When Oregon State fell to 0-7 on the season, it was clear that the program needed to move on from head coach Trent Bray. Firing Trent Bray put the Beavers in an interesting place as they needed to nail their hire before the Pac-12 expands next season, giving the team a place in the college football landscape once again.
It's not the easiest task to build a winner at Oregon State, especially after the Pac-12 was ripped apart and the Beavers were left behind by conference realignment. The Beavers needed to go out and make a bold hire, and they may have just hired the coach that can give this program the energy it needed.
Hiring JaMarcus Shephard is perfect for Oregon State
The hiring process for Oregon State was interesting, as there were plenty of interesting candidates linked to the job, but as it started to dwindle, one coach kept steady in the race. On Friday Morning, the Beavers landed their next head coach in Alabama assistant JaMarcus Shephard.
Beaver Nation, meet your new Head Coach, JaMarcus Shephard!
— Oregon State Football (@BeaverFootball) November 28, 2025
—@CoachShephard https://t.co/MECu863kCQ pic.twitter.com/g6ioWWANso
The Beavers hire away Alabama's co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach instantly bringing a level of credibility to the program. In JaMarcus Shephard, the Beavers are getting a young coach with a ton of energy and a track record for development.
At Purdue, Shephard was key in developing elite receivers and future NFL Draft picks Rondale More and David Bell. During his tenure in Washington, Shephard built arguably the best receiving core in the Country with Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk.
Given the history that Shephard has a recruiter as well as with developing his players, the decision makes perfect sense. If Shephard can bring some of his energy to the recruiting trail this time as the head coach, the Beavers could quickly find themselves competing for Pac-12 championships.