Former Wisconsin head coach will not be leading Oregon State in 2026

The Oregon State Beavers hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its new head coach late last week.

The program is charting a new course after a 0-7 start to the 2025 season led to the firing of coach Trent Bray in mid-October. The team was just 5-14 in 1 1/2 seasons under Bray, following the departure of highly successful coach Jonathan Smith after the 2023 season.

Shephard joins the Beavers after spending two years as Alabama's co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. He previously coached wide receivers under head coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington from 2022-23.

Notably, at least from a Wisconsin perspective, Shephard takes the Oregon State vacancy after former Badger head coach Paul Chryst was listed as one of the school's potential suitors. Chryst has been out of coaching since spending the 2023 season as an offensive analyst at Texas. With longtime Big Ten head coach Pat Fitzgerald taking over at Michigan State, many eyes are now turning to see where Chryst lands next. Oregon State was thought to be one realistic option.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is just 16-21 in three years under head coach Luke Fickell since Chryst's departure, including a 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten) finish to the 2025 campaign. Fickell is returning for 2026, though he will do so with expectations of an immediate resurgence.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Oregon State head coach hire not Wisconsin football Paul Chryst