About the Utes Utah has won four of its last five games against Pac-10 opponents and coach Kyle Whittingham is 1-1 against the Pac-10 as Utah's head coach. The Utes are coming off an 8-5 season that ended with its sixth straight bowl win. Backup tight end Colt Sampson strained his left MCL Monday and won't play against the Beavers.
About the Beavers Oregon State has won its last 22 consecutive games at home against nonconference opponents. The Beavers went 10-4 last year and won their last four games including its 39-38 Sun Bowl win over Missouri. Receiver Sammie Stroughter has rejoined the team days after taking an indefinite leave, but isn't supposed to play in the opener.
Home-field advantage? The Utes are just 17-29 when opening the season on the road while the Beavers are 13-0 under coach Mike Riley at home in games against non-Pac-10 opponents. Reser Stadium has undergone an expansion and now seats 45,674
people. An estimated 40,000 are expected for the opener.
3 keys for Utah
1. Return of Brian Johnson: The star quarterback of 2005 has returned to the lineup after missing the 2006 season with a knee injury. His return also marks the return of a more option-oriented offense, something Ute coaches promise to use extensively against the speedy Beavers.
Johnson has a strong group of receivers to use, led by the always steady Brent Casteel and Brian Hernandez, who has looked the best out of the group in fall practice.
2. Get a running game: Ray Stowers will start against the Beavers, but the guy expected to have the biggest impact is junior college transfer Matt Asiata. He is a burly back who can abuse defenses with his power, an element the Utes lacked last year. Returner Darryl Poston also is in the mix after averaging 3.8 yards a carry last year.
Freshman Eddie Wide could be used as well, although he could line up as receiver more than at running back.
3. Secondary steps up: Utah's secondary proved its downfall in some games last year and it has received some intense scrutiny in fall camp. Brice McCain and Steve Tate are the veterans while Sean Smith, Joe Dale and R.J. Stanford are relatively inexperienced.
Their first test is a big one, in stopping a high-powered offense that has averaged more than 28 points a game the last four years.
3 keys for Oregon State
1. Find a quarterback: Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao went into camp in a battle for the starting role and never really settled it. As a result, Canfield will start the first quarter and Moevao the second. What happens in the second half depends on who looks the best, OSU coach Mike Riley has said.
Canfield is more of a passer and Moevao is more of a scrambler.
Top receiver Sammie Stroughter has been the team's soap opera, deciding one day he won't play this year and then showing up at a Saturday practice. Whatever his future holds, he won't play against Utah, Riley said.
2. Let Bernard run: With Stroughter out of the mix, look for running back Yvenson Bernard to be the guy delivering big plays. He is the active leading rusher with 2,648 yards and OSU has won its last six games when he rushes for 100-plus yards.
The 5-9, 204-pound senior is going up against a Utah defense that ranked second in the MWC last year, giving up 106.5 yards a game. "Deceptive," is the way many describe his running style.
3. Get to the quarterback: Oregon State led the Pac-10 with 47 sacks last year and led the nation with 528 yards lost. Returning linebackers Derrick Doggett, Alan Darlin and Joey LaRocque will be the three main guys who have the duty of pinning Brian Johnson before he gets going.
Last year the Beavers gave up 22.2 points a game.
Key matchup for U. on offense
Look out for Brian Hernandez. Utah has a strong group of receivers, but if fall camp means anything the unassuming, 6-foot Hernandez is set for a breakout season. Hampered by ankle issues in the past, he is finally healthy and it has shown in numerous impressive runs in practice. His speed is just what the Utes need to counter OSU's defensive attack.
Key matchup for U. on defense
Utah's secondary is young and vulnerable, there is no secret there. So the best idea for the Utes is to get to OSU's quarterbacks before they have a chance to prey on the secondary. This is the first time since 2002 that Oregon State has opened the season with a first-year starting quarterback, and if the Utes can rattle Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao early, the secondary will have a much easier night.
Key number 33-5: To beat the Beavers, the Utes need to get a lead early and take the crowd out of the game. Oregon State is 33-5 when leading after three quarters under coach Mike Riley and are 20-1 over the last three years with the lone loss being to LSU.
