Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson is glad Jesse Legree got to make his announcement surrounded by the people closest to him, but he’s not reading anything into it for his own future.
Legree said last Friday that he plans to return to Oregon State next season, and Atkinson said he appreciated the way the news came together for his teammate. Atkinson had heard a little advance notice that Legree was going to make the decision public, but he said it didn’t change anything about where his own head is at.
“For me, right now, I’m just focused on the season. I’m focused on Fresno State. Just like wcoach jaMarcus Sheppard says, going one and 0 every day,” Atkinson said during a media session Tuesday morning at the Valley Football Center.
Atkinson said he was especially happy that Legree’s announcement came in Baltimore, where Legree played for St. Frances Academy, after Oregon State had a bye last week and before players returned to practice on Sunday. The timing gave Legree a chance to share the moment with friends and family, something Atkinson clearly respected.
“I’m just extremely proud of him,” Atkinson said. “I mean, all the work he’s put in, and to go back home and do it in front of your friends and family, especially a guy like Jesse, where he didn’t really have a signing day. It’s really cool to see for him.”
The two have become close, and Atkinson said he knew the announcement was coming last Friday before Legree made it official.
Atkinson also noted that Oregon State’s quarterback room has already been through a major transition. He started his career at Mercer, where he had a successful season, winning the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS, before transferring to Oregon State for his sophomore year.
That kind of path, he said, taught him that there’s no need to rush a decision.
“There’s always going to be doubters, and I just feel like it’s more fuel for me to go and prove them wrong. And it’s not more so that there’s more pressure. I’ll just say it’s just more of a chip on my shoulder just to go prove them wrong,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson added that he’ll carry that mindset with him no matter what comes next.
“There’s always going to be doubters, and I just feel like it’s more fuel for me to go and prove them wrong. And it’s not more so that there’s more pressure. I’ll just say it’s just more of a chip on my shoulder just to go prove them wrong,” Atkinson said.
The Beavers’ offense has been one of the bright spots in an Oregon State team that has won five games in a row and needs one more win to clinch bowl eligibility. It has been a massive turnaround for a team that won just two games a year ago.
Both Atkinson and Legree were overlooked coming out of high school. Oregon State offered Legree a scholarship to play receiver when other FBS schools did not.
Atkinson began at Mercer. He had a successful season, winning the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS, before transferring to Oregon State for his sophomore year.
He said he’ll always keep a chip on his shoulder from that experience.
“There’s always going to be doubters, and I just feel like it’s more fuel for me to go and prove them wrong. And it’s not more so that there’s more pressure. I’ll just say it’s just more of a chip on my shoulder just to go prove them wrong,” Atkinson said.
Oregon State heads to Fresno State for an 8 p.m. Saturday kickoff.
The Beavers are 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-12, while Fresno State is 4-3 and 1-2. The game will air on USA Network, with radio coverage on KEJO (1240 AM).
Fresno State leads the series 9-6, and the teams last met in 2025, when Fresno State won 36-27.
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For Oregon State, the timing matters as much as the message. The Beavers are still navigating a Pac-12 season with broader questions hanging over the roster, including contract discussions with quarterback Braden Atkinson, so every public sign of stability carries extra weight. Legrees return gives the staff something tangible to build around, even as the bigger picture remains in motion. [Read more 🡒]