2021 CFP SEASON PREVIEW AUTUMN 11

OREGON STATE
#4 PAC 12 NORTH: CONF 2-5, HOME 2-3, AWAY 0-2
Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (4) OC: Brian Lindgren (4) DC: Tim Tibesar (4)
OFFENSE:
QB: Tristan Gebbia (824 YDS, 3 TD, 3 INT passing, 2 TD rushing) will start but missed spring ball with an injury.
Chance Nolan (537 YDS, 6 TD, 2 INT passing, 147 YDS, 1 TD rushing) is also back. Sam Noyer (1101 YDS, 6 TD, 7 INT
passing, 208 YDS, 6 TD rushing) transferred in from Colorado where he was the starter. Sam Vidlak is a 3-star
freshman that could be in the mix.
RB: Lost Jermar Jefferson (858 YDS, 7 TD rushing) to the NFL who was the star of last years’ team. Calvin Tyler (45
YDS, 2 TD) transferred to Utah State. Returns BJ Baylor (124 YDS, 1 TD) and ILB Jack Colletto who got 15 carries at
RB (128 YDS, 2 TD). Deshaun Fenwick (297 YDS, 1 TD) transferred in from South Carolina.
WR: Kolby Taylor (224 YDS, 1 TD) medically retired. Returns Trevon Bradford (239 YDS, 1 TD), Tyjon Lindsey (159
YDS, 3 TD), Zeriah Beason (148 YDS, 3 TD), Tre’Shaun Harrison (142 YDS, 1 TD) and Champ Flemings (107 YDS).
2020 4-star 6’2 Makiya Tongue transferred in from Georgia after one season.
TE: Returns 6’6 Teagan Quitoriano (185 YDS, 1 TD), 6’6 Luke Musgrave (142 YDS) and Jake Overman (19 YDS).
OL: All five starters return. Heneli Bloomfield transferred in from Utah State where he started four games.
Freshman Cooper Darling is 342lbs.
DEFENSE:
DL: 358lb DT Jordan Whittley (13 TOT in 2019) transferred to Michigan after opting out in 2020. Evan Bennett (10
TOT) transferred to Fresno State. Returns DE Isaac Hodgins (28 TOT, 1.5 sacks), James Rawls (10 TOT), Simon
Sandberg (5 TOT) and 310lb Alexander Skelton (3 TOT). Isaac Hodgins had foot surgery in August and will be out 8
weeks which will be an October return. Keonte Schad (8 TOT in 2020, 21 TOT in 2019) transferred in from
Minnesota where he played in 17 games.
LB: Lost OLB Hamilcar Rashed Jr (23 TOT) to the NFL. Returns leading tackler ILB Avery Roberts (69 TOT), ILB Omar
Speights (63 TOT, 1 sack), OLB Andrzej Hughes-Murray (23 TOT, 1 sack), ILB Jack Colletto (14 TOT), OLB Riley Sharp
(10 TOT) and John McCartan (6 TOT, 1 INT).
SF: Returns Akili Arnold (30 TOT), Kitan Oladapo (26 TOT, 2 sacks) and Alton Julian (14 TOT).
CB: Lost Nahshon Wright (30 TOT, 1 sack, 2 INT) and Isaiah Dunn (13 TOT) to the NFL. Returns Jaydon Grant (29
TOT, 2 INT), Alex Austin (29 TOT) and Rejzohn Wright (3 TOT). Elijah Jones (23 TOT) transferred in from Kansas and
will probably start.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Returns Everett Hayes (19/19 PAT, 5/7 FG).
PR: Returns punter Luke Loecher (44.8 YD/AVG).
SPIN
Corvallis, OR – Last season Oregon State went 2-5 but the season did not feel like a failure. OSU beat Oregon in a
season that the Ducks were considered in the playoff picture and all losses were close, five of seven games decided
by one possession after losing the first game by ten points. The offense ranked 33 rd in rushing
YDS/G with 197.6 and 55 th in total YDS/G. A large part of their success on offense was due to
running back Jermar Jefferson who is gone now. Luckily Deshaun Fenwick transferred in. He
should be a breakout player in the PAC-12, especially with five linemen returning up front.
Gebbia was the starter when he was healthy last year but Sam Noyer could definitely move
into the starting role. Whoever is at QB will be helped out by Gergia transfer Makiya Tongue.
The only PAC-12 teams the Beavs do not play are UCLA and Arizona, two teams that have
each had losing records the last three years. Week one at Purdue might determine if this
team will reach bowl eligibility. Head coach Jonathan Smith seems to have the program
heading in the right direction. A bowl game would be huge in building this program. Regular
season win total should be around five games, just shy of a bowl appearance.
Twitter @Autumn_Eleven