Jonathan Smith On Fake Field Goal, Prep For Colorado As Oregon State Tries To Get Back On Track

By 750 THE GAME STAFF

It was a game that Oregon State and their fans will want to forget.

A 27-24 loss to Arizona down in the desert where, surprisingly, it was the coaching staff that made mistakes. The big mistake was a play before halftime. The Beavers tried a fake field goal from 16 yard line. The Beavers end up losing by three and the decision to attempt a fake field goal was questioned even more.

On Monday, Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith gave his press conference and he was asked about decision making. There have been a lot of mistakes in decision-making across the nation in college football. Smith says he will sometimes ask assistants or others for input, but ultimately it’s his decision.

“I offer up, ‘hey what do you guys think?’ Depending on which side of the ball I’m on,” Smith said Monday. “Or if I’m just on (special) teams. Sometimes it’s just the guys next to me. But ultimately I make calls.”

As the Beavers look forward, they travel to Colorado taking on a Buffaloes team who is now 4-4 after a hot 3-0 start and being the talk of college football. Smith knows that Colorado is dangerous even though they have lost 4 out of their past 5 games.

“I think that team battles – and I don’t go to the extent of ‘struggling’,” Smith said of the Buffaloes “This league is tough and competitive and they have been competitive throughout. Dramatically different then last year. So this is a good football team. They can score in bunches. One of the best quarterbacks that we’re going to play.”

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders has been sacked the most in the nation this season, but Sanders also has been highly efficient in the passing game when he gets time. Sanders is third in the Pac-12 in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions on the season. Smith says Sanders is a game changer.

“What I see is a quarterback who spreads you out and he makes you pay. The ball can come out quick. They’re just coming off of a game where they’re playing a really good, I mean we faced it. A really good defensive line in UCLA that make a lot of people struggle with some of the talent they’ve got. These guys are solid on offense and this guy is a tough, accurate, athletic, competitive quarterback.”

According to betonline.ag. The Beavers are supposed to win this game. Oregon State is a 13 1/2 point favorite on the road in Boulder. It will be an 7 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.

Don’t miss John Canzano’s reaction to the Beavers loss and where OSU goes from here on the Bald Faced Truth, afternoons 3-6 p.m. exclusively in Portland on 750 The Game.

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