Dwight Roberson was one of the few breakout players in the Oregon State football team’s loss to Penn State last Saturday.

As a reward, the outside linebacker from Oxnard, Calif., will receive more playing time, coach Mike Riley said Tuesday. The sophomore’s efforts are needed to help fix a run defense that has allowed 224.5 yards a game.

He made seven tackles at Penn State in limited playing time. That was the second most by any Beaver player. And he forced two fumbles.

“All (the coaches) concurred after watching the tape that he should get more repetitions in games,” Riley said. “As we go through the week, we’ll figure out how that happens. He played an audible (hard-hitting) game and you could hear him out there, and that’s pretty neat.”

Roberson played for Keith Pankey for much of the middle and end of the game. He usually plays on the opposite side of Pankey, but he may be rotated in on both sides for Pankey and Keaton Kristick.

His emergence has come after dropping from 240 pounds when he arrived at OSU to 227 this season. Last season was a setback because he suffered a deep bone bruise on a knee that took him out of two games.

“I just stayed focused and was determined to win,” Roberson said of the Penn State game. “There was nothing big; I just did what I could. I’ve been trying to get (the coaches’) attention. It’s hard, but you have to wait your turn. You’ll get it as long as you work hard.”

Running change

Riley hinted there will be a change in how running backs Jacquizz Rodgers and Ryan McCants will be used this week. He’ll make it official later in the week.

McCants started the season opener and has carried the ball eight times for 19 yards in two games. Rodgers started the second game and has carried 36 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns so far.

“It doesn’t matter,” Rodgers said of how he’s used. “We can help the team in our own way. We are different running backs.”

Conference leaders

Wide receivers Shane Morales and Sammie Stroughter rank first and second in the Pacific-10 Conference in receptions with 17 and 16, respectively.

Lyle Moevao joins Arizona State’s Rudy Carpenter and Southern California’s Mark Sanchez as Pac-10 quarterbacks averaging more than 300 yards a game passing. Moevao has thrown for 654 yards in two games.

Alumni sighting

Former OSU player Rockne “Rocky” Freitas is scheduled to accompany the team captains for the coin toss Saturday before the game. He’s the chancellor of Hawaii Community College in Hilo.

Freitas was a three-year letterman (1964-66) who helped the Beavers reach the 1965 Rose Bowl.

Big crowd

Tickets for the general public for Saturday’s home opener against Hawaii are sold out. Approximately 100 tickets remain in the Club level for $200 a seat, OSU announced.

Club tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-GO-BEAVS, in person at the OSU ticket office in Gill Coliseum or by going online at osubeavers.com.

Scouting time

Several NFL scouts are using Saturday’s game to gauge talent. Clubs expected to be in attendance are the Giants, Dolphins, Texans, Panthers, Broncos, Bills, Vikings, Falcons and Seahawks.