Colorado State is bringing a lot of offensive firepower into Fort Collins, and Oregon State’s defense is walking into a real test. The Rams have built out a deep receiver group and pair it with a run game that has been tough to slow down, which makes this a useful measuring stick for a Beavers defense that has been sharp lately.
A big part of that challenge falls on the middle of Oregon State’s defense, where senior linebacker Easton Layne has been everywhere. The FCS transfer and Lake Oswego native has been a steady presence in the center of the unit, tracking down plays from sideline to sideline and showing he can handle some pass coverage duties too.
Against UTEP last Saturday, Layne finished with eight total tackles, along with a sack and a pass deflection. With Aiden Sullivan playing well and Kord Shaw recently breaking through, Oregon State has real strength at linebacker.
That group will matter plenty this week against a Colorado State offense averaging nearly six yards per carry through its first four games.
The Beavers also got a much-needed boost from AJ Newberry in the backfield. The Vanderbilt transfer ran through a vulnerable UTEP front seven last weekend and topped 100 yards for the first time in his Oregon State career.
He created plenty on his own, making defenders miss with cuts in the backfield and piling up yards after contact. It was the kind of outing that showed he can be an every-down back for the Beavers.
Cornell Hatcher still needs to stay involved, but Newberry looks like the back who should be central to Oregon State’s offense this week, especially against a Colorado State defense that has had trouble stopping the run.
Offensively, Oregon State also needs to keep the ball spreading beyond Jesse Legree, who remains one of the nation’s leading receivers. That has happened over the last two weeks, and it matters.
Against UTEP, six different targets caught at least two passes, including tight end Eric Olsen, who put up 79 receiving yards and made a major impact. Getting the tight ends involved is a huge plus, but the Beavers also need wideouts Aaron Butler and Aeryn Hampton to keep producing.
Coach Shephard also singled out true freshman Jameson Powell after his touchdown catch against UTEP and suggested he could take on a bigger role if he keeps handling the small details more consistently. Cynai Thomas and Xayvion Noland are other names worth watching in what could turn into a high-scoring afternoon on Saturday.
In Other News...
Oregon State Suddenly Has A Secondary Problem At The Worst Time
Oregon State heads into its Pac-12 opener at Colorado State carrying an issue in the secondary that comes at a particularly awkward time. The Beavers are already dealing with a thin group at cornerback, with injuries and availability questions leaving the staff to sort through an unsettled rotation before a road conference game that should have helped set the tone for the season.
Freshman cornerback Kai Wheaton is out, and Trey Glasper is questionable with a foot injury, adding to a list of moving parts at a spot where depth is already tight. Oregon State may have no more than four true corners available, which means every snap could matter a little more than usual while the Beavers try to patch things together and keep their opener from becoming a test of survival on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Uncertainty Around Oklahoma State Could Soon Matter To Oregon State
The ripple effects from realignment still have a way of reaching the most unexpected corners, and Oregon State has reason to keep one eye on the Big 12s shifting power structure. Oklahoma State has been dealing with plenty of noise around its athletic department, and the situation comes at a time when the conference landscape remains unsettled enough that leadership changes can carry more weight than they normally would.
Eric Morris football team has become part of the broader conversation because on-field results can shape how much patience administrators are willing to show. Add in the broader backdrop of conference politics, fan engagement pushes elsewhere and the kind of comparisons that always follow a program with Oklahoma States history, and it is easy to see why Beavers followers would track developments there closely. Even without a final answer yet, the next move in Stillwater could have more relevance in Corvallis than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Found An Early Season Difference-Maker Fans Didn't See Coming
Early this season, Oregon State got an unexpected boost from a transfer story that has become one of the more intriguing themes across college football. Braden Atkinson arrived from a lower division and quickly looked comfortable in a new setting, giving the Beavers a steady presence at quarterback while joining a growing list of players making the jump from FCS or beyond and immediately affecting games at the FBS level.
What makes Atkinson stand out is not just the volume of production, but the way it has translated into real relevance for Oregon State in the opening stretch. The Beavers have already seen him handle a major workload and deliver against high-profile competition, which is exactly the kind of early return that can change the outlook for a season even before conference play fully settles in. [Read more 🡒]