After a loss on Saturday dropped their season record to 0-6, head coach Trent Bray has decided to make a coordinator change.
Jamie Christian, the Beavers special teams coordinator, has been relieved of his duties the team announced today.
A veteran special teams coordinator with over twenty years experience at the college level, Christian took over the special teams duties in 2024 after previously joining Bray's inaugural staff following four seasons at New Mexico.
Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes shared a statement this afternoon sharing that he and head coach Trent Bray evaluated "every aspect of the program and are committed to making immediate changes."
Bray also released the following statement on the decision to part ways with his special teams play caller.
"Now is the right time to make a change in our football program, and I have relieved Coach Jamie Christian of his duties at Oregon State. All of us appreciate Coach Christian's commitment to helping us build the program and wish him the best moving forward."
It is not clear at this time who will step into the special teams coordinator spot.
Daniel Akey, the son of college coaching veteran Robb Akey who is on staff as special assistant to the head coach, is listed as a special teams quality control coach for the program.
The program's 0-6 start had been full of special teams mishaps.
On Saturday the team fumbled a kickoff in what amounted to be a tight 23-27 loss to Appalachian State, the special teams had a costly 12-men on the field penalty earlier this season against Cal, and had a handful of long snaps go awry against Fresno State earlier this year.
Oregon State ranks near the bottom nationally in a number of key special teams categories, including allowing 3 kick returns of over 30+ yards (tied for 120th nationally), and the Beavers had been allowed over 22 yards per kick return (109th nationally) and they also ranked the exact same spot in kickoff returns nationally, good for just under 17 yards per return. The program was also one of just three teams in college football to allow four or more punt returns of 20 yards or more (4) while Georgia State had five and UMass has allowed 6.
Bray led his alma mater to a 5-7 mark last season, getting the nod to lead the Beavers following a successful stint as Jonathan Smith's defensive coordinator for a few seasons.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.