Cliff: OSU football stuff

Ryan Katz and Derek Anderson run with the Beavers. PHOTO/Andy Cripe

I stopped by a running session of the Oregon State football team this week. Nearly the whole group was out there as strength coach Bryan Miller ran them through their paces.

Former OSU QB Derek Anderson, now in the NFL, was working out them. Check out the photo above as he mentors future QB Ryan Katz.

QB Lyle Moevao was out there with them doing some running rehab and threw to some of the receivers. He’s still waiting to hear if his long shot of a sixth year comes in.

OLB Keith Pankey (Achilles’) was around giving his moral support, even though he’s on crutches and his right foot is in a boot.

Miller said significant progress has been made this winter by the majority. He checked last year’s numbers and most of them are putting up more weight and more times now. “It’s not even close,” he said.

I ran into DL coach Joe Seumalo, and chatted. He’s desperate to find backup DTs for Stephen Paea and Brennan Olander. He’s going to try Philomath High alum Ben Motter inside.

“He wasn’t doing anything on offense; he was just standing there so we brought him over,” Seumalo said of Motter’s first three seasons at OL.

Seumalo may shake up the spring depth chart at DE because he needs to light a fire under some players. He’s concerned that some are putting on the wrong kind of weight.

After the workout many of the players stayed to do their voluntary drills. Katz, Moevao and Peter Lalich threw to receivers in a 7-on-7 drill. The offensive players do that once a week and they do one-on-one routes  with the DBs once a week.

I’ve watched these on occasion over the years, and it’s usually sparsely attended because of class or different workout schedules. Not this time. Many of the players stayed.

“I’ve been here three years, and this is the most people who have done this,” Katz said. “The biggest thing is getting out here and staying after and take on that responsibility.”