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V. John Mathews hired as new head of EECS.
V. John Mathews hired as new head of OSU’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
very young,” Mathews said in an email. After a national search, Oregon State University has hired Mathews, an expert in information processing and biomedical engineering, to take over as the new head of the School of Electrical Engineering and By Lindsay Free Computer Science. THE SUMMER BAROMETER Mathews will be coming to OSU from At an age when most kids were dreaming of becoming firefighters or professional the University of Utah, where he has athletes, V. John Mathews knew exactly what been teaching since 1985, and served as Chairman of the department of Electrical he wanted to be — an engineer. “I remember writing an essay about and Computer Engineering for four years. The role of a school head is multifaceted. wanting to become an electronics engineer Mathews will be doing everything from in my sixth or seventh grade, so I knew this was something I wanted to do when I was setting priorities for the School of Electrical
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Engineering and Computer Science, to guiding the hiring of faculty and staff, to promoting student recruitment. This is something Mathews has experience with – during his time at the University of Utah, he was able to increase the number of undergraduate students enrolled in department of Electrical and Computer Engineering by 50 percent. Mathews also has a knack for securing funding for research, having tripled the amount of research funding at University of Utah’s Electrical and Computer Engineering. See MATHEWS | page2
Endowed professorship in Tours give glimpse of college life humanitarian engineering n
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OSU alumni donate $1.5 million to fund humanitarian engineer program By Jason Owen THE SUMMER BAROMETER
A recent $1.5 million dollar donation by Oregon State University alumni Richard Evans and Gretchen Evans has afforded an endowed professorship in Humanitarian Engineering. This position will be filled by Kendra Sharp, who is currently a professor of mechanical engineering at OSU. As a new program here at OSU and as a fairly new field in general, the term humanitarian engineer may seem a little mysterious. “Humanitarian engineering is using science or engineering based solutions that can help improve access to basic human needs like water or energy while also improving the quality of life. This is about how we can use engineering and technology to provide solutions that improve the standard of living,” Sharp said. Starting fall term, OSU will offer a new minor in humanitarian engineering. This minor will allow students to further develop practical skills that will be useful in their future careers while also completing their core engineering curriculum. “I like to call it engineering in context, because part of what we’re interested in is looking at the context: the social, the cultural, the resources and environmental impact. We have an emphasis on both local and global,” Sharp said. Students will work on skills that
have a wide range of applications along with the traditional engineering curriculum. Work accomplished by this program is focused on underserved or impoverished communities in Oregon and around the world. “There is an emphasis of wanting to focus communities that are in transition, or under served communities that have resources and abilities. We see what we can do to improve processes that allow more small and medium sized enterprises to be able to scale up to sustain themselves,” Sharp said. OSU is guided towards serving the community in part because it is a land-grant institution. The purpose of the land-grant mission is to teach practical agriculture, engineering and science. The addition of an endowed professorship to the humanitarian engineering program will certainly contribute towards fulfilling this mission. A project overseen by engineering professor Chinweike Eseonu is an example of the department’s commitment to working with under-developed communities here in Oregon. Eseonu worked with Latino women in Monroe, Oregon to develop a scalable process to manufacture sopes, a traditional Latino dish. “What we’re seeing among students is that they want to make a difference. Students want to work in careers that have a social impact. We feel that our program will help students gain skills alongside their traditional engineering curriculum that will have a meaningful and positive impact on people,” Sharp said.
By Calvy Yue THE SUMMER BAROMETER
On a Thursday morning, high school students and parents gather outside the entrance to Kerr Administrative Building and wait for their tour around campus to begin. This sight is rather familiar for many current Oregon State students, who may have gone on these tours themselves before starting classes at OSU. During the summer, OSU offers these tours four times a day Monday through Friday. In 90 minutes, tour guides walk around and introduce the most commonly visited places around campus, such as the Memorial Union, Dixon Rec Center, Valley Library and the Student Experience Center. Shalin Gogri, a high school junior from Bellevue, Washington, said that he was stopping by after a soccer tournament in Portland and was particularly impressed
with the on-campus atmosphere that OSU has to offer. “It has a good community feel,” Gogri said. “It’s not that small, but compared to the University of Washington everything is close to each other.” Gogri says that he is interested in the university’s honors college and what the math and sciences department has to offer. “I’m trying to keep my options open, but I’m liking it so far,” Gogri said. Jessica Robles, who is entering her senior year at West Linn High School, said that her friends who go to OSU tell her she is given a lot of opportunities to be independent and explore. “I’m worried about being overwhelmed by what college has to offer, but I look forward to a new experience,” Robles said. Logan King, who is visiting from Virginia, said that he heard a lot of good things about the engineering program. “There is a lot of good resources and freedom to do the things you want,” said Logan King.
Answering all your football questions Sports, page 5
See TOURS | page 2
Isabel Brady, a junior kinesiology major, and Jon Fishback, a junior business major, speak to a campus tour group on Campus Way Tuesday afternoon.
