CORVALLIS — Oregon State football fired second-year head coach Trent Bray on Sunday morning, a source confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive, signaling a sharp turn for a program in crisis.
Robb Akey will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of OSU’s season. Akey, a coaching veteran, previously served as special assistant to the head coach under Bray and later as interim special teams coordinator.
“I want to thank Coach Bray for the energy and determination he brought to the role. A former student-athlete, proud graduate, and dedicated mentor, Trent’s connection to Oregon State runs deep — he will always be a Beaver,” OSU athletic director Scott Barnes said in a press release. “This was a difficult decision, but the results on the field were not acceptable and after evaluating every aspect of the football program, I believe it is in the best interests of OSU football student-athletes, our fans and our university.”
The Beavers (0-7) were blown out by Wake Forest on Saturday. It was the latest in a string of defeats brought on by self-inflicted errors and a lack of effort.
Bray, who previously served as defensive coordinator for the Beavers, lost 13 of his final 14 games as coach dating back to last season. He was hired to the top job in November 2023 following the sudden departure of Jonathan Smith to Michigan State.
Bray will be owed just over $4 million by OSU after his departure, according to his contract, although some of that would be offset if Bray lands a new job. The entirety of Bray’s buyout will be paid using donor-generated funds, according to OSU’s press release.
Even as Oregon State spiraled this season, Bray was reluctant to shake up his coaching staff. He waited until last Sunday to fire special teams coordinator Jamie Christian, despite the Beavers having the worst special teams unit among 136 FBS programs.
“Now is the right time to make a change in our football program,” Bray said of Christian’s firing last week.
Athletic director Scott Barnes released a statement at the time, saying “my expectations are high, and right now, we are not meeting them.”
Barnes added that he was working with Bray to review “every aspect of the program and is committed to making immediate changes” — changes that one week later included firing Bray.
Bray, 42, starred at linebacker for the Beavers from 2002 to 2005. He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Arizona State in 2008 under Dennis Erickson, eventually landing back in Corvallis as a graduate assistant and linebackers coach under Mike Riley in 2012.
Bray followed Riley to Nebraska in 2015, returning to OSU in 2018 to coach linebackers under Jonathan Smith. He was promoted to interim defensive coordinator midway through the 2021 season before taking on the role full-time in 2022 and 2023.
Bray finishes his tenure as OSU head coach with an overall record of 5-14 across less than two seasons. Now, ahead of the first season for the rebuilt Pac-12 in 2026, the Beavers will be in search of a new face to lead the program into an uncertain future.
OSU players will have 30 days, starting Monday, to enter the transfer portal following Bray’s firing.
The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Bill Oram contributed to reporting for this story.
Next game: Oregon State (0-7) vs. Lafayette (5-2, FCS)
When: Saturday, Oct. 18Time: 7 p.m. PTWhere: Reser StadiumTV Channel: The CW (Channel 32 in Portland)
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