Oregon State hires JaMarcus Shepard: Alabama assistant tapped to lead Beavers

Oregon State has appointed JaMarcus Shephard as its new head football coach. Shephard, formerly an assistant head coach at Alabama, brings a wealth of experience from his roles as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. During his tenure at Alabama, the team's offense ranked 25th in the nation in points per game and ninth in passing yards per game. Shephard previously coached under Kalen DeBoer at both Alabama and Washington, where he was the assistant head coach, passing game coordinator, and wide receivers coach.

Oregon State Athletic Director Scott Barnes praised Shephard's character and leadership qualities, noting his alignment with the university's values and his potential to lead the team to success. Shephard's coaching career began at Northrop High School in Indiana, followed by positions at Western Kentucky, Washington State, and Purdue. He will now lead Oregon State into a revamped Pac-12 conference starting in 2026, succeeding Trent Bray, who had a 5