CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scott Crichton delivered quite a performance Saturday afternoon at Reser Stadium, and he delivered another one when dealing with the media after the game.
Crichton, a colorful defensive end from Foss High School, dominated Washington State – a school he considered attending – for the second consecutive season in the Beavers’ 19-6 triumph.
Asked if he had extra motivation playing a team from his home state, Crichton said, “Yeah, I would say. But not as much as U-Dub. I hate U-Dub.”
That’s probably because Washington did not offer Crichton a scholarship coming out of high school. The Cougars did, but Crichton chose the Beavers – where he blossomed into a freshman All-American last year after redshirting in 2010.
Crichton had a career-high three sacks Saturday – all against Jeff Tuel – and his season total of six ranks him among the national leaders. He also had a career-high four tackles for loss against the Cougars, although he did not add to his career total of seven forced fumbles, which already ties him for second in school history.
No wonder WSU coach Mike Leach joked earlier this week that he was going to arrange for someone to “Shanghai” Crichton and fellow defensive end Dylan Wynn “and leave them in a foreign country.”
Crichton’s response?
“What the hell? I’ve never heard that one,” he said. “But whatever.”
Crichton called teammate Jordan Poyer “a superstar” after the senior cornerback intercepted three passes Saturday. That description has fit Crichton during his two encounters with the Cougars, but he seemed more excited about the 14th-ranked Beavers’ 4-0 start than any individual accolades he might accrue.
“We have so much potential to win every game on our schedule,” Crichton said. “We haven’t played as a team yet.
“Every time it’s offense, then it’s defense the next week. When we play as a team, which is yet to come, you guys are in for something.”
Crichton said the Beavers will “take these ugly wins” like Saturday’s victory, but he added, “We didn’t make enough of a statement. But you guys will find out soon enough.”
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.