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Even if they sign Foles beyond 2015, I expect Mannion to eventually be better. I am still drafting a QB in the first round next year. It is just too hard to find QBs and there could be as many as 5 first round QBs next year. imo
Agamemnonhttp://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/5/7/8564193/get-to-know-sean-mannion-an-interview-with-building-the-dam
Get to Know Sean Mannion; An Interview with Building the DamBy Charles_Martel
@CharlesMartel19 on May 7, 2015, 11:18a 80
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY SportsWho is Sean Mannion and just what are the Rams getting in the former Beavers QB? I have a sit-down with Andy Panda to find out.
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PinTo get a better sense of the Rams’ 3rd round draft pick, I spoke to Andy Panda from Building the Dam, SB Nation’s community for fans of the Oregon State Beavers.
So just who are the Rams are getting in Sean Mannion? How high is the esteem Oregon State fans hold for him?
St. Louis is getting a prototypical pro-style quarterback, one who is very adroit at making his pre-snap reads, dropping back, making his pre-throw reads, and delivering the ball on target, and into a pretty small window.
The Rams are also getting a dedicated, hard worker. He’s a coaches’ son, and it shows. He’s known for spending many hours on film study and play book study, and endless hours on individual and small group reps. He’s legendary for throwing by all estimates well over 1,000 balls to Brandin Cooks in “extra” practices over the spring/summer before Cooks’ All-American season in 2013 that led him to his success in New Orleans.
He’s held in pretty high esteem by Oregon State fans, as someone who holds the all-time record for career passing yardage in the Pac-12 should be. But if there is anything that tempers it, its those who wish he were something he isn’t, specifically a more mobile quarterback. That’s partially because mobile quarterbacks are widely regarded as the solution to all offensive problems, and partially because since he isn’t mobile, there have been times, possibly ones that might have actually directly altered the outcome of the game, he didn’t try to make the kind of play that a mobile quarterback would have.
Some Rams fans are not stoked about this pick. They preferred a more mobile and athletic quarterback, such as Hundley or Petty. Jeff Fisher and Les Snead made it pretty clear before the draft that they wanted a quarterback who ran a pro style offense. What are the key skills he excelled in that made him such a coveted prospect? What comparisons, if any, would you make to past or current NFL quarterbacks?
Sounds like a lot of those Beaver fans I was just referring to.
Mannion’s forte is making the right throw, on target and on time, when he has the time to do so. And when he has the time to do so, if his receivers are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there, it looks like he’s throwing darts.
The proof of that is the long, very long, list of Pac-8/10/12 quarterbacks that have very good, and piled up very large numbers, that did not throw for the yardage Sean did. And while some of them played in systems that throw less, this is the conference where the “Air Raid” is and has been in use for some time now, and is the home of every variation of the spread/fast break offense imaginable.
Drawing comparisons to existing quarterbacks can be tricky, because, for example, a lot of quarterbacks haven’t been as successful as Tom Brady, but are similar in style, and how Brady plays is a style most fans can readily visualize. Do people have a similar vision of Philip Rivers? Or a prejudice based on his relative success?
For those who go back a ways, Mannion reminds me a lot of Troy Aikman, both at UCLA and Dallas. I’m not saying he will be as successful (unless the Rams can replicate the Cowboys Aikman had around him), but both his playing style and his relatively quiet team leadership style are similar.
The din about quarterback mobility is constant these days among fans and at least a sizable segment of the media, and is often perceived as an issue, but you won’t find any of Mannion’s teammates who had any problem with how he played or led the team.
What’s your favorite moment of Sean Mannion as a Beaver?
The game at Arizona in 2012. And it was actually about 20 minutes. It was a night game, so starting after 10 PM in the east, and on the then very fledgling Pac-12 Network that almost no one got then, so almost no one saw it. But Mannion brought the Beavers from behind 3 times down the stretch, with 3 touchdown drives. He threw for a then record 433 yards (since surpassed several times, but that was pretty spectacular at the time), capped with the game winning touchdown throw to Connor Hamlett with 1:09 left that finished off a 75 yard drive.
He suffered the knee injury that plagued him the rest of the season in the next game, against Washington St., but that was when Mannion first appeared as the gunslinger quarterback that could bring his team back by winning a shootout.
A close second would actually be considerably less than a moment, when he cleared the fingertips of a Utah receiver by a fraction of an inch to hit a leaping Cooks for the game winning touchdown in overtime at midnight in Salt Lake City in 2013, winning a game that had taken 4 hours, but came down to a fraction of an inch in a matter of a couple of seconds.
Both of those episodes are typical of why the phrase “In Sean We Trust” came to be often used.
What is something you didn’t expect of Sean Mannion, taking over as starter in 2011? His “regression” last season has been a bone of contention recently, could you elaborate on exactly what happened?
Everything was unexpected about Mannion taking over. Ryan Katz was coming off a decent year and had looked ok in pre-season camp. It was a pretty controversial move, but then head coach Mike Riley had seen something that prompted him to essentially sacrifice that season as a learning period for the future.
Mannion was already a well known quantity, from seeing him in practices in his redshirt freshman season, and spring and summer ball, but was still very inexperienced.
