The landscape of positivity surrounding the Oregon State football season has deteriorated week by week, loss by loss, throughout its 0-5 start to the season.
Oregon State’s fallen hard to top-quality opponents such as Oregon and Texas Tech, but has surrendered winnable games against California, Fresno State and Houston.
The Beavers first five games stack up as the sixth hardest schedule in college football thus far, according to ESPN, and the record shows.
Fortunately for OSU, the remaining strength of schedule is ranked 135th out of 136.
That starts on Oct. 4 with a visit to Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina, to take on the 2-2 Mountaineers.
“They’re fast, they’re physical, and that is their reputation,” OSU head coach Trent Bray said. “They’ve always been a tough team to play and tough team to beat, and that’s what they are again this year.”
If Oregon State is to turn the season around, it’s got seven games to do it. Bowl eligibility requires six wins, so the Beavers are yet to shut the door on a postseason appearance.
Here’s how Oregon State feel about righting the ship ahead of the matchup with Appalachian State.
“We’re getting better,” Bray said. “As frustrating as it is, it’s easy to see.”
Bray referenced the loss to Oregon as a game where the Beavers looked confident and quality in the first half, but were ransacked in the second by one of the top 10 teams in the country.
Bray also mentioned the loss to Houston on Sept. 26, as Oregon State was ahead and in control for a majority of the game until the final six minutes.
“I thought last week we had a ton of improvement and controlled that game for 54 minutes,” Bray said. “So that’s what gives me motivation and hope that we’ll continue to get better, which will lead to the result we’re all after.”
Offensively, quarterback Maalik Murphy has delivered up and down performances, but it’s been enough to leave Bray optimistic.
Murphy has posted as high as 271 passing yards in a game, but as low as 68 yards. He’s got a competition percentage that hovers right below 60% and a touchdown-interception ratio of 7:5.
The better and more effective Murphy is, the easier it is to establish a run game with star running back Anthony Hankerson.
Hankerson’s been held to 302 rushing yards in five games, on 88 carries. He gave OSU an impressive 136-yard performance against Fresno State, but followed it up with just 12 yards against Texas Tech.
Murphy and Hankerson, alongside offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson, have experienced some growing pains throughout their five games together, but have presented Beaver fans with some glimmers of hope, like the Fresno State outburst.
“I think there was some effort stuff that was better (against Houston),” Gunderson said. “We ran the ball a bit more violently, more effectively … I think they’re playing hard, we get a lot out of these guys, so I’m proud of that. But we’ve got to learn how to finish.”
Gunderson noted execution, communication and technique as parts of the game he wants to see improved by the Appalachian State game.
“It starts with me,” Gunderson said. “It starts with us demanding the communication part of it.”
If there’s one question Trent Bray and Oregon State have been asked the most, it’s about the faults of the guys in headsets.
Oregon State’s special teams unit has been an objective disaster nearly every week of the season, as apparent by some of Bray’s comments in the past, costing the team numerous points and handing dangerous field position and scoring to the opposition. Whether it’s muffed snaps, missed field goals or poor coverage, the Oregon State special teams have questions to answer.
Regardless, Bray said he’s sticking with special teams coordinator Jamie Christian for the time being.
“The ultimate thing is that one, I believe coach (Jamie) Christian can do this job and finish the year, for sure,” Bray said. “And I think where we’re at and what we can do, it’s the best thing for those players at this time.”
Bray said a coaching change midseason isn’t helpful for players. Adding new staff midseason presents issues that the Beavers don’t need to deal with, he said.
“There is a consistency that players need in coaching, especially when you’re in season,” Bray said. “It’s also — if you make that move, who’s that next guy? Is he on staff? All those things are part of factors to that.”
OC Gunderson is another coach whose name has been a point of contention for Beaver faithful.
Questions about whether Gunderson has unlocked Murphy’s full potential, utilized Hankerson or made the right play-calling decisions have rung around Corvallis since nearly week one.
Despite this, Bray said the offense, too, has flashed signs of life and proven that the quality can be there.
“You watched the offense play,” Bray said. “They moved the ball, we were able to get points on the board and were in the control. We were running the ball, the run game improved greatly, and there were plays that weren’t made that need to be made. When I watch it, it’s not a scheme or play not being called or issues like that.”
“We consider (the players) failures as our failures,” Bray said. “We don’t look the players, we look at ourselves and how do we get better.”
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