No Father's Son

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 17 Jan 2026, 23:56

Can't Get Any Worse...Right? Oregon State Beavers 2026 Season Preview

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: August 31st, 2026

For the first time since the Oregon State Beavers, alongside the Cougars up north, were left holding the proverbial bag by the mass exodus from the Pac-12, it feels like there's hope in the air around campus.

Of course, there isn't much further the Beavers football program could falter after last season's abysmal 2-10 record, short of going winless.

Frantically knocking on wood.

If the Beavers somehow finish 2026 winless do not @ me. I repeat. Do. Not. @. Me.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's take a quick look at the upcoming schedule for our beloved Beavers, a quick peek at the offense, and a quick conversation with the man himself, Coach Mando!

•••

There's no easing into 2026 for Coach Smith & Co as they open the season in Houston, Texas against the Cougars who went 10-3 last season behind the stellar play of former A&M Aggie Connor Weigman. Coach Leon's defense is thrown right into the fire as Weigman returns his two starting receivers from last year, Amare Thomas and Harvey Broussard III, plus the acquisition of former Red Raider TE Terrance Carter Jr in the offseason.

The fire only gets hotter next week as the Beavers open Reser Stadium against the 19th ranked Red Raiders with former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby pulling the trigger this year. Sorsby may have lost the Mackey favorite in Terrance Carter Jr, but he still has a plethora of weapons to choose from with Coy Eakin, Micah Hudson, and Chase Sowell all in the lineup in addition to the deadly duo of Cameron Dickey and Quentin Joyner out of the backfield.

From there, things lighten up a bit for our boys after a brutal pair of opening contests with their new look Pac-12 opener against San Diego State, a matchup with former conference rival Stanford, and hosting the Montana Grizzlies, the rival of Leon's former employer Montana State.

A midseason bye week leads right into the "Civil War" against #6 Oregon, at Reser Stadium giving the Beavers a slight edge in what's been a lopsided rivalry of late. Oregon State will finish the season with six conference games, split equally between Reser Stadium and the road, while hosting Boise State on Senior Night on November 21st.

Call me crazy, but after the immense talent acquisition the coaching staff pulled in during the portal, I don't think going bowling is out of the question this year. Even if you chalk Houston, Oregon, and Texas Tech up as losses, the only other games where the Beavers won't be favorites are against Stanford and Boise State. Factor in the trap game we all know is going to bite them, and that puts the Beavs exactly at 6-6 and in a prime bowl position.

I don't want to put that kind of pressure on the coaching staff, but in my brief conversation with Coach Leon, he already put that on himself. But more on that later, first let's break down what the coaching staff is actually working with.

•••

Offensively, this unit is going to be rough. Like, 1920s' three yards and a cloud of dust. That's not a disparagement on Kallen Gutridge, the former 3* prospect, but the dude hasn't thrown a pass collegiately. We knew we'd be in trouble when Maalik Murphy hit the portal, but it got worse when the coaching staff couldn't land any of the portal QBs—most notably former Duck Akili Smith Jr. Ouch.

As a result, Salahandin Allah, Jake Reichle, and Conor Booth are expected to be a trio of running backs who tote the ball a lot. If Gutridge can develop as hoped, he's got some tools out wide in David Wells Jr and the speedster Malachi Durant, in addition to the returning Jackson Bowers at tight end.

For as inexperienced as the Beavers quarterback situation is, they could easily have the highest rated offensive line in the Pac-12 by seasons end. Melvin Siani started at Wake Forest last season, center Denaris Derosa Jr started all twelve games for San Jose State at right tackle last year, and returning guard Ryan Berger didn't surrender a sack last year.

"We're definitely going to lean heavily on the running game, utilizing the size we have up front and the depth we have toting the rock, and utilize the play-action pass game to get Kallen comfortable," confirmed 1st year OC Mitch Dahlen.

Defensively, as we touched on earlier, Coach Leon isn't giving any secrets away early. "If I tell you how we're going to utilize the glut of safeties we have, the opps will know what's coming before we round the corner," chided the coach when I pressed a final time. I can't blame him for playing it close to the vest, but I gotta say when the time comes to hold some breaking news for a few hours, I may not be so inclined.

Kidding, of course. Really.

On paper, the Beavers have the makings of a good, not great, defense. Kelze Howard, JoJo Johnson, and Tygee Hill are all returning, and although they were the anchors up front for one of the worst run defenses on the West Coast last year, we don't hold that against them.

With Coach Leon scheming things up, early reports are the holdovers from last year's squad have been working harder than ever to get last year's awful season in the rearview mirror. Joining them on the defensive line is Hawaii transfer Ka'eo Akana, a 6'3 speed rusher with a lethal first step and great bend around the tackle. Akana was never able to break into the starting lineup with the Utah Utes before transferring to his home state of Hawaii last year, but saw similar trouble seeing the field for the Rainbow Warriors. For a guy with the physical talent, he's still searching for his first career sack.

Third team in three years AND still searching for his first career sack? One of two things happens here: Either third time's the charm and Akana ERUPTS in black and orange, or we got duped into buying someone else's lemon.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Emphasis on cautious.

