Cliff Kirkpatrick

Former Oregon State QB Lyle Moevao’s appeal for a sixth year of eligibility was rejected by the NCAA on Thursday.

Moevao missed all but one pass play last season and some of his junior year due to shoulder and ankle injuries. He hoped for a sixth year because he lost so much time, but it was a long shot.

Sixth years are rarely granted. Athletes must miss two full seasons out of the possible five to circumstances they can’t control. The intent of the rule is to give them an opportunity to play four seasons.

Moevao was healthy for almost four seasons, and had the opportunity to play during four of his five seasons. That was the reason the NCAA cited for denial.

He played one season at El Camino College in the Los Angeles area, redshirted at OSU in 2006 and played in 2007 and 2008. Those where his four years of opportunity.

“We are all very disappointed in the outcome of Lyle’s appeal for the sixth year,” coach Mike Riley said. “We will of course miss him, both as a person and as a player on our team. He not only won a lot of games as our quarterback, including some of our biggest wins in history, but he was the heart-and-soul personality in our program.”

The original injury occurred the first week of November 2008 against Arizona when he was driven to the ground on his shoulder. He missed two games and required offseason surgery.

His throwing shoulder needed total reconstruction, and he wasn’t ready to compete for his starting job or play as a backup until midseason in 2009.

The next injury happened in October during practice when defensive end Matt LaGrone fell on the back of his right foot. He needed surgery to repair damaged ligaments.

Moevao is still rebuilding the strength in his foot at this point. He has been practicing with former teammates in hopes of coming back next year.

He previously said the plan if the appeal was denied is to train for pro workouts for next year when he’s fully healed.

Moevao ended his career with an 11-4 record as a starter, ranked seventh in OSU passing yards with 3,410 and ninth in passing touchdowns with 21.

Tweet This Post 

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.”

Tweet This Post 

Caught up with Oregon State football coach Mike Riley on Tuesday going into tomorrow’s signing day. There will be plenty of stuff to read about in Wednesday’s GT.

Here’s a link to the news of the day in notebook. Here’s a link to Riley’s thoughts on the 2010 recruiting class.

“You hope you don’t get any surprises,” Riley said of the wait until Wednesday. “We are waiting on a couple of decisions. And that’s about it. The main thing we don’t want is any surprises. We hope the committed players stay committed. And those still making decisions say Oregon State.”

Anyway, here are the news highlights:

CB David Ross is transferring to Portland State. … It’s unknown if WR Reggie Dunn will make it into OSU academically. Riley is not optimistic. “I don’t know if he’ll be in the spring,” Riley said. “That’s to be determined.”

It’s not settled who, or if, a scholarship player hampered by injury will be off scholarship this season. OT Wilder McAndrews is the likely person because it was looked into if he can be listed a physically unable to perform from his many wrist and finger injuries.

Appeals for the extra year for WR Darrell Catchings and QB Lyle Moevao won’t be known until at least March. Catchings’ case will be decided at the Pac-10 basketball tournament by the conference faculty reps. Moevao’s must be decided at the NCAA level.

“I try to remain hopeful and no more,” Riley said of Moevao’s long shot. “I’m not counting on it. I’ll being ecstatic if it happens.”

DE Mana Rosa (shoulder) had surgery. He was hurt in January in a freak accident. He’ll miss spring practice.

WR Micah Hatfield (leg) will be back in the spring. He’s about to get metal taken out.

CB Sean Martin (shoulder) will have surgery Thursday and is out of the spring.

OG Grant Johnson (shoulder) had surgery and is out for the spring. That opens up practice time for the young guards with a starter out.

S Lance Mitchell (knee) had surgery and will be ready for the spring.

OL Rory Ross (knee) had surgery and should be ready in the spring.

DT Mitchel Hunt (knee) is in a long rehab process and will be out of the spring. “It’s going to be a long haul,” Riley said.

Tweet This Post