Just a week after losing Mike Riley to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Oregon State Beavers have found his replacement.
And it's not the guy anyone was expecting.
Now former Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen was hired to take over the as football coach. A statement was released Wednesday afternoon, a presser is scheduled for Friday.
Andersen spent 2 seasons coaching in Madison going 19-7 during that time. The Badgers won the Western Division of the Big 10 this past season, but were whitewashed by Ohio State in the title game 59-0.
Previous to Wisconsin, Andersen spent time coaching at Southern Utah and Utah State.
Raise your hands if you saw this coaching hire coming.
Nebraska has a new football coach--and no, it's not who you thought it might be. The Cornhuskers announced Wednesday afternoon they've hired now former Oregon State coach Mike Riley to be their new head coach.
Riley replaces Bo Pelini who was let go just over a week ago. He was at Oregon State for the past 14 years compiling a 93-80 record. His teams were competitive, but he was never able to compete with the remote Corvallis, Oregon location and the big Nike bucks fueling arch rival Oregon.
Riley inherits a Cornhusker program that has been good but not great for the past few seasons under Pelini. The Cornhusker alumni still imagine themselves a national power, which is no longer true, but brings added pressure to the job.
Props to Nebraska AD Shawn Eichorst who conducted his search largely in the shadows. A rumor leaked earlier this week saying Eichorst had interest in Arkansas coach Bret Bielema, but that was quickly shot down.
The search was a direct contrast to the highly visible and shaky search conducted by Florida who finally announced their hire of Jim McElwain earlier in the morning.
Marcus Mariota would be a humungous star if he played on the east coast. He's a pretty big college football star in his own right, but he plays out west, so a lot of people don't get to see him
They don't know what they are missing.
Mariota threw for 367 yards and 4 TD's and chipped in with 2 running TD's, leading the University of Oregon to a 47-19 rivalry week win over arch-rival Oregon State.
The Ducks jumped out to a 30-3 halftime lead and never looked back.
Two freshmen also stood out for Oregon, playing on State's home turf in Corvallis. Freshman RB Royce Freeman ran for 135 yards and fellow rookie Charles Nelson caught 2 TD passes as the Ducks moved to 11-1 overall, 8-1 in the Pac 12.
Oregon moves on to a date with Arizona in the Pac 12 Championship game next week, the winner likely will get a berth in the inaugural College Football playoff.
The HQ figured that, without your starting QB, Boise would have their hands full with Oregon State in Hawai'i on Christmas Eve.
And we were right...
Rashaad Reynolds returned two fumbles for touchdowns...
Two... and we know how difficult it is to return one...
And Oregon State set several records in handing Boise State their worst loss in two months. Brandin Cooks had 60 yards receiving and a touchdown to set a Pac-12 record for most receiving yards in season. QB Sean Mannion set another for passing yards in a season after going 24-for-33, 259 yards and the TD to Cooks in a 38-23 win.
Boise State QB Joe Southwick was sent home two days before the Hawai'i Bowl for what was alleged as (something along the line of) peeing off a hotel balcony...
A Boise State spokesman confirmed that both Southwick and redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Patti missed the Broncos Friday afternoon practice due to "team violations."
Patti has since been reinstated, but Southwick wasn't...
He has even gone as far as taking a polygraph saying he did nothing wrong...
But the ex-starting QB says it turned into three people against one in pinning down who allagedly did what...
Here's Southwick's interview with KTVB...
Boise State issued a statement:
"We investigated the matter with university administrators, coaching staff, a law enforcement official, hotel security and student-athletes. We made the decision to send the student-athlete home, and we stand by this difficult decision."
Interesting to see what happens next...
The 117th Civil War Between Oregon and Oregon State came down to a 12 yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to Josh Huff with 29 seconds left to give the Ducks and 36-35 win over the Beavers.
Thanks Fox Sports 1:
Thanks KEZI-TV, Eugene, Oregon
"Quite frankly, it was a bad throw," Mariota said. "Huff made a great catch. I said, 'Thank you, man, that would've looked bad.'" “It’s surreal,” Huff was quoted in the Eugene (OR) Register-Guard. “I didn’t imagine my last game would come down like that. It was everything I dreamed of. As a little kid growing up in the backyard playing with my dad and cousins, I always went through those scenarios, and it finally came true. I have been waiting for this moment.” Huff's touchdown winner capped off a career day with 186 yards receiving, 10th best in Duck history. Huff added career highs in receptions with 9 and touchdowns with three.
Not a bad final impression by Josh Huff to the Duck fans in Eugene. A career day, the winning touchdown catch against their in-state rival and the sixth win in a row of Oregon State.
Kansas State now has some company in the room of being upset by a FCS school in your home opener.
