Gavin Andrews To Redshirt

Oregon State guard Gavin Andrews, who has only this week begun working at all, after spending the summer and the bulk of camp with a boot on his foot, a result of an injury suffered in the spring scrimmage, will red-shirt this season.

Head coach Gary Andersen made the announcement after practice today, a part of his comments about red-shirt plans for this season.

"We're gonna put him in a position to be a great player, not just a good player, a year from now," Andersen said "He's potentially a next-level player. He is working hard. He's come a long way. I want his foot to be 100 percent so he can have a great senior year, and that's best to take place a year from now."

Andrews has already taken on the role of an extra offensive line coach during camp, and that will continue this season, a way to bring his experience to the team.

Andrews played both tackle positions last season, before finishing the season at right guard. With his absence, Isaac Seualo's working all the way to the end of practice today at the position takes on renewed urgency.

"Gavin has kind of become a coach sort of, which is awesome because that's what we need," Seumalo added. "He's going to be the best teammate he can possibly be."

Andersen also spoke to which freshmen will red-shirt, noting that WR Paul Lucas and TE Noah Togiai will travel with the team to Michigan, but decisions on playing them, and any of the true freshmen DBs, will, absent serious injuries, depend on how things go.

Togiai had an injury setback or he would already be in the "definitely will play" category Andersen said. Lucas is a "will play for us" in the future player, but with the depth at WR, the question of how much he will play there, and how to use him to make best use of a year, remains.

Andersen noted that the 4th week is about the "drop-dead" time for a decision. That's before the first Pac-12 road trip to Tucson, the first time roster restrictions will be in force.

"If you are going to throw a freshman out there on 3 or 4 special teams units right away, you better be prepared to play them all year. At the same time, we need to not only do what's best for the team, but what's right for the player, unless its a drastic situation where we can't compete without them."

Andersen would like to redshirt all the freshmen in the secondary, which includes CBs Xavier Crawford, Jay Irvine, and Shawn Wilson, and safeties Omar Hicks-Onu and Jalen Moore.

Oregon St. has 8 other corners and 5 other safeties.

In addition to quarterback Seth Collins, freshman RB Deltron Sands and LB Ricky Liuchan, who grey-shirted last fall, have worked their way into rotations, and are likely to play.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com