With spring camp in the books and summer workouts underway, Oregon State’s quarterback picture is already one of the biggest storylines heading into fall camp. Braden Atkinson has forced his way into that conversation.
Atkinson arrived in Corvallis as one of the more accomplished FCS transfers in the country, and he backed up that reputation quickly. The Mercer transfer - a 3-star transfer rated 86 - brought in a résumé that included the Jerry Rice Award, given to the top freshman in the FCS, and he looked every bit like a player who knew how to handle the position.
The numbers from last season explain why he drew so much attention: 3,611 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions while completing 65.8% of his throws. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he showed the kind of accuracy and decision-making that made him a standout at Mercer, and those traits showed up again during spring camp.
That spring stretch mattered because the quarterback battle was one of the most competitive on the roster. Atkinson consistently made his case and proved he belongs in the mix for the starting job.
Now the challenge shifts to fall camp, where he’ll compete with Maalik Murphy and Brady Jones for Oregon State’s starting quarterback role. It’s shaping up as one of the key battles of camp, and the coaching staff may not settle on a starter until the week of the season opener.
Atkinson has already shown he can do the job at the FCS level. The real question is whether that production carries over against FBS competition. Based on what he showed this spring, he’ll get every chance to answer it.
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Wyatt Youngs selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team is the kind of nod that suggests the conference expects Oklahoma State to lean on its passing game early and often. And with former Cowboy Wendell Gregory also showing up on the Kansas State side of the preseason team, the Big 12s annual roster release offered a reminder that these honors are as much about where players are headed as where they have been, especially with media days still ahead and the Cowboys set to take their turn Tuesday. [Read more 🡒]
Ish Findlayter Is Suddenly In Oregon States D-Line Mix
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Findlayters path has been unconventional, and that is part of what makes his fit worth watching as the Beavers head toward the fall. After a productive season at Duquesne, he now enters a defensive line rotation that should have opportunities available, and Oregon State will spend the next few months finding out how quickly his athletic traits translate into real snaps when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]