Home Football Wake Forest @ Oregon State

Wake Forest @ Oregon State

By
oob
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398

Wake comes in having split their last two games; a 1 point loss to GaTech and a 7 point win over VaTech.
Beavs are, well, 0-6.

Vegas doesn’t expect the change at SpTms to solve ALL the Beavs problems, one early line had the Beavs 6.5pt dogs, settling at 2.5 after SpTms news.

Weigh in on all things Beavs, maybe brighten the mood with comments on Baseball and Womens Basketball……even Rugby!

BONUS QUESTION:
Who was the HC for the last team a Bray led team beat?
Go Beavs!

398 COMMENTS

  1. 14

    First… Fire everyone. Replace Athletic Department staff. I’d look long and hard at hiring Sac State’s AD and all of his pirate ship crew. They are forward thinking and ambitious, everything OSU is not.

    Reply
  2. 4

    Every championship team seems to get about 100 books written about them. I think Oregon State’s descent with the break-up of the Pac-12 would make a fascinating book.
    I’d settle for a 30 for 30 on just the Pac-12 break-up. Interviews with all of the key players, Scott, the ADs, TV network heads, the school Presidents who backed Scott and Kalingkoff? It seems like everyone knew this was coming for years and wanted to get as far away from it as possible.
    That the break-up occurred at the same time as NIL and the portal rules opening up? Devastating.
    Not to make light of tragedy, but the film “We Are Marshall” seems to be corollary.

    Reply
    • 2

      I totally agree. This is where OSU will do some minimal excitement move to tease us. I can see an announcement coming soon of a new banner on top of the VFC with the slogan “Dam the Haters”.

      Reply
    • 3
      1

      The “school Presidents who backed Scott” is a tired and misleading narrative. It was 2013, and all but OSU, ASU, and Stanford had new Presidents/Chancellor. All the newbies were skeptical about giving Scott an extension, because of his extravagant spending. But we had the largest TV contract in the history of college football, despite everyone saying we were only worth half of what the B1G was getting at the time. So Scott’s “fake it till you make it” largesse seemed justified at that time.

      That’s it. That’s the totality of that narrative.

      When his five years were up, every single President/Chancellor in the Pac 12 voted to extend him again.

      Every.Single.One.

      Reply
    • 1

      1080 The Fan talked about the breakup way back in 2014 as I remember listening to their program and saying NO WAY. Here we are 11 years later and I’m still shaking my head.

      Reply
  6. 7

    Rumor has it that the game vs. Wake Forest is a “Bag Out” where fans show up with paper bags over their heads. Or just don’t show up at all, which is what I’ll be doing. That statement by Scott Barnes is a pathetic little too late desperate attempt to keep us fans showing up to games. I’m not buying it, and we will see by how many fans keep showing up, if apathy has finally settled in.

    Reply
    • 4

      In an emergency response to the spiraling football team, Barnes is asking the “fan experience team” to start dusting off the cardboard fans (cbfs) from the Covid era that were stashed in the bowels of Gill. Sara Elkano has placed a 3 day rush order from amazon for another 15,000 cbfs. Barnes has his staff scouring the quad for student volunteers to assist placing the newly minted cbfs in the empty areas of Reser during the pregame warm-ups, to mimic a slowly filling stadium.

      Reply
    • 11

      What color of bag? I propose orange on west side, black on east side, white in end zones…Is the implicit meaning “the game is in the bag!” Or “It’s a body bag game?”

      It’s probably worth remembering that Barnes was AD and worked with Andersen at Utah State, and Barnes’ hiring was probably influenced by Andersen, who as coach of the main revenue generator was likely given disproportionate influence. Here’s what Barnes said in 2017, Andersen’s 3rd season at OSU:

      “CORVALLIS — Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes came down squarely behind football coach Gary Andersen on Thursday, two days before the Beavers play sixth-ranked Washington at Reser Stadium.

      “We have the right leader in place,” Barnes said.
      …
      The Beavers are 1-3 after blowout losses to Colorado State, Minnesota and Washington State, and a narrow victory over FCS Portland State. They are four-touchdown underdogs to unbeaten Washington.
      …
      “We need to be patient enough to put the corrective measures in place, whatever they may be,” Barnes said. “When we finish this year we will look from A-to-Z, at every aspect of the program, to make sure we’re heading in the right direction.”

      Barnes said the Beavers probably need two more recruiting classes to upgrade the program’s overall talent and depth.

      “At the end of the day, the product on the field isn’t what we want it to be,” Barnes said. “We have the right guy to find the solution. He will make adjustments that ultimately will put us where we want to be..
      …
      “A championship is ultimately where we want to be. Although there has been a setback, that’s what we’ll strive for every day. It’s what our Beaver Nation deserves.”

      Reply
    • 3

      Andersen was unhinged towards the end. I suspect it had more to do with his mental health and being in over his head. He succeeded at a lower level, and as a DC at Utah, coasted at Wisconsin where the AD was probably the best football coach on campus, then couldn’t perform at the PAC level with his own players…then he sought out his previously lower level and still couldn’t perform.

      Reply
  8. 3

    In a ranking of all 136 teams today, next year’s PAC football members looked like this:

    #50 Boise State
    #54 Fresno State
    #72 SDSU
    #73 Utah State
    #75 Texas State
    #88 WSU
    #106 CSU
    #132 OSU

    Who’s looking forward to some PAC football?!? WhooooOOOOOoooo!

    Reply
    • 5

      And it will only get worse. We are stuck in a situation where the administration does not care, and the AD is woefully bad at his job. As an institution, OSU isn’t interested in winning. Only Casey was able to overcome the underlying opposition to winning athletics at OSU. DE did it in a flash in the pan unexpected season, but the school failed to fully capitalize from the opportunity.
      OSU will be over-run in their own salvaged version of the PAC12 simply because they aren’t interested in winning, but seem to focus on needing new teams to hide behind. OSU found 6 schools actually driven to win, brought them in and still don’t have that same drive themselves.
      I’d bet that they bring in Sac St once they build out the facilities and make a big run at a national title in the lower level.

      Reply
      • 6

        There’s a mind virus OSU as a whole but firmly entrenched athletic department, in my opinion, that requires very low expectations, an excuse for every failure, and the idea that being about 5 year behind the times in everything related to college athletics is somehow noble. It been that way for 20 years as far as I can tell. Maybe longer.

        The reality is in that type of scenario you can only have success when you have an outstanding coach, Casey as an example or Erickson, if not you’re sunk. Other programs build winning environments / athletic departments where there’s one goal and everybody is on the same page. Excellence is demanded, innovation is required. Those programs can hire an average or even below average coach and they still churn out 8-9 wins a year. Its institutional winning.

        I would love to see a total change in mind set for OSU. Hire a new AD who want to reevaluate the whole thing next summer and get rid of the “cancer” in the AD, and promote the folks that are really producing.

        Reply
    • 5

      I took a look at a Utah State message board this morning and was pretty interesting. Was looking for something different but came across a thread about Oregon State.