He learned and his second season was off to a good start until he suffered a knee injury that didn’t end his season, but certainly derailed it. Once healthy again (and in 2 years, there have been no lingering affects of the injury), he had a huge junior season.
His senior year was seen by many as a regression, and statistically and w-l wise, it was. But it really wasn’t in terms of his performance, as he continued to refine his game.
But Marcus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks had graduated the last 2 years, and he had to train an essentially brand new group of wide receivers. He also had to do it behind an offensive line that changed its makeup sometimes on a daily, never mind weekly, basis, due to injuries and illnesses. That’s never a recipe for success.
But by the end of the season, Jordan Villamin was becoming a dangerous weapon, and Victor Bolden was beginning to fill the Cooks’ shoes pretty well.
At the same time, Oregon St. at times made a concerted effort to run the ball more, under criticism of having given up on the run too soon too often the year before, relying on Mannion to beat 7 and 8 man coverages. This reduced his raw numbers, and also was less successful than hoped, but that too was a predictable consequence of a constantly changing offensive line.
Despite being an NFL blogger and a Sooners fan by choice, I am also a crypto-Beavers fan as a substantial portion of my family are alumni. With your starting quarterback now off to the NFL, what does next season hold for the Beavers? Since 3/4 of the Ducks starting roster got drafted, how do you like the Beavers chances in the Civil War next year?
Actually, the Beavers had as many players drafted as the Ducks, 5 each. Nevertheless, I still expect the new Oregon St. spread offense under new head coach Gary Anderson to be had pressed to keep up with the talent and speed Oregon has on hand to reload with.
Especially so because almost all the players of significance, including 4 draftees, are gone from the defense, and the Beavers will be playing a true freshman at quarterback, unless he gets hurt, in which case a red-shirt freshman will be playing.
There is some hope coming out of spring ball though; that continually changing cast of offensive linemen settled on a group of 5 who were healthy, and all playing the same position, all fall.
Had that happened last year, I suspect the Rams, or anyone else for that matter, would not have been able to get Mannion in the 3rd round.
Agamemnonhttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2009214-which-returning-college-football-qbs-are-best-in-red-zone
Which Returning College Football QBs Are Best in Red Zone?
By Ben Kercheval , College Football Lead Writer Mar 28, 2014Few things in college football are more frustrating than when an offense stalls in the red zone.
Unless you’re B/R’s Michael Felder, the one true voice for defenses everywhere. Then it’s a thing of beauty.
For the sake of this post, though, touchdowns in the red zone are a good thing. It helps tremendously when a team’s quarterback can get it done, whether with his arm and/or his legs, when the field condenses.
Some of the best red-zone quarterbacks in the country have moved on to the NFL, like Fresno State’s Derek Carr and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. Still, other top red-zone quarterbacks are returning for the 2014 season.
Which ones are the best?
Jameis Winston, Florida State
Surprise! Last year’s Heisman winner is lethal in the red zone. As a result, Florida State was one of the best red-zone offenses in the country, scoring touchdowns a little more than 79 percent of the time on 73 trips. That was third in the nation.
Winston himself was incredibly efficient, throwing 21 touchdowns to, count ’em, zero interceptions. His 63 percent completion percentage is good, but his 312 passing yards put him sixth in the country. His passer rating of 239.83 was 13th nationally.
While Winston didn’t run often, he made it count when he did. He has an additional four rushing touchdowns on just 14 attempts, averaging just under five yards a carry.
Winston’s numbers are among the best for returning quarterbacks.
Rakeem Cato, Marshall
From a Heisman winner to a dark-horse Heisman candidate, Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato is a name to watch in 2014.
What helps Cato’s Heisman push are his red-zone numbers. His 24 touchdown passes to just one interception are second-best among returning quarterbacks. The Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year also has six rushing touchdowns, giving him 30 of the Thundering Herd’s 52 red-zone touchdowns.
Like Winston, Cato looks to pass instead of run, but when he does use his legs, he does so efficiently to bide time in and around the pocket. When the field is shorter, extending a play as much as possible helps.
Shane Carden, East Carolina
East Carolina may be moving to the American Athletic Conference in 2014, but Shane Carden was one of the best quarterbacks in Conference USA last season along with Cato.
Conference USA’s MVP threw 23 touchdowns to just two interceptions in the red zone. However, his completion percentage (68.2) and passing yards (400) were significantly better than Cato’s numbers (58.6 completion percentage and 264 yards, respectively).
Carden wasn’t the most efficient runner, but he did add 10 rushing touchdowns. In all, Carden accounted for about 65 percent of the Pirates’ red-zone touchdowns.
Sean Mannion, Oregon State
Oregon State tied for 10th last season in red-zone trips (68). However, the Beavers weren’t always the most efficient team in the red zone, scoring touchdowns about 63 percent of the time.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the numbers quarterback Sean Mannion put up. His 28 red-zone passing touchdowns lead all returning quarterbacks, though he did have three interceptions.
Mannion is a pure drop-back quarterback; he’s not going to beat anyone with his legs. He didn’t have any rushing touchdowns, but that shouldn’t negate what he was able to do with his arm.
