2008 Football is Underway

Beavers Fall Camp has started and things look promising. So far mostly good news has come to the camp with Simi Kuli probably here on Sept 1st.

Get out there and watch the 2008 Beavs if you get a chance!

2008 Fall Camp Schedule (subject to change)

Aug. 1-2 2 p.m. (shorts)
Aug. 3-4 2 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 5 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 6 8:30 a.m. (full gear) & 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 7 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 8 8:30 a.m. (full gear) & 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 9 2 p.m. (full gear/officials)
Aug. 10 No practice
Aug. 11 8:30 a.m. (full gear) & 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 12 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 13 8:30 a.m. (full gear) & 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 14 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 15 8:30 a.m. (full gear) & 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 16 2 p.m (full gear/officials)
Aug. 17 No practice
Aug. 18 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 19 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 20 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 21 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 22 2 p.m. (full gear)
Aug. 23 1:30 p.m. (full)
Aug. 24 No practice
Aug. 25 6:30 p.m. (shells)
Aug. 26 6:30 p.m. (shells)

Scrimmage Report

I watched nearly all of the scrimmage on Saturday and I'm cautiously optimistic about the season.

My observations:

* In addition to Gerrard Lawson; Anthony Brown, Chris Johnson, and Rodgers were all practicing Kick Off returns.

* I think we returned like 3 KOs for a TD. So no drop off there.

* I think Canfield should be the starter. He has a better delivery, throws a better ball, and makes less mistakes.

* Moevao doesn't look bad throwing it, but something bothers me about his delivery. It feels like he will get his passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage. Moevao got a ton of reps (3x Canfield) and moved the ball pretty well. His scrambling ability sure helps a lot though.

* Moevao threw at least two near interceptions into a lot of defenders. That didn't really show up in any of the articles, but really those should have been interceptions.

* McCants does look good, but he did fumble once.

* Sieverson looked pretty good too at RB. Maybe he will end up filling in at FB.

* Anthony Brown, Catchings, Rodgers, Morales, and Powers all looked good as receivers.

* Chris Johnson isn't quite up to Sammy's level yet, but he had an OK game.

* The defense looks great. We would have had a ton of sacks if they would have let us get the QB.

* Gabe Miller looks ready to play and that was great.

* I think they should convert John Reese to a WR. He could be an awesome big receiver. He will be the leading TE reciever this year. They just have to find a way to use him.


That's it! Check out my photos below for a look and the new stadium!

Go Beavers!

Final Fall Scrimmage

I took some photos at the Beavers scrimmage today...

Fall Scrimmage 2007

Lots of pics on how the Reser Stadium expansion looks.

Stroughter Deficiency - Sammy is M.I.A.

If Vegas were to lay odds on Sammy Stroughter playing for the Beavers this year, I think it would have opened today at around 3 to 1 against. 6 days is a long time. Plus, the Official OSU Home Page has taken down all ads with Sammy in them. It's now all Yvenson all the time. The final nail in the coffin was this from Mike Riley via Cliff Kirkpatrick's Blog:

“For every player that’s not at practice or hurt, we have to prepare for the alternative,” Riley said. “But we don’t know about this one. I don’t know any more than the last time we talked.”

Ouch. I'm officially hoping we have a great punt returner waiting in the wings. Sammy was a good receiver, but he was a game-changer in the punt return game last season. Our special teams are turning into the biggest question mark of the camp.


For the memories...




Chris could be a good one...

Fall Practice Saturday - Thoughts, Viewing Tips, Reser Pics

I made it to my first practice of the year today and it was great to see football again.

Its always hard to know how most people are doing because I don't know the plays, but generally things looked good.


Some thoughts:

* Sammy Stroughter looked good. I don't think there's anything to the unhappy rumor. He may be unhappy, but he'll be fine in a week or two. He dropped one pass that was his, but in the scrimmage he made some good plays.

* The O-line looks good early on.

* Kyle Brown is looking better than last year. He's making more catches and made an awesome leaping grab in the scrimmage. If he can use his height like that, watch out.

* John Reese stood out the most for me among the tight ends. He made a nice grab and TD run in the scrimmage. He looks more like a WR than a TE. Didn't really look at his blocking, so no news there.

* Ryan McCants looks like Clinton Polk when he carries the ball. He looked good in the few plays I saw.

* Some of the lesser known WRs (Kjos, Morales) can catch nicely and could be great backups this year.

* Sean Canfield looked good on some of the long throws in the scrimmage.


If you're going to a practice here's a couple of tips:

* Bring a chair. The bleachers are turned the wrong way so the seating is very limited.

* Bring water. There is lots of shade, but no refreshments. Bring something to drink.

* Print a roster. The guys have names on the back, but the names are really hard to read. The numbers are pretty easy to read. Print a roster here.


On my way out I snapped a few pics of Raising Reser - Phase 2. The scoreboard is looking great. Looks like they are hustling to get the new entrance finished by the Utah game. They were working today.

Sammy Stroughter not happy?

Apparently there is more drama in fall camp. And this deals with one of the linch-pins for this coming season, Sammy Stroughter.

First, I ready in today's G-T that Sammy is currently "off-limits" to the media:

Kirkpatrick Blog

Something is going on with Sammie Stroughter, but I don’t know what, yet. OSU officials call it personal issues, but he is expected to be at practice Friday.

However, OSU is putting people around him so no media, no OSU marketing or anyone else can get to him for about a week. The purpose is “to allow him to be an athlete and student.”

I think this shield is going to create more than it stops. Hopefully, Stroughter will be his usual outgoing self and clear this up soon so it doesn’t linger on throughout the season.

- Cliff

Then I read in the comments on Cliff's blog on a different post:

# Tony Says:
August 2nd, 2007 at 5:01 pm

Cliff,

I heard a rumor that Sammy Stroughter who is really good friends with Coye was upset with Riley’s decision and not coming back for his senior. Please tell me he is on campus.

Well, he is clearly in camp, but I don't like the fact that he's not happy. If Tony is right, then perhaps Coye's dismissal wasn't as cut and dry as we think.

Boy, I sure hope the drama dies down a bit as we get going.

I'll be going to the practice today and see how the team looks. My wife attended yesterday's practice and said the team looked good. She mentioned the new TE Reese by name, so he must have done something good. She also overheard the coaches saying the teamwork was starting off good on the first day. Well, that's good news.


Go Beavs!

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.