Beaver fans got a Christmas present Friday on Christmas Eve's eve, when word came out that DJ Uiagalelei, a 5 star QB when he came out of Empire, CA, that bustling suburb of Modesto many of us drove past on the way to and back from Fresno last fall, on his way to Clemson, was coming back to the west coast. And to Corvallis, specifically.
(Quick quiz, how many of you reading knew Modesto even had a suburb?)
Some speculate Oregon State benefitted from his younger brother Matayo, himself a 5 star recruit, and edge rusher, having just signed this week with Oregon. Afterall, Corvallis being close makes it easier for older brother, and mom and daa, to keep an eye on the youngster. And I'm sure it didn't hurt.
But the next thought I had after the initial visions of possibly having to manage post Christmas bowl game logistics was something Coach Jonathan Smith said when he took the job, and how much this looks and feels like another episode of uncommonly good recruiting fortune that panned out pretty well.
Coach Smith is known for the statement "I know how to win here," referring to the out of the way OSU campus that has had fewer first tier prospects come thru town in their history than the average year in Tuscaloosa.
Everyone knows it takes hard work, player development, a solid O-line, fan and student body support, and perserverence to even be respectable in the Pac-howevermay. Oh, and a lock down defense.
Everyone (and that includes those in the area wearing a lot of green and purple, not just orange) also is pretty comfortable with the development of those first 5 qualities under Coach Smith's oversight and guidance. And Coach Bray has that defensive component pretty well on track.
But what "9er" also had in that run to the Fiesta Bowl, in addition to a pretty good overall assemblage, and a "Dam good defense", was the element so often missing since.
Anyone remember a couple of guys named Chad and TJ? Coach Dennis Erickson armed Smith and the Beavers with the elite weapons grade pieces that were capable of putting a good group into the top 5 in the country.
It was the extra factor that hadn't been thought possible in Corvallis, and would not really be seen again until at least Wheaton and Cooks came thru. And that also produced a post-Christmas trip.
Smith also was a part of some pretty good success stories in Boise and Seattle, places that elevated otherwise good teams with difference makers that others also wanted.
The Rodgers brothers don't really count in this calculus, even though they too were indeed difference makers that also got paid at the next level. But dimuitive size and talent misjudgements by others that Coach Riley didn't make had kept them from being recruiting service headline material in the beginning.
Not so in this case.
Coach Smith knew when he took the job how an elite player (and Uiagalelei, with his track record of producing double digit win seasons qualifies) makes getting to that next level happen. He also knew the foundation had to be built, one that would actually give someone who'se getting calls from places with a more impressive history a reason to think it could work to that top level in Corvallis.
The latter has been done now, and its why hitting that 10 win mark was so important. It's all things he knew how to build, and also had to be built to do the next thing necessary.
Now Coach Smith, who, you have to admit does bear a resemblance to an elf, size wise and by demeanor, has brought to town what he knew he needed for it to be the kind of Merry Christmas Beaver fans are looking for.
andy_wooldridge@yahoo.com
What an exciting time to be a beaver. Sept can not come fast enough, Mary Chirstmas Beaver Nation