As Oregon State works through the final stretch of fall camp, the questions hanging over Corvallis are starting to sharpen. The opener against Houston is set for September 5, and with JaMarcus Shephard’s staff installing a new culture, a revamped roster, and preparing for a new conference slate, Saturday’s second scrimmage looms large.
The quarterback race is still very much alive. Murphy, Atkinson, and Jones remain locked in a tight battle, and the staff has already suggested a starter could be named in the next few weeks.
That makes this scrimmage an important checkpoint not just for that room, but for the entire roster. The coaches will be watching closely to see who performs best in practice and under the lights before someone earns the first snap at Houston.
There’s also plenty of curiosity around what this offense is going to actually look like under Shephard and offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen. Both arrived in Corvallis after time at Washington and Alabama, and the expectation is that they’ll bring the kind of explosive approach they’ve used over the past couple of seasons. Their work at Washington stands out in particular, when they helped lead the nation in passing yards per game in 2022.
The offensive line remains another piece of the puzzle, especially with Van Wells and Jaheim Patterson nearing a return. Both are back practicing, and both bring multiple years of starting experience at the college level. The question now is how quickly they can settle into new schemes and new coaching ideas while also getting back to peak form.
And then there’s the Anthony Hankerson situation, which could change the whole shape of the offense. Emerging reports and recent legal rulings have opened the door for him to potentially regain college eligibility and return to Oregon State for another season.
Hankerson recently signed a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, but he also has back-to-back 1,000-plus yard rushing seasons in Corvallis and served as a respected team captain. If he is cleared and decides to play again, the Beavers would suddenly have a proven bell-cow back, a runner with elite vision and veteran leadership who could ease the load on the new quarterback and raise the ceiling of the offense.
In Other News...
Oregon States Roster Just Showed A Promising Trait Late In Exhibition Win
Oregon States exhibition win over the University of Victoria offered a useful early look at a roster trying to find its rhythm, and the Beavers did enough in a 92-88 victory to leave with some encouraging signs. Daniel Freitag paced the offense with 24 points, while DeShawn Gory added 22 points and nine rebounds as Oregon State carried a 52-41 lead into halftime.
The most eye-catching part of the night was how reliably the Beavers converted at the line, a trait that can swing close games once the real season starts. In a preseason setting, that kind of composure matters, especially for a team that had to hold off a late push to finish the job and keep a promising performance from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Heavyweight Future Just Made A Big World Stage Statement
The U20 World Championships in Slovakia offered another reminder that the next wave of heavyweight talent is already making noise on a global stage. Dreshaun Ross, the freshman who continues to look like a future force in the upper weights, and Landon Robideau both reached the podium for Oklahoma State, giving the U.S. more proof that its developmental pipeline is producing international contenders across the lineup.
Ross came away with silver in the heavyweight bracket, while Robideau added a bronze at 70 kilograms as the Americans placed in all 10 weight classes and won the team race with 205 points. For a program and a fan base that track every sign of future impact closely, the headline is not just the medals themselves but how quickly these wrestlers are turning age-group success into something that feels a lot closer to the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Fall Camp Is Revealing Early Difference Makers Fast
Oregon States fall camp has started to sort out who is making an early push for bigger roles, and the list of standouts is already starting to take shape. Running back AJ Newberry has been one of the most notable newcomers drawing attention, while wide receiver Aeryn Hampton has also shown enough during the early work to keep his name in the conversation as the Beavers build toward the opener. Even on the other side of the ball, the camp has been offering hints about which young players are ready to push into the rotation.
Quarterback Braden Atkinson is part of that growing wave of intrigue, and the staffs evaluation of him will be one of the more closely watched storylines as camp rolls on. The same is true for TJ Crandall, whose return to the defensive backfield has added another layer to the competition, while strength coach Jeff Eatons influence continues to show up in how this group is handling the physical demands of August. Oregon State still has time before the season begins, but the early signs suggest camp is doing exactly what a good camp should do: separating the merely promising from the players who are starting to matter. [Read more 🡒]