Projecting the linbackers is where it gets tricky. You can pencil in former UCLA Bruin Jalen Woods and former Sam Houston Bearcat Ca'Lub Holloway at Mike. They've played every snap of fall camp there and from what I've heard, Coach Leon loves their athleticism and instincts inside.

From there it gets muddy. Both Aiden Sullivan and Michael Montgomery are more 3-4 down lineman type of backers. Edge guys who get after the passer, try and stuff the run, but rarely drop into coverage. Coach Leon's whole scheme is based on unpredictability and practically requires speed at every position. Coach affirmed that statement earlier during our conversation, which leaves me puzzled where the two fit in. My guess?

Rotational pass rushers who have the chops to drop coverage on occasion, just don't expect them to live far from the line of scrimmage.

I've seen both Jaheim Patterson and Hasson Manning Jr playing flex safety positions, a rover or joker if you will, this camp and I would expect them to be on the field together a lot. Think like a 4-2-5, but utilizing those extra safeties as linebackers essentially.

If it works, Leon is a genius. But the problem with that many safeties on the field, they often wear down having to crash the box as often as traditional linebackers do. If this really is the gameplan for Coach Leon's defense, we've got to hope and pray for a healthy season. Or we're going to look like the cobbled together mash-unit this team felt like in the early spring.

Finally, at cornerback we've got the most returning talent. Noble Thomas Jr, Sailasa Vadrawale III, and Exodus Ayers were all a part of last year's unit, again something we won't hold against them in the new scheme. The problem is, outside of Noble most of these guys thrive in zone coverage, reading and reacting. Coach Leon loves to blitz and put his corners on an island, mano a mano. These guys aren't built like that, at least from what I've seen.

Does Coach Mando stick to his guns? Or does he realize he must "Adapt or die?"

•••

Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for, a few snippets of the conversation between your favorite student reporter and the man transforming the Beavers defense - Armando Leon.

Fair warning, we're launching a new weekly segment called 'Mando's Minutes' that will preview our upcoming opponent with 3-5 questions for Coach Leon. But for today's season preview? We're giving you the full 'Leon's Lowdown'—bowl expectations, defensive identity, his defensive X-factor, and what exactly he plans to do with all those safeties:

On bowl expectations:
"I believe in under promising and over delivering, first and foremost Ricky. But I definitely see a bowl appearance in our future," he said with a sly smirk.

On the defensive identity:
"Bet on the defense being faster than last year's unit. By a mile. Speed erases a lot of mistakes—it's definitely an equalizer and you saw that in our approach to the portal. We got a lot of athletes."

On the defensive X-Factor:
"Not to be cliche, but it's more than one person. So I'll give you three, one for each level of the defense."

Leon rattled them off without hesitation:

"Ka'eo Akana on the line, Jalen Woods at mike, and Sailasa Vadrawale III in the secondary. We need to rush the passer, stuff the run, and shut down their receivers to impact games this year. Those three guys are going to need big years for us to achieve our goals."

On the safety room deployment:
When I pressed him about how he plans to utilize one of the deepest safety rooms on the West Coast, he gave me four words: "I plead the Fifth."

•••

Alright, here it is. Mark your calendars, screenshot this, @ me at season's end on X and IG:

5-7. Just shy of bowl eligibility.

I know, I know, earlier I said bowling wasn't out of reach. But the more I dig into this roster, after the Mando effect wore off, I just don't see it.

The offense will be a mess all year—we'll run the ball, but defenses will stack the box once they realize Gutridge can't beat them through the air. The defense will be much improved, but the lack of proven playmakers on the back end will limit how effective the pass rush can be. We'll generate sacks, sure—but we'll give it right back on the next play.

All that said. I think 5-7, barely miss bowl eligibility.

I hope I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just following Coach Leon's motto: underpromise and overdeliver.

But either way, at least we've started to rebuild the dam."

2026 Oregon State Beavers Roster
77 Overalll / 76 Offense / 79 Defense

► Show Spoiler

* Denotes Starter

QB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Kallen Gutridge	SO(RS)	6'3	215	Wilsonville, OR	72	72	Backfield Creator	Normal	85 THP, 75 AWR, 73/73/69 TA S/M/D
James Rowe	FR	6'4	195	Palo Alto CA	69	69	Pocket Passer	Normal	86 THP, 71 AWR, 78/78/75 TA S/M/D
Sateki Deng	FR	5'10	179	Turlock, CA	56	56	Pure Runner	Normal	57 AWR

HB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Salahadin Allah	JR	5'11	227	La Marque, TX	83	83	Elusive Bruiser	Impact	85 SPD, 87 CAR, 79 BTKL
Jake Reichle	SR(RS)	6'1	228	Lake Oswego, OR	81	81	Contact Seeker	Normal	82 SPD, 89 CAR, 78 BTKL
Conor Booth	FR(RS)	6'0	218	Wahoo, NE	78	78	Elusive Bruiser	Normal	84 SPD, 91 CAR, 81 COD
Cornell Hatcher Jr	SO(RS)	5'11	218	Corona, CA	76	76	East/West Playmaker	Normal	87 SPD, 82 COD, 75 BTKL
Paul Ivory	FR	5'10	170	Portland, OR	70	70	North/South Receiver	Normal	84 SPD, 82 ACC, 77 COD

