No Father's Son

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redsox907
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No Father's Son

Post by redsox907 » Yesterday, 23:42



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Can Beavers' Continue To Grow In 2027...Or Have They Already Plateaued?
Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: August 31st, 2027

The question everyone is asking about Oregon State football heading into 2027 is: are we a team on the rise, or did we already reach the plateau in a Group of Six conference?

It's a valid point, to be sure. The newest rendition of the Pac-12 is far from the powerhouse of previous generations, even with Boise State headlining the conference and the emergence of our beloved Beavers. If we've learned anything about the new age of college football, the disparity between the haves and have-nots is wider than ever. We almost saw that play out in real time when South Carolina courted Armando Leon, our rising star defensive coordinator, despite only one year of coaching under his belt.

The Beavers of 2026 took care of business when they were supposed to—ugly loss to Washington State aside—but were clearly overmatched against the likes of Oregon and Texas Tech. When they drew the 16th-ranked SMU Mustangs, who had narrowly missed the ACC Conference Championship Game, in the Holiday Bowl, many predicted another rough outing to close out the 2026 season for the Beavers.

Instead, Oregon State arrived in San Diego with a chip on their shoulder and stunned the Mustangs 31-28, pushing the Beavers to a 10-win season one year removed from a 10-loss campaign. The message from the Beavers was clear; we don't shy away from any challenge. The next step? Closing the gap between themselves and other premier teams around the country.

This offseason, the Beavers made all the moves you'd expect from a team on the rise. It's not hyperbole to say the offense was subpar for much of the season, with much of the blame landing fully on Kallen Gutridge's shoulders. That isn't to say the quarterback didn't have his moments, but they were few and far between. More often than not, our top-10 rated defense was left to fend off the opposition praying that the offense would produce enough points to give them a cushion. A team with aspirations of continuing to elevate their profile addresses that situation in the offseason, not hoping it fixes itself with a year of experience.

And Oregon State did just that, poaching former Ole Miss QB AJ Maddox. Maddox is a more polished version with similar upside to Gutridge, with a superb arm, and while head coach Jonathan Smith didn't state that it was Maddox's job to lose, the whispers out of Corvallis are that Maddox is almost assuredly going to be the starter.

The other glaring issue for the Beavers was replacing the glut of production that departed defensively during graduation. Oregon State recorded 62 sacks in 2026, ranked 2nd nationally, but only Kelze Howard (5), Sailasa Vadrawale III (4), and Kodi DeCambra (1) are returning from that top-ranked unit. To say they addressed that issue would be an understatement, according to some analysts and defensive coordinator Armando Leon.

"You look at the talent we added in the portal, and it's substantial," the now second-year coordinator said after the portal window closed. "We did a lot of mixing and matching last year, trying to maximize the talent we had on the roster with what we needed on the field. But this year, we got guys that are versatile. Manu Hasty can clean up everything in between the lines, Jalen Smith is a ferocious pass-rusher with great bend, who has the ability to drop in coverage when needed. We love JVP out of Oregon and from my conversations with him, he's got a chip on his shoulder this year.

"And don't overlook both Omar and Kris. Their addition frees up Kodi DeCambra to move to cornerback full-time, which should really help our secondary coverage out. He's probably one of our best pure coverage defenders, being able to slot him opposite of Sailasa is going to be huge helping us eliminate the chunk plays on the back end that plagued us last year."

The Beavers went out and got the pieces they needed on both sides of the ball; now the question is can they build on last year's success without the disguise of ambiguity?

"Last year, no one expected them to shoot to the top like they did," one Pac-12 athletic director stated anonymously, "But now? Everyone wants to kind of put them back in their place so to speak. It's a great story on the outside, but on the inside it kind of intensifies the scrutiny. Every AD in the conference is looking at their guys now saying 'why couldn't we do that? We have the same resources.' I can tell you, my program definitely has taken a hard look in the mirror and wondered what they did that we aren't."

Unlike last season, where the Beavers went on the road to Houston before hosting ranked Texas Tech in Week 2, the Beavers have a soft opening in 2027.

They open the season hosting FCS Portland State, then follow that up with a visit from the New Mexico State Lobos, but from there things ramp up quickly. A trip to Autzen Stadium and the 5th-ranked Oregon Ducks looms large in Week 3, followed by road contests at BYU and Ole Miss before diving into conference play.

"I think everyone has that Oregon game circled; that's where we see how good this Oregon State team really is," confessed Jonathan Smith after a Friday practice, "But I know AJ is really looking forward to the trip back to Oxford as well.