      Basically the USU fans reveling in OSU’s misfortune. The theme of the thread was OSU and to some extent WSU are a joke and were only anything because we lucked into affiliation with the Oregon’s, UW’s and USC’s of the world via the old school Pac 8/10/12. Only got any recruits cause we could sell P5 conference with a chance to be play those same teams. They imply OSU and WSU will be bottom of the new Pac 12 in short order as the two schools will need to actually build something from the ground up and recruit based on merit. The think that OSU/WSU will be a drag on the their conference sooner rather than later. Pretty ugly stuff from our new conference brethren.

      Reply
      • 4

        I’m not sure I would disagree too much at this point.
        That tone only comes from fanbases that demand winning and expect to win no matter the situation.
        OSU has bumped along for decades with a kumbaya, all together, mindset. Which makes teams lose respect and eventually have disdain for old OSU.
        It explains the little brother nonsense from UO. It also reveals why no one wanted OSU after the end of the conference. OSU isn’t self aware that you must be competitive in athletics and it has to be an institutional competitiveness. Anyone can see from afar that OSU lacks the institutional competitiveness.
        I had concerns when WSU and Dickert were more focused on beating OSU than the Beavs were. OSU seemed to think the PAC2 brotherhood was overriding but it wasn’t and won’t be. WSU actually has Rose Bowl appearances and a history of rising up over and over to great heights. OSU doesn’t.

        Reply
  9. 10

    This entire coaching staff has to go. Once Bray said in the postgame the following Barnes should have fired him within the hour.

    What do you say to the fans?
    Nothing I talk to the team. My responsibility is to the players
    Do you not care about what fans think?
    That’s not what I’m saying . Lets not twist my words. My responsibility is to the team first, and that’s who I answer to.

    Even with a second run at the question he screwed the pooch again. Your responsibility is to the University, the alumni, and the players.

    This is so obviously coaching related. Special Teams, Offense, Defense all of it. In addition to the well known ST and Defensive issues, we have had two games with over 450 yards of offense and lost. That is really hard to do. The roster is capable enough to win, so the only other option is the coaching is very poor.

    You simply cannot go into a re-built Pac 12 with an 1-11 or 2-10 season. We may never dig out of that hole. Cue the Jimmy Anderson flashbacks after taking over for Ralph Miller …

    Reply
    • 1

      The Jimmy take is weaksauce. Ralph had Jimmy recruiting for him, game planning, and running practices. If Jimmy had Jimmy as his head assistant like Ralph had, Jimmy would have been an excellent HC. The first year after Ralph retired, Jimmy won P10 coach of the year and GP won player of the year. Then recruiting started to fall off, assistant coaches were not great, and the program started to slide. In addition, the unfortunate death of Ernest K was a bigger deal than most realized. He was likely our next all American to keep the train moving after Gary. Jimmy’s weakness was his loyalty to the assistants who he had decades long close relationships with. He just didn’t have it in him to fire/replace them. Without Jimmy, the Beavs would have never been the team they were under Ralph. Blaming him for the downfall is lazy and uniformed. The downfall was the administration not investing in basketball and to this day, not being able to make a good HC hire. RIP Jimmy Anderson. Very few ever had a bigger positive impact on Oregon State Athletics than you did. Incredibly under appreciated.

      Reply
    • 1

      “…A reported $250,000 each was invested in tight ends Jackson Bowers and Riley Williams, neither of whom has made a significant contribution on the field.”

      Wow, didn’t realize they were making that much…

      Reply
    • 2

      Bray’s comment reminds me of Ukraine. We’re losing to a much bigger more powerful opponent so give us more money. OSU has to face the fact that financially, etc. they’re second class at best. Imo it’s time for OSU to emphasize education and not sports.

      Reply

    • Allegedly a rumor…

      “….were North Carolina to fire Belichick at any point before Dec. 2027 — three years after it initially hired him — it would owe him everything he was set to be paid up to that date. As things stand, that figure is north of $20 million. Anything above $17 million would make Belichick’s buyout one of the five highest in college football history. “

      Reply
  14. 1

    Canzano mentioned today that Christian is Dennis Erickson’s son-in-law and Bray played for Erickson. Apparently, we’re also still on the hook with Trent for $3.6M after this year, so he probably isn’t going anywhere. Canzano seems to think that they will probably just try to make a few staff changes in the off-season and hope for the best.

    Reply
  15. 10

    I’d hope that the lesson has been learned with buying talent at qb. It seems like they ought to know that you should be spending money on D-line and OLine before anywhere else. Spending money on qbs and TEs is a mistake unless you have Andy Reid coaching them, which we don’t.

    If your budget is limited, try to focus on the trenches and let those guys control the game, then build around them with even average talent and you will have a shot.
    In order of priority, OSU should begin rebuilding by seeking a HC who has a few key indicators, all similar to Chris Peterson. You need to have a guy who:
    1) understands offensive approaches beyond a pro-style and has implemented various version successfully.
    2) has great connections to outside OSU influenced energetic coaches with winning backgrounds
    3) puts an emphasis on game changing special teams effort/planning
    4) has a great oline coach on speed dial
    5) has a great d-line coach on speed dial
    6) has a winning mind-set and knows how to do it
    7) knows how to demand excellence and has total buy-in from the team

    These kinds of coaches are out there ready for a bump in pay and new venue to prove themselves. OSU needs to think in terms of being a great opportunity for those coaches and go find them. I know Barnes will settle for Mark Banker and a bunch of tag along has beens but I’m hopeful we see a dramatic shift away form anything related to Riley/Erickson/Andersen/Smith eras. OSU needs to start fresh in a new conference and Bray and the staff need to go in order to begin fresh. There are probably a dozen Texas high school staffs that are superior to Bray & Co, and play in front of bigger crowds too. In a previous thread I made a quick list of names to begin digging into as replacements, and I hope there is some movement in that direction.

    Reply
    • 2
      1

      “If your budget is limited, try to focus on the trenches and let those guys control the game, then build around them with even average talent and you will have a shot.”

      Yes. And try to develop multi year agreements to improve stability. Have buyouts.

      After the lines maybe emphasize LBs? Playmakers that can take advantage of the DLine…

      Reply

    • The problem is there are very few of those big bodies. And most want the exposure of a bigger program because unlike a skill position they don’t have a lot to flash on tape if they’re just mowing over 250# softbodies. It’s always been the way, but at least when the beavs were in the pac they had other top tier talent to test against so you got a talented player occasionally.

      Reply
      • 3
        3

        They need to switch to a spread, zone read offense. You don’t need big, physical linemen in that system but instead athletic guys that don’t have to sustain their blocks.

        Let’s be honest, the days of OSU getting really physical linemen are over. The way you counter that is a spread, zone read. Athletic, speed and agility guys can compensate for their lack of size and physical play.

        You also don’t need 5* skill players or a high priced QB. Most HS programs run the spread so there’s plenty of talent to recruit from.

        It is clear the current style of play isn’t going to work. Bring in an O coordinator from a successful smaller division school and install a new offensive system in the off season.

