SPORTS
8A — THE OBSERVER
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2021
Competition for Beavers’ QB job ‘prett y even’
Time short, opportunities limited for contenders to prove they’re the Beavers’ starter
By NICK DASCHEL
The Oregonian
CORVALLIS — Oregon
State coach Jonathan Smith
expects quarterback Tristan
Gebbia will be entirely
recovered from hamstring
surgery within a few weeks.
At that point, the real
battle for the team’s starting
quarterback job for the 2021
season begins.
Smith said Gebbia, who
sustained a hamstring tear
during the fi nal minutes of
Oregon State’s 41-38 win
over Oregon on Nov. 27,
has an upcoming doctor’s
appointment to check on
healing. Gebbia is expected
to be cleared to take drops,
move laterally and throw by
mid-June.
That gives Gebbia, who
started Oregon State’s
fi rst four games before the
injury, about two months
to prep for preseason camp
starting Aug. 6.
It’s a four-man com-
petition for the starting
job this summer, with
Gebbia, redshirt sophomore
Chance Nolan, second-year
freshman Ben Gulbranson
and true freshman Sam
Vidlak getting a crack.
The evaluation process
starts well before Aug. 6,
though. Smith and off ensive
coordinator Brian Lindgren
can watch the quarterbacks
throw, while interacting
daily in the meeting and
video rooms during June
and July.
Smith said he antici-
pates all four getting turns
with the No. 1 off ensive
unit during the fi rst 10 days
of camp. Vidlak, who took
part in spring drills after
graduating from Hidden
Valley High in December,
left a strong impression
with Smith this spring.
“I do think Sam was
well ahead of being a senior
in high school. The guy’s
got some instincts. Never
was overwhelmed by the
moment,” Smith said.
Smith has experience
starting a true freshman
quarterback in Jake
Browning while he was
the off ensive coordinator
at Washington. That said,
Vidlak is decidedly fourth
in the competition because
of the experience factor.
“He’s earned, through
what he showed in the
spring, to get some reps
against our fi rst-string
defense, because that’ll
be the closest thing to real
football,” Smith said. “He’ll
get a couple cracks at it in
fall camp and that’ll be kind
of the next step of evalua-
tion and seeing where he’s
at.”
Smith is equally eager
to see where Gebbia stands
after missing the fi nal three
games of the 2020 season
and spring practice recov-
ering from surgery. The
OSU coach also makes it
clear all four starting candi-
dates won’t get an extended
audition.
“Every rep is going to
count. These guys aren’t
going to get an unlimited
Amanda Loman/The Associated Press, File
Oregon State quarterback Tristan Gebbia (3) falls to the ground in
pain while trying to walk off the fi eld after an injury during the sec-
ond half against Oregon in Corvallis on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. Gebbia
is close to being ready to resume full workouts after recovering from
hamstring surgery in December.
amount of reps,” Smith
said.
Also to be established
is a milestone, the point in
camp where the compe-
tition is trimmed. Smith
thinks it’ll happen about
two weeks into camp.
“Do we have to decide in
two weeks? No, but I think
you’ve got to start distrib-
uting the reps a little bit at
some point to establish a
pecking order,” he said.
Sean Meagher/The Oregonian, File
Oregon State’s 2021 spring football practices ended May 8, but it did not conclude the spring-time pro-
cess for coach Jonathan Smith.
OSU
Continued from Page 7A
expects everyone else to
return in August. That
includes outside line-
backer Addison Gumbs,
inside linebacker Avery
Roberts, receivers
Tre’Shaun Harrison and
Makiya Tongue, center
Nathan Eldridge and quar-
terback Tristan Gebbia.
McMURTREY
Continued from Page 7A
the dean’s list every term
during her time at EOU.
“She’s an incredible
woman who has incredible
time-management skills,”
she said. “She knows
what’s going to make her
successful later on in life.”
McMurtrey aims to
use her master’s degree to
work with children as a
speech pathologist. As for
competing with the Utes,
she is preparing for a step
up into the NCAA’s pre-
mier volleyball conference.
