Oregon State heads into its Pac-12 opener at Colorado State with its cornerback room stretched thin enough to make the situation feel urgent.
The Beavers are down to no more than four true corners available for the trip to Fort Collins, and that number took another hit on the first official player availability report of the season. Freshman Kai Wheaton is out, while Trey Glasper is questionable.
Wheaton’s status is especially unclear. The true freshman played at UTEP and, at least from the report, there was no obvious injury attached to his absence. Glasper, meanwhile, is dealing with a foot injury he suffered against the Miners and did not practice Sunday, according to OSU coach JaMarcus Shephard.
That leaves TJ Crandall, Isaiah Houi and Blake Thompson as the currently available cornerbacks at CSU. Thompson started against Texas Tech and Montana, and he traveled to El Paso but did not play against UTEP.
The Beavers are also still waiting on several other key pieces. Interior offensive lineman Carter Guillaume remains out after injuring his foot against Houston. Running back Kourdey Glass is doubtful, though Shephard said Monday that Glass had been practicing this week after missing the past two games.
At the other spots, safety RJ Whitten is questionable, while left tackle Jacob Anderson - who started at UTEP - is probable. Neither left tackle Josiah Timoteo nor outside linebacker Will Haverland appears on Wednesday’s report, even though both traveled to El Paso and did not play, which suggests they are expected to be available.
Safety Harlem Howard also is not listed. Howard has been out all season, but Shephard said he practiced last week.
Colorado State has its own injury questions, starting with quarterback Hauss Hejny. Hejny is one of four Rams listed as questionable after leaving the loss to BYU with a hamstring injury and then sitting out last week against UTSA.
The Rams have 16 players listed as probable, including leading tackler Oumar Diomande and running back Mel Brown.
Oregon State is 2-2, and Colorado State is also 2-2.
In Other News...
Jacob Walker Is Giving Oregon State A Real Backcourt Decision
Jacob Walkers path into the college game has already included a quick rise and another fresh start, and that makes him a name Oregon State fans will want to track closely. He began at Sam Houston before transferring to Oklahoma State, where his early work has only added to the sense that he can be more than just a depth option. Coaches and teammates have already given him the kind of trust young guards need, and Walker has been open about how much that has meant to his development.
The real question now is how quickly that momentum turns into a defined backcourt role. Walker has given Oklahoma State a strong look in summer competition, showing the kind of scoring and playmaking that can complicate an already crowded rotation. For a team trying to sort out its guard minutes, his confidence and recent production have created a legitimate decision point, and it will be interesting to see how much responsibility he earns once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Heads Into Pac-12 Play With A Problem It Must Fix Fast
Penalties have become a growing concern for Oregon State as the Beavers head deeper into the schedule, and the issue was front and center after the UTEP game. Coach JaMarcus Shephard and defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre both addressed the problem this week, with the staff stressing that the team has to clean up the discipline issues before heading to Colorado State. Defensive lineman Niklas Fisher and nickelback Gyriece Goodman echoed that message, framing it as a standards issue as much as a football one.
It is not just a matter of a few costly flags here and there. Oregon State sits near the bottom of the FBS in penalty yards per game, a reminder that this has been a pattern rather than a one-off. The timing makes it especially important, because mistakes like these can swing field position and momentum fast, and the Beavers do not have much margin for that as they move into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State May Have Found Another Freshman Receiver It Needs Fast
Oregon State got its first real look at Jameson Powell against UTEP, and the true freshman receiver made it count right away. Powell finished his debut with two catches for 20 yards, flashing the kind of quick contribution the Beavers have been searching for as they try to settle in more options at receiver. Coaches JaMarcus Shephard and Mitch Dahlen have already singled out his competitiveness and work ethic, the kind of early praise that usually matters more in September than a box score ever could.
Powell's path to Corvallis also adds a layer to the story. He arrived after being committed elsewhere before ultimately landing with Oregon State, and the Beavers are already looking at a bigger role for him as the season goes on. The challenge now is turning that promising first step into something more consistent, especially with coaches still pointing to areas he has to clean up if he is going to stay on the field and keep earning trust. [Read more 🡒]