The 1999 Season Part II -- The Season Begins

OREGON STATE FOOTBALL HISTORY STORIES 2019 / THE 1999 SEASON

This fall marks 20 years since the 1999 season – a campaign that saw Oregon State football move in a new direction and Beaver Nation celebrate a series of gridiron milestones. A six-part series of stories reliving that season will be published on www.osubeavers.com, with a new story appearing the week of each home game.

Before even the start of fall camp, 1999 had already been an eventful year for Oregon State football:

In early January, Mike Riley – the hometown boy who had returned and coached the Beavers to the brink of a winning season with a 5-6 record in 1998, the school's best mark in 27 years – stepped down to become head coach of the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. It felt devastating: if a Corvallis product whose dad had coached at OSU wouldn't stick around to finish the rebuilding job, who would?

Less than a week later, the new head coach was named: Dennis Erickson, who had won a pair of national championships at Miami and most recently been head coach of the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. Said Erickson at his introductory press conference: "We want to win football games. We want to get to bowl games. We want to win the Pac-10. Let's don't settle for little things. Let's go ahead and make this one of the best programs in the country, and let's start right now."

Erickson salvaged Riley's recruiting class and added a few signings of his own. He saw progress in spring practice, and when it finished Erickson wasn't ready to decide on a starting quarterback between sophomore Jonathan Smith and senior Terrance Bryant.

Then in June, it was announced the name of Oregon State's home field would be changed from Parker Stadium to Reser Stadium. The switch acknowledged a $5 million gift to OSU athletics from Al and Pat Reser, owners of Reser's Fine Foods.

And Reser Stadium was sporting a new AstroTurf surface, replacing the ancient All-Pro Turf that had been in place for 15 years. Fans helped with the transformation: knowing it was slated for replacement, they'd torn up the old turf for souvenirs following the Beavers' 44-41 double-overtime win over Oregon in the 1998 Civil War. A new lighting system had also been installed.

The offseason upgrades didn't carry much weight with sportswriters and broadcasters. In early August, the Pacific-10 media poll tabbed Oregon State for a ninth-place finish, ahead of only Washington State. Arizona was the overwhelming favorite, with Southern California and UCLA bunched behind the Wildcats.

"I'm not sure what people are expecting," Erickson told the Pacific-10 Northwest Football Media Day in Portland on August 5. "I think they are realistic about where we're at. It's going to take some time to be where we want to be."

The 5-6 record of 1998 – the Beavers' best since an identical mark in 1971, the first in a string of losing season that had grown to 28 – was brought up.

"For a lot of people, that's not very much," Erickson said. "But what it did was prove to our players that they can compete in the Pac-10. You've got to get over that hurdle. It's something that hopefully we're over.

"Now you've got to get over that next hurdle."

The improvement hadn't gone completely unnoticed, though.

"Talking to the other players, they've told me about people in town talking to them about the upcoming season, telling them, 'I can't wait for the season to start,'" junior safety Terrence Carroll told the Corvallis Gazette-Times. "The whole city is abuzz … it's really energizing and everybody is feeding off it.

"The program is progressing. The whole city is really excited about Coach Erickson, a top-notch coach coming in."

It was showing up at the box office. A record 9,300 season tickets had been sold, and early indications were that as many as 4,000 Oregon State fans could be on hand when the Beavers opened the season at Nevada on September 4.

"It's nice to see Beaver fans excited," Erickson said. "They are loyal. They deserve to have something good happen to them."

GETTING READY

Fall camp would begin with freshmen and transfers reporting August 9 and veterans reporting August 12. The weekend before those dates, OSU found it would be without one freshman for the season: wide receiver James Newson broke his leg in a car accident early in the morning of August 6 while returning to Corvallis after dropping a friend off at the Portland airport. Newson had been expected to compete for playing time.

A few days later, the Beavers discovered they'd also be missing one of their veterans for a bit, and it made Erickson's decision about a starting quarterback for the opener easier. Bryant was suspended for two games by the NCAA for minor violations: when he arrived in Corvallis in the summer of 1998, he'd borrowed a former assistant coach's car and stayed at his home.

"It's a real blow. We've got to deal with it," Erickson said.

OSU held its annual media day August 13, and Erickson told reporters, "I really believe this team can win more games than it will lose, and I believe this team can go to a bowl game. That's what we're striving for."

Senior defensive tackle Aaron Wells, who had played for previous head coaches Riley and Jerry Pettibone, echoed, "Each coach has gotten us closer and closer to winning. And we're closer this year than last."

Meeting with the media, the Beavers wore their new home jerseys, which the players said were more form-fitting than their old togs, thus harder for opponents to grasp and control them during games. The improvements to Reser Stadium were mentioned, and Erickson added, "Now our plans are to go ahead and try to get an indoor practice facility and take us to another level. Those are the things that have to happen for us to win. And that's what it's all about."

Said Smith: "We're not a cellar-dweller anymore. A lot of things are changing. There's a genuine excitement about Oregon State football, not just in Corvallis but all around Oregon. I'm excited to be part of it."

