(born January 2, 1983) There was a time a football coach who shall not be named told a young Mike Hass he would not be a successful player.

That was a severe misjudgment. The quiet man with the soft hands from Wilsonville would go from high school legend to Beaver fan favorite, setting his share of records along the way.

At Jesuit High School, Hass was a double threat on offense and defense with an uncanny nose for the football. In Mike’s senior season, the Crusaders won the state championship with one of the most dynamic lineups in Oregon history.

Mike Hass was an almost unstoppable force on offense, catching 79 passes for 1,739 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was named state offensive player of the year and first team all-state and metro league on both sides of the ball.

The Crusaders quarterfinal game against Central Catholic was the seminal moment of that season. The two rivals were ranked co-number one in the state. The game was played the day after Thanksgiving in a thick fog at Hillsboro Stadium. Hass was unstoppable. He scored 7 touchdowns, 6 on offense, 1 on defense. The much-hyped showdown ended in a 55-20 rout.

Two weeks later, Hass would return another interception for a score, clinching a 38-28 win over North Medford in the championship game.

Despite all his prep accomplishments, Mike Hass was not offered a major college scholarship. Another misjudgment. Hass walked on at Oregon State and won a scholarship based on special teams play. That led to three straight 1,000 yard seasons as a starting receiver. That was a first for any PAC10 receiver.

Mike’s senior season was brilliant: 90 catches 1532 yards and 6 TD. He was named to three All-America teams and won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver in the nation. The award’s namesake, Fred Biletnikoff shared Hass’ best attributes as a heady, sure handed pass catcher.

In just three seasons, Mike Hass set the Oregon State record for career receiving yards with 3,924. His 293-yard game vs Boise State set the conference record for a single game.

It’s a pretty simple story. If you throw a football anywhere near him, Mike Hass will catch it. Whether or not anyone thinks so.