Kyle Loomis leaves team; special teams unit in lurch

Ouch.

Loomis quits; Serna to punt - Corvallis Gazette-Times

MICHELLE ALAIMO
Roseburg News-Review

That was not the news I was expecting to see this morning while checking out how the first day on fall camp went. Kyle Loomis has left the Beavers for personal reasons. He was supposed to lock up the punting job for the next 3 years. He was local and he had a great freshman season. I hope he comes back next season. Of course, he's lost his scholarship.

“We take so much pride, and I spend so much time thinking about special teams and wanting it to be good,” Riley said. “This has been disruptive.

“I want it to look good and be good.

“We were thrown for a loop because we thought we had our guy for three more years.”

Senior PK Alexis Serna will be the punter this season.

“The special teams stuff is concerning,” Riley said. “I’m feeling better having Alexis wanting to do it. And I watched him punt before. I really believe he will do a good job for us. He is a poised and competitive young man. He came to me about doing it. I think we’ll be fine.”

Now next year we will have two new kickers to break in. It could be veeeeeeerry interesting in 2008. Yikes!

Now special teams goes to the same level as the QB battle as something to watch this fall.