        Reply
        • 1

          Yes! The administration and a lot of Beavers fans are failing to accept that the entire landscape of college football has changed. Gone are the days of finding a diamond in the rough and developing them into an all-conference player. Oregon State struggled to recruit on the offensive and defensive lines in the past and now with NIL it is will be even more of a struggle. If the player(s) are good enough, they will go get paid to play at a more successful program. The entire offensive and defensive philosophy has to change.

          The Beavers can no longer run a pro-style offense. They will not be able to get the players skilled enough to run the offense, so a pivot has to be made. Sooner, rather than later. The lack of direction is killing the program. The administration and staff has to stop sticking their heads in the sand, thinking that they are a power 5 program. Some Beaver fans say this is giving up, and to some degree that is true, but the landscape has changed so the program must adapt. Study what Boise State has done in the past and build from there.

          If the Beavers were exciting to watch but still losing then at least there would be some positivity around the program. As it is right now, the university is spending millions of dollars for a team that is depressing to watch.

          Reply

    • Back to the Blue whatever contract. Full disclosure: I’ve never liked alliterative names but BB’s is the only name I see connected with that deal, as though it needed no other. No need for Barnes or Murthy signatures? Perhaps the contract was slipped under their desk blotters with only the signature line showing? Surely not, but one does wonder.

      Reply
  16. 10

    I think going the Colorado route is a better and more realistic route. Find a coach who will bring star-power to the table. And a five-star kid who plays QB. There has to be a coach out there with a kid who is a decent QB, but doesn’t have the resume to land a job at the kind of schools his kid is being recruited by.

    Reply

    • Yep, it should be super easy to find a suitable coach who has a son who’s a 5 star QB. Or hell, just find a 5 star QB and we’ll offer his Dad the coaching job if he gets his son to come to OSU. It’s fine if his only coaching experience is yelling at refs from the high school bleachers.

      Reply
  17. 1
    5

    No way Bray is fired after this season. Let’s move on from that. Maybe he will figure out who he needs on staff to balance what he doesn’t know. He’s been around football his whole life. Maybe he can swing the culture the second half of the season. I doubt they win out but at least don’t lose games with bonehead plays. Show the players and fans that you are worthy of a head coaching job.

    Reply
    • 6

      The whole athletic department needs to be fired. Barnes and his tone deaf aloof assistant. Barnes is the one who hired Bray and will most likely stick with him because firing him this quickly (a year and a half) reinforces that he made a bad decision. Barnes’ seat should be as hot as Brays!

      Reply

      • Sure I mean there’s so many variables to how bad of shape the football program is in it’s hard to put a finger on the one or two moves. It feels like it’s similar to an outdated shopping mall where there’s many empty spots and barely anyone going there. Everything it being ran with partial staffs because no one is willing to invest to give the place a facelift because they don’t see the possible income if they do it right.

        Reply
  19. 4

    Belichek sets an epically low bar:

    “Bill Belichick’s first season at North Carolina hasn’t gone to plan. You might even call it a disaster.

    The six-time Super Bowl champion-winning coach has found things on campus aren’t so simple without Tom Brady under center.

    How bad has it been? UNC football’s first season with Belichick has produced the program’s worst start against Power Four competition since the Tar Heels first fielded a team in 1888.

    That was Grover Cleveland’s first term as president when the U.S. only had 38 states.

    It’s been nearly 137 years since UNC played its inaugural game against Wake Forest at the North Carolina State Fair. No team since the program’s inception has been worse than Belichick’s team through three Power Four games. ”

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/10/07/bill-belichick-start-with-unc-football-is-worst-in-program-history-north-carolina-tar-heels/86565597007/

    Now, OSU needn’t go so far back (…since 1991..”) is I think the current reference. But it highlights the obvious fact throwing money and coaching pedigree at a team is not the only solution to success.

    To get it right, OSU needs new leadership from at least the AD on down as many here have suggested.

    Reply

  21. That’s not high enough imo. OSU went to the legislature,got some money based upon being left behind. It seems they will.try again. Between the blue whatever contract and the laughability of the fb staff, I wonder how the request will b received.

    Reply
    • 4

      OSU has been playing chicken with a death spiral, holding on for dear life that the litigation wins could create a PR momentum swing. As usual, they didn’t account for how badly the on-field presentation of the football team can negatively impact the course of the school’s fortunes.
      There is a strong linkage to a successful fall football season and the campus vibe for the rest of the year. Only at OSU would this reality be underestimated.

      I was very concerned for the baseball program’s future if they didn’t make Omaha last year, but in a lot of ways, each sports program within OSU is now doomed as they cannot disconnect form the impact that football makes for the rest of the school/athlete experience. Some may disagree and say that baseball can ride its own wave of PR and funding, but I’m not so sure.

      Reply
  22. 10

    From Clownzano:

    “Blaylock was on the video call with Steve Johnson and Dick Oldfield, among others. Johnson is a former Beavers’ basketball great. Oldfield ran track as a middle-distance runner at OSU. Those two guys were pitching the idea of forming a fresh NIL collective that would help athletes maximize their brands and connect with area businesses.

    Except the sides didn’t agree on whether the front of the jersey or the back of the jersey mattered more. The two former OSU athletes argued that the focus needed to be on branding the names on the back. The deputy AD disagreed.

    Blaylock said, “It doesn’t matter, even if you’re Gary Payton, after 10-15 years, no one’s going to remember you.”

    Blaylock has a reputation for being awkward and not a great communicator. It gets in the way of perception sometimes. He’s smart, but stiff and aloof. But that comment was a tone-deaf all-timer.”

    Like I said, between Blaylock or Bjornstad, I’d take Kyle. And what an utterly brainless thing to say to former athletes and Beavs. What a fucking doofus.

    Reply
    • 13
      1

      Thanks for posting that gem.
      That quote is insanity, and representative of the deeper problem at OSU athletics and the AD office. The guy could be fired for malpractice after such a comment. How does he not know that OSU only has a limited amount of transcendent stars and GP is a great example of how and why OSU holds onto the past so ferociously. It might be different if OSU had had a parade of all Americans in multiple sorts over the decades, but this isn’t the case. Would he also say the giant killers are never mentioned or remembered?
      I almost can’t get past the stupidity of such a perspective especially in the current era.

      How to Wreck Recruiting 101: Have the Asst AD say something so moronic that every athlete immediately has second thought about the school he may be or is currently attending.
      In fact, if the school is the such a priority then shut down the sports and focus on grants, buildings and community fairs on campus instead.
      Sports are the front porch to the university for goodness sake. Act like it and build it up, but don’t intentionally put road blocks in front of the porch.

      Barnes is tone deaf to have such a tone deaf assistant. Clean house and fire them all. It seems pretty harsh but they can’t get out of their own way on anything PR right now.

      Reply
      • 3

        S-I college player of the year, #2 or 3 NBA draft pick, first PG ever to win NBA defensive player of the year, multiple all star and all defensive team selections, Olympic champion, two trips to NBA finals, one ring, S-I Top 75 NBA players of all time…

        What was his name? Gary Payton? GP? The Glove!?!

