Oregon State may be bracing for a significant loss on defense, while a few key pieces on the offensive line and at receiver are moving closer to a return.
Inside linebacker Kord Shaw, who sat out last week’s win over San Diego State with an unspecified injury, is “not going to be available anytime soon,” according to Beavers coach JaMarcus Shephard. Oregon State is still waiting on a final evaluation to learn whether Shaw can make it back this season. Shaw has been one of the team’s more productive reserves, sitting seventh on the roster with 20 tackles and one pass breakup.
The encouraging news for the Beavers comes elsewhere, especially up front. Left tackle Josiah Timoteo missed his third straight game because of a foot injury he suffered in the season opener against Houston, but Shephard said he could have been used in an emergency against SDSU. Instead, Oregon State kept him out to give the injury more time to heal, and Timoteo practiced Sunday.
“We’re doing our due diligence,” Shephard said. “We know it’s a long season, so we want to make sure we take care of him.”
Interior offensive lineman Carter Guillaume, who has now missed five straight games with a foot injury also suffered against Houston, is trending the same way. He was ruled out last Wednesday, but he still dressed and went through pregame warmups for the first time since getting hurt.
Shephard said he would have liked to get Guillaume a few snaps late against SDSU just to let him absorb some in-game contact again, but that chance never came because he had already been ruled out. Even so, Shephard said Guillaume is “closer to being ready to go” this week.
Receiver Xayvion Noland also appears on track to return. He was a game-time decision last week because of an unspecified injury, though he ultimately did not play. Noland dressed out and took part in all of pregame warmups, and Shephard said he “should be available this week.”
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 🡒]
JaMarcus Shephard Hinted At Roster Changes That Could Hit Oregon State Hard
JaMarcus Shephard spent his Monday press conference looking back at Oregon States win over San Diego State and ahead to a tricky matchup with Washington State, but much of the conversation quickly shifted to the kind of midseason roster maintenance that can shape a teams next few weeks. The Beavers head coach praised the defense and his coaching staff, and he also reflected on his own ties to Washington State as he described this stretch of the season as an important one for sorting out where the team stands.
Shephard did offer updates on availability, injuries and other roster movement, which made the session feel bigger than a routine victory recap. For Oregon State, the concern now is how those changes might affect depth and continuity as the schedule tightens, especially with the Cougars coming into view and the middle of the season demanding answers fast. [Read more 🡒]