Oregon St. Announces Pre-Season Practice Schedule

Oregon St. kicks off practice for the coming football season on Monday, August 4. The Beavers will work 6 days a week the first 3 weeks of August, with a half dozen days with a second session. (The old "daily doubles" by rule can't occur anymore, as there must be a day off between any 2 days that do have a second session.)

The times for the primary sessions during the first 3 weeks will be from 10:20 AM until 1 PM, and since all of Oregon St.'s practices under head coach Mike Riley are open to the public, it means some early lunch breaks, as the bulk of the work for the "1s" typically comes in the first 2/3 of practice, with the end of the session often primarily reserved for the new-comers, though day to day activities do vary as the coaching staff adjusts to all the factors that go into what they need to accomplish on a given day.

The NCAA requires an acclimation period at the beginning, so Monday Aug. 4, Tuesday Aug. 5, and Wednesday Aug. 6 the Beavers will be in shorts and helmets only, with the shoulder pads going on for Thursday Aug. 7. Full pads go on for the first time on Friday Aug. 8.

Following the first full pad practice will be the traditional "BBQ With the Beavs" event with head coach Mike Riley. Benny Beaver, the cheerleaders, and a portion of the OSU Marching band (the oldest band in the Pac-12) will also appear.

Saturday, Aug. 9 will be the first day with an evening session, which will run from 7 PM to 9 PM.

Additional evening sessions will also come on Monday Aug. 11, Wednesday Aug. 13, Friday Aug 15, Monday Aug. 18, and Wednesday Aug. 20, giving the Beavers 24 practices in 3 weeks.

All 6 evening sessions are scheduled to be in shells only, as NCAA rules limit teams to 1 full pad practice per day, and those are planned for the longer morning sessions.

Most practices will be at the Prothro Practice facility, with a few potentially in the Truax indoor center, and some in Reser Stadium, depending on conditions and the needs of practice. Any scrimmages will be set as the summer practice season unfolds.

The Beavers will take Sundays off, and the schedule for the last week of the month, Aug. 25-29, leading up to the season opener against Portland St. on Saturday Aug. 30, with kickoff just after 1 PM, will be set as the season gets closer.

Here's the complete schedule:

Aug. 4 -- (shorts), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 5 -- (shorts), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 6 -- (shorts), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 7 -- (shells), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 8 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 9 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 10 -- Off day

Aug. 11 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 12 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 13 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 14 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 15 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 16 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 17 -- Off day

Aug. 18 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 p.m.; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 19 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 20 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM; (shells), 7-9 PM

Aug. 21 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 22 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Aug. 23 -- (full gear), 10:20 AM-1 PM

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com