Saturday it was Eastern Washington that stunned the Oregon State fans in Corvallis by defeating the Beavers 49-46.
Sophomore quarterback Vernon Adams, who had 518 yards of total offense, punched it in the end zone with 18 seconds left to put the Eagles on top for good.
Oregon State kicker Trevor Romaine had a chance to tie it but his field goal attempt sailed wide right.
“This is a huge win." Eastern Washington head coach Beau Baldwin said. "We aren’t talking about an average team, we are talking about a bowl team and a big-time opponent that is well-coached. It took every ounce of every minute in this sucker to get it done.”
Eagle quarterback Vernon Adams deserved the game ball. Adams threw for 411 yards and rushed for 107.
He was doing it with his legs and making all the right decisions." Baldwin said. "That was the thing I loved about it. He was making all of these plays, but he was also taking care of the football and being smart when he needed to."
“You don’t really prepare for something like that and we were a step behind." Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. "He was eluding tackles, which I think was a major factor in the game, the number of tackles that he made us miss and number of missed opportunities we had to sack him. And then there were the big plays he made. Early in the game he set the tone for how the rest of the game went.”
Oregon State will host Hawaii in Corvallis next Saturday.
Parents, please be careful that you don't watch this with your kids. There is a good possibility, they'll be scarred for life.
Sure, we, like most everyone else gets a kick out of seeing "Hype" or Dance videos created to pump up a College Football team or their fans.
But sometimes an idea that sounded fairly good on paper, doesn't necessarily translate so well to video.
Take this one produced by Oregon State for example--
In no particular order, it features:
A Beaver
A guy with a chainsaw looking vaguely Texas Chainsaw Massacare-ish
A group of people with chainsaws appearing to be pulling them, much in the manner one might do to--shall we say--pleasure themselves.
Cheerleaders
And did we say a Beaver?
While we get the reference of Beaver's chopping down trees, visually, it doesn't translate so well. Neither do the semi-diverse cheerleaders or for that matter the alleged creepy looking lumberjacks...
But the video still lives. Watch at your own risk:
Their are no concessions during the NCAA college baseball regionals. Oregon State found that out Friday as Texas-San Antonio gave the Beavers a serious scare at the Corvallis, Oregon regional.
The Roadrunners (35-24), a four seed in the regional, took the Beavers (46-10) to the limit on OSU's home field.
It took a walk-off double by Dylan Davis, who led the Pac-12 in RBI and doubles, off UTSA closer Matt Sims that scoring two runs to win it for Oregon State 5-4
Here's a game winner described by FOSG Tom Hart.
"I was looking first-pitch fastball, got what I was looking for and took advantage of it.'' Davis said.
"We flinched for one second, and they took advantage of it, and that's what happens when you play a good team on its home turf,'' Texas-San Antonio head coach Jason Marshall said. "We don't always play well, but we always play our hearts out, and I think you saw that today.''
A lot of people, the HQ included, thought that after Alabama took care of LSU that the game that would scare them was behind them...
Instead, the game after LSU was the game that bit them...
Johnny Manziel reinforced his trophy aspirations- even as a freshman- with the Texas A&M Aggies upset of Alabama in Tuscaloosa...
Nick Saban was, obviously, less than pleased...
((HT: WIAT-TV Birmingham))
Louisville head coach Charlie Strong wondered aloud why his team, while undefeated, wasn't ranked higher than ninth in the Bee-Cee-Ess poll. Everyone told Strong that he hadn't really played anybody...
So, then, what happens when Louisville plays Syracuse in the Orange Dome on senior day...??? Ryan Nassib throws for 246 yards, the Orange puts the pedal down early and beats the Cardinals 45-26...
It wasn't that close...
((HT: WSYR-TV Syracuse))
The Texas Longhorns honored Darrell Royal by running out of the wishbone- which was a nice tribute... but they did it with a twist...
The Longhorns won over Iowa State 33-7 to improve to 8-2...
((HT: KXAN-TV Austin))
And, until the Florida- Louisiana Lafayette game shows up somewhere, the HQ will finish with the Oregon State-Stanford highlights...
The only turnover Oregon State had on the day would turn costly as the Cardinal held on at home 27-23...
((HT: KVAL-TV))
Sorry Oregon State but you just don't waltz into CenturyLink Field (was Husky Stadium) in Seattle with an unbeaten record and expect to stay that way.Just ask Stanford who were beaten down in Seattle a month ago.
Especially against a desperate Washington Husky team that had lost three in a row coming in.
And when the Huskies broke out the black jerseys the “black magic” voodoo would get the best of the Beavers.
Husky quarterback Keith Price was efficient going 18-30 passing for 194 yards.Bishop Sankey rushed for 92 yards and scored both of U-Dubs two touchdowns as the Huskies were a perfect 3 of 3 in the red zone as the Dawgs upset the Beavers 20-17.
