Oregon State has secured a five-year deal to hire JaMarcus Shephard as their new head coach. Shephard is currently the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Alabama. An official announcement is expected soon.
Shephard has a rich background in coaching, particularly in the Pac-12. He previously worked at Washington State and was on Kalen DeBoer’s staff at Washington, which recently reached the national title game. He’s taking over for Trent Bray, who had a rough season with a 5-14 record and was let go after this October. This year has been particularly tough for Oregon State, as they currently stand at 2-9 and are facing significant financial challenges due to the restructuring of the Pac-12.
At Alabama, Shephard coached standout receivers Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams. He also had great success at Washington in 2023, training a top trio of receivers: Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan. His past includes notable achievements with receivers at Purdue, where he worked with Rondale Moore and David Bell—both of whom earned prestigious honors.
A big part of Shephard’s reputation is his ability to connect with and develop talent. However, he’s stepping into a tough situation at Oregon State, which is navigating uncertainty following the shifting college football landscape.
In recent years, the college football world has changed dramatically, especially with conference realignments that have left teams like Oregon State scrambling. This context makes Shephard’s role even more crucial. As fans react on social media, there’s hope that his experience will help stabilize the program during this challenging transition.
For more insights on the shifting dynamics in college football, you can check out articles on ESPN or reliable sources like The Athletic.
