5 Takeaways From Oregon State Head Coach Trent Bray's Press Conference

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With Oregon State head coach Trent Bray meeting the media on Wednesday afternoon for his introductory press conference, BeaversEdge gives five important takeaways from Bray!

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Sporting a sharp suit and sitting next to University President Jayathi Murthy and Athletic Director Scott Barnes, Trent Bray was introduced as the 32nd head coach in team history on Wednesday afternoon.

Less than a week after Jonathan Smith surprised everyone in the community with his intention to depart for Michigan State, the Beavers had their guy and stability for the program in another alumnus in Bray.

"There's not another place I want to be," Bray said. "I've never had interest in leaving this place. It means a great deal to me, the friends I have, the community, when I was a student-athlete here, a coach here, I'm just very appreciative to everyone involved."

Perhaps most importantly, Bray spoke about Smith's intention to bring him with him to Michigan State and how boarding that plane just didn't sit right with him...

"I found out (about coach Smith's departure) real late in the process and it didn't sit quite right with me. That's why I wasn't in a hurry to get on the plane when he asked me to go. And when I was presented this opportunity I stayed even longer and wanted to hear this out and see where this could go. It's the best decision I've made."

The move to head coach is also a new one for Bray, as he stated about a year ago that being a head coach didn't interest him, but that lack of interest was anywhere else but Oregon State.

"The question last year was, are you open to being a head coach and to me, that was, are you looking to be a head coach somewhere, I was not," Bray said. "I wanted to stay at Oregon State and continue what we've done here. When the opportunity was presented to be the head coach at Oregon State, that's when it became a real, this is what I want to do This is the only program I'd want to lead and be coach at."

As far as why the timing felt right, Bray felt a strong emotional sense of urgency to be the one to help steer the program through the rough seas ahead.

"A sense of responsibility to this place for its care... To make sure this place continues to go in the direction that we know this place is, which is a top program in the country. When I was offered that responsibility to make that happen, I took great pride in that."

In perhaps his boldest statement of the afternoon, Bray spoke bluntly about what leaders do in times of crisis...

"This is the only university I want to be a head coach at... Real leaders show up when times are hard. We're in a bit of a tough situation with everything that's happened over the past year in college football, and for me, that made it so much more important to step into the fight and help this place."

One of the bolder statements that Bray made to the team during the team meeting and to the media during the press conference was that he feels the Beavers are on the doorstep and capable of competing in the college football playoff.

"We're excited to compete at a top-25 level and at a championship level. Our kids are ready for that fight, I'm ready for that fight, and our administration is ready for that fight."

Speaking further on that point, Bray talked about his vision for reaching the CFP in the newly expanded format moving forward and how that's the mindset he wants in the building.

"I hope it's a big (selling point to players and recruits)... I truly believe with what we've done, the players that are in this building, we are more than capable of getting to the College Football Playoff with this expansion next year. We're excited to go on the field and do it and we're excited to take that next step."