Oregon State Is Eating Up Its Perfect Start

Oregon State quarterback Terrance Bryant makes sure his linemen have eaten, and so far, the Beavers are unbeaten.

Sense a correlation there?

A growing tradition at Oregon State--a school where most of the old traditions stink--is Bryant’s buffet for his offensive line.

After each game, the Beavers’ new quarterback has sprung for Sunday dinner--a potentially expensive proposition, what with four 300-pound starters and one skinny fellow who weighs in at 294.

“I’ve done it so far. I can’t say if I’ll be able to afford it all year,” said Bryant, a transfer from City College of San Francisco. “I just go to, like, Safeway, and buy a lot of meat and have a barbecue. No fancy restaurant or anything. I could take them for an all-you-can-eat, maybe, for about $4.99. That would be cool.”

What else is cool? A 2-0 record, Oregon State’s first since 1985, after decisive victories over Nevada, 48-6, and Baylor, 27-17.

This, by a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 1970.

Oregon State Coach Mike Riley, USC’s offensive coordinator from 1993-96, returned to his home state before last season to try to breathe life into one of college football’s most troublesome programs.

After going 3-8 last year, the Beavers are off to a better start, though they face a difficult challenge Saturday night at the Coliseum against No. 18 USC, a school Oregon State hasn’t beaten since 1967.

Bryant is one reason things are looking up for the Beavers. Others are a dramatically improved running game and a solid defense led by end Inoke Breckterfield that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in the first three quarters of either game.

Bryant supplies a winning spirit.

“What Terrance Bryant has provided this team with is competitive leadership,” Riley said. “He’s a great guy, loves to play, and the guys believe in him.

“I’ve got a lot of admiration for how he came in and worked hard in the summer and made sure others did too. He’s a real leader.”

Bryant hasn’t been perfect, and is passing for a little more than 200 yards a game. But his first pass in a Beaver uniform--to James Battle--was good for a 68-yard touchdown. That got the ball rolling, so to speak.

Bryant was so excited about the Beavers’ big start, he started talking bowl game.

“Well, you know, I was just hyped up,” he said later, stopping short of guaranteeing that the Beavers will play in their first postseason game since the 1965 Rose Bowl. “I just started saying things.”

Bryant’s great asset is that he isn’t used to losing, which makes it all the more remarkable that he picked Oregon State. Even Riley has acknowledged that was “a pretty courageous” decision.

At Miami’s Homestead High School, Bryant’s team went 21-7 over his three seasons. At City College of San Francisco, where USC reserve tailback Jabari Jackson was his teammate for one season, Bryant guided his team to a 10-1 and 11-1 records.

At one point, Bryant committed to Purdue, then changed his mind and signed with the Beavers because of Riley.

“He’s just a wonderful man,” Bryant said. “I’m not a loser, and I don’t want to be labeled a loser. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Riley this season has dumped the option attack Oregon State used and sent former quarterback Tim Alexander to flanker in an offense that features three receivers. Then Bryant beat out senior Tyler Tomich, a former Long Beach City College quarterback.

The big difference, though, has been in the running game. Oregon State was held under 85 yards rushing six times last season, and ran for only 29 yards in a 23-0 loss to USC.

But freshman Ken Simonton, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound back from Pittsburg, Calif., stepped in and rushed for more than 100 yards against Nevada--something no Beaver freshman had done in his first game--then duplicated the feat against Baylor.

His 112-yard average is second in the Pacific 10. UCLA’s Jermaine Lewis had 113 in his debut.

“We had such a terrible running game last year,” said Riley, who sends his team against a Trojan defense that has been strong against the run. “In order to be a better team, we had to turn that around. We’ve had a couple of good games--not great, but solid.

“The line is much improved. We’re not a juggernaut on offense, but we’ve been pretty consistent and only taken a couple of sacks.”

That would be because of the aforementioned burger- and steak-eating offensive line.

“They protect me, and I treat them to a meal out of respect,” Bryant said.

A huge line isn’t always the best line--USC has learned that lesson, and these days is emphasizing strength and mobility over sheer mass--but Oregon State’s starters average a daunting 6-5, 309 pounds.

USC has a 225-pound defensive end in Sultan Abdul-Malik and a 260-pounder in Shamsud-Din Abdul-Shaheed, and probably will start three sophomores on the defensive line.

“There’s a concern with our inexperience and lack of size,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said. “We’re an undersized group.”

They’ll be going against an Oregon State line that is not underfed, thanks to Bryant, who only wishes he could treat more of his teammates.

“I can’t have the whole offense for a cookout every week,” he said. “I’m not a rich person.

“One week I spent, like, $60. I buy mostly meat. As long as they get their fill, I don’t buy potato chips or nothing like that.

“One offensive lineman--two or three burgers and a steak, that will usually fill him up.”

Oregon State’s team is hungry for a few more victories, however.

Four more would give them their first winning season in more than a quarter-century.

“We’re just getting respect,” Bryant said. “That’s what Oregon State needs. We haven’t been getting it in the community. Now the community is starting to say, ‘We’ve got a team. And they’re no 1-9 team, not 1-10.’ ”

They’re 2-0, and counting.