Erickson's presence was bringing Beaver football more attention that it had had in 30 years. The story of the national championship coach taking on a program that hadn't had a winning season in almost three decades was irresistible.

Hal Cowan, OSU's sports information director since 1976, said it was the most national and regional coverage Oregon State football had received in his years at the school.

"My toughest thing now is finding time for everybody because we've only got a 30-minute window (for Erickson interviews) during two-a-days," Cowan told G-T reporter Brooks Hatch. "I think I've heard from every national TV sports talk show in the United States. He's done interviews with ESPN; if it's an organization with a big name in sports, they've called."

The 1999 Beavers would be a mix of old and new, with the offense returning six starters and the defense five. Offensively, Smith and running back Ken Simonton had sparked the Beaver offense late in the 1998 season and were expected to contribute even more as sophomores.

On the defensive side of the ball, five of the six departed starters had signed professional football contracts but early reviews were that the new group was becoming a tough unit to contend with.

"This is an aggressive defense," Carroll said. "Everybody has a job, but it's go-get-it, go after the quarterback or running back. If everybody does what they're supposed to do, it will come together."

SEPTEMBER 4: AT NEVADA

By the week of the game the number of Beaver fans expected to make the trip had increased to 6,000. Oregon State had beaten the Wolfpack 48-6 the previous season in Corvallis but Nevada rebounded to go 6-5 and returned 19 starters from that team.

"We'll have our hands full," Erickson said.

The Corvallis Gazette-Times editorialized on the season-opener the day before the game, noting, "It's time to leave the past string of losing seasons behind." The newspaper's sports editor, Jeff Welsch, wasn't buying it: in his column that day, he predicted a 4-7 season for the Beavers.

The Reno Gazette-Journal the next day gave the Beavers a bit more motivation, as it picked the Wolfpack by five points and gave the edge in the running back category to Nevada's Chris Lemmon over Simonton. Erickson pointed out the article to his team before the game.

"That's a joke," Smith said. "That was a big emphasis in the pregame talk."

It must have taken a while to sink in, as Nevada led 10-7 at halftime and 13-7 going into the fourth quarter. It was rough in other ways as well: the Mackay Stadium field had numerous bald spots amidst its grass, Erickson said he heard himself called every name in the book by the home fans, and Beaver punter Mike Fessler had a beer thrown at him while punting from his own end zone in the third quarter.

Still, the defense kept the Beavers within striking distance while the offense sputtered through three quarters.

"It was kind of like everybody out there was going through the motions," said junior tight end Martin Maurer.

It was Maurer who broke the Beavers out of it early in the fourth quarter. OSU had a first down on its own 26; Smith faked a handoff to Simonton, ran a bootleg and flipped a short pass to Maurer on the right side.

"I was expecting a big hit, just like you always do on those and no one was there," Maurer told reporters later. "I just ran. One guy dived at my feet, I kind of picked that up, saw a lot of daylight."

Seventy-four yards and a key block from junior wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh later, the Beavers had their first lead of the day at 14-13 with 14:01 to play. After a Nevada three-and-out, the Beavers went 64 yards in eight plays and Simonton's 19-yard touchdown made it 21-13 with 8:14 to go.

Oregon State added another touchdown plunge by Simonton in the final minute to cap the scoring in a 28-13 victory. Simonton finished with 199 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries, while Smith was 21-for-43 passing for 257 yards and a score.

The drive toward a winning season had begun, but not easily.

"In the third quarter I was trying to get out of the stadium," Erickson joked to reporters afterward. "There was so much excitement for this game, all those orange shirts … I said to myself, 'Holy Toledo.' I realize the expectations are pretty high. I felt probably a little more pressure today than I did in some other games."

The comeback win stoked excitement over the season even higher in Corvallis, where the Beavers would play their home opener against Fresno State on September 11.

SEPTEMBER 11: VS. FRESNO STATE

Early the week of the game, the Gazette-Times reported a crowd of about 32,000 was expected, and OSU might break its record for a home opener of 33,000 set in 1982 against Washington.

"I expect it to be crazy loud, with guys flying around," Simonton told reporters the Tuesday before the game. "When you have as many fans follow us down to Reno as we did, I expect them to come back into our house. We did a good job on our home turf last year (going 3-3) and I want to keep that going."

he crowd – and the close call at Nevada – would have the Beavers ready for the Bulldogs, Simonton felt.

"I know some of the guys were maybe taking (Nevada) lightly," Simonton said. "We got our wakeup call. We know we've got to step it up every week because the competition just keeps getting better. We expect a little more competition out of Fresno State."

The Bulldogs had opened with a 34-6 win over Portland State in which quarterback Billy Volek threw for 200 yards and four touchdowns.

"Fresno State is picked to win the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) – they've got some talent," Erickson said.

Before the game, the stadium was formally rededicated as Reser Stadium. On a far more somber note, OSU wide receiver Imani Percoats would be playing despite the death of his girlfriend the previous Sunday; she had been injured in a car accident several days before.

Percoats, one of the nation's top junior college receivers the previous season, had wanted to return home. His mother talked him out of it, not wanting Percoats to see his girlfriend on life support.

"They buried her today," Percoats said after the game. "I played the game for her."

