Oregon State spent the week giving Texas Tech respect without giving away much of anything.
That was the theme from Tuesday and Wednesday, when tight end Eric Olsen and offensive lineman Tyler Voltin met with reporters, followed by defensive tackle Daniel Matagi and punter AJ Winsor a day later. The Beavers acknowledged the challenge posed by No. 13 Texas Tech, but they were careful not to spell out exactly what they see in the Red Raiders or how they plan to attack them.
That kind of secrecy lines up with what head coach JaMarcus Shephard said earlier in the week, when he explained that he wants opposing coaches guessing by rolling out an all-new gameplan and script against Texas Tech on Saturday.
Asked about what makes Texas Tech linebacker Ben Roberts so effective, Olsen pointed to the Red Raiders’ overall quality more than any one trait.
"I mean, I've got to give them credit. They're a good football team, and they have a lot of good players and I think their discipline and detail is probably what gets them in great situations.
So, I've got to give them props for that. But, you know, I have trust in our guys that we're going to be able to get open and find holes, and as an offense, produce."
Voltin was just as guarded when the conversation turned to Texas Tech interior lineman A.J. Holmes Jr.
"I mean, he's very strong, very quick. We're locked into who we're going to have this week and we have a game plan, but I'm going to keep that between me and the team."
Matagi said Oregon State’s matchup with Houston earlier this season should help the Beavers as they get ready for another test.
"Texas Tech, they're a good team, too. You know, a lot of colleges, they play smaller schools, their Week 1's, to kind of, I guess you could say, warm up.
I know me personally, I don't think I'd like that. I'd like starting out hot and then going into another one.
It prepares us as a team better for it."
On Saturday, Matagi said the defensive line’s job is straightforward.
"We've got to attack. We have to attack them.
They're big up front and we've got to play fast. We've got to attack, relentless.
The standard that we have on our defense, it's going to need to be on full display on Saturday."
Voltin echoed the respect, this time for Texas Tech’s defense.
"They look like a strong defense. They look good up front. Respect to them, but we're going to go through this week attacking it and we're going to be ready to go come Saturday."
Even when asked about Texas Tech’s special teams, Winsor wasn’t about to open the playbook.
"Not really. I'm not going to share our whole game plan right now, but yeah. I mean, we're just going to prepare like we normally prepare, and just have another another good game."
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For Oklahoma State, the challenge is less about slowing down Oregons offense in a vacuum and more about keeping Moore from getting comfortable within it. The Cowboys know his ability to attack the field at multiple levels can tilt a game fast, so their defense will have to find ways to disrupt his timing and make those throws harder to come by. For a Beavers team watching this matchup closely, it is another reminder of how steep the road can look when a rising quarterback is in the crosshairs. [Read more 🡒]
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Oregon State Faces A Week 2 Test Beavers Fans Can't Ignore
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For Oregon State, the broader slate only sharpens the attention on what comes next in Corvallis, where the Beavers are set for a Saturday night test against a ranked opponent. It is the kind of early September game that can tell a lot about where a team stands, and for a fan base already tracking the rest of the leagues biggest matchups, this one fits neatly into a weekend full of stakes. [Read more 🡒]