Fall Camp: Week One Recap

Three practices are in the bag and a lot has changed since Monday. Time to recap the top stories and roster moves.

TOP STORIES

• JOE NEWTON'S INJURY
  Tight-end Joe Newton is out indefinitely due to a soft-tissue injury in his lower left leg. Senior Dan Haines takes his place atop the depth chart. 
  
  Riley on Newton's injury:  “It is a significant injury. We don’t know what the deal is going to be long term. We’ve got to get more information from the doctor. We don’t know exactly when he’ll be back, but I know it won’t be soon. All we really know is that it is a soft-tissue injury to the lower leg, so it is not a broken bone or a joint. It is a muscle down there that needs to be repaired or rehabbed.”
  
   
• TEAM IDENTITY CHANGING
  With Newton's injury Riley expects the team's identity to change a little.
  
  Riley on the team's identity:  "Maybe we won’t get all of the catches from those guys that we would have with Joe. Maybe Anthony Wheat-Brown catches ten more balls or we run for 100 more yards per game or something like that. It may lead this team to a slightly different identity.”
  
   
• CORNERBACK BATTLE
  As you probably already know Keenan Lewis has one cornerback slot locked down.  The battle for the other spot is between Gerard Lawson, Aaron Miller and Kellen Marshall, who according to Riley is playing his best ball since arriving in Corvallis.
  
  Riley on the open cornerback spot:  "Gerard Lawson is a tough, good football player. Aaron Miller is definitely a good addition. Kellen Marshall is playing the best ball that I’ve seen him play. The young guys, Tim Clark and Patrick Henderson, are looking good. Overall the representation is good.
  
   
• RUNNING BACK BATTLE
  Competition is intense between Yvenson Bernard and Jimtavis Walker.  Bernard holds a slight lead, but the rubber meets the road Friday when the players don on full pads.
  
  Riley on the running back situation: “We’ll pick it up when we get full gear on. The next part of that is that we’ll get Nate Wright going. Nate’s got some stuff. He may not be the same back those guys are but he may be more versatile, receiving, running outside and in the open field. I’m pretty excited with what I see there. He’s got some quickness and I know he’s got good hands. I’m not sure where he fits but he’s another good competitor at running back and could possibly be a third down-type back. This competition isn’t separated by much."
  
   
• THE DEVELOPING OFFENSIVE LINE
  If you have been reading the practice reports, much time and effort is being put into the offensive line.  Riley is taking notice and is excited about the unit.
  
  Riley on the offensive line:  “We’ve got some continuity and we’ve got some good young talent and we’ve a little depth. I’m pleased with Josh Linehan’s potential here as a tackle. He will fight for every inch so he was a logical choice to move to tackle to make room for Jeremy Perry, who’s a very gifted player, to get into the lineup. I feel really good about the line over all.”
  
   
• MATT MOORE
  Matt Moore has started to distance himself from the competition despite being thrown the playbook.
  
  Riley on Moore's progress:  “There was a little `two steps forward one step backwards’ deal Monday. We ran a lot of our package today – we believe in putting everything in and then coming back and fine- tuning things. We’re going to have four days of this type of practice and then will start concentrating on more of the specifics.
  
   

ROSTER MOVES

• Freshman John Mayberry was switched from defensive end to tight end.
  
   
• Running back Nate Wright joined the team on Tuesday after finishing up summer classes.
  
   
• Wide receiver Marcel Love is out indefinitely due to academics. 
  
   
• Wide receiver Anthony Wheat-Brown has been moved to the slot position.
  
   
• Linebacker Chaz Scott is out due to academics but is expected to return to the team shortly.  He has attended most practices in street clothes.  In Scott's absence sophomore Andy Darkins has been practicing with the first team.
  
   
• Cornerback Aaron Miller qualified in time to join the team on Monday for fall drills.
  
   
• Tight end Jim Hanchett did not return for his senior year as he is focusing on dental school.
  
   
• Long snapper Darrick Bruns, free safety Eric Anderson, and tight end Michael   Jones left the program.
   

 

JERSEY NUMBERS

Freshman/Transfers

Jersey Changes

DE Victor Butler - #90 SN Aaron Carlson - #70 RB Tony Carrasco -  #35 WR Keston Cheatham - #21 LB Garrett Childress - #53 CB Tim Clark - #29 LB Braynt Cornell - #43 WR Anthony Crosby - #88 WR Brain Davilla - #15 RB Patrick Fuller - #34 P Jake Harry - #3 OL Marcus Henderson - #65 CB Patrick Henderson - #14 WR Ruben Jackson - #2 OL Mike Marks - #68 TE John Mayberry - #84 CB Aaron Miller - #15 S Aaron Mobley  -   #47 OL James Otuhiva - #74 OL Gregg Peat - #73 RB Nate Wright - #33

LB Isiah Cook from #59 to #12 CB Rickey Herod from #25 to #10 CB Gerard Lawson from #9 to #5 CB Keenan Lewis from #34 to #6 CB Kellen Marshall from #15 to #20