        Fuck I can never remember…here’s my money…

        Reply
      • 3

        Yeah, like the jerseys hanging at Gill Coliseum isn’t a reminder of men’s OSU BB rich history that in the ,80’s was won of the top 5 winningest programs in the country. Or other images of former OSU greats displayed throughout the athletic department bc nobody remembers them.

        The fact that Blaylock doesn’t get it’s about player branding and maximizing their revenue earning is a clear picture that this guy is clueless when it comes to the NIL.

        Reply
      • 7

        OB, I think that the picture is becoming clear that the entire OSU athletic department needs a thorough house cleaning, from the AD, to his assistants on down to the football coach. Press coverage of the OSU football debacle indicates that these guys are just clueless; they act like there is not a problem here – ignoring this won’t make it better or self-correct. Things are in a real free-fall that could affect the program for quite a long time.

        Reply
      • 4

        You know, every single football game they trot out players from the past, and players from other sports. Then to say something like ‘who gives a shit about these people who gave their all for this school’ in the past? And to not understand that today’s athletes are all about branding themselves? Maximizing their opportunities while they can, since many will never see a dime post graduation?

        Wild

        They ran out a new stuffed animal last year (Bernice) and BB says who fucking cares about The Glove?

        LMAO I’m in fucking stitches over here

        Reply
      • 5

        I think Barnes should stay…If the team can win 5 of the last 6 games… BSPN has the remaining SOS as 136, dead last, and still projecting 4 wins in the last six. If Barnes is worth his salt, with his hand on the scale, one additional win means he did something. If not, maybe he should go home and think about what he means to OSU. As long as Bray shows some strides in communication and game performance, fans probably have to abide, given his buyout. Need to see the team play all four quarters and all three phases sooner than later.

        Reply

        • I get the sentiment. However, trying to be realistic, there’s a non-zero chance of cleaning house and ending up in the same situation except with more debt. It’s easy to be nonplussed with Barnes. It feels like he ended his two month Montana vacation and realized football was 0-6. WTF? And what are his particular accomplishments? Not hiring Smith who achieved a 10 win season; he left when the going got tough. It centers on Anderpants: Hiring a middle manager to look like a competent executive at USU, and getting him to leave and leave the money on the table when he was exposed at OSU. Bray clearly has a higher ceiling than Anderpants. And aside from looking like there was/is a saboteur in the special teams squad, the team could easily be 3-3. Bray is a smart and good guy; if he can see that he needs to learn and embrace the executive roll of his job, everyone wins. And hopefully someone is doing damage control about a plucky former walk-on from Eugene.

          Reply

    • Is it Robb or Danlel Akey who is going to coach special teams now? It is the son, Daniel, who is special teams “quality control” analyst.

      If it’s Daniel, I wonder: What “quality”? What “control”? He sure didn’t live up to his title.

      Is Bray giving him a promotion for that stunningly poor performance? Why isn’t Daniel fired, too?

      Reply

      • Robb is gonna move from Special Asst to the HC to take over Special Teams. His son, Daniel, will continue on as QC for SpTms.
        In typical OSU AD fashion, Robbs title on the school website has not yet been updated.

        From Ryan Clarke’s piece, a worrisome quote:
        “…Akey said of working with his son. “He’s doing a great job of working his tail off and and everything that we’ve asked for him to do. He’s going to have a little more responsibility now. And he’s got to make sure he keeps old man in line.”

        And if you are looking for schematic changes from a coach with nearly 40 years of experience, forget it, he says, “The game is the game. The wheel keeps going ‘round and ‘round, just like it does on offense and just like it does on defense. … But the fundamentals and the things you have to work to do to impact the game, you’ve got to still be able to focus on it.”

        So no innovation likely. BUT, if he can just get the fundamentals fixed that would be a big positive change!
        Still, there is that kid “working his tail off…”

        Reply
  31. 4
    1

    Unfortunately the only way to implement change regarding OSU football is for Reser Stadium having empty seats. If tickets aren’t sold and seats are empty, that is the only way this out of touch and tone deaf University and athletic department will feel it. It is so sad and beyond pathetic at this point. I agree with this podcast:

    https://youtu.be/EEKuwA-8JoI?si=_86WJuHMNzodZyA4

    Reply
    • 1

      The only thing that will prevent that face smack is the drop in the level of competition. Sadly, I’m not certain Barnes will recognize continuing problems with offensive play calling or QB evaluation/utilization if the string of losses turns to a W or two.

      Reply

  33. All overpasses, bridges and tall buildings in Philadelphia have been closed for the foreseeable future. The Phillies just committed Harry carrie against the Dodgers. It was an epic ending to a high drama game.

    Reply
    • 6
      1

      Reformatted without emojis:

      THE 2025 OREGON STATE BEAVERS FOOTBALL DRINKING GAME

      “0–6 and Emotionally Unavailable” — Duck-Spiracy Edition
      (Because the only thing we can still win is alcoholism awareness week.)
      ?

      Take One Drink When:
      • The Beavs punt on 4th and manageable, because hope is for people with a record above .000.
      • Malik Murphy throws a check-down on 3rd and 12 and the crowd pretends to clap.
      • The camera finds Trent Bray, eyes glassy, staring into the middle distance as if reconsidering all his life choices.
      • The announcers say “Oregon State still looking for its first win,” and you whisper, “Aren’t we all?”
      • The broadcast mentions the former Pac-12 and your soul briefly leaves your body.
      • Someone says “the Ducks really knew what they were doing,” and you start to believe they actually did.
      ?

      Take Two Drinks When:
      • A receiver drops a ball so perfectly placed it’s offensive.
      • The Beavs lose a fumble and no one even reacts anymore.
      • The kicker misses again, and you wonder if it’s too late to try out yourself.
      • The announcers compliment Oregon’s “Big Ten success,” as if twisting a knife made of Nike money.
      • The broadcast cuts to old footage of Reser Stadium when people still cared.
      • The student section starts chanting “We’ll get ’em next year!” but no one believes them, not even the mascot.
      ?

      Finish Your Drink When:
      • Oregon State finally scores and you feel something for the first time in weeks.
      • Trent Bray throws his headset — not out of rage, but resignation.
      • The Beavs snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in record time.
      • The announcer says “The Ducks really set the standard in this state.”
      Stare into the middle distance. Reflect. Then chug until you forget where Corvallis is.

      ?

      Pain of the Beav Round:
      • Take a sip for every turnover, because pain is ritual now.
      • If the Beavs lead for longer than five minutes, drink nervously — joy isn’t built to last here.
      • Finish your drink if they actually win — not out of celebration, but disbelief.
      • Pour one out for the Pac-12, now the Pac-2, soon to be a group chat no one opens.
      ?

      Duck-Spiracy Rules (For Entertainment Only):
      • Drink every time Oregon is called “visionary.”
      • Two drinks if the broadcast shows their fancy facilities and says, “That’s the future.”
      • Finish your drink if Phil Knight smiles, because you know deep down he saw this coming.
      • Whisper the ritual chant whenever Oregon’s name is spoken:
      “Follow the money… and the misery it left behind.”
      ?

