“I hope you all woke up and chose violence". This would be a line we never heard from Mike Riley. Maybe not even from Dennis Erickson or Jonathan Smith. That is definitely a step in the right direction. BTW... saw that Oregon State was picked to finish dead last in the conference it saved. Talk about a slap in the face. That should be some bulletin board material all season long.
After watching the video, my take away is Coach Shepherd might be the perfect blend of Mike Riley, with his fatherly ways and high life values, and Dennis Erickson, who was about kicking a$$ at all times (but maybe not always so great on values). Coach has ME excited for the season
As someone who had only a bike and lived off campus at Oregon State, I rode or walked everywhere. Corvallis is a great town to ride on a bike. There are no highways or freeways running through town. It is mostly suburban streets with some hills to the north thrown in for excitement. I already like Coach Shephard even more.
I bet the program improves every week with this type of coaching. I agree with JC that the first couple of games could be rough with a complete rebuild. But the best teams are measured by how much they improve from the start of the season to the end. Last year's team just got worse each week. This one won't
Just picked up on the fact that Coach Shepherd's son is attending West Albany HS, which is my alma mater. Wow! An Oregon State HC who lives in Albany. That has to be a first. Must be North Albany, though my end of town (Southwest) has homes suitable for an HC. Just another reason (for me) to love this man.
How can you not love a coach who stresses that nothing comes easy and you play the way you live?! That is the perfect message for a team which is a bit undermanned by the numbers (the ranking services) but who can be elevated by someone who teaches discipline and loves life. I am through the roof for the Beavers in 2026!
As a native Hoosier that has lived in DC for the last 24 years, you just got a new OSU rooter learning the coach is from Indiana. Fun article painting a great picture, per usual.
cautiously optimistic! still won't re-new my season tickets--those 7:00p kick-off times are brutal (i live in Spfld). if they finish barely above .500, success for a first year coach that inherited a decimated program. get it done, JM and GO BEAVS!
Just watched the interview on YouTube. Thanks for great reporting. I'm a third year subscriber l and look forward to your articles every day. Met you in Vegas at the last PAC12 women's basketball tournament. I saw you in Valley Football Center this morning (I was the public safety officer who walked by with Cedar, OSU's therapy K9). Keep up the good work.
Articles every day? Not anymore! Since he’s brought on his YouTube articles are diminishing in quantity and quality and what articles there are is to promote his YouTube channel.
So you're like the two old guys sitting in a restaurant. One says, "The food in this place is terrible!", and the other replies, "Yeah, and the portions are so small!".
Great stuff John. In the new world of college football, (where the non power four - and even the lower half of the power four) will likely lose most, if not all, of their best players to programs that have 30-50 million dollar budgets to pay players, is culture as important as it once was. Culture used to be the foundation for building a sustainable program, not just a once in a while good team. Players who had been in the “culture ” for a couple of years really knew what was expected of them and how to do it; and became leaders and teachers of culture to the younger kids. If you lose half your roster every year, how that will work now. Certainly culture is important, but I wonder how you really achieve it in such a short period of time.
I’m excited for the season. 6 wins is optimistic, but possible. Half the games could go either way. Last year was the first time in 39 years I didn’t attend a game. I’ll go to a couple this season.
Good story, wanted to read more. Since John’s column is decreasing in quantity and quality wondering if he’ll reduce the monthly subscription cost, maybe even free and just use it to promote his YouTube channel. I’m sure the ad revenue from YouTube would be just as much or more.
I'll stick around. Because I don't pay for it. Every year my brother in law buys me a subscription for Christmas. The reason he buys it, he loves the ducks and he knows (like a lot of other people) that John is a duck homer. However, my brother in law will not renew my subscription this Christmas, he doesn't like my negative comments about the ducks, and now he's wondering (as I am and other readers I talk to are) why it appears John has dumped the ducks. Nothing from him about the Big 10 meetings or the ducks trip to Japan, really nothing at all for the past few weeks. Did something happen to their (ducks and John) relationship? Really wondering what's going on.....
“I hope you all woke up and chose violence". This would be a line we never heard from Mike Riley. Maybe not even from Dennis Erickson or Jonathan Smith. That is definitely a step in the right direction. BTW... saw that Oregon State was picked to finish dead last in the conference it saved. Talk about a slap in the face. That should be some bulletin board material all season long.
