Oregon State walked out of TDECU Stadium with a 33-20 loss to No. 23 Houston on Saturday afternoon, and JaMarcus Shephard’s postgame message centered on a team that took some punches, showed some fight and still left with plenty to clean up.
Shephard said Eddie Freauff is “week to week.” He also said there was no initial word on Carter Guillame’s left foot, while the hope is for Harlem Howard to be back next week.
Special teams had mixed results. Shephard said Caleb Ojeda had made a lot of kicks during fall camp and had the leg for it on Saturday, but missed. He added that he was pleased with the operation overall on special teams, while also calling out the kickoff that went out of bounds.
The turnovers stood out in both directions for Oregon State. Shephard called them a bright spot, but said the Beavers also put the ball in jeopardy a couple of times.
Tackling was another issue. Shephard said it “has to be cleaned up” and said it didn’t go as well as anticipated.
On the key downs, Shephard pointed to early nerves and said Oregon State has to execute better on third and fourth downs. He also said of the run game, “We got to take a look at some of our ground game stuff.”
On a third-and-six situation, Shephard said Vadrawale played well, but Houston made a play.
Still, he saw a response from his team.
“Thought there was a moment there where our team showed a tremendous amount of grit.”
He also praised Braden Atkinson, saying he showed he was a leader.
By the end of the press conference, Shephard made clear he didn’t think this game would define the Beavers.
“I don’t think this particular game will define our football team.” He said the staff will look at the information and build from there.
His closing note was simple.
“What a football game.” He said there were a lot of elements to it, that he was proud of the team, and that “We grew today as a football team.”
In Other News...
Indiana Looked Like A Top 10 Team From The Start
Saturdays opening weekend gave the college football rankings plenty to sort through, but a few teams wasted no time making their case. Ohio State rolled past Ball State behind big days from Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin, Indiana handled North Texas with a balanced showing in its opener, and Alabama looked sharp in a comfortable win over East Carolina as Keelon Russell made his first start.
For Oregon State, though, the early conversation already feels a little more complicated after Houston came away with a 33-20 win. The Beavers had enough offense to stay in the game, but the result left them in the position so many teams face in September: trying to figure out what a tough opener says about the bigger picture, and how much of that first impression can still be reshaped before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Loss Raised A Bigger Concern Than The Final Score
Houstons 33-20 win over Oregon State at TDECU Stadium looked like a straightforward early-season result on the scoreboard, but Willie Fritz spent his postgame time talking about the details that tend to decide whether a team can really sustain success. The head coach pointed to the running game, some uneven tackling, and a few key moments that swung field position and momentum, including a sack by Javion White and a late big play from Amare Thomas.
For a team still sorting out what it is defensively and where the offense can be more consistent, those are the kinds of issues that matter beyond one loss. Fritz also mentioned individual performances and areas that need to improve, which is usually the sign of a coach trying to separate fixable mistakes from broader concerns. In other words, the final score was only part of the story, and not necessarily the biggest part. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Found New Firepower But One Opener Concern Lingers
Oregon States opener offered a look at some immediate offensive upside, even in a loss to No. 23 Houston. True freshman Jesse Legree wasted little time announcing himself in his collegiate debut, flashing the kind of playmaking that can change a passing game, while quarterback Braden Atkinson settled into his first start with plenty of volume and a steady enough hand to keep the Beavers moving through the air.
The problem for Oregon State was that the new firepower did not fully translate into a win, and that is where the lingering concern comes in. The Beavers still had defensive highlights from Sailasa Vadrawale III, who came away with an interception and a fumble recovery, but the opener also left enough questions about how quickly all the pieces can come together when the competition gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]