OSU stays in-house for its new football coach

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Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes didn't go far to find the football program's new head coach.

Just days after Jonathan Smith departed for Michigan State, Barnes announced defensive coordinator Trent Bray would move up to the head position beginning immediately.

“I’m excited to be able to announce Trent as our next head coach,” Barnes said through a press release. “After interviewing several qualified candidates, we realized our top choice, Trent, has already been a mainstay at the Valley Football Center and Reser Stadium. He’s been a part of Beaver Nation for a long time and love for this place is real. The connection and trust he has built with our student athletes is unmatched. His energy and determination as head coach will be a catalyst for continued program success.”

OSU is preparing for the Sun Bowl and a meeting with Notre Dame, Dec. 29, in El Paso, Texas.

Bray’s elevation as Oregon State’s 32nd head coach comes after two-and-a-half seasons as the Beavers’ defensive coordinator, where he has turned the program’s defense into one of the top units in the nation. The 2024 season will mark his 10th as an Oregon State coach; he came to Corvallis for a three-year stint from 2012-14 before returning in 2018.