Oregon State freshman running back Quizz Rodgers has one response to any wonder about the load he’s been carrying for the 23rd-ranked Beavers: keep it coming. “I just feel like that’s my role on the team,” he said. “As the weeks go on, my role gets bigger. I think I can take it on.” The 5-foot-7, 193-pound Rodgers leads the Pac-10 in rushing, averaging 121.0 yards entering Saturday’s game against California at Reser Stadium. He already has the league rushing record for a freshman with his 1,089 yards, and at his current pace will finish with more than 1,500 yards, a figure surpassed only three times by an OSU runner. “I hope he can break 1,500 yards, that would be great,” OSU left guard Adam Speer said. “We’ve got four games left to do it.” The OSU record is 1,690 yards by Steven Jackson in 2002. Ken Simonton rushed for 1,559 yards in 2000 and Jackson also had 1,545 yards in 2003.
Rodgers’ season total is already 10th-best by a Beaver. He’s gotten there by averaging 25.3 carries, and his 228 rushes this season are 60 more than any other player in the Pac-10. The freshman is 11 carries short of the 10th-highest total ever at OSU, and his current average would put his season total at around 330, including a bowl game. Only Steven Jackson, with 350 rushes in 2003 and 319 in 2002, has ever exceeded 300 carries at OSU. OSU coach Mike Riley said he doesn’t pay much attention to the total number of carries for a running back, “as far as too many. A guy is going to get 30ish carries a game with the Beavers if he’s the (primary) back.” Rodgers has a season-high of 37 carries, against USC. His lowest total was 14, in the opening game against Stanford when he was the backup to Ryan McCants.
Since that opening game, the fewest carries for Rodgers was 20 at Washington, and he acknowledged after that game he was looking forward to a break during a bye week for the Beavers. “That was the middle of the season and your body gets a little beat up,” Rodgers said. “That was good for me.” Riley said after the bye, “we noted right off the bat, he was really fresh.” Rodgers rushed 30 times against Arizona State for 133 yards and followed it up with 31 rushes for 144 yards at UCLA. Rodgers said his number of carries compares to his assignment in high school, and he’s not bothered by the defenders being bigger and stronger in college “because I’ve got bigger guys blocking for me also.”
Up for an award
Rodgers has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top running back. In addition to leading the Pac-10, he is 10th in the nation in rushing. Rodgers is the only freshman semifinalist. He is joined by seniors Tyrell Fenroy of Louisiana-Lafayette and Javon Ringer of Michigan State, juniors Donald Brown of Connecticut, Glen Coffee of Alabama and Shonn Greene of Iowa, and sophomores Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State, LeSean McCoy of Pittsburgh, Knowshon Moreno of Georgia and Evan Royster of Penn State. Only two Pac-10 players have ever won the Doak Walker Award, Reggie Bush of USC in 2005 and Greg Lewis of Washington in 1990. The three finalists will be determined Nov. 24 in a vote of the 162-member selection committee, with the winner named Dec. 11.
Should still be Sean
Lyle Moevao was a practice participant Tuesday, but only on a limited basis. Unless he shows considerable progress in the next day or so, there seems to be no question that Sean Canfield will make his second consecutive start at quarterback. “The main thing for me would be that I’m able to make all the throws in our playbook,” Moevao said, adding that he can’t throw the football far enough yet to be fully effective. “This is the type of injury where you either take four weeks off and feel great or you take two weeks off and have some pain but you’re still able to accomplish the throws.” Moevao said “I’m pretty good with midrange (throws) so we’ll see far we can push it this week.”
One jump too short
The strained hip muscle of slot receiver Shane Morales suffered during Friday’s walkthrough occurred when he caught a pass in the end zone and attempted to jump up and simulate dunking the football over the cross bar of the goal posts. No more of that, Riley said. “I went up and I decided I didn’t want to go up anymore so I kind of just stopped and I landed straight-legged,” Morales said, He attempted to play against UCLA, but only lasted the first couple of plays. His prognosis for Saturday? “I’m hoping. We’ll see,” Morales said. “It’s getting better. It’s just tight.”
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