Oregon State Fostering Football Culture Ahead of 2026 Season

Culture is a buzz-word in college football. From coast to coast, and peewees to pros, teams talk about the archetypal football guy: a lunch pail toting, God-fearing athlete with a fiery passion for pigskin.

After the first two days of fall camp, Oregon State organized a media day, allowing local outlets to see with our own eyes that their culture is more than a buzz word. JaMarcus Shephard's first Oregon State football team is loaded with football guys.

Nathan Elu, a rare returning starter on the Beavers' offensive line, towered over an assembled media scrum with his 6'5" frame and a freshly-shaved bald head; he told reporters that it made his helmet fit easier. During that conversation, the senior from San Mateo played his part of a football guy, praising his teammates in the trenches and encouraging them to continue grinding.

"There's still a lot of stuff we need to work on, but compare Spring to now, I think its night and day. The last two practices, I've definitely seen [it]. I think Coach Dahlen [offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen] has told us in the summertime that the communication has got way better. Going into practice, that's something that we kept in mind, having a lot of effort, because that's where it starts. The last two practices we've definitely seen the communication piece, the effort piece, the violent side of the game, we've definitely seen that increase, but we just got to keep hammering it, because we do have a lot of stuff to work on."

The Beavers' new culture extends beyond the big bodies inside, as linebacker Dylan Layne and running back Cornell Hatcher Jr. exemplified in a later media scrum. While the Lake Oswego native Layne fielded questions from reporters, his tailback teammate crashed the party, asking a question of his own.

"Hey Dylan, I got a question. Who is your favorite teammate?"

The two student-athletes have only known each other for a few months - Layne transferred from Idaho this past offseason - but his response to the question exuded trust in his new friend Hatcher. In a moment of brevity, the former Big Sky All-Conference linebacker singled out three other Oregon State running backs. Hatcher, who will wear the #3 jersey this season, followed up his attempted attaboy with another try, asking Layne for his favorite Beaver wearing a single-digit number. Without missing a beat, the Oregon State newcomer cracked another joke with the Beavers' starting rusher.

"Aiden Sullivan's a dog."

Hatcher tried again. "What about on offense?"

"Karson Boschma, number five, another Oregon State kid, great guy."

Their comedy act set the stage for emerging pass rusher Takari Hickle, who opened his comments with a visible grin, and later elaborated on team-building in the months leading up to Fall camp.

"I think it was extremely valuable. I feel like it was very much needed. We all got pushed to points [that] a lot of us didn't think we could get pushed there. I feel like at the end of it, it really did bring us together, but also raised our ceiling, you know, we're good players, but there's always more to do. There's always more to give."

Further on, Hickle credited the Fourth Quarter Program installed by new Oregon State Strength & Conditioning Director Jeff Eaton.

"I liked [him] immediately. It took one conversation for me to be like okay, I think I like these people. This is where I want to be. They're intense, and definitely a little different than what I've maybe had in the past, but different in a good way."

For months, Oregon State's assembly of football guys have developed a culture on the practice field, the weight room, and across campus. Today, that culture was on full display. In less than a month, it will be challenged in a real game.

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