NOTEBOOK: Injuries mounting
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Injuries are a part of the game, but the Cougars may find themselves in a sticky situation in the weeks to come at tight end.
Senior starter Cody Boyd, who had played this season with barely a scratch after an injury-filled career, sprained an ankle in the first quarter and head coach Bill Doba said he thought it was a high ankle sprain that could cost Boyd three to four weeks.
To make things more difficult, Ben Woodard, the team’s third tight end, sprained his right knee and came off the field on crutches at game’s end.
Jed Collins, who has played in two-tight end sets alongside Boyd this season, would become the team’s starter, but after that things could get trickier. Jesse Taylor has missed three games with an MCL sprain, but if he can make it back the senior might become the team’s new No. 2.
“At the end of the game, our personnel group was pretty limited,” offensive coordinator Mike Levenseller said of the injury difficulties. “Coach (Timm) Rosenbach asked me for a particular personnel group for a call and I said, ‘We don’t have it any more.’ That happened with about four of our personnel groupings.”
Holding the line
A week ago the Cougars were credited for superior line play against USC even though multiple injuries had shuffled the lineup significantly.
This week, the Cougars were healthy – and their play seemed to suffer against a less-talented Oregon State team.
“I think their defense just fit a little better, a better fight against our offense,” guard Dan Rowlands said. “USC is kind of exactly what our offense is for. Their schemes ran right into our schemes. Oregon State is a little unconventional. It took us a while to pick up their blitzes.”
Rowlands started the game at left guard while Sean O’Connor sat out the first series for disciplinary reasons. Rowlands ended up taking over for Andy Roof at right guard for much of the game.
The Cougars had run the ball well against USC, but against the Beavers they finished with 85 yards on 37 carries, an average of 2.3 per rush. And 76 of those yards came on two runs – a Derrell Hutsona 53-yard dash on a toss play and a 23-yard run on a botched punt.
Blunt force
He’s WSU’s punter, but there’s something about Darryl Blunt that just says “go for it.”
That was clear midway through the second quarter, when a missed blocking assignment allowed Oregon State’s rush to come pouring through on fourth down at the WSU 25-yard line. Blunt took a couple of steps and made as if to punt, then tucked the ball in and took off running – eventually gaining 23 yards, the game’s longest running play until the last snap of the third quarter. It led to Loren Langley’s second field goal and a 6-0 lead.
“You don’t want to get a blocked punt in a big game so they can score,” he said. “I just took off and saw a hole open and there we go.”
But it wasn’t just the run that was impressive. Finding his way blocked by Sammie Stroughter, Blunt lowered his shoulder and plowed into the OSU return man for a few extra yards.
It’s the second time this season Blunt has made a run for it on fourth down – the other going for 24 yards.
“That wasn’t a fake punt,” coach Bill Doba laughed, “but I wish I could have said I called it.”
Notes
This was the Cougars’ lowest point total in a win since the 1994 Alamo Bowl, a 10-3 win against Baylor. The Cougars had earned the same distinction in a 17-15 win over Baylor earlier this season as well. … The last time WSU held a Pac-10 team without a touchdown was nearly 10 years ago, on Oct. 12, 1996, also at Oregon State in a 24-3 win. … Defensive end Mkristo Bruce added two sacks to bring his season total to 10. … In a bizarre stretch during the second quarter, fumbles ended three possessions in three plays. Cougar corner Tyron Brackenridge forced a fumble, but then on the next play Brink fumbled the ball back to Oregon State. So Brackenridge repeated the effort, forcing a second fumble on the ensuing play that the Cougars recovered.