Without receiver Brandin Cooks, Mannion’s favorite target inside and outside the red zone, it will be interesting to see if Mannion can keep up his red-zone numbers.
AgamemnonKnow Your Enemy: Previewing the Oregon State Offense
By Berkelium97 on Oct 30, 2014, 3:00a 6
Regression is mean – Steve DykesIn last year’s Oregon State preview I speculated that Sean Mannion would destroy our defense before declaring early and being a first-round draft pick this spring. He decided to stay at Oregon State. Big mistake. Oregon State’s offense is a mess this season. Everyone is getting injured, the running game still cannot recover from the loss of the Rodgers brothers, the offensive line is an inexperienced mess of musical chairs, and Sean Mannion has regressed to the point where he’s putting up the worst statistics of his career. There is a catch, however (although Jordan Villamin dropped it). Oregon State’s offense has been abysmal against good defenses (except Utah) and pretty good against bad defenses. Oregon State averaged 200 yards per game and 3.2 yards per play against USC and Stanford, but they’ve averaged 435 yards per game and 5.8 yards per play against everyone else. Cal’s defense is about as bad as Colorado’s and Colorado gave up 445 yards on 6.45 yards per play to the Beavers. While Oregon State has the worst offense we’ll see in the Pac-12, they’re capable of putting up points against us.
Oregon State’s offense has several new faces, including a new offensive coordinator. Previous offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf left to become a quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants. Mike Riley hired John Garrett as his new OC. Garrett has mostly coached wide receivers in his 20-year coaching career but he has never coordinated an offense. For most of this season, Mike Riley has called the plays but last week Garrett took over primary playcalling duties. Of course, the offense still has Riley’s fingerprints on it, so we’ll see the trademark fly sweep and plenty of passes to tight ends and H-backs. We’ll frequently see big fronts with two or three tight ends. This is clearly a Mike Riley offense. Let’s get to know the Beavers.
PassingWith the second-most productive QB in the nation last year, Oregon State had a pass first, pass second, and pass third offense. They passed on a whopping 64% of plays last year (by contrast, Washington State’s Air Raid passed on 59.6% of plays in 2013). That number is down to 53% this season. Two big factors have limited the OSU passing game this season: the loss of four starting O-linemen (who combined for 134 starts) and the loss of Biletnikoff Award winner Brandin Cooks, a first-round draft pick this spring. Cooks was targeted on 28% of passes last season and accumulated an incredible 1,730 yards and 16 TDs–that’s 38% of Sean Mannion’s yardage last year. Oregon State has not recovered from these personnel losses.
Conclusions
This is the worst offense we’ll face in the conference schedule. Without Brandin Cooks or an offensive line, the Oregon State passing attack has taken a nosedive this season. Mannion’s accuracy and vision have both regressed this season, further exacerbating things. With the receivers’ inability to catch anything and the O-line’s inability to block long enough to allow deep routes to develop, Oregon State is more reliant on passes to tight ends, H-backs, fullbacks, and running backs this season. They are good at disguising tight ends as blockers before sending them out into open space. Oregon State’s running game has not improved much over last season. They have a decent pair of RBs, but they cannot do much behind a beleaguered offensive line. The running game is a pretty simple mix of inside running with an occasional fly sweep. OSU’s middling running game limits the effectiveness of their playaction fakes, which should help our defense a bit.
To be frank, there’s no excuse for surrendering half a hundred points to Oregon State. This is an offense that has struggled mightily this season and there is no quick fix for their problems. Our defense is as depleted as their offense, so it should be a fairly balanced matchup. We turned in a strong performance against a similarly bad Northwestern offense and should be able to replicate that performance (or 80% of it, given our injuries) against Oregon State.
Agamemnonhttp://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2015smannion.php
2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Sean Mannion
Career Recap: Mannion has become one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-12 over the course of the past three years. After two quality seasons to start out his career, Mannion had a massive 2013 year with wide receiver Brandin Cooks.In 2012, Mannion completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,446 yards with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He became the Beavers’ starting quarterback in 2011. The redshirt freshman completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,328 yards with 16 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Mannion lit up defenses in the Pac-12 in 2013 as he completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,662 yards with 37 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The junior started the season red hot with huge games against Utah (5 TDs, 443 yards), Washington State (4 TDs, 493 yards) and California (4 TDs, 481 yards). Mannion was slowed down by Stanford, but didn’t play poorly as he completed 41-of-57 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. However after that, Mannion had some ugly games in November against USC, Arizona State and Washington. In those three losses, he threw 10 interceptions versus four touchdown passes.
Mannion closed out the regular season playing better in a 36-35 loss to Oregon as he completed 29-of-47 passes for 314 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
2014 Season Outlook: For the second-straight year, Mannion is losing his No. 1 receiver. Markus Wheaton entered the NFL in 2013, and Brandin Cooks was an even bigger loss as he became a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. While those speedy targets are gone, Oregon State believes it has quality receivers for Mannion to work with as a senior.
Like he did last year, Mannion should start the season in a strong fashion. He has easy opponents in his first three outings against Portland State, Hawaii and San Diego State. The first good defense the Beavers face is a road game at USC at the end of September.
