Spring Football Practice Begins Saturday -- NOW AT 2 P.M.
March 29, 2004
Corvallis, Ore. -
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THEME: Spring practice for the 2004 football season begins Sat., April 3 at 2 p.m. The practice coincides with the program's annual clinic for area coaches. The site of Saturday's workout is weather dependent -- the program has the option of starting drills at the Truax Indoor Center, Prothro Field, or Reser Stadium. Practices are open to the public, but viewing areas may be restricted to ensure safety for the student-athletes and fans.
WHO'S BACK? Forty-five lettermen are expected to return to the program for the 2004 season, including 12 starters. Here is a closer look at the returning starters by position:
Offense QB -- Derek Anderson, Sr., 7,634 career passing yards, 50 TDs C -- Matt Brock, Sr., 26 consecutive starts OT -- Doug Nienhuis, Sr., 26 consecutive starts OT -- Kanan Sanchez, Sr., 34 consecutive starts SE -- Mike Hass, So., 1,013 yards, 7 TDs Defense DT -- Ben Siegert, So., TSN Pac-10 Freshman Team. LB -- Trent Bray, Jr., 99 career tackles. CB -- Brandon Browner, So., Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. FS -- Mitch Meeuwsen, Sr., Pac-10 Honorable Mention LB -- Jonathan Pollard, Sr., 81 career tackles DT -- Bill Swancutt, Sr., Pac-10 Honorable Mention CB -- Aric Williams, Sr., Pac-10 Honorable MentionWHO'S GONE? Eighteen lettermen have departed, including 12 starters. The group of starters not returning includes James Newson (SE), Steven Jackson (TB), Brian Kilkenny (OT), Kenny Farley (Slot), David Lose (LG), Tim Euhus (TE), Kirk Yliniemi (PK), Jayson-Jean Baptiste (DE), Dan Rothwell (DE), Dwan Edwards (DT), Richard Seigler (LB), Lawrence Turner (SS), and Carl Tobey (P). Jean-Baptiste and Rothwell shared starting duties.
INJURY STATUS: The following individuals are not expected to participate in spring drills due to injuries -- senior free safety Mitch Meeuwsen, senior linebacker Seth Lacey, senior tight end Pat Loney, sophomore defensive tackle Ben Siegert, and junior offensive tackle Jake Pratt.
SCRIMMAGE DATES: Head coach Mike Riley has not announced scrimmage dates for the spring session, as of March 29. The program typically holds two practices during spring where game officials are present.
BURNLEY & HAGEMEISTER UPDATE: Freshmen Charles Burnley and Zach Hagemeister are enrolled at OSU for spring term. Both signed letters of intent with OSU in February of 2003 and are now eligible to compete at the Division I level. Burnley is a tailback prospect from Valencia High School in California where he rushed for 4,182 yards and 48 touchdowns in his combined junior and senior seasons. Hagemeister is a tight end from nearby Lebanon, Ore., and was a standout running back.
SPRING GAME TICKETS AVAILABLE: Tickets for the annual spring football game, Sat., May 1 at Reser Stadium, will be on sale beginning Mon., April 5. Tickets are $3 if purchased in advance or $5 on game day. All proceeds benefit OSU's Valley Library and the OSU Marching Band. Tickets must be purchased in person at the Gill Coliseum ticket office or at the OSU Portland Office at 707 SW Washington Street in the lobby of the Union Bank Building. OSU Students and children under 12 will be admitted free.
COACHING STAFF MOVES: During the offseason head coach Mike Riley changed assistant coach LeCharls McDaniel's assignment from special teams to tight end. He also hired Bruce Read, a former staff member at OSU with Riley in 1997 and '98, as a graduate assistant/special teams. Read had been on the staff of the New York Giants the last two seasons. Gurjot (Ger-JOAT) Dhaliwal (Dolly-wall) was promoted to graduate assistant coach for the defense after spending last year as an administrative assistant.
COMMENTS ABOUT SPRING PRACTICE: Beaver head coach Mike Riley made the following statements regarding spring practice:
DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC GOALS FOR SPRING PRACTICE ON OFFENSE? "We want to begin to solve some personnel decisions. The left side of our offensive line is going to be new; we have some questions there. We need to look at our receiving corps, we really have only one player returning (Mike Hass) who had production a year ago. There will be a major battle at tailback - Dwight Wright is the frontrunner, but he will be pushed. Tailback will be a very interesting position to watch this spring. The development at tight end is another key area, as we will have a new starter there."
GOALS FOR THE DEFENSE THIS SPRING: "We have some major holes to fill down the middle with the losses of Dwan Edwards, Richard Seigler, and Lawrence Turner. We need to find out who is going to be the safety and how our line is going to develop."
GOALS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: "The two major areas of interest during spring ball are at the kicker and punter positions. I expect great competition between Alexis Serna and John Dailey for the placekicking duties. We have Sam Paulescu coming in at punter, but we won't see him until the fall - so we have some issues there."
OVERALL TEAM GOALS: "We want to continue with the establishment and growth of our system. A foundation has been laid and we'll start much farther ahead than we were last year at this time, but the growth of the people within the system is a huge goal."
BEAVER FACTS
* Oregon State is the only program in 2004 to play the BCS National Champion (LSU) and the Associated Press National Champion (USC).
* Oregon State plays three of the four programs that lost only one game in 2003 (USC, LSU, Boise State) - Miami (Ohio) is the fourth.
* Oregon State's first three games of the season are against 2003 Bowl participants; LSU won the Sugar Bowl (21-14 vs. Oklahoma), Boise State won the inaugural Fort Worth Bowl (34-31 vs. TCU), and New Mexico lost to OSU in the Las Vegas Bowl.
* Oregon State plays seven programs that had winning seasons in 2003 (LSU, Boise State, New Mexico, California, Washington State, USC, and Oregon). Washington was 6-6 and bowl eligible.