Percoats went without a catch for the first two-and-a-half quarters, then things opened up for him: he finished with five catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon State won 46-23.

It wasn't quite as easy as the score might make it appear. The Beavers fumbled on the first play, trailed 7-0 just minutes into the game and later in the first quarter had a punt blocked for a Bulldog touchdown to trail 14-13 after one period. By then, four of OSU's points had come on a pair of safeties and, late in the quarter, Fresno State had just one yard total offense.

But Darnell Robinson's 24-yard interception return for a score and a Simonton touchdown run gave OSU a 26-14 halftime lead; that grew to 33-17 when Percoats hauled in a 19-yard pass from Smith. Smith added a five-yard touchdown run of his own to make it 39-17 after three quarters.

Percoats completed the scoring with an 18-yard catch. Smith finished 16-for-29 passing for 303 yards, and Simonton had 178 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.

"They were on today," said Fresno State head coach Pat Hill, whose team had been trying to improve to 6-5 against Pacific-10 teams in the 1990s. "I've got to give them credit – they were well-prepared to play today."

Beaver linebacker Jonathan Jackson, who had 11 tackles and broke up a pass, noted the importance of winning the first game on a new home field with a new head coach.

"There were a lot of people here behind us," Jackson said of the crowd of 30,339. "You see how excited they are, you just want to come out and win."

Oregon State would have a chance to do the same thing the next week in what looked – on the schedule, anyway – to be its easiest non-conference game of 1999, against Division I-AA
Georgia Southern at Reser Stadium.

SEPTEMBER 18: VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN

This was no routine lower-division foe: the Georgia Southern was ranked No. 1 nationally in Division I-AA and its triple-option wishbone offense had carried the Golden Eagles to the national championship game the previous season. Erickson said defending that style of attack was always a concern.

"You've got to be disciplined, cover everything, have a guy in the alley," Erickson said. "I think our team speed will help us."

Simonton would go into the game as the nation's second-leading rusher in Division I-A, averaging 188.5 yards per game; his outing against Fresno State earned him Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week honors. And, with their win over the Bulldogs, the Beavers now had the Pac-10's longest winning streak, three games, dating back to that 1998 Civil War win. It was the first time OSU had won three in a row since 1970 – the school's last winning season.

In the week leading up to the game, the Gazette-Times published a story noting youth football numbers had increased in Corvallis, and the Beavers' resurgence was given partial credit. Said Parks & Recreation Coordinator Sally Robertson: "Just hearing the kids in the summer program talk about Oregon State football, I know they're excited about it. I think it has affected their attitudes and interest level."

Meanwhile, Georgia Southern was assuring Oregon State the game would go on despite Hurricane Floyd hitting the Eastern Seaboard; by Tuesday, classes at the school had already been cancelled for the rest of the week but the Golden Eagles' journey wouldn't be affected by the storm.

While many thought this a can't-lose game for the Beavers, Erickson put it in a different category.

"It's a must-win game for us," Erickson said. "If we want to accomplish our goal of going 3-0 in the preseason, we've got to win. We know what we've got to get done. They're the thing between us and achieving that goal. I would be very surprised if we came out and didn't play as well as we can."

Judging by a comment Smith made to The Oregonian, not all the Beavers were taking it quite as seriously.

"I'm not going to lie," Smith said. "A lot of guys are talking about the statistics they want to put up. So it's a scary deal."

It turned out to be even scarier than Smith anticipated.

With less than 30 seconds to go in the game, Oregon State led just 48-41 and Georgia Southern had a first down at the Beaver 22-yard line.

OSU forced a fourth-and-14 from the 25 with seconds to go, and OSU defensive end LaDairis Jackson pressured Georgia Southern backup quarterback J.R. Revere into an incompletion as the clock ran out.

"We won the game," OSU defensive tackle Aaron Wells said. "But it's hard to be happy because we struggled on defense."

The Golden Eagles rushed for 333 yards, including 83 by quarterback Greg Hill before he left with an injury in the third quarter. Georgia Southern gained 497 yards total and racked up 29 first downs.

The Beavers, though, gained 543 yards, with Simonton rushing for 180 of those and four touchdowns and Smith passing for 272 yards and a score on a 15-for-25 day. Bryant returned to action and passed for 54 yards and rushed for 19 more.

"The offense did their part – they put up enough points to win," Jackson said. "Defensively, we had some assignment busts. If we could just fix those, the score wouldn't be as close."

As it was, the Beavers had their first four-game win streak since 1968 and their first 3-0 start since 1967.

"There's only one thing I can say, and that's 'It's a win,'" Erickson said. "We found a way to win it in the end. Two weeks from now, nobody will care what the score was except me. We are 3-0, and that's important, that's what our goal was. But at the same time, you want to get better and better each time. I thought we made a giant step last week. We didn't this week."

The Beavers now had a bye week before they headed into Pac-10 play against No. 16 Southern California in Los Angeles on October 2. Their 3-0 start hadn't gone unnoticed, as one voter in the Associated Press poll gave them the No. 25 spot on his ballot.

NEXT: The Going Gets Rough

Related News

Related Videos