I'll begin this session with the ground rules. Everything that is reported in the BEAVERBLITZ CONFIDENTIAL must stay in The Lodge. That is the way this deal works. Sometimes some of the info is sensitive enough that it simply doesn't need to be passed on beyond the doors of this thread. This is a special feature for subscribers ONLY. Subscribers found to be passing this information to other sites or by e-mail will be blacklisted. The reason why it is posted in The Lodge is because it is the only way to ensure that the info is exclusive to BeaverBlitz.com. This will only work if everyone helps make it work.
This will be a periodic Lodge feature. These are notes and rumors that are potentially more sensitive than a story or normal posting would dictate.
Angie's Notes:
- Starting last Friday, the football coaching staff is on their much needed summer break. It is a fairly short break as most will be back in town later in July to get ready for the season. PAC 12 media day is also two weeks earlier this year (July 14-15) so Coach Andersen will be in LA for those two days with Victor Bolden & Nick Porebski.
- The players are in Corvallis working on getting ready for the season with strength training and cardio conditioning. As many of you saw in my video from last week the training is intense.
- The team is working out with S & C staff five days per week, with a different focus on each day.
- Thursday for example is heavy leg day. The entire team meets for warm ups that start promptly at 6:30 am (many arrive much earlier to get taped/stretched). After 15 minutes of warm-ups as a team, the staff and coaches leave the field and the players work out in position groups among themselves. These are the player led workouts. Older players were helping the younger guys on position drills, which will help them be up to speed come Fall Camp in August.
- When the staff returns, there is talk about the schedule for the day, motiviation on why they need to keep working hard, and sometimes Stacy, the head nutritionist will join the huddle to give them info as well.
- Then for us on Thursday it was time to run. This running was different than the running that we did last year on shoulder day (prowler sleds and short bursts of sprints/change of direction work). This running was to simulate game situations and build cardiovascular strength and recovery. The team broke out into linemen, linebackers and skill position players. Gina and I ran with the linemen where we had to run 40 yards in 7 seconds with a 7 second break in between. After 12 sprints, we received a 90 second break. We repeated that cycle three times (36 sprints). These were to be done at 85% of speed. It was tough, and Gina and I found out real quick that 85% of the linemen speed was nearly a sprint for us. Since this was the first full week, veterans were expected to make all of the runs within the 7 seconds. New players were expected to finish all of the sprints. While I did not see any puking, I heard that the Thursday prior there were several rookies who had a run in with the bushes/trash cans
- After the run, the team broke (with the awarding of the big WWF style belt awarded to Dustin Stanton on that day for his work on Tuesday). There were three weight sessions as guys went to class. One that started right after the run, one at noon and one in the afternoon. They were also instructed to have their weigh ins done by 5 pm as the staff wants to keep tabs on their progress.
- So we then made our way back into the Sports Performance Center for some heavy leg work.
- After stretching, Gina and I were assigned our own S & C coach, former Beaver DL Devan Felipe. He was awesome. We started with squat/sits that were to be 90-95% of our max. It was interesting to learn why we had to squat and sit for 2 seconds as they want the explosion up and they don't want you relying on momentum. The guys all knew where they were, but for Gina and I, we started with the bar and then kept adding/adjusting weight. I got pretty excited when I progressed from the little weights to a big plate. Sure I was only squatting 100 pounds total, but it was the first time I'd ever used a big plate...ever! In between the squats we had dumbells and jump squats.
- Next up we had to test our vertical jump...hahaha...let's just say that neither of us will give Michael Jordan a run for his money.
- Then it was off to station work. Coach Simon and his staff are constantly looking for new ways to train and to get the most from the players. On the day we were there, they really worked lower back, glutes and hamstrings. The staff is constantly learning and researching the latest.
- I spoke to a former player about the training and he said the biggest difference between Coach Miller and Coach Simon was that under Coach Miller the guys had some structure, but it was more like going to the gym to work out. Coach Simon has a very organized plan and he expains WHY they are doing what they are doing. There is also very regimented tracking of results.
- Moving on to the Valley Football Center. Lucked out and was able to get a tour of the facility. Still a LOT of construction going on so my pics that I took are of a lot of metal. It is going to be nice.
- Locker room and Equipment are all lower level. Lightning (Steve McCoy) is gaining roughly 10,000 square feet of storage space. It is much needed. They are adding a freight elevator to bring equipment/laundry up and down from the level.
- The locker room will have training rooms, medical exam rooms and plenty of space for taping/etc. The hot tub and cold tub are centrally located in the locker room and it was a feature that Coach Andersen wanted to see. They are big.
- There are five bays of lockers for the players with 60 inch TV's in the middle hanging from both sides so that everyone can see announcements/etc from their space. The locker bays are U shaped and have double doors and are currently being plummed with charging stations for laptops/phones/ipads/etc. I was told that the Beavers locker room will be one of the largest in the country (for college) when done.
- There will be NFL lockers for Beavers in the NFL to use when they are in town. Wheaton, Cooks, Anderson, Matt Moore, Isaac, etc. will have a locker to use and it will look great for when recruits are in town. Stanford has something similar.
- The media will have an interview room, instead of using Mendenhall Theater like we've always done. This will be a spot much like in Gill that the podium/backdrop are always set up and lighting is ready to go.
- Coaches will have a dedicated locker room, trainers and referees will have a locker room and there will also be a dedicated locker room for female staff. Coach Andersen will have his own locker room off of the coaches room
- The players lounge is being updated and will have doors leading out onto a deck area. They will also have a barbershop area with a barber contracted to hold hours for the players (yes, they still pay for it). They can also cut each others hair.
- Position meeting rooms and other areas are all being updated with new paint and carpet.
- The AD has partnered with a company who will 'decorate' the entire building with graphics and decals. Same company has done Ohio State, Alabama and other big programs. The VFC will have a unified look throughout.
- Third floor--coaches offices are all being updated. The carpet is nice. Shades of grey with orange. They are leaving some of the ceiling areas exposed to the wood and duct system.
- Freight elevator is being installed (seperate from the other side for EQ) that will take food to and from the third floor kitchen. No more deliveries through the main doors.
- The atrium area/entrance will be completed later this fall and winter with the big auditorium completed winter/spring.
- Addition to original post: It sounds like the AD is looking to have a major capital campaign surrounding the 150 year anniversary of the University (2018) that will work to raise the money needed to work on the west side of Reser and update Gill. It is in the discussion at least right now.
- Still no official word on the plan for practice in Bend and if it will be open to public and media availability. Women's Clinic is slated for Aug. 2, Media Day is Aug. 3 and it sounds like the team and coaches will load busses and head to Bend in the afternoon of Aug. 3.
- No official roster released yet, but don't be surprised if Drew Clarkson, Leo Fuimaono, Sosia Tauaho and Caleb Smith are not on it. There may be a few other medical retirements as well, but I will leave it at this and will keep it here in the BBC until official announcement is made. Also, on Clarkson, before everyone starts asking, I do not believe his cancer is back, which is the most important news of all.
Last edited:
