CORVALLIS, Ore. >> On the Oregon State campus, there are signs that Beavers are nature’s architects.
OSU is a sports wonderland, with a soccer complex, a baseball stadium that boasts of the Beavers’ three national titles, a spacious practice field for football, among the facilities. There is a football complex, which features a museum-like foyer, and the P. Wayne Valley Sports Performance Center.
Next to a rail line that bisects the school’s south campus is Reser Stadium, a mesh of tradition (brick facade) and futurism (state-of-the-art renovations are expected to be completed in 2023). It is where a large crowd of vaccinated or negative-tested fans will attend the Beavers’ home opener against the University of Hawaii football team today.
“It’s a great opportunity,” UH coach Todd Graham said. “The last time we went on the road, we played a Power Five team (UCLA), and we didn’t play well, and they played really well. I think our guys are focused. They know the challenge ahead of us. At the end of the day, we’re going in there to win the game.”
The Rainbow Warriors appear to have addressed the problems revealed in the season-opening, 44-10 loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In last week’s victory over Portland State, the Warriors rejuvenated their running game and played to a desired tempo in racing to a 35-7 lead.
But Graham noted the Warriors need to clean up issues on special teams. UCLA scored a touchdown off a blocked punt. Portland State scored when a short-hopped kickoff went past returner Calvin Turner, who also muffed two punts.
“That’s 14 points on special teams (in two weeks),” Graham said. “That cannot happen. We’ve got to eliminate that. We’ve worked very, very hard on doing that.”
Graham, who makes the defensive calls, worked on details in practices this week. After practice, he met individually with players for extra tutorial sessions.
“I think kids play like you coach,” Graham said. “You coach with intensity, they play with intensity. You coach with confidence, they’ll play with confidence. There’s a lot more to it than people think. It’s a process right now, a process of improving every day just a little bit. We’ve improved this week.”
The Warriors will be without field cornerback Cameron Lockridge in today’s first half. Lockridge was ejected for making helmet-to-helmet contact with a Portland State receiver. Because the penalty occurred after halftime, the remainder of the punishment carries over to this game. Graham said Georgia transfer Hugh Nelson II will make his first NCAA start, and Jalen Perdue, who missed most of the 2020 season because of an injury, also will get reps.
“We’ve got two new guys in the lineup,” Graham said, noting the Beavers are “going to come after them. They’ve got to do a good job of being vertically sound. Don’t worry about them not completing one on you. Go out and intercept one. That’s the way we coach ’em.”
This will be a mini reunion. Linebacker Isaiah Tufaga played nine games, starting three, for the Beavers as a freshman in 2018. He then transferred to UH, where he redshirted in 2019, and played in all nine games in 2020.
“It’s a little bittersweet, I would say,” Tufaga said. “I’m excited to go back and see my old teammates, see my old coaches, and compete against them again. That’s where I started my college career. I got to play there as a true freshman, do my thing at such a young age. Not many people get an opportunity that young. I’ll always be grateful for my time at Oregon State. It taught me a lot. The coaches really helped me a lot with my transition from high school (Saint Louis School) to college.
Oregon State’s staff includes three former UH coaches — Kefense Hynson (wide receivers/passing-game coordinator), Legi Suiaunoa (defensive line) and Jake Cookus (special teams coordinator). Suiaunoa, who was UH’s defensive coordinator in 2017, recruited UH linebacker Peni Pavihi and nose tackle Blessman Taala.
Former UH linebacker Kendrick Van Ackeren is the Beavers quality control coach/defense. OSU starting right tackle Brandon Kipper began his NCAA career at UH.