Late in October, Mannion will see perhaps the best defense he’ll face all year in Stanford in another road test. To end his final regular season, the Beavers will host Oregon and have the opportunity to beat their biggest rival in Mannion’s final home game.
Skill-Set Summary: Mannion has a lot of skills that NFL teams are looking for in a starting quarterback. He has a strong arm that can make all the throws for the NFL. Mannion can push the ball vertically and drive the ball on deep outs to the sideline.
On top of his good height, Mannion has field vision and a nice basis for plus field vision as a pro. All college quarterbacks have to get better at scanning the field and working through their progressions for the NFL, but Mannion has a better starting point than most. He runs a pro-style offense at Oregon State and will enter the NFL with a lot of starting experience. Mannion could use more weight on his frame, but that could come when he enters a NFL strength and conditioning program.
There are three things that Mannion must improve in order to have a shot at being a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft: accuracy, anticipation and footwork. Mannion’s rough stretch last November can be attributed to those weaknesses. His interceptions came on inaccurate passes, and his feet weren’t always in rhythm. Mannion needs to improve his feet and become more consistent with his approach. His accuracy should get better when he improves his footwork, but becoming more accurate when throwing into tight windows is critical for him.
Mannion is not a running quarterback; he had zero rushing touchdowns last year. Mannion doesn’t possess real escapability for the NFL. He is prone to hold on to the ball too long, too. Mannion took 25 sacks as a junior and 24 sacks as a freshman (12 as a sophomore). He needs to pull the trigger faster.
If Mannion can improve his footwork and accuracy, he could rise high during across senior year. For the NFL, Mannion has the physical skill set to be a potential starting quarterback if he can iron out his flaws.
2015 NFL Draft Expectations: Mannion received a third-round estimation from the NFL Advisory Board for the 2014 NFL Draft before deciding to return for his senior season. During this offseason, Mannion has been working hard on his accuracy and footwork. Assuming that work pays off, he could easily be a second-round pick and possibly move into the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Quarterbacks rise and good pocket passers are always in demand.
Read more at http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2015smannion.php#ZI2bdKjPKYBSW76P.99
Agamemnonhttp://oregonsportsnews.com/team-news/oregon-state-beavers/should-sean-mannion-bolt-for-the-nfl.html
Should Oregon State Beavers Quarterback Sean Mannion Bolt For The NFL?
Posted by Arran Gimba on Nov 20, 2013 13:36
Share(3)TweetThere’s hardly much conventional wisdom when it comes to kids leaving college early to become professional athletes; there’s a camp for both sides of the argument.
Camp one says to stay all four years in an effort to maximize your athletic growth while also achieving a very worthwhile education, and degree, in the event pro sports doesn’t work out.
However, camp two says to leave when your “draft stock” is at it’s ultimate high and to avoid risking catastrophic injury, which could very well result in a smaller pay day if, or when, you go pro. These examples are just the tip of each iceberg, as this is a debate that will rage on each and every year in every corner of collegiate athletics.
In the case of Oregon State’s junior quarterback Sean Mannion, the decision to stay or leave has slowly gained a full head of steam as the wunderkind from Pleasanton, California is putting together a season, statistically, that Beaver Nation hasn’t seen since the days of Derek Anderson.
(Although Anderson passed for just over 4,000 yards as a junior, he chose to stay with Oregon State for his senior season, adding one more year of development, while breaking some school records in the process).
In terms of Mannion’s “draft stock,” you could make a very strong argument that it’s at a “leave college early” type level as he nears the end of his junior season. In regards to his development (which is rearing an ugly side of itself after OSU’s last two games) you could also make the argument that it is in his best interest to stick around another year, and fine tune his game even further.
If you remove Oregon State’s last two games (contests against USC and ASU), Sean Mannion had compiled 3,263 yards passing and 30 TDs, while tossing just three interceptions. Even with the loss to Stanford, Mannion was putting together a season for the ages, and was beginning to draw national praise as his name was brought up in early discussions for the Heisman Trophy.
When you add the last two games, both losses, to Mannion’s season statistics, they begin to tarnish his resume a bit. While the yardage numbers on the year are still gaudy, Mannion has tossed just 3 TDs the past two games, while throwing 7 (you read that right) interceptions.
Performances like his last two are stark reminders that the 21-year-old signal caller could use one more year in Corvallis.
There are a few caveats to thinking Mannion should stay, however. First of all, there’s a very significant chance that his go-to receiver, Brandin Cooks, bolts for the NFL as his own “draft stock” is soaring right now. Not only has Cooks amassed a total of 1,628 yards (receiving plus rushing) and scored 16 total touchdowns, he’s just been named a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which recognizes the nation’s top wide receiver. Cooks has a legitimate shot at taking home that hardware, so it’s very logical he decides to make the jump to the NFL following his own junior season.
The second cautious factor for Mannion is the injury concern. That’s not to say Mannion is in any way injury prone, but he did miss a few games last year due to an injured knee (he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus, but returned to the Beavers that same year). Oregon State does have a top flight sports therapy crew working for the football team, but that doesn’t necessarily give him an outright chance to avoid injury; at any level, risking injury is just part of the job description.
