There’s a slim possibility senior defensive tackle Gerard Lee may return for another season next year.

A question arose about his eligibility recently because Lee has only played three seasons and attended college for four years.

However, he may have attended Grambling State briefly a year before the New Orleans native attended Scottsdale College in Arizona.

“It’s premature to talk too much about it,” coach Mike Riley said. “We don’t have enough information that’s real or not. The fact of the matter is he has played three years of college football. The question is if he never went to Grambling and started his clock. We have to get that documentation from that school and find the people who were there at the right time.”

Lee played at Washington Carver High in New Orleans and enrolled at Grambling State, but decided not go there and sat out a year. It’s now a matter of finding a paper trail that says he never attended class.

He attended Scottsdale for two years to earn an associate of arts degree, and played one season there before transferring to OSU.

The Beavers believed he could play two seasons in two years with them because he said went to Grambling State.

If they prove he didn’t attend a class, his five years of eligibility started four years ago and he can play next season.

“It’s ongoing with him,” Riley said of when he’ll know. “This deal is gathering information that would lend itself getting him another year from the NCAA.”

An OSU official close to the research into this said it doesn’t look good for Lee getting another year.

Lee’s return would boost a defensive line that will be depleted by graduation. He would be the lone returning starting defensive lineman. He has played in each game the last two seasons, and has 28 career tackles and 2½ sacks.

“If we can get a fourth year, that would be awesome,” Riley said.

Riley to UCLA?

Los Angeles media outlets tossed Riley’s name out as a candidate for the open UCLA job, vacated by Karl Dorrell. Riley, however, has no interest.

“I have heard nothing and want to hear nothing,” Riley said. “I’m plenty busy and plenty happy. I’m not in that at all and don’t want to be.”

Riley interviewed for the UCLA job in 2002, when coaching with the New Orleans Saints. Dorrell and Riley went in for an interview at the same time.

He is set at OSU with a six-year contract signed before this season. Part of the deal has a year added every time the Beavers reach a bowl game, which means he still has six years to go since the team will play in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 28.

Thompson update

The latest information on offensive tackle Tavita Thompson has him ineligible for an entire calendar year. Thompson was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after the Oct. 13 game at California for undisclosed reasons.

Thompson is a junior this season, and started the first seven games.

“That will be ongoing, so I don’t have a timetable,” Riley said.

All-star games

Senior center Kyle DeVan was invited to the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine game, but said he’ll play the Shrine game on Jan. 19 in Houston.

Offensive guard Roy Schuening, defensive end Jeff Van Orsow, running back Yvenson Bernard and cornerback/kickoff returner Gerard Lawson are headed to the Hula Bowl on Jan. 12 in Honolulu.

Riley, offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf and defensive coordinator Mark Banker will coach in the Hula Bowl.

Injury update

Outside linebacker Joey LaRocque worked out at practice Tuesday, but didn’t participate in drills. He’s recovering from a pulled hamstring in the Dec. 1 Civil War. LaRocque said he’ll return next week.

Lawson hurt his leg in practice, and doesn’t know what happened. He’s on crutches and can handle limited weight.