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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Oregon State’s former defensive coordinator, Trent Bray, has been promoted to head coach after dramatically improving the team’s defense over the past two-plus seasons. This news comes as a replacement for Jonathan Smith, who was introduced as Michigan State’s head coach earlier on Tuesday night.
Bray, a 41-year-old former Beaver’s linebacker, joined Smith’s staff at Oregon State in 2018 as a linebackers coach and became the coordinator in 2021. His performance as a coordinator earned him a permanent title as the team’s defense coach. Prior to his role at Oregon State, Bray also served as an assistant from 2012 to 2014 under Mike Riley before joining Riley at Nebraska where he became the interim head coach after Riley’s dismissal in 2017.
Oregon State’s athletic director Scott Barnes expressed his confidence in Bray, stating that “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.”
Bray will be officially introduced at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.
During Bray’s time as D-coordinator, Oregon State has achieved a record of 20-9 and led the Pac-12 in points and yards allowed in 2022.
The school considered several candidates with previous head-coaching experience, including San Jose State’s Brent Brennan and Paul Chryst, an offensive analyst at Texas and a former Oregon State offensive coordinator who later coached at Pitt and Wisconsin.
Bray, who played for Oregon State from 2002 to 2005, is excited to lead the program and is eager to make the fans proud.
He is taking over at Oregon State during a time of transition and uncertainty, as the Pac-12 is set to dissolve. Oregon State and Washington State are seeking full control of the Pac-12’s governing board and finances, and they still must finalize their 2024 football schedules and other key matters.
Bray’s hire provides Oregon State with a chance to maintain continuity with its roster, including key players such as star running back Damien Martinez, who has expressed his commitment to remain with the program.