WR

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*David Wells Jr	JR(RS)	6'1	185	Lakewood, WA	80	80	Elusive Route Runner	Normal	89 SPD, 83 CAT, 82 CIT
*Zachary Card	JR(RS)	5'9	163	Brentwood, CA	76	76	Speedster	Impact	93 SPD, 95 ACC, 76 CAT
Malachi Durant	SO(RS)	6'1	184	Seattle, WA	72	72	Speedster	Impact	94 SPD, 94 ACC, 79 SPC
Eddie Freauff	SO(RS)	6'3	216	Prineville, OR	70	70	Contested Specialist	Impact	88 SPD, 82 CIT, 83 SPC
Brian Marshall	SO	6'5	191	Fresno, CA	67	67	Physical Route Runner	Normal	89 ACC, 82 SPC, 76 CAT
Phillip Ghiaciuc	FR	6'3	201	Seattle, WA	62	62	Physical Route Runner	Star	86 SPD, 87 ACC, 76 SPC
Gregory Ballage	FR	6'1	174	Woodinville, WA	59	59	Gadget	Normal	84 SPD, 85 ACC, 67 CAT
TJ Stitser	FR	6'3	186	Lake Oswego, OR	58	58	Contested Specialist	Impact	82 SPD, 83 AWR, 80 SPC

TE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Jackson Bowers	JR(RS)	6'4	252	Mesa, AK	81	81	Pure Possession	Impact	79 SPD, 75 STR, 76 AWR
Cooper Jensen	JR(RS)	6'5	240	Everett, WA	74	74	Physical Route Runner	Normal	78 SPD, 72 STR, 76 AWR
Jackson Robertson	JR(RS)	6'2	237	Jacksonville, OR	66	66	Pure Blocker	Normal	64 RBLK, 64 PBLK, 74 STR
Jason Erving	6'4	232	FR	Lehi, UT	57	57	Gritty Possession	Normal	65 RBLK, 72 STR, 60 PBLK

T

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Melvin Siani	JR(RS)	6'6	303	Hamilton, INT	82	82	Pass Pro	Normal	82 PBK, 85 PBP, 86 AWR
*Keyon Cox	JR(RS)	6'5	298	Phenix City, AL	77	77	Agile	Normal	80 PBK, 86 PBP, 75 RBK
Jacoq Strand	SR(RS)	6'3	305	Canby, OR	77	77	Agile	Normal	79 PBK, 79 PPP, 83 RBF
Jack Wagner	SO(RS)	6'2	297	San Juan Capistrano, CA	72	72	Well Rounded	Normal	75 RBF, 74 PBK, 74 RBP
Jayden Tula	SO(RS)	6'5	299	Pocatello, ID	70	70	Pass Pro	Impact	87 AWR, 77 RBF, 75 PBK
Antoine Eze	FR	6'5	309	East Saint Lois, IL	71	71	Raw Strength	Impact	74 RBK, 82 RBP, 76 PBP
Josiah Timoteo	JR(RS)	6'4	319	Waianae, HI	63	63	Pass Pro	Normal	82 RBF, 77 RBP, 83 AWR

G

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Ryan Berger	SO	6'4	321	West Linn, OR	80	80	Pass Pro	Normal	85 PBF, 82 RBK, 81 RBP
*Dominic Rijos	JR	6'2	323	Springfield, MA	74	74	Raw Stegnth	Normal	82 AWR, 76 RBF, 78 RBK
Dyan Sikorski	SO(RS)	6'4	335	Sumner, WA	71	71	Agile	Impact	78 RBF, 78 RBP, 75 PBK
Nathan Elu	SR(RS)	6'5	312	San Mateo, CA	73	73	Raw Strength	Impact	77 RBP, 74 PBK, 75 PBP
Jake Normoyle	FR(RS)	6'4	297	West Linn, OR	70	70	Raw Strength	Impact	77 PBP, 77 PBK, 77 RBF
Terrence Ramesh	FR	6'3	303	Clovis, CA	68	68	Agile	Normal	71 RBF, 66 RBP, 69 PBK

C

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Denaris DeRosa Jr	SR(RS)	6'2	284	Redwood City, CA	77	77	Agile	Normal	81 RBF, 77 PBK, 74 RBK
Adam Hawkes	FR(RS)	6'5	308	Herriman, UT	66	66	Pass Pro	Impact	81 RBF, 77 PBP, 80 RBK
Joey Ah You	FR	6'3	290	Oceanside, CA	59	59	Agile	Normal	78 RBF, 64 RBK, 62 PBP

