Canzano: Jonathan Smith -- and OSU -- quietly cross a milestone
Beavers must keep coach in fold.
I remember Jonathan Smith’s first season at Oregon State.
He worked hard.
But lost often.
Ohio State put 77 points on the “other” OSU in his debut game as a head coach. Six times that first season the Beavers gave up 48 or more points in losses. Smith’s team went 2-10.
I had the coach on my radio show once a week during the season. He called in on Wednesdays and by the middle of the 2018 season the weekly conversation took on a sobering tone — how Oregon State might make the games more competitive.
Winning felt far away.
On Saturday night, Smith’s team beat UCLA 36-24 at Reser Stadium. The Beavers are 6-1 this season. And a significant milestone was quietly crossed.