The First Mis-Step of the Season Sets Some Beavers Down

Four Oregon St. players received Minor In Possession citations Saturday night, and will miss a game per the Athletic Department Code of Conduct, head coach Mike Riley announced after practice this morning.

"And (they will get) something else from me as we go," a disappointed Riley added.

It seems Riley had issued a warning about just such mis-steps at the end of practice at the end of the first week.

The four include red-shirt freshmen tight ends Connor Hamlett & Tyler Perry, red-shirt defensive tackle Joe Lopez, and grey-shirt freshman safety Will Storey. Lopez, Storey, and Hamlett live at the house, where reportedly almost all of 40 people at a party were underage, resulting in 36 misdemeanor counts of hosting a party where minors received alcohol for each of the three of them, plus noise citations for the amplified sound.

 

The suspensions will not necessarily occur in the opener against Sacramento St., as Riley may choose to selectively administer them. Given that two of the players are both tight ends, a position that lacks experience, and without both of these players, especially Hamlett, depth, at least until Joe Halahuni, rehabbing from shoulder surgery at the end of spring practice, is back to full speed, the decision about when the game suspensions will be served may be reserved to minimize the potential negative impact on the rest of the team.

Otherwise, Colby Prince would be the only TE active for the opener, as the Beavers hope to red-shirt true freshman Kellen Clute.

Storey's absence could impact special teams, while Lopez's absence may not impact anything but him.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com