The Oregon State Beavers are 60 days away from starting the 2024 season on Aug. 31.
The Oregon State Beavers start the 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against Idaho State. The Oregonian/OregonLive will count down the days with mini-profiles of prominent former and current Beavers whose jersey numbers correspond with the days remaining until the opening kickoff.
Today, No. 60: Offensive linemen Len Younce, Chris Gibson and Alex Linnenkohl.
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Bio: Younce, out of Roosevelt High School, played offense, defense, and punted during his football career. He starred at Oregon State from 1938-1940. Following his NFL playing days, Younce coached the offensive line at Oregon State from 1949 through 1954. Younce died in 2000 at the age of 83.
Key achievements: Younce was a standout punter and guard for the Beavers. He was named All-Coast in 1940 after receiving second-team honors the previous season when the Beavers went 9-1-1 and appeared in the Pineapple Bowl. Younce was named honorable mention All-American that season.
Younce played in the 1941 East-West Shrine Game. He was inducted into the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and into the Oregon State Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
NFL: The New York Giants selected Younce in the eighth round of the 1941 NFL draft. He spent six years with the Giants and was named All-Pro in 1944. Younce was also selected to the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team.
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Bio: Gibson was recruited out of Roseburg High School, where he won back-to-back Class 4A football championships.
Key achievements: Gibson, one of the best centers in program history, lettered from 1998 to 2000. As a junior in 2000, he was named third-team All-American after anchoring an offensive line that helped lead the Beavers to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame. Gibson was also named first-team All-Pac-10 that season and followed up by being named second-team in 2001.
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Bio: The Beavers recruited Linnenkohl out of Capital High School in Olympia, Wash. He redshirted in 2006, then saw action in two games in 2007 before becoming a starter in 2008.
Key achievements: Linnenkohl was named second-team All-Pac-10 in 2010 after being named honorable mention in 2009.
NFL: Linnenkohl went undrafted but signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears.
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PRIOR COUNTDOWN POSTS
No. 61: Offensive lineman Adam Koets.
No. 62: The 1962 OSU football team.
No. 63: Defensive lineman Craig Hannerman and offensive lineman Gus Lavaka.
No. 64: Offensive lineman Nathan Eldridge.
No. 65: Offensive lineman Doug Nienhuis.
No. 66: Offensive lineman Andy Levitre.
No. 67: Offensive lineman Roy Schuening.
No. 68: Offensive lineman Brandon Kipper.
No. 69: Guard Josh Andrews.
No. 70: Center Jake Levengood.
No. 71: Defensive lineman Jon Sandstrom.
No. 72: Offensive lineman Robert Sykes.
No. 73: Offensive lineman Blake Brandel.
No. 74: Defensive tackle Kevin Frahm.
No. 75: Offensive linemen Taliese Fuaga, John Witte and Kyle DeVan.
No. 76: Offensive lineman Fletcher Keister.
No. 77: Defensive lineman Pellom McDaniels and offensive lineman Sean Harlow.
No. 78: Offensive lineman Jeff Hart
No. 79: Linnemen Vic Sears and Ted Bates
No. 80: A quartet of wide receivers
No. 81: Tight end Phil Ross
No. 82: Wide receiver Robert Prescott
No. 83: Wide receiver James Battle
No. 84: Tight end Tim Euhus
No. 85: Defensive lineman Dennis Boyd
No. 86: Defensive end Obum Gwacham
No. 87: Tight end Joe Halahuni
No. 88: Tight end Luke Musgrave
No. 89: Tight end Connor Hamlett
No. 90: Defensive linemen Bill Swancutt and Victor Butler.
No. 82: Wide receiver Robert Prescott
No. 83: Wide receiver James Battle
No. 84: Tight end Tim Euhus
No. 85: Defensive lineman Dennis Boyd
No. 86: Defensive end Obum Gwacham
No. 87: Tight end Joe Halahuni
No. 88: Tight end Luke Musgrave
No. 89: Tight end Connor Hamlett
No. 90: Defensive linemen Bill Swancutt and Victor Butler