Nicki Silva
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
See ENGINEERING | page 3
Majestic Theatre brings on the madness
News, page 2
Tours of Oregon State campus attract future students, provide opportunities for current students to develop skills, campus knowledge
Get to know folk duo Buffalo Romeo A&E, page 7
2•Wednesday, August 12, 2015
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Barometer Majestic Madness inspires community involvement in local theatre The Summer
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Majestic Theatre to implement new quarterly event, highlight community artists with spontaneous acting of short plays By Julie Cooper THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Anyone familiar with the Majestic Theatre’s recent growth has likely noticed an enormous increase in Corvallis community members’ eagerness to participate in local theatre events. This month, the theatre has offered up yet another event to draw in new crowds. On August 29, the Majestic will feature the work of local writers in a night of spontaneous performance titled Majestic Madness. The event is the first of its kind in Corvallis, and will be implemented as a quarterly event. Majestic Madness encourages community members to submit eight to ten page scripts based on the event’s given prompt. This first event’s scripts will be constructed around the phrase, “Will you join in our crusade,” in a nod to the Majestic Theatre’s spring production of Les Miserables. On the night of the show, with writers, actors, and community members in attendance, the event host selects a sketch and reads its character descriptions. Audience members volunteer to fill the roles, and the sketch is performed on the spot. The evening continues as such until each short play has been performed. “It was something I wanted to do here as soon as I got the job,” says Jimbo Ivy, the theatre supervisor who proposed Majestic Madness. Ivy’s personal investment in this event comes from his college days at Kansas State University, where he regularly attended a similar event hosted by the university, and first saw his own work performed. Ivy sees this event as a low pressure environment for writers and actors to practice and receive encouragement in the midst of a supportive and passionate
local theatre community. Ivy emphasizes the positive effects Majestic Madness is expected to have on aspiring writers looking for validation in their work. Since pieces are performed anonymously, writers will be able to gauge audience reactions to their sketch without the pressure of owning up to their work. “To see an honest reaction out of your peer group and your commu nity can be incredibly powerful for any writer, but especially new writers,” Ivy said. Ricky Zipp, a recent OSU graduate, plans to submit a script for the event along with several of his friends and fellow 5 to 1 Theatre Troupe members. Zipp and other members the troupe have worked together to write and perform original shows for the Majestic since graduating from OSU’s theatre department. While Zipp and his troupe are theatre veterans, for many this event will be their first experience on-stage. Theatre newcomers may previously have felt some apprehension about becoming involved in a show, but Zipp insists Majestic Madness will be a more raw and spontaneous experience, and perfection is by no means required. “It’s just a great way to put your foot in the water, test it out and melt that awkward away, so you would maybe audition for a show, or write a full play,” Zipp said. Zipp also sees benefit in the brevity of the event,
which may result in more community participation from those who can’t afford the major time commitment presented by being part of a full theatre production. Majestic Madness, though currently in its trial phase, has the potential to become bigger and better with each event. “If it built up a reputation, I see it growing really well. The first one may be a little bit smaller, but if a bunch of people come and make it super cool, it could be pretty big, and actually something quite significant,” Zipp said. The general consensus for this event appears to be, “the more, the merrier,” with Ivy and Zipp targeting theatre newcomers and inexperienced students in particular. The show’s spontaneous nature will likely make for an inviting experience for all. “It’s another contribution to kind of bridge the OSU and city communities,” Zipp said.“I think it’s a good way of getting everyone together and putting everyone in the same place to just have a good time.” Tickets for the event cost $5, and are available online and at the door. Those interested in submitting a script or further information can email jimbo@majestic.org. Julie Cooper, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
MATHEWS n Continued from page 1 “I think he’s going to be able to build on the great program that we have here, enable the success of our great faculty and really integrate the school of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with the rest of the college,” said Scott Ashford, dean of the College of Engineering. One of Mathews’ areas of expertise is biomedical engineering, which is essentially the application of engineering concepts and principles to medicine. His research has included such work as using Doppler ultrasound, which uses reflected sound waves to show how blood flows through vessels to estimate the blood pressure of fetuses. This information is used to study the relationship between the fetal and maternal circulation system. This is important to measure because changes in the relationship between fetal and maternal circulation systems can be an indicator of pre-eclampsia in the mother, a condition characterized by high blood pressure that can prove fatal, and for which there is no cure but to deliver the baby. “Since information is present in all walks of life and applications, what my colleagues, students and I do can be applied in a variety of fields including medicine,” Mathews said in an email. “Our work in recent years has focused on developing tools that can eventually help medical doctors diagnose diseases that occur to mothers and fetuses during pregnancy, methods for restoring motor functions in patients with spinal cord injuries and developing control methods for prostheses for amputees using neural signals.” According to Steve Clark, OSU’s vice president for marketing and university development, Mathews’ knowledge of biomedical engineering will be very beneficial in enhancing the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “His expertise in biomedical research and teaching is extraordinary,” Clark said. “He will bring his skills in biomedical and information processing to OSU and it will further our efforts to become a national leader in how to utilize electrical engineering and computer science in biomedics.” In addition to his extensive research work, Mathews is also involved with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or the IEEE, which is the nation’s top professional society for electrical engineers. His connections with the IEEE could prove beneficial for OSU, as it will give the organization more of an opportunity to see the research that the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is doing. “Much of our reputation is based on the research, so it’s important for the faculty to have somebody who has that kind of track record,” Ashford said. So far throughout his career, Mathews has published more than 150 technical papers, is the inventor on seven patents and has received numerous awards. Still, he said the accomplishments he is most proud of are those of his two daughters, one of whom is a biomedical engineer, and the other, who is a computer scientist. Mathews said that as head of the school of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, his focus will be on providing an excellent education for students and building up the school’s national and international reputation for performing cutting edge research. “Professionally, I get the most satisfaction when I see my students do well, and when they come back years after graduation and tell me about their accomplishments,” Mathews said. “Knowing that I may have had a small part to play in their lives is a tremendous thrill.” Lindsay Free, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
Nicki Silva
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Isabel Brady, a junior kinesiology major, speaks to a campus tour group outside of the Valley Library Tuesday afternoon. The tours happen four times a day throughout the week.
