Van Wells is back around Oregon State, and the possibility of a return to the field is now hanging over the Beavers’ fall camp.
The former OSU center attended practice Wednesday morning, the team’s sixth workout of fall camp, as he waits on the legal process that could open the door to a fifth season. Safety Jaheim Patterson is in the same boat. Patterson was at practice Tuesday and later posted his admission to graduate school on Instagram Wednesday.
Both players could come back if the injunction issued last week in Colorado district court is upheld by the Tenth Circuit.
Wells’ potential return would matter immediately up front. He logged 742 snaps last season and earned a 79.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus across 11 starts, numbers that explain why his presence would be such a lift for Oregon State.
“Van coming back would bring a lot of experience to the room,” offensive tackle Josiah Timoteo said. “Van coming back is a huge addition to the O-line, a huge plus for us. ... He’s a really important guy that we could have in our room, especially with communication and having that on the field is really huge.”
If Wells is cleared to play, the Beavers could end up reshuffling the line. Oregon State returns starting guards Tyler Voltin and Nathan Elu, along with Timoteo, while Louisville transfer Carter Guillaume has been the starting center throughout the offseason. A Wells return could push Guillaume to guard and force Voltin or Elu to move to tackle, with Elu having played there before.
Beavers coach JaMarcus Shephard said both Patterson and Wells have already been cleared to return to the program, though they are not taking part while the legal case plays out. The NCAA’s request to stay the injunction was denied Monday, and the Tenth Circuit is set to hear briefings Friday and Monday, with a ruling possible as soon as next week.
“The Division I Cabinet, including its student-athlete members, carefully considered whether to make the age-based eligibility rule apply retroactively, and decided that doing so would not be in the best interest of all current and future college athletes,” NCAA chief legal officer Scott Bearby said in a statement Tuesday. “We stand behind and will continue to fully defend the membership’s decision. The injunction should never have been granted, and we have asked the Tenth Circuit to permanently reverse it.”
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