DE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Kelze Howard	JR(RS)	6’3	271	Las Vegas, NV	80	80	Speed Rusher	Star	90 Tkl, 82 BSH, 87 FMV
*Ka’eo Akana	SR(RS)	6’3	233	Honolulu, HI	78	78	Speed Rusher	Impact	89 FMV, 79 TKL, 74 HPW
Langden Kitchen	SR	6’6	266	Huntsville, MO	78	78	Power Rusher	Impact	83 PRC, 83 STR, 85 PMV
Zakaih Saez	JR(RS)	6’4	251	Lake Worth, FL	76	76	Power Rusher	Normal	85 PMV, 81 HPW, 82 PRC
Shamar Meikle	SO(RS)	6’3	231	Miramar, FL	71	71	Power Rusher	Impact	79 TKL, 79 HPW, 78 FMV
Luke Levengood	JR(RS)	6’2	281	Vacaville, CA	71	71	Power Rusher	Normal	81 PMV, 78 PRC, 82 TKL
Darren Tucker	FR	6’2	232	San Mateo, CA	71	71	Speed Rusher	Normal	91 ACC, 85 SPD, 74 FMV
Bleu Dantzler	FR(RS)	6’2	244	Chandler, AZ	68	68	Speed Rusher	Impact	75 HPW, 77 TKL, 75 FMV
Will Haverland	SO(RS)	6’5	243	Eugene, OR	67	67	Speed Rusher	Normal	74 PMV, 71 STR, 72 HPW

DT

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*JoJo Johnson	JR(RS)	6’2	289	Salt Lake City, UT	78	78	Pure Power	Normal	86 STR, 87 PMV, 77 BSH
Tygee Hill	SR(RS)	6’2	288	New Orleans, LA	76	76	Power Rusher	Impact	85 STR, 80 BSH, 81 PRC
Devin Gregg	FR(RS)	6’4	289	Juneau, AK	68	68	Power Rusher	Normal	86 STR, 75 PMV, 85 FMV
Cornell Burnette	FR	6’6	320	Pasco, WA	65	65	Gap Specialist	Normal	89 STR, 81 HPW, 69 BSH

SAM

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Jaheim Patterson	SR	6'4	211	Fort Worth, TX	77	77	Lurker	Impact	81 PRC, 87 SPD, 76 TKL
Aiden Sullivan	SR(RS)	6'1	231	Twentynine Palms, CA	76	76	Signal Caller	Normal	87 Tkl, 83 PUR, 76 AWR
Jeremiah Horne	FR	6'1	215	Portland, OR	59	59	Lurker	Normal	66 Tkl, 78 PUR, 76 SPD

MIKE

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Jalen Woods	SR(RS)	6'1	227	Compton, CA	79	79	Signal Caller	Impact	86 Tkl, 83 SPD, 80 PUR
*Ca'Lub Holloway	SR(RS)	6'2	241	Fort Worth, TX	77	77	Signal Caller	Impact	84 Tkl, 81 PRC, 84 PUR
Gyriece Goodman	SR(RS)	6'1	209	De Pere, WI	70	70	Signal Caller	Normal	83 Tkl, 76 PUR, 79 PRC
Kord Shaw	SR(RS)	6'3	234	Ogden, UT	70	70	Signal Caller	Normal	84 Tkl, 77 PUR, 74 PRC
Zheric Hill	FR(RS)	6'0	236	Grambling, LA	67	67	Lurker	Normal	75 Tkl, 75 SPD, 75 PUR

WILL

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Hasson Manning Jr	SR	5'11	186	Newark, NJ	74	74	Lurker	Normal	90 SPD, 78 PRC, 80 AWR
Michael Montgomery	SR	6'4	252	Seattle, WA	76	76	Signal Caller	Normal	88 Tkl, 77 BSH, 82 PUR
Dexter Foster	JR	6'3	240	Portland, OR	73	73	Thumper	Impact	84 Tkl, 81 SPD, 81 PRC

CB

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Noble Thomas Jr	SR(RS)	5'11	192	Orange, FL	80	80	Bump and Run	Impact	92 SPD, 80 MCV, 77 PRS
*Sailasa Vadrawale III	JR(RS)	5'10	186	Robnert Park, CA	77	77	Boundary	Impact	88 SPD, 74 MCV, 77 ZCV
Exodus Ayers	SO(RS)	6'0	193	Albirqierqie, NM	77	77	Boundary	Impact	88 SPD, 75 ZCV, 76 AWR
Trey Glasper	SO	6'0	176	Las Vegas, NV	77	77	Boundary	Impact	88 SOD, 76 ZCV, 76 AWR
TJ Crandall	JR(RS)	6'0	183	Sammamish, WA	75	75	Boundary	Normal	82 AWR, 82 PRC, 74 ZCV
Drake Vickers	SR(RS)	6'3	196	North Hollywood, CA	74	74	Bump and Run	Normal	88 SPD, 73 MCV, 80 PRS
Milan Clark	JR(RS)	6'0	182	Portland, OR	70	70	Boundary	Normal	87 SPD, 74 ZCV, 72 AWR
LaMarcus Blount	FR	6'2	170	Indianapolis, IN	69	69	Field	Impact	89 SPD, 77 MCV, 82 PRC

FS

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Harlem Howard	JR(RS)	6'0	190	Pompano Beach, FL	77	77	Box Specialist	Impact	92 SPD, 78 AWR, 76 PRC
Kodi DeCambra	JR(RS)	6'0	187	Las Vegas, NV	77	77	Coverage Specialist	Impact	89 SPD, 94 CAT, 77 PRC
Jason Mitchell	FR(RS)	6'3	184	Los Angeles, CA	75	75	Coverage Specialist	Impact	88 SPD, 85 ZCV, 72 PRC

