March 29, 2012
2012 Spring Prospectus 
THE REVIEW:
Oregon State concluded the 2011 season 3-9 overall and 3-6 within the first year of the Pac-12 Conference season finishing in fifth-place in the North Division.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT:
Oregon State was one of the youngest teams in the nation in 2011 as freshmen and sophomores accounted for 74 starts. A total of 27 players who have started at least one game during their collegiate careers return for the `12 season.
FRESHMEN EARN HONORS:
One of the youngest teams in the nation in 2011 had three representatives earn Freshman All-America honors by several news outlets/organizations. Quarterback Sean Mannion and defensive ends Scott Crichton and Dylan Wynn all were honored for their play in what was a rebuilding season.
FRESHMEN LINEMEN SET RECORDS:
True freshman defensive end Dylan Wynn set an OSU single season record with five fumble recoveries and co-led the NCAA in that category. Teammate freshman-redshirt Scott Crichton forced a school-record six fumbles, tied for fourth in the NCAA.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS:
Oregon State played 23 first-time starters, including running back Malcolm Agnew in the season opener - he is the first true freshman running back to ever start an opener for the Beavers. First time starters included Agnew, Josh Andrews (OG), Brandin Cooks (WR), Kevin Cummings (WR), Scott Crichton (DE), Michael Doctor (LB), Grant Enger (OG), Geoff Garner (C), Jordan Jenkins (RB), Colin Kelly (OT), Sean Mannion (QB), Castro Masaniai (DT), Ryan Murphy (S), Jordan Poyer (CB), Colby Prince (TE), Rashaad Reynolds (CB), Andrew Seumalo (DT), Jovan Stevenson (RB), Feti `Unga (LB), Anthony Watkins (S), Terron Ward (RB), Dylan Wynn (DE) and Clayton York (FB).
EARLY PLAYING TIME:
Oregon State played a school record 10 true freshmen in `11. The freshmen were: Malcolm Agnew (RB), Brandin Cooks (WR), Kyle Egan (LB), Jabral Johnson (LB), Trevor Romaine (K), Terron Ward (RB), D.J. Welch (LB), Josh Williams (LB), Dylan Wynn (DE) and Tyrequek Zimmerman (S). In all OSU played 23 true or redshirt freshmen; tied with Arizona for the most in the Pac-12 and tied for 10th overall in the nation.
MISSING STARTERS:
Oregon State's injury situation went from bad to worse in 2011 as the season progressed. Projected starters at the beginning of the year missed 59 games - Josh Andrews (G/6 games); Michael Philipp (T/Season); Joe Halahuni (TE/2), Malcolm Agnew (RB/6), James Rodgers (WR/2), Grant Johnson (C/1), Jordan Bishop (WR/3), Taylor Henry (DE/3), Castro Masaniai (T/5), Kevin Frahm (DT/1), Cameron Collins (LB/1), Feti `Unga (LB/3), Lance Mitchell (S/1), Brandon Hardin (CB/Season).
THIS PUZZLE WAS MISSING PIECES:
Oregon State coaches had their hands full in 2011 cobbling together a starting lineup. Out of 22 starting spots, only six positions had the same player start in all 12 games (only Colorado had fewer in the Pac-12 with three spots) - three on offense (Markus Wheaton at split end, Mike Remmers at left tackle and Colin Kelly at right tackle) and three on defense (Scott Crichton at right end and Jordan Poyer and Rashaad Reynolds at cornerback). The last time Oregon State failed to have at least 10 positions filled by the same player all season was in 1996 when eight players accomplished the feat and the Beavers finished the season 2-9.
WHEATON IN GOOD COMPANY:
Junior receiver Markus Wheaton is already among the best receivers in school history and with one year remaining will likely rank in most of the career records charts. As it stands today, Wheaton has 1,750 career receiving yards, 49 short of Vern Burke (1962-63) for 10th in the record book. He already is ninth for career receptions with 136.
AIR ATTACK:
Oregon State finished 19th in the nation for pass offense at 286.8 yards per game; the highest for a Beaver team since the 2005 club was 10th in the country at 296.5. Quarterback Sean Mannion compiled 3,328 yards passing, which is a record for an OSU freshman and the third-highest total for a single season in OSU history - Derek Anderson has the school record with 4,058 in 2003 and 3,615 in 2004.
