Washington State 2024 Opponent Scouting Report: Oregon State

Jared Miller | Aug 24, 2024

Dec 29, 2023; El Paso, TX, USA; Oregon State Beavers quarterback Ben Gulbranson (17) drops back to throw the ball against the Notre Dame defense in the first half at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports / Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

Washington State will meet its lone remaining Pac-2 brethren on November 23.

Who/When/Where: Oregon State, the one program that has undergone the same turmoil as WSU over the past year, will host the Cougars in Week 13 for one of the only familiar matchups for either squad this season. The Beavers are coming off a 8-4 campaign and appearance in the Sun Bowl. OSU, though, has lost so much of its starting talent from 2023 that the new lineup is oddly more akin to its 2022 edition.

Offensive Players to Watch: Jam Griffin (RB), Darrius Clemons (WR), Ben Gulbranson (QB)

Defensive Players to Watch: Kobe Singleton (CB), Melvin Jordan IV (LB), Semisi Saluni (DT)

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When Oregon State's offense (and its defense for that matter) takes the field it's going to look a whole lot different than it did last fall. Gone are stars like D.J. Uiagalelei and Damien Martinez; a good thing if you're the Cougars. However, the Beavers had plenty of guys just behind their starters from last season that have stepped up to take over now, starting with quarterback Ben Gulbranson (#17).

Gulbranson served as a reserve behind Uiagalelei last year but started in eight games at OSU the season prior. Last year he played in two games and completing 17-of-28 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. Gulbranson has a strong, accurate arm and when he has time to stand in the pocket, can pick a defense apart. He is also deliberate in his handoffs, so much so that Oregon State will occasionally draw up fakes knowing that he can sell them well. WSU's defense will need to be aware of deception from Gulbranson.

When he actually is handing it off, odds are it will be to another familiar face in running back Jam Griffin (#8) who is back in the black and orange after a single-season stint with Ole Miss. Griffin, like Gulbranson, saw much more action in 2022 than he did last fall, running for 488 yards and four touchdowns for the Beavers two years ago. Now that he's back, Griffin will be looking to make a splash in Corvallis once more.

The redshirt senior has excellent vision when running and will almost always have his eyes downfield. That vision allows him to find seams in a defense better than many and he'll use his athleticism to weave through said seams with ease. He will also utilize the stiff arm as a weapon when he can meaning that Cougars tacklers will need to hit with a purpose when going after Griffin. He can be a headache coming out of the backfield.

When throwing, Gulbranson will surely look to Darrius Clemons (#1) often if he's available. The Michigan transfer was part of last year's national championship team and has played in 22 games over the past two years. He'll bring with him an athleticism and speed that might give Washington State defenders fits, especially if he is in space. Clemons will pick up extra yards after the catch with his legs and nifty footwork and shapes up to be the primary pass-catching threat.

Defensively the Beavs lost a lot as well but, like their offense, several guys who were waiting in the wings are now at the top of the depth chart in 2024. One such player is sophomore linebacker Melvin Jordan IV (#44). Jordan made 22 stops last year along with a sack and played in all 13 of OSU's games. He should see an increased role in the middle this season. Jordan wraps up well when he tackles and flies to the ball carrier, often throwing his whole body into making the play.

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In the secondary it will be transfer Kobe Singleton (#0) to keep an eye on. The ex-Liberty standout comes to the Beavers having picked off six passes over two seasons with the Flames. He also racked up 24 PBUs and 67 tackles during that span. Singleton is a tried and true playmaker when the ball comes his way and seems to have a second sense for anticipating plays coming toward him. Going after Singleton might be playing with fire for the Cougs' offense.

Defensive tackle Semisi Saluni (#45) will help run the show in the trenches. While he did make a showing in all 13 games last year, he only logged six stops (one for loss). Saluni, now a senior, is expected to get in on a lot more plays this fall, though. His size and strength makes him a difficult blocking assignment as does his ability to fight through gaps on the offensive line.

Final Analysis: Washington State's chances in this game will hingle largely on their defense's ability to limit yards after catch from Oregon State's offensive weapons. Griffin and Clemons, among several others, have the potential to be really explosive if a defense isn't up to snuff. The name of the game will be to make solid contact upon first hit for WSU's defenders, otherwise things might get ugly. Gulbranson is experienced and mistakes from him might be at a premium. The Cougars own offense will need to avoid costly errors as well and a good way to do that will be staying away from Singleton on the back end. It's unclear as of now just how different this OSU team will be compared to last year's but they'll pose a challenge nonetheless.