CORVALLIS — In the lobby of the coaches’ offices at Valley Football Center, Oregon State quarterback Maalik Murphy and new defensive back signing Isaiah Houi were all smiles. Head coach JaMarcus Shephard greeted them both with a loud voice and relentless, positive energy. “I was just talking about you,” Shephard said to Houi as he dapped him up. “Was just talking about you, too,” Shephard told Murphy before pointing at his Jordan sneakers. “You gotta chill with them ‘fits.” Murphy laughed. It wasn’t fake or forced. All the tension from a disastrous 2025 season appeared lifted from his broad shoulders. For all the uncertainty swirling around college football and the uphill battles the Beavers...
