Football | September 21, 2022
Jonathan Smith and Alex Grinch will be wearing different colors this time around, but Saturday won’t be the first time the two have battled on opposing sidelines.
Oregon State’s head coach was once the offensive coordinator for Washington when Grinch served as Washington State’s defensive coordinator.
Grinch was blunt Wednesday (Sept. 21) when asked what he recalled from previous Apple Cup matchups.
“I remember not being able to stop them,” USC’s defensive coordinator said dryly. “As a competitor, you don’t forget those Saturday afternoons. [Smith’s] done it for a long time and believes in what he does. He has a tremendous track record.”
Grinch went on to praise how Smith has crafted his roster at Oregon State.
“He has really recruited the right guys for his system,” Grinch said. “They play fast. They play hard. They play physical. You can tell they’re developed. And so, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him as a coach, and certainly, respect for them as a program.”
Oregon State’s offense presents a problem for defenses because it’s a threat both on the ground and through the air. The duality of the Beavers’ scheme puts pressure on defenders to quickly diagnose each play.
“That’s a lot of conflict on seven guys, every single snap, and they do it with a number of different personnel groupings,” Grinch said. “So it’s not as simple as saying it’s two back or one back or one tight end, and then you get some wildcats you have to deal with and you have to prepare for that…They’re good at what they do. And it’s a real challenge.”
Notes from USC’s Wednesday practice of Oregon State…
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