TOURS n Continued from page 1 Logan King also said that he found it helpful to see the facilities in-person. “The campus is definitely cool,” Logan King said. “(There are) lots of good and up-to-date technology available.”
Logan King’s uncle, Adam King, is a former OSU alumni who received his graduate degree in science and math education, and currently teaches in Hillsboro. “I took my nephew here to show him what the school has to offer,” Adam King said. ”And we wanted to try American Dream Pizza.”
Nicki Silva
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Isabel Brady, a junior kinesiology major, speaks about her college experience during one of the daily campus tours.
These are some of the responses that junior Kevin Rooney said he enjoys hearing as a tour guide. “I absolutely love it,” said Rooney, a music education major. “Being a tour guide gets me out of my shell. I totally recommend it.” Rooney is starting his second year as a tour ambassador, and said that he has learned a lot about the campus and public speaking along the way. “I enjoy sharing personal stories,” Rooney said. “Now I have another year of experiences to add to my tours.” Isabel Brady, a junior in exercise sports science, said that she recently accepted the position because she wanted a job on-campus and was trying to become more involved around OSU. “People usually just hear the facts and take tours really seriously, so I think it’s fun to add humor and some personal anecdotes,” Brady said. Brady said that being a tour guide has made her more diverse in her education. “I have learned a lot more about OSU than I did by just going here,“ Brady said. Calvy Yue, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015•3
Police allegations surface with release of OSP report By Colin Staub
THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE
The allegations that led City Manager Jacque Betz to begin an assessment of the NewbergDundee Police Department include excessive use of force, modification of police reports, verbal abuse, a hostile work environment, a police department member not meeting firearms qualification requirements and the modification of a shotgun for personal use, according to a report released Monday by the Oregon State Police. The allegations against the department came from eight current and three former police officers. The allegations of misconduct involve multiple officers, including Police Chief Brian Casey. The information had been compiled into a file with handwritten notes and photos that Betz took to interim Human Resources Director Nancy McDonald for review. Betz, McDonald and City Attorney Truman Stone then met with advisors from Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS) on July 1 and July 15, according to a corroborating letter from CIS, and as a result of those meetings a decision was made to place Casey on leave while a departmental assessment was carried out. Stone told OSP detectives he believed Betz acted within the scope of her duties in placing Casey on leave. McDonald
echoed that sentiment, explaining that based on her knowledge of the misconduct allegations within the police department, Betz “had cause to place the chief of police on administrative leave status.� McDonald also told detectives that in her opinion, Betz “had been attempting to implement some change as to how city agencies handle personnel matters and to get (human resources) more involved in the process,� and that McDonald “sensed there had been some resistance from city police administration� against these efforts. In a response to the OSP report Monday night Casey disputed the notion there was cause to place him on leave, stating that this report was the first he had heard of the misconduct allegations. “I am left deeply disappointed that Ms. Betz never brought these issues to my attention and instead interfered in the police department, meddled through personal relations with an officer, and undermined my ability to manage, direct and uphold standards in the police department,� Casey wrote in a statement. While the specific content of the complaints has not been shared with him, Casey responded directly to a few of the allegations, including the claim of a “modified shotgun.� The weapon, which was also reported by Betz as “missing�
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from the department armory in early July, was “an old out of service weapon� that was assigned to Casey, he said. It was “lawfully modified� by the armorer and is fully licensed, and Casey “followed department policy� and has qualified with the shotgun, he said, adding that he has no plans to use it in any capacity other than his professional duties. “Is Betz going to investigate the fire chief for having a fire extinguisher?� He quipped. The modifications are not explained in greater detail. Casey also touched on the alleged relationship between Betz and a police officer, his opinion that the 11 total complainants are not representative of the 50-person department and the as yet unsubstantiated nature of the complaints, especially the use of force allegations. “If I find out that Betz has been concealing excessive use of force reports from me for the purposes of blind siding me for whatever motive she may have I am going to be outraged,� Casey wrote. “Use of force issues tug at the integrity of a police department, I hope this is not true.� But despite containing the first look at why Betz ordered an assessment of the department, the OSP investigation was carried out strictly to determine whether Betz had violated criminal statutes in removing Casey from his position. When detectives learned the decision had been made in concert with the city’s insurance carrier as well as other city officials, the investigation was closed. The Marion County District
Attorney’s office announced July 31 there would be no criminal charges pursued against Betz after reviewing the OSP report. Meanwhile, Betz remains on administrative leave for what has now been three and a half weeks, with the City Council scheduled to meet Aug. 17 for the first time since mid-July, but a decision on bringing Betz back is likely to be further postponed. “During that meeting, I will be making a recommendation to authorize a complete, objective examination of the issues raised,� Mayor Bob Andrews said at an Aug. 5 press conference. “The recommendation will be also to keep the city manager on administrative leave.� He cited the need for the city to conduct its “due diligence� in investigating the allegations made against Betz, before bringing her off administrative leave. Those allegations were made public last week as a report detailed the alleged actions that led to the criminal investigation into Betz. Completed by NewbergDundee Police Department Capt. Jeff Kosmicki, the report contained allegations of an “inappropriate� relationship between Betz and a “disgruntled� police officer, identified as Officer Jeremy Fair, information that was passed to Betz and contributed to her decision to place Chief Casey on leave. The report also alleged misuse of power. While Betz was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing July 31, the report and alleged off-duty activities have sparked new
