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Personnel
- Timmy Hernandez (Sr.) - Last year’s leader (among the Wide Receivers) in both yardage (357) and touchdowns (3).
- Isaiah Hodgins (So.) - After a modest first season (275 yards, 2 touchdowns), expect Hodgins to have a larger role this year.
- Trevon Bradford (Jr.) - Started twice in 2017, with 204 yards. Also returns punts.
- Tino Allen (So.) - Didn’t make any catches in his freshman season, but did well returning kicks.
- Andre Bodden (Jr.) - Another special teamer that saw a good amount of snaps in spring training.
- Aaron Short (R Jr.) - Transfer from Sierra College, has yet to see any time at Oregon State
- Kolby Taylor (R Fr.) - Taylor looked fantastic in spring, and could look to contribute early.
- Michael Alfieri (R Fr.)
- Champ Flemings (R. Fr.)
- Jesiah Irish (Fr.)
- I’Shawn Stewart (Fr.)
Who’s Gone
- Jordan Villamin - Villamin, one of the Beavers’ better receivers the past few years, graduated and went undrafted by the NFL. Recently, he has signed a deal with the Phoenix team of the Alliance of American Football, a new spring league that expects to start play in 2019.
- Seth Collins - Seth Collins long nightmare in Corvallis is over with his transfer to Texas Tech. According to Collins, the weather in Corvallis contributed to his poor health, and his decision to leave the team (twice). There’s no word yet if the poor weather contributed to his assault charges.
New Faces
- Kolby Taylor is a four star recruit from Arizona. He redshirted last season, but was very impressive in camp earlier this year. It’s not hard to see him getting on the field early and enough in his first season.
- There are a few other red shirt freshmen, including Champ Flemings and Michael Alfieri, who could contribute, especially on special teams.
- Jesiah Irish and I’Shawn Stewart, both freshmen, will probably red shirt, but thanks to new rules could see action in up to four games.
Who Will Start?
Timmy Hernandez will absolutely get one of the starting spots. This is a young unit, and Hernandez’s experience and leadership will be invaluable.
Isaiah Hodgins will get another starting spot. While he has yet to fulfill the expectations many had for him when he joined the program, the time is right for him to step up and show off his skills.
Trevon Bradford is probably the front runner as a third starter. He has experience in the slot, which will be very useful while the new offense is finding its footing.
The big question for starting positions is how ready Kolby Taylor looks. If the praise we heard about him spring training is legit, new coordinator Kefense Hynson isn’t going to keep him off the field long.
What To Expect
Stability: Oregon State’s starting Wide Receivers changed week to week last year. With the team in free fall, and coaches coming and going, there was a lot of reshuffling of the deck chairs as the season went on.
That can’t happen this year. With a lot of young talent on the roster, and the team still years away from being competitive, it’s up to the coaching staff to insure that the learning process is stable and effective. There’s some incredibly exciting young talent on the team, and Coach Hynson looks to have the skill to bring it out, but they have to be careful; no one wants a repeat of the Anderson years.