The Crimson and Gray Newswire

WE’VE ALWAYS SAID the Cougars make good copy. And this week proves the point in spades as the Pac-10 opener nears. From Salem to Seattle, Tacoma to Corvallis, newsroom keyboards have been clattering in anticipation of the Cougar-Beaver clash this Saturday at Reser Stadium. Here’s a summary (and accompanying links) to give you a good flavor of the players, expectations and insights surrounding the contest.

Bad shoulder, hamburger can’t keep Harrison down
Say this for Jerome Harrison --- no matter how he feels, the Washington State running back hasn’t lost his sense of humor. This week Harrison has worn a yellow noncontact jersey during practice to protect a banged-up shoulder. To top it off, he ate something that made him sick… Tacoma News Tribune

Beavs, Cougs go old school: No TV (thanks to OSU A.D.)
The only way to watch the Oregon State football team's game Saturday is to buy a ticket and show up at Reser Stadium. There will be no television coverage at any level — national, regional or local. There was an opportunity to show the game on Fox Sports Northwest because the opponent is Washington State, but athletic director Bob De Carolis declined. … Corvallis Gazette-Times

On the Brink of things
It will have been three weeks short of one year since Alex Brink stepped onto the Reser Stadium carpet at Oregon State and made his first college football start at quarterback for Washington State. "It was tough," admitted Brink, whose welcome mat at OSU was yanked out from under him amid a 38-19 loss. … Eugene Register-Guard

Beavers ready to go after Brink again
Does it make any difference that Washington State sophomore quarterback Alex Brink is bigger, faster and perhaps a lot smarter football-wise than he was last season when he got run out of Reser Stadium by the Oregon State defense in his first-ever collegiate start? Of course it does. But to what degree? … The Oregonian

Schuening says Beavers lack confidence
Roy Schuening has a theory why the Oregon State football team started so well the last two weeks, but eventually lost big. It's not a popular stance, but there may be something to the idea. ... Salem Statesman-Journal

Cougars represent crunch time for OSU
At the start of the season I circled Saturday's Washington State game as one Oregon State had to win. Why? Because the Beavers have tough conference road games left at Cal, UCLA and Oregon. And their remaining home schedule is favorable: Arizona and Stanford. Beating Arizona and Stanford would give the Beavers four wins. A win at Washington would make five. … Salem Statesman-Journal

After three warmups, will the real Cougars please stand up?
The question looms over Washington State's head this week, and most everyone on the football field knows that there won't be a good answer until Saturday. Just how good are they? … Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Spokane youngster, an inspiration to Serna, will be Beavers’ special guest
The family of Austan Pierce, the cancer-stricken 13-year-old Spokane boy whose encouraging letter to Oregon State place-kicker Alexis Serna helped raise his spirits after a horrible performance at Louisiana State last year, will be the Beavers' special guest for Saturday's 1 p.m. football game against Washington State at Reser Stadium.… Corvallis Gazette-Times

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT . . .

Free spirit flies for Saints
Steve Gleason likely will never be a star or lead the NFL in a statistical category. This is often the case when your main job each week is to hurl your body headlong into the kickoff return wedge. I'm not the one people want to ask, 'What went wrong?'" Gleason said. "But I'm used to it." Gleason prefers his place out of the spotlight. It's where he does some of his best work. … San Antonio Express-News