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Roseburg hopes size does matter By GREG STILES ROSEBURG -- The Roseburg Indians did nothing to shed their image of notoriously slow starts and fast finishes in 1998. Chances are the Tribe will follow suit in 1999. The Indians lost their season opener to North Medford (26-21) and were 2-2 after a 35-21 loss to Ashland midway through the season. Then right on cue, the Indians went on a rampage, outscoring their final four regular-season foes 156-19 to finish 5-2 in the Southern Oregon Conference and 6-2 overall. A month of playoff games proved no different as the Tribe outscored four opponents, 95-34. Only when Roseburg met up again with Ashland in the Class 4A state final did the Indians again taste defeat, 29-23 in overtime. "After a real, real slow start, we turned it around," says Thurman Bell, the dean of SOC coaches entering his 29th season. "It's nice to play that 14th week (in the championship game). We were coming on and playing really good football at the end of the season. Problem is this isn't the end of the season, it's the start." As if the SOC schedule isn't rigorous enough, the Indians open a week early -- Friday on the road at 1997 state runner-up Beaverton. They then face SOC favorite Ashland and Redmond the following two weeks. "We play three teams I think will be ranked in the top 10," Bell says. There's an added quirk to the schedule. After Oct. 1, Roseburg has one home game, South Medford on Oct. 22. What the Indians hope for, however, are a couple more home dates during the playoffs, in which they've appeared 18 of the past 19 years. More impressively, Roseburg has appeared in seven of the past 12 state finals, winning titles in 1995 and 1996. The heart of those back-to-back championship teams was the line and this year's edition could be something special as well. "We've got the biggest group up front that we've ever had," Bell says. "This line is bigger than Marshfield had a couple of years ago. It's a good thing I don't have to feed them." Start with first-team all-SOC tackle Robin Knebel, who at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds is a top college prospect. "You name it, Colorado to USC, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington. He's getting heavily recruited," Bell says. Guard Matt Brock (6-4, 250) isn't in Knebel's behemoth class, but will no doubt throw his weight around on both sides of the ball. And guard Chris Cummings (6-1, 245) is a solid two-way performer as well from last year. Junior tackle Brian Frasnelly (6-7, 285) is heading toward Knebel proportions and senior tackle Matt Ledbetter (5-4, 245) is scrapping for playing time. The "little" guy is center/guard Ryan Wafer (5-11, 215). With few exceptions in Bell's tenure, the Roseburg quarterback's chief duties have been to hand off to the fullback, put the ball on his hip and take off around the end or pitch it to the tailback. But senior quarterback Kevin Linderman redefined -- at least temporarily -- the QB duties. Linderman passed for 1,820 yards last season, connecting on 109 of 189 attempts for a school record 20 touchdowns with just six interceptions. "If I told you a Roseburg quarterback threw for 20 touchdowns, you'd think I'm lying," Bell says. Needless to say, those big guys up front will spend extra time on pass-blocking techniques. "We're still looking for an emotional leader to replace (graduated lineman) Richie Charles, but Kevin (Linderman) is a leader by example, Bell says. "We're a little tougher to defend if the pass is there." What concerns Bell, however, is the lack of experienced receivers. "We don't have one receiver that has caught a varsity pass," he says. If Bell finds someone with sticky fingers, it should open holes for junior tailback Conway Bixby, who was pressed into service last year when Ryan Poe suffered a knee injury on the first day of contact drills. Bixby rushed for 666 yards, averaged 5.4 yards per carry and scored eight TDs. With no incumbent at fullback and so many talented linemen, Bell is toying with putting Ledbetter at fullback. Roseburg shut out four opponents and allowed four more foes just one touchdown last year. Only Ashland and North Medford scored more than three TDs against the Indians. But only four veterans return on a defense that lost three first-team and two second-team SOC all-stars. Brock and Cummings are holdovers up front, Geoff Kirkendall returns at linebacker and safety Dan Scevers is back but may not start. "The important thing for us to remember is that the season is not over at one, two or three games," says Bell. It's best the Indians' opponents remember that. Indians at a glance COACH : Thurman Bell (29th year, 222-83-1). ASSISTANTS : Ron Goodell (wide receivers-linebackers), Bruce Walker (running backs, linebackers), Bob Walker (offensive line), Mark Engle (defensive line), Russ Bolin (defensive backs), Jeff Church (defensive ends, tight ends). 1998 LEAGUE RECORD : 5-2 (tied for second, SOC). 1998 OVERALL RECORD : 10-3. PREDICTED FINISH THIS YEAR : Second. 1998 REGULAR SEASON SCORES Roseburg Opponents 21 North Medford 26 27 Eagle Point 7 49 Klamath Union 0 21 Ashland 35 42 South Medford 6 42 Crater 0 42 Grants Pass 7 30 Willamette 6 STATE PLAYOFFS 16 Gresham 0 14 Sprague 0 28 Lakeridge 14 37 Tualatin 20 23 Ashland OT 29 RETURNING STARTERS OFFENSE (6) : Quarterback Kevin Linderman (5-11, 180, sr.), tackle Robin Knebel (6-6, 305, sr.), tailback Conway Bixby (5-8, 150, jr.), guard Matt Brock (6-4, 250, sr.), guard Chris Cummings (6-1, 245, sr.), kicker Ryan Holt (6-1, 150, sr.). DEFENSE (4) : tackle Matt Brock, tackle Chris Cummings, linebacker Geoff Kirkendall (6-0, 225, sr.), safety Dan Scevers (5-9, 165, sr.) OTHER NOTABLES Offensive tackle Brian Frasnelly (6-7, 285, jr), offensive guard/center Ryan Wafer (5-11, 215), fullback/offensive tackle/defensive tackle Matt Ledbetter (6-4, 245, sr.), tailback/defensive back Chris Poe (5-10, 175, jr.), tailback/wide receiver Nick Pappas (6-0, 185, sr.), wide receiver/defensive back Justin Diaz (5-11, 175, sr.). 1999 Schedule Sept. 3 At Beaverton, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 ASHLAND, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 REDMOND, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24 At Klamath Union, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 GRANTS PASS, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 At North Medford, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 At Eagle Point, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 SOUTH MEDFORD, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 At Crater, 7:30 p.m. FOOTBALL 99 Index Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.