Oregon State safety Jalen Moore says hamstring injury is ‘taxing me mentally’: Day 17 recap

Jalen Moore

Oregon State safety Jalen Moore (Chase Allgood)

CORVALLIS – The days continue to count down toward Oregon State’s 2019 season opener against Oklahoma State, and it is testing Jalen Moore’s patience.

For more than a week, the Beavers’ senior safety – the team’s leading tackler last season – has had to watch practice with a hamstring injury. Moore has never had a hamstring issue in his life.

“It’s the most frustrating injury,” Moore said. “I’ve never missed fall camp. It’s taxing me mentally. Only thing I can do is trust in God’s plan to stay humble and patient.”

Moore doesn’t know if he’ll practice Wednesday or Friday – the last two days of practice this week – or even next week.

“I’m just taking it day-by-day, man,” Moore said. “Feeling better than I did yesterday.”

At this point, it’s uncertain as to whether Oregon State will be without Moore, who has 28 starts and 196 tackles during his four-year career.

The good news, if there is such with an experienced player like Moore on the sidelines, is that the Beavers are building some nice depth at safety. Omar Hicks-Onu, Moore’s roommate, has returned after missing last season with a knee injury. David Morris, who had 75 tackles as a freshman, is fully participating in practice after missing the first two weeks with a hamstring problem. Sophomore Jeffrey Manning Jr. has some experience and freshman Akili Arnold shows promise.

“We’re able to say next man up,” Moore said. “If I get back, when I get back, into the swing of things, I have a lot of chemistry with those guys.”

Dunn deal at corner: Junior cornerback Isaiah Dunn is talking to the media following Tuesday’s practice, but he has company as junior receiver Isaiah Hodgins is listening. Since the two often go head-to-head in practice, the question is asked, you own Hodgins, right?

Hodgins’ ears perk up.

“It’s 80-20 Hodgins. Hodgins wins 80 percent,” Hodgins said.

Dunn corrects him.

“Thing with him is, he thinks he’s open all the time,” Dunn said. “But I’m always really there. Lot of time I see (quarterback Jake Luton) look my way then he looks away really quick.”

It’s a good-natured back-and-forth, as Dunn and Hodgins have known each other since their childhood days. But Hodgins in practice is also good for Dunn, as he’s established himself as the Beavers’ top cornerback. Few receivers on Oregon State’s schedule this season figure to present Dunn as much problem as the 6-foot-4 Hodgins.

“With him being a big body receiver, it’s intriguing,” Dunn said. “It’s a good challenge and it makes me better every day.”

Dunn and Hicks-Onu are the two secondary players who consistently have played with the No. 1 defense during camp. Dunn is as solidly entrenched into the starting lineup as anyone on the team, which isn’t to say he can’t be better than a year ago.

One area Dunn says he’s focusing is competition.

“Compete every snap,” Dunn said. “I wouldn’t say I didn’t it all the time last year, but it’s not something I focused on as much. This fall camp I’ve focused on it, including the spring. I’m fighting every rep.”

The upgrade along Oregon State’s defensive line can only help a cornerback’s chances in coverage, too. But Dunn pushes back here.

“I don’t like to think like that,” Dunn said. “You’re not always going to get a perfect pass rush, and we’re not always going to have perfect coverage. It’s a 50-50 thing. They help us, we help them.”

It turns out Hodgins isn’t finished with Dunn.

“What about tackling Calvin Tyler in the open field? How’s that worked out for you?” says Hodgins, with the running back Tyler within earshot.

“I haven’t really got a response to that question,” Dunn said. “I haven’t had a chance to really hit him.”

Quarterback derby: Still no word on Oregon State’s starting quarterback, and the earliest official word is likely to come is Friday, when coach Jonathan Smith next speaks to the media. Coaches were unavailable to talk after the past two practices, so no chance of bean spilling.

Take this for what it’s worth. During Tuesday’s practice – the penultimate practice of preseason camp – Luton took all the snaps when the No. 1 offensive line was on the field. Tristan Gebbia was quarterback with the second unit.

This and that: Gus Lavaka, the Beavers’ three-year starting left guard who sustained an ankle injury during last Saturday’s scrimmage, rode an exercise bike and watched practice Tuesday. He is walking without a limp. … Early in practice, the Beavers rushed the field goal unit onto the field for a hurry-up 36-yard field goal. Jordan Choukair split the uprights. … Late in practice, the defense badly blew a coverage and allowed Champ Flemings score on a 70-yard catch and run touchdown. No one was within 20 yards of Flemings when he caught the ball. … A few minutes later, the entire team did an extended series of up-downs, but it had nothing to do with that Flemings play, but apparently as punishment for something that happened earlier in the locker room. … There are no local television plans for Oregon State’s Sept. 7 game at Hawaii, but it was announced Tuesday that Hawaii would live stream the game on its football Facebook page.

--Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel

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