CORVALLIS - Oregon State’s passing game has grabbed the headlines through two weeks, but the Beavers know the other side of the offense has a long way to go.
Mitch Dahlen isn’t pretending otherwise. The numbers show Oregon State owns the No. 3 passing offense in the country, and that’s come against two ranked Big 12 teams.
A sophomore quarterback is leading the nation in passing yards per game, and a freshman receiver is doing the same. For a rebuilding offense, that’s been the surprise.
The run game, though, has been stuck in neutral.
Oregon State sits at the bottom of the country in rushing production, though that comes with a couple of caveats: the Beavers have also run the fewest times through two games, and they’ve been facing defensive lines that have given them a real test from the start.
Still, the goal inside the building hasn’t changed. This is not an Air Raid outfit, even if JaMarcus Shephard spent a year working for Mike Leach. There’s still a clear desire to be physical, control the line of scrimmage and make the ground game part of the identity.
“(Dahlen) wants to impose our will in the trenches and in the run game,” tight end DeCorion Temple said. “Once we get the run game going, it’s going to be hard to stop a two-headed monster like that. But we know as an offense we want to run the ball and we know we need to do better to run the ball.”
That’s why Montana feels like a more revealing measuring stick for this part of Oregon State’s offense. The Beavers have had to battle through difficult matchups up front, but this week offers a better chance to see whether the line can start creating real space.
Left guard Nathan Elu said the issue starts with the front five.
“If the run game isn’t doing that well, it’s most likely because of the offensive line,” Elu said. “I think we were a little bit more productive (against Texas Tech), but nowhere (near) where we want to be.”
Dahlen said the Beavers need cleaner double teams and better work at the second level so linebackers aren’t crashing down before backs can build momentum.
“We have to get to the second level and not let linebackers come downhill flying for two-yard gains,” Dahlen said. “We really don’t have that many (tackles for loss), but we really don’t have that many five-plus runs either.”
The explosive runs have been scarce. Oregon State has only two carries longer than 10 yards, and one of those came from receiver Aaron Butler on a 20-yard run.
The backfield has yet to find a rhythm, either. AJ Newberry has handled 12 carries, the most of any of Oregon State’s five running backs, but has only 25 yards to show for it. Kourdey Glass has six carries, Cornell Hatcher Jr. has seven for 24 yards, and Jake Reichle had four carries for 14 yards against Texas Tech while also helping in pass protection.
Shephard said he wants to keep spreading the ball around, but the larger issue is obvious: no one has caught fire yet.
“We got to get one of them hot,” Shephard said.
This week’s focus has been on the basics - blocking, running and the little details that make the whole thing work. Oregon State has made “persistence” its word of the week, and Shephard said the backs still have room to grow in areas like following blocks, pad level and knee drive.
“Those basic foundations for some teams were already in place at some places that I’ve been,” Shephard said. “We’re having to build that here at Oregon State.”
Montana (3-0) at Oregon State (0-2)
In Other News...
Oregon State Has One Week 3 Result Fans Need To Watch Closely
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One result that deserves a closer look is West Virginias visit to Virginia, a game being staged in Charlotte and carrying real measuring-stick value for the Mountaineers before Oklahoma State comes to Morgantown next week. It is the kind of early-season crossover that can quietly tell you plenty about where a Big 12 team stands, even if the attention on Saturday is split among several other games with their own intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Knows Montana Is No Easy Opener
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The respect is rooted in the personnel, too, with Oregon State noting quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat and running back Eli Gillman as players who can shape the game. For a team trying to open the season on the right foot, the message from the locker room was simple enough - the Beavers know they will need a full week of preparation and clean execution if they want to avoid giving Montana an early edge. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Suddenly Needs Blake Thompson To Grow Up Fast
Blake Thompson has gone from a name tucked deep on the depth chart to a cornerback Oregon State suddenly has to trust, and the redshirt freshmans rise has been one of the quieter but more important developments of the season. After not seeing the field as a true freshman, the 6-foot-1 defensive back has earned playing time with his athleticism, tackling and competitiveness, traits that coaches JaMarcus Shephard and Mike MacIntyre have both singled out as reasons his future could be much bigger than his current role.
The Beavers liked Thompson enough as a recruit to view him as a higher-end talent in the 2025 class, and the early returns have matched that belief with real progress and growing confidence. What makes his emergence so relevant now is the timing, because Oregon State is discovering whether a young corner who still has plenty to learn can handle a bigger load when the defense needs him most. [Read more 🡒]