Never Lose Hope: Oregon State Football

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A Season In The Books

Well, Beaver Nation it has been a long couple of months watching the Beavers football team. It has almost been a year since we lost Mike Riley to Nebraska. People say it usually takes a year to get used to change. I think we are slowly repairing our hearts that Riley broke when he left without any great explanation. It has not yet been a year since Gary Andersen took over for the Beavers as head coach but we have seen what he can produce with what we saw during some of the 2015 season. Even though there isn't much to be happy about there are little things that always make a huge difference. 

The Little Things:

The little things make anything better. We can look back at some good plays, players, and game calling that has happened this season. The hype around Coach Andersen when he first arrived in Corvallis at the beginning of the season is still there. It may however be a little dim but I believe Beaver Nation has some things to look forward to next season. One huge game this season was the Civil War and Beaver fans saw a lot of hope and potential in that game.

Coming into most of our games this season the Beavers have been underdogs, but the Beavers are always used to being underdogs but that is a good thing. We have a spark that can help us produce better plays and game calling if we play with a little edge or fire on our team. Against the Ducks in the Civil War they were favored by 30 points and we lost by just 10. That shed some light on Beaver fans. If the Beavers can come into spring practice next year and focus on some goals they need to be: connection, teamwork, and play calling. 

Coach Andersen and his coaching staff didn't let us down with their play calling. When was the last time Beaver Nation remembers going on 4th and 1? Coach Riley would never do that. A running quarterback, who by the way can play wide reciever too. With little tricks up Coach Andersen’s sleeves we can make something magical. It will still take a little time but it will happen. We all just have to respect the process. We have to keep believing and one day we will come to Reser Stadium and be shocked at what Coach Andersen has produced. 

We did loose a number of seniors but with a young team that is building up to become better it will be a number of fun seasons ahead of us Beaver Nation. That day is closer than we think we have a lot of edge and fire going into next season. We have to prove everyone wrong and bounce back from a 2-10 season and show all the fans that hard work pays off. I cannot wait for next season to see how Beaver football evolves. Keep believe Beaver Nation. Go Beavs!

Links to some articles below on the Beaver season:

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2015/11/canzano_civil_war_followed_by.html#incart_big-photo

http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2015/11/patchwork_oregon_state_offense.html#incart_most-readbeavers

This video gives people a look back at the 2015 season and where the Beavers are heading: https://youtu.be/A5a6ygWU_I0 

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Civil War

Every year on Thanksgiving weekend the Oregon State Beavers play their rivals University of Oregon Ducks. I never know why this game is planned at such a happy time (Thanksgiving). I mean rivalries are never civil and this one is not even close to civil.

Beavers vs Ducks:

This years Civil War marks the 119th meeting against these two teams and well us Beaver fans have not enjoyed it at all the past years. It has been a gruesome seven years since the Beavers last won the Civil War. Other than that it has been a one team show. The Beavers last win against the Ducks was back in 2007 when they traveled to Eugene.

2007 Civil War:

The 2007 Civil War was what every Beaver fan hopes for on Thanksgiving day: A Beaver victory and bragging rights. It was everything they asked for an more. Playing down in Eugene was a tough one but with James Rodgers we knew we had something special. The Beavers took the game into two overtimes and won it at the end of the second overtime. Winning in Eugene and seeing the faces of their fans was priceless. However from there our luck turned south quick. We lost great players and we were not able to win another Civil War.

2014 Civil War:

This Civil War was the one that got away. Beavers had it all, an incredible offense and defense and coaching staff. It all came down to the last minutes of the game, the Beavers had the ball and scored. However, they gave the Ducks too much time in the end to score again giving them the win. The Beavers played well but in the end we could not match the Ducks. That was one game Beaver fans wish we could take back. 

Today:

For today, the Ducks entered favored by 30 points and the Beavers are coming in with no Pac-12 wins. It has been a though season but it will be over soon and we can start to rebuild. Every Beaver fan still has a little bit of hope going into todays game but reality has to set in at some point. The Beavers played better in this one game then in the whole season. They scored 42 points against a nationally ranked team. We hung in there and lost only by 10 points. We proved many people wrong who said that it would be a blowout win by Oregon. There were some chances where the Beavers could have won but they did not connect all the way. Overall, our players, coaches and fans should be proud of how hard we played today.  After today’s game we should all look forward to next year were the football team can hopefully get one win in the Pac-12. Tonight we can be proud of where this program will be heading next season if we continue to play and connect like we did today. Go Beavs!