If he does decide to go pro after this season, he’d likely join a very deep quarterback draft class with people like Johnny Manziel, Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr, Brett Hundley, AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray, to name a few. That’s a heck of a draft class, and if Mannion has any desire to be drafted on the first, or second, day next April, he’ll likely want to stick it out for his senior season and take a shot at the 2015 NFL Draft.
Now while that is looking at it with monetary concerns in mind, Mannion could be the type that just wants to get to the league as soon as possible, and with his skill set, be willing to make the jump pre-maturely and begin getting professional level coaching one year earlier.
Mark Sanchez left USC after just one year as the sole starter for the USC Trojans, and while he was drafted 5th overall by the Jets, he was one of only five quarterbacks taken in the first four rounds of the 2009 Draft. A decision that worked wonderfully for him as he was able to secure a hefty payday, and become the franchise quarterback for a struggling Jets team. As mentioned above, this year’s quarterback class is absolutely loaded, even if guys like Mariota or Hundley decide to stick around for another year.
For Mannion’s potential to be fully developed, he should return to Oregon State for his senior season, build on what he’s put together this year, and prepare for the 2015 NFL Draft as one of the premiere quarterback options. His recent lackluster performances exemplify the reason for him to don the orange and black for one more year, with or without his star receiver.
It may be a pipe dream for fans to see him return, however, as Beaver Nation has witnessed Jacquizz Rodgers (football), and Jared Cunningham (basketball), two top-flight athletes in their respective sports, bolt for the pros early when many signs could’ve pointed to them returning to campus.
However it plays out, Mannion has certainly left his mark on OSU football, and is not done cementing himself in the Oregon State record books.
AgamemnonKnow Your Enemy: Previewing the Oregon State Offense
By Berkelium97 on Oct 17, 2013, 3:00a 21
James Snook-USA TODAY SportsSean Mannion and Brandon Cooks could provide the stiffest challenge yet for the Bears’ depleted secondary. Can Cal find a way to stop the nation’s most productive quarterback and receiver?
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Pin“Never do any enemy a small injury for they are like a snake which is half beaten and it will strike back the first chance it gets” – Niccolo Machiavelli
The Oregon State offense is painfully one-dimensional right now. A wave of injuries throughout the offensive line has hampered the Beavers’ running game. As a result, Sean Mannion has been forced to lead the offense singlehandedly. They have since developed the most productive passing game in the nation, by a large margin. The injuries at offensive line were merely temporary, however, and the unit is approaching full strength. When they return to their 2012 form, watch out. As soon as this team gets a running game to balance out Sean Mannion’s out-of-his-mind performances, this team could challenge for the second spot in the Pac-12 North. As is their custom, the Beavers are steadily improving after an early season lull and they will put all the pieces together very soon. Will the offense find balance this weekend? Pray to Oski that it takes another week for the Beavers to restore their running game.
Scheme
We’ve been fortunate so far this season because most of the offenses we’ve played have been analyzed all over the internet. The internet has been eager to break down offenses like Oregon’s and Washington State’s. Oregon State’s offense, however, has been given little attention. Perhaps because it’s a pro-style offense. Perhaps because it isn’t full of household names. Whatever the reason, you’ll have to rely solely on the good ol’ editorial integrity of CGB this week. Liffey Bear has already analyzed the Beaver offense from last week’s Washington State game. Today I’ll use some plays from the Colorado game to illustrate why our pass defense must be vigilant and expect a pass on every single play.
1. This looks like it could be a run
When first glancing at the Beavers’ offensive statistics, it looks like they do not run the ball very much. Let’s take a look at some plays that look like they could be runs. Have a look at this formation:
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Here the Beavers have only two wide receivers, a tight end on the right side of the line, and a tight end/fullback just behind the other TE. This is probably a run, right?
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Yeah, it’s definitely a run. Look at Mannion as he prepares to hand off the ball. Also, see how Brandon Cooks (top of the screen) is double covered. There’s no way Mannion will try to pass to him.
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Oh. Look at that. He threads the ball into double coverage and directly into Cooks’ hands. Well, I guess that wasn’t a run. Who needs to run when you have a QB who is that accurate?
2. This also looks like it could be a runNow this looks like a run. We have 1 WR, 2 TEs on the right side of the line, and the RB and fullback in an offset I-formation. This looks like a good old fashioned power run from the pro offense.
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Mannion is even dropping back to hand off to the RB. This must be a run, right?
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Nope. It’s another pass. From bottom to top, we have a WR running a crossing pattern in the back of the end zone, a RB running a curl route just inside the end zone, the inner TE running another crossing pattern, and the outer TE (circled) who blocks a defender before releasing and running into the end zone. Keep an eye on that circled TE in the next image.
The challenge here for the defense is picking up all these receivers. What happens next should be no surprise:
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Colorado loses tight end Caleb Smith, who is wide open for a touchdown reception from Sean Mannion. Who needs to run when you can sneak a TE into the end zone for an easy TD?
3. This HAS to be a runJust like last time, we have one WR on the field side and two TEs on the boundary side of the line (towards the top of the screen). Instead of a FB, however, we have a WR running behind the line. This looks like it must be one of OSU’s signature fly sweeps.
