For Buccaneer Sammie Stroughter life is a stride

Here he was in Corvallis,OR again, on the same sidelines he once roamed for 4 years as a Beaver. Only this time, Sammie Stroughter wasn’t the one doing the catching or the showboating.

Well, not really.

A quick pass toward the corner of the end zone sent Stoughter scurrying out of the way…”I’ve got no insurance” he said to the camera, interviewing him for the first time on Reser Stadium since he achieved two 1,000 yard seasons for Oregon State in 2006 and 2008. 

In between, Stroughters life was filled with sorrow; in the summer of 2007 multiple deaths in the family grieved him, and then after still making the season opener, bruised his kidney against Arizona State which killed his season.

But Sammie knows only resiliency and determination. He was given another year of eligibility after the 07 tragedy, and made the most of it with a 1040 yard campaign in his Sr. year. 

He impressed coaches with the Bucs almost from Day One. “Stroughter’s been one of the pleasant surprises of the camp,” coach Raheem Morris said. “You talk about mentally tough, talk about a guy who can go inside and make plays and get vertical, he’s impressive. I like everything about him.”

He not only made the team, he got significant playing time. Time that would pay off as the Bucs won their first game of the year behind new QB Josh Freeman and Sammie’s game winning TD grab. Before that, he became the 3rd person in Bucs history to return a Kick Off for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers. 

Stroughter has settled into his role as the third receiver for now, with the emergence of Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn, but thats not going to stop Sammie Stroughter from achieving anything he sets his mind out to do.

All 5’10” 189 pounds of him!