My opinion.
4 things that Oregon State should be able to take complete advantage of with PSU's defense.
I just looked over some plays from the BYU/PSU game. PSU runs a 4-3 Tampa-2 pre snap look on defense. Their middle backer is is often 7-8 yards off the LOS (1)! That is pretty far for pre snap, especially just setting static. The Beavs better be able to run all day on that if they stay in that look. Their backers do fill hard but they don't necessarily cheat up or stem much, so inside zone with our big backs should be a complete mismatch. One of the 2 OLBs is #39 (who is listed as a Safety from Cent. Catholic) plays the boundary side, is very active and a good football player but WAY undersized at 200lbs to be holding the short side of the field as a LB (2).
Their D line is pretty hard nosed and they stay with the play. They got some pressure and actually stood up a couple guys on the LOS.
The secondary is aggressive and play a lot of bump and run on the outside with their corners (3). The safeties align within 10 yards from the LOS often with pressed corners (4) (who are actually pretty good sized CBs- 6'1"- 6'2"), they also seem to fill hard on run action.
Offensively PSU overall struggled. They used a lot of Pistol formation with 2x1 and 3x1 formations. Their QB #10 is small and often is either off balance or leaves his feet to throw (I think he's 5'10") and he's not very accurate. PSU seemed to want to try and throw the football quite a bit still and that was interesting. Granted many of the throws were shorter, *RB swing off of motion, bubble and some hitches/short comebacks and hit some seams "hot". The intermediate deep throws were pretty inaccurate.
The running game was not very impressive and they seemed to rely on a lot of delay or a slight sprint draw.
*I highlighted this because CSU made a few huge plays off of this same exact thing and the Beavs better be ready to deal with it again. They have to be disciplined though because one of the complimentary plays to those motion out swing plays is "go" by the playside receiver(s). Normally they are stalk blocking on that play instantly because the throw is behind the LOS and blocking downfield is allowed then. If corners and or safeties fly up to take the swing, the receiver runs the fade or seam inside.
Questions I have:
*How good was BYU really? I'm not sure they are that great, especially on offense. Mangum made some real questionable and poor throws in that game.
*Will the Beavs take advantage and have patience with their running game? When you have an OLB that's 200lbs and if their defense stays in a 4-3 look with that MLB that far of the LOS (8 yards at times), throwing the ball there would be ridiculous!
*When the opportunities present themselves, can the Huge Beaver receivers take advantage of the pressing corners on the outsides (redzone, sudden change, safeties sucked in)?
*Will the Beavers force multiple turnovers on defense? This is the game for the Beavs to get some turnovers; small qb, tipped balls, blocked throwing lanes.
*Will CSU beat Colorado? I think it's very possible.
Go Beavs!