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Nope! It’s a screen! Now that the sweeping WR has pulled the defense towards the top of the field, the RB Terron Ward has plenty of room to run the screen. In fact, all he needs is a block from the lineman at the nose of that unfortunate new beaver logo.
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He gets that block and is sprung free for a huge gain.
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Some nifty footwork brings a safety to the ground.
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And Ward turns a simple screen into a 50-yard touchdown.
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Who needs to run when your RBs can do just as much damage with the passing game?
4. Surely this must be a runWe’re back to the 22-player personnel (2 tight ends, 2 running backs). Prior to the snap, a TE moves from the right side of the line to the left side. If this were Andy Ludwig’s offense, there is a 100% chance this is a run to the left. Will Mike Riley run the ball?
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This time I’ll spoil the result before moving to the next frame. No, OSU will once again pass from a seemingly run-focused formation.
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From top to bottom, the WR runs a crossing route, as does the TE on the left side of the line. The circled TE on the right… well, he has quite the journey in this play. Keep an eye on him.
This play is doomed to failure. First our focal TE stumbles off the line. Meanwhile the WR and left TE are about to run into each other.
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Now our focal TE runs into the ref.
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Amid this chaos, the defense loses our TE Caleb Smith, who is now wide open for a TD reception.
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Who needs to run when your pass protection lasts long enough to turn a broken play into an easy touchdown?
5. In which the pattern is finally broken…?Now we have a 21-player personnel set (2 TEs, 1 RB) and 2 WRs split wide. After diagramming 4 pass plays that looked like run plays at the outset, I bet you think I’ve turned the tables and will have a run play from a formation that suggests pass…
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Of course I’m not going to do that. This is Oregon State. They don’t run the ball. Instead, I will highlight yet another tight end touchdown (I won’t blame you for closing this tab, shutting off your computer, and throwing it out the window).
From top to bottom we have a WR running a crossing route in the back of the end zone, a TE who briefly blocks the DE before releasing down field, and a WR running a slant route. Keep an eye on the circled TE.
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The defense finally keeps track of the TE this time! Well, until he muscles right past that poor linebacker.
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This is too easy for Sean Mannion, who throws a TD pass to Connor Hamlett. Who needs to run the ball when your TE will bulldoze every defender in his way?
At the beginning of this section I said it looks like the Beavers do not run the ball very much. This is because…the Beavers do not run the ball very much. The Beavers only run the ball 27 times per game and are 120th in the nation in rushing attempts. When you take out sacks and kneels, they run the ball less than half as often as they pass. Even when it looks like Oregon State will run the ball, they’ll probably pass. With a QB like Sean Mannion, a receiver like Brandin Cooks, and a stable of talented tight ends, who needs to run the ball?
If Cal hopes to contain this offense, they must keep track of potential receivers on every single play. As we have seen, these tight ends are very easy to lose, especially when they initially look like they’re staying in for pass protection. These are some BIG tight ends too. The Bears must be sound and physical with their tackles. Arm tackles will not get the job done. Further demanding discipline from the Cal D is the frequency of OSU’s playaction. Several of these plays had fake handoffs to get the defense to bite on the run. But what have we learned so far? Say it with me: “OREGON STATE WILL NOT RUN THE BALL” Sure, they’ll line up like they want to run the ball. Sometimes they’ll even run the ball, but they’ll only pick up about 2 or 3 yards. That’s not a real run.
Let’s meet Mike Riley’s merry band of Beavers.
Personnel* Denotes returning starter
Quarterback*Sean Mannion: 6′ 5″, 220 lbs, Junior
We’re facing Sean Mannion at the worst possible time. Last year he had 2,446 yards (7.9 yards per attempt) on 64.5% completions, with 15 TDs and 13 interceptions. Other than a high interception rate, those stats are pretty good. With some better ball management, he could keep doing the same thing and be a pretty good QB. That hasn’t happened.
Do you remember the Sean Mannion who passed for 325 yards on 70.6% completions and 4 TDs against Cal last season? He’s been doing that against everyone this season. In fact, he set a school record last weekend with 493 passing yards against Washington State. He is quietly having an incredible season. If Mannion keeps this up all season, he’s going to be a first-round draft pick this spring. He has everything a pro-style offense wants: excellent accuracy, great reads, solid frame. He isn’t very mobile, but he is very good at delivering the ball to his receivers even with defenders in his face. Against San Diego State, he briefly looked rattled when the blitz-heavy D was pressuring him. Instead of panicking and making mistakes, he settled in and started picking apart the D before the pressure could reach him. Cal’s best bet is try to flush him from the pocket or sack him before he finishes his five- or seven-step drops.
Simply put, Sean Mannion is an excellent quarterback. Be afraid.
Pros
Most productive QB in the nation
Accurate, efficient, intelligent
Singlehandedly leads the OSU offense
Unflappable under pressureCons
Limited mobility
Nearest In n Out is about 25 minutes awayRunning Back
*(RB) Storm Woods: 6′ 0″, 205 lbs., So.
(RB) Terron Ward: 5′ 7″, 202 lbs., Jr.
*(FB) Tyler Anderson: 5′ 10″, 223 lbs., Jr.
