Much has been made of the emphasis this staff has placed on off-season weight training to get our current roster into competitive shape when compared to the rest of the Pacific 10. It was plain to see on gamedays how woefully undersized we were at just about every position when matching up with any team outside of Portland State.

So, with that in mind there is probably no more important status report than the one that was just released showing the current weight of all our players currently on the roster. The hope is that we would see a large group of guys put on 10-20 pounds before we hit spring ball.

The good news is that it looks like that has happened. WE HAVE A WHOPPING 36 GUYS ON THE ROSTER THAT PUT ON AT LEAST 10 POUNDS SINCE THE SEASON ENDED. That's tremendous progress and hopefully it will pay off during the season with fewer injuries.

So, here are some of the winners/losers strictly based on weight gain over the past 3 1/2 months.

WINNERS:

Bernard Wolffgram: Was 264 pounds and NOW 288 pounds

A redshirt year for last years prize recruit looks to have paid off in a big way. With the reported quickness that he brings to the interior we are looking at a significant upgrade at the dtackle position the instant that Wofgramm takes a snap. If we see Bernard weigh in at 295 in time for Fall camp we have that centerpiece tackle to help with the run and rush the passer from the inside.

Xavier Hicks: Was 196 pounds and NOW 211 pounds

Already considered the fiercest hitter in the secondary. Now, you have a freight train at 211 pounds looking to inflict bodily harm on any receivers coming across the middle. If we see Hicks report in the fall at 220 then you have the perfect weight for a safety. Keep in mind that Taylor Mays at USC weighs in at 230 pounds. So, Hicks could be a scary combination of size and speed this fall.

Anthony Laurenzi: Was 276 pounds and NOW 290 pounds

Another redshirt that put the months to good use. If you put Turpin, Wolfgramm, Luapo and Laurenzi together you've got four guys that are 285+ at dtackle. Who knows what sort of talent these guys have but at least they will be competitively sized with depth to give them some recovery time. Neither of which were present last year.

Tony Thompson: Was 228 pounds and NOW 241 pounds

Hard to believe that Thompson played as much as he did as a 228 pound tight end. He'll be key since there is not much depth at TE this season. Staying healthy and a serviceable blocker will be much easier at 241 pounds. Hopefully he can get to 250 by the time fall rolls around.

Cory Mackay: Was 246 pounds and NOW 257 pounds

Looks like Mackay has finally found a home as he'll be lining up at Dend this spring. For reference, Mackay is now 2 pounds heavier than Andy Mattingly and faster. He's a redshirt freshmen, so we could be looking at something really special in a year or two.

James Montgomery: Was 192 pounds and NOW 202 pounds

Brandon Gibson is quoted as saying that Montgomery will be playing on Sundays. At 202 pounds that statement has a little more legitimacy. Hopefully we see him take the starting job in Spring and own it for the next two years. We need a dominant running back to take some of the pressure off of our QB's. When is the last time we had a bruising running back that could take it outside?

LOSERS:

Louis Bland: Was 203 pounds and NOW 202 pounds

Bland had a very solid start to his football career as an undersized true freshmen outside linebacker. I simply couldn't wait to see what Bland would be able to do after putting on 15 pounds. Now it looks like we'll have to wait another year to see what Bland would look like at 220. At 202 pounds he will still be giving away 20-30 pounds for a linebacker in the Pac-10. Hopefully the lack of weight gain means he's gotten leaner and faster. Will be one to watch when Spring practice starts.

Jeshua Anderson: Was 188 pounds and NOW 188 pounds

Not surprising given the track schedule that Anderson runs in the offseason. Last season Anderson was merely a guy that could run a fly pattern. It doesn't look like we'll be getting much more than that this season either.

Romeo Pellum: Was 179 pounds and NOW 179 pounds

No weight gain for a guy that was tiny on the field last year. He's tough and reasonably quick but right now his weight is the difference between being Lejuan Gibbons and Torey Hunter. Pellum at 195 pounds would be an honors candidate.

Kevin Kooyman: Was 247 pounds and NOW 246 pounds

Kooyman looked like a guy that could develop into a solid edge rusher with real run stopping capability as a freshmen. With no real progress in the weight room we might be saying that same thing about him after he's graduated.

Overall, the progress in the weight room should be really encouraging. The young guys are packing on a lot of pounds and that's also (hopefully) a really good sign that they are buying into the Wulff program in a big way. Another solid recruiting class and the same sorts of weight gains over the summer and next winter will put us on par with most teams in the Pac-10. Let's hope this spring is all about those redshirts from last year and how they look like instant upgrades at several positions.

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