In the months of June and July, BeaversEdge.com will be counting down the top 25 Oregon State football players on the 2019 roster.
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No. 91 Jeromy Reichner
Bio
6-foot-2, 272 pounds
Defensive Lineman
Redshirt Senior
Philadelphia, Pa.
West Philadelphia Catholic HS
2018 stats
- Played in five games
- Credited with five tackles, four solo, with one for a loss
- Made his debut against California with a tackle
- Tallied a TFL at Washington and picked up two tackles versus Oregon
2018 Recap
The start of Reichner's Oregon State career didn't start off on a high note as the high-impact JUCO transfer suffered a foot injury early in fall camp that kept him out for nearly half of the season.
The loss of Reichner was a crushing blow to an Oregon State defensive line that was already desperately thin on bodies and playmakers. Coming out of spring practices, Reichner appeared to be the Beavers' top defensive lineman and new head coach Jonathan Smith was counting on him to be a steady veteran presence on the line who could provide run stopping support.
However, Reichner returned to the field and full-time duty in week seven against Cal and played a season high 42 snaps. Per Pro Football Focus, Reichner's best game was against Washington, as he had a season-high single-game grade of 72.6. He recorded one tackle for loss in that game and had a strong run defense grade of 73.8.
The injury suffered in fall camp set Reichner back from both a physical and experience standpoint, but once he was able to regain his rhythm and feel, he settled into a nice groove and gained solid footing for the future in the last half of the season.
2019 Outlook
If there's a guy on the defensive line who's got something to prove in his final campaign, it's Reichner.
After playing in just five games and not logging a start in any of them, there's no doubt that the fiery competitor that Reichner is will be on full display from the start of fall camp. Reichner is a high-energy guy that thrives on the physical nature of the game, and after having struggles a year ago, he'll be very motivated to help lead a defensive line that is looking promising.
Now that defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar and line coach Legi Suiaunoa have both talent and depth at their disposal, I expect Reichner and others to thrive now that the Beavers can rotate players and exploit specific defensive matchups.
Staying healthy will be key, but if Reichner is able to be on the field consistently in 2019, he'll be a huge asset to a defensive line that will little resemble the struggling unit it once was.
