town around football and the area itself. I loved Corvallis and the game atmosphere. Even though they lost, a ton of fans still showed love and came to support."
Larrier was being recruited by Mike Riley before he left his position as OSU's tight ends coach. Safeties coach Greg Burns is now the lead guy in Larrier's recruitment. He's also close with current tight ends coach Brian Wozniak.
"Their message was to take my time on my process and make sure I choose the school with the best fit for me," Larrier said of the Oregon State staff.
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Oregon State commit Michael Erhart recruiting hard for the Beavers
West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade inside linebacker Michael Erhart used his official visit to Oregon State in June and committed that weekend. He returned to Corvallis on Friday on his own dime, and even got to see Omar Speights in action for Crescent Valley H.S.
"It was my bye week so I actually flew up there with my dad on Friday and we got in around 3pm," Erhart said. "We headed to Corvallis and hung out for a bit, and we got to see Omar's game. That was pretty cool and I got to say hi to him.
"On Saturday, we got to see the game and hung out with all of the other commits and recruits. That was pretty fun, and it was really great to spend time with the coaching staff again and getting to know the commits a little more."
Erhart was really happy he got to see his future inside linebacker teammate.
"It was awesome," he said. "He was really happy that I came out to see him. It was great being able to support him and watch him play."