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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Thrills in the hills: Inn hosts benefit NitaPalooza Lake almost empty? 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Body found in Ashland ... Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 4 ... Herb Rothschild: Peace begins at the table ... Body found in Ashland ... Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 4 ... COLLEGE FOOTBALL In Spruce, Beavers' secondary faces daunting test Colorado's No. 1 target currently the nation's leading receiver By Connor Letourneau The Oregonian DailyTidings.com By Connor Letourneau The Oregonian Posted Oct. 2, 2014 @ 2:57 pm By Connor Letourneau The Oregonian Posted Oct. 2, 2014 @ 2:57 pm » Social News CORVALLIS — While at Southern California's Thousand Oaks High School, two-way standout Richard Mullaney stared down a daunting task at times: tackle Westlake High star Nelson Spruce. Mullaney, a quality safety and record-breaking receiver, realized that Spruce had all the makings of a Pac-12 playmaker. The league rivalwas a physical route runner with soft hands and stellar body control. "So I'm not surprised by anything he's doing now," Mullaney, Oregon State's top wideout, said earlier this week of Colorado's No. 1 target. Saturday afternoon in Boulder, limiting the junior will sit atop the Beavers' to-do list. Few offenses in the country, after all, lean on a player as heavily as Colorado depends on the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Spruce. With former go-to option Paul Richardson now a Seattle Seahawk, the pass-happy Buffaloes have crafted their attack around Richardson's former sidekick. Spruce, who chipped in 650 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season, has become the nation's hottest receiver. In a Sept. 20 win over Hawaii, he set a single-game school record with 13 grabs. Then seven days later Spruce shattered that mark with 19 catches at California. Through five games, Spruce leads the country in receptions (56), receiving yards (694) and touchdown catches (10). He accounts for more than 43 percent of the nation's No. 19 passing offense. As of Thursday morning, Spruce led the fan portion of the Biletnikoff Award with 67 percent of the vote. The second-place player owned just 22 percent. "He's a strong receiver, he's got great hands and he runs really good routes," OSU defensive coordinator Mark Banker said. "We've got a great challenge on our hands with him." Spruce has thrived under Colorado wide receivers coach Troy Walters, the 1999 Biletnikoff Award winner at Stanford. In less than a year, Walters has helped his top pupil significantly expand his arsenal. The Buffaloes largely used Spruce last season on underneath routes during third-down situations. This year, the former three-star recruit is a do-everything option. He switches between wide-ranging routes with ease, seldom letting defenders affect his run. Spruce has mastered the art of timing. He often uses his muscular frame to shield cornerbacks before jumping for the ball at precisely the right moment. Spruce understands what type of catch he needs to make, Walters told reporters. His oversized hands, which one teammate compared to "bear claws," only help. In many ways, Banker and Beavers head coach Mike Riley surmised, Spruce fits theMike Hass mold. He takes the 2005 Biletnikoff Award winner's same rugged approach. He brings contact to defenders and bounces off tackles. He turns short dump-offs into sizable gains. Spruce, like Hass, isn't considered a speedster. But he is deceivingly quick on vertical routes. The season has yet to reach its midpoint, and Spruce has five catches of at least 31 yards. His top plays include deep balls of 71 (against Hawaii) and 70 (Massachusetts). "He's got great ball skills down the field, he's got quickness and strength," Riley said. "I think we need three guys to cover him." For the most part, OSU's secondary has fared well recently against much-acclaimed receivers. Richardson arrived at Reser Stadium last September leading the nation with 208.5 receiving yards per game. Beavers cornerback Rashaad Reynolds, now a Jacksonville Jaguar, helped hold Richardsonto one reception for two yards through three quarters. With a Colorado win out of reach late, the deep threat corralled several more catches and finished with 70 yards. Before last week's OSU matchup, USC receiver Nelson Agholor had tallied 212 receiving yards through three games. Yet he was a nonfactor much of the Trojans' 35-10 win, scraping together three catches for 27 yards. Senior Steven Nelson, who has replaced Reynolds as the Beavers' "lockdown corner,"vexed Agholor much of the night. He figures to match up with Colorado's record setter often, though OSU plans to defend Spruce by committee. The Beavers boast the nation's 17th-ranked pass defense. "That's what you play for," said junior cornerback Larry Scott, who starts opposite Nelson. "You want that competition. You want to go up against guys who are very good at their craft." In an alternate universe, Spruce is lining up Saturday for OSU. Coaches debated four years ago over who to offer a Beavers scholarship: Mullaney or Spruce? They ultimately picked the player fresh off setting a California single-season record with 122 receptions. At the time, Mullaney appreciated the difficulty of OSU's decision. Choosing him over a receiver of that caliber was significant, Mullaney thought. Spruce was a future star. Reality has aligned with expectations. By Connor Letourneau The Oregonian DailyTidings.com By Connor Letourneau The Oregonian Posted Oct. 2, 2014 @ 2:57 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Fantasy Week 5 Oct. 4, 2014 at 5:19 pm Last-Minute Fantasy Advice for Week 5 Oct. 4, 2014 at 4:32 pm Unheralded Players Poised for Statistical Outbursts Oct. 4, 2014 at 1:57 pm Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Fantasy Week 5 Oct. 4, 2014 at 1:29 pm Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Fantasy Week 5 Oct. 4, 2014 at 12:00 pm Excellent Fantasy Football Starts for Week 5 Oct. 4, 2014 at 11:28 am calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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