This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sean Mannion is no mystery. The Utes remember his arm plenty well, with a certain amount of wincing.
Oregon State, on the other hand, has some questions to answer, even with five games under its belt. At 4-1, the Beavers might be on the shakiest ground of any Pac-12 one-loss team. Mannion's numbers are down, his receivers and line is inexperienced, the defense has had a few up-and-down weeks. Aside from Mike Riley and his stone-set ways, it's somewhat hard to predict for outsiders what the Beavers will be when the Utes visit on Thursday for an 8 p.m. MT kickoff.
To clear up the mystery, I talked to Connor Letourneau from The Oregonian, who just happens to be a fellow University of Maryland alum who covers the team. You can follow him on Twitter here, and you can read stories authored by Connor and his colleague Gina Mizell here.
Here's what my Terp counterpart had to say about Oregon State:
1. Sean Mannion has thrown five TD passes in five games - as much as he threw against Utah in one game last year. His receivers haven't been fully healthy all year, so does that account for the overall dip in his production? Can he get back to the stuff he was doing last year?
Mannion's dip in production is largely tied to an inexperienced receiving corps and a makeshift offensive line. For the most part, he is still the same player who set a host of OSU passing records last season. Teammates have just made his job significantly more difficult this year. With Biletnikoff Award winner Brandin Cooks now in the NFL, none of Mannion's wide receivers entered the season with more than two career starts. Not surprisingly, there have been plenty of growing pains. Though the offensive line has had solid stretches at times, it struggles with consistency. Against quality front sevens, Mannion has faced consistent pressure. That's a major concern entering Thursday's matchup. At this point, it's still possible Mannion returns to his 2013 form. It largely hinges on the development of his supporting cast.
2. Oregon State's results are a little wild: slow start against Portland State, ugly finish against Hawaii, second-half dominance against San Diego State, a flop against USC and a shootout with Colorado. Which game, in your opinion, best represents the real OSU and why?
Each game offered insights into this team. The most accurate representation, though, was the Beavers' most recent game: a 36-31 win at Colorado on Oct. 4. OSU found a rhythm on the ground, with Terron Ward and Storm Woods again alternating series. Young receivers struggled getting open, but the tight end duo of Connor Hamlett and Caleb Smith was reliable early. The defense was decent overall, but seemed to tire as the game wore on. In a nutshell: almost all of OSU's issues are tied to a sputtering offense. A veteran defense has proven capable of shouldering a heavy load. But when the offense consistently pieces together short-lived drives, the defense eventually wears out.
3. Terron Ward and Storm Woods have a nice symmetry: 348 yards apiece. What is the function of each back in the Oregon State offense? Are they helping take some heat off the passing game?
Ward and Woods have a unique function in OSU's pro-style offense. Though they have different strengths, they're used almost interchangeably. They alternate series, almost regardless of the situation. Ward is great in goal-line scenarios, while Woods is the better pass catcher. Still, they've both helped take pressure off the young wideouts by producing in the screen game. Ward and Woods have combined for 203 receiving yards so far.
4. The numbers say that it's tough to throw on Oregon State, in both yardage and efficiency. Is that true, in your eyes? If so, what's been the biggest obstacle for opponents (it seems the Beavers have been ballhawks with six picks this year, for instance)?
OSU really is solid up and down its defense. Though defensive tackle Jalen Grimble's recent knee injury definitely hurt, the Beavers boast a quality front seven capable of limiting the run. Their secondary also has plenty of weapons. I'll be curious Thursday to see how Dres Anderson fares against Steven Nelson. With Rashaad Reynolds in the NFL, Nelson has emerged as OSU's lockdown corner. In back-to-back weeks, he helped shut down USC's Nelson Agholor and Colorado's Nelson Spruce. The Beavers' secondary is filled with playmakers. So if Travis Wilson or Kendal Thompson aren't careful, they may rack up the interceptions.
5. Oregon State seems to be in a similar situation to Utah: Even if they win, there's still a lot of tough games. What is the baseline for OSU's success this year? Just getting to a bowl game? And how much confidence do you sense the fan base has for the Beavers to make that bottom line this season?
Entering the season, I would've said eight or nine wins would be a good campaign for this team. With Mannion back for his senior year, the Beavers didn't want to settle for a fringe bowl appearance. I figured something like the Alamo Bowl or Holiday Bowl was OSU's best-case-scenario. Right now, fans are genuinely concerned about the offense. Unless the passing game improves substantially, the Beavers will have a tough time getting through the meat of their schedule. I anticipate OSU pulling out three or four more victories.
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Thanks for joining us Connor. Representing The Diamondback in the Pac-12. If you'd like to read my answers to Connor's questions, check out the Oregonian website.
We'll have more stories previewing the match-up this week. Stay tuned.
Kyle Goon
Twitter: @kylegoon