Gazette-Times Reporter

Dave Ungerer accepted Oregon State football coach Mike Riley’s offer to be the special teams coordinator, according to several sources.

Riley can’t talk about the hire yet. It’s being reviewed by OSU’s human resources department before it becomes official, mostly likely after spring break. Riley’s contract extension is in a similar situation.

Ungerer coached special teams and tight ends for Alabama the last four seasons, and assisted Jeff Tedford at California in 2002. Ungerer is from New Jersey and graduated from Southern Connecticut State in 1980.

He began coaching as a graduate assistant at Rutgers from 1983-85. There were stops at Northeastern (1985), Davidson (1986-87), Holy Cross (1988-91) and Maryland (1992-96).

Ungerer worked in a variety of areas such as running back, defensive line and strength coach. However, special teams were a mainstay.

OSU’s position is for special teams only. Ungerer replaces Bruce Read, who took the special teams job with the Dallas Cowboys.

Walk-ons join

Two walk-ons joined the team with more expected when spring practice begins April 2.

They are defensive end Keith Robertson of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif., and running back Andres Reed of College of Siskiyous in Yreka, Calif. Both have two years of eligibility.

Robertson graduated from Lake Oswego High. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder played for Foothill in 2004-05. He signed with OSU in 2003 and 2006 but was academically ineligible. He worked on his grades but wasn’t admitted until all the scholarships were given out.

“It’s the longest recruitment ever,” Riley said. “We’ve been wondering if this would ever take place, and disappointed when we thought he would enter.

“We weren’t recruiting him anymore. We weren’t going to offer him a scholarship.

“He made it (in) and decided to walk on. We’ll make an assessment and treat him fairly for a future scholarship.”

Reed graduated from South Medford and signed with Portland State, but played College of Siskiyous in the 2004-05 seasons.

GA moves

Former football player Ahmed Zarrugh was named graduate assistant for administration. He served as a volunteer student assistant last year after an injury ended his career.

Zarrugh is a 2003 graduate of Willamette High, where he lettered two years in football. He replaces Brian Smith, who left the program to become an assistant coach at Portland State.

Defensive grad assistant Keith Heyward is interviewing for coaching jobs, and if he gets one he’ll leave. If not, he’ll return for a third season.

If Heyward leaves, he’ll be replaced by former player Inoke Breckterfield. Breckterfield was a volunteer assistant last season.

Smiley news

Una Smiley will greyshirt and enroll in January. Smiley is an offensive lineman from Palomar College near San Diego. He was shot in the leg in a drive-bye shooting during a recruiting trip at New Mexico and needed extensive surgery.

“As far as physically, it’s all good in everything we’ve heard,” Riley said. “But what we hear and what is reality are two different things. We’ve talked to coaches and Una. We’ll give him that rehab time and bring him in January.”

Injury updates

• Offensive guard Jeremy Perry (knee), defensive end Jeff Van Orsow (ankle) and tight end Gabe Miller (Achilles’) will miss spring practice.

• Offensive guard Roy Schuening pulled a hamstring in offseason training, but is expected to practice in the spring.

• Wide receivers Matt Sieverson and Casey Kjos needed unspecified surgery and will sit out this spring, Riley said.

Fuller gone

Junior running back Patrick Fuller is not with the program as of Thursday. He was a reserve his first two seasons, and carried the ball 16 times for 39 yards and one touchdown.

Fuller was a highly-touted recruit, but never made any impact as a ball carrier. He started last season as the third-string running back and finished on the scout team.