After watching the video, my take away is Coach Shepherd might be the perfect blend of Mike Riley, with his fatherly ways and high life values, and Dennis Erickson, who was about kicking a$$ at all times (but maybe not always so great on values). Coach has ME excited for the season
As someone who had only a bike and lived off campus at Oregon State, I rode or walked everywhere. Corvallis is a great town to ride on a bike. There are no highways or freeways running through town. It is mostly suburban streets with some hills to the north thrown in for excitement. I already like Coach Shephard even more.
Bike friendly: except when there is fog. And, let's hope the Beavers program emerges before September.
I bet the program improves every week with this type of coaching. I agree with JC that the first couple of games could be rough with a complete rebuild. But the best teams are measured by how much they improve from the start of the season to the end. Last year's team just got worse each week. This one won't
And always…I mean always…equip your bike with fenders. Corvallis rain will leave a dark stripe on your backside
What a hire! I can feel the energy from Corvallis all the way to Portland! Trust the good Shephard!
Go Beavs!
Fifth place in Pac12 here they come.
I was expecting you to pick them last!
Fabulous journalism
Seems like JC was willing to meet Coach Shepherd in the parking lot at 4:15am. That shows his dedication to his profession, right there.
Just picked up on the fact that Coach Shepherd's son is attending West Albany HS, which is my alma mater. Wow! An Oregon State HC who lives in Albany. That has to be a first. Must be North Albany, though my end of town (Southwest) has homes suitable for an HC. Just another reason (for me) to love this man.
Go Bulldogs!
Though I am a few decades past my prime, I still avoid the elevator whenever possible and I love the symbolism taking the stairs represents.
As a student at OSU I was a bike commuter and continued that into my late thirties.
I'm really excited for Beaver Football for the first time since Smith's 🛫.
Go Beavs!
How can you not love a coach who stresses that nothing comes easy and you play the way you live?! That is the perfect message for a team which is a bit undermanned by the numbers (the ranking services) but who can be elevated by someone who teaches discipline and loves life. I am through the roof for the Beavers in 2026!
As a native Hoosier that has lived in DC for the last 24 years, you just got a new OSU rooter learning the coach is from Indiana. Fun article painting a great picture, per usual.
cautiously optimistic! still won't re-new my season tickets--those 7:00p kick-off times are brutal (i live in Spfld). if they finish barely above .500, success for a first year coach that inherited a decimated program. get it done, JM and GO BEAVS!
Just watched the interview on YouTube. Thanks for great reporting. I'm a third year subscriber l and look forward to your articles every day. Met you in Vegas at the last PAC12 women's basketball tournament. I saw you in Valley Football Center this morning (I was the public safety officer who walked by with Cedar, OSU's therapy K9). Keep up the good work.
Articles every day? Not anymore! Since he’s brought on his YouTube articles are diminishing in quantity and quality and what articles there are is to promote his YouTube channel.
So you're like the two old guys sitting in a restaurant. One says, "The food in this place is terrible!", and the other replies, "Yeah, and the portions are so small!".
Gorgeous opening photo, John. Like a piece of art, really.
But even more impressed by this guy's priorities. Nicely done.
Great stuff John. In the new world of college football, (where the non power four - and even the lower half of the power four) will likely lose most, if not all, of their best players to programs that have 30-50 million dollar budgets to pay players, is culture as important as it once was. Culture used to be the foundation for building a sustainable program, not just a once in a while good team. Players who had been in the “culture ” for a couple of years really knew what was expected of them and how to do it; and became leaders and teachers of culture to the younger kids. If you lose half your roster every year, how that will work now. Certainly culture is important, but I wonder how you really achieve it in such a short period of time.
I also really like the lead photo. Like the early morning ride by coach!
I’m excited for the season. 6 wins is optimistic, but possible. Half the games could go either way. Last year was the first time in 39 years I didn’t attend a game. I’ll go to a couple this season.
Good story, wanted to read more. Since John’s column is decreasing in quantity and quality wondering if he’ll reduce the monthly subscription cost, maybe even free and just use it to promote his YouTube channel. I’m sure the ad revenue from YouTube would be just as much or more.
I'm sure you'll stick around because you get more than your money's worth in bellyaching.
I'll stick around. Because I don't pay for it. Every year my brother in law buys me a subscription for Christmas. The reason he buys it, he loves the ducks and he knows (like a lot of other people) that John is a duck homer. However, my brother in law will not renew my subscription this Christmas, he doesn't like my negative comments about the ducks, and now he's wondering (as I am and other readers I talk to are) why it appears John has dumped the ducks. Nothing from him about the Big 10 meetings or the ducks trip to Japan, really nothing at all for the past few weeks. Did something happen to their (ducks and John) relationship? Really wondering what's going on.....
Crazy the Beavers waited so long to hire a decent coach after Smith left.