CORVALLIS - It has been a quiet season for Sammie Stroughter, but he likes it that way.

He’s coming off a rough year on and off the field that played out in public, so the standout senior wide receiver for the Oregon State football team enjoys blending in and just being one of the guys.

The deaths of three loved ones, Stroughter’s depression that followed and kept him away from the team, a brief return and then a kidney injury were focal points of the early portion of last season before he turned it into a medical redshirt year.

Those problems are a distant memory now as he’s putting together a solid final season. It’s not filled with big plays that highlighted his breakout junior season in 2006, but one that’s helping the Beavers win.

“I’m having fun,” Stroughter said. “I’m ecstatic being around these guys. It’s winding down, so we have to go out there and buckle down. We have to enhance ourselves and step up in our roles. We want to go somewhere we haven’t been before.”

The next opportunity to draw closer to his team goal is Saturday night with a Pacific-10 Conference game in Reser Stadium against Arizona State. The Sun Devils also happen to be the opponent that Stroughter injured his kidney against.

Stroughter leads the team in receiving with 38 catches for 496 yards and four touchdowns. The longest reception was 55 yards, but most of his catches have been in the intermediate range.

He averages 70.9 yards a game and 13 yards a reception. His best outing was a 12-catch effort for 157 yards and two touchdowns against Stanford in the opener.

“It’s still all there,” receivers coach Jay Locey said of the big plays. “It just hasn’t shown up at this point, yet. But it’s all still there. Sammie is a big-play guy. Everybody knows that, including opponents.”

Stroughter was the go-to player in 2006. He had 74 catches for 1,293 and five touchdowns. He averaged 17.5 yards a catch and 92.4 yards a game.

Now the go-to receiver changes each game. It could be Shane Morales or James Rodgers.

Part of Stroughter’s statistical drop and reason for a more diverse passing game has been because opponents give him extra attention.

However, that doesn’t bother him if that allows everyone else to have one-on-one coverage.

“It’s not all about me taking the coverage,” Stroughter said. “When their names are getting called, they are making plays. They may think we just have Sam, but we have other players, too. We are also competitors, so we push ourselves. When someone makes a play, it makes everyone else try harder.”

The receivers have performed at a high level from the first game. Morales matches Stroughter’s numbers with 36 catches for 498 yards and four touchdowns.

Rodgers is a dual receiving and running threat. He has 28 receptions for 336 yards and four touchdowns to go with his 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

“They are all hard workers and doing a good job blocking and doing all the things they need to be complete football players,” Locey said. “Sammie has done a good job of teaching them. It has been a team thing about pushing each other to get better.”

Stroughter’s punt returns haven’t been as game-breaking as in 2006 either, but they have made a difference in the games. He averages 9.4 yards a return with a long of 43 yards. That places him fourth in the Pac-10.

His 2006 average was 15.1 yards a return and there were three returned for a touchdown, which is a school record.

“I may not get a touchdown, but if I get a 30-yard return for field position I’m doing my job,” Stroughter said. “I can make a big difference in the game. And the guys are coming together blocking.”

The numbers don’t appear to be as good as when he was last at full strength, but Stroughter’s contribution is more than his numbers. He’s one of the emotional leaders on the team.

Young players look up to him to learn how to play, and veterans look to him for encouragement.

“He’s doing everything you want him to do in terms of route running, catching the ball and leadership,” Locey said. “He brings energy to practice. He helps coach up the young players.”