Randy L. Rasmussen

By Nick Daschel | The Oregonian/OregonLive

CORVALLIS – Count Jermar Jefferson among the surprised as to what the freshman running back has accomplished during the first half of Oregon State’s 2018 season.

Jefferson is the Pac-12 leader in rushing yardage, touchdowns and 100-yard games. He’s No. 4 nationally in rushing yardage and scoring.

“When I came (to Corvallis), I came in college ready,” Jefferson said. “But I definitely didn’t expect I was going to do things like I’m doing now.”

Tuesday was the first time Jefferson has been permitted to speak to the media other than taking a few brief post-game questions after his big rushing performances Southern Utah and Arizona State.

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Jefferson is feeling fresh despite the first-half workload – his 130 carries is No. 2 in the Pac-12 -- in more ways than one. Last week’s open Saturday allowed Jefferson to get “all the nicks and knacks off me,” he said. The return of junior running back Artavis Pierce, who missed a month with an elbow injury, “definitely helps a lot … takes some off of me.”

Jefferson, who has rushed for 865 yards through six games, says he talks to former OSU great Jacquizz Rodgers on Twitter, and spoke with Steven Jackson – the school’s single-season rushing leader – last week when he was in Corvallis.

After rushing for 251 yards on Sept. 29 against Arizona State, Jefferson said the first person he called was his father.

“He saw it, but I still wanted to let him know,” Jefferson said.

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Oregon State wasn’t on the Southern California native’s radar until about a month before 2018 signing day, when coach Jonathan Smith and his staff began the hard sell.

“I wasn’t really looking for Oregon State,” Jefferson said. “Glad I’m here now.”

Though a bevy of season records are within Jefferson’s reach in the upcoming weeks, the freshman says they’re not on his mind.

“Not really paying attention to it. Just focusing on wins,” Jefferson said.

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Where does Jermar Jefferson rank among Oregon State's all-time best true freshmen?

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More Beaver notes

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Sticking to the script

Only those inside the gates of Oregon State’s practice truly know how things stand regarding the quarterback situation for Saturday’s game against California.

Sophomore Conor Blount left the Oct. 6 game against Washington State with a shoulder injury. Jake Luton, out since Sept. 15 against Nevada with a high ankle sprain, was said to have been limited Sunday. As for Tuesday, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said both were practicing, but to what extent is unknown.

Asked for a health update Tuesday, Blount said he was “100 percent. I’m 100 percent.” Luton says “I’m making some strides.”

Lindgren simply says they’ll assess how things look after Wednesday’s practice and begin to formulate a quarterback plan for Saturday.

Luton summed up the quarterback situation best.

“It’s something where we’re always on call,” he said.

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Luton on attitude

For a second consecutive year, Luton has spent a chunk of the season watching instead of playing. Luton was sidelined for the final nine weeks of the 2017 season with a spine injury. He’s missed three consecutive games since last playing against Nevada.

The view from the sideline is getting old.

“I kind of did that all last year,” Luton said. “This year it’s been a little more frustrating being back in that position, because I know what it’s like to be on the sideline. I don’t want to be there.”

Luton says “I didn’t think it was going to take this long” to recover from a high ankle sprain. But rehabbing for four weeks or long from this injury isn’t uncommon; Oregon just announced Tuesday that left tackle Penei Sewell is out six weeks with a high ankle sprain.

In the meantime, Luton says he leans on those close to him.

“I try to talk to my family and girlfriend,” he said. “They keep me going.”

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Jamie Sabau

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Fourth down fireworks

Oregon State has become one of the country’s best teams at converting fourth downs. The Beavers rank seventh nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage at .812, hitting on 13 of 16 attempts. It’s not just a statistical anomaly, either. Only 14 teams have tried more fourth-down attempts than the Beavers this season.

“It shows (Smith) wants touchdowns, not field goals,” Blount said.

The decision to go for it on fourth down is all on Smith, says Lindgren. Which he likes hearing in the headset, because it gives Lindgren options prior to calling a third down play, knowing he has some wiggle room on fourth down should they come up short.

“He’s taking the approach that he wants to be aggressive,” Lindgren said.

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Outlaws Photography

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Pass blocking 101

Offensive line coach Jim Michalczik stopped short of giving a midseason report card regarding his position group, but there’s no doubt where improvement needs to be made during the season’s second half.

“We’re not where we want to be, especially with pass protection,” Michalczik said.

Michalczik described the skills of pass blocking vs. run blocking as “very similar, but very different in some ways.”

“Run blocking is aggression, attack, violence,” he said. “Pass blocking, you have to be more reactionary, have to trust your athletic ability a little bit more, and use your hands.”

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Midseason healthy still good

It can be argued that OSU’s healthiest position group is offensive line, where none of the top six players have missed a game this season. Blake Brandel, Gus Lavaka, Sumner Houston and Trent Moore have started all six games, while Yanni Demogerontas and Kammy Delp have each started three games at right guard.

Michalczik says there are certain approaches a team can take to help minimize injuries to the offensive line, but “I think a lot of it is luck. A lot of it is keeping them moving. A lot of times when your legs are locked up on the ground, that’s when they get in trouble.”

Michalczik cautioned that although the offensive line collectively has answered the bell each Saturday this season, “we’re midseason healthy … playing through a lot of minor hurts and still going.”

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More offensive tinkering

While Oregon State’s offense has extracted a great deal from its running game, Lindgren says they’ll be looking for significant improvement down the stretch. Namely, more explosion plays, and particularly from the passing game. During the past three games, the Beavers’ offense has generated only three pass plays of at least 25 yards.

Big plays were among the things the coaching staff uncovered as they self-scouted the team during the open week. Another area of need is better red zone play. OSU ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in red zone conversions, hitting at 79 percent (22 of 28), and less when it comes to touchdowns (17 of 28). Giving up quarterback sacks is another concern, as the Beavers are worst in the league by a large margin, with 23.

“Negative plays as a whole have been huge,” Lindgren said. “We’ve had too many third and longs, that you’re just not going to convert.”

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More from the tight end?

Oregon State’s tight ends have combined for nine receptions this season, a stunningly low number for the Beavers in recent years. Last season, tight end Noah Togiai led OSU with 34 catches.

Youth and Togiai’s health are the leading reasons. Isaiah Smalls and Teagan Quitoriano are true freshmen, and Togiai recently returned to action after recovering from ankle and knee injuries.

While Lindgren says those numbers should improve as Togiai inches closer to 100 percent health, they’re not going to throw to tight ends just to prove a point.

“What the defense dictates where the ball goes rather than us trying to force it to a certain position group,” Lindgren said.

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Quotable

Michalczik, on Jefferson’s approach at running back

“He’s not trying to get a touchdown on every play. That’s the big thing at this level. Take what they give you and eventually you’ll pop free. You have to be ready to get the hard four, hard five yards.”

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Quotable II

Blount, on the difference between Jefferson and Pierce at running back

“I don’t see a difference. Jermar has put up crazy numbers but AP is every bit as capable. One guy makes a big run, and the next guy is hungry.”