THIS CENTURY IN THE PAC-12:
USC owns the most victories in the Pac-12 Conference this century with 119 (105 with vacated wins), followed by Oregon (111), OSU (88), Cal (83), Arizona State (77), UCLA (77), Stanford (70), WSU (63), Washington (63), Arizona (59). Utah has 104 victories this century and Colorado has 66.
NINTH IN A ROW:
Head coach Mike Riley enters his 12th year overall as the head coach of the Beavers, and his 10th consecutive. The consecutive streak is the longest for an OSU coach since Dee Andros led the program for 11 straight seasons between 1965-75. Riley is the second-winningest coach in OSU history with 72 victories, two short of Lon Stiner (1933-48). He also has the second-most victories by any active Pac-12 Conference coach (at one school), trailing only Cal's Jeff Tedford (79 wins).
WILSON RETIRES:
Veteran linebacker Tony Wilson has retired from football due to injuries. The Salem, Ore., native would have been a senior this season. He started seven games for his career at middle linebacker and played in 14 overall following a redshirt season in 2008 and missing all of 2009 with a knee injury.
RODGER-LESS BEAVERS:
For the first time since the end of the 2006 season, Oregon State will not have James or Jacquizz Rodgers on the team. The brothers shattered several school records during their stay in Corvallis accounting for 11,310 all-purpose yards or 6.43 miles. James, who concludes his career in 2011, leaves OSU as the all-time leader for all-purpose yards (6,377), career receptions (222) and season receptions (91 in 2009). Jacquizz played at OSU three years (2008-10) before declaring for the NFL Draft and now plays for the Atlanta Falcons.
SCHEDULE:
The Beavers' 12-game schedule features seven home dates for the first time since the 2006 season. The slate begins Sept. 1 with the first-ever visit by Nicholls State. The following Saturday (Sept. 8) the defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin Badgers visit Reser Stadium, marking the first time a team from that conference has traveled to Corvallis since Iowa in 1971. The third non-conference game is Oct. 13 at BYU. The Pac-12 slate features home dates with Washington State (Oct. 6), Utah (Oct. 20), Arizona State (Nov. 3), California (Nov. 17) and Oregon (Nov. 24). The season also marks the first time the Beavers have played its opening two games of the season at home since 2005 and its final two contests at home since 1998.
50 YEARS SINCE:
Oregon State will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of quarterback Terry Baker's Heisman Trophy winning season. Baker was the first collegiate player to win the coveted award from west of the state of Texas. He led the Beavers, then an independent, to a 9-2 record and a 6-0 victory in the Fourth Annual Liberty Bowl in Philadelphia at the time. Baker was a consensus All-America selection to go along with the Maxwell Award and Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year recipient. OSU will also honor the '62 team by inducting the members of that team, led by then eighth-year head coach Tommy Prothro, into the OSU Sports Hall of Fame. End Vern Burke was also on the team and a consensus All-America after leading the nation for receptions and yards.
NEW COACHES:
Rod Perry has joined the OSU coaching staff as the secondary coach after 22 seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Indianapolis Colts. Perry was an assistant with Beaver head coach Mike Riley in San Diego with the Chargers and replaces Keith Heyward, now a member of the Washington Huskies' staff. Also joining the staff is Trent Bray as a graduate assistant for linebackers after serving the last two years as the linebackers coach at Arizona State. Former Beaver center and NFL veteran Kyle DeVan has also joined the program as a graduate assistant as has former Alabama receiver Hardie Buck.
EARLY ARRIVAL (S):
Tight end Caleb Smith will enroll at OSU for spring term, which begins April 2, in what would have been his final term at Kentridge High School in Renton, Wash. He signed a letter of intent with the Beavers in February and was rated the No. 7 prep tight end in the nation by Rivals.com. Smith may be joined by linebacker Caleb Saulo from Kentlake High School in Kent, Wash. Saulo, as of mid-March, was still questionable as to his availability for the opening of spring practice. He was a first team All-South Puget Sound League selection last season.
NO PRACTICE FIELDS FOR SPRING:
At least the outdoor natural grass fields at the Tommy Prothro Football Complex, which were rarely used in spring historically due to inclement weather or poor field conditions. The two regulation fields will be covered with FieldTurf during spring and be ready for practice in August. Meanwhile, the Reser Stadium FieldTurf will be replaced, starting in late June - the current FieldTurf had been on the stadium floor since 2005. The team will utilize the Merritt Truax Indoor Center for spring practices as well as Reser Stadium.
