|
WR/PR
Sammie Stroughter |
|
|
|
Coach:
Mike Riley
38-34,
4 years |
2006
Record: 10-4 |
|
E.
WASHINGTON |
WON
56-17 |
at
Boise State |
LOST
14-42 |
IDAHO |
WON
38-0 |
CALIFORNIA |
LOST
13-41 |
WASHINGTON
STATE |
LOST
6-13 |
at
Washington |
WON
27-17 |
at
Arizona |
WON
17-10 |
SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA |
WON
33-31 |
ARIZONA
STATE |
WON
44-10 |
at
UCLA |
LOST
7-25 |
at
Stanford |
WON
30-7 |
OREGON |
WON
30-28 |
at
Hawai'i |
WON
35-32 |
SUN
BOWL |
Missouri |
WON
39-38 |
|
2006
Final Rankings
AP-21, Coaches-22, BCS-22
|
2007
Outlook |
Local
product Mike Riley (led Corvallis
HS to state title in 1970 at QB, though
he’s from Wallace Idaho) has
built a winning program that is ready
to take its next steps with eight
returning starters on each side of
the ball. Riley & Co. stunned
the college football world after they
beat USC 33-31, and that win then
became the catalyst for State’s
8-1 closing run. They should start
’07 riding their ’06 momentum;
new blood at QB is the only thing
that would keep OSU from continuing
their upswing. But Canfield has seen
real game reps, so the pro-style hurler
only has to manage an offense consisting
of six all-leaguers (four on the line)
and mostly upperclassmen for the Beavers
to again challenge for the conference
crown. Still, in this offensive-minded
conference, it will be via defense
that State ultimately gets to the
next level. Like on offense, there
is enough senior leadership on D so
that mistakes will be minimized and
therefore optimal results can be expected
immediately. It all adds up to the
Beavers possibly earning their first
back-to-back 10-win seasons ever.
Utah at home to start is more of a
challenge than many may expect, and
it will be a good measuring stick
for what State has to concentrate
on as the Utes will expose any weaknesses.
Games in Berkeley, Los Angeles and
Tempe – along with seven of
12 opponents having been bowl teams
in ’06 - mean OSU earns any/everything
it gets. Going 2-1 against those big
three will mean the Black-and-Orange
are back in the top 25 for the final
polls.
Projected
2007 record: 9-3
|
|
OREGON
STATE
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3.5 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 4.5 |
LB
- 4 |
WR
- 4.5 |
DB
- 3 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Sean Canfield, 28-45-2, 335 yds.,
2 TD
Rushing: Yvenson Bernard, 296
att., 1307 yds., 12 TD
Receiving: Sammie Stroughter,
74 rec., 1293 yds., 5 TD
Scoring: Alexis Serna, 22-29
FG, 45-45 PAT, 111 pts.
Punting: Kyle Loomis, 62 punts,
41.3 avg.
Kicking: Alexis Serna, 22-29
FG, 45-45 PAT, 111 pts.
Tackles: Joey LaRocque, 98
tot., 44 solo
Sacks: Dorian Smith, 9 sacks
Interceptions: Derrick Doggett,
3 for 50 yds., 2 TD
Kickoff Returns: Coye Francies,
22 ret., 22.4 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Sammie Stroughter,
30 ret., 15.7 avg., 3 TD
|
|
|
RB
Yvenson Bernard |
|
|
|
OREGON
STATE
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 9 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 8 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Matt Moore-QB, Ruben Jackson-WR, Joe
Newton-TE, Adam Koets-OT, Josh Linehan-OT |
DEFENSE:
Joe
Lemma-DE, Ben Siegert-DT, Sabby Piscitelli-SS |
|
|
2007
OFFENSE |
All
sophomore Sean Canfield has to do is become
the strong-armed pocket presence this team
needs to keep State on the same winning
track it established to end ’06. Though
a first-time starter, he played scantily
last season and looked decent against their
first two non-con foes. This guy doesn’t
display speed when chased, but he stands
tall and delivers downfield well enough
to offset such. All-Pac Ten RB Yvenson Bernard
is a workhorse with oft-used soft hands
who will keep defenses honest so Canfield
can develop under a bit less pressure. Senior
snarler Sammie Stroughter is the team’s
deep threat and another all-conference selection
who will help ease the new QB into place.
Other role players amongst the receivers
are slot guy Brandon Powers (underneath)
and flanker Anthony Wheat-Brown (midrange),
also returning senior starters. All in all,
a well-rounded, well-sized group that can
give foes matchup fits. All the team needs
is a new standout tight end and Howard Croom
leads a list of worthy candidates who will
likely compete throughout the year for reps
there. The rest of the line looks pretty
tight – four of the team’s five
all-conference linemen return. Left guard
Jeremy Perry, a junior who started his first
year, leads a crew of all 300+-pounders
who need to develop their run blocking skills
for the offense to regain the same consistency
that helped it end 2006 by scoring at least
30 points in each of its last four games.
