BARRY SCHWARTZ/Oregon State Oregon State running back Steven Jackson is second in the Pacific 10 Conference in rushing yards, and is a big reason the Beavers are in contention for a bowl.

Pac-10's second-best rusher will likely be the focus of Arizona's defense on Saturday

John Mackovic couldn't help but sound a little jealous Monday afternoon during his weekly press conference. After all, Oregon State has something he wants ÷ a consistent running game.

"I think I would rather be a run-oriented team right now, because you can mix the pass with the run more easily than you can mix the run with the pass," the second-year Wildcat head coach said. "With a good run game, you can play-action (pass), and you can do a lot of things."

This weekend's game against the Beavers (5-3, 1-3 Pacific 10 Conference) will show two offenses that couldn't be more dissimilar. While Arizona's offense has been almost totally based on the passing game, Oregon's has been carried on the shoulders of the team's standout sophomore, Steven Jackson.

Jackson, OSU's starting running back, is second in the Pac-10 in rushing this season with 1,004 yards in eight games, only 11 yards behind conference leader Onterrio Smith of Oregon. Jackson's the main reason the passing offense, ranked ninth in the conference, hasn't sunk the Beavers' season.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Las Vegas native was a known commodity to many in the conference after rushing for 390 yards on 74 carries as a true freshman last season.

All he's done to live up to the hype is score eight touchdowns and command much of the attention from opposing defenses, as he will Saturday against Arizona.

"They will come hard at us with the run, so we will have to keep rotating some people up front (on the defensive line)," Mackovic said. "We have to get the maximum effort defensively and be able to compete with them offensively."

But saying and doing will be two different things for the Arizona defense if it wants to shut down Jackson, as the back has proven resilient in games where defenses have been able to contain him early.

"I believe that the great backs do get stronger as time goes on, particularly the big, physical backs, which Steve is," said OSU head coach Dennis Erickson. "He's 225 or 230 pounds, and when he starts getting the feel of it, I believe he gets stronger."

Erickson did say, however, he expects the Wildcats' defense to force the Beavers into more than a one-dimensional attack, especially with the presence of middle linebacker Lance Briggs as the centerpiece of unit.

"We've got to become more efficient in throwing the football, which is what has to happen against the University of Arizona this weekend, because I know their style of play. They play a flex defense, which is basically built around stopping the run," Erickson said.

"(Briggs has) made more tackles than anybody in our league for the last couple-three years, and he's the guy who is the heart and soul of their defensive football team, there's no question about that. We've got to find ways to block him, different ways to block him, because of the scheme that they have."

Erickson said he would be concerned if Jackson carries the ball more than 30 times Saturday, an interesting statement considering Mackovic has good reason to be concerned about that happening, as well.