Inside the Pac--a look at the OSU Beavers for 2002
Watch out for their defense
By: Malamute, 25 June 2002

During the spring game, the OSU defense showed itself to be the strength of the team for this upcoming season. That's not surprising for a defense that finished third in total defense in the Pac-10 last season and for one that returns eight starters. 

That's the good news.

On offense, all-everything-to-be Derek Anderson (6-6, 234) replaces Jonathan Smith at quarterback. It's at the quarterback position where the 2002 Beavers could suffer, at least until Anderson and his backups come up to speed. On the plus side, Anderson has a strong arm and great potential. 

During the spring game, he threw 30 passes, completed 7 and had 3 intercepted. Those stats correlate with his record from last season in the Pac-10, where he played in 6 games and was 41-17-3, finishing with a lowly 88.73 efficiency rating and a 41.3% completion record. Obviously, he' s on a learning curve, his latest inauspicious debut considered. He's backed up by two sophomores, Adam Rothenfluh and Ryan Kanekeberg.

During the spring game, the teams being evenly divided from a quality standpoint, Anderson's team (the Whites) supposedly had the edge due to his experience. The Blacks beat them 23-0, led by backup quarterback Rothenfluh, who passed for one touchdown, going 11 for 17 and 108 yards. Junior tailback Steven Jackson (6-1, 226) ran for one touchdown and had 18 carries for 73 yards. He has the unenviable task of replacing Ken Simonton, who finished seventh in Pac-10 rushing last season (88 yards/game). Simonton is the Beavers' all-time scorer (312 points).

Dwight Wright (5-8, 200 pounds), who backs up Jackson, will give the Beavers a different look at running back when he steps into the fray. He had a 51-yard burst in the spring game.

The secondary had four picks in the game, establishing itself as a formidable weapon for the forthcoming battles the Beavers will fight against their 2002 Pac-10 rivals. OSU led the league in pass defense last season.

With Anderson (just a sophomore) at the helm, the Beavers will suffer a big drop off in experience--having lots of experience at QB, being so crucial, seemingly, for a team’s success in the Pac-10 derby. In nine of the last ten years, a senior quarterback has led his team to either the Pac-10 title or to the Rose Bowl game.

Table 1. The following helmsmen, all but one being a senior at the time (Leaf), led their teams to either the Rose Bowl game or to the conference championship game (Harrington, Fiesta Bowl 2002).

Offensively, the Beavers return just two members of its offensive line from last season; however, they are big, as is the rest of the line. Although he didn't start in any games, we list Kanan Sanchez as a starter because he played a significant role last season (see Table 4).

Senior Shawn Kintner and Junior Kenny Farley join returnee James Newson (88 yards/game in Pac-10 last season) at wide receiver. In the spring game, Kintner caught 2 passes for 22 yards; Farley was 3 for 67 yards; and Newson went 6 for 80 yards.

The starting defensive line--Noah Happe, Eric Manning, and Dwan Edwards--returns as a unit; they combined for 100 tackles last season.

Starting safety Jake Cookus has departed, leaving JC transfers Lawrence Turner and Brandon Catenese (two picks in the spring game) to battle for his vacated spot. 

Starting cornerbacks Dennis Weathersby and Terrell Roberts return; they finished in the upper echelon of the "Passes Defended" category in the Pac-10 last season, with 16 and 14 respectively. 

The Beavers' higher echelons decided not to defenestrate QB Jonathan Smith, and wisely so. He'll be around as a graduate assistant to help with the tutelage of Anderson, who will need to come up to speed quickly.  

According to Coach Dennis Erickson, "It was a great spring for Oregon State football. We made a lot of improvement from the start earlier this month (April) to this scrimmage, and that is what you really look for."

We summarize some of the ups and downs that could affect OSU for next season. 

Table 2. On the upside

Table 3. On the downside

 

Table 4. Returnees on offense
 

Table 5. Returnees on defense

Table 6. How key returnees did in the Pac-10 in 2001

Table 7. OSU's Offensive Statistics in Pac-10, 2001

Table 8. OSU's Defensive Statistics in Pac-10, 2001



Table 9. The Beavers' 2002 Schedule