Oregon State Linebacker Zakaih Saez Bouncing Back After Torn Labrum in 2024

Oregon State linebacker Zakaih Saez returns to the Beavers lineup this year after a torn labrum kept him out of part of the 2024 season. Saez will look to be one of the leaders of the defense in 2025 as Trent Bray pulls double duty as the the head coach and defensive coordinator. Saez spoke with reporters this week as Oregon State continues fall camp.

On his positive attitude being infectious during a very hot fall camp:

"Always try to stay positive anyway. Next play mentality. You can't dwell on
something and allow that to bring you down. Just keep pushing. Goldfish memory...Growing up things bad happened. I always would like beat myself down for it. I just learned that as I got older, I need to mature and be like, 'Okay, it's okay. It happens. It's life.' And just smile... I feel like everybody in the [defensive end] room has been doing better with that. Staying positive. Just figuring out ways to better themselves in any way they can possible...The energy too is something that has stood out these last couple of practices. I mean, I feel like it's ramping up. Everybody been turned up."

On the confidence felt by the defensive ends heading into the season:

"Very confident for sure. We're going to show y'all for sure. That's all I'm gonna say. We gonna show y'all. Let time do his thing. It's gonna keep getting better every day. But I felt very confident for sure.

On how the experience he got last year can help him grow in 2025:

"I say that helped a lot. Got more comfortable, got adjusted to the program, how we run plays, what we need to do, like for sure physicality, all that. It just helps with everything. Honestly, slows the game down."

On the defensive ends picking up pass coverage skills during the time:

"I'll say the way we work on it in practice, it slows everything down. Then we just learn how to react. We just go through different formations, read and react, make sure we're in our right spots at the right time, just get it all together. Everybody work together and make it one."

On processing defensive reads during games

"You have a key and once you see that happe,n you just got to react. It is fast. Like I say, it's hard. It's something you got to get used to, but once you get used to it, it's like second nature to you, for sure."

On the spirit of the defensive end room:

"If somebody mess up, we uplift them, make sure they do what they need to do. They learn from it. Now they can go out there and fix it, correct it. We just push each other. That's it. For real."