The Utah volleyball
team recorded winning
records in seven of its last
eight seasons and qualifi ed
for the NCAA Tournament
Eldridge is close to
being cleared for full
activity after sustaining
a wrist injury in April.
Same with Roberts, who
broke his arm in December.
Tongue and Harrison, out
most of the spring with
leg injuries, are working
normally in the weight
room and getting closer
to few restrictions on run-
ning. Gebbia (hamstring)
is expected to get cleared
for normal activity by
mid-June.
Smith said Gumbs was
limited this spring out
of precaution, but he’s
expected to take part in
all practice activities once
camp commences.
Two former walk-ons
who were given scholar-
ships for the remainder
of their careers are kicker
Everett Hayes and snapper
Dylan Black.
during the last fi ve sea-
sons. This past year, Utah
earned its highest ranking
in school history, climbing
all the way up to No. 7 in
the country.
“It’s almost like I’m a
freshman again,” she said.
“I’m a lot more confi dent
now than when I was a
freshman though, just in
my own skill set and what
I can bring to a team.”
For McLean-Morehead
and the Mountaineers,
replacing McMurtrey will
be no small task. The libero
has been a staple of EOU’s
volleyball starting lineup
for the past four seasons.
“It’s going to be incred-
ibly hard to replace her,
but she’s awesome,”
McLean-Morehead said.
“Her relentless defense and
her servicing have carried
our team for the last four
years.”
McMurtrey leaves
behind quite the legacy
at Eastern, but it won’t be
the last time fans hear her
family’s name announced
at Quinn Coliseum. Her
younger sister, Alexis
McMurtrey, is currently
playing as a setter for
EOU.
For Kiley McMurtrey,
her appreciation for
Eastern Oregon University
and the La Grande com-
munity is something she
will cherish.
“I just really feel like
because of the community
and my coaches,” she said.
“I’ve been able to grow as
a person here more than I
could have imagined.”
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to
change
Joseph at Wallowa, 5 p.m.
Union at Nixyaawii, 5:30 p.m.
Powder Valley at Baker, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY, JUNE 1
PREP BOYS
BASKETBALL
Cove at Joseph, 5 p.m.
Baker at Vale, 5:30 p.m. (MT)
Imbler at Powder Valley,
7:30 p.m.
La Grande at Nixyaawii,
7:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS
BASKETBALL
THURSDAY, JUNE 3
PREP BOYS
BASKETBALL
treatment center, will become part of the
PREP GIRLS
BASKETBALL
GRH health system. The transition to the
Baker at Ontario, 5:30 p.m.
(MT)
Imbler at Union, 5:30 p.m.
La Grande at Nyssa, 6 p.m.
(MT)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2
La Grande vs. Baker/Powder
Valley Dual Wrestling Meet,
TBD
Union at Nixyaawii, 7 p.m.
Powder Valley at Baker,
7:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS
BASKETBALL
pleased to announce that Blue Mountain
Ontario at Baker, 5:30 p.m.
Imbler at Union, 7 p.m.
La Grande at Nyssa, 7:30 p.m.
(MT)
Enterprise at Wallowa,
4:30 p.m.
Vale at Baker, 5:30 p.m.
Imbler at Powder Valley,
6 p.m.
La Grande at Nixyaawii,
6 p.m.
PREP BOYS
BASKETBALL
Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics is
PREP WRESTLING
FRIDAY, JUNE 4
PREP BOYS
BASKETBALL
Pine Eagle at Union, 6:30 p.m.
Associates, an outpatient mental health
new GRH Behavioral Health Clinic takes
effect June 1, 2021. For more information,
visit grh.org/behavioralhealth.
GRH Behavioral Health Clinic Providers (back row from top)
Joel Rice, MD; Mary Goldstein, LCSW; Jim Sheehy, LCSW;
(front row from top) Brittany Pryce, LCSW; Heather Holland,
MSW, CSWA; and Gloria Turner, LCSW.