Oregon State notebook

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Gazette-Times Reporter

Anthony Brown is leaving a mark on the Oregon State football team in the record book and with the younger generation.

The senior flanker has been starting for the Beavers since his freshman year. He has never been the go-to player, but comes through with big games on occasion.

He usually catches a few passes and blocks down field. Lately he’s a mentor to freshmen receivers such as James Rodgers and Darrell Catchings.

Brown has 30 receptions for 418 yards and a touchdown this season. He has the second-most catches on the team to running back Yvenson Bernard.

Only Sammie Stroughter has a better average per catch, but that’s not a surprise. Stroughter was the big-play guy until a kidney injury took him out for the season.

Catchings is emerging as the Stroughter of the future, and Rodgers gets noticed as an exciting player due to all the ways the team uses him. Brown, however, just keeps going about his business.

“I’m just going in there and trying to play,” Brown said. “We have a lot of great receivers. I’m not trying to be a go-to guy, just do my job and lead by example. If the ball comes my way, then that’s great. If not, I’ll go out there and block for those guys who do.”

Brown has gone out of his way to help the younger players since training camp. That’s because he’s focused on the team more than before.

“Things are going good helping the young guys,” Brown said. “I’m trying to help them with what I went through as a freshman. I’ve been trying to give them the details what a veteran should know in running routes. I’m just showing that veteran leadership.”

After practice Brown frequently stays around with the freshmen to run routes and dispense advice.

While that’s going on, he’s steadily moving up OSU’s all-time reception record list. He is tied for seventh with 124 and is on pace to break into the top five before his career ends.

“Right now I don’t care about that,” Brown said. “I don’t even know what I have. I’m just playing ball. I want to finish the season strong. Maybe when we get done with all this, I’ll look at it. We just want to win, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.”

Corner rotation

With the emergence of sophomore cornerback Tim Clark, it’s going to be hard to keep him out of the lineup now that starter Keenan Lewis is back from an Oct. 6 knee injury.

Clark has eight tackles, an interception and three pass breakups in the last two games. His best performance was holding California standout DeSean Jackson to four catches for five yards.

“I’m really proud of Tim, stepping in like that,” coach Mike Riley said. “I like the fact he plays with awareness. For a young corner to play like that is impressive.”

Lewis has been a starter for the last three seasons, and has been playing the best of his career. He had three interceptions and a pass breakup before the injury.

Riley hinted he may be forced to use a three-man rotation at the two cornerback spots with those two and Brandon Hughes, who is also playing well with eight pass breakups and two interceptions.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I anticipate all three guys playing,” Riley said.

New venue

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a new venue to the players. The last time OSU played there was 2003, when the fifth-year seniors were in their redshirt season, so they weren’t taken on the trip.

Riley talks about all the places the team goes to prepare them for what they will see. It usually helps the newcomers to have peers to help them adjust, but not this time.

Having coached the Trojans from 1993-96, Riley will at least have first-hand information to give them.

“I think it’s a great football place,” Riley said. “It has the history and tradition and all the football that has been played there. It’s a great place to play. It’s an exciting place to play.”

Rare success

The Beavers have not won in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1960, when Riley was an 8-year-old. The Beavers have lost 20 straight to Southern California on the road.

“I don’t talk about that stuff with the players,” Riley said. “I’m sure they will read it or hear it, but it won’t have much impact on their lives. They know the history of the program and they realize they are in a new era.”