Beavers Ready For Trip To Nevada

GAME 3: OREGON STATE AT NEVADA

Gameday Information

Date: Sept. 15, 2018
Time: 4:05 p.m. PT
Location: Reno, Nevada
Stadium: Mackay Stadium
Television: ESPNU
Play-By-Play: Trey Bender
Analyst: Tyoka Jackson
Radio: Beaver Sports Network (TuneIn)
Play-By-Play: Mike Parker
Analyst: Jim Wilson
Sideline: Ron Callan
Pre-Game: Steve Preece
Satellite Radio: XM Channel 202, Sirius Channel 199
Series History: Oregon State leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: 1999 (W, 28-13)
Live Stats: OSUBeavers.com

The Game —
- Oregon State heads out of state for another non-conference matchup when the Beavers visit Nevada Saturday in Reno. Kickoff from Mackay Stadium is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. PT.
- The game is slated to air on the ESPN3, available by visiting ESPN.com or using the "Watch ESPN" app on smartphones or tablets. You must subscribe to ESPN to watch the game.
- It is the first Oregon State game to not air over broadcast television since Nov. 21, 2009 at Washington State in Pullman, a 42-10 Beaver win. That was three seasons prior to the first Pac-12 Network broadcast.
- Every game this season can be heard live via the TuneIn application, which is available online and on smartphones and tablets. To find the game, once the app has been downloaded, search "Beaver Sports Network."
- Oregon State holds a 3-0 all-time series lead between the teams, with the last matchup a 28-13 Beaver win in 1999. That game was also played in Reno.
- For more on that 1999 meeting and its ramifications for the Beavers, visit page three of these notes.
- True freshman Jermar Jefferson tied the Oregon State single-game record with four rushing touchdowns in Saturday's win over Southern Utah. He rushed for 238 yards, the third-best single game total, trailing Bill Enyart (299 in 1968 versus Utah) and Steven Jackson (239 in 2002 versus California). Jefferson averaged 10.8 yards per rush, just shy of breaking into the top 10 for a single game.
- Jefferson's four TD game is the first nationally this year and his 238 yards ranks third.
- Jefferson (seventh with 285 yards) and Artavis Pierce (16th at 259) rank among the nation's leaders for rushing yards. No other Pac-12 player ranks in the top 25.

Route To End The Streak —
- September 4, 1999 is one of the special dates in Beaver football history when the team played at Nevada.
- To set the stage -- it was an eventful offseason that saw head coach Mike Riley depart after two seasons for the San Diego Chargers and the home venue of the Beavers was renamed Reser Stadium from the previous Parker Stadium.
- The date marked the first for new head coach Dennis Erickson. The date also marked the start of what would become the end to 28 consecutive losing seasons.
- The Beavers ultimately ended the year 7-5 and played in the O'ahu Bowl in their first postseason game since the 1965 Rose Bowl.

Sept. 4, 1999 At Nevada —
- As mentioned, it was a notable 28-13 win at Mackay Stadium in front of 29,167. To the details:
- OSU pulled away with a 21-0 fourth quarter margin
- OSU head coach Jonathan Smith made his fourth career start as OSU's QB, connecting on 21 of 43 attempts for 257 yards and one TD – to TE Marty Maurer (74 yds).
- RB Ken Simonton rushed for 199 yards (currently 16th top mark in school history – then it ranked seventh in the OSU record book.
- Current Beaver special teams coach Jake Cookus made an interception from his free safety position.
- Current OSU run game coordinator/offensive line/associate head coach Jim Michalczik was then the Beavers' special teams/offensive line/tight ends coach.
- Current Beaver defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa was in his first of a three-year playing career at Nevada as a LB, but did not play against OSU per the game-book.

Yeah, It's Early, But —
- The Beaver offense is on record pace for a season and is currently on target for 6,246 yards.
- That would mark the third time in school history of 6,000-plus yards in a season (all 13-game years) and would eclipse the current record of 6,071 yards in 2013. The team is also on pace to rush for 3,336 yards, which would break the school record of 3,254 in 1993.

Chewing Up Big Yards —
- Oregon State's offense has already racked up 15 plays of 25 or more yards from scrimmage this season.
- That's in significant contrast to the 2017 Beavers, who finished with just 25 plays of 25 or more yards.
- Eight of the 2018 team's 15 long plays have come on the ground, with Jermar Jefferson totaling five and Artavis Pierce recording three.
- Again, in sharp contrast to last season, those eight rushes of 25-plus yards are already more than last season's Beavers, who finished with five.

Oregon State Experience —
- Despite having a new staff, a portion of head coach Jonathan Smith's assistants have experience at Oregon State.
- Jim Michalczik, who is the Beavers' associate head coach and who oversees the offensive line, was an assistant in Corvallis from 1999-2001. He coached the tight ends, special teams and offensive line during his tenure. He has since coached at California, Arizona and with the Oakland Raiders. He helped Arizona to an average of 309.3 yards per game rushing in 2017, third nationally.
- Trent Bray also coached at OSU for three seasons, from 2012-14, overeeing the linebackers. Bray, who played at Oregon State from 2002-05, has six years as an assistant in the Pac-12 after serving on the staff of Arizona State from 2009-11. was named as a nominee for the Broyles Award (top assistant coach) while at Nebraska in 2016.
- Jake Cookus is in his first year as the special teams coordinator at Oregon State after spending two years as a quality control analyst. He lettered at OSU from 1998-2001, and has been an assistant at Hawai'i, Montana and Weber State. He has led two units to top-20 rankings in net punting - Hawai'i (sixth) in 2015 and Montana (20th) in 2014.
- James Rodgers is the team's director of player development. He played at Oregon State from 2007-11, and is third all-time with 222 catches, and sixth with 2,578 receiving yards. He played in three bowl games and is credited with the emergence of the "fly sweep" at Oregon State.

More On The Staff —
- Secondary Coach Greg Burns has coached in 11 bowl games and won national titles with USC (as secondary coach) in 2003 (Rose Bowl) and 2004 (Orange Bowl).
- Wide Receivers Coach Kefense Hynson has spent 14 years as a collegiate football coach, with three years as co-offensive coordinator at both Yale and Montana.
- Offensive Coordinator/QBs Coach Brian Lindgren helped Colorado signal callers Sefo Liufau and Steven Montez to 110 school records during his tenure with the Buffaloes.
- Running Backs Coach Michael Pitre led Montana State to 249.5 rushing yards per game in 2017, good for first in the Big Sky and seventh nationally at the FCS level.
- Defensive Line Coach Legi Suiaunoa helped Montana to four FCS Playoff appearances during his tenure. He also helped lead Hawai'i to a Hawai'i Bowl appearance in 2016.
- Defensive Coordinator Tim Tibesar was named FootballScoop Co-Linebackers Coach of the Year in 2015. He helped Wisconsin to a 34-7 record in three seasons.
- Tight Ends Coach Brian Wozniak served as a offensive graduate assistant coach at Oregon State from 2015-17. He played in three Rose Bowls as a player at Wisconsin.

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Players Mentioned

Jermar Jefferson

Artavis Pierce