questions in the controversy — questions that first involve figuring out whether the report is truthful. “I was shocked, but we have a lot of fact checking to do,� Council President Denise Bacon said of the allegations against Betz. It’s uncertain how that fact checking will be done, as the situation could easily turn into what Bacon described as a “he-said, she-said� scenario, and the methodology will be up for discussion during the council’s next meeting, she said. Then there’s the question of, even if the allegations of a relationship are true, whether anything that occurred between Betz and Fair was in violation of city policy. It has already been determined not to have violated criminal statutes, but administrative action due to policy violation is still on the table. City Manager Pro Tem Terry
Mahr told reporters during the Aug. 5 press conference that a city manager having a relationship with a police officer would not be a direct violation of any city policy. “There’s some wordage in there about ethical conduct and that kind of stuff, but there’s no direct policy against it,� Mahr said. The personnel manual for city employees contains a section regarding off-duty conduct, with fairly vague wording that could be applied to many scenarios. “Generally, we regard offduty activities of employees to be their own personal matters,� the manual states. “However, certain types of off-duty activities concern us because of the potential negative impact on the city of Newberg’s reputation within the communities we serve.�
ENGINEERING n Continued from page 1 The humanitarian engineering program is within the engineering department, but classes that count towards the minor come from other disciplines. OSU’s leadership within this program is very diverse, with faculty hailing from engineering, humanities, forestry and public health, among others. “Over half of the staff on our leadership committee come from disciplines outside of engineering. We feel that this gives students a different and rich perspective. I would argue that diversity, regardless of the kind of diversity, contributes in a very real way to innovation,� Sharp said. Jason Owen, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
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4•Wednesday, August 12, 2015
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Nicki Silva
| THE BAROMETER ARCHIVES
Team supervisor for the American Red Cross, Greg Smith, helps Jessica Thompson at the blood drive in the Memorial Union Ballroom November 10, 2014.
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OSU blood drive in need of donors, volunteers to run some of the Northwest’s largest blood drives By Calvy Yue THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Oregon State University alum Scott Wagner has played an active role within the American Red Cross for the past 13 years. Wagner said that his involvement started his freshman year, when he was helping to recruit fellow residents in McNary Hall. After receiving his masters in geography, Wagner continued to contribute his time to the Red Cross, where he currently serves as the Vice Chair for the Pacific Northwest Board of Directors. He is also an advisor to OSU’s Blood Drive
Association, a student-led group that organizes the blood drives each term. “I have found the Red Cross to be a good provider of leadership and learning opportunities,” Wagner said. “It’s a good place to get involved with.” According to the Red Cross website, the three blood drives, one each term, at OSU are the largest drives in the Pacific Northwest. Even though this is the case, Wagner says that there are still plenty of vacancies available for donors to contribute. “We are impacted by winter conditions, which limits our activity and makes it hard to reach potential donors,” Wagner said. “That’s why it’s important that we encourage students (to donate) and stockpile blood during fall and spring to have during the winter.” According to the Red Cross, only 60 percent
of all people are eligible to give blood. While not everyone is eligible to donate due to strict health and safety requirements, people can still help in other ways. Red Cross external communications director Jared Schultzman said that one of the best ways is to volunteer for the organization. According to Schultzman, about 98 percent of the Red Cross is comprised of volunteers. Junior Kaitlin Leeper, a political science and education major, said that her mom, who works as the Red Cross liaison for OSU,
influenced her to get involved in the Blood Drive Association. “As I got older, I started helping out in high school,” said Leeper, who is serving her third year as a Blood Drive Association officer. “Then I wanted to get involved with campus life because I didn’t live on-campus my first year.” The Blood Drive Association currently has a little over thirty active students and meets for the first seven weeks of each term. Their first meeting will be on the first Tuesday of fall term at the Memorial Union at 5 p.m. Blood Drive Association president Rebecca Gibbon, a senior in biology and international studies, recommends that everyone who is interested gets involved one way or another. “We are always looking for volunteers,“ Gibbon said. Gibbon said that she enjoys it when people come in and want to volunteer at a blood drive. “BDA has people with different majors and interests all working to make a difference,” Gibbon said. Wagner said that the American Red Cross needs a youthful presence like the Blood Drive Association to raise awareness and promote the importance of blood donations. “We want to improve the donor experience so people will want to continue donating in the future,” Wagner said. Leeper says that the organization is good for building future careers and resumes. “It is a good place to start and if you want to help others in general,” Leeper said. The next on-campus drive will be hosted at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on Wednesday, August 19. Calvy Yue, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
The Summer Barometer 5 • Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Sports
Inside sports: Game-by-game predictions for 2015 season, page 6 sports@dailybarometer.com • On Twitter @barosports
Are you ready for some football?
Jonathan gonzalez
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
First-year head coach Gary Andersen addresses the media last Friday the day before the Beavers open fall camp.
