Isaiah Hodgins / Wide receiver / Oregon State
The Oregon State passing attack has reached a new level in 2019. With senior quarterback Jake Luton at the helm, the Beavers have put up 2,714 yards through the air this season. The Beaver offense has relied heavily on one player in particular: junior wideout Isaiah Hodgins.
Hodgins has built quite the stat line in 2019, generating 1,086 yards on 78 catchesand a 13.9 yards-per-catch average. The Oakley, California, native leads the Pac-12 in receiving touchdowns with 13 on the season. Hodgins also ranks extremely well in receiving yards per game, sitting at No. 4 in the conference with a 98.7-yard average.
Hodgins will go toe-to-toe with one of the most talented defenses in the nation on Saturday in Eugene.
Hamilcar Rashed Jr. / Linebacker / Oregon State
Beavers linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. has been explosive this year. With 14 sacks so far in 2019, the junior has proven himself to be one of the top pass rushers in the nation. Rashed has tallied 60 total tackles on the season, including 22.5 tackles for a loss.
Rashed has put pressure on quarterbacks throughout the season, tallying multi-sack performances infive of the Beavers’ 11 games so far. His season high came in the Beavers’ 21-17 win over Cal, when he recorded seven tackles and got to the quarterback on three occasions.
Despite being listed as active, Rashed wasn’t on the field during last week’s matchup with Washington State for unknown reasons.
Rashed, assuming he suits up, will take on a multi-faceted Oregon offense that features a strong group of running backs, a pro-ready quarterback and a veteran offensive line in what could be his biggest test to date.
Justin Herbert / Quarterback / Oregon
Senior quarterback Justin Herbert had one of the worst games of his collegiate career last week in the Ducks’ shocking loss to Arizona State. The Eugene native and potential top 5 NFL Draft pick threw a season-high two picks in the game.
Herbert had a very slow start in the passing game on Saturday, creating most of his offensive momentum in the fourth quarter. Of Herbert’s 304 passing yards, 177 came in the final three offensive drives. He went on to complete 20 of his 36 pass attempts on the night, in stark contrast to his performance against Arizona in the week prior, in which the senior completed 20 of 28 attempts and generated 333 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
While the Ducks’ 2019 Playoff hopes are gone, they can still take home a Pac-12 championship and end the season on a high note. But to do so, Oregon will have to bounce back in this weekend’s home matchup against a tough Oregon State Beavers squad.
Deommodore Lenoir / Cornerback / Oregon
The Oregon secondary struggled mightily on its trip to Tempe, allowing quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Arizona State offense 408 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Nobody on the Ducks defense suffered more than junior cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.
Lenoir was the culprit on two of the Sun Devils’ three passing touchdowns, both of which went for massive chunks of yardage. The first touchdown to Lenoir’s side took place in the fourth quarter, when Daniels hit wideout Frank Darby with a deep ball right on the money in tight coverage. The second — and perhaps the most costly play of the game — came in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, when Daniels struck again, throwing a long ball to Sun Devils receiver Brandon Aiyuk that resulted in an 81-yard touchdown, effectively ending the game.
While Lenoir and the Oregon secondary struggled in Tempe, there is still hope for a positive ending. The Ducks have a massive opportunity to rebound against Oregon State, but it won’t come easily. If Oregon is to finish its season with a win against the Beavers, the secondary will undoubtedly play a huge role.
