If you were looking for a surprise team that could take a big leap in 2017, Oregon State is becoming a trendy pick to do so out of the Pac-12 North.
While there is plenty of optimism around Corvallis about a young team getting to a bowl game after a few seasons of bottoming out, the Beavers will apparently be without a pair of players on the defensive side of the ball.
Newsy bit out of Oregon State practice today: Isaac Garcia and Ricky Liuchan are no longer on the roster. Reason(s) undisclosed.
— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell) July 29, 2017
Of the two, Garcia is probably the bigger loss as he was a former four-star recruit for a team that doesn’t get many of them. The defensive end didn’t play last season (academics) but was likely to see action in some fashion in 2017. Liuchan, a linebacker, was set to be a redshirt sophomore this year but hasn’t played a snap for the team.
The reason for their departure was not specified as head coach Gary Andersen didn’t speak to reporters after the team’s practice on Friday.