The Oregon State running backs are suffering from a surprising lack of production this season. Storm Woods ran for 940 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. If he continues at his current rate, he won’t even gain half as many yards this season. While his number of carries is down this season, his yards per carry has plummeted from 4.90 to 2.98. His fellow RB Terron Ward has suffered similarly. In 2012 he ran for 415 yards on 6.10 yards per carry but he only has 151 yards on a disappointing 2.75 yards per carry this season. The running game is even worse than it was during that horrific 2011 season. This certainly isn’t due to a lack of talent.
Storm Woods is a fast, physical back who excels in short yardage situations on third downs and in the red zone. With 38 receptions for 313 yards last season, he’s a capable receiver. Terron Ward is similar in that he’s a fairly powerful runner. He’s more than capable of shouldering the load, as he ran for 146 yards on 19 carries as starter against ASU last season. He enjoyed the best game of his career against Cal last year when he tallied 128 yards and 2 TDs. Their talents cannot make up for the attrition at offensive line. Once a promising unit full of starters, the OSU O-line is a patchwork unit that hasn’t done any favors for the running backs.
Starting fullback Tyler Anderson may see a few carries on Saturday. If he does, watch out. On 17 career carries, he has tallied 3 TDs and 9 first downs. He gets the job done on short runs.
Pros
Talented and experienced
Running behind a veteran O-line (when healthy)
Reasonable productivity in 2012Cons
Offensive line injuries, struggles have crippled the running game
The fries will already be cold by the time they arrive at Memorial StadiumWide Receiver
(Split end) Richard Mullaney: 6′ 3″, 194 lbs., So.
*(Flanker) Brandin Cooks: 5′ 10″, 186 lbs., Jr.
*(Slotback) Kevin Cummings: 6′ 1″, 184 lbs., Sr.
Brandin Cooks is the star of the Beavers’ receiving corps. He leads the nation in receiving yards per game, receiving touchdowns, and receptions per game. He has more than twice as many receptions as Richard Mullaney, the Beavers’ second-leading receiver. Cooks runs great routes and has great hands . Despite a smaller frame, he has an excellent vertical leap that makes him a great red zone target. He was the team’s second-leading receiver last season with 1,151 yards and 5 TDs. He earned a Pac-12 honorable mention and was a Biletnikoff Award finalist. Cooks and Mannion are the most productive QB-WR pair in the nation. Keeping him contained will be an extraordinarily difficult task for the Bears.
Richard Mullaney is replacing the new Pittsburgh Steeler Markus Wheaton. Despite playing second fiddle to Cooks, he is on pace for a 1000-yard season. He may be slightly hobbled with a case of turf toe, but he is probable for Saturday’s game.
Kevin Cummings has been a reliable target and has already eclipsed his 208 yards and 1 TD from last season.
Pros
Brandin Cooks
Incredible productivity
Great depth
Brandin CooksCons
No one has elite speed
Only one Brandin Cooks
The shake melted tooTight End
*Connor Hamlett: 6′ 7″, 263 lbs., Jr.
Caleb Smith: 6′ 6″, 260 lbs., So.
Connor Hamlett had the best game of his career against Cal last year (didn’t everyone?) with 80 yards and a touchdown. He will not get an encore performance this week, as he is out with a knee injury. The reliable tight end is second on the team with 4 TD receptions. In his place we will see a combination of Kellen Clute and Tyler Perry. No, not that Tyler Perry. No one will be dressing up in wigs and frumpy dresses this week. Despite suffering an injury during practice this week, Caleb Smith should play. Clute and Smith have proven themselves, as each has 2 TDs this season.
Pros
Great names
Reliable red zone targetsCons
Injuries have created a sudden lack of depth
Those delightfully crisp buns will get soft on the drive to Memorial StadiumOffensive Line
*(LT) Michael Philipp: 6′ 4″, 328 lbs., Sr.
*(LG) Josh Andrews: 6′ 3″, 304 lbs., Sr.
*(C) Isaac Seumalo: 6′ 3″, 305 lbs., So.
*(RG) Grant Enger: 6′ 6″, 291 lbs., Sr.
(RT) Gavin Andrews: 6′ 5″, 325 lbs., So.
At the start of the season, this was an extremely promising unit. Injuries decimated the line in September, but it’s nearly back to full strength. Starting right tackle Grant Enger tore his MCL, starting right guard Gavin Andrews missed time with mononucleosis, and backup right guard Roman Sapolu injured his foot. This forced center Isaac Seumalo to move over to right tackle while sophomore Josh Mitchell filled in at center. Redshirt freshman Grant Bays filled in at right guard. Further exacerbating the situation, several of the line’s backups have been injured. Against Utah they were down to a mere two backups for the entire line, a walk-on and a true freshman (whose redshirt the coaches want to avoid burning). Enger and Andrews have been available to play since last weekend and should be able to play against Cal.
Fortunately for OSU, the left side of the line has remained healthy. The offensive line is anchored on the left side by Michael Philipp and Josh Andrews. Left tackle Philipp has more than 40 starts in his career and is living up to the promise of his freshman year, when he earned several freshman All-America honors. He struggled with injuries in 2010 and 2011, but bounced back last year and is enjoying a solid senior season. Andrews is a two year starter, but there is a slight chance he might not play Saturday due to a quad contusion.
