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  Bruce Read

Bruce Read

Player Profile

Hometown:
Santa Rosa, California

Position:
Coordinator of Special Teams

10/25/2011

Mike Riley Previews The Utah Game

Mike Riley Previews The Utah Game

Updated Jan. 2011

Bruce Read is in his third tenure as the special teams coordinator at Oregon State, and 2011 marks his third consecutive year in Beaver gear. His previous tenures included the 1997-98 and 2004-06 seasons. In addition to his college resume, Read has coached special teams in the NFL for three clubs, 2007-08 with the Dallas Cowboys, 2002-03 with the New York Giants and 1999-2001 with the San Diego Chargers.

Read is considered the best special teams coach in OSU history with numerous Beavers achieving outstanding accomplishments and school records. In 2010, OSU set a school record for kickoff return average at 26.4 yards (4th in NCAA) and posted the third-best punt return mark at 14.8 yards (6th in NCAA). Sophomore Jordan Poyer ended the year with second-best punt return average in the Pac-10 Conference at 27.8 yards per attempt.

In 2009, Suaesi Tuimaunei earned first team All-Pac-10 for his play on coverage teams and kicker Justin Kahut was a second team honoree. Kahut led the conference for scoring with 111 points, and James Rodgers finished in the league's top five for punt and kickoff returns.

In 2006, Sammie Stroughter earned third team All-American honors in part for his punt return abilities and placekicker Alexis Serna garnered second team All-Pac-10. Stroughter set the school record with three punt returns for touchdowns and Serna, at the time, had a school record 106 consecutive made extra point attempts - he eventually made 144 consecutively. Stroughter's play impressed NFL scouts and he has gone on to a successful NFL career with Tampa Bay.

In 2005 Read coached First Team All-Pac-10 selections punter Sam Paulescu and Serna. Serna was the '05 recipient of the Lou Groza Award, recognizing the nation's premier kicker, and an Associated Press Second Team All-American. Paulescu has played for five NFL teams and is currently with Washington.

Read spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons as the special teams coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League. During the `03 season, the Giants improved in six of eight statistical special teams categories.

Read accompanied Riley to San Diego in 1999 to coach the Chargers' special teams. The Chargers led the NFL in 2001 with a kickoff return average of 26.0 yards - 4.4 yards more than the NFL average for that season. Ronny Jenkins led the league with a 26.6 yards per kickoff return average and scored two touchdowns. For his career with the Chargers, the team consistently rated above the average mark in most statistical categories, and in his first year with the club the team improved 18 spots in the NFL's special teams category to sixth. In 2001 the Chargers were third for special teams and punter Darren Bennett played in the Pro Bowl.

While at Oregon State during his first tenure, Beaver special teams units blocked 15 kicks. During the 1998 season, OSU was second in the Pac-10 with a .654 (17-26) field goal percentage and was third for kickoff return average at 23.1 yards. In 1997, kicker Jose Cortez ranked tied for third for field goal conversions with 11.

Read began his coaching career in 1985 working alongside his father, head coach Don Read at the University of Montana. He was named a full-time assistant in 1987, where he would serve the next 10 years as a special teams coach. While at Montana the program broke over 30 records for special teams, and blocked 27 punts and 22 kicks. Montana claimed three Big Sky Conference titles (1993, '95, '96) and won the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA title.

Read is a 1986 graduate of Portland State with a bachelor's degree in social science.

He and his wife Christina, have two sons, Justin and Joshua.

READ PROFILE
Assignment:
Special Teams Year at OSU: 8th
Recruiting Area: Northern California; Los Angeles Age: 48 Hometown: Santa Rosa, California
Education: Bachelor's in Social Science from Portland State (1986) Wife: Christina Children: Justin, Joshua

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Oregon State, 1997-98, 2004-06, 2009-present; Dallas (NFL), 2007-08; New York Giants (NFL), 2002-03; San Diego (NFL), 1999-2001, San Diego (NFL), 1999-2001; Montana, 1985-96

OSU HIGHLIGHTS
2010
Kickoff Return Average (26.4) - OSU record, 4th in NCAA; Punt Return Average (14.8) - 2nd in Pac-10/6th in NCAA; Jordan Poyer (KR) - 2nd in Pac-10 (27.8 yds) 2009 Suaesi Tuimaunei (ST) - 1st Team All-Pac-10; Justin Kahut (PK) - 2nd team All-Pac-10; .815 field goal percentage, 3rd in Pac-10 2006Sammie Stroughter (PR) - 3rd Team All-American, 2nd Team All-Pac-10; Alexis Serna (PK) - 2nd Team All-Pac-10; Punt Return Average (15.0) - 2nd in Pac-10/7th in NCAA; PAT kicker (1.000) - Tied for 1st in Pac-10/NCAA 2005Field Goal Pct. (.821) - 2nd in Pac-10; Punt Average (36.3) - 3rd in Pac-10; PAT Kicking (1.000) - Tied 1st in Pac-10/NCAA; Alexis Serna, PK - 1st Team All-Pac-10/AP 2nd Team All-Amer./Lou Groza Award; Sam Paulescu, P - 1st Team All-Pac-10, 43.0 avg/2nd in Pac-10/16th in NCAA; Derrick Doggett - Second Team All-Pac-10 (special teams); Lamar Herron, KR - 24.3 avg/5th in Pac-10 2004 Field Goal Pct. (.772) - 2nd in Pac-10; Punt Average (38.9) - 3rd in Pac-10; Sam Paulescu, P - 24 downed inside-20, Honorable Mention All-Pac-10; Alexis Serna, PK - 2nd Team All-Pac-10/two-time Pac-10 Special Teams POW, Pac-10 best 85 percent on FGs (17-20); Sammie Stroughter, PR (7.0) - 5th in Pac-10 1998 Field Goal Pct. (.654) - 2nd in Pac-10; Kickoff Return Avg. (23.1) - 3rd in Pac-10; Punt Average (35.1) - 5th in Pac-10; Tim Alexander, KR (29.6) - 2nd in Pac-10; Jose Cortez, PK (80 pts) - 3rd in Pac-10; Jose Cortez, PK (.654) - 2nd in Pac-10 1997 Jose Cortez, PK (11 fgs) - T3rd in Pac-10

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