Oregon State players enjoy the passion and knowledge Bruce Read brings to the football field

By Cliff Kirkpatrick

Gazette-Times Reporter

Bruce Read runs the early portion of Oregon State football team practice with passion, shouting out drills and plays to run.

He's comfortable in his role as the new special teams coordinator for the Beavers, and should be. This is his third stint with the program.

Read has been a long-time friend of coach Mike Riley, and has worked with him on four different occasions.

When Dave Ungerer, the special teams coach for the Beavers the last two seasons stepped down to move closer to family on the East Coast, it didn't take long for Riley to find a replacement.

"I think Dave Ungerer did a nice job, but if we have to have a new guy in here, Bruce is the best," Riley said. "He's the best guy I could get in. He's a great fit, a great teacher and a great guy. We are glad to have him back."

Read first worked with Riley at OSU from 1997-98, and followed him to the San Diego Chargers from 1999-2001.

He went out on his own to the New York Giants from 2002-03, and was fired. Riley quickly brought him back to OSU, where he coached from 2004-06.

Read spent the last two years with the Dallas Cowboys. He left the Beavers for the opportunity to coach "America's Team," but it ended up being a bad experience leading up to his scapegoat firing.

He was involved with hands-on owner Jerry Jones, Terrell Owens outbursts, Pac Man Jones issues, Jessica Simpson dating the quarterback and injuries to his top players.

Read doesn't like dealing with the media anyway, and he was torn apart by Dallas press and fans on Internet message boards. He declined an interview about his return to the Beavers.

He doesn't want to talk about his time with the Cowboys. Read did one interview this spring and regretted it with how the Dallas situation was portrayed.

His father, Don, says he'll come around and eventually talk OSU football. He said his son is happy to be back in Corvallis and working with the Beavers.

Don Read is close to Riley and volunteers scouting opponents, even after his son went to the Cowboys. He has expertise as a long-time collegiate coach at Montana.

Whatever the circumstances for his return, the players who know Bruce Read from the past are happy.

"It's nice because the guys who have been around when Bruce was here before know the schemes," senior holder and punt return Taylor Kavanaugh said. "We know he's a very effective coach, and how he coaches the kids."

Junior kicker Justin Kahut and sophomore long snapper Marcus Perry are particularly happy, since they work individually with Read much of practice.

They were recruited by Read, and were disappointed when he left two years ago.

"It's good to have him back," Kahut said. "He knows a lot about kicking. He has good advice when things are going wrong. He's a lot more business. If you don't do something well, he lets you know and gets you to fix it. I like that. He's going to push you. He'll hold us to a higher standard. He expects a lot out of us. He coached at the college and pro level, so he knows what he's talking about."

As for the other parts of special teams such as blocking on returns and covering kicks, the veteran players slipped right back into Read's style.

Younger players such as sophomore Will Darkins were impressed with his approach, and noticed right away the difference in how precise Read wants things done.

There are slight differences in what Read wants compared to Ungerer, but it's similar to what has been going on before, Kavanaugh said.

"Special teams are the unsung part of the game," Kavanaugh said. "Fans sometimes don't recognize it, but it's game-changing stuff. We spend a lot of time with it and I think it's coming along well this spring."