"But regardless of how we do in non-conference play, the ultimate goal is another Pac-12 Championship and we can't lose sight of that goal. Stacking a few wins before we get there would be preferred, however."

The Beavers shocked the Pacific Northwest last season; now we'll see if they can do it again.

Stay tuned for the pre-game coverage of Week 1's tilt against the Portland State Vikings and a new year of "Leon's Lowdown."

Until then, keep building that dam, Beaver Nation!


•••


2027 Oregon State Beavers Roster
81 Overalll / 81 Offense / 81 Defense
► Show Spoiler
2027 Oregon State Schedule
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Soapy
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Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:42

No Father's Son

Post by Soapy » Today, 08:04

10-2 if you're a good coach
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redsox907
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No Father's Son

Post by redsox907 » Today, 15:41

Soapy wrote: ↑
Today, 08:04
 10-2 if you're a good coach
Oregon probably a for sure loss. Ole Miss up in the air. I say we drop Oregon and one bullshit game where the offense shits the bed :yep:
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redsox907
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No Father's Son

Post by redsox907 » Today, 15:41



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Beaver Up! Who's Got Next For Beaver Nation?
Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: September 2nd, 2027

Taking a look back at my notes from last year, one thing instantly stuck out to me differentiating last year's season-opening big board, and this year's. Last year, the Beavers had eight players ranked in the top 1,000 nationally, and would eventually only land four of those athletes. While the final haul from this year's class remains to be seen, the fact that number has ballooned to 15 shows the shifting perception in Beaver Nation.

You'll notice that despite their rising profile, and reported interest according to some sources, there are no 4-star prospects on the Beavers board. I'm told that while they did receive notice of interest from some of those upper-tier recruits, most notably within the Pacific Northwest, they're focusing their assets on more "attainable" recruits according to Armando Leon.

"The fact of the matter is, do we have interest from some of the upper prep recruits? Absolutely. But when push comes to shove, we don't necessarily have the resources, at this time, to contend with the other schools that also have interest in those recruits.

"Do we foolhardily barrel into the fray anyway, dedicating time and resources too what will ultimately be a lost cause? Or spend those resources making sure that the guys that are more in our purview are thoroughly scouted so we know exactly what we're getting? I know where my money would go."

It's the ugly truth of the current landscape in college football. Money talks, bullshit walks. And until the Beavers brand can elevate their paltry NIL fund—in comparison to the other Oregon program up north—we've got to make do with what we've got.


•••
RankingPositionNameHtWtHometownTendencyNAT/STA/POS
:threestar:ATHDom Nicholson6'2272Midlothian, VAPower Rusher481/9/51
:threestar:ATHKhamari Mebane5'11239Clearwter, FLThumper512/61/28
:threestar:ATHFredrick Flowers6'4233Las Vegas, NVPure Possession523/1/23
:threestar:CKevin Faulkner6'3281San Jose, CA (JUCO)Well Rounded581/70/21
:threestar:WRHasheem Cheek5'10188Playa Del Rey, CAGadget591/71/104
:threestar:GDeontae Berryman6'2291Saint George, UTRaw Strength682/10/35
:threestar:FSAntoine Clay5'10180Indianapolis, IN (JUCO)Box Specialist697/12/27
:threestar:DEStephen Clutts6'3227Sherman Oaks, CASpeed Rusher698/78/69
:threestar:ATHRahim Burress6'4236Portland, ORPure Possession714/8/28
:threestar:WRShawn Dewey6'1178Honolulu, HIElusive Route Runner736/8/124
:threestar:ATHShane Cleveland6'3243Wilmington, DEThumper773/3/40
:threestar:LBGeorge Iwuchukwu5'11227Cypress, TXLurker768/110/49
:threestar:WRDarrell Garnes6'4197Walla Walla, WAPhysical Route Runner913/8/153
:threestar:CBDavid Akinmoladun6'1191Santa Ana, CABoundary925/98/80
:threestar:ATHTavarius Boyett6'5271Yorba Linda, CAPower Rusher940/101/95
:threestar:ATHGarrison Rourke6'3262Studio City, CAPower Rusher1055/108/104
:threestar:ATHBruce Lovelace5'10191Palm Springs, CAEast/West Playmaker1259/128/168
:threestar:ATHHugh Grupe6'0202Upland, CAEast/West Playmaker1264/130/170
:threestar:GBen Van Pelt6'5300Lawndale, CAAgile1318/132/69
:threestar:QBAmari Williams6'3210San Mateo, CAPocket Passer1494/147/110


