Oregon State head coach Trent Bray knows exactly what awaits his team in Corvallis. The Beavers return home tonight for a nationally televised matchup against Houston, and the first-year head coach isn’t shying away from the challenge. “Another talented team. Explosive offensively. Defense throws a lot at you. They do a nice job. It’ll be another great challenge for us.”
For Bray, the priority is clear: limiting big plays. “They make explosive plays and so that’s the key when you play offenses like this, [need to] eliminate or reduce the amount of explosive plays and make them be patient and drive.”
After struggling to establish the run in Eugene, the Beavers are looking for more balance. Oregon State currently ranks near the bottom nationally in rushing offense, a reality Bray addressed directly. “We got to run the ball better…there were moments on Saturday against a really good front. We got to build on that, but we got to be more consistent with being able to run the ball.”
Almost showtime… ⏳ pic.twitter.com/u7bhphBU5h
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Defensively, keeping Houston quarterback Conner Weigman contained will be crucial. “You gotta do a good job keeping him in the pocket because he’s a good athlete and he’s hurt teams by getting out and running. Can’t allow that to be a factor.” Bray added that discipline in rush lanes is non-negotiable. “Every time you’re part of the rush…you got to assume you’re going to affect the play and you have to chase and race to the quarterback.”
Despite the rough start to the season, Bray praised his players’ attitude. “They’ve been great as far as the way they come out to work, the way they show up to meetings. There’s no one pouting or hanging their head. We’ve done some things self-destruction wise that have led to our situation. We have got to fix that.”
With students back in Corvallis, the atmosphere at Reser Stadium should be electric. “Just having the students back in town is huge because that’s really a big part of what makes Reser.”
As for what defines success tonight, Bray didn’t leave any room for interpretation. “There’s only one and that’s winning. That’s all there is to this game. There’s no moral victories in my mind.”
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