CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State’s football momentum has turned into something hard to ignore, and the Beavers are rolling into their meeting with Washington State with a roster that looks lively, deep and built around a few fast-rising stars.
The buzz starts with JaMarcus Shephard, whose arrival last November gave Oregon State a new face and a new edge. He came in after two seasons as Alabama’s co-offensive coordinator under Kalen DeBoer, following DeBoer from Washington in 2024.
Shephard also knows this week’s opponent from his time at Washington State under the late Mike Leach, where he spent one season working with River Cracraft. At Oregon State, his presence has already taken hold.
“Every single player on our team is important,” Shephard told reporters Saturday after the Beavers’ win over San Diego State.
That win was another sign of how much is clicking. Oregon State has been building quietly for months, not just with a head-coaching hire, but with line depth and a group of young playmakers on both sides of the ball. The result has been a team that looks energized from top to bottom.
Even Chad Johnson came back around last week, reuniting with his old team at practice for the first time since he played for the Beavers in 2000. He is expected back again this weekend for Oregon State’s game against Washington State on Saturday.
But the biggest spark right now belongs to Jesse Legree, who is putting together a freshman season that has turned heads nationally. The Baltimore native was a cornerback as a senior at St. Frances Academy, yet he now sits atop all of NCAA football in receiving production.
Against San Diego State, Legree caught 10 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns, both a career high in receptions and a huge step in an already electric run. He also set a program record with six straight 100-yard receiving games, breaking the previous mark of five held by Mike Hass in 2005 and Brandin Cooks in 2013.
Through 38 catches, Legree has piled up 932 yards and 12 touchdowns, and the way he attacks all three levels of the field has put him in the middle of growing Heisman Trophy chatter. After his 71-yard touchdown grab Saturday, he struck the famous pose made famous by Desmond Howard in the end zone.
“It’s because I am making history every week,” Legree told reporters after the game Saturday. “You haven’t seen freshmen do this.”
On the other side of the ball, Oregon State is also getting real production from Takari Hickle, a Tenino, Wash., native and small-school product who is having a breakout 2026 season. Health has been a big part of that jump, and Hickle has become a key piece of the defensive front Shephard wanted to create.
Hickle leads the Beavers with 3.5 sacks and ranks second on the team with 30 tackles, a strong showing off the edge for a player who has settled in quickly under the new staff.
“It feels different - but different in all the right ways,” Hickle told reporters after a recent game. “It’s a positive change.”
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 🡒]
Oregon State Gets Needed Reinforcements As One Injury Concern Grows
Oregon State is getting some welcome signs of help as the season moves along, even if the injury picture is still uneven. Receiver Xayvion Noland is expected to be available this week after missing the previous game, which gives the Beavers another option as they try to steady the offense and keep some rhythm going around a line that has been shorthanded.
The bigger concern remains on the defensive side, where linebacker Kord Shaw is not close to a return and appears unlikely to be back this season. Along the offensive front, there is some movement in the right direction: left tackle Josiah Timoteo has been practicing again, and interior lineman Carter Guillaume is edging nearer to being ready, giving Oregon State at least a little hope that its front could get healthier soon. [Read more 🡒]