•••


Oregon State Recruiting Rankings
Championship Contender: C+ 47th (115th - 2026)
Program Tradition: B- 42nd (49th - 2026)
Campus Lifestyle: C 102nd
Stadium Atmosphere: C 63rd (63rd - 2026)
Pro Potential:
► Show Spoiler
Brand Exposure: C 65th (74th - 2026)
Academic Prestige: C- 68th
Conference Prestige: B- 7th (7th - 2026)
Coach Stability: D+ 83rd (127th - 2026)
Coach Prestige: B- 38th (108th - 2026)
Athletic Facilities: C 64th (62nd - 2026)
Prestige: :twohalfstar: ( :twostar: - 2026)
Graduating Seniors: 27
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Post by redsox907 » Today, 16:49



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2027 Week One Preview - Portland State (0-0) @ Oregon State (0-0)
Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: September 3rd, 2027

It's been a long, yet fruitful, offseason, but the moment of truth is finally here for Beaver Nation as they prepare to host the FCS Portland State Vikings to kick off the 2027 season.

Having a warm-up game is a welcome difference from last season, where we jumped headfirst into the campaign with a trip to the Houston Cougars. This year, the coaching staff has time to integrate the new pieces and get a little creative, as defensive coordinator Armando Leon will elaborate on in the first "Leon's Lowdown" of the 2027 season.

But, before we get there, let's take a brief look at how the boys stack up against Portland State.


•••

Oregon State Beavers (0-0)             | Description                   | Portland State Vikings
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
81 Overall // 81 Offense // 81 Defense | Team Rating                   | 56 Overall // 56 Offense // 56 Defense
Jonathan Smith (53-55)                 | Head Coach                    | Chris Fisk 
Pro Style                              | Offensive Scheme              | Veer and Shoot
3-3-5                                  | Defensive Scheme              | 4-2-5


Pac-12 Week One Schedule
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Notable Week One Matchups
► Show Spoiler


•••

Leon's Lowdown

RM: "Good to see you again, Coach Mando. Hope the offseason, what little you get to enjoy away from the grind, treated you well. Let's jump right into it, with a FCS program like Portland State set up as the opener what are some things you're hoping to see out of your team to kick off 2027?"

AL: "The grind never stops, Ricky, but this is what we sign up for. The biggest thing we want to see to open the season is consistency. Whether you're opening against Ohio State or the Ohio Bobcats, you want to see what you spent all summer working on translate onto the field. And then you want to see them execute. Again, just 'cause we're playing an FCS program doesn't mean we can lollygag into it. I've been on the other side, coming in with an FCS school and leaving with a win. It's happened to bigger programs than ourselves. So if I had to choose two things, it's consistency and execution, Ricky."

RM: "Gives us a peek behind the curtain, who's a guy you think is underrated on this defense going into the season?"

AL: "I'd say JVP, for sure. Jimmy Van Pelt didn't get any run last year at Oregon, which is sometimes the problem at those larger programs—it's easy to get buried. He and Shamar are going to rotate opposite of Kelze, but we expect big things from JVP this season."

RM: "Is he the next Ka'eo Akana?"

AL: "He's the next JVP, Ricky. Ka'eo was lightning in a bottle last year. Entering his 5th-year of eligibility, having never recorded a sack, to explode for 16 is Hollywood type stuff. But we expect JVP to have a big season and to continue it next year."

RM: "Alright, before we let you out of here I've got to ask the question—the readers have practically demanded it. We all know you took the visit in Columbia last year. How close were we to losing Coach Mando?"

AL: "I'm grateful for the opportunity provided by the University of South Carolina to tour their facilities and spend some time with their leadership team. But, I'm committed to Oregon State. I'm not committing to a long time, just a good time. We never know what the future is going to bring, but this season the mantra is the same. One game at a time, until we reach the end. I tell my team not to look ahead, to focus on the challenge directly in front of us. It would be disingenuous on my part to preach that, then keep one eye on the rumor mill for potential openings."


•••


If the whole team is as locked in as Coach Mando? Look out, Vikings.

I for one am excited to see how these new-look defense comes together. We all saw the mixing and matching Coach Leon did throughout the season, but the early reports are this team is more "multiple" at each position, meaning they've got athletes who can fill a variety of roles, as opposed to last year when Hasson Manning Jr was in pass-rushing situations, but Jaheim Patterson was on the field for pass coverage.

As far as a prediction...not going to touch that one. It's going to be ugly, but I'm not putting a number on it. Like Coach Leon said, we want to see a full team effort in the win. Everything else is gravy.
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