Oregon State Football: Keys to Victory Against Houston
In this story:
The Beavers welcome 3-0 Houston to Corvallis tomorrow for a Friday night ESPN matchup. Led by 5-star QB Conner Weigman, the Cougars are coming off a bye week after they beat Colorado 36-20. Although Houston has looked strong through their first three games, they've only played one quality opponent, and tomorrow will be their first true road test of the season.
Don't be afraid to bring pressure
Houston has an explosive offense. However, there are still question marks on the offensive line, and the Cougars allowed quite a bit of pressure on Weigman in their win against Colorado. Oregon State's defensive front did show improvement last Saturday in Eugene, recording a sack on Dante Moore and finishing the game with four tackles for loss. If the Beavers were able to generate some pressure against one of the best fronts in college football, they should be looking to do the same thing in Corvallis tomorrow night.
MORE: State of the Beavs: The Effects of OSU's Loss To Oregon and 0-4 Start
Be prepared to run down plays
The Cougars have speed all over the field, and they are certainly going to use it. A lot of plays they ran against Colorado two weeks ago got the ball to their playmakers out wide, challenging the opposing defense to close space quickly and make difficult open field tackles. This isn't just about their receivers trying to get the edge; their halfbacks like to catch passes out of the flat, and will try to beat the linebackers with speed. In addition, Cougar QB Conner Weigman has proven that he can get outside the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs. The Beavers will have to come ready to run down and finish plays tomorrow night, because Houston has a lot of guys who try to make defenders miss.
MORE: From Texas A&M to Houston: Conner Weigman Presents Another Big QB Test for Oregon State
Play through Trent
Last weekend at Autzen, star wideout Trent Walker was held without a reception against a very stingy Oregon secondary. The Beaverton High School alum will be looking to get back on track this Friday night, and a youthful Houston secondary might present an opportunity. If Oregon State can establish Trent early on, the extra attention he'll likely get will make it a lot easier for guys like Reddicks, Wells and Caufield to get open.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
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.