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.