On a warm, hazy afternoon at Summit High School, Oregon State football capped off its preseason camp Thursday with an open scrimmage. Hundreds of Beaver fans from Central Oregon and elsewhere — draped head to toe in orange and black — caught a glimpse of the team as it enters its first game week.

With a season opener at No. 5 Ohio State looming, Oregon State used its annual trip to Bend as preparation for the trip to Columbus, according to first-year head coach Jonathan Smith.

“I thought we got what we wanted in showing them how we travel, how we handle pregame warmups, the meetings, all of that,” Smith said. “I think they enjoyed themselves. It’s a great area.”

The Beavers completed a walk-through on Wednesday followed by a team-bonding bowling event at Sun Mountain Fun Center. Coming to Bend and staying at the Oregon State University-Cascades campus gave players a chance to bond with each other as well.

“It’s been great getting to know most of the guys,” senior defensive lineman Kalani Vakameilalo said.

“I feel like I know a lot of the offensive players better than before. It was a good experience getting together.”

Thursday’s scrimmage was for the fans as much as it was for the players and coaches, a rare opportunity for Central Oregon residents to see their favorite team in person. Some fans — including many of the younger ones — also got autographs afterward, as players sat in a line at plastic, foldable tables with Sharpies in hand.

Bend resident John Beeson, 66, grew up in Corvallis and attended Oregon State. He and his friend Dave Lovik, 70, also from Bend, are both season-ticket holders, so Thursday was the first of many opportunities they will have to watch the Beavers this season. For them, it was a chance to observe the team at a more personal level than game days at Reser Stadium.

“What I don’t want to see this year is what I saw last year, and that has nothing to do with a win-loss record,” Beeson said. “It has to do with how these guys play, the effort they put in and how the coaching staff operates.”

There is no getting around Oregon State’s 1-11 2017 season, which included a 0-9 Pac-12 record. Lovik and Beeson said their hopes for Smith’s first year at the helm are centered around a “culture change,” rather than a certain number of wins. Change is necessary, they said, from the negative mindset they observed throughout last year.

One consistency for the Beavers — at least over the last three years — is coming to Bend near the end of their preseason camp. Senior quarterback Jake Luton said he “loves” visiting Bend and looked forward to this year’s trip. It was, according to multiple players, a chance to get out of Corvallis and unwind before a crucial week of game preparation.

“I’m from Washington and didn’t grow up coming here, but any time I come to Bend I have a great time,” Luton said. “It’s a beautiful place.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0307, rclarke@bendbulletin.com