The change in scenario did not help the No. 75 overall player and the No. 2 tight end from the 2023 class improve his fortunes. Former Miami TE Riley Williams committed to the Hurricanes in 2022, but found his talent not being used properly. Even the hiring of former Alabama co-OC JaMarcus Shephard couldn’t change the decision.

“Oregon State tight end Riley Williams is entering the transfer portal, a source tells @CBSSports,” Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported on X. “Williams is a former four-star recruit who began his career at Miami. Had 15 catches for the Hurricanes before transferring to Oregon State.”

The Portland, Oregon native TE hails from an athletic family. His two uncles, Emery Barnes (1950s; inducted into the Oregon Hall of Fame in 1998) and Ronald Williams (1970s), played for the Oregon Ducks football team. Riley’s career began with the same hype.

When he turned 16, the Beavers sent him an offer. But they were not the only team; Arizona State soon made its offer. “Arizona State, it was definitely surprising. Getting those two big offers in just a week, starting with the Oregon State one like a week ago, I did not expect this at all,” Williams said in 2021. His performance in HS led to more offers.

His 4-star rating and Under Armour All-American honors led to offers from Michigan, MSU, LSU, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Alabama, Miami, and Oregon as well. Miami became the front-runners ever since Riley transferred to IMG Academy in Florida, where Mario Cristobal recruited him heavily. Despite this, Cristobal didn’t prioritize him on the field.

Even though Williams played in nearly every game at Miami, his receiving talent was underutilized, accumulating just 187 yards for 15 receptions. Still, a transfer to Oregon State in January 2025 was owing to his homesickness. His father, Antwain, worked several jobs, from coaching football and refereeing to delivering coffee beans and driving a garbage truck. Taking time off to see his son play took a toll. His son, Riley, realized it and transferred to Oregon State.

“He works a lot, so his hours working didn’t really line up with that six-hour flight over to Miami and then having to take another six-hour flight back home to Oregon,” said Riley Williams. “It was really that thought of playing back home. Believe it or not, I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and I’d never stepped foot in Corvallis. It was my first time being down there.”

But the homecoming was cut short due to an injury. Williams was declared “out for the season” after suffering a torn labrum in his shoulder in the Beavers’ second game of the 2025 season. Despite the injury, he played through the game, being unaware that it was a season-ending injury. After two years at Miami, even this year did not lead to what Riley had dreamed of.

Medical redshirt for the year, will preserve his eligibility for two more years. There is a chance that he may stay with the Beavers after all; they have got a new voice at the top.

New Oregon State head coach states intention to rebuild

Oregon State fired its head coach, Trent Bray, after a disappointing 0-7 start in the 2025 season, the worst for the Beavers since 1991. Bray spent one and a half seasons at Oregon State, joining at the start of the 2024 season, and has accumulated a 5-14 head coaching record. Now, the program has turned to a coach with a proven track record of coaching NFL QB Michael Penix and serving as the assistant for Kalen DeBoer at Washington and Alabama, apart from other experiences.

“I’m honored to lead the Oregon State University football program and to join a community that cares so deeply about its student-athletes. We will build a culture rooted in toughness, integrity, and relentless effort, and I’m excited to get to work with our players, staff, and supporters,” said former Alabama co-OC JaMarcus Shephard.

Shephard brings a wealth of talent to Corvallis, Oregon, and the program hopes to reach greater heights with him. Naturally, a new head coach’s arrival leads to some attrition, and Williams’ transfer portal move is a part of that. It will be important to see how the new HC handles the Riley Williams saga and begins to rebuild.