All eyes are on the quarterback competition in fall camp
“Ideally sooner than later, at that point you can start to invest more reps and know who the quarterback is going to be starting game one,” said Quarterbacks Coach Kevin McGiven at media By Brian Rathbone day. “We are going to let these guy battle it out THE SUMMER BAROMETER and compete every day and when the time comes Since the Oregon State football season ended in when we feel someone has separated themselves 2014, the team has gone through a drastic change. we’ll get behind him.” The three quarterbacks in the race are all freshNot only has Gary Andersen replaced Mike Riley while bringing with him an entirely new coaching man. Marcus McMaryion and Nick Mitchell redstaff with a new offensive scheme, but they also shirted in 2014, while true freshman Seth Collins must replace record-setting quarterback Sean graduated early from high school to enroll early Mannion who was drafted in the third round of at Oregon State for spring practices. After the conclusion of the spring game, Collins the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. The big question heading into 2015 is who is and Mitchell emerged as 1A and 1B on the depthgoing to be given the keys to the Oregon State chart, both used the summer months to improve offense when they take the field for the season their individual games. “Consistency in the throwing game for me peropener Sept. 4 against Weber State? One thing that is for certain is that whoever sonally,” Mitchell said. “Just getting out there and Andersen decides to toss the keys to, it will be throwing with the receivers all during the summer the first of the freshman quarterbacks to take a so we are on the same page, trying to complete more passes and taking care of the football – I had live college snap. a little bit of a turnover issue, threw a little more The coaches are hoping that one of the young picks than I would have like to during spring ball.” signal callers will start to separate themselves Collins, a fantastic athlete at the quarterback early in camp, there is no set date on when a See Quarterbacks | page 6 quarterback will be named. n
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The biggest questions facing the Oregon State football team in 2015 By Brian Rathbone
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Who will win the starting quarterback job? The quarterback battle took an interesting twist Monday afternoon when it was reported that redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus McMaryion – who entered fall camp behind fellow redshirt freshman Nick Mitchell and true freshman Seth Collins on the depth-chart – leap-frogged both of them and is now leading the quarterback battle. Fall camp is still less than a week old and
the players have yet to practice in full pads, so this will continue to be a developing story until head coach Gary Andersen officially names a starter. One thing that is for certain is whoever wins the job, whether it is McMaryion, Collins or Mitchell, will be getting their first career action because they are all freshman. Who will start at the corner position opposite of Larry Scott? Losing former all-conference corner Steven Nelson, who was drafted in the third round by the Kansas City Chiefs, leaves a void in the cornerback spot. After struggling with consistency in his junior season, Larry Scott returns in his senior year as a leader on the defense.
Don’t be misled by lack of returning starters, defense returns experience
“That whole thing is really blown out of proportion,” added senior defensive end Jaswha James, himself one of the two official starters returning. By Josh Worden Strong is not alone in the category of playTHE SUMMER BAROMETER ers who aren’t returning starters, but still have The talk of the Oregon State defense coming plenty of playing time. Senior defensive end into the 2015 football season has largely been Lavonte Barnett started four games last year centered around one point: only two starters and tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Junior officially return from the 2014 defense that safety Cyril Noland-Lewis has played in all 25 games his first two years at OSU. Defensive ranked ninth in the Pac-12 in points allowed. That same defense still returns a horde of linemen Jalen Grimble and Luke Hollingsworth other players that aren’t technically returning had five combined starts last year as a junior starters, but bring a substantial amount of and sophomore, respectively. Junior linebacker Caleb Saulo had two starts experience to the squad. Redshirt sophomore safety Justin Strong, for in 2013 and 32 tackles before last year’s senior instance, is the leading returning tackler from trio of linebackers — DJ Alexander, Michael last season having played in every game includ- Doctor and Jabral Johnson — took a monopoly ing a two-game span in which he recorded 20 on playing time. Saulo’s story is similar to junior linebacker Rommel Mageo’s, who started most tackles. Strong is an example of what makes OSU of the 2013 season and has 70 career tackles. “It’s a lot of experience,” Strong said. players and coaches disregard the title of ‘two “Probably not as much as last year, but it’s a lot returning starters.’ of experience coming back that people don’t “I hate that stuff,” said Defensive Coordinator actually acknowledge.” Kalani Sitake. “It’s not like everyone is coming See DEFENSE | page 6 in here with no experience.” n
The Beavers could look to speedy corner Dwayne Williams who as a freshman traveled with the team but did not see the field in 2014, thus not burning his redshirt year. Another option is junior college first team All-American out of Northwest Mississippi Community College, Treston Decoud. Sophomore Charles Okonkwo could also be in the mix. What impact will the return of Isaac Seumalo have on the offensive line? In 2014, the Beavers lost three of their four best players from the 2013 season who were expected to be on the team in 2014. Brandin Cooks and Scott Crichton left for the NFL draft following their junior year and offensive linemen Isaac Seumalo was out with injury. A foot injury suffered in the 2013 Hawaii Bowl kept Seumalo out the entire season, after sitting spring practices as well he is finally back practicing. The offensive line who returns all five starters from last year’s unit can receive a major boost with the addition of Seumalo and his ability to play all five positions on the offensive line at a very high level. Is this the best receiving corps in the Pac-12? Sophomore Jordan Villiman certainly thinks so. The team returns its three starting receivers from a year ago in Villiman, junior Victor
