Oregon State University All-American

By Dr. Greg Shepard When I first spoke to J.J., [ it would be Malcom X.

J.J. was awarded four letters in track and football. He ran a 10.6 100 meter but only weighed 160 pounds. year of football. arrogance. J.J.’s favorite sports figure it, “Hey, I can hang out with anyone.

I can switch gears with my speech.” the way. special teams player not a star.” blazed to a 4.5 time. third highest in the nation. J.J. returned |! kickoffs for 229 yards. for an average of 20.8 per game. which forced him to miss eight days. down.” when it’s going to be your turn.”

Squatted 335 and Cleaned 221.

J.J. established himself as a real qualfor only 69 yards on 13 carries. ity player.” It looked like everything was com- The word give up is not in J.J.’s vocabulary. He again went to work former strength and speed. This. ing the week of the UCLA game. this season, J.J. had rushed for 646 yards in 100 carries for an average of 6.5 yards per carry. J.J. feels it is important to work hard with the weights during the season. “Right now for me, in-season training is not to gain but to keep my strength,” said J.J. “You get so nicked and bruised that it’s hard to make gains but I sure don’t want to lose strength so I keep lifting hard.

If{ were a high school coach, I'd have my players Squat and Clean for sure as well as speed train. I like to do a lot of reps on my Squat.” Rob Oviatt. the OSU strength coach, has done his job well. He is in his 13th year of strength coaching, having been at five Division I Universities throughout the country. Coach Oviatt oversees the Stewart Weight Room, one of the finest facilities in the nation. It boasts of 5,000 square feet and overlooks the Parker Football Stadium. It is one of the few college weight rooms built Oregon fun.” exclusively for football players. countries worldwide. Among University graduates is Dr. Linus a Pac-10 Player of the Week. J.J. his Clean jumped to 285 pounds.

Pauling, the only person to earn two unshared Nobel Prizes. Oregon State University revels in quiet excellence but with J.J. Young and the Pettibone legacy things may not be so quiet for long. J.J. had a refreshingly unique The 1994 season is my 29th year in coaching and I have had the opportunity to see some of the best running backs that have played college football in those years—Joe Washington, Greg Pruitt, Billy Sims— guys that have won the Heisman Trophy and were legitimate first-team All-Americans. | think J.J. Young is in that yet. category. He has outstanding speed. he has the explosiveness 10 be able to hit the home run every time he touches the football. J.J.

can also catch the football and he lot to learn yet. is also an outstanding blocker. He has the ability to make a big play as a running back or on kickoff returns. J.J. is a very consistent player and he plays well every time out. I think those qualities lend me to feel he is a legitimate All-American candidate. another saying: Half of being smart is knowing what you’re dumb at.

HEAD FOOTBALL COACH OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY He wants to own his own business someday after he gets his Masters in IN STATE UN! all of us who have worked with him both as an athlete and as a person. I’ve always firmly believed that you cannot help an athlete who does not first want to help himself. J.J. has never set personal limits and has. always wanted to get better. As a coach, you are always evaluating attiful!

J.J. has a vision of his future and drugs and alcohol are not in that future. “They won’t take me where the right direction too. were mostly football players.” J.J. believes the most important my education. cially during the tough times. J.J.

Him everyday.” sure that can confront you.

“T never did drugs or college. future being in grad school. been a leader in our weight room and someone whoI could always trust.

J.J. himself for sharing his victories over adversities and his Upper Limit Qtake care of business. J.J. never really had to combat are 2 - 5 with victories over Wyoming and U.C.L.A.

From BFS Magazine — Winter 1994. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).