Welcome to the first Final Draw of the season, and the opening answer is pretty simple: Oklahoma State’s loss to Tulsa left plenty of mess to sort through.
The offensive line is the loudest alarm, and it’s the same old kind of alarm OSU fans know too well. But the quarterback everyone expected to steady things, Drew Mestemaker, also needs a hard look. And there are a couple of things on defense and in the run game that might look encouraging on the surface, but need a closer read before anyone decides they mean something real.
Start with Mestemaker, because that’s where the game keeps pointing back.
Taking out the first six offensive snaps, when the line was healthy, and the final OSU drive, when the result was already basically settled, Mestemaker finished the middle stretch 24-of-40 for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also took two sacks and lost a fumble.
A lot of that damage traced back to protection issues. Shaun Torgeson, who worked at both tackle spots, allowed pressure or contact four times.
Johnny Dickson gave up pressure or contact twice, including on the end zone interception. Desmond Magiya was beaten three times, including on the sack-fumble.
Ashton Lepo allowed pressure or contact once. Caleb Hawkins may have missed a delayed rusher on one of Mestemaker’s sacks, though there’s a chance he was trying to salvage the play.
William Mason also missed a block, and another rusher came free on the right side untouched, which looked like it landed on the right tackle at the time.
Those breakdowns mattered. Together, they accounted for eight incompletions, including the pick and both sacks.
The other eight incompletions were a different mix. Chris Barnes appeared to run the wrong route, based on how coaches reacted afterward.
One pass was broken up by a defender making a strong play on the ball. Ayo Adeyi was overthrown, though it may have been intentional since he was the third or fourth read and the throw came late.
Justin Bowick was overthrown. Terrence Lewis was just missed.
Miles Coleman got the ball high in the hands and couldn’t hang on, though the throw may have been the bigger issue. Hawkins was targeted on a risky deep shot that was broken up.
And a throw to Wyatt Young may have been dropped, though it also felt like the defense had it covered so well that it probably shouldn’t have been thrown in the first place.
The biggest issue for Mestemaker was clear: his internal clock was sped up because the line couldn’t hold. That’s not a satisfying excuse for a quarterback who wants to be a first-round pick someday.
At the same time, he’s not being left completely off the hook. Even good offensive lines lose reps.
And with the line problems he had, it’s fair to say he could have erased at least six incompletions and maybe both turnovers if things had gone better up front.
That’s why the final read here is more measured than dramatic. The expectations should come down a notch, but Mestemaker’s long-term value isn’t gone.
If the offensive line improves - and that’s a big if right now - the same game could have looked a lot different. Even a line like 30-of-40 for roughly 230 yards and a touchdown or two during most of the game might have given the Cowboys a real chance at a comeback.
Oregon won’t be the ideal place to reset everything, so the clearer verdict on QB1 may have to wait until West Virginia on Sept. 26. For now, the sensible move is to hold off on any sweeping judgment.
In Other News...
JaMarcus Shephard Signals What Oregon State Must Fix Before Texas Tech
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The availability report remains part of the story, with several players still working their way through the week and the roster picture not yet fully clear. Shephard said some situations are more immediate than others, and the Beavers will keep monitoring who can get back on the field in time for the Red Raiders. For a team trying to reset in a hurry, the difference between being short-handed and getting a few key bodies back could matter just as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
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Shephard brings a background that already gives this matchup a little extra context, and Oregon States history in home openers adds another layer to the day. The Beavers have had plenty of memorable first games at Reser over the years, and this one figures to offer an early read on where the new era stands before the season really starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Faces Its First Real Test Against No. 12 Texas Tech
Oregon State gets its first real measuring-stick game of the season Saturday, when No. 12 Texas Tech comes to Reser Stadium in Corvallis for a September 12 matchup that should reveal a lot about where the Beavers stand early in the year. It will be televised on a major network and carries the kind of attention that comes with a ranked opponent, especially one that brings a defense that was among the nations best a season ago and a roster loaded with veteran talent.
For Oregon State, the challenge goes beyond simply matching up at the line of scrimmage. The Beavers will need to navigate a game in which Texas Tech arrives with the look of a team built to stay in the conference race all fall, and that level of experience usually shows up quickly once the ball is kicked off. Even with Reser Stadium providing a home-field edge, this is the sort of game that can expose what still needs work while also showing whether the Beavers are ready for the kind of test that defines a September schedule. [Read more 🡒]