This post is important! Please don't just skim through it. Take time to read all of it!
I started working for Rivals as an unpaid intern at 19 years old. Three years later, I got a job offer from a competing network, and at that point, Rivals offered me a job publishing the Oregon State Beavers website.
I had covered a few schools before, so I thought that OSU would be just another job with a similar fan base. Well, I was wrong. Not only was the first day (and really the first few months) a very stressful process that I learned a lot from, I didn't have a clue how big of an impact the BeaversEdge community would have on me from a personal and work standpoint.
I've learned so much in the past two and a half years running BeaversEdge about how to manage a website, interact with fans, and cover recruiting at a high level. Thank you all for being alongside of me during this process.
With all of the sappy stuff out of the way, I want to let you guys know that I have accepted a new job within the Rivals network. The opportunity was something I could not pass up. The school that I will be covering will be announced on Monday.
Since I will still be in the Rivals network, I will remain the publisher of BeaversEdge.com. My day-to-day job here will be managing the writers to make sure they put out Mike Singer-like quality content. My handprint will be all over the site, but my interactions on the board will be minimal.
Nothing changes with your subscription here. It's the same website, same community, and same content, although there will be a small change in staff. The content here will be just as good, if not better. I actually expect more content now than in the past. There are plenty of things that I'm working on behind the scenes.
Now, I want to introduce the BeaversEdge Staff.
Brenden Slaughter, Managing Editor
Of course, you guys know Brenden Slaughter. He's been with me at BeaversEdge since the "great schism" occurred back on August 31, 2016. He's been working in a part-time role this whole time, and I'm extremely excited to say that he now has a full-time role.
Brenden has excelled in covering the football team (especially with his famous practice "nuggets") and women's basketball team. He's also done a really good job providing men's basketball and baseball updates. Look for his activity to be tripled on the board and producing more front page articles. Brenden is very ready for this challenge, is excited, and after all, he is local and bleeds orange and black (and is an OSU grad).
Slaughter got the title bump from senior writer to managing editor too! Congrats B!
Jared Halus, Recruiting Analyst
While you guys know Brenden, you have no idea who Jared Halus is. But you will come to love him sooner than later. When I accepted my new job offer, I quickly started to work on assembling a new staff. I talked to several recruiting writer candidates, and Jared was one that was mentioned to me by a very good friend in the Rivals network. I didn't think Jared would be a good fit because of his location being in Georgia (ironically, this was coming from me, who's been across the country this whole time).
So I decided to talk to Jared out of respect for my good friend. Turns out, Jared's interview blew me away. His knowledge of recruits, the recruiting process, and how he handled himself when talking with me was incredible. After I got off the phone with him for the first time, I knew he'd be a perfect fit at BeaversEdge.com. He reminds me of myself in so many ways. He's already very informed on OSU's 2020 recruiting efforts and has talked with many top targets.
He sent me this message to share with you guys in this introductory post: “I am incredibly excited to get started as a recruiting analyst at BeaversEdge.com. I think I can speak for both Brenden and myself when I say that we are ready to hit the ground running and bring the BeaversEdge.com subscribers the best Oregon State content you can find. Under Mike’s supervision, we trust that we are in a great place to do just that.”
Jared has been covering Georgia Tech athletics and recruiting on Rivals for the past year and a half before working for other various websites. Again, he is not local, but I think I've proven that you can work remotely as a recrutiing writer and do a darn good job if you work hard.
Brenden will be going to Beaver sporting events and practices and even some local high school football games to see top OSU in-state recruits for Edge, while Jared will crush it with daily recruiting updates.
I've spent hours talking with both of them in recent weeks to prepare them for this day, and they are more than ready for the challenge.
Here are their articles for today!
RECRUITING NUGGETS from Jared Halus
Beavers in a good spot with 2020 linebacker Junior Walling
Oregon State Spring Analysis: Cornerbacks
3 Burning Questions heading into the offseason
Final note: I'm not necessarily done making hires. There are a couple of options that I'm looking at. Exciting times ahead!