A look at the Civil War history: http://www.orangemedianetwork.com/daily_barometer/history-of-the-civil-war/article_5f8df774-932c-11e5-85ba-2727af676ded.html

A look back at the 2006 Civil War. Quarterback Matt Moore Celebrates after a win.

James Rodgers winning touchdown in the 2007 Civil War.

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Oregon State Mysteries

Oregon State started the season off with one quarterback, Seth Collins. Suddenly, he was no longer the quarterback! Beaver Nation had many different questions, why? is he hurt? when will he come back? Well, those questions have not truly been answered honestly.

What Happened to Seth Collins?

Well into the season Beaver Nation saw a new quarterback take the field halfway through the game. It was not Seth Collins backup that we knew instead it was Nick Mitchell. Our first reactions were yes, this guy has an arm he is good but where is Seth? A lot of us were watching the sidelines to find Seth. He looked fine, no noticeable injury. We all waited for him to take the field but the game continued on without him. Beaver fans were confused and it wasn't until much later and about two games without Seth Collins we learned of his “undisclosed” injury. Here is an article that all of Beaver Nation read to see what was wrong with Seth, only we still didn't know: http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2015/10/seth_collins_oregon_state_beav_4.html

It wasn't until a couple weeks ago we learned he was out for the season with a knee injury. Weird? Students who had classes with him or saw him walking on campus said he looked fine. No crutches, no knee brace and no limp in his walk. Now the question that comes to our minds is was Seth benched? Is Andersen covering up something? Well, if that is the case it probably violates some type of NCAA code so lets hope that is not the case. It is also probably that they are saving him for next season. With the hopes we will be good, lets settle with the Beavers will be better. Well Beaver Nation, here is an article stating Seth will not return this year: http://www.bendbulletin.com/sports/beavers/3692920-151/with-collins-out-for-season-beavers-quarterback-situation#

Looks like we have to watch closely to see if Seth is at the game this weekend. Lets hope for a speedy recovery whatever the “injury” may be. We want to see Seth jumping over guys again soon. Go Beavs!

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Andersen Year One

Well, we are two games away from the end of Coach Andersen’s first year at Oregon State University. It has been a long season for Beaver fans! They have watched it all but this season hurts the most. 

Andersen Era, Year One:

While the season started off with new hopes for Beaver fans it turned the corner real fast. With a new coach and a young team we all hoped Coach Andersen could produce, we were wrong. After winning our first game against Weber State University everyone was impressed with what Coach Andersen brought to the playing field. There was no more of Mike Riley’s pass offense. We were seeing more of the spread offense, a running quarterback and different plays. We were impressed. After winning our second game against San Jose State University it was time to play against the Pac-12. This is where things turned for the worse. This was the big test for Coach Andersen and everyone wanted to see if he could help the Beavers play against a conference of champions. 

Pac-12 Play:

The Beavers first played Stanford University, we played well but did not win. After another loss to a Pac-12 team we started to loose focus. Our confidence, teamwork, connection, and game plans went downhill from there. As a huge Beaver fan I can truly say I have never seen the Beavers play so badly in a season then the 2015 season. Our worst came was against UCLA a 41-0 loss, it was our first shutout loss at home since 1992. Now thats a fact we should not be happy about. Yes, Oregon State always has its highs and lows but it has NEVER been this bad. We have high hopes for our team and we want to become a team where we can play in the Pac-12 championship game. In order to do this we need players to step up to the plate and give it all they have. We need to become a “family” and connect as a team. After this season we know that it will be a while before Coach Andersen can get us there. We need to go back to the drawing board and players need to start connecting and stop getting frustrated all the time and we need to build from our mistakes. We need to believe in ourselves and we need a coach that can be tough but also help build a relationship with his team. We have seen some of that from Coach Andersen but if he doesn't produce in the next two season he could be on the hot seat. Coach Andersen has a long way to go before Beaver fans have faith in him again (the offseason will help). I think it’s time to move on, though we all have hope that we can still win ONE Pac-12 game and maybe then it won't be as bad of a season. Until then we have to be patient and put our trust in Coach Andersen for next year and the offseason and hope he gets some good recruits. Keep your heads high Beaver Nation! Go Beavs!

This article is about toughness and what it means to Beaver players.

http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2015/11/gary_andersen_oregon_state_bea_8.html#incart_2box

2015 wins and losses

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Beavers in the NFL

Every college football team is proud to see one of their players’ name being called at the National Football League’s (NFL) draft. Oregon State has had its fair share of excitement in recent years. Most recently Beaver fans witnessed the great Brandon Cooks having his name being called in the first round of the NFL draft. Cooks’ was drafted in the first round pick 20 by the New Orleans Saints. As of that day Beaver fans became Saints fans. 

