Family ties play a big role on and off the field for the Oregon State football team

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Gazette-Times Reporter

When looking for the next big thing in sports, people often use bloodlines as a starting point.

Athletes who have parents or siblings who accomplished great things tend to be given a chance just because of genetics.

Logic figures a younger version should do that same.

The Oregon State football team uses that idea to its advantage when recruiting players. Coach Mike Riley fosters the idea of family within the program and it shows with six sets of brothers on the roster.

“We do look at bloodlines, but there’s no guarantee of that because a guy has a brother he’ll be an automatic recruit,” Riley said. “We’ve just been fortunate it has worked out that way.”

The most well-known set is the Rodgers brothers, James and Jacquizz. Both played as true freshmen and are important parts of the offense.

Also on the team are Slade and Zane Norris, Kevin and Keith Pankey, Kaulin and Kameron Krebs, Josh and Matt LaGrone, and Brian and Anthony Watkins.

“It’s no accident because we do look at families,” Riley said. “We like that idea if the players are good enough to pass the evaluation to bring them in, but it’s not a prerequisite of recruiting people.”

Each brother duo has their reasons for attending the same college, and all enjoy staying close at this time of their lives.

“It feels good to be able to play with him again,” Josh LaGrone said. “It gives me an excitement, like back in Pop Warner. It’s good to have him here. I’m happy he’s here, he’s happy he’s here. And he’s enjoying himself.”

Wide receiver James Rodgers came to the Beavers last year from Richmond, Texas, on a tip to the OSU coaches from a friend. He wasn’t highly recruiting, so he took advantage of his opportunity.

Riley tells the story that when offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf visited him, the Lamar Consolidated High coaches accused him of trying to get in good with James to get an in with Jacquizz, who was one year younger.

The Beavers didn’t know about Jacquizz, but were willing to find out. He became of the most prolific running backs in Texas history and the OSU starter this season.

“I don’t think we’d get Quizz without James already coming here,” Riley said.

Boston College went after Jacquizz late, and he listened. It was strenuous for the Beavers trying to secure him.

They recruited him as an individual, not as the brother of James Rodgers. However, the brotherhood helped.

“I came here because of the coaches and the chance to get playing time early,” Jacquizz Rodgers said. “All I knew about Oregon State is they beat USC in 2006. And I probably would not have come here without my brother being here because this was a long way from Texas. So he had a little bit to do with it.”

Freshman walk-on linebacker Zane Norris is trying to emulate the success of his senior brother, Slade.

Slade walked on, earned a scholarship and is now a starting defensive end.

“In the situation to walk on, it’s a pretty easy decision to make,” Riley said. “We are very selective about who walks on, but that one was easy.”

Zane Norris passed up a full-ride scholarship to Portland State to be with his brother. It was the family bond, and everything else the program offers such as the fans and playing in the Pacific-10 Conference.

And there’s a history of walk-ons at OSU becoming standouts and playing professionally, such as Mike Hass and Alexis Serna.

“I’m trying to keep up the tradition, but I have some big steps to follow when you talk about Slade,” Zane Norris said. “He’s someone I always looked up to. He’s such a good player. He worked hard, and deserves everything he has got. So he really pushes me. He’s a good role model for me.”

Freshman safety Josh LaGrone helped get his older brother, Matt, into OSU. Matt had been playing basketball at Nevada for two seasons, but wanted to play football, too.

When that wasn’t going to happen at Nevada, he looked elsewhere. Little brother was having a good time with the Beavers, so Matt walked on.

“That’s another easy one,” Riley said. “The character of the family and the guy who was here was a big part of it. And with (Matt’s) size there’s a pretty good upside here.”

Matt is a 6-foot-6, 240-pounder working at defensive end. He could play a big role in the defense the next two seasons.

“He loves football, and always wanted to play in college,” Josh LaGrone said. “He asked me how the coaches were, and the team. I told him it’s a great place to be. The atmosphere is great. It’s a nice place to go to school. Now we are trying to get our younger brother, Mike, who is in high school, to come here.”

Another LaGrone may be on the way, but so too are more Paeas.

Defensive tackle Stephen Paea joined the Beavers this season, and likes it so much already he’s talking his two younger brothers into joining him.

“It’s neat when a younger brother follows an older brother,” Riley said. “The message is they like it, and they pass that on.”

The Pankey and Watkins brothers are sets of twins. The Pankeys were both scholarship quality and signed at the same time. Kevin joined a year later as a greyshirt to recover from an injury.

The Watkins brothers had an interesting case. Both are freshmen, who are redshirting. Safety Anthony is on scholarship and defensive back Brian is a walk-on.

Brian just missed the evaluation cut for the Beavers, but when Anthony decided to attend OSU, their mom asked if Brian could walk on so they could stay together.

“I said yes because they wanted to go to school together,” Riley said. “I wanted to give them the opportunity to do that.”

This family situation at OSU has been going on for years. Linebacker Bryant Cornell wanted to follow his brother, Jared, who played at OSU from 1997-2000.

Reserve walk-on quarterback Brennan Sim is here because his father, Tim, enjoyed his time with the Beavers in 1978 and 1981-82, and Brennan wanted to experience something similar.

“The family atmosphere here is so strong,” Zane Norris said. “I feel like I can come up to any guy and ask them to listen to me, and they will. It’s really a different breed here. They are so accepting and so nice.”

Riley hopes his players feel that because he wants them close to the coaches who are mentoring them.

If a comfort level is there, they trust everyone from trainers, academic personal and the nutritionist.

“That comfort gives them the best chance for success,” Riley said. “Then all they have to do is put in that hard work. They don’t have a lot of other things in the way not letting them be good. Family is all about trust, and we are in it for their best interest. They know that and it’s more than football.”

So bloodlines are one thing, but then it’s what the adopted family does during the college years that make the difference.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Here’s a look at the six sets of brothers on the Oregon State football team:

WR James Rodgers: An all-purpose starting flanker and kickoff returner.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers: True freshman starting tailback leads Pac-10 in rushing.

DE Slade Norris: Former walk-on, earned scholarship, now a starter.

LB Zane Norris: Freshman walk-on trying to emulate big brother’s path.

LB Keith Pankey: Played as a true freshman, and now a starter as a sophomore.

TE Kevin Pankey: Greyshirted while recovering from an injury, now working in slowly.

LB Anthony Watkins: Redshirting and working with the scout team.

DB Brian Watkins: Redshirting and working with the scout team.

S Josh LaGrone: Redshirting and working on the scout team.

DE Matt LaGrone: Big walk-on transfer played basketball at Nevada.

QB Kaulin Krebs: Getting back into shape after two-year Mormon mission.

LB Kameron Krebs: Redshirting and working on the scout team.