SS

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*Kyle Chen	SR	6'0	201	Vancouver ,WA	78	78	Box Specialist	Normal	88 SPD, 82 PRC, 80 HPW
Jamie Isaac	FR	6'2	196	Yucaipa, CA	67	67	Hybrid	Star	88 SPD, 75 MCV, 76 PRC

K/P

Name	Class	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Org OVR	Current OVR	Tendency	Dev Trait	Top Attributes
*K Logan McCreery	JR(RS)	5'9	161	Sacramento, CA	73	73	Power	Normal	89 KPW, 76 KAC
K Caleb Ojeda	SR(RS)	5'9	187	Morgan Hill, CA	71	71	Power	Normal	88 KPW, 69 KAC
*P AJ Winsor	JR(RS)	6'2	206	Mukilteo, WA	71	71	Power	Normal	93 KPW, 86 KAC
P Max Walker	SR(RS)	6'2	216	Fox Island, WA	65	65	Power	Normal	84 KPW, 65 KAC

2026 Oregon State Schedule

► Show Spoiler

Sept.  5th | @ Houston (10-3)         | 76 OVR / 74 OFF / 79 DEF
Sept. 12th | #19 Texas Tech (12-2)    | 76 OVR / 74 OFF / 81 DEF
Sept. 19th | @ San Diego State (9-4)  | 64 OVR / 61 OFF / 69 DEF
Sept. 25th | @ Stanford (4-8)         | 71 OVR / 71 OFF / 71 DEF
Oct.   3rd | Montana (FCS)            | N/A
Oct.  10th | BYE                      | N/A
Oct.  16th | #6 Oregon (13-2)         | 93 OVR / 91 OFF / 96 DEF
Oct.  24th | @ Texas State (7-6)      | 64 OVR / 66 OFF / 61 DEF
Oct.  31st | Utah State (6-7)         | 56 OVR / 56 OFF / 56 DEF
Nov.   7th | Fresno State (9-4)       | 70 OVR / 71 OFF / 69 DEF
Nov.  14th | @ Colorado State (2-10)  | 65 OVR / 66 OFF / 64 DEF
Nov.  21st | Boise State (9-5)        | 78 OVR / 78 OFF / 78 DEF
Nov.  28th | @ Washington State (7-6) | 69 OVR / 69 OFF / 69 DEF

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 18 Jan 2026, 01:29

Beaver Up! Looking Ahead At the Kits Who Could Join the Colony

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: September 2nd, 2026

Fun fact for all of our loyal readers: a baby beaver is called a "kit" and a group of beavers is a colony. So here at the Dam Daily, instead of using the typical rhetoric you'll find across every campus in America, we've decided to label them more scientifically. We simply do it differently here in Corvegas.

I think we can all agree that head coach Jonathan Smith did a bang-up job rounding out the recruiting class in his second go-around on campus. But one recruiting class doesn't turn this pumpkin into a chariot just yet. It starts with wins on the field, first and foremost, and Smith, Dahlen, and Leon need to stack some wins on the recruiting trail as well.

The portal haul we scraped together this year was stellar, but you can't build a sustainable program on transfers alone. Live by the portal, die by the portal. All it takes is one bad transfer window and suddenly you're scrambling with no where to turn. That's why this Big board matters, landing high school talent provides the foundation to Build the Dam.

But before we go all doom and gloom, let's cross our fingers and hope that the coaching staff can secure some of the prep talent on their early Big Board, listed below, as well as our ranking nationally in recruiting metrics.

•••

Ranking	Position	Name	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Tendency	NAT/STA/POS
	MLB	Deon DeBose	6'0	209	Barrington, IL	Signal Caller	407/17/36
	G	Rico Stubbs	6'2	275	Upland, CA	Pass Pro	467/41/25
	CB	Mario Magnifico	6'2	193	Santa Ana, CA	Bump and Run	540/49/47
	FS	Titus Bhargava	5'11	191	Spokane, WA	Hybrid	588/12/17
	MLB	Dion Doucet	6'2	222	Lake Oswego, OR	Thumper	798/4/50
	EDGE	DeMarcus Talbot	6'4	237	Bellflower, CA	Pure Power	894/79/89
	ATH	Floyd Flanagan	6'0	220	Burien, WA	Thumper	904/14/55
	QB	Shakim Procter	6'4	194	Bothell, WA	Backfield Creator	976/16/58
	HB	Derek Metropulos	5'8	203	West Hills, CA	Contact Seeker	1006/87/116
	QB	Kyle Johnson	5'11	183	Sammamish, WA	Dual Threat	1127/18/64
	EDGE	Danny Johnston	6'1	236	Bellflower, CA	Speed Rusher	1158/104/99
	DT	Dell Brittingham	6'0	281	San Marcos, CA	Speed Rusher	1184/108/62
	ATH	Leo McGinnis	6'3	259	Corona, CA	Power Rusher	1283/118/110
	CB	Damian Skaggs	6'0	181	Temecula, CA	Field	1284/119/106
	ATH	Derek Wieneke	6'2	292	North Little Rock, AR	Agile	1310/6/42
	ATH	Emmett Silva	6'3	193	Olympia, WA	Contested Specialist	1387/22/219
	G	Enrique Esparza	6'1	284	Las Vegas, NV	Pass Pro	1412/14/70
	T	DeMarco Alabi	6'6	316	Gray, GA (JUCO)	Raw Strength	1426/124/100
	HB	Sharrif Slack	5'10	163	Somerset, KY	Backfield Threat	1647/12/185
	T	Kevin Marciano	6'5	288	Bellingham, WA	Raw Strength	1775/29/120

