Tag: Trent Bray

How social media reacted to Sun Bowl: Beavers side

How you feeling, Beavs fans?

For every good outcome in sports, there always is a bad one.

In the case of Sun Bowl, Oregon State got its clock cleaned by Notre Dame, 40-8. The only points the Beavers scored came when the game already was well out of reach. All that did was make this game look somewhat closer than it was – maybe.

Let’s not be too harsh on the Beavers though. They were missing even more players than the Irish, and it turned out the Irish had far more depth to withstand losses, at least in this matchup. We never will know how this game would have gone if other players had been available, but it’s a moot point because the game has been played, and the outcome can’t be changed.

Beavers fans took to social media afterwards and had varied reactions to the defeat. Some took it a little better than others. Maybe new coach Trent Bray lessens the pain. Either way, see for yourself:

What the experts are predicting: Sun Bowl

What’s your pick for this game?

Notre Dame and Oregon State will face each other in a Sun Bowl that already is giving a real boost to the economy of El Paso, Texas. The least these teams can do is give the locals a thriller in a sold-out stadium. With so many regulars on both sides missing, that might happen purely on accident. This will be a must-watch.

There are plentiful predictions for this game. Here are some of them:

Former Oregon State QB linked to be next Beavers offensive coordinator

A former QB could return home to run the offense under Trent Bray.

Recently promoted head coach Trent Bray could be closing in on his new offensive coordinator. Football Scoop is reporting that current UCLA Bruins quarterback coach Ryan Gunderson is the target to run the offense.

Gunderson has served as the quarterbacks coach under Chip Kelly for the last two seasons. Prior to taking on that role with the Bruins, the former Oregon State quarterback served as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator with San Jose State. Gunderson also has experience as the director of player personnel with both the Beavers and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

This would be his first opportunity as the play caller at the collegiate level and would come at this alma mater.

Multiple sources tell Football Scoop that Bray is moving to make Ryan Gunderson the new offensive coordinator moving forward for the Beavers.

A former Oregon State quarterback and Portland, Oregon, native, Gunderson has spent the past three seasons as quarterbacks coach for Chip Kelly’s UCLA Bruins program.

Once the Beavers have their next offensive coordinator in place, they will need to move swiftly to address players in the transfer portal. On Thursday, starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei put his name back in the transfer portal. He transferred to Oregon State prior to the 2023 season after losing his starting job at Clemson to five-star freshman Cade Klubnik.

Former Nebraska assistant Trent Bray named head coach at Oregon State

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach Trent Bray has landed the head coaching opportunity at his alma mater, Oregon State.

Former Nebraska assistant coach Trent Bray is officially now a head coach. The 41-year-old former Oregon State linebacker has been named the head coach at his alma mater, taking over the Beavers program following the departure of Jonathan Smith, who recently took the head coaching job at Michigan State.

Bray was an assistant coach for the Cornhuskers from 2015 through 2017, serving as the program’s linebackers coach under then-head coach Mike Riley. Following the firing of Riley in late November of 2017, Bray was named the Huskers’ interim head coach before the Huskers eventually hired Scott Frost.

Following his departure from Lincoln, Bray returned to Corvallis where Jonathan Smith hired him as the Beavers’ linebacker coach in 2018. In 2022, he was promoted to the defensive coordinator position. Following the promotion of Bray, the Beavers went 20-9 over the last two seasons, including this season, Bray’s defense helped lead the Beavers to an 8-4 record in the regular season, allowing 21.4 points per game.

The Cornhuskers won’t get the opportunity to face Bray’s old boss Jonathan Smith, in 2024 but are set to meet the Spartans at home in 2025.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

Trent Bray expected to become new Oregon State head coach, removing him from USC coordinator search

Cross another name off the list.

There was a brief period of time when it seemed Oregon State defensive coordinator Trent Bray could have been courted by USC for the Trojans’ defensive coordinator position. That window has come and gone.

Per 247Sports, Trent Bray is expected to be named Oregon State’s new head coach later on Tuesday evening in Corvallis. After Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State, Bray did not immediately decide to join Smith. He was waiting to see if he could get the open head coaching position at Oregon State, where he is very popular with his players. That was Bray’s play, and it seems the coordinator played his cards well. He will take over for Smith.

This leaves USC with one less candidate in its defensive coordinator search. The Trojans are presumably interviewing candidates and setting up meetings. They know they need to act quickly, but they also know they need to get this hire right, and they need to make sure their new hire is placed in a position where he can succeed. All of these pieces of the puzzle need to fit. USC is working behind the scenes; we will soon find out how effective Lincoln Riley and Jennifer Cohen prove to be in their maneuvers.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire.

Ten Potential candidates to be the next defensive coordinator of Michigan State football

10 possible candidates that can be the next defensive coordinator at Michigan State

With the hiring of Jonathan Smith as Michigan State’s next head football coach, it also means that there will be a new staff coming to East Lansing. While Smith has already gotten a huge jump on hiring his staff, click here to view who has been hired by Smith so far, he has yet to announce who will be serving as the defensive coordinator for his staff.

Smith had two defensive coordinators throughout his tenure at Oregon State, so there are several options and possibilities for Smith to explore.

Let’s take a look at some of the potential candidates that could potentially be in the mix for MSU’s defensive coordinator position:

New candidate emerges in USC defensive coordinator search

Trent Bray is not following Jonathan Smith to Oregon State, which makes him a free agent in the coaching carousel.

A new plot twist has emerged in USC’s defensive coordinator search. Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith went to Michigan State over the weekend. One would reasonably conclude that his offensive and defensive coordinators were both going to accompany him to East Lansing, but that has not happened. Smith has kept his offensive coordinator, but not his defensive coordinator.

Who is his defensive coordinator? His name is Trent Bray. Notably, Bray’s Oregon State defense limited Caleb Williams and the USC offense to just 17 points last year in Corvallis. It was USC’s lowest-scoring game in 2022. USC and Lincoln Riley could do a lot worse than Trent Bray. If he is hired, it would be a very impressive hire with a natural advantage of giving Riley a West Coast recruiter who could also do some self-scouting of Riley’s offense, given that Bray had so much success in containing the Trojans’ attack last year.

We will see if Riley makes a run at Bray. Meanwhile, Bray is under consideration as Oregon State head coach. Bray is likely not going to Michigan State precisely so he can make a run at the OSU job. If the Beavers don’t hire Bray, then he becomes a prime target for USC.

Make Trojans Wire your home for extensive coaching carousel coverage. We will keep you updated on the latest twists and turns, and of course, on the announcement and the reaction when they happen.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire.