Oregon State Head Coaching Hot Board v1.0

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NEW UPDATE - BEAVERS MOVING FAST?

With Jonathan Smith leaving Corvallis for Michigan State, BeaversEdge.com has put together an initial list of potential candidates to take over the Oregon State head coaching job in what already is a time of great unknowns for the program and athletic department...

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NEW UPDATE - BEAVERS MOVING FAST?

In no particular order ... This list does not directly reflect the views of Oregon State University. These are our opinions on top candidates

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Who is he? Oregon State's current defensive coordinator, helping spearhead the Beavers' defensive turnaround since being named DC late in the 2021 season. Before becoming DC, Bray was the Beavers' linebacker coach for three seasons. Bray has also spent time at Arizona State and Nebraska in various defensive roles...

Why him? Simply put, Bray is the circle the wagons and put the fire type of hire... Jonathan Smith's departure sent shockwaves across the program, and if you were able to promote Bray to head coach before Smith tried to hire him as his DC at MSU, that would be a big coup. Additionally, Bray is another Oregon State alumni and someone who lives, breathes, and eats Corvallis, so you'd be going with a similar mold that Smith was. Bray would be a stabilizing hire that would help the Beavers retain a ton of talent, and essentially, continue what Smith has built with little drop-off. There's concern about Bray's lack of HC experience, but he strikes me as someone who is up to the challenge and has the right mindset to win in Corvallis. It's also worth noting that last season, when Bray was being courted by other teams as DC, he stated that money isn't a big motivating factor to him. If that's truly the case, the Beavers might have their best option sitting right under their nose. Best case scenario, Bray turns out to be Oregon State's Kyle Whittingham after Urban Meyer departed. Worst case, it doesn't work out, but you roll the dice on an alum whose star is rising in the industry. He's definitely Oregon State's No. 1 choice in our minds...