NFL Beavers:

Oregon State currently has 23 players in active in the NFL. This is something we should Beaver fans should be proud about. To watch an athlete play and see their potential grow as a player is huge. I know Beaver fans can be grateful they have witnessed many amazing players walk onto the field at Oregon State and continue their careers after Oregon State. Lets just say Beaver Nation has a lot of games to watch during football season. A fun fact is that in last years draft every beaver who was drafted or signed as a free agent was welcomed onto a team that had another Beaver alumni. That is something special! Oregon State creates a family atmosphere for the players and to have that same atmosphere in a new place is awesome. A list of current Beaver players in the NFL can be found here: http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209264255

Giving Back:

Most of these players still hold a special place for Oregon State and their football program and every once in a while we will see current NFL players make the trip back to Corvallis. A program part of Oregon State Athletics called Our Beaver Nation recently hired former player Yvenson Bernard as their Discovery Officer. Part of his job is to focus on current and former student-athletes, mostly those who are, or have been, in the NFL. I think what Bernard does is wonderful. He recently invited former Beaver standout Steven Jackson back to practice. Jackson talked to the young Beaver stars about his journey and how to focus on the future. When these former players come back to Oregon State it shows current students that you can reach your dreams by and also it shows them to give back to the college that helped make them. I think by the help of Yvenson Bernard and all the other Beaver Alumni we have created something very special here at Oregon State. An article about Jackson’s visit back to Campus can be found here: http://www.sj39.com/news/beaver-pride/2015/09/09

Overall, Beavers who are currently in the NFL have their work cut out for them to become a regular or keep their jobs but they will always know that Beaver Nation has their back. We will support them no matter the situation. I cannot wait to see what this years draft has in hand for our talented players and what the future holds for the players currently there. I hope to see them visit Oregon State during the remainder of this years season but look forward to seeing some of them next season also. Go Beavs!

Brandon Cooks after having his name called in the 2014 NFL Draft

Former Beaver Johnny Hekker who currently plays for the St. Louis Rams.

Former Beaver Marcus Wheaton who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Former Beaver Jacquizz Rogers who currently plays for the Chicago Bears.

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Reser Stadium

Reser Stadium is a wonderful place to play college football. The atmosphere is amazing and the fans get loud. It has been the home to Oregon State Football since 1999.

Parker Stadium:

Before it was known to us as Reser Stadium Oregon State University used to play at Parker Stadium. The stadium got its name after businessman Charles T. Parker. This was the beginning to a great venue to watch the Beavers play. When it first opened it only housed 25,000 fans. However, today it is much bigger. In June 1999 Al and Pat Reser gave Oregon State a remarkable donation to rename the stadium after them as Reser Stadium. The name of Charles T. Parker is still important to Oregon State and after the renaming of the stadium the University named the plaza outside the stadium Parker Plaza. Now Parker Plaza is the home to many different festivities that go on during games days. 

Reser Stadium:

After the renaming in 1999 Reser Stadium was ready for a new era of Beaver Football. We have seen many amazing plays and wins happen at Reser Stadium. We have also seen many great players walk onto the turf of Reser Stadium within the last couple of years. Reser Stadium has expanded from holding just 25,000 to holding 45,647 fans. The most recent renovations came in 2005 and 2007. These two renovations gave fans a better experience with the creation of the Club Level. This level has open bars, huge TV’s and some Beaver merchandise for sale. The addition of the jumbotron was part of these two renovations. As of today Oregon State has the biggest screen inside its stadium in the PAC-12. There will be a new renovation scheduled to finish sometime in the next couple of years that will expand the Valley Endzone and players locker rooms. While Reser Stadium has slowly been expanding the atmosphere has too. Win or lose fans stay till the end of the games to support their Beavers. Rain or shine, hot or cold the stadium always has a good number in attendance. We do not give enough credit to how special this place is to play. It is not too big or too small it is exactly what the Beavers need, a home where everyone is close. Teams find it very hard to play at Reser because the fans are closer to the field than in most stadiums. Also the fact that Beaver Nation gets loud on third downs. Reser Stadium has seen season ticket holders who have sat next to each other for years, students who go to every game, little children dreaming of playing here one day. That is what Reser Stadium is all about, being a family. I can hope that in years to come Reser Stadium holds its presents as one of the most unique football stadiums in all of College Football. Reser Stadium is a place most people call home here at Oregon State University. 

