EL PASO, Texas - OK, so there's no Quizz.

The Oregon State football team would love to have its star running back pounding the ball between tackles for the Sun Bowl, but there has been enough time to adjust to him being out with an injury.

Most of the rushing burden falls on redshirt freshman Ryan McCants. For the No. 24-ranked Beavers to do well against No. 18 Pittsburgh on Wednesday he'll need his best game of the season.

"I'm not concerned about having a big game, I just want to come out and have a good game," McCants said. "We want to run the ball to help out the passing game. But I don't feel that much pressure."

It didn't go well for McCants in the last game against Oregon on Nov. 29, when Jacquizz Rodgers missed the season finale due to a fractured bone in his left shoulder.

With more than two weeks of bowl practice the Beavers hope the outcomes ends up better this time.

"We've worked hard in the extra time in practice, working out the kinks," McCants said. "With the extra practice I'm more comfortable with the plays we are running."

Players and coaches have faith in McCants from the work he put in the last year in practice, during the season when he received the chance in games.

McCants has been focused during bowl practice in Corvallis, and even more so here. He's looking to redeem himself after that last game.

"I think he'll be as well-prepared as you can be," coach Mike Riley said. "He always worked extremely hard. And I anticipate him being ready to go."

McCants carried the ball 79 times for 314 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Most of his playing time didn't come in a pressure situation, but there were three pressure games.

He didn't do much starting the season opener at Stanford, running for 11 yards on four carries. His best game came in relief after Rodgers was injured at Arizona; McCants ran the ball 15 times for 52 yards.

After that he had 10 carries for 32 yards against Oregon. There was nowhere to run against the Ducks because of a bad game by the offensive line.

"Ryan has done a great job running the ball," quarterback Lyle Moevao said. "There's no different preparing this week as any other game. The main thing is he's feeling more comfortable as a starter, and he'll do a great job coming out of the gate. We expect nothing but big things from him, and he'll live up to it."

There's added pressure on McCants since third-string running back Jeremy Francis missed early bowl workouts in Corvallis while tending to his mother, who had heart surgery.

He joined the team in El Paso on Friday, so he's behind in training. Other than those two there are no viable running backs.

Staying healthy leading up to the game is just as important to performing in the game because of limited depth. McCants is trying to keep that out of his mind.

"The more you think about not to get hurt the more likely you'll get hurt," McCants said "You just have to play carefree."

No matter how well McCants does in the Sun Bowl, the chances of him regaining the starting job are slim. Rodgers established himself as a national sensation, winning the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year and being name a third-team All-American.

And they are both freshmen. If all things remain the same McCants will be behind Rodgers his entire career. Concerns of him transferring, or even looking for a position change, are valid, but not at this point.

"We haven't crossed that bridge at all," Riley said. "I don't know how he feels about it. There has been no question or thought about it on that subject. He seems extremely happy. And as the year went on with Quizz playing we were getting a feel of the rotation and he was playing quite a bit. As we know things change in a blink of an eye. From my viewpoint, it will be a great duo for a while."

McCants said before the Civil War that transferring or changing positions were not in his thoughts, and he reiterated that this week.

If that changes later remains to be seen.

"It hasn't been a tough season," McCants said. "It was fun to be part of a winning team. Quizz did a great job in the season. We are just trying to finish out on a positive note."