      Final Toast – “We Deserve This, Don’t We?” Edition

      To Oregon State — doomed yet devoted,
      Our pride eroded, our beer well-noted.
      In Pac-2 twilight we dimly fight,
      May the Ducks choke hard in their own spotlight.

      Reply
    • 5
      2

      We know he is gone after this year already. A few productive games, a feature article in the local fish wrap and he will get a nice NIL offer to escape the dumpster fire that is OSU football.

      Good luck to him and anyone else who departs, can’t blame them a bit. Based on the Assistant AD none of them would be remembered anyway if they stayed and were a generational superstar.

      Reply
  38. 3

    OSU men’s basketball gets its highest ranked commit since 2021…Three-star power forward Drew Anderson….

    Rated the No. 28 power forward and No. 166 overall player in the 2026 class

    “I picked Oregon State because I really felt the love from the staff and Coach Tinkle has had a lot of success with players in my position,” Anderson told 247Sports. “I felt now was the right time because I knew Oregon State was where I wanted to be and it felt like home.”

    Reply
    • 2
      1

      I just read that but of course until he’s signed and on campus, I view it as a soft commitment. We shall see but he does sound like a great potential addition.

      Reply
      • 5
        1

        I’m putting my enthusiasm on hold, remembering that Tinks once had four ESPN Top 100 players on his roster and could do no better than .500.

        Reply
  41. 1
    2

    I guess I’ll see how good my Mizzou Tigers really are. Mizzou I think has a more balanced offense with arguably having the best back in the country – Ahmad Hardy. His backup Roberts is a very good backup. Bama has not been very good stopping the run. Mizzou run defense has been excellent but has been susceptible to medium and long passes which has been Bama’s strength. This game reminds me of Deboers last year at UW when they played the Beavs in Corvallis and eaked out a win. Should be a fun game. MIZ-ZOU!!!

    Reply
  42. 3

    Beavs will finally put together a catastrophic mistake free game today, including 2 successful FGs!
    Beavers 27 WF 21
    Barnes is so happy the give Brey, Tinkle and Blueprint one year extensions.

    Reply
  44. 3

    Since the Beavs are going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel, maybe the Beavs should hire Jerry Neuheisel. He is the OC but the ESPN/Fox guys cover him like he is the new HC at UCLA.

    Reply
    • 4

      Game is early, but the Bruins are pounding the Pudgy Gnome and Sparty 24-7 late in the first half. Hire Jerry and have his dad be OC. That would at least garner some notoriety for moribund, irrelevant football program.

      Reply

  45. Mizzou’s secondary reminds me of Tibesars defense where the corners play 10 yards off the line! Giving up easy 5-7 yard completions.

    Reply
  48. 1

    UCLA is hammering the pudgy little traitor’s MSU 31-7 at MSU. I am guessing Traitor Smith is on the verge of getting booted as they are now 3-3.after this loss. MSU were very salty after the loss to Nebraska but a humiliating loss at home to a 1-4 UCLA team is really going to be the mail in the coffin
    .
    LOL, Smith just went for it on 4th and 2 from their own 34 late in the third quarter and got stuffed!

    Reply
    • 3

      It’s unfortunate UCLA made a coaching change at this point, it’s not good for the team.

      Patience for Smith at MSU will wear thin, especially with other coaching options hitting the market after this season. If he had kept his staff intact at OSU he’d probably have had shots at decent bowl games with these schedules.

      Welcome to irrelevance MSU, there’s plenty of company and more after 2032…

      Reply
      • 2

        Michigan State fans already want him fired. It sucks because now two programs have been destroyed by Smith. If he would have just stayed at Oregon State I believe Chiles would have had some really good seasons, the Beavs would have had a shot at a couple of decent bowl games, and Smith would have endeared himself to Oregon State forever. Very short sighted by Smith. One of the aspects I liked about Smith’s teams is that they always were competitive (minus the final 2023 Civil War fiasco), but his teams are getting blown out at Michigan State – that rarely happened at OSU.

        Reply
  49. 2

    LOL! JS has failed on 4th and short 2 times and UCLA turns both into quick tds of less than 35 yards. I’m not happy with Bray but man JS is a psycho gambling coach. He isn’t doing too well if he hopes to get an offer from UCLA to get back to the west coast.
    Bruins up 38-7 going to the 4th quarter.

    Reply
      • 1
        1

        That Washington State is competing on the road with Ole Miss gives me hope that Oregon State can do the same, so what is Washington State doing differently than Oregon State? WSU doesn’t publish the amount of money they spent on NIL in 2025. Do you think it is more or less than OSU? I know that is only one factor, but we know for a fact that Oregon State spent millions for an 0-6 record.

        Reply
        • 1

          The biggest difference is that WSU has some expectation of still competing in football at an administrative level down to individual players. This is not the case at OSU. The administrative level doesn’t comprehend why winning should be a priority. WSU has made Rose Bowls in multiple coaching trees and OSU has not. The OSU experience isn’t rooted in winning, or success, or expectations of success eventually; these are the marks of WSU, and make them a better eventual option for moving back into the P4 conferences than OSU will ever be. OSU is banished and the sooner we realize it the better probably. OSU has only their own inept leadership to blame for no longer belonging among the schools they used for cover for so long.

          Reply

          • What did Washington State specifically do? The Beavs could have gone to the Rose Bowl in 2008 and 2009, but lost to Oregon. I don’t think that had to do anything to do with the administration. Although I will admit it was puzzling after a 10 win season in 2006, and nine win seasons in 2007 and 2008, the staff failed to parlay that into getting better recruits, but is that an administration issue or a coaching staff issue? Riley was loyal to to his assistants to a fault.

            Reply
  52. 1

    Bray pre-game radio again states that Hatcher needs more carries, clear that that applies to last week as well. Really sounds like he has been clear about that to his OC.
    Maybe just a little bit of orange glasses in my evaluation of Bray’s statement.

    Reply
    • 2

      Great, but he is the head coach and can dictate things in game. It was baffling when they had no one that could snap the ball against Fresno State and they did not try a pooch kick. Instead it was bad snap after bad snap – it was ridiculous. He is the head coach, if he sees something that is not happening it is his job to fix it.

      Reply
  55. 3

    Who is the secondary coach? Can he be fired too. Secondary has been awful. As usual some random, unheard of back up QB is shredding the Beavs.

    Reply
    • 3

      Even the kick off coverage was crap with a missed tackle that gave WF another 15 yards and nice field position to start the game. Also, totally unprepared for the two point conversion. So poorly coached from every aspect.

      Reply
    • 2

      Yeah, this is one of the hardest pills to swallow in the NIL era. Any player at Oregon State who does well will be paid to go to another school.

      Reply

  62. Bad teams just can’t help themselves, even Walker drops a nice throw from Murphy that kills a drive and then another special team debacle. So much for Akey being any help.

    Reply

  70. So nice punt and then on the next play the D lets the WF RB burst up the middle for 20 yards rendering the good special teams play meaningless. It’s just shit upon shit.