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Adversity

Over the course of college football we always hear one story about a player who made the best of a bad situation. The hero everyone looks up to, the team player, the guy who plays for a reason, the fan favorite. Those are my favorite kinds of stories. At Oregon State we have seen a number of these types of stories, as for example, Alexis Serna overcoming a bad game against LSU back in 2004 to becoming the Lou Groza Award winner in 2005. However, my most favorite story is about Oregon State’s quarterback Matt Moore overcoming adversity to becoming one of the best quarterbacks to play for the Beavers.

The Beginning:

When Beaver Nation first met Matt Moore he was a transfer student from UCLA and Coach Riley saw his potential. After beating out Ryan Gunderson for the quarterback position he was playing his first season as a Beaver. The season started off well, however it took a turn soon after. The Beavers ended the season 5-6 with no bowl game in site. It was a rough first year for Matt Moore, with a high of 19 interceptions. The fans were calling for him to be benched in favor of his backup Ryan Gunderson. Coach Riley never lost hope in his guy. Unfortunately, Moore’s year came to an end when he was injured against Stanford. That never stopped him from wanting to do better next year. 

2006:

A fresh new season and Moore wanted it to be the best yet since it was his last. The season started off a little rough and the fans were wanting Moore to be benched again. Moore never saw the bench that season for more than five minutes. This occurred when Moore sat out one play against Washington, where his backup Sean Canfield took over. Canfield threw an interception and Moore was back in the game. That game against Washington was Moore’s breakout game and fans noticed it. Coach Riley knew the potential Moore had and he knew that the fans would love him as they started doing halfway through the season. When USC rolled into Corvallis and the Beavers ran off with an upset, that was the game Beaver Nation really began to believe in Moore and they never looked back after that. Oregon State went on to beat the Ducks in the Civil War and it was my favorite moment. You saw Matt Moore riding on the shoulders of fans after the game. In that moment you knew Moore was playing for a reason, to prove to the fans that he was their quarterback and he was right. Oregon State went to the Sun Bowl that year and beat Missouri 39-38 and Matt Moore won the Most Valuable Player award. In his victory speech, he looked over to the crowd of Beaver fans still there and said this was for them and he thanked his team and coaches. That was the icing on the cake for Moore. 

The End:

Coming into a new situation is never easy and it was not easy at all for Moore. A season with 19 interceptions was hard but he was able to turn it around. in 2006 he led the nation with number of passes without an interception. He never gave up and his teammates and coaches never gave up on him. That is what Oregon State is all about. Now Matt Moore is still doing his best at being a backup quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. Out of his class of draftees he is still the most successful quarterback on a NFL team roster. Most of the quarterbacks who where drafted in 2006 are no longer playing or they are pursuing a different path. Also, Moore was never drafted in NFL; he signed as a free agent. This is one incredible story of resilience and overcoming adversity, and it will always be my favorite.  

Here is a link to some highlights from the 2006 season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiWpL8b5JYM 

Pleased to say I had the privilege to meet this incredible man back in 2014. Here is a picture of myself with Johnny Hekker (Left) and Matt Moore (Right). Go Beavs!

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Traditions

Traditions are a huge part of college football. As fans we play a big part in participating and creating new ones. At Oregon State we have old traditions and new ones but in all they are what makes the atmosphere at Reser Stadium even better.

The Old:

Over the years we have seen many different traditions come into Reser Stadium. To start with before the game starts Oregon State fans start changing O-S-U with arm movement. When the Beavers get a first down the crowd moves their arm in the direction the team is going. When we are on defense and its third down Beaver Nation gets loud and the chainsaws come out. We also have the tradition of wearing different colors each home game. Some games its wear white or wear orange or wear black. This is a great way to get the crowd involved and see the stadium stand out in that color. Another huge tradition is playing our rivals the University of Oregon Ducks as our last football game. This tradition is a hard one and true Beaver pride comes out. There is really nothing civil about the Civil War. These traditions have stuck around for many years and will continue to do so we have now introduced some new ones.

The New:

With the new era of Coach Andersen we have some new traditions too. One great idea Coach Andersen brought with him to Oregon State was after every game win or lose the team will sing the fight song along with the remaining fans. I think this is something really special and it builds character and a sense that we all come from one place: Oregon State University. I have noticed that more and more students and some fans stay after the game and sing the fight song with the players. I think this is a great way for the team to thank the fans for supporting them as they unite to sing the same song. Coach Andersen has also started using player profiles or “get to know your team” videos more this season then we have seen in the past. I think these new traditions are becoming a hit with the fans and they will stick around for years to come.

