Keys to Victory For Oregon State Over Lafayette
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Oregon State football are 0-7 and have parted ways with head coach Trent Bray. This week, the Beavers have their best chance at a win this season as they host the Lafayette Leopards. Here's what they need to do to avoid falling to 0-8 and with a loss to an FCS team.
Dictate Pace of The Game
When a team is going for an upset, oftentimes they will try to eat up the clock in an attempt to limit the possessions of their stronger opponent. Of course, the main way for Oregon State to stop this is by forcing three-and-outs on defense. However, this is relevant to the offensive side of the ball as well. The Beavers should not want to help the Leopards slow down the game, therefore they should go with at least some tempo on offense to avoid limiting the number of total drives they get tomorrow night.
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Lean on the Offensive Line
This is a game where Oregon State should absolutely be able to run the ball effectively. Against an FCS opponent, they are going to have a huge advantage up front, and if the Beavers are able to wear down the Leopards' defense by pounding the rock, it will make it extremely difficult for Lafayette to contain Trent Walker when the Beavers do go to the air. This should be a huge game for guys like Hankerson and Cornell Hatcher, and it will be an opportunity for the entire offense to pick up confidence for the rest of the season.
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Execute on Special Teams
Lafayette is going to need some breaks to pull of a win in Corvallis tomorrow night. One of the areas that is often overlooked in a game like this is the special teams realm. Upsets often include plays such as return touchdowns, muffed punts, blocked kicks, etc. The Beavers will have to be disciplined on special teams, and not give up big plays that allow a team from a lower division to stick around in the game.
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Ben Pahl is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in Portland, Oregon. His work covering college and professional sports has been featured by the Orange Media Network at Oregon State University as well as KBVR.fm. His other career stops in sports include the Portland Pickles baseball club and the NBA G-League's Rip City Remix.