Photo by: Reef Diego
Fall Camp Notebook: Best Quotes From Dahlen, Hampton And Newberry
August 18, 2026 | Football
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State offensive coordinator Mitch Dahlen, receiver Aeryn Hampton and running back AJ Newberry met with reporters Tuesday as fall camp continues. Here's a look at the best of what each had to say.
Mitch Dahlen
On what AJ Newberry brings to a crowded running back room:
"He's just different. He's about the most unique skill set guy we've had at that position in a while. He's just a true weapon. He's a home run hitter. We can get him the ball on empty, we can get him the ball in the backfield, and he just finds ways to make people miss."
On Newberry's growth in pass protection through fall camp:
"His pass pro has gotten better and better. In fall camp, you're not able to cut the defense, so he's done a really good job of just taking the air out of blocks. Anytime in pass pro, you want to meet that guy at the hole and not sit there at the quarterback's feet."
On what makes Hampton stand out physically at receiver:
"When you think of a receiver, you don't really think of a guy that's going to go stick a Will linebacker or a Mike, and he does. He plays like a football player. That's the coolest thing for me is you just get to coach football players that want to go hit somebody."
On the stakes of this week's second scrimmage:
"That one's very telling of actual football, where the highs of that first week of camp are kind of gone, and you're in the dog days of camp. I can't wait to see what they do on Saturday."
On the offensive line's ongoing competition up front:
"We're still doing the musical chairs up front and still trying to find that best five. If you have five, you need more than that, especially in today's day and age of college football. You just need more, and we need more."
Aeryn Hampton
On the mentality behind his physical style at receiver:
"I wouldn't say I'm just undersized, but that's just the heart that I play with. I don't care if you're 7 foot or you 6-10, I just feel like it's me versus you, and I don't want to lose."
On where the "Bubba" nickname came from:
"It's actually my uncle's name. When I was in flag football, I always used to tackle, and they used to be like, 'You can't tackle the kids!' And they just start calling you Bubba."
On leaving his home state to play on the West Coast:
"I never thought I'd be in Oregon, but I'm here. Sometimes I'll be like, 'Dang, man, I'm far away from home.' But you got to suck it up cause at that next level, you never know where you're going to be at."
On what the season-opening trip to Houston means to him personally:
"Don't want to let my mom, don't want to let my family down. That's how I think about it. I know they recruited me coming out of high school, but I just don't want to let my people down, especially in my home state."
AJ Newberry
On what "home run hitter" means to him as a running back:
"Home run hitter is just someone who can take it the distance at any time, no matter where you on the field — from the one-yard line, the two-yard line, or you all the way in the red zone right on the goal line. You got to be able to make the play whenever your number is called."
On how he ended up at Oregon State:
"Once I hit the portal, on the last day, Coach (Lee) Marks called me, and I already knew who it was, so I just picked it up."
On his focus this offseason after wanting to improve his pass protection:
"That was one of the main things I took pride in, just hitting the sleds every day, getting better on my pass pro, my technique, working on my pad level, making sure everything was good."
On his mindset making the jump from the SEC to Oregon State:
"Coming from SEC, everybody always say that's like the closest thing to the league. Now that I'm here, I just want to take everything that I've learned and reapply it to my game, and just be better every single day."
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Mitch Dahlen
On what AJ Newberry brings to a crowded running back room:
"He's just different. He's about the most unique skill set guy we've had at that position in a while. He's just a true weapon. He's a home run hitter. We can get him the ball on empty, we can get him the ball in the backfield, and he just finds ways to make people miss."
On Newberry's growth in pass protection through fall camp:
"His pass pro has gotten better and better. In fall camp, you're not able to cut the defense, so he's done a really good job of just taking the air out of blocks. Anytime in pass pro, you want to meet that guy at the hole and not sit there at the quarterback's feet."
On what makes Hampton stand out physically at receiver:
"When you think of a receiver, you don't really think of a guy that's going to go stick a Will linebacker or a Mike, and he does. He plays like a football player. That's the coolest thing for me is you just get to coach football players that want to go hit somebody."
On the stakes of this week's second scrimmage:
"That one's very telling of actual football, where the highs of that first week of camp are kind of gone, and you're in the dog days of camp. I can't wait to see what they do on Saturday."
On the offensive line's ongoing competition up front:
"We're still doing the musical chairs up front and still trying to find that best five. If you have five, you need more than that, especially in today's day and age of college football. You just need more, and we need more."
Aeryn Hampton
On the mentality behind his physical style at receiver:
"I wouldn't say I'm just undersized, but that's just the heart that I play with. I don't care if you're 7 foot or you 6-10, I just feel like it's me versus you, and I don't want to lose."
On where the "Bubba" nickname came from:
"It's actually my uncle's name. When I was in flag football, I always used to tackle, and they used to be like, 'You can't tackle the kids!' And they just start calling you Bubba."
On leaving his home state to play on the West Coast:
"I never thought I'd be in Oregon, but I'm here. Sometimes I'll be like, 'Dang, man, I'm far away from home.' But you got to suck it up cause at that next level, you never know where you're going to be at."
On what the season-opening trip to Houston means to him personally:
"Don't want to let my mom, don't want to let my family down. That's how I think about it. I know they recruited me coming out of high school, but I just don't want to let my people down, especially in my home state."
AJ Newberry
On what "home run hitter" means to him as a running back:
"Home run hitter is just someone who can take it the distance at any time, no matter where you on the field — from the one-yard line, the two-yard line, or you all the way in the red zone right on the goal line. You got to be able to make the play whenever your number is called."
On how he ended up at Oregon State:
"Once I hit the portal, on the last day, Coach (Lee) Marks called me, and I already knew who it was, so I just picked it up."
On his focus this offseason after wanting to improve his pass protection:
"That was one of the main things I took pride in, just hitting the sleds every day, getting better on my pass pro, my technique, working on my pad level, making sure everything was good."
On his mindset making the jump from the SEC to Oregon State:
"Coming from SEC, everybody always say that's like the closest thing to the league. Now that I'm here, I just want to take everything that I've learned and reapply it to my game, and just be better every single day."
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Players Mentioned
WR
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RB
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