For the first time since their senior day loss to Arizona State in November, the Oregon State football team returned to Reser Stadium for the for the first time in the Jonathan Smith era. The Beavers used the entirety of Reser Stadium for offensive and defensive individual drills in addition to 11-on-11 work.

Practicing in Reser Stadium isn’t something the Beavers did often in the Gary Andersen tenure (5-10 times over three seasons) but yet it always brings out the best in the players and gets you a little closer to a playing in a real environment.

Pads were popping throughout the entire session as it seemed every player had just a little extra edge to them. Players on the sideline were hootin’ and hollerin’ while dancing to the tune of Swag Surfin’, P.Y.T., Pipe It Up, and more.

It’s been said that the Beavers are a more tight-knit unit compared to years past and today was just another example.

Take Dwayne Williams, Jay Irvine, Shawn Wilson, and Xavier Crawford for example: all of these cornerbacks have been limited with nagging injuries stemming from offseason workouts or late 2017 season injuries, yet were vocal on the sidelines throughout the entire practice.

The Beavers might not win more than three to four games in Smith’s first season and there will be frustrating moments for players, coaches, and fans alike, but make no mistake, OSU will win as a team and lose as a team. Under the previous regime it appeared the Beavers were trying to emulate that idea when they’d do things like recite the fight song after all games win or lose, but off the field, players didn’t hold each other accountable.

Now that the Beavers have kicked those old habits, Smith and Co. can go about building their program the right way. Days like today where the Beavers are putting hours of tireless work will pay off for the Beavers when they see and feel what success looks like.