Mannion out for knee surgery just as Beavers crack Top 10
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion is out indefinitely after injuring his left knee during the No. 10 Beavers' victory over Washington State on Saturday.
Backup Cody Vaz will start for the undefeated Beavers when they play a nonconference game against BYU this weekend.
Mannion had his knee in a brace at practice on Monday. Coach Mike Riley said an MRI has indicated the 6-foot-5, 212-pound sophomore quarterback will require surgery.
The specific nature of Mannion's injury was not released.
"We just found out this morning," Riley said. "They did an MRI this morning."
Mannion threw for 270 yards and a touchdown in Oregon State's 19-6 victory over the Cougars. He apparently injured the knee on a handoff but did not leave the game.
Following the victory, Oregon State jumped into the Top 10 of the AP rankings for the first time since 2001, when the Beavers went to the Fiesta Bowl.
Mannion was averaging 339.5 yards passing a game, second in the Pac-12 and sixth in the nation.
Mannion has thrown for 1,358 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
Vaz, a 6-foot-1, 198-pound junior, played in five games in the 2010 season, completing six of 17 passes for 48 yards. He did not appear in any games last season for the Beavers.
Riley said he has confidence in Vaz.
"Cody is a good quarterback. He has been preparing for this for a long time," Riley said. "He'll be good and we'll be ready to go."
Vaz said he is excited to make his first start.
"I'm just going to prepare myself to keep the streak going," he said.
Mannion was winning accolades for his play this season. He is a classic drop-back passer with a calm demeanor and a good grasp of the fundamentals, the product of growing up the son of a high school coach.
Last season as a redshirt freshman, Mannion unseated junior starter Ryan Katz, who had started the 2010 season for the Beavers. Katz has since transferred to San Diego State.
Mannion is one of four team captains for Oregon State this year.
The Beavers have rebounded from going 3-9 last season to opening 4-0 this season.
It's always something....................The only bunch of good guys left.
Knew it was too good to be true. Might be selling my Civil War tickets afterall. Bummer. Doesn't seem fair. Nice guys do in fact finish last.
 @peckishpete Wait a minute....were you saying the Beavo's have a chance against the Ducks??  Not this year.....and I predict the Beavo's will lose against BYU this weekend...then Washington and Stanford...they haven't really played anyone and  the games they won are all close and two of them could have gone the other way.  They struggled against WSU and move up to 10?  Whatever...
@PD1202 @peckishpete The BYU starting quarterback is also now out because of a knee injury.
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I think the Beavers will beat BYU. It will be nice to also beat the Huskies which will mean that the 2 Oregon schools will have beaten the 2 Washington schools 2 years in a row.
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I root for both the Beavers and Ducks. For the civil war, I want the team that has the best prospect for a good bowl game/championship to win.  I dont know who I would root for in the Civil War if both are undefeated when they meet. I doubt the Beavers would be considered for the national championship if they went undefeated through the Pac12 championship. However, because of the Ducks exciting fast play, they would definitely be in the NC if they go undefeated.
 @PD1202  @peckishpete u are a something else.  the first 3 teams we played 2 of them were ranked and the other was ranked until the week  before we played them.  lol.  wow you really dont know what you are talking about. Typical duck fan.Â
 @ceilingbanger  @peckishpete LOL....take a look at portlander29's and OSUx2's comments above ya.....I think we all know what we're talking about.  : )
As a Beavers fan, I am a realist, and wholeheartedly agree. That #10 ranking is WAY overrated, IMO. Wins against mediocre Wisky & Zona teams, and eeking out a win against a hapless Wazzou squad who got beat by Colorado! The only reasonably good win was at UCLA. There are definitely not 110 teams below us, and with Mannion being out, I'd be floored if we're still ranked at season's end.
Played the toughest schedule in the PAC 12 so far, you obviously need to watch more than one team.
@Portlander29 Well played, well played indeed! :)
 @BeaverBear Arizona, UIW, Cal and Utah all have Strength of schedules higher rated than OSU's to date.  OSU's marquee win is against Wisconsin who is not very good this year, but were way over ranked when the game was played.  OSU has surprised this year no doubt. Their defense has been tough, but if you look at their schedule, you will realize the next 8 games are far more difficult than their first four.
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@PD1202 Typical Duck fan. Full of BS and bravado. I hope one or two of your players gets taken down in the next game so you know how it feels. You're worthless.