•••

Oregon State Recruiting Rankings
Championship Contender: D- 115th
Program Tradition: C+ 49th
Campus Lifestyle: C 102nd
Stadium Atmosphere: C 63rd
Pro Potential:

► Show Spoiler

Brand Exposure: C- 74th
Academic Prestige: C- 68th
Conference Prestige: B- 7th
Coach Stability: F 127th
Coach Prestige: D- 108th
Athletic Facilities: C 62nd
Prestige:

Graduating Seniors: 20

•••

As you can see, the Beavers have work to do on the recruiting front. But Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will the Dam. Progress takes time.

Deon DeBose at #407 nationally is our highest-ranked target; landing him would hugely shift the perception of Oregon State nationally. Keep an eye on the California pipeline with six Cali kids on the board it shows Smith & Co knows where their bread is buttered.

And yes, we're going after TWO quarterbacks because apparently Kallen Gutridge going into 2026 as our starter didn't teach us anything about depth. With Coach Smith back on board it feels like the Beavers are finally pulling themselves out of the pit of despair. We've got a pair of Top 500 recruits interested in joining the colony, and even better—we've already secured our first commitment for the 2026 recruiting class.

Tackle Kevin Marciano, the 1,775th ranked prospect nationally, has already signed a letter of intent and plans on enrolling in the spring, according to those close to the family.

One recruit doesn't make a class, but it's a step in the right direction for a program that closed the 2025 season with a meager eight recruits at Early Signing Day.

Coach Smith & Co will look to keep the momentum going when they kickoff the second edition of the Smith Era on opening weekend against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium.

Post by **Agent** » 18 Jan 2026, 02:05

Does the banner say turnover because you’re expecting a bunch of them?

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 18 Jan 2026, 03:06

Agent wrote: ↑
18 Jan 2026, 02:05
Does the banner say turnover because you’re expecting a bunch of them?

nah fam, they got a literal turnover chainsaw

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 18 Jan 2026, 03:08

2026 Week One Preview - Oregon State (0-0) @ Houston (0-0)

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: September 4th, 2026

The wait is over, folks—the Oregon State Beavers kick off the second edition of the Jonathan Smith Era tomorrow when they travel to TDECU Stadium to face the Houston Cougars.

Before we get into the inaugural edition of the 'Leon's Lowdown" lets take a look at how the Beavers stack up against the Cougars.

•••

Oregon State Beavers                   | Description                   | Houston Cougars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
77 Overall // 76 Offense // 79 Defense | Team Rating                   | 76 Overall // 74 Offense // 79 Defense
Jonathan Smith (43-50)                 | Head Coach                    | Willie Fritz (14-11)
Pro Style                              | Offensive Scheme              | Spread
3-3-5                                  | Defensive Scheme              | 3-3-5 Tite

Oregon State Beavers            | Pos | Houston Cougars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SO(RS) Kallen Gutridge (72)     | QB  | SR(RS) Conner Weigman (86)
JR Salahadin Allah (83)         | HB  | JR(RS) Re'Shaun Sanford II (85)
JR(RS) David Wells Jr (80)      | WR  | SR Amare Thomas (86)
JR(RS) Zachary Card (76)        | WR  | SR(RS) TE Terrance Carter Jr (92)
SR(RS) CB Noble Thomas Jr (80)  | DEF | SR CB Keith Abney II (93)
JR(RS) DE Kelze Howard (80)     | DEF | JR(RS) CB Will James (87)
SR(RS) MLB Jalen Woods (79)     | DEF | JR(RS) LB Corey Platt Jr (82)
SR SS Kyle Chen (78)            | DEF | SR(RS) DE Brandon Mack II (81)

Pac-12 Week One Schedule

► Show Spoiler

Notable Week One Matchups

► Show Spoiler

•••

Leon's Lowdown

Alright, now that y'all have had a chance to digest the numbers, here is the inaugural session of "Leon's Lowdown" where I, Ricky McKinley, sit down with Corvallis' favorite defensive coordinator Armando "Mando" Leon:

RK: "Thanks for joining us to kick off the new segment Coach. Before we get into the brass tacks, how are you feeling ahead of your defensive debut for the Beavs?"

AL: "Thanks for having me, Ricky, and excited for the new segment. Any time we get a chance to connect with the fans is a win. Without their support, we'd be upriver. Ya know, the nerves haven't really worked up yet, but I'm sure that will change once we hit the field. It's not my first taste of action with the big boys, but it's definitely a different vibe on this side."

