With Jonathan Smith leaving for Michigan State, the Beavers underwent a coaching search. After seven total candidates in a national search, the Oregon State Athletic Department has announced Trent Bray to take over as the 32nd coach in Football history.
“I’m excited to be able to announce Trent as our next head coach,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes said in a statement. “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.”
The defensive-minded Trent Bray has been with his alma mater since 2018 in his second stint as a coach. He has turned the program’s defense into a top unit in the nation. It is still to be determined what his role will be for the upcoming bowl game. The program had announced Kefense Hynson as the interim coach. Now with their head coach for next season already figured out, they could switch that. He’s served as an interim head coach in the past for Nebraska.
Bray was nominated as one of the nation’s top assistants in 2022. The following season his defense has done an even better job. They’ve been stout allowing 340 yards and 21.3 points per game, both of which rank among the Pac-12’s leaders.
Trent Bray lettered in his playing days for the Beavers from 2002-05, starting 34 consecutive games during his career. He ranks sixth for a career with 337 tackles and was a 2005 Pac-12 First-Team selection. He totaled 122 tackles in 2004 and was named a second-team all-conference selection. He was also the 2004 Insight Bowl Most Valuable Player after recording 10 tackles.
Bray is the second consecutive alum that the program has hired.
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