Bolden and redshirt sophomore Hunter Jarmon. The trio accounted for 127 catches, 1,710 yards and nine touchdowns in the first year as every down receivers. With the no-huddle offense that is being installed this year, the receivers will be rotated in and out much more than in previous years. So expect players like Rahmel Dockery (seven catches, 184 yards for 26.4 yards per catch) and redshirt freshman Datrin Guyton, who is a 6-foot-5 receiver with 4.4 speed to see the field and make an impact. What newcomer will make an impact in 2015? 2014 was a strange year because there wasn’t a true freshman or a JC transfer step in and make an immediate impact. Will that change in 2015? Seth Collins looks to be an obvious choice if he is able to win the quarterback battle, JC transfer Treston Decoud could have an impact similar to what Steven Nelson had in 2013 when he was a JC transfer who stepped in right away. Another player could be Paul Lucas, he has rare and explosive speed and can line up at receiver or at the running back position. If he can’t crack the rotation as a receiver, he could very well be a return specialist given the speed that he has. Brian Rathbone
On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
6•Wednesday, August 12, 2015
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QUARTERBACKS n Continued from page 5
mentorship for the young group as he is ineligible this season due to NCAA transfer rules. “He’s been a huge out throughout the summer, just helping us have a smooth transition position, used the summer to work on his entire establishing the new offense,” Mitchell said. game hoping his athleticism can bring exciteThe team brings back the entire offensive ment to the offense. “Everything, every aspect of my game and I line from a season ago, senior running back think that’s how it should be,” Collins said in his Storm Barrs-Wood in the backfield and a fleet first interview at media day. “Every aspect of my of talented receivers to help ease the transition for the quarterbacks. game I need to improve. “One thing I bring is excitement and a little The expectations for quarterbacks this season energy when it comes to being on the field. I’m whether it is Collins, McMaryion or Mitchell is confident in my abilities and what I can do out to limit mistakes and make plays that will lead there.” the team to victory. Then on Monday, the coaches threw a curve “I want a winner,” said redshirt sophomore ball when it was reported that if the season wide receiver Jordan Villiman. “If I get the ball were to start today, it would be McMaryion twice a game and we beat every team I’m fine, I who would get the starting bid, jumping over just want to win, I want to go bowl game, I want Collins and Mitchell who entered the fall ahead to play in the big games, be on the national of McMaryion. stage, that’s all I want to do. That’s all, I want a The Beavers also welcomed Darell Garretson winner from our quarterback.” a transfer from Utah State who played for coach Brian Rathbone McGiven the previous two seasons. He is familiar On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com with the offense that is being run and provides
DEFENSE n Continued from page 5 The toughest position to fill will likely be linebacker, where OSU graduated three starters last year and opened a new starting position this year by switching to a 3-4 defensive front, necessitating a fourth starting linebacker to step up. The recent dismissal of sophomore Darrell Songy hurts that, though Saulo and Mageo figure to be frontrunners for playing time. The same goes for redshirt freshman Bright Ugwoegbu, who James labeled as a possible breakout player for the upcoming season. Cementing the eleven starting positions is somewhat of a misleading subject, though, since Sitake insists there will be a lot of fluctuation in personnel from week to week and even from play to play. Maybe Noland-Lewis steps into a linebacking role for a play, or Grimble switches in between
the defensive end and defensive tackle positions, or maybe Barnett lines up in a two-point stance occasionally. “We’re going to do a lot of different stuff that people won’t realize, and that’s okay,” Sitake said. Sitake added that “you’re not going to win games by your schemes,” a sentiment echoed by Strong and others. Strong mentioned his work ethic last year and what needed to change in order to for the defense to be successful. “Last year, I worked really hard but towards the end of the season, I kind of just did what I had to do,” Strong said. “I used to do all the extra film study and I looked through my player packet at the player personnel from other teams. And then I kind of slacked off.” This year, Strong said, he’s pushed by the new faces on the defense who are hungry for playing time but young in age. He’s familiar with that situation,
since he lived it throughout last year. This summer, he and those same teammates have a group text message, allowing Strong to alert fellow players if an opportunity for an extra workout arises. “We just got to make sure we don’t slack off this year,” he said. If Strong’s intentions come to fruition, OSU will be well on its way to turning a young defense — headlined by players like Strong and Ugwoegbu that have three or four seasons of eligibility left — into one of the most veteran groups in the Pac-12. “I have complete faith in them,” redshirt freshman tight end Ryan Nall said, who has bounced between offensive and defensive positions in his young career. “If somehow by chance I end up on that side as well, I hope they have faith in me just like I do for them.” Josh Worden, sports reporter On Twitter @BrightTies sports@dailybarometer.com
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How the season will shake out By Brian Rathbone and Josh Worden THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Brian Rathbone Out of left field
Weber State Rathbone: Losses against FCS teams are going to be a thing in the past. Behind a veteran offensive line, the Beavers are able to impose their will and run the ball down the Wildcats throat. Score: 42-17 Beavers (1-0) Worden: The offense doesn’t put up prolific numbers and punts a few more times than Gary Andersen would like, but the Beavers handle Weber State. Score: 28-10 Beavers (1-0)
at Michigan
Hogan tosses two interceptions and the Beavers generate enough offense for a 4-point win. Score: 31-27 Beavers (3-1)
at Arizona
Josh Worden My Eyes Are Up Here