RK: "That's right—you faced New Mexico in 2024 and Oregon last year, so this technically won't be your first game against FBS competition. What's different about game planning now that you're on the FBS side? As an FCS coach, you knew you were overmatched and just trying to keep it respectable. Now the expectation is to actually win."

AL: "Well, let's pump the brakes a bit there, Ricky. We were actually two touchdown favorites against New Mexico two years ago, but I think that says more about the Montana State program than the Lobos. But it's a completely different animal, mainly because you're on more of an equal playing field. Oregon demolished us last year, but after the game Dan Lanning told me we'd made life hard for him schematically. That just shows the talent gap between FCS and FBS. So, going into my first FBS game on even ground, we're focusing on making sure we're sound, we're disciplined, and we play with intensity. The rest will take care of itself."

RK: "The Cougars averaged just under 400 yards per game last year and nearly 30 points per contest, what plan have you guys put together defensively to slow down their aerial attack, that many are projecting to be one of the best in the Big 12 this season?"

AL: "It starts up front, Ricky. We've got to generate pressure and keep Weigman off balance. If he has time to sit back and slice apart the defense, he's got ample threats on the outside. The addition of Terrance Carter Jr in the middle makes their whole offense even more dangerous. But on the flip side, they were one of the top rushing teams nationally last year. We can't lose gap integrity in an effort to collapse the pocket, or they are going to tear us to pieces with Draws and options. We've put in the work all summer long, now it's time to execute."

RK: "Alright Coach, one more question before we let you off the hook. Any predictions for the game this weekend?"

AL: "Not going to catch me slipping off the bat, Ricky. I will say that we need to focus on the process, not the outcome. Like I said, we've put in the work all summer and fall. Now it's time to execute on the field. The desired outcome is obviously a win, but we aren't going to get there if we don't execute like a championship caliber team on each snap."

RK: laughs "I won't try and pull a fast one again Coach Mando. Good luck out there!"

AL: "Thanks for having me, Ricky, see you next week. Go Beavers!"

•••

Coach Mando's not giving away any secrets, but his confidence is apparent. However, the Beavers will need to execute at a high level to pull off the upset in Houston. Can Coach Mando's defense keep Weigman uncomfortable enough to give Gutridge and the run game a chance? That's the billion-dollar question heading into Saturday.

My prediction: Houston 27, Oregon State 17. The talent gap at quarterback is too much to overcome, but the defense keeps it respectable. If I'm wrong? You know where to find me—@McRick on X.

Post by **Caesar** » 18 Jan 2026, 15:48

Weigman about to expose Armando. Gonna have buddy running back to Montana.

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 18 Jan 2026, 23:24

Caesar wrote: ↑
18 Jan 2026, 15:48
Weigman about to expose Armando. Gonna have buddy running back to Montana.

I hate playing defense. Why did I do this to myself :dead:

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 19 Jan 2026, 00:43

Logan McCreery's GW Field Goal Leaves Cougars Stunned In Offensive Slugfest

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: September 5th, 2026

One of the keys to the game for the Oregon State Beavers was to limit the possessions the Cougars and Conner Weigman had. "They can't win a slugfest," noted many analysts.

Well no one told the Beavs that.

Oregon State outslugged the Houston Cougars 41-39 at TDECU Stadium to open the 2026 season with a stunning upset, already halfway to their 2025 total just one game in.

The game came down to the wire. Conner Weigman threw his 4th touchdown pass of the outing to Harvey Broussard III on 4th and 8, but a failed two-point conversion would prove costly. With 1:45 remaining in the contest, Kallen Gutridge executed a nearly flawless two-minute drill. The sophomore, making his first career start, was 4/6 on the final drive for 48 yards before McCreery laced the 35-yard field goal with just seven seconds on the clock.

Here's what Beavers defensive coordinator Armando Leon had to say at the post-game press conference sponsored by Holland America Line:

•••

Question One: "Coach, Olivia LeRusso with Oregonlive. Conner Weigman nearly won the game for Houston with that final touchdown throw. That fourth down conversion had to be gut-wrenching. Can you walk us through what happened on the play?"

Armando Leon: "Sure, Olivia. We doubled Carter Jr, he'd been killing us over the middle all game and if we were going down, I wanted to make someone else earn it. We played match man across the board, but once Weigman broke containment, I thought we did a good job sticking with our assignments. He threw up a jump ball to Broussard and even though Noble got a hand on it, Broussard caught it on the deflection. Credit to him, that's a hell of a catch. Just bad luck for Noble, who did everything right. We held our heads high though, got the TFL on the two point try, and ultimately, that was the difference."

Question Two: "Coach, Blake Sawyer from the Houston Chronicle. You mentioned you had trouble getting pressure and that shows in the stats with only one sack. What do you attribute to the lack of pressure for a defense many expected to live around the quarterback?"

Armando Leon: "That's a layered answer, Blake. Weigman did a great job getting the ball out quickly, so that even when we did dip into our exotic blitzes, they didn't have time to get home. We're also still meshing as a unit, to be frank. You can only do so much to simulate a live game. In that aspect we're still figuring out what works with the personnel we've got.

