Oregon State heads into the season with a major off-field question hanging over two players who have been practicing with the team.
Cornerback Exodus Ayers and linebacker Aiden Sullivan are both dealing with pending felony cases, and the school has not said whether either will be available when the Beavers open Sept. 5 at No. 23 Houston.
Ayers is facing 18 charges that include strangulation, coercion, assault, harassment, criminal mischief and unlawful dissemination of an intimate image. Sullivan is facing three assault charges. Both players have pleaded not guilty.
Oregon State athletic director Kevin Griffin said Thursday afternoon that the situation was still unresolved from the university’s side.
“Those are issues that will be addressed at the university level,” Griffin said Thursday afternoon. “We’ll have a conversation with coach (JaMarcus Shephard) and we’ll see; I don’t know.”
An Oregon State spokesman told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday that there was no update on whether Ayers and Sullivan would be allowed to play this season.
Ayers’ case, tied to an alleged incident in September 2024, has a status hearing scheduled for Monday morning. He did not appear in any games for Oregon State last season while his former girlfriend sought a temporary stalking order, which was later dropped in September 2025. In 2024, Ayers finished with 21 tackles, one forced fumble and two pass breakups in eight games.
Shephard addressed Ayers in late June, saying to The Oregonian/OregonLive that “in no way shape or form” did he condone the alleged actions, but also said he believed Ayers had been a positive presence on the team.
Sullivan’s case comes from an alleged incident at a bar in Corvallis on April 5, and his next hearing is set for Sept. 15. He led Oregon State’s returning players with 72 tackles last season, including seven for loss, and was expected to have a major role this fall, if not start.
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 Enters Season With Two Key Beavers Still In Limbo
Oregon State heads into the season with a pair of fifth-year seniors still working out with the team while their playing status remains unsettled. Jaheim Patterson and Van Wells are both around the program as the Beavers sort through the fallout from the pending NCAA appeal tied to a federal court case, leaving the coaching staff with two experienced pieces in place but not yet fully available.
Neither player has filed a separate lawsuit in Oregon to try to restore eligibility, and the appellate process could start moving into briefings soon. The uncertainty adds another wrinkle to a roster already navigating eligibility questions, and it comes with a familiar kind of wait-and-see tension for a team that would surely prefer clarity before the season fully settles in. [Read more 🡒]