Oregon State Beavers football drawing rave reviews from recruits

Photo: Courtesy of Rashaun Lavata’i N/A

Andrew Nemec April 7, 2026 @ 07:27 PM

It has been a whirlwind past few years for the Oregon State Beavers football program.   The collapse of the old Pac-12 Conference paved the way for head coach Jonathan Smith's departure to the Michigan State Spartans in the fall of 2023, and it has felt like the program has been reeling ever since.   But the November hiring of Alabama Crimson Tide assistant JaMarcus Shephard as its new head coach brought about renewed optimism in Corvallis, aided by a clear path forward in the newly-reconstructed Pac-12 Conference.   Early on, there were encouraging signs - with regional high school football coaches and recruits heaping praise on the sudden change in energy around the program.   Almost six months into Shephard's tenure those early sentiments seem to have further cemented themselves as "the new normal" in Corvallis.   Key Northwest recruits are not only taking visits to campus, they are leaving with glowing reviews.   Fresh off a visit, Curtis (Washington) offensive lineman Rashaun Lavata'i was struck by the energy around the program during spring activities.   "They are always hyper, always bringing the energy for practices, for sure," he said. "So, overall they make it feel like a college environment."   That feeling contrasts somewhat with Trent Bray's staff.   "I would say that this staff is more engaged on recruits..." he said.   Kennedy Catholic (Washington) athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1530872' first='Jordan' last='Noel'] is a rising 2027 prospect, and he came way with similar sentiments during his March trip.   "It was great down there," he said. "They made it feel like family there. It's high energy, high motivation. I love it there, honestly."   Graham-Kapowsin (Washington) wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='985348' first='Jayce' last='Halasz'] is flirting with four-star status based on updated rankings.   His takeaways from a recent trip to Corvallis echo those of Lavata'i and Noel.   "Coach Shepard is definitely building something special over there," Halasz said. "He is one of the most high-motor/energetic coaches I've been around ever."   But it wasn't just the energy around the staff that stood out.   Halasz was treated like a VIP and also learned that the Beavers are planning to build on a motto of "TNT" - "takes no talent" - which means the expectation around the program is that everyone does the little things that take no talent on the football field - effort, energy,   "They treated me super well, from coach (James) Finley to the recruiting coordinators, it was all love and learning," he said. "They're building their team off a motto, “TNT,” takes no talent. They're really emphasizing and taking pride in the little things that take zero talent."   Halasz earned a scholarship offer from Oregon State during the trip and also got a 30-minute meeting with members of the staff, explaining to him what it means to be an Oregon State wide receiver.   In total, Prep Redzone spoke with six prospects from the Northwest who recently visited Oregon State.   All six had positive things to say about the program and coaching staff.   That hasn't always been the case in recent years.   There's a culture change brewing in Corvallis.   Recruits, who are getting an early behind-the-curtain look at the program, are buzzing about it.   That tends to lead to more wins and better recruiting results.   It's still early in Shephard's tenure, but there's clearly reason for optimism in Beaver Nation.

It has been a whirlwind past few years for the Oregon State Beavers football program.