Shephard addresses the media

Oregon State's head coach spoke for half an hour Monday, emphasizing Saturday's game against FCS powerhouse Montana and discussing the run game and personnel decisions.

Young talent playing well early

Shephard praised his receivers as electric and highlighted the versatility of linebackers who are making smart decisions across different positions.

“our receivers have been electric throughout the season so far”

Fill Reser Stadium this weekend

Shephard directly appealed to fans to pack the stadium, noting that most students won't be back on campus until after Saturday's game on September 23.

“I won't believe that we have our full team out there until we have the stands completely filled”

Running game needs improvement

Oregon State managed only 55 yards on 19 carries against Texas Tech, following just 26 yards the week before, showing the rushing attack remains a work in progress.

Spreading the ball around

Shephard said the coaching staff is varying plays and involving more players in the game plan, waiting for a running back to get hot before committing to him.

“we just gotta get one of them hot”

Blake Thompson showing promise

Freshman defensive back Blake Thompson impressed in fourth-quarter drills with outstanding athletic skill and speed, though he's new to the cornerback position.

“this kid is gonna be a big-time play maker for us early on”

Teaching Thompson the position

Shephard is challenging cornerbacks coach Brumfield to teach Thompson how to play corner at a high level despite his limited experience at the position.

“it's on him to teach Blake how to play the position of corner at a high level”

Montana is undefeated and ranked

The Grizzlies come in three and zero on the season and ranked number two in the FCS Coaches Poll, making them a formidable opponent.

Montana's balanced attack

The Grizzlies have a running back with over 300 rushing yards and a quarterback throwing for over 250 yards per game, making them dangerous on both sides of the ball.

“They got a running back who is over 300 yards rushing, quarterback throwing for over 250 yards a game”

Montana's aggressive defense

The Grizzlies fly around on defense with multiple schemes and have tenacious linebackers, requiring Oregon State to be prepared for everything they bring.

“On defense they fly around and they bring a lot of different scheme”

Beavers must execute on all fronts

Shephard emphasized that Oregon State will need to perform well on both offense and defense to compete with Montana's well-rounded team.

“So we're gonna have to do everything really well on our side of the ball”

Kickoff Saturday at eight p.m.

Oregon State and Montana square off Saturday, September 19 with kickoff at eight p.m. Pacific Time on the USA Network.