Projected starting center Isaac Seumalo won the starting job in his first day of camp…as a true freshman. Despite his youth and inexperience, he’s on the watch list for the Rimington Award, awarded annually to the nation’s top center. He is also a candidate for the Outland Award, given to the nation’s best interior lineman.
The right side of the line was held down by 2012 All-Pac-12 honorable mention guard Grant Enger and tackle Gavin Andrews. Enger’s injury was a huge loss for the Beavs. Fortunately for them, he should play on Saturday.
Despite the injury woes, the line’s pass protection has improved substantially this year. They allow only 1.17 sacks per game, fewer than half as many as the 2.54 per game they surrendered last year. The number of tackles for loss per game is identical to last year’s mark, however (6.17). Run blocking has not withstood the injuries…
A strength of the team last season, the running game has nearly disappeared this season. Run blocking has suffered due to the injuries. The lineman have struggled to get low and use leverage in their blocks. Instead, they have been blocking high and failing to finish their blocks. As a result, the running backs haven’t had many running lanes. Until the injured players get back in playing shape, the running game should continue to struggle.
Pros
Pass protection has improved
Great line until injuries piled upCons
Injuries everywhere
Poor run blocking
Does the Oakland In n Out even have a delivery truck?And now, the numbers.
StatisticsAbandon hope all ye who read this section.
Individual Statistics (2013)Passing
Sean Mannion: 2,511 yards, 67.1% completions, 8.7 yards per passing attempt, 25 TDs – 3 interceptions, 166.59 efficiency rating
I don’t know which is more impressive, that Sean Mannion leads the nation with 418.5 yards per game or that he has an incredible 25-3 touchdown to interception ratio. Cal has faced several excellent quarterbacks this season and Mannion is easily #1 or #2.
Rushing
Storm Woods: 170 yards, 2.98 yards per carry, 4 TDs
Terron Ward: 151 yards, 2.75 yards per carry, 2 TDs
Brandin Cooks: 106 yards, 6.63 yards per carry, 1 TDOther than the occasional fly sweep to Brandin Cooks, the Oregon State offense has struggled to run the ball.
Receiving
Brandin Cooks: 944 yards, 11 TDs
Richard Mullaney: 521 yards, 2 TDs
Storm Woods: 227 yards, 0 TDs
Connor Hamlett: 198 yards, 4 TDsSome players would be happy to log 944 yards and 11 TDs all year. Cooks has done that in half a season. He is a serious candidate to break Trevor Insley’s NCAA record of 2,060 single-season receiving yards. Mullaney’s numbers do not look as impressive in comparison, but he is on pace to tally more than 1,100 yards. Running back Storm Woods is a reliable receiver and Hamlett is a TD threat in the end zone.
Team Statistics (2013)
Scoring
42.3 points per game (11th)
506.8 yards per game (15th)Passing
433.2 yards per game (1st)
25 TDs (1st)
163.73 efficiency rating (11th)
8.6 yards per passing attempt (18th)This is going to be one of the toughest challenges of the season for the defensive backs (I’m getting tired of saying this every week).
Rushing
73.67 yards per game (124th)
2.65 yards per carry (123rd)Although our rushing defense has improved over the past few weeks, we won’t have much of a chance to show it on Saturday. Oregon State only runs the ball 27.8 times per game (120th).
Conversions
44.71% third down conversions (47th)
66.67% fourth down conversions (19th)
74.36% red zone TD conversions (14th)What’s particularly horrifying about that red zone conversion stat is that they’re second in the nation with 39 appearances in the red zone. That’s as many as their fellow statesmen in Eugene.
Ball Management
7 turnovers (24th)
33:23.83 average time of possession (12th)
25.72 seconds per play (Pace: lethargic)This is the worst kind of offense to face when you have a deficit. They take excellent care of the ball and hold onto the ball for a long time. If we fall behind by multiple scores in the second half, it will be very difficult to come back.
Negative Yardage
1.17 sacks allowed per game (23rd)
6.17 tackles for loss allowed per game (79th)
54.7 penalty yards per game (78th)Despite throwing 50.2 times per game, the Beavers only allow 1.17 sacks per game. That’s an impressive 43 throws per sack. Cal, by contrast, allows a sack for every 16 attempts.
Conclusions
This isn’t going to be easy. Oregon State boasts the most productive passing game in the nation. Sean Mannion is an accurate, efficient quarterback who can deliver a ball through the smallest of windows. His top receiver Brandin Cooks leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. To stop the Oregon State offense, Cal needs to flush Mannion from the pocket, cover the tight ends, and hope that Brandin Cooks gets lost in the bowels of Memorial Stadium. Once again, the Cal defense will have its hands full with another of the nation’s best offenses.
Mannion had a really good 2013 and a really bad 2014. What he does in the Pros is all a projection. But, I think he has a chance to be really good.
AgamemnonBig 6’6″ qb, born in San Jose and played locally in Pleasanton…. what worries me is that Mannion threw a ton of picks in college…..
He did. But, he threw a lot of TDs and was good in the Red Zone. 83 TDs vs 57 ints. Over +20 TDs in the Red Zone. And that was far a non power house team, that was often behind.
Agamemnon
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