contest takes a paltry 60 minutes of game time to complete. The last two games took a combined three overtimes, but this one is a low-scoring affair. OSU defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake builds a solid gameplan against his former team, but his own foundation in Utah’s defense works against him. Score: 17-7 Utah (5-3)
Rathbone: Arizona is starting to look like those Rich Rodriguez West Virginia teams in the mid-2000’s. This will be a tough matchup in the desert for the Beavers. The Wildcats win in a shootout. Score: 42-31 Arizona (2-3) Worden: A promising win over Stanford doesn’t shift into a similar game against Arizona. The Wildcats deal the Beavers a big loss in their statement Rathbone: After an emoas one of the best teams in tional defeat in Salt Lake City, the conference. Score: 45-21 Andersen rallies the troops and Arizona (3-2) has this team ready for the upset against UCLA. The defense plays their best game of the Rathbone: Despite being the season, while the offense confourth year of the Mike Leach trols the game on the ground. era in Pullman, the Cougars Upset alert in Corvallis. Score: can’t seem to find a way out 24-14 UCLA (5-4) Worden: The Bruins use a of the Pac-12 cellar. This is an important game for each balanced offensive attack to team, but Wazzu finds a way to barrage the OSU defense on “Coug’d it” in the Palouse. Score every drive. OSU is still looking to be bowl-bound but can’t 34-27 Beavers (3-3) Worden: Luke Falk wins the become eligible yet, staying quarterback battle in fall camp close in the first half but allowand performs admirably for the ing three scores in the third Cougars but can’t recreate last quarter. Score: 31-17 UCLA (5-4)
UCLA
at Washington State
Rathbone: New head coach Jim Harbaugh has a reputation for turning around programs in college and the NFL. None of them had the elite roster that he is inheriting at Michigan. Beavers can’t hang in the “Big House.” Score: 31-14 Michigan (1-1) Worden: Storm Barrs-Woods scores twice but a slow start is too much for the Beavers to come back from. OSU’s freshman quarterback, whoever it may be, shows progress but is unable to consistently pick up year’s 417-yard, five-touchdown yardage through the air. Score: performance against OSU. That game was the only WSU win 34-21 Michigan (1-1) not in the month of September. This year, WSU’s loss to OSU will be one of many. Score: 38-24 Rathbone: This game against Beavers (4-2). San Jose State will tests this team’s ability to bounce back after a tough loss to Michigan. Rathbone: For the second I think they bounce back well and we see the best game out week in a row the Beavers are of the OSU quarterback – who- in a must win game against ever it may be. Score: 27-13 Colorado. Colorado has been the doormat of the conference Beavers (2-1) Worden: Similar to last year’s since entering the Pac-12, that San Diego State game at home continues as the Beavers keep to finish out the nonconference the Buffs in their place. Score season, this is one of OSU’s best 42-21 Beavers (4-3) Worden: A home game performances of the season. The Spartans improve from last against the most talent-chalyear’s 3-9 year, but can’t move lenged team in the conference the ball against OSU’s defense, is a recipe for success for the which is looking ready to com- Beavers, who allow Colorado pete in the Pac-12. Score: 27-3 to stay in this game through the third quarter but hold on for Beavers (2-1). the win. Both defenses have a rough day in an exciting shootout. Score: 45-35 Beavers (5-2). Rathbone: Stanford has won five straight against the Beavers, mostly in blowout Rathbone: With how the fashion. To beat Stanford they will need to play their best game went the past two seasons game, but they aren’t ready to and the added drama of hijackplay at that high of level yet. The ing a couple of Utah coaches Cardinals win sixth straight. and recruits, this game should be epic. I’m talking a tripleScore: 31-10 Stanford (2-2) Worden: Sandwiched in overtime thriller, unfortunately between the USC and Arizona the home team gets the upper contests, Stanford’s trip to hand. Score: 47-44 Utah (4-4) Corvallis becomes their early Worden: For the first time in slip-up of the season. Kevin three meetings, the Beaver-Ute
San Jose State
Colorado
Stanford
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at Cal Rathbone: Cal quarterback Jared Goff proves he is worthy of the praise he is getting from NFL scouts, as he carves up the Beaver secondary. You will see an very upset Andersen in the postgame press conference. Score: 42-24 Cal (5-5) Worden: The Beavers blitz early and often against the Bears, forcing Cal to revert to dump-off passes most of the game and forcing the Blue and Gold out of its element. Goff fumbles twice, but also has four touchdown passes. Barrs-Woods has a big day and OSU rushes for 200 yards as a team, giving OSU bowl eligibility. Score: 38-34 Beavers (6-4)
Washington Rathbone: Washington head coach Chris Petersen has Washington playing much more consistent in his second year at the helm. The Beavers will try and erase the past two embarrassing losses to the Huskies, but come up short. Score: 31-27 Huskies (5-6) Worden: Washington is not in as good of a quarterback situation as they have been in years past, but the offense has picked up the pace over the season. The Beavers keep it close but turnovers limit their chances. OSU’s Senior Night 2013 ended in a 42-point loss to the Huskies, while the 2015 game is a much more modest 10-point defeat. Score: 30-20 Huskies (6-5)
at Oregon Rathbone: Oregon State hasn’t won against Oregon since the Bush administration, thanks Obama. Oregon State has made great strides this season, but aren’t on the same level as the Ducks this season. Next season however… Score: 42-24 Oregon (5-7) Worden: If the President has any bearing over the Civil War, then maybe Barack Obama is the reason OSU loses to the Ducks from 2008 to 2015. The first year in office for the newest President will see OSU’s first victory against Oregon, but the 2015 contest has to come first. Oregon’s defense looks good in a smooth victory for the home squad. Score: 38-13 Ducks (6-6) Brian Rathbone, sports editor and Josh Worden, sports reporter On Twitter @brathbone3 and @BrightTies sports@dailybarometer.com
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015•7
Courtesy of the official Facebook page of Buffalo Romeo
University of Oregon student, Keenan Dorn, 19, and his charismatic partner, Lea Jones, 60, performing live in Eugene as folk duo Buffalo Romeo.
