Oregon State may be on the right track

After ending the 2016 season with a 34-24 victory over Oregon in the Civil War, which ended the 8-year win streak for the Ducks, the Beavers football program look to be heading in the right direction as Gary Andersen starts his third year as the head coach for OSU.

It seems the Beavers are headed in the right direction. It appears this new recruiting class might be the best since the group signed up in 2008, with the likes of Jacquizz Rodgers and Stephen Paea. If the 2017 class can turn out like they did, Oregon State could be in a good place.

After national signing day Wednesday (when high school recruits commit to their college of choice), OSU’s 2017 recruit class was ranked No. 52 nationally and 11th in the Pac-12 by ESPN.

The Beavers got signatures from Trajon Cotton (safety, 6 foot, 1 inch, 185 pounds, Sacramento, California); Charles Watson (safety, 6 foot, 2 inch, 180 pounds, Wahiawa, Hawaii); Calvin Tyler (all-purpose back, 5 foot, 9 inches, 190 pounds, Silsbee, Texas); Isaiah Dunn (cornerback, 6 foot, 175 pounds, Antioch, California); B.J. Baylor (running back, 6 foot, 190 pounds, Wharton, Texas); and Clay Cordasco (offensive tackle, 6 foot, 6 inch, 330 pounds, Los Angeles Valley College).

Oregon State also got a huge three-star recruit in Kesi Ah-Hoy (linebacker, 6 foot, 215 pounds from Hawaii), who flipped from planning to sign with the University of Hawaii. They also got four-star Isaiah Hodgins (wide receiver, 6 foot, 3 inches, 194 pounds, Walnut Creek, California).

Other three-star recruits who signed are Kolby Taylor (wide receiver, 5 foot, 11 inches, 186 pounds, Chandler, Arizona); Jake Luton (quarterback, 6 foot, 6 inches, 220 pounds, Ventura College transfer); Craig Evans, (defensive tackle, 6 foot, 3 inches, 305 pounds, Arizona Western College transfer); and Justin Sattelmaier (offensive tackle, 6 foot, 7 inch, 300 pounds, Palomar College transfer).

The big question, and what every Beaver fan is thinking right now is, who is going to be the starting quarterback?

The Beavers had three different quarterbacks play last year. Darrell Garettson started the 2016 season at the position before he was injured and broke his foot against Utah in the sixth game of the season. Freshman Connor Blount then came in, only to get injured himself with a knee injury on the very next possession of the game.

So, OSU had to turn to the third-string QB, Marcus McMaryion, who would start the rest of the year for the Beavers. McMaryion most definitely did his part and got the Beavers to a record of 4-8 and (3-6, fourth place in the Pac-12 North Division) including the Civil War victory, which was a much-needed boost for the OSU football program.

Now the Beavers have a junior college three-star transfer Luton, who stands tall and is thick. He was the league’s offensive player of the year at Ventura College, so it appears the starting quarterback position is up in the air in Corvallis.

The Beavers made significant improvements in their offensive and defensive play towards the end of the year and finished the year with positive momentum. They will have seven starters due back on offense with impact player Ryan Nall at the running back position and Hodgins, the new four-star recruit, at wide receiver. They have eight returning starters on the defensive side, along with Evans, the standout transfer defensive tackle, to help out.