Oregon State Football 2025 Defensive Preview
Will the Dam break?
Oregon State was snakebit by injuries last year, this year they start the year healthy, with plenty of new faces. This is Trent Bray’s second year as head coach of the program. After a rough first season stuck in what was the Pac12, there are expectations for improvement, with little doubt that a lot of the issues last year were out of the Coach’s control. A former OSU player from 2002-2005, Bray’s father was also the DC there in the early 2000’s. A linebacker himself, you’d expect the same sort of emphasis on violence and tackling that one would expect from any defensive minded head coach.
The Beavers have as many question marks on defense as the Bears do on offense. We will be given a front row ticket to the Maalik Murphy show, whether we like it or not. The quarterback isn’t new to the conference, leading the Duke Blue Devils to a 9-3 season last year after transferring in from Texas. His mix of pedigree and good game tape leave reason for Cal fans to be concerned and Oregon State fans to have a little optimism after the year they’re coming off of.
2024 Defense in Review:
107th in the country defending the run, allowed 186 rushing yards per game
Defensive tackles managed a total of 1.5 sacks on the season, with the Beavers finished dead last with seven sacks on the season.
Were led by DC Keith Hayward, who is no longer with the team.
2025 Defense
Trent Bray is still running a 3-3-5. If you’re unfamiliar, think weird nickel, he is also the co-defensive coordinator this year, alongside last year’s secondary coach Rod Chance
To better define their defense, there is no longer one room for all defensive line players, instead opting for separate defensive tackle and edge rusher rooms, headed by different assistant coaches.
AJ Cooper replaces Rod Chance as the secondary coach, moving over from the inside linebacker room. He was previously coaching at Sacramento State, with another stint at OSU before that.
Transfers Walker Harris and Kai Wallin are both listed at outside linebacker, but local defensive previews alter their fans to expect both to rush the passer. Harris didn’t crack the two-deep depth chart, but he is gargantuan, and is currently on one of those transfer portal heroes journeys. His past stops include the FCS and DII.
Provisional Starters
DL - Tevita Pome’e, DL - Thomas Collins, OLB - Kai Wallin, OLB - Nikko Taylor
ILB - Raesjon Davis, ILB - Dexter Foster,
CB - Exodus Ayers, CB - Jalil Tucker, Nickel - Sailasa Vadrawale,
S - Tyrice Ive Jr., Skyler Thomas
Players and Personnel to watch
Nebraska transfer Kai Wallin played 15 games over two seasons, and impressed the OSU coaching staff at spring ball. He’s another big guy, 6’5”.
Oregon transfer Tevita Pome’e has had quite a journey learning the spot over the past 6 years, and is a stud defending the run. He may be the first test for this Cal backs room that hopes to get downhill on their opponents.
The edge rushers look strong as a position group.
Cornerback Exodus Ayers doesn’t just have an all time great College Football name, he has flashed star potential before. Everyone’s looking for him to make the leap this year.
How Cal wins the game
With both teams coming into the season with so many fresh faces, it’s hard to know what to expect, and confusing to be the Vegas underdog after last season’s performance, but these are two new teams. Oregon State’s concerns seem to be the offense getting off to a good start, and hoping that Cal’s defense is somehow worse than what Coach Wilcox has consistently put on the field on that side of the ball.
Oregon State’s defense is much healthier to start the year, but look for an aggressive running game to be a ballast to set the state for Jaron-Keawe to take some deep shot opportunities, and test out his arm against a college defense for the first time. Bryan Harsin is a skilled OC who’s not afraid to put some tricky stuff together, which has the potential to hang a defense that’s just beginning to gel out to dry. Offensive line play is always important, but after giving up over 3 sacks a game on average last year, the Golden Bears are looking to show more.
Conversely, OSU is starting a heralded transfer Quarterback, so we’ll need Cade and Co. playing with their hair on fire to make it easier on the offense, and the new look DB room to continue the legacy. Unfortunately, the Beavers lost their star pass catcher for the season recently, so their offense may take the first couple drives to see who’s ready to step up as WR1 in Corvallis.
Trent Walker was, would have been, and will be WR 1 for Oregon State. But he is the prototype possession receiver. Darious Clemons, who tore his Achiles, was the speed/deep threat last year's QBs couldn't reach with 2 throws. One of the biggest questions is who, if anyone, can/will fill that role. (Kind of hijacking the thread about the OSU defense that shifted to the Cal defense, and what they will be contending with. But its one of the keys to the game.)
Playing in Corvallis has always been a real chore. It's a real big time home field advantage. In other words, watching this game will be real apprehension.