Simonton brings football to life in Corvallis

Arizona travels up to Corvallis tomorrow to face the Beavers of Oregon State, a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1970.

This year, though, the Beavers are 4-2, thanks to the success of their running game which features 5-foot-7-inch, 181-pound redshirt freshman Ken Simonton.

"I did expect to be this far (as a freshman)," Simonton said. "The biggest surprise for me was how some of the other running backs in the Pac-10 haven't been doing well. I'm surprised that I'm up in the top three. It shows I have a great offensive line."

In his first season as a starter, Simonton has amassed 641 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 136 carries in the Beavers' first six games.

That is good for third in the Pacific 10 Conference and 23rd in the nation.

Last week in a victory at Stanford, he had the best game of his career as he rushed 35 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns as the Beavers erased the demons of playing in Palo Alto with a 30-23 win.

His 207 yards is the fifth best single game effort in OSU history and only the third time a Beaver has rushed for more than 200 yards against a Pac-10 opponent.

"Most of my offensive linemen have been doing the job for me," Simonton said. "I can do things once they open a hole for me."

Oregon State has spent a good part of the last quarter century searching for the offensive spark that can give the team a winning season and a bring hope to Corvallis.

Simonton might just be that guy.

"We needed a good running back who can make people miss if you don't block everybody," OSU head coach Mike Riley said. "Kenny does that for us."

With the 5-1 Wildcats coming into town on Homecoming weekend for Oregon State and the Beavers having a winning season so far, one could expect a rowdy atmosphere similar to what the Wildcat fans witnessed against UCLA.

"Around town you see a lot more smiling faces, people patting you on the back. There is a lot more interest in football up here," Simonton said. "I think we can win. We just have to execute and believe in ourselves that we can finally do this."

Dan Rosen can be reached via e-mail at Dan.Rosen@wildcat.arizona.edu.