Physicality a focus as Cougars begin Pac-12 play vs Oregon State

PULLMAN — The 2023 Pac-12 slate opens Saturday across the conference, with the No. 21 Washington State Cougars preparing for a “physical” No. 14 Oregon State squad.

OSU ran for 203 yards in last season’s meeting Oct. 15, and the Beavers have averaged 219 yards on the ground through their first three games of the season.

“You look at these guys as a whole — what an opportunity for us,” WSU head coach Jake Dickert said at a press conference Monday. “By most metrics, they have a top-five offensive line in the country … These two backs are phenomenal, physical and run their scheme. They’re patient, very multiple.”

Beaver running back Damien Martinez leads the way out of the backfield, carrying the ball 40 times for 351 yards and a score through the first three weeks of the season. Fellow back Deshaun Fenwick has amassed 152 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries so far this year, and a stout offensive line features four players who started at least seven games in 2022.

“We have that 1-0 mindset each week,” linebacker Devin Richardson said at a press conference Tuesday. “We know this week’s going to be some hard-nosed ball, getting downhill and stopping the run.”

Under center for the Beavers is DJ Uiagalelei, who transferred to Corvallis after three seasons with the Clemson Tigers. The junior passer has thrown for 630 yards and six touchdowns so far this season, adding four touchdowns and 38 yards on 13 carries on the ground.

“When you have a quarterback that you feel really confident in, he raises the level of everybody else around him,” Dickert said. “You can see him making all the big throws, really great touch passer. They use him in the old jackhammer package where he can run.”

Last season’s contest was a 24-10 win in favor of Oregon State, who had seven players combine to run the ball 47 times for 203 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’ve got to come down and really fit the run, get them out of that run game and make them play a different game,” defensive back Sam Lockett III said at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Beavers sacked WSU quarterback Cam Ward six times in last season's game and now lead the Pac-12 with 12 sacks entering Week 4.

“Their defensive line’s a problem, and it’s the strength of their defense and their attacking,” Dickert said. “They do it in multiple different ways — a lot of line games, movements. I think they’re very athletic and they play within themselves with power, and we’ve got to match that. We’re a different offensive line than we were against them last year.”

Washington State and Oregon State kick off at 4 p.m. in Pullman. WSU leads the all-time series 56-47-3 and has won eight of the previous 10 matchups.

“At the end of the day, the journey doesn’t matter if you’re not focused on the present,” Dickert said. “And we’ve got to stack up a bunch of 1-0’s when you get to conference play. That’s the opportunity that we have this week.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.