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Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter is one of the Beavers' many weapons on offense.
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Beavers’ offense features more than Stroughter
The former third-team All-American will still be OSU’s top threat
Yes, Oregon State's Sammie Stroughter is one of the most explosive receivers on the West Coast.
Yes, containing the senior will be a key for the Warriors secondary tomorrow.
But the Beavers have ample talent to keep the Warriors' focus spread across the Reser Stadium field.
"They have great skill players and they have one guy that I think is a first-round draft pick," Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin said of Stroughter. "The running back is quick, their skill guys are outstanding, so our secondary is going to have a real challenge.
"If we put a couple of guys on (Stroughter) ... you leave some of their other good guys open."
Two weeks after lining up against Florida's speedy set of backs and receivers, the Warriors secondary is preparing to face another group blessed with big-play potential tomorrow when Hawaii visits Corvallis. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. Hawaii time.
"It's just other people in other jerseys we're going to play," safety Keao Monteilh said. "We like challenges. We like to go against great athletes because it pushes us and shows where we're at, what kind of potential we have and what kind of abilities we have as a secondary."
The Beavers figure to give the Hawaii defensive backs sufficient opportunity to test themselves.
After two games, the Beavers rank 12th in the country in passing offense at 327 yards per game, with quarterback Lyle Moevao checking in at 15th in total offense (304.5 ypg).
The Warriors coaches are quite familiar with Stroughter's abilities, although most of this year's secondary didn't face the Beavers in the 2006 meeting at Aloha Stadium. Stroughter racked up 106 yards on just three catches, including an 80-yard touchdown, in OSU's 35-32 win.
Stroughter, a third-team All-American in 2006, is getting a second shot at his senior season after being granted a medical hardship. He opened 2008 with 157 yards and two TDs against Stanford, but was held to four catches for 56 yards by Penn State last week.
The combination of Stroughter and sophomore flanker James Rogers can stretch defenses downfield, and slot receiver Shane Morales keeps the chains moving, leading the Beavers in receptions with 17, good for sixth in the country.
Freshman running back Jacquizz Rogers, James' younger brother, ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State. James Rogers was second on the team in rushing last season, averaging 11.7 yards per carry, as the Beavers' primary threat running the "fly sweep" from his receiver position.
Hawaii is slated to start seniors Ryan Mouton and Calvin Roberts at the corners, but Jameel Dowling and JoPierre Davis figure to see action when the Warriors put five defensive backs into the game and Mouton slides inside to nickel back.
The Warriors gave up 233 passing yards, just 88 in the second half, in last week's win over Weber State and came down with their first two interceptions of the season.
"They've got a good crew of receivers and their vertical passing game and their crossing routes are as good as we've seen," UH defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "Florida was more of a balanced, option read attack. These guys have a really good passing game and they do it out of different formations, so they're going to challenge the back end.
"We've played good, but we need to play much better."