Tristan Ti’a Shows Grit in First Career Start as Beavers Close Out Season
In this story:
STAT LINE: 28/41 (68%) 240 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
GAME NOTES
Amidst all the questions surrounding Oregon State’s quarterback carousel heading into the rematch against Washington State, it was true freshman Tristan Ti’a who ultimately emerged as the starter for the season finale. It was a sloppy day for the OSU offense, and the freshman took a beating, getting sacked six times and hurried nine more.
Knowing that, and seeing the final score, many who didn’t watch the game would naturally assume Ti’a had a rough outing. However, despite the sacks and the two interceptions, Ti’a showed plenty to be excited about and deserves a ton of credit for how he competed until the clock hit zero.
Throughout the game, Ti’a was able to find completions at all levels of the field, reflected in his 68% completion percentage. Most freshman quarterbacks who take the kind of physical punishment he did tend to get jumpy in the pocket and try to escape early, not allowing plays to fully develop. That was not the case for Ti’a.
Check out the 3:40 mark in the video below: Ti’a takes the snap, gets his eyes to the left side of the field, then works back to the right while maintaining a strong base and total poise in the pocket. He goes on to complete a chain-moving throw on fourth down, and this was at the end of the third quarter, after all the hits he had absorbed to that point.
As the game felt completely out of reach in the fourth quarter, Ti’a continued to fight and play with impressive composure, adding a touchdown pass inside six minutes to play (4:32 mark in the video below).
Overall, the score and box-score stats do not accurately reflect the full scope of Ti’a’s performance, one defined by grit and poise. Depending on how the offseason shakes out, Beaver fans should be genuinely excited to see how Ti’a develops moving forward.
MORE: Ex-Oregon State Head Coach Jonathan Smith Fired By Michigan State
BEST PLAY BREAKDOWN
At the 4:21 mark in the video below, Tristan Ti’a completes a beautiful back-shoulder vertical throw. What makes this completion so impressive is that he delivered it with seven minutes left in the game after taking multiple sacks and being hit constantly throughout the night. Yet despite all of that, Ti’a continued to respond, consistently making veteran-type throws like this one. It’s a strong testament to the kind of quarterback and leader Ti’a appears to have the chance to become for the Beavers.
