Dec. 13, 2012

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One of the biggest goals for 2012 entering the season was to be a better rushing team. Head Coach Mike Riley stressed the importance of that aspect of the offense throughout spring and fall camp, and with good reason, when the Beavers have been their best under Coach Riley it has been as a result of a balanced offense. OSU nearly has a 50/50 run/pass ratio in 2012 after finishing 118^th in the nation for rushing a year ago.

Redshirt freshman Storm Woods was anointed the starter prior to the season and leads the team for rushing with 823 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Woods amassed 161 yards in OSU’s win at Arizona for his best overall outing.

When Woods wasn’t handling the load, he was spelled by sophomores Terron Ward and Malcolm Agnew. The duo combined for nearly 700 yards, with Ward also becoming a stellar return specialists the latter half of the season. Ward also busted out two 100-yard plus games, including 146 against Arizona State.

Sophomore fullback Tyler Anderson deserves credit as well for helping the team with an improved attack, although he has missed the last two games and will be sidelined for the bowl with a significant knee injury. Senior Clayton York, just back from an injury, has stepped in for Anderson. And, not to be overlooked was the play of Jordan Jenkins who earned Pac-12 First Team honors for excelling on special teams – he will miss the bowl game as well due to injury.

The OSU video team put together the following feature of the running backs/fullbacks with interviews with several players and running backs coach Chris Brasfield.

Tickets for the Dec. 29^th Valero Alamo Bowl are on sale at BeaverTickets.com or by contacting OSU at 1-800-GO-BEAVS between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. If you’re interested in becoming a new season ticket holder for a 2013 home schedule that includes Stanford, Washington, USC, Colorado, Hawai’i and Eastern Washington please contact the OSU Ticket Office to place a $50 per seat deposit. Current season ticket holders will receive their renewal information by Feb. 1.

The OSU Athletics Communication team also had a little fun with the running backs following a recent practice. Check out their answers to some hard-hitting questions below the video player.

 

What is your most embarrassing moment on the football field?

Storm Woods: “Trying to block DeAndre Jordan one time. He just slapped me and I fell, I looked pretty pathetic.”

Michael Balfour: “Probably during fall camp when I tried to cut block Rueben Robinson and I kind of whiffed on it so everybody gave me a hard time.”

Terron Ward: “Probably dropping the punt against Nicholls State… that was embarrassing.”

Malcolm Agnew: “When I was 8, I was supposed to get a handoff, but I fumbled it. I fell on it but we were in the end zone. So we got a safety and lost by two.” 

If you could have powers like a super hero, what would yours be?

Storm Woods: “I would run like the Incredible Hulk”

Michael Balfour: “I would teleport for sure.”

Terron Ward: “Superfast”

Malcolm Agnew: “I always wanted to fly. Who doesn’t want to? That, or read people’s minds.”

What actor would play you in a movie about your life?

Storm Woods: “Denzel Washington”

Michael Balfour: “Adam Sandler”

Terron Ward: “Denzel Washington”

Malcolm Agnew: “Denzel. Me and Denzel. All day.” 

What time does your alarm clock go off in the morning?

Storm Woods: It goes off at 8:00 a.m. and then again at 8:30 a.m.”

Michael Balfour: “8:30 a.m”

Terron Ward: “About 7:30 a.m.”

Malcolm Agnew: “8:20 for practice weeks, 8:00 on the weekends because I can never sleep in.” 

What was the best vacation you ever took?

Storm Woods: “Going to Miami to visit my sister my junior year of high school.”

Michael Balfour: Hawaii with my family during my junior year of high school.”

Terron Ward: “Senior trip to Hawaii”

Malcolm Agnew: “Hawaii, no doubt. Went to Maui and it was wonderful.” 

What’s the top thing on your bucket list?

Storm Woods: “I want to go skydiving”

Michael Balfour: “To go skydiving like Storm said… that would be sweet.”

Terron Ward:  “Skydiving”

Malcolm Agnew: “Win a championship. I’ve never won a championship at any level.” 

What is your New Year’s resolution?

Michael Balfour: “Work my tail off and get ready for spring ball.”

Terron Ward: “Try not to curse as much”

Malcolm Agnew: “To challenge myself to make my comfort level bigger in everything I do.”

Best topping on a pizza?

Storm Woods: “Pepperoni”

Michael Balfour: “Sausage”

Terron Ward: “Pepperoni and sausage”

Malcolm Agnew: “Pepperoni or mushrooms. I love mushrooms.”

If Chef Raul Vera was invited to your kitchen, what would you have him make?

Storm Woods: “I would have him make collard greens, jambalaya and mashed potatoes.”

Michael Balfour: “The best ribs I could find.”

Terron Ward: “Pork chops and mashed potatoes, and have him spice it up a little bit with his own ingredients.”

Malcolm Agnew: “Shoyu ribs or lobster.” 

What is the most important part of a sandwich?

Storm Woods: “Miracle Whip”

Michael Balfour: “Turkey”

Terron Ward: “The bread”

Malcolm Agnew: “The substance inside. The meat, the dressing, the cheese, the toppings. The bread is like the little things in football that make it better. The meat is the substance.” 

If I was a professional wrestler, my name would be…

Storm Woods: “The Stormanator”

Michael Balfour: “The Eliminator”

Terron Ward: “TNT”

Malcolm Agnew: “Malc-Dizzle” 

Do you have a hidden talent?

Storm Woods: “Yes, I am a very good country singer.”

Michael Balfour: “I can quote movies like no other.”

Terron Ward: “I do not have a hidden talent.”

Malcolm Agnew: “I can whistle with my teeth.” 

Describe yourself in three words.

Storm Woods:  “Athletic, respectable and outgoing.”

Michael Balfour: “Loyal, friendly and outgoing.”

Terron Ward: “Short, funny and handsome”

Malcolm Agnew: “Weird. Passionate. Caring.” 

If you were a car, what kind would you be?

Storm Woods: “Mercedes Benz.”

Michael Balfour: “Ford F-250”

Terron Ward: “Ferrari”

Malcolm Agnew: “Nissan Maxima. First car I ever had.” 

If you had an extra hour of free time every day, what would you do?

Storm Woods: “Stare at Brandin Cooks.”

Michael Balfour: “Call my loved ones”

Terron Ward: “Sleep”

Malcolm Agnew: “Maybe play video games. Talk to my lady. Spend time with her because I really do love her.”

Would you rather skydive or scuba dive?

Storm Woods: “Skydive.”

Michael Balfour: “Skydive”

Terron Ward: “Skydive”

Malcolm Agnew: “I’ve been scuba diving, but I haven’t skydived. So I have to say scuba.” 

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Storm Woods: “Vanilla.”

Michael Balfour: “Cookie Dough”

Terron Ward: “Chocolate”

Malcolm Agnew: “Vanilla. I love vanilla. That’s me.” 

If you could change places with Coach Brasfield what would be the first thing you would do?

Storm Woods: “I would turn him into a LeBron fan because he always wears his Kobe gear.”

Michael Balfour: “I’d tell him to cut the other guy because he always emphasizes us cutting the defense.”

Terron Ward: “Grow my hair”

Malcolm Agnew: “And he would be in my place? I’d run him until he dropped.” 

If Coach Brasfield was an animal, what would he be?

Storm Woods: “Gorilla.”

Michael Balfour: “Hawk”

Terron Ward: “Anteater” 

If you could see any football player past or present play live, who would it be?

Storm Woods: “Bo Jackson in his prime.”

Michael Balfour: “Walter Payton”

Terron Ward: “Barry Sanders”