CORVALLIS - Oregon State’s defense is drawing praise, the injury picture is still unsettled, and JaMarcus Shephard says this stretch of the season matters.
Ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Washington State at 3 p.m. on USA, the Oregon State coach broke down the Beavers’ win over San Diego State and looked ahead to the Cougars during his game-week press conference.
Shephard said the defense has been “outstanding” so far and pointed to defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre and the rest of the defensive staff for the work behind it. He also said Washington State is playing “really good defense.”
The middle of the season, in Shephard’s view, is a crucial point. He compared it to the middle eight minutes of a game, saying that period is especially important.
There were also several personnel updates. Kord Shaw “won’t be available anytime soon,” and Shephard said he could be out for the season.
Josiah Timoteo “could have gone” last week and might be in a similar spot again this week. Carter Guillaume “was close” to being available, but the decision had already been made to hold him out.
Xayvion Noland had “a slight hiccup” during the week and should be available this week.
Exodus Ayers is no longer with the program, and Shephard said that was a university decision.
On Chad Johnson’s return to campus last week, Shephard said it came through connections via Johnson’s agent.
Shephard also highlighted Jabari Odoemenem, saying the staff challenged him in front of the team last week. “It was amazing to watch it.”
Kwan Johnson’s role came up as well, with Shephard saying responsibilities evolve and praising his attitude through the process. “When that moment came up, you saw the sideline erupt.”
And in discussing his own background, Shephard said his time at Washington State was “monumental” in importance to his career.
He also noted that Trent Bray was “very important to this community.”
Oregon State will try to stretch its winning streak to five games on Saturday against the Cougars.
In Other News...
Oregon State Rolled But Two Concerns Still Followed The Beavers
Oregon States 66-14 win over San Diego State at Reser Stadium looked like the kind of complete performance a coach wants to bottle up and save for later. The Beavers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides, with the offense rolling and the defense delivering a steady answer whenever the Aztecs tried to settle in. Jesse Legree was among the players who stood out, and the overall feel was of a team that dictated the game rather than reacting to it.
Still, the cleanest wins usually leave a few things to sort through, and this one was no exception. The return of Pac-12 referees added its own layer, with a handful of officiating mistakes mixed into the afternoon, while Oregon State also had some issues to clean up in the kicking game and at cornerback. After a lopsided result like this, those are the kinds of details that matter most, because better opponents tend to find every crack. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Now Faces A New Problem In Washington State Game
Washington State is adding a fresh wrinkle for Oregon State to sort out this week, with coach Kirby Moore turning to Owen Eshelman at quarterback. Eshelman redshirted last year and has been preparing as the starter, so the Beavers will now have to game-plan for a quarterback they have not seen in college action yet.
The move comes after Caden Pinnick struggled through the first six games, leaving Washington State in search of a spark on offense. For Oregon State, it means another layer of uncertainty in a matchup where the Cougars are trying to reset the position and make the Beavers adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Gets Needed Reinforcements As One Injury Concern Grows
Oregon State is getting some welcome signs of help as the season moves along, even if the injury picture is still uneven. Receiver Xayvion Noland is expected to be available this week after missing the previous game, which gives the Beavers another option as they try to steady the offense and keep some rhythm going around a line that has been shorthanded.
The bigger concern remains on the defensive side, where linebacker Kord Shaw is not close to a return and appears unlikely to be back this season. Along the offensive front, there is some movement in the right direction: left tackle Josiah Timoteo has been practicing again, and interior lineman Carter Guillaume is edging nearer to being ready, giving Oregon State at least a little hope that its front could get healthier soon. [Read more 🡒]