 @peckishpete  @PD1202 Ouch...sour grapes much??  I never would wish an injury on any player on any sport ever....that's pretty worthless.
 @peckishpete  @PD1202 That's real classy, wishing for a player to get hurt. In case you forgot, we've been there. Remember Dennis Dixon? Hmmm???
Being annointed by AP as #10 sure won't last long. Hope the Beavers don't retreat behind their dam.
As an east coast transplant who doesn't give a crap about sports, I think it's hilarious that Oregonians are so crazy about college football, but can't manage to get enough support for a real NFL team. Must be a conspiracy to charge $200+ for a ticket to Ducks or Beavers games.
@badcat The tickets don't cost $200 for a Beaver game. I guess your crowning achievement in life is making crass, insensitive comments that are designed to mock and inflame people. Hope you are proud of yourself. Â
 @peckishpete Well, it worked. ;)
You think we're crazy about college football? You wouldn't want to spew this crap in the south. I'm with Luckylucy. If the east is so greatgGo back east and don't post about things you know nothing about..
 @ladymoon2 Oooo, proud to be on par with the South, are ya? Heh!
@badcat Why don't you go back east where you came from.
 @Luckylucy I would, but you people don't know how to do my job. =P
@Luckylucy I second that!
They will need to get thier 2 QB up to speed ASAP. This is the test of True Grit for the team. You Can do it.!!
As a Duck fan, I can empathise with the Beavs right now. Sucks for the Beavs.
 @Portlander29 Brings back bad memories of Dennis Dixon.....
 @shek069  @Portlander29 As an obvious Duck fan....I'm shocked you would even try to compare the two situations.....When Dixon went down, we were on the verge of a pac 10 title and a possible trip to the championship game when he went down....the Beavo's have a long way to go before they could even come close to that.
 @shek069  @Portlander29 Whoa...I was there for "the pick" and have been a Duck for many years...... I never once said I was happy Mannion went down...I've seen plenty and heard plenty of crap from Beavo fans during my time...for example...I seen plenty of Beavo fans wearing Auburn t-shirts and flyin those car flags during the BCS championship, when in fact you would think they would support an Oregon team playing for a championship?  I was happy for OSU and supported them during the back to back College world series run.  I'm always happy for an Oregon team that does well....but, of course I'm going to support my Ducks over everyone else when it come down to it.  What's wrong with a little ribbing here and there....that's sports.Â
 @Portlander29  @BeaverBear I doubt that. I know for me, I've been one since the mid-70's. To prove I'm not a band wagon fan, I'm also a Mariners and Blazers fan (see my avatar).
 @Portlander29  @PD1202 Thanks! Was going to say the same thing the other day but you beat me to it.Â
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PD102 - I'm just empathizing with the Beaver fans. Even though I'm a Duck fan, I'm not going explode with joy because their star player got hurt. With or without Mannion I think the Ducks would have beat the Beavers but I'd rather it happen with them at full strength. I'd never talk smack to anyone who's star player goes down with an injury. That lacks total class.
 @BeaverBear  @Portlander29 Most Duck fans haven't been Duck fans since before the boom.
@Portlander29 Thanks for the class, I wish more Duck fans were like you!
 @PD1202  @shek069  @Portlander29 It is similar in that their QB got hurt.  They are also unbeaten at this time which means their trip to the title game is pretty much in their hands.  Oregon was #2 at the time but they had already lost a game.  No, I don't think OSU was going to have a shot at the BCS title game this year but does it really all boil down to a pissing match with a high percentage of Duck "fans"?  No wonder our fans were voted most annoying in the Pac.  Truly, they annoy me, a Duck fan, the most too.  It hasn't been all that long since the Ducks were a pretty average or even less than average college football team.  I can enjoy the success without the pissing match because I lived through the lack of success.  I was in the front row of the student section for "the pick", but this team has come so far beyond that one play.  Enjoy that.
 @Portlander29 Absolutely agree - this is very unfortunate news. Here's hoping the Beavers can keep things rolling somehow. I didn't even know he had a knee issue?
Never wish this on any player, regardless of what team they play for.....
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This sucks for Beaver fans.
Bummer Beavs. Hopefully you can keep it rolling.
That's a big loss...he's one of the main reasons the Beavers are undefeated. Get well soon, Beaver Nation needs you.