Report: Oregon State Beavers countdown to kickoff elite top rated key man

The Oregon State Beavers kick off the 2024 season at home against Idaho State on Aug. 31. To count down the days, The Oregonian/OregonLive is featuring mini-profiles of notable Beavers, both past and present, whose jersey numbers match the days remaining until the opening game.

Today, No. 60: Offensive linemen Len Younce, Chris Gibson, and Alex Linnenkohl.

**Len Younce**
– **Bio:** A Roosevelt High School alum, Younce played on both offense and defense and was also a punter during his time at Oregon State from 1938-1940. After his NFL career, he coached the offensive line at Oregon State from 1949 to 1954. Younce passed away in 2000 at the age of 83.
– **Key achievements:** Younce excelled as a punter and guard, earning All-Coast honors in 1940 and second-team honors in 1939 when the Beavers went 9-1-1 and played in the Pineapple Bowl. He was named honorable mention All-American in 1940. He participated in the 1941 East-West Shrine Game and was inducted into both the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Oregon State Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
– **NFL:** Drafted by the New York Giants in the eighth round of the 1941 NFL draft, Younce spent six years with the team, earning All-Pro honors in 1944 and a spot on the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team.

**Chris Gibson**
– **Bio:** Recruited from Roseburg High School, where he won two Class 4A football championships.
– **Key achievements:** Gibson, one of Oregon State’s top centers, lettered from 1998 to 2000. In 2000, he was named third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-10 after leading the Beavers to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame. He was second-team All-Pac-10 in 2001.

**Alex Linnenkohl**
– **Bio:** Recruited from Capital High School in Olympia, Washington, Linnenkohl redshirted in 2006 and became a starter in 2008.
– **Key achievements:** Named second-team All-Pac-10 in 2010 after earning honorable mention in 2009.
– **NFL:** Signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears.

**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: Linemen 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.