"But I'll counter your one sack with 9 tackles for loss, two failed two-point conversions, and a safety. Which for the record, that's four points my defense kept off the board, while adding two of their own, in a two point win. So while the result on the field wasn't always pretty, we impacted the game enough to give us a shot at winning."

Moderator: "Last question before we wrap this up, folks!"

Question Three: "Phillip Dorsey from CW39 Houston. What changes do you plan to make next week when the Texas Tech Red Raiders head north to Reser Stadium?"

Armando Leon: "Obviously, they're another high-octane offense with a ton of talent. We're going to review the tape, both ours and theirs from this weekend, and see where we can execute. That being said, I promise you we're going to prioritize getting after the QB more. We did a great job disrupting the run game, but we've got to do more to make the opposing QB uncomfortable. Completing 80% of their passes is something we can't continue to allow."

•••

Coach Leon's right—the defense came up big when it mattered most. Those two failed two-point conversions were crucial, and Jalen Woods' safety (converting a punt downed at the one-yard line into two points) was ultimately the difference in a game where both offenses went off.

Can Oregon State match their win total from 2025 just two weeks into the season? We'll find out next week when the Beavs open Reser Stadium against the 17th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders, who dismantled Abilene Christian 54-6 over the weekend.

•••

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Oregon State	7	15	10	9	41
Houston	7	7	13	12	39

Q	Team	Time	Play	Oregon State	Houston
1st	Houston	11:38	Harvey Broussard III, 27 Yd Pass From Conner Weigman	0	7
1st	Oregon State	4:34	Zachary Card, 16 Yd Pass From Kallen Gutridge	7	7
2nd	Oregon State	11:52	Logan McCreery, 48 YD FG	10	7
2nd	Oregon State	8:40	Safety	12	7
2nd	Oregon State	7:35	Malachi Durant, 5 Yd Pass From Kallen Gutridge	19	7
2nd	Houston	3:31	Re'Shaun Sanford II, 2 Yd Run	19	14
2nd	Oregon State	0:11	Logan McCreery, 27 Yd FG	22	14
3rd	Oregon State	9:50	Jake Reichle, 6 Yd Run	29	14
3rd	Houston	6:53	Re'Shaun Sanford II, 16 Yd Run (Blocked XP)	29	20
3rd	Oregon State	2:13	Logan McCreery, 47 Yd FG	32	20
3rd	Houston	0:14	Harvey Broussard III, 14 Yd Pass From Conner Weigman	32	27
4th	Houston	7:33	Amare Thomas, 17 Yd Pass From Conner Weigman (Failed 2PT)	32	33
4th	Oregon State	4:02	Jake Reichle, 1 Yd Run (Failed 2PT)	38	32
4th	Houston	1:45	Harvey Broussard III, 13 Yd Pass From Conner Weigman (Failed 2PT)	38	39
4th	Oregon State	0:09	Logan McCreery, 34 Yd FG	41	39

Oregon State                                                  Houston

Passing               | Stats                                 Passing               | Stats
----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Kallen Gutridge       | 23/40, 279 Yds, 2 TD, INT             Conner Weigman        | 25/31, 343 Yds, 4 TD

Rushing               | Stats                                 Rushing               | Stats
----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Salahadin Allah       | 22 Att, 191 Yds                       Re'Shaun Sanford II   | 13 Att, 70 Yds, 2 TD
Jake Reichle          | 5 Att, 14 Yds, 2 TD                   J'Marion Burnette     | 4 Att, 29 Yds

Receiving             | Stats                                 Receiving             | Stats
----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
Jackson Bowers        | 6 Rec, 73 Yds                         Terrance Carter Jr    | 7 Rec, 104 Yds
Zachary Card          | 5 Rec, 67 Yds, TD                     Harvey Broussard III  | 6 Rec, 74 Yds, 3 TD
Malachi Durant        | 3 Rec, 34 Yds, TD                     Amare Thomas          | 5 Rec, 106 Yds, TD

Defensive             | Stats                                 Defensive             | Stats
----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------
FS Harlem Howard      | 7 Tkl, TFL                            DE Latreveon McCutchin| 5 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks
MLB Jalen Woods       | 4 Tkl, 3 TFL, Safety                  DE Brandon Mack II    | 4 Tkl, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks
DE Kelze Howard       | 2 Tkl, TFL, Sack                      SS Jordan Allen       | 5 Tkl, INT

Pac-12 Week One Results
13 Colorado State (0-1) @ #10 Indiana (1-0) 54
31 Texas State (0-1) @ #8 Texas (1-0) 56
16 Fresno State (0-1) @ #14 USC (1-0) 45
27 Washington State (0-1) @ Kansas State (1-1) 29
20 FCS @ San Diego State (1-0) 55
10 FCS @ Utah State (1-0) 42
31 Boise State (0-1) @ #6 Oregon (1-0) 32

Notable Week One Results
31 #7 Georgia (1-0) @ Virginia (0-1) 17

Post by **Agent** » 19 Jan 2026, 00:51

Nothing like that first win :blessed:

Post by **djp73** » 19 Jan 2026, 07:38

maybe you should have all six of those safeties on the field at the same time :jalenrose:

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