Jordan Bishop had plenty to learn when he joined the Oregon State football team.

As a receiver, Bishop had to get up to speed on the offensive plays as well as work on his route running and catching.

There was one big aspect of the system that Bishop had little experience with out of high school.

OSU receivers are expected to block well downfield.

"Personally it's been a huge difference," Bishop, a redshirt freshman slot back, said. "In high school I really didn't have to block because I was on the outside and we just didn't have a lot of blocking in our scheme. You come here and having to block every run play, it's a tough task but it's something you have to do if you want to play in the system."

Those blocks are a key to any offense, but OSU's scheme is particularly dependent on good downfield blocking.

The Beavers have run the fly sweep quite often in recent seasons along with other plays designed to get players such as James Rodgers or Markus Wheaton into the open field.

Add running back Jacquizz Rodgers to the equation and the Beavers have the potential to break a big play at any time.

Provided, of course, the receivers make their blocks.

"Blocking downfield is huge in our offense," Bishop said. "You've got Quizz back there, you never know if he's going to break one across the field or something like that, so we really try and work on blocking as much as we can before and after practice."

The Beavers work on blocking nearly every day during practice. They use mirror drills and work with other players on holding blocks to get better.

Bishop said he also tries to emulate players such as Sammie Stroughter.

"I've seen some great blocks," Bishop said. "I watch film almost every day and I see Sammie (Stroughter) make some good blocks last year and I just try to follow what Sammie does. He does a great job."

Nevertheless, it can be a tough task.

The receivers are trying to concentrate on making their block and getting it done the right way while not being able to see exactly where the ball carrier is going.

"It's definitely hard to get used to trying to block for someone that's behind you when you don't know where he's going but the (defensive back) does," senior split end Damola Adeniji said. "You've just got to stay balanced, work your feet and be quick on your actions and you'll get it down."

The blocks have to be made in space. The defenders have plenty of room to avoid the block if it's not timed well and executed perfectly.

The receivers have to know how fast to approach a defender and when to break down. Messing up can result in whiffing on the block or getting called for a penalty, most often holding.

Junior slot back Casey Kjos said it takes a lot of work and can be very draining during a game.

"You can always overrun somebody if you're trying to run hard and catch up and make a block and all of a sudden the back cuts a certain way and the defender's going to stop and re-route," Kjos said. "Especially blocking in space you've got to be conscious of holding. If you grab a guy on the outside of his jersey, that's the kind of stuff you're always thinking about. Break down, keep your hands inside. Things like that keep you from holding."

The receivers are constantly aware of Jacquizz Rodgers' ability to break into the open on a given running play and try to get into position to make a block for him.

The job is a little easier when he has the ball.

"We work on getting our angles and getting to the opposite side even if it's run away from us, just so that if Quizz does break three or four tackles and gets to the next level that we can ensure that our guy won't be the one that makes the tackle," Adeniji said. "With Quizz, you've just got to take one side away from the (defensive back). Just take one way away, Quizz will find it, he'll read off you. He's a great back. He can read things like that very easily."

The right block at the right time can result in a big run or what the Beavers call a touchdown block.

It's the goal of all the receivers.

"That's really important for us as a receiving corps and that's something we work on every day, blocking," Kjos said. "We pride ourselves on being the best blockers that we can. It's real important on our team."