Notebook

By Cliff Kirkpatrick

Gazette-Times Reporter

Oregon State cornerback Keenan Lewis has been invited to play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24 in Mobile, Ala., Lewis said Thursday.

The four-year starter joins offensive tackle Andy Levitre in the game that showcases the top NFL prospects each year. It's the most prestigious of the postseason games with only potential top draft picks invited.

"It's a great honor to be in this game," Lewis said. "I heard a while ago that I got invited, so I just kept trying to work hard and make sure I have a good game, not only for me but my teammates and the school."

Lewis is a 6-foot-1, 196-pounder from New Orleans. This is his fifth season with the Beavers, and has turned into one of the top corners in the country. He has the most starts on the team with 45, including the last 15.

He has three interceptions and eight pass breakups this season. For his career, he has six interceptions and 29 breakups.

"This is a good opportunity when you look back at some of the greats in the NFL who also got the opportunity to play in the game," Lewis said. "It made me and my family excited. All my family will get to see me play, too, since it's two hours away from the house."

Fellow cornerback Brandon Hughes is the only other OSU player playing in an all-star game at this point. He's going to the East-West Shrine game on Jan. 17 in Houston.

"Both of our corners are playing all-star games, and had fabulous careers," coach Mike Riley said. "They've grown a lot as young men and players in the program."

Crossing over

There's a former OSU staff member on the Pittsburgh team, which faces the Beavers in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.

Offensive graduate assistant coach Scott Turner was on the OSU staff in 2005 as the administrative graduate assistant. He was a three-year letterman quarterback at UNLV, and is the son of San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner.

Turner left OSU to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at South County Secondary School in Virginia for two years.

Ticket donations

If you are unable to attend the Sun Bowl but still want to support OSU athletics, fans are encouraged to purchase and donate a $40 ticket to local military personnel in El Paso.

For each Sun Bowl ticket donated, OSU athletics will send you two tickets to any home 2008-09 men's basketball game, excluding Oregon. Sun Bowl tickets can be donated by calling 1-800-462-3287, in person at the ticket office (107 Gill Coliseum) or at osubeavers.com.

Broadcast plans

The CBS crew calling the Sun Bowl will be Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter).

The Beaver Sports Network radio team will be the usual Mike Parker (play-by-play), Jim Wilson (analyst), Todd Mansfield (sideline reporter), and Ron Callan and Steve Preece (pregame and postgame).