OC Ryan Gunderson Talks Jake Reichle, Fullback Role in Oregon State Offense

As the great Tory Carter from LSU once said: “If you know fullbacks, you know football.”

And no, the fullback isn’t dead and college football definitely didn’t kill it. Some are born into the position, but other times it’s just a guy that’s built differently with a very special skill set that you need to find a place for on the field.

Quite a few teams use fullbacks despite players not being listed on the roster at that position - Beaver fans will likely remember how important Jack Colletto was to Oregon State's turnaround in the Jonathan Smith years.

While we don’t have a concrete name for Oregon State yet when it comes to who will be in on fullback plays, we do know the Beavers will continue to utilize two backs in their offensive game plan this season.

Last year we saw Cal transfer Andy Alfieri take some snaps at fullback, but this year offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson shares that they have multiple guys they are considering putting in at the position. Like redshirt junior running back Jake Reichle, who played in 12 games last year and carried the ball six times for 21 yards and one touchdown at Nevada. The Oregon native also recorded one catch for nine yards against Air Force and totaled six tackles on special teams. 

“I think a reason two-back stuff has become popular is because you have a guy that’s different and can do a lot of different things well,” said Gunderson. “He’s not your traditional looking running back, he’s not a traditional looking tight end but he blocks and he can run and he’s a threat with the ball in his hand. Plus he can handle alot of different stuff mentally.”

Gunderson likens the humble fullback position to that of the offensive lineman - always doing things in the interest of others.

“He’s running into a brick wall for somebody else,” chuckled Gunderson. “They are usually guys that crave contact, generally very good special teams players - they are unique in that sense. By nature they are team guys.”

Fullbacks are not relics, reminiscent of a football time gone by. Fullbacks have looked the spread offense and the overall evolution of the sport in the face and persevered. Their truth is out there. 

“In the media world that we live in, those aren’t the guys being talked about as much,” admitted Gunderson. “But I still think they are out there. If you want one, you can find one. I know they’re out there, it's just those aren't the guys that sell newspapers.”