CORVALLIS - Chances of Ryan McCants returning to full health for the season opener are slim.

So the Oregon State football team must spend training camp looking for a backup to starting tailback Jacquizz Rodgers.

The Beavers improved their depth at running back for the future with recent recruiting efforts, but the present remains unsettled.

Freshmen Jovan Stevenson and Ashton Jefferson will be looked at as potential No. 2 ball carriers. One of them will play an important role relieving Rodgers so he's not overworked.

"Jovan and Ashton Jefferson will fight like crazy, and we'll see," coach Mike Riley said. "Ashton is a true freshman and will be in the thick of it. But I don't like that situation without Ryan."

It's a tricky issue. Riley wants to redshirt his freshmen so they learn the system and spend a year working out with the strength coach.

But circumstances won't let him have what he wants.

"Jovan can benefit greatly from a redshirt year," Riley said. "And assuming too much about Ashton at this point is easy to do, but that's what we might have to do. We would like to redshirt all those guys, but we are going to need one of those guys."

A plan needs to be in place by the first contest on Sept. 5 against Portland State. McCants may return after two or three games.

Using a freshman for a few plays and then dropping him to No. 3 on the depth chart is not ideal. It wastes most of his season.

"If Ryan McCants is ready or not I'm going to push myself to get on the field," Stevenson said. "Him going down just shows me that someone has to step up to backup Quizz."

McCants needed knee surgery in May to repair the anterior collateral ligament. It was torn during spring practice, in what was considered a minor incident.

He had a strong spring until then with Rodgers sitting out resting his injured shoulder. McCants gained Riley's confidence to be in a rotation with Rodgers.

"I was upset about it for one day," McCants said of when he got hurt. "Talking with people who went through the injury, it's not something to be down about. I look at it as a positive. It helped me with my work ethic. And it got me on the right track again."

McCants spent the first two practices working out on the side. Besides agility drills to strengthen his knee, he worked on his hands as a receiver catching passes off a pitching machine.

"I'm not going to push it too hard," McCants said. "I want to feel comfortable to come back. I don't want to risk any further injury, but I'm going to work hard to get back on the field as soon as I can."

Until then it's Stevenson or Jefferson.

Stevenson has come on strong since he arrived. He joined the program in January as a greyshirt and participated in spring practice.

"I'm feeling more confident," Stevenson said. "I know my plays, and the players know my name. I'm not just that new guy anymore. I'm Jovan now. I got an identity."

Stevenson improved his conditioning with work in the weight room, and size with a better nutrition program. He's a 5-foot-11, 184-pounder from Tucson, Ariz.

Opportunity to train much in the past was not available to him. He was recruited on raw talent.

"I got stronger and I'm more confident with my body," Stevenson said. "It has been different for me since I've been here. They work you hard."

Jefferson joined the team in the summer, so he's behind Stevenson in knowledge of the system. He's in a crash course in all things Beavers this month.

"It's a new learning process," Jefferson said. "It's like the first day of school, you have to learn everything. There's a lot thrown at you at one time."

He was a late recruit who committed to Utah State, but the Beavers lured him away before signing day.

They needed another running back when Jeremy Francis said he might not return for his senior season. It was a good move since Francis didn't come back because of family reasons.

Now, Jefferson plans to make a difference right away. He's a 6-foot, 195-pounder from Alvin, Texas, with good moves.

"I'm trying to get on the field as soon as I can," Jefferson said. "I feel I'm ready to go."