Overall, traditions are the most important part of keeping fans engaged in college football. Beaver fans take our traditions seriously and we continue to see them in seasons to come. I believe we will keep most of our old traditions and keep adding to the new. Here is a link to some of our traditions at Oregon State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DhTmv-W69M

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Riley vs Andersen

It was quite an offseason for Oregon State as Coach Riley left without a word. I was shocked! Never imagined that such a great coach could do something like that to his team. Well, I guess thats college football for you. 

As long as I can remember Coach Riley was always on the sidelines helping the Beavers though good times and bad. Lets not just think about last season but look at Riley’s entire coaching era at Oregon State. Being a hometown guy Riley was able to connect with players and help them through their times at Oregon State. He was able to recruit and most importantly sell Corvallis and the University to the players he wanted. To be honest why would such great players want to come to a small college town and play? There are schools like Michigan, Alabama, and even Texas that are more appealing. The reason being Coach Riley and his sincerity. He brought great players to Oregon State: Derek Anderson, Yvenson Bernard, Ken Simonton, Matt Moore, Steven Jackson, Brandon Cooks, Alexis Serna, and the Rodger’s brothers. This list goes on and on with most of these players still active in the NFL. 

While making great players Riley also made them great people. He made them great students and one family. In Riley’s years of coaching most of his past players came back during a weekend off to visit their old college town. This bond between Riley and his players was my favorite part of all the years he coached Oregon State. 

While we did not always win and we did not always make Bowl games. There is always hope and that hope is still not dead. Though Riley was not as mean as most coach he got his points across. I have enjoyed watching coach Riley and his exciting games like beating USC twice, the 2006 Sun Bowl, and beating Oregon in 2006. It was sad to see such a great coach leave Oregon State but fans will remember him for the humble man he was. Riley is a great coach and always a Beaver. 

When we got news that Coach Andersen was hired most of the Beaver community did not know much about him. I was not sure what type of coach he was going to be. Since we are now in the season I can say there are huge differences I see between Coach Andersen and Coach Riley. However, Coach Andersen has the mindset that the Beavers will be able to compete with the best and be the best one day. I agree, we needed someone who wanted the same goals as the players and the fans. It was a good move bringing someone tough to be the coach. 

Even though it is still just Coach Andersen’s first season at Oregon State I can see some promising things. Seth Collins has a bright future ahead of him for one and since our team is young we will be better next season then this. This season is all about getting used to the new coach and becoming a new family. When Andersen got to Corvallis I was sad to see many of Riley’s old players transfer to other University but with those losses Andersen has done his best to fill the gaps. 

Both Riley and Andersen have their strengths and weaknesses but they are both nice individuals. I truly think Coach Andersen is helping us get in the right direction though it will take some time before we get there. Beaver fans just have to keep their hope alive and trust Coach Andersen. The wait will be over one day and it will be great. Go Beavs!

[oregonstate1-blog]

A New Beginning

I am very excited to blog about the Oregon State football team. I hope to cover many different themes throughout my blog about the Beaver football team and their journey this season. 

There are a couple of important themes I want to touch on. The new Anderson Era is a big one. How our team handles their wins and losses. New traditions we have seen this season. Although the team is in its rebuilding year I would also like to look back at where we are coming from. I want to talk about Riley vs Anderson. I want to look at our former players in the NFL and talk about their support for the team. I also want to focus on how the Beaver football team is not just a team but it is a family. These are just a few themes I would like to cover. Of course as time goes by I will more than likely find another theme to talk about. 

All these themes are relevant in my life since I have grown up being a Beaver fan. There isn’t a day when I do not look forward to gameday! Oregon State football is one huge part of my life. I love sports and hope to peruse a job with sports after college. I think by writing this blog and analyzing the football team and exploring all these different themes I can help my goals come true. I do not see myself getting bored with any of these themes and I feel that I can help people understand where Oregon State comes from and how we play. One day we will be able to compete with the best, and I hope to covey this to the readers.

Lastly, here are some blogs I found that relate to my topic of College Football, links below:

http://thecollegefootballguy.tumblr.com

http://nfl.tumblr.com

http://mrcollegefootball.blog.ajc.com/2015/01/15/first-college-football-playoff-a-success-but-what-about-next-year/

I hope you all enjoy my take on Oregon State’s Football team!