With the opener just nine days away, Oregon State still doesn’t know whether Jaheim Patterson and Van Wells will be cleared to play.
Both players returned to campus after a federal judge in Colorado issued an injunction that would have given athletes who started college in 2022 a fifth year of eligibility. Patterson and Wells, who would be fifth-year seniors this fall, have been able to keep practicing with the Beavers because the case is still moving through the appeals process.
That changed last week when the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a stay of the injunction, leaving hundreds of players ineligible while the appeal plays out.
As of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, OSU athletic director Kevin Griffin said Patterson and Wells are depending on that appellate process in the Colorado case, which could start briefing next week.
Neither player has filed for a temporary restraining order in Oregon to try to restore eligibility.
The uncertainty isn’t limited to football. Former OSU basketball forward Jorge Diaz Graham was one of more than 70 players granted a temporary restraining order by a California court on Aug. 18 to regain eligibility.
That case has not yet been affected, even though the NCAA has already won stays in at least three similar state court rulings this week. Diaz Graham’s twin brother, Guillermo, who played at San Francisco last season, has not entered the transfer portal either.
Griffin said it is also “unclear at the moment” whether Diaz Graham, who averaged 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds last season, will return to Oregon State.
Former OSU infielder Jacob Krieg is also part of the eligibility fight, having been among 41 athletes granted a temporary restraining order by a Dallas judge against the NCAA and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Just Landed A Recruit Few Programs Ever Get
Oklahoma State has been putting together a run of roster news that says as much about its reach as its ambitions. Eric Morris secured a commitment from a four-star offensive tackle who had been pledged to Arkansas, and that kind of win remains notable for any program trying to stock its line of scrimmage with proven talent. Around him, Jacie Hoyt added a fifth-year Big Ten player, while Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins both landed on ESPNs top-100 players list, giving the Cowboys a mix of experience, upside and recognition across the board.
Billy Waltons path adds another layer to the picture, since he first committed to Oklahoma State, spent time at SMU and is now finishing his career back with the Cowboys. The offensive tackle addition stands out even more because of how rare that type of recruiting victory has been for the program historically, which is why this latest move feels less like a routine flip and more like the kind of step that can change how a roster is viewed nationally. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Captain Picks Just Added Intrigue To One Key Battle
Oregon States leadership picture for 2026 is taking shape, and it reaches across every level of the roster. The Beavers announced six captains for the coming season, a group that includes quarterback Braden Atkinson, tight end DeCorion Temple, linebacker Dylan Layne, defensive tackle Daniel Matagi, offensive lineman Tyler Voltin and defensive back Sailasa Vadrawale III. It is a broad mix of positions and experience, the kind of spread that usually says as much about a teams identity as any depth chart does.
What makes the selection especially interesting is the timing, with the opener at Houston set for Sept. 5 and one of the most watched offseason questions still hanging over the offense. Atkinsons place among the captains adds another layer to that conversation, even as Oregon State continues sorting out who will command the huddle when the games start to count. For now, the Beavers have made one thing clear: leadership is not being reserved for a single side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Faces A Troubling Decision On Two Defensive Regulars
Oregon State has kept cornerback Exodus Ayers and linebacker Aiden Sullivan around the program as the Beavers continue fall camp, a situation that has put two familiar defensive pieces in the middle of a much bigger off-field question. Both players are practicing while facing pending felony charges, and both have pleaded not guilty, leaving the team to navigate the start of the season with important roster decisions still unresolved.
What happens next may depend as much on the courtroom calendar as on anything happening on the practice field. Athletic director Scott Barnes and coach Trent Bray have not said whether either player will be allowed to appear in games, and with court hearings approaching for both, the Beavers are facing a decision that carries obvious football and public-relations weight. [Read more 🡒]