Feature stories on Oregon State

About Oregon State's skill position players, Mack (referring to Stroughter in particular) said:
"They have great skill players and they have one guy that I think is a first-round draft pick. The running back is quick, their skill guys are outstanding, so our secondary is going to have a real challenge. If we put a couple of guys on (Stroughter) ... you leave some of their other good guys open." (HSB)

About the challenge that Oregon State's players pose, Keao Monteilh said:
"It's just other people in other jerseys we're going to play. We like challenges. We like to go against great athletes because it pushes us and shows where we're at, what kind of potential we have and what kind of abilities we have as a secondary." (HSB)

HSB Note: "After two games, the Beavers rank 12th in the country in passing offense at 327 yards per game, with quarterback Lyle Moevao checking in at 15th in total offense (304.5 ypg). The Warriors coaches are quite familiar with Stroughter's abilities, although most of this year's secondary didn't face the Beavers in the 2006 meeting at Aloha Stadium. Stroughter racked up 106 yards on just three catches, including an 80-yard touchdown, in OSU's 35-32 win."

About Oregon State's passing attack, Rich Miano said:
"They've got a good crew of receivers and their vertical passing game and their crossing routes are as good as we've seen. Florida was more of a balanced, option read attack. These guys have a really good passing game and they do it out of different formations, so they're going to challenge the back end. We've played good, but we need to play much better." (HSB)

About people that call him a dirty player, Al Afalava said:
"I really don't know how to react to it. What do you want me to do? If the runner has the ball, that's football. What do they expect me to do, to tag him? This ain't flag football." (HSB)

"Our coaches always teach us that our defense is known for every man running to the ball and making plays. That's what I do. I run to the ball I'm going to give it to him." (HSB)

About how they have to beat UH, Afalava said:
"It's not as big as when we went there and played, but (the game) is still a big deal because we've got to win. I ain't trying to go home and hear it from anybody." (HSB)

HSB Note: "According to the Gazette Times, Afalava ran his vehicle into a bus shelter and then walked home. Police found the car registered to Afalava and tracked him to his house, where he was over the legal blood-alcohol limit. He was charged with a DUI and felony hit-and-run, but reached a plea agreement a month later."

About his DUI case, Afalava said:
"I made a stupid mistake and I had to suffer the consequences." (HSB)

About how he couldn't watch even the whole first quarter of their game with Stanford because he was suspended due to the DUI, Afalava said:
"I just turned it off because I was hella mad I wasn't playing. When I heard when we lost, it hurt even more." (HSB)

About making his first college start against Stanford (he started in place of Afalava at safety), Suaesi Tuimaunei said:
"There was a lot of hard work put into it. When it came, I just tried to take advantage of it." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Afalava followed Jeremy Perry (Kahuku '04) and Tavita Thompson (Saint Louis '04) to Oregon State, but it wasn't until the year after that the Beavers piled on the local talent. Twelve other local players are on the team and many more have tried to go to Oregon State, but either transferred out for various reasons or been unable to qualify academically."

About all of their players from Hawaii, Afalava said:
"My main reason for coming here was because (Perry) came here. We've got something started here. Islanders from Hawaii are coming instead of staying home or going to Utah or BYU. Probably because they like try something new." (HSB)

About how they have to win each game after their 0-2 start, Afalava said:
"We have to get this team pumped up. Penn State was a wake-up call for us. It's a must-win every game from now on." (HSB)

About Sammie Stroughter (who had an 80-yard TD vs. UH in 2006), Mana Silva said:
"He's the best player I've ever seen, honestly. We have to avoid the big plays on defense. We can't allow Stroughter to get loose. The whole crowd buys into everything he does. One time they started bowing and saying his name." (HSB)

About how the Oregon State crowd differs from the crowd at Aloha Stadium, Silva said:
"Big student crowd over there. They're always standing, no one ever sits down over there. A little different than at Aloha Stadium, where all the old-timers are just listening to their headsets and stuff. It's a little more crazy than that." (HSB)

About playing at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Jameel Dowling (who was on Oregon's team when they lost at Oregon State in 2006), Jameel Dowling said:
"It was kind of wild, a tough place to play at. We can't underestimate them because they're 0-2." (HSB)

Asked to describe the Pac-10 in one word, both Silva and Dowling said:
"Speed." (HSB)

HSB Note: "It says something about UH's talent level that Silva and Dowling - two players deemed worthy of Pac-10 scholarships - must battle for starting spots with the Warriors and are role players at this point. And Hawaii has proven in recent years (despite the finesse reputation of its offense) that, when motivated, it can play as physically as anyone."

About how speed is the common denominator for good teams, Mack said:
"Good teams have speed, more than anything speed. Playing these good teams like Florida and Oregon State does nothing but help us get better because of the speed factor." (HSB)