OSU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Standout wide receiver and punt returner Sammie Stroughter missed both Oregon State football practices on Wednesday.

Coach Mike Riley said he was attending to personal issues.

OSU asked the media to leave Stroughter alone for the first week of camp so he could have a break, and then recently extended the grace period to two weeks.

Riley has said school and life overload has something to do with Stroughter’s problems.

“He’s taking care of some personal issues,” Riley said. “I know you guys want to know more, but I can’t talk about it more. I don’t feel good about it. He’s just taking some personal time.”

Stroughter was performing well during camp, showing no outward problems when on the practice field. Teammates remain supportive of him.

“There’s nothing (distracting) from football with it,” Riley said. “These guys are close. They are his friends.”

Riley couldn’t say when Stroughter would return, describing his status as practice-to-practice.

Moonlighting

Senior defensive tackle Curtis Coker is doubling as the blocking back in short-yardage situations. The Beavers practiced that for the first time in the morning.

“We’re working it in,” Coker said. “It is real fun; I just have to get that handoff. I dropped my first one. I’m pretty sure they are not going to give me the ball anymore, which is fine. I’m doing a good job lead blocking.”

Micah Strickland is the usual fullback, but he’s academically ineligible. Andy Stewart is the first-string fullback now, backed up by Coker.

“He’s been asking me about that forever, and he is a good fit,” Riley said.

Focused team

Keeping the 105 athletes focused hasn’t been difficult this camp. Nearly all the players are showing up on time to meetings, workouts, meals and bed checks.

“There have been very few distractions at all in this camp,” Riley said. “We’ve had virtually 100 percent in those areas. Those are signs of not caring, and I don’t see it.”

Roster addition

Junior college transfer Michael Cole joined the team. He was waiting for summer grades to be posted and acceptance into OSU.

Cole is an offensive tackle out of Foothill College in California and is originally from Lake Oswego. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Injury update

• Wide receiver Kyle Brown hurt his right elbow in the morning practice, and was in a sling later in the day.

• Freshman defensive end Kyle Bell (shoulder) missed his fifth day and freshman offensive lineman Ikaika Rodenhurst (knee) was out for a third day.