    Reply
  77. 9

    Murphy is straight up stealing $1.5 million from OSU. He isn’t even trying to make a winning play when he has plenty of time to throw. Such garbage! Bring in Guthridge and let the kid figure it out instead of this nonsense.

    Reply

    • Robby Ashford (played at South Carolina) was the guy who got all the money, but he is out with a thumb injury. On3 has his NIL value at around $100k. Sophomore Deshawn Purdie (played at Charlotte, at one time was going to sign with Florida) is the backup and today is his first start for Wake Forest.

      Reply
  85. 3

    Poorly coached and/or the players just don’t care. All the receivers went deep on that WF blitz. The team didn’t have a clue on how to beat that defense.

    Reply
  93. 3
    1

    Don’t get your dauber down, Beavers. Bell Field is packed today and the action is so tense, I’ve already smoked three packs of Chesterfields. Unfortunately, I sat on my new fedora, but I’m looking forward to walking in the serpentine at half-time – hopefully, I wont have to hold hands with another boy. If Wake has any German players, I’ll be sure to give them the raspberry.

    Reply
  96. 2

    Funny how much CW announcers are trying to find some positives and hopeful future for the Beavs when the reality is inescapable. Beavs are not going ot improve anytime soon with these 2 qbs, this staff, or this special teams unit. It may be an issue with depth on special teams since in years past, we would see the younger players filling up the special teams spots and getting on field experience to improve and prepare for future roles. But now we see a lot of keystone cops without much direction, horrible execution of basic elements and for sure no real honing of skills for a larger role in the offense or defense. So bad and really a struggle to continue to watch.
    I’m just keeping an eye on the Beavs and watching the IU-NikeU game hoping that the Hoosiers don’t get homered by the refs at Autzen.

    Reply
  97. 4

    I’m all in for going 0-12 as I think that might really force some major changes at every level in the athletic department and the football program. Get it done and let’s have the opposite of an undefeated season! Orange and black paper bags for the game next weekend so let’s make it happen…

    Reply

    • I don’t think the Beavs have ever gone 0-12 as we have always found a way to blunder our way into at least one win. The only team I know of with the 0-12 distinction is the Huskies and those fuckers deserved it.

      Reply
  98. 8

    With how bad they are playing Barnes does not have a choice. He has to fire Bray. What players are going to want to come to Corvallis? This program is plutonium. They need a massive cultural change starting with a brand new coaching staff to give everyone hope.

    Reply
    • 8

      Unfortunately Barnes is insulated from on field results and revenue declines. He has very little incentive to change course simply because he made the hires of coaches, administrators and yet he is not interested in winning at OSU but being the guy who saved the PAC12.
      I have been saying for a while that the entire administration needed to be fired and a complete overhaul for at least the ADa office but who knows if even that would make a difference.
      BTW, Mike Parker sounds like he spent the last month shouting the company line from the rooftops/Joe Beaver Show and in the process his voice is shot. Reduced to talking about Brian’s Song and the Giant Killers again. Certainly nothing to talk about on the field in front of him.

      Reply
    • 2

      It’s ridiculous. For some reason this job is not a wanted job. It’s pretty sad, I know we’re looking for a lifetime coach but I feel we’d be better off gambling on someone who might leave after a few years. My hope is we go far away from the OSU alumni or anything around that coaching tree. It’s clear in football hiring from within is not the move.

      Reply
      • 4

        As a now Group of 6 program, that’s how you have to play the game. Hire hungry successful lower level coaches who are trying to climb the ladder. That’s the reality.

        Reply
  100. 5

    If they’re going to be 80s bad, maybe embrace it?

    White helmets with cursive font, black jerseys..
    80’s music on PA system…
    Only drunk students on east side, 70+ year olds on west side…

    Reply
  102. 4

    Indy is on the verge of a go ahead TD with. 2.5 minutes to go in the third quarter. PI in the end zone on the dicks. Easy TD for Indy 17-10 on a 75 yard drive by Indy! GO INDY!

    Reply
  104. 1

    Well, bowl hopes are gone for the players, assuming they were still delusional about their chances to win 6 in a row to get to a bowl game. Now we wait for the players to start opting out and looking towards next year and the transfer portal.
    Bray will not keep the locker room after this one.
    I expect Dickert to keep the foot on the gas, and make every attempt to secure a shutout on the road against a school he never really respected while in the PAC12 anyway. Dickert is on a mission to kick the crap out of OSU, and thoroughly embarrass them.

    Reply
  106. 2

    It’s got to be so demotivating to be a guy making 50k or scholarship only seeing Murphy sucking it up for 1.5M. Of course every guy should be playing for themselves at this point and auditioning for a transfer.

    Reply
    • 3

      For sure. Every wide receiver even more so, Murphy is not only stealing money, he is throwing hospital balls and getting his own guys hurt, or simply making such horrible throws that they have no shot to catch it.
      Gundy needs fired if they can’t bench Murphy after these last few games as well.
      Expect a long line of “season ending injuries” for guys to be able to just sit out the season at this point.
      Nice to see a couple of runs by Hatcher, are they trying to preserve his redshirt? Good grief, Bray says more Hatcher in the pregame and we don’t see him until end of 3rd quarter…who is leading the program and who is accountable to anyone?

      Reply
  109. 2

    Beavers need to make a QB coach or LB coach from Michigan, Georgia or OSU their head coach. Or someone along those lines off an elite college coaching tree. Sell that we know what it takes to get to that level. Bring in guys hungry to show up and get paid to transfer in a year or two. Accept our fate as a farm team and be the best farm team we can be.

    Reply
  116. 5
    3

    I really like Bray and don’t think this shit show is on him. It is on the AD Barnes. Barnes knew Bray was company man and would take the job making things easy and affordable. He should have known Bray wasn’t ready and now this will probably has irreversible damage going forward. College football is ruined and Barnes threw gas on the dumpster fire being cheap.

    Reply
  118. 6

    Don’t know if I like that we’re in a place where seeing a former HC and the team from Eugene lose qualifies as a “good day.

    Reply

  120. UNLV/AF game is crazy. Rebels just took the lead again 51-48. AF has the ball with only 30 seconds left, but have all their timeouts.

    Reply
  124. 3
    1

    Gabarri Johnson: “To be honest with you, effort problems have been happening every game. I could say the same thing about people in the first game when we got down to Cal. They quit already. Whoever wants to play is going to show.”

    Reply
  125. 6

    From the Lansing State Journal
    MSU’s 38-13 homecoming defeat to UCLA will go down in Spartan lore with a number of low points which led to change. For this one to be anything but that, Smith and Co. would have to show ability, acumen and fight that was nowhere to be seen Saturday. They could start by imitating UCLA, which was 0-4 and looked headed for 0-12 two weeks ago, before stunning Penn State and then outclassing the Spartans.
    You can’t recruit to this. You can’t win with this. I don’t know if MSU can afford to make a change, given Smith’s $30 million-plus buyout. If this keeps up, I don’t think MSU can afford not to.

    Key, and applicable to the Beavs current coaching situation…….You can’t recruit to this. You can’t win with this.

