The JaMarcus Shephard era at Oregon State is off to a less than ideal start as multiple Beavers players have begun to enter the transfer portal. The latest is m
Less than a week after the earth-shattering departure of redshirt senior wide receiver Trent Walker, Oregon State suffered another massive blow: heir apparent quarterback Tristan Ti’a officially announced he entered the transfer portal.
Ti’a, the former four-star recruit out of Pleasanton, California, committed to the Beavers back on October 21st of 2024. Ti’a had offers from Utah, Colorado State, and Appalachian State, but chose to further his playing career with the Beavers when he officially signed on February 5th of last year.
2025 was not a halcyon year for Oregon State’s quarterbacks, as high-priced transfer Maalik Murphy was benched in favor of Gabarri Johnson mid-season. The diminutive Johnson, just 5’11”, struggled to step up and throw from the pocket. In the eyes of many across Beaver Nation, the true freshman Ti’a was seen as a quarterback of the future for Jamarcus Shephard in his first season at the helm with Oregon State.
Ti’a did not see too much action this season with Oregon State, but the glimpses Beavs fans saw were exciting. Ti’a finished his 2025 campaign with 385 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Ironically, his best game occured in a loss to Tulsa: he was 8/11 through the air for 141 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Ti’a finished the Tulsa game with a 98.4 QBR.
There are a few reasons Ti’a may have taken into account in his decision to transfer. It’s possible Shephard has a quarterback in mind that he wants to go after in the transfer portal, and he’s relayed that to Ti’a. It’s also possible Ti’a believes he should be competing for a starting role at a power-conference school. Whatever the reason may be, the loss of Ti’a stings as the Beavers continue to lose more and more players to the portal each day.
With the transfer portal officially open, and Alabama out of the College Football Playoff, coach JaMarcus Shephard will be able to focus solely on building the 2026 Oregon State roster and building towards the future.