Last year the Beavers had a flair for winning games that were close at the end, doing so in five contests to beat Arizona, USC, Oregon, Hawaii and Missouri.
About the Beavers Oregon State has won its last 22 consecutive games at home against nonconference opponents. The Beavers went 10-4 last year and won their last four games including its 39-38 Sun Bowl win over Missouri. Receiver Sammie Stroughter has rejoined the team days after taking an indefinite leave, but isn't supposed to play in the opener.
Home-field advantage? The Utes are just 17-29 when opening the season on the road while the Beavers are 13-0 under coach Mike Riley at home in games against non-Pac-10 opponents. Reser Stadium has undergone an expansion and now seats 45,674
people. An estimated 40,000 are expected for the opener.
3 keys for Utah
1. Return of Brian Johnson: The star quarterback of 2005 has returned to the lineup after missing the 2006 season with a knee injury. His return also marks the return of a more option-oriented offense, something Ute coaches promise to use extensively against the speedy Beavers.
Johnson has a strong group of receivers to use, led by the always steady Brent Casteel and Brian Hernandez, who has looked the best out of the group in fall practice.
2. Get a running game: Ray Stowers will start against the Beavers, but the guy expected to have the biggest impact is junior college transfer Matt Asiata. He is a burly back who can abuse defenses with his power, an element the Utes lacked last year. Returner Darryl Poston also is in the mix after averaging 3.8 yards a carry last year.
Freshman Eddie Wide could be used as well, although he could line up as receiver more than at running back.
3. Secondary steps up: Utah's secondary proved its downfall in some games last year and it has received some intense scrutiny in fall camp. Brice McCain and Steve Tate are the veterans while Sean Smith, Joe Dale and R.J. Stanford are relatively inexperienced.
Their first test is a big one, in stopping a high-powered offense that has averaged more than 28 points a game the last four years.
3 keys for Oregon State
1. Find a quarterback: Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao went into camp in a battle for the starting role and never really settled it. As a result, Canfield will start the first quarter and Moevao the second. What happens in the second half depends on who looks the best, OSU coach Mike Riley has said.
Canfield is more of a passer and Moevao is more of a scrambler.
Top receiver Sammie Stroughter has been the team's soap opera, deciding one day he won't play this year and then showing up at a Saturday practice. Whatever his future holds, he won't play against Utah, Riley said.
2. Let Bernard run: With Stroughter out of the mix, look for running back Yvenson Bernard to be the guy delivering big plays. He is the active leading rusher with 2,648 yards and OSU has won its last six games when he rushes for 100-plus yards.
The 5-9, 204-pound senior is going up against a Utah defense that ranked second in the MWC last year, giving up 106.5 yards a game. "Deceptive," is the way many describe his running style.
3. Get to the quarterback: Oregon State led the Pac-10 with 47 sacks last year and led the nation with 528 yards lost. Returning linebackers Derrick Doggett, Alan Darlin and Joey LaRocque will be the three main guys who have the duty of pinning Brian Johnson before he gets going.
Last year the Beavers gave up 22.2 points a game.
Key matchup for U. on offense
Look out for Brian Hernandez. Utah has a strong group of receivers, but if fall camp means anything the unassuming, 6-foot Hernandez is set for a breakout season. Hampered by ankle issues in the past, he is finally healthy and it has shown in numerous impressive runs in practice. His speed is just what the Utes need to counter OSU's defensive attack.
Key matchup for U. on defense
Utah's secondary is young and vulnerable, there is no secret there. So the best idea for the Utes is to get to OSU's quarterbacks before they have a chance to prey on the secondary. This is the first time since 2002 that Oregon State has opened the season with a first-year starting quarterback, and if the Utes can rattle Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao early, the secondary will have a much easier night.
Key number 33-5: To beat the Beavers, the Utes need to get a lead early and take the crowd out of the game. Oregon State is 33-5 when leading after three quarters under coach Mike Riley and are 20-1 over the last three years with the lone loss being to LSU.
Last year the Beavers had a flair for winning games that were close at the end, doing so in five contests to beat Arizona, USC, Oregon, Hawaii and Missouri.