Improvements in pass protection need to
be seen after allowing foes 35 sacks. Coordinator
and QB coach Dan Langsdorf has his work
cut out with Canfield. The stability of
the line and other talent positions should
have this offense humming quickly, and if
Canfield cannot keep up, the other three
(four, if you include No.17 dual-threat
recruit Jake Gelakoska) QB candidates are
eager to prove they are the next great Beaver
hurler(s).
|
|
OG
Jeremy Perry
|
|
|
OREGON
STATE 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Sean
Canfield-So (6-4, 225) |
Lyle
Moevao-So (6-0, 230)
Ryan Gunderson-Sr (6-5, 224) |
TB |
Yvenson
Bernard-Sr (5-9. 202) |
Clinton
Polk-Sr (6-2, 205) |
SB |
Brandon
Powers-Sr (6-2, 218) |
Shane
Morales-Jr (6-1, 197) |
WR |
Sammie
Stroughter-Sr (6-0, 183) |
Kyle
Brown-Fr (6-4, 212) |
WR |
Anthony
Brown-Sr (6-1, 213) |
Chris
Johnson-Jr (6-1, 187) |
TE |
Howard
Croom-So (6-3, 248) |
John
Reese-So (6-3, 235) |
OT |
Tavita
Thompson-Jr (6-6, 303) |
.. |
OG |
Jeremy
Perry-Jr (6-2, 313) |
Adam
Speer-Jr (6-3, 291) |
C |
Kyle
DeVan-Sr (6-2, 310) |
Marcus
Henderson-Jr (6-5, 285) |
OG |
Roy
Schuening-Sr (6-4, 317) |
Gregg
Peat-So (6-3, 297) |
OT |
Andy
Levitre-Jr (6-3, 326) |
Ryan
Pohl-Fr (6-3, 280) |
K |
Alexis
Serna-Sr (5-8, 170) |
.. |
|
|
|
2007
DEFENSE |
Like
the offense, the D only has to find three
new faces to compliment eight honed veterans.
The line sees two new starters, though both
are veterans due to extensive reps as subs.
Ex-JUCO senior DE Dorian Smith (nine sacks
led team), one of the newbies, joins all-conference
classmate Jeff Van Orsow, and Smith may
actually garner more double-teams. Junior
Pernnell Booth has less experience (than
Smith) but also played in most of OSU’s
contests last season so little adjustment
time will be needed. Other trained upperclassmen
along the line mean staying in the top 30
for rush defense is highly likely, though,
allowing 19 rushing TDs would again be too
many for a line that earned the nation’s
most sacks in ’06 (47)…stop
over pursuing!!! Led by strongside guy Derrick
Doggett, this all senior corps is the strength
of the defense. The all-Pac Ten San Diego-native
can drop into coverage just as well as he
invades backfields, while physical MLB Alan
Darlin uses his size to clog holes on the
line. Joey LaRocque, sized small like Doggett,
quietly led the Beavers in tackles, and
the entire corps already has trained backups
so fresh legs shouldn’t be an issue
late in games. The same goes for the corners,
where 6’1 senior Coye Francies can
step in for junior starters Brandon Hughes
and/or Keenan Lewis and be just as effective.
Juniors Al Afalava and Bryan Payton, both
starters at some point, will keep up their
free safety rotation, while senior Daniel
Drayton will cause tongues to frequently
be twisted when he and Payton converge for
a tackle. Drayton knows the SS spot well,
which will minimize the loss of Piscitelli
and his team leading five INTs and 11 PBU’s.
In this conference of aerial extreme, the
pass defense is one area that needs focus
in the offseason after finishing ranked
88th. Coordinator Mark Banker is also the
secondary coach, so results along these
lines can be expected.
|
|
LB
Derrick Doggett
|
|
|
OREGON
STATE 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Dorian
Smith-Sr (6-3, 258) |
Naymon
Frank-Sr (6-5, 285) |
DT |
Pernnell
Booth-Jr (6-1, 305) |
William
Akau'ola Vea-Sr (6-1, 289) |
DT |
Curtis
Coker-Sr (6-1, 309) |
Gerard
Lee-Sr (6-1, 275) |
DE |
Jeff
Van Orsow-Sr (6-4, 262) |
Victor
Butler-Jr (6-2, 235) |
SLB |
Derrick
Doggett-Sr (6-3, 210) |
Eric
Moala Liavaa-Jr (6-0, 233) |
MLB |
Alan
Darlin-Sr (6-1, 254) |
Bryant
Cornell-Jr (6-1, 245) |
WLB |
Joey
LaRocque-Sr (6-2, 218) |
Isaiah
Cook-Jr (6-2, 215) |
CB |
Keenan
Lewis-Jr (6-1, 199) |
Coye
Francies-Sr (6-1, 180) |
CB |
Brandon
Hughes-Jr (5-11, 178) |
Gerard
Lawson-Sr (5-11, 192) |
SS |
Daniel
Drayton-Sr (5-10, 204) |
Suaesi
Tuimaunei-So (6-1, 198) |
FS |
Al
Afalava-Jr (5-11, 209) |
Bryan
Payton-Jr (6-2, 221) |
P |
Kyle
Loomis-So (6-2, 197) |
Jon
Strowbridge-Sr (6-2, 267) |
|
|
|
|
2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Senior
all-conference kicker Alexis Serna is sure to
dot Groza watch lists after going 10-of-14 from
40+ - his FGs ostensibly won it against USC, Mizzu
and Oregon. Net punting results need to be improved
with big-legged Kyle Loomis doing his part. Sammie
Stroughter’s three scores and 15+ average
per PR landed him All-American status, and along
with backup CBs Lawson and Francies, the Beavers
cannot be ignored for their prowess as ball possession
is changed.
|
|