Life can get in the way of playing a game, and that's obviously what's happening with Sammie Stroughter. With three people very close to Stroughter passing away over the last year, it became clear that football just wasn't a high priority - for now. It's not inconceivable that Stroughter could return to the team at any moment, but that's a story for the 2008 season, not for 2007.
How is the team taking the fact that their biggest home-run threat at WR and in the return game will not be on the field this year? It's been an emotional blow for the team, losing a player so universally respected and loved by his teammates. What makes the situation a little more difficult is the pressure to replace him is going to fall to an unproven commodity in junior WR Chris Johnson (pictured), a guy who caught only four balls for all of 2006 as a JC transfer. Johnson does have good size for the position (6-1, 187) and head coach Mike Riley has been raving about Johnson's step forward thus far in camp. He does have good speed and has shown at least in flashes a good ability to get deep. At least Yvenson Bernard believes the team will be able to deal with the loss without too much of a hit:
Bernard said the Beavers can go on without their star wide receiver and still have a successful season. "To be honest with you, I feel like we have enough depth,'' he said. "I mean, I probably couldn't say that a few years ago when I was a freshman. But we have a lot of talent (at wide receiver) and I think C.J. has been doing a wonderful job.''
Now does Johnson have to come in and be Sammie "lite"? Of course not. Nobody can fill Stroughter's shoes. Instead, more pressure is going to fall on everyone else, from WR's Brandon Powers and Anthony Brown, and obviously, Johnson. But as the QB situation never resolving itself with Riley announcing a two-QB system to begin the season, plus the loss of the biggest playmaker on the roster, there is little doubt the Beavers are going to run, run, and run some more as they lean on the biggest strength of the team.
