Portland observer., December 06, 2023, Page 5, Image 5

December 06, 2023
Page 5
s ports
New Head Coach for Oregon State
A promotion
for defensive
coordinator to
head coach
Oregon State promoted defensive co-
ordinator Trent Bray to head coach on
Tuesday night, quickly replacing Jon-
athan Smith after he left for Michigan
State. Bray, who also played at Oregon
State, had served as the Beavers' defen-
sive coordinator since midway through
the 2021 season. “The connection and
trust he has built with our student-ath-
letes is unmatched,” Oregon State ath-
letic director Scott Barnes said in a
statement. “His energy and determina-
tion as head coach will be a catalyst for
continued program success.”
Smith was hired as Michigan State's
coach on Saturday, a day after the 21st-
ranked Beavers lost to rival Oregon in
Trent Bray, interim defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for Oregon
State, watches the scoreboard during the second half of an NCAA college football
game against Stanford on Nov. 13, 2021, in Corvallis, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda
Loman, File)
their regular-season finale. Oregon State
(8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) now awaits its bowl
destination. The upheaval at the helm of
Oregon State comes as the program fac-
es an unsettled future. The Beavers are
one of two teams, along with Washing-
ton State, remaining in the Pac-12 after
realignment broke apart the conference.
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Oregon State and Washington State
have gone to court to retain the Pac-12's
assets as both try to chart a path for-
ward, possibly entering into a schedul-
ing agreement with the Mountain West
Conference for the next two seasons.
Bray has had two stints as an assistant
at Oregon State, the first from 2012-
14. After working as the linebackers
coach at Nebraska Bray from 2015-17,
he returned to Oregon State in 2018 as
linebackers coach and was promoted to
defensive coordinator in 2021.
This year, the Beavers' defense was
ranked 15th nationally in rushing yards
allowed with an average of 104 per
game. Oregon State ranked second in
the Pac-12 with 36 sacks, and third in
tackles for loss with 72 and intercep-
tions with 12.Bray played linebacker for
the Beavers from 2002-05 and had 337
tackles, sixth on the program's all-time
list. He started in 24 consecutive games.
Smith was at Oregon State for six
seasons. Last year, he won 10 games
and shared Pac-12 Coach of the Year
honors. A former quarterback for the
Beavers, Smith was 34-35 overall at his
alma mater.
Kara
Portland Artist
Upgraded basement rental,
giving her the freedom to
create the art she loves.