Oregon State football coach Gary Andersen said his team worked its collective tails off socially, athletically and academically in the offseason. He anticipates a much-improved team this fall. “Our goal should be that right now,” Andersen said Tuesday at the Beavers’ annual Media Day function in the Club Level of Reser Stadium. “Anything past there is flapping your lips. “Let’s be who we are. We expect to get better, and we’re excited about the opportunity. But we also respect [the Pac-12 Conference] and our opponents. “There will be ups and downs, backs and forths … dealing with adversity is something you always have to do, especially in this league. But I expect them to carry themselves with belief, a little bit of swagger, if you will. “It’s not deserved swagger at this point. But there is no doubt you can feel good about your team, especially when you’re going to compete against each other in camp for a month.” Displaced from their locker room by construction at the Valley Football Center, the Beavers will head to Bend on Thursday. Summit High School will serve as their home-away-from-home for a week while the finishing touches are applied to their new digs as work on the $42 million Victory Through Valley project continues. They will start fall practice on Friday morning. An open workout is scheduled for 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, also at Summit. Admission is free. On the field, Year II of the Andersen era starts on Thursday, Sept. 1, when the Beavers visit Minnesota in a 6 p.m. PDT game at TCF Bank Stadium that will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