The guys who called the game for the PAC-12 Network, Ted Robinson and Glenn Parker, say it was the Husky defense that shined in this one. (Thanks PAC-12 Network)
“It was a tremendous amount of adversity that they were faced with in the game and they continued to show the mental and physical toughness that teams need to possess to beat a top 10-ranked team opponent.” Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I was proud of the character ours guys possessed, their ability to persevere when the game could’ve really started swaying in Oregon State’s favor when they notched it up 10-10 but our defense continually came up with stops.”
Here’s more post game sound right after the game. (Thanks KING-TV Seattle)
Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion looked rusty following a three game lay off due to a knee injury throwing three interceptions.Cody Yaz come in late in the game and led the Beavers to the tying touchdown.
“It was one of those things where I thought that it would just be good for our team.” Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. “Cody made some good plays, almost made a couple there at the end.”
“Would I have liked to play? Obviously, but at the same time I know it’s about the team and not me. I’m behind Cody 110%.” Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion said.
Oregon State has only one tough road game left, in two weeks at Stanford.All the Beavers want to do now is hold serve for the Civil War showdown with Oregon, this year it’s in Corvallis.
The Oregon State defense
faced a challenge, Wisconsin Heisman Trophy candidate Montee Ball.The Beaver “D” was up for the challenge.
Not only did Oregon
State’s defense hold Ball to only 61 yards rushing, they held the Badger offense
to 207 yards of total offense and almost got a shutout.
“It was just a great
performance.” Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. “When we got into
situations where we threw in a nickel and dime defense we made some big plays
and that combination is awesome. It is about play making and they played really
hard.”
Oregon State quarterback
Sean Mannion had a great day for the Beavers going 29-47 passing for 276 yards
and throwing for OSU’s only touchdown of the game, a 20 yard touchdown pass to
Brandon Cooks in the third quarter.
“Our team battled all day long and I can’t say enough about our
offensive line.”Mannion said.“Itwas just an absolute
team win and finally shows that all our hard work paid off.”
Oregon State’s 10-7 win over Wisconsin is the first win over a Big
Ten team in Corvallis since 1971.
Here’s the highlights from the game. (Thanks Pac-12 Network)
Wisconsin
quarterback Danny O’Brien, the former Maryland starter and 2010 ACC Rookie of
the Year, was 20-38 passing for 172 yards and a touchdown.
According to reports out of Oregon, Oregon State defensive tackle Fred Thompson collapsed and died of a heart attack during a basketball game at the schools Dixon Rec Center Wednesday night.
Thompson, who was finishing his freshman year at the school, was 19-years old. The 6-4, 317lb Thompson was considered a "Grayshirt" player who was injured before the season began but dressed out later in the season and was expected to be a significant contributor to the Beavers next season.
He came to Oregon from Richmond, California.
The school will be holding a press conference Thursday to talk about what happened and at this point, no other details have been released.
Sympathies to the Thompson family and the athletes, coaches and students of Oregon State.
Denard Robinson accounted for five touchdowns helping Michigan beat Ohio State 40-34 and snap a school-record seven-game losing streak in the rivalry.
The Wolverines are now 10-2/6-2 and the Buckeyes are 6-6/3-5
Here's Brady Hoke's postgame...
Can Boise get any love now that they're number seven in the Bee-Cee-Ess...???
Kellen Moore threw three touchdown passes, including a last-ditch 46-yarder on the final play of the first half, and Doug Martin rushed for two scores for Boise State's 36-14 victory over Wyoming on Saturday
Here's the full game story from our friends at KTVB-TV...
Oregon took care of Oregon State in The 115th Civil War game, but now have to monitor the health of LaMichael James' elbow. He was hurt on a third-quarter hit in their 49-21 win.
Oregon now hosts UCLA for the first Pac-1 title game Friday night...
Here's the first half highlights...it's what we call, in TV terms, "raw video."
((HT: KVAL-TV))
And, yes, the HQ knows that this is kind of a stretch...
A lot of people had South Florida taking out the fighting Irish... it took almost six hours through two weather delays, but it finally happened. And it took USF about six hours to print the t-shirt...
And the HQ also knows that Richmond is a class-A I-AA outfit while Dook is a perpetual struggler in the Aay-Cee-Cee...
Sean Robertson has the details with bonus coverage of VaTech-App State and UVa-William and Mary...
((HT: WTVR-TV Richmond))
But the funkiest game of the day, when it comes to upsets, was with Sacramento State and Oregon State... and the Beavers were not nice...
Nick Krupke stands behind a desk...
((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))
Just a week after losing Mike Riley to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Oregon State Beavers have found his replacement.