    Reply

    • Smith outfoxed the Spartans on the buyout…they never never learn, millions of dead money…

      Fucking Zyn chewing Smith cruising on $30M…

      Reply

    • This is what programs get for paying coaches as much as they do and these crazy buyouts. Not everyone can win most games, someone has to lose and when it happens that’s karma for going out and overpaying for unproven coaches.

      Reply
    • 2

      Totally agree! That’s what I posted earlier when I said the program is plutonium. Who is going to want to come and play here – no one! But it starts with the administration and Barnes.

      Reply
  126. 5

    Apparently Auburn has had a run in with the powers that be of SEC. Insane reffing for the last 2 minutes of the half led to a 10-3 score instead of 17-0 Auburn. I’ve never seen more blatant refereeing to reroute the course of a blowout than I just saw.
    This must be the product that ESPN wants as entertainment and not actual competitive sports.

    Reply

    • Yeah, the officiating was pretty bad all night. As for the Auburn fumble at the goal line, what ever was originally called should not been overturned, I thought. The reviews were not clear.

      Reply
  128. 17

    Gabarri Johnson should get the start next week. What do we have to lose? Murphy’s completion percentage is terrible and Ryan Leaf’s comments are spot on. He is lazy with his feet and it routinely causes incompletions. Johnson seems like he actually wants to be there and has something to prove.

    Reply
  132. 1

    If you didn’t believe it before, you better start embracing it now.

    It took Indiana coach Curt Cignetti one season to produce the best record in 126 years of Hoosiers football. It may only take another to earn the school’s first No. 1 ranking.

    If the annihilation of Illinois in September didn’t do it, the meticulous 30-20 punishing exclamation point of a win over of No. 2 Oregon removed all doubt. The basketball school that has lost more football games than any other program in NCAA history, has this pigskin thing figured out.

    “The confidence we have right now, it’s hard to describe,” said Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher. “We were the punching bags of the Big Ten. This program is in a really good spot right now.”
    …
    And they got defensive stops over and over when they needed it most. Oregon’s four offensive drives in the fourth quarter: punt, interception, interception, end of game.

    The Ducks, who were averaging 47 points and more than 500 yards a game, ran 15 plays in the fourth quarter for a measly 27 yards.”

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/10/11/indiana-football-beats-oregon-makes-statement-nations-best-team-curt-cignetti-big-10/86648814007/

    Wow, the program has lost more football games than the Beavers?!

    Liked Mendoza at CAL, I thought he played well against Oregon State. Seemed pretty heady, could improvise a bit.

    Reply

    • Cignetti is doing an unbelievable job and I’m guessing mostly with 2 and 3 star recruits. Yes, he did bring in some key transfers but most schools looked the them and thought – mehh!!! This is primarily coaching and scheme. Barnes should be scouring FBS programs with proven long time winning records and championships at all if their stops. But don’t have much confidence in Barnes or the administration.

      Reply
      • 1

        I wonder how they are structured to address NIL? OSU should look into that.

        Then besides the structure, OSU will need to pay a good talent evaluator to make it run on a budget. So all OSU needs is a new AD, a new NIL structure and approach, a great talent evaluator on staff (pay them!), and a new coaching staff.

        Best to kick that off as soon as this season is over. Can’t go into a new conference without an energized approach and start out as the bottom feeder…but that’s what they’ll likely do.

        Reply

  133. One “way too early mock” has Indian QB Mendoza going #1 to NY, then Dante Moore to Clevland, even recognizing Moore has a small sample size at UO and a poor freshman year at UCLA …crazy…former Beaver CB McCoy still projected to go in first round even as he recovers from ACL surgery.

    I suspect as the season goes on Moore’s play quality and numbers will diminish. Don’t know the Ducks schedule though, maybe they’ve played their toughest games in Penn State and Indiana and its all downhill now. USC offense is apparently improvied, so if Oregon has to go there, that could be tough.

    Reply
  136. 1

    Blazer 7′ 3″ center Hansen….”turned in the highlight of the night, faking a three up top before turning Drew Eubanks into a human yo-yo. Hansen breezed around Eubanks with a behind-the-back dribble, used a spin move to wiggle free into the lane, then completed the jaw-dropping play with a layup off the glass.

    The crowd, which had erupted after each play with increasing ferocity, exploded into a frenzy.”

    The international nature of the NBA creates a larger labor pool (obviously) and some of these bigs these days are athletic freaks.

    As the NFL goes increasingly international, they ought to find some raw freaky athleticism that needs to be coached up…the challenge would likely be making it productive within the 3-4 year career span average of its players?

    Reply
  137. 12

    Well good luck to Bray. Wish he could have stayed on as D coordinator.

    Note to Barnes: never again hire a guy who doesn’t want to be a head coach.

    It’s that simple really….

    Reply
  143. 3

    I don’t know what is next, but I do hope “cultural fit” is at the bottom of the hiring criteria. OSU always seems to look for coaches with some nebulous “tie” to the program, who “gets” the school or the campus or region.
    It’s all about NIL and getting players. You don’t need to develop deep ties to NW high schools etc. You just need to find players. In the Beavers case I would truly sell the idea of a place for players to show what they can do on the field. The NIL may not be there, but if you can offer a little something AND a chance to show that you can play at a higher level (I’m talking about the SEC and Big 10) to players who might be offered more to redshirt in a league like that – like other players like Mcteer, or Mendoza, you might have something.
    But the program needs to accept where and what they are, probably even before they start thinking about who the next coach could be.

    Reply
  144. 9

    As said before, the problem is much deeper than Bray and a special team coach. There is a lack of drive, lack of competitiveness, lack of competency and lack of expectation to be a dominant winning football program at OSU and this is an institutional failure. Barnes is the mouthpiece/figurehead of a sinking ship. He just fired his flagship head coach and will fire up the PR nonsense to obfuscate his own dereliction of duty. Barnes must not be allowed to hire the next OSU football staff.
    I have listed probably 25 options in recent threads that might be options from various categories of coaching ranks, but Barnes will only waste more money on a search and fail again.
    Apparently the stadium was empty enough to rattle them at the administrative offices. Well done OSU fans.

    Reply
    • 2
      1

      I need to go back and look at those options you generously provided…

      I’d like to see Murthy fire Barnes, and convene Pat Casey, Scott Rueck, and some athletes to help vet new candidates…Steve Johnson, Gary Payton, Jade Carey, Brandin Cooks, maybe Matt Moore…Sydney Weise…Adley Rutschman, Kwan…can’t have it get too big, but need some perspectives from those that excelled and have broader experience as a result of their time at OSU too.

      Reply
  145. 3
    4

    Scanning the OLive, Brays firing isn’t the top story, UO’s loss still is….

    By the way, I’m in my 50s and don’t have Lanning’s belly and man boobs. Perhaps Uncle Phil ought to invest in a nutrition program and some training facilities the coaching staff can access? Ha! Always cracks me up how coaches get fat when they have all those resources available to them…god knows at $10.4M/Year Lanning could afford a personal chef…

    Reply

  147. Weeks ago I posted that I felt sorry for Bray, but that faded with time. Still, Bray is the last person I would have fired.

