Nece Keeps Starting Job

An inspired Ryan Nece held off fast-charging freshman Marcus Reese to retain his job as a starting outside linebacker, but Eric Whitfield lost the No. 1 spot at strong safety to Lovell Houston in lineup changes made Thursday.

The Nece-Reese battle was the more intriguing, since it involved a position with an incumbent who was supposed to be entrenched and who last season was honorable mention All-Pacific 10. Nece had also been playing well this season, but Reese has made such a strong showing that coaches gave him a chance to move into the opening lineup Saturday at Oregon State.

Nece, who would have 16 consecutive starts at linebacker had he not been suspended the first two weeks of this season, took it as a personal challenge, and made no attempt to hide it. Then he responded.

“It would be disappointing for me to lose that position,” he said. “That’s a reflection on how you play. You have pride in keeping a job.”

Said Coach Bob Toledo: “If you’re threatened, there’s two ways to respond. You can cash it in or you can work harder. Ryan’s worked harder.”

Reese will still play a lot, maybe even more than Nece, since Reese plays in nickel defenses that could be common against Oregon State’s passing game.

The switch at defensive back, meanwhile, may barely rate a ripple, since it is only the latest alteration there. Houston becomes the fifth starter in eight games at strong safety, just after Whitfield had the longest reign, three weeks. His chances of four were hurt by missing practice Monday and Tuesday because of illness after Toledo had opened the job for a possible move, but even greater was Whitfield’s play in games.

The opportunity comes to Houston without much preparation. He worked out with the first team this week and played some safety last Saturday against California. He is even more inexperienced, however, than his status as a redshirt freshman would indicate, having spent the early part of the season on the edge of the secondary rotation after missing spring practice while recovering from shoulder injuries, and much of fall camp because of hamstring problems.