Give me a home where the buffalo roam Skye J. Lyon FORUM and A & E Editor
All it takes is two seemingly intact guitars, two voices and a backstory made for prime time television to entice anyone to Eugene folk duo, Buffalo Romeo. Having the chance to interview University of Oregon student, Keenan Dorn, 19, and his lively charismatic 60 year old partner, Lea Jones, in the KBVR radio booth August 6 was, by far, the finest way anyone could spend a Thursday afternoon. A live acoustic jam session – that kicked off with a Los Lobos cover of “Evangeline” – allowed this extroverted, “family rooted” pair to give way for such a unique encounter. Mere words do not do the conversation near enough justice. Skye J. Lyon: Giving you two a first listen, I noticed strong tones of neo-Americana flowing through your songs: “Slave” and “Rodeo Cowboy.” Who are your main
influences? Lea Jones: Go first, Keenan... Keenan Dorn: Well, Lea is the main songwriter for most of our music, however, my influences are revolved around Grateful Dead, Phish, a lot of the jam band circuits and psychedelic rock bands from the past. Especially, some classic bluegrass artists like Tony Rice, David Grisman, and of course, Jerry Garcia. LJ: I grew up listening to the Beach Boys, Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I am really into musical harmonies, lyrics and then I got into bluegrass such as Doc Watson, Asleep at the Wheel, David Grisman and all those cats who took the world by storm. SJL: Tell me, how did you two wonderful minds come together? I read a short bio on your Facebook page and I must say, it is quite extensive...please, enlighten us. LJ: Oh, you mean the family connection between Keenan and I? SJL: Yes, family connection and all. KD: This surprised even us. LJ: Our story is much too convoluted to relay without going into the 5 o’clock news hour, however, the short version is my fraternal twin, Elrod Jones, fathered a son, Buck, with my high school sweetheart, Rosie. And he took off soon after his son was born for a gig in El Paso – he was very much a skilled guitar picker much like Keenan – but, unfortunately Elrod ran into a sheep herder and ended up dying there. Shortly after, I married Rosie, which then made Buck not only my nephew, but also my stepson. Buck, chip off his father’s block, ran off as soon as he got his drivers license and left Texas behind and eventually made it out to Oregon. He then, ironically, met a woman who became Keenan’s mother and they spawned this fine, young man right here (Dorn). But, once again, Buck split and eventually got eaten by a grizzly bear outside a glacier in Montana. SJL: Oh my... LJ: He was not the kind of guy to leave us any record of where he was at the moment. That is not the kind of guy Buck was. KD: Funny enough, however, our paths did eventually cross at a mutual family friend’s camping
skye j. lyon
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Dorn and Jones performing a cover of “Evangeline” by Los Lobos live in the KBVR-FM radio booth. trip. We were gathered around a campfire, strumming on some old guitars, and then, randomly, we dove into the idea behind our inner connections and family relationships with one another – that is how we discovered each other. SJL: I say it is destiny. KD: Definitely. SJL: Coming back to the 40 year age difference between you two, does that cause any difficulties in the creative process? (Dorn snickers at the question...) LJ: The fit for me has been easier and better than any other person I have ever played with. Keenan’s heart, mind and ear for music are all perfectly aligned with what I like to do. He knows what I am doing, the second I am doing it. KD: I believe music transcends generational boundaries, plus his songwriting is fantastic, and sometimes that is all it takes. SJL: Is there a poetic story behind your name, Buffalo Romeo? LJ: Of course there is. I have been a big fan of cowboy music for quite sometime and it is straight out of “Home on the Range:” give me a home where the buffalo roam. Plus, it mirrors the “Where the Buffalo Roam” based on the late,
yet, great, Hunter S. Thompson. SJL: Concluding thoughts? Do you have any side projects happening currently? LJ: I am involved in the documentary soundtrack “Warspeak” for “Vietnam: An Inner View” that was recorded back in 1992 with a three-tour marine veteran based off on his personal experiences. Me and Keenan will be playing as Buffalo Romeo in the documentary presentation/ celebration in Salem August 14 at Book Bin East. SJL: What about you, Keenan? KD: I am in two other bands: Satori Bob, which is an alternative Americana sextet that combines the best of traditional folk and classic storytelling lyricism, and Sonic Bent, which is a progressive alternative rock five-man band. You can check out about my projects, and Buffalo Romeo’s music and whereabouts, on my Sound Cloud. Just search under “Keenan Dorn” and you will find everything your looking for there. Rare are those moments you find yourself basking in a dose of calming reality with people such as Dorn and Jones. Not much will
be left to say. These two perform such delicate and insightful harmonies together that it is clear to see that there was a story already fastened in the stars for them both. Fate, my friends, brought these two together. Through many sudden happenstances that have occurred in both of their lifetimes, it is clear to see, these two would not exchange their “home on the range.” t
Skye J. Lyon is a senior in liberal studies with an emphasis in creative writing and ethnic studies. The opinions expressed in Lyon’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Lyon can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
8•Wednesday, August 12, 2015
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