    Start with grifters around him. Gundy and the Akeys (Robb hired his son, Daniel, as special teams “quality control” specialist, then joked about it in a recent article–he was now coaching special teams, and his son was overseeing him–har, har, more Oregon State money down the drain, that’s a funny one). Grifters, all. Those coaches who just mailed it in all season, they should have gone first.

    As conscientious as Bray seems to be, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he left at the end of the year on his own, could have saved the school millions.

    Reply
  148. 4

    Any recruiting commits tied to this staff? I’ve seen at least one decommit before and one after, this morning.

    Between the coaching turmoil, losing, conference issues…this roster looks to be a mess, for a long time

    Reply
  152. 1

    Went and grabbed Ohiobeavs’ coaching list for ease of reference:

    “Names i would rather hope to hear if Barnes has any sense. Some proven winners, some needing another chance, some up and coming, but most importantly all out of different coaching trees than the standard OSU family:
    Bryan Harsin, OC at Cal currently
    Brett Vigen, HC at Montana St currently
    Geoff Dart- current HC at Mount Union, Ohio
    Brad Spencer- current HC at North Central College
    Tom Herman- currently unemployed/fired from Florida Atlantic last year
    Mike Houston-formerly James Madison national champ, fired from East Carolina last year, currently a volunteer on staff at Clemson
    Brian Bohannon- former Kennesaw St coach, now an on Ga Tech staff as offensive assistant- (He built a successful program from scratch)
    Neal Brown- formerly West Virginia HC
    Dana Holgorsen- currently OC at Nebraska, formerly HC at West VIrginia and Houston
    Jimbo Fisher- currently unemployed
    Jake Spavital- current OC at Baylor, previously at Cal”

    Reply
  153. 4

    Just a reminder that Bray was HC and DC. So now we need an interim DC also…

    Zero confidence in Akey and what he supposedly contributes.

    It shows how bad the overall staff is when you don’t have anyone who could be the obvious next guy besides some
    Retread who is been a failure in his past opportunities.

    Find a guy who is simply a winner and bring his system. Forget the old paradigm and how OSU has previously been framed in PR campaigns. You need a force of nature type guy who is a winner and will not yield to the typical OSU admin drivel.

    Reply
    • 1

      “It shows how bad the overall staff is when you don’t have anyone who could be the obvious next guy besides some
      Retread who is been a failure in his past opportunities.”

      That’s why I asked “who the fuck is going to coach?” And as you said, there’s no DC now either.

      You have to have a PLAN. Winning or losing the AD has to have a fucking plan. “What are we going to do if things go well? What are we going to do if we’re not winning?” Even when Smith had OSU in the top 15-20 in ’22 and ’23, Barnes should have had some plan about who would replace Smith if/when he left because Smith was at the end of about the average 6-year coaching cycle and conference change was imminent.

      Reply

    • true nuff. the buzzards are circling. Chiles is a bust and the offensive line, curiously enough, having a lot of trouble. so much for Coach M being a whisperer in that regard

      Reply
  158. 0

    Do we get an older guy who has been a proven winner like a Jimbo Fisher or do we get a guy from Division 2 or FBS who has a LONG track record of success? Jimbo Fisher might accept $5MM range as he doesn’t need the money from his A&M buyout. I leary about hiring some hotshot who has had some initial success but not a long track record.

    Reply

    • Either way, the pay needs to be incentivized for the coaches and the NIL. This school doesn’t have the luxury of wasting money right now. Same goes for the AD staff.

      Reply
      • 1

        And this is why we won’t ever hire the right coach. Folks would rather gamble, instead of hiring proven coaches.

        Really struggling? They lost three games by one score. Wherever he ends up, they will have a good program in a few years. I’d bet anyone $100 on that.

        Reply
        • 4

          I’d add Franklin in the list of Fisher and Harsin. Guys who got a big payday with no ties to OSU, but are proven winners at previous stops, just couldn’t meet crazy expectations where they last were.

          Any of them would be a good option if they could bring a great staff along with them and start fresh at OSU, on an OSU budget.

          Reply

        • I guess it’s just what you want to settle for. Do you want a coach who can compete for conference championships consistently and occasionally make a run for the playoffs or do you want to be slightly above average??? I want to compete consistently for championships.

          Reply

        • I hope not….hope he stays where he is and wins it all…

          Just looked up NFL revenue…each team gets about $432M+ this year…

          A B10 team, with full media, gets $60M correct, and SEC $50M each….

          How can colleges be giving coaches, and some players NFL-scale pay, and deal with these massive buyouts and annual free agents?!? Penn State will probably throw a mountain of money at Cignetti after buying out Franklin at $48.7M….

          Reply
  162. 7

    Funny how the Bray hire was sold for continuity and now that he has been fired, we are losing commits anyway. Hiring and firing for the wrong reason never goes well. OSU struggles in the basics of program building/sustaining due to an ingrained “be careful what you wish for” voice that causes all manner of bad decisions and hesitancy top strive for and demand greatness. Even Bray getting fired isn’t really about striving for greatness. It is a basic CYA on Barnes part to tamp down big donors or mollify OSU fans in a short term play. He isn’t really interested in building up OSU into a winner. My first item of proof would be Wayne TInkle still under contract and destroying the basketball program.

    Reply
    • 2

      Apparently doners came up with the cash for the buyout, so I’m sure he was getting plenty of grief from them directly and he\s more apt to listen to them, than you or I

      Reply

    • Remember that Idaho was D-1 when Akey was there. They were so bad that the administration decided to move down to FCS and back to the Big Sky.

      Reply
  164. 2

    Do you go with the hot assistant off a Natl Champion like Craig Fertig or Joe Avezanno or do you hire the HC who won a Natl Championship at Division I-AA like Dave Kragthorpe. Of course Kragthorpe threw it every down so maybe you want someone who runs it every down like Jerry Pettibone. A lot to think about.

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  168. 2
    2

    Go after the best FCS coach out there. Guy will know how to coach with less. Need a scrappy coach. The boys coming back to town to save the program was a nice story but didn’t work. Missed out on Matt Entz.

    Should go after the current NDSU coach now

    Reply

    • Interesting what he said about Trent with not making the hard decisions etc. you can tell he felt like they had to hire Bray but that they didn’t have much faith. Who will be on the panel and what will they value?

      Reply
  171. 4
    2

    I like the prospect of Montana State’s Head Coach and Sac State. An innovative offensive coach and a proven winner. New Mexico’s coach also a good option.

    Reply

    • The Montana State coach is on a few lists. You. “liking the prospects” is hilarious, as tho you have some say in the matter and that Brent Vigen wd have any interest At All. Montana State has a new president who is active in athletics, as was the last one, ongoing new and improving facilities, and a Bobcat freshman qb son.Vigen might move along but sure as hell not to OSU’s dumpster fire. And, Bozeman has an airport!

      Reply
  175. 1

    We need a coach who will get these boys to give it their all. To forsake all manner of fornication and drink and devote they lives to the glory of old OSU!

    Reply

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