I started working for Rivals as an unpaid intern at 19 years old. Three years later, I got a job offer from a competing network, and at that point, Rivals offered me a job publishing the Oregon State Beavers website.
I had covered a few schools before, so I thought that OSU would be just another job with a similar fan base. Well, I was wrong. Not only was the first day (and really the first few months) a very stressful process that I learned a lot from, I didn't have a clue how big of an impact the BeaversEdge community would have on me from a personal and work standpoint.
I've learned so much in the past two and a half years running BeaversEdge about how to manage a website, interact with fans, and cover recruiting at a high level. Thank you all for being alongside of me during this process.
With all of the sappy stuff out of the way, I want to let you guys know that I have accepted a new job within the Rivals network. The opportunity was something I could not pass up. The school that I will be covering will be announced on Monday.
Since I will still be in the Rivals network, I will remain the publisher of BeaversEdge.com. My day-to-day job here will be managing the writers to make sure they put out Mike Singer-like quality content. My handprint will be all over the site, but my interactions on the board will be minimal.
Nothing changes with your subscription here. It's the same website, same community, and same content, although there will be a small change in staff. The content here will be just as good, if not better. I actually expect more content now than in the past. There are plenty of things that I'm working on behind the scenes.
Now, I want to introduce the BeaversEdge Staff.
Brenden Slaughter, Managing Editor
Of course, you guys know Brenden Slaughter. He's been with me at BeaversEdge since the "great schism" occurred back on August 31, 2016. He's been working in a part-time role this whole time, and I'm extremely excited to say that he now has a full-time role.
Brenden has excelled in covering the football team (especially with his famous practice "nuggets") and women's basketball team. He's also done a really good job providing men's basketball and baseball updates. Look for his activity to be tripled on the board and producing more front page articles. Brenden is very ready for this challenge, is excited, and after all, he is local and bleeds orange and black (and is an OSU grad).
Slaughter got the title bump from senior writer to managing editor too! Congrats B!
Jared Halus, Recruiting Analyst
While you guys know Brenden, you have no idea who Jared Halus is. But you will come to love him sooner than later. When I accepted my new job offer, I quickly started to work on assembling a new staff. I talked to several recruiting writer candidates, and Jared was one that was mentioned to me by a very good friend in the Rivals network. I didn't think Jared would be a good fit because of his location being in Georgia (ironically, this was coming from me, who's been across the country this whole time).
So I decided to talk to Jared out of respect for my good friend. Turns out, Jared's interview blew me away. His knowledge of recruits, the recruiting process, and how he handled himself when talking with me was incredible. After I got off the phone with him for the first time, I knew he'd be a perfect fit at BeaversEdge.com. He reminds me of myself in so many ways. He's already very informed on OSU's 2020 recruiting efforts and has talked with many top targets.
He sent me this message to share with you guys in this introductory post: “I am incredibly excited to get started as a recruiting analyst at BeaversEdge.com. I think I can speak for both Brenden and myself when I say that we are ready to hit the ground running and bring the BeaversEdge.com subscribers the best Oregon State content you can find. Under Mike’s supervision, we trust that we are in a great place to do just that.”
Jared has been covering Georgia Tech athletics and recruiting on Rivals for the past year and a half before working for other various websites. Again, he is not local, but I think I've proven that you can work remotely as a recrutiing writer and do a darn good job if you work hard.
Brenden will be going to Beaver sporting events and practices and even some local high school football games to see top OSU in-state recruits for Edge, while Jared will crush it with daily recruiting updates.
I've spent hours talking with both of them in recent weeks to prepare them for this day, and they are more than ready for the challenge.
Here are their articles for today!
RECRUITING NUGGETS from Jared Halus
Beavers in a good spot with 2020 linebacker Junior Walling
Oregon State Spring Analysis: Cornerbacks
3 Burning Questions heading into the offseason
Final note: I'm not necessarily done making hires. There are a couple of options that I'm looking at. Exciting times ahead!
