CORVALLIS – The Oregon State football coaching search is heating up, and the final decision could be leaking from the walls of the school’s athletic offices in the coming days.
According to multiple reports, final interviews were expected this week and a possible name was considered on Tuesday.
North Dakota State coach Tim Polasek, considered one of the finalists for the OSU job, signed a new contract with the Bison on Tuesday. Possibly, his candidacy in Corvallis provided additional leverage in those negotiations.
Barring the last-minute candidacy of newly hired California coach Justin Wilcox, that puts OSU at a crucial juncture.
Sources close to the coaching search tell The Oregonian/OregonLive that OSU is down to two finalists: Montana State coach Brent Wigen, and Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shepherd.
We met Wigan at Portland International Airport on Sunday. He did not reveal the purpose of his visit. Multiple reports indicate Shepherd also arrived in Portland this week for a potential interview.
Both candidates bring different resumes to the job.
Wigen, 50, is an established winner at an FCS power, posting a 57-12 record in five seasons at Montana State. He fits the mold of a program-builder, which OSU athletic director Scott Barnes has declared a major part of his search criteria.
Shepherd, 42, has been a high-level assistant at both Washington and Alabama under Kalen DeBoer. He is a passionate speaker and motivator who has achieved significant success in recruiting, has coached elite wide receivers in his recent stops, and is viewed as one of the rising coaches in college football.
Sources say both candidates have their potential shortcomings, but Barnes may choose between them in the coming days. However, an introductory press conference is not expected until early next week.
The Beavers conclude their 2025 season against Washington State on Saturday in Pullman, Washington.
Oregon State (2-9) and Washington State (5-6)
- When: Saturday, November 29
- Time: 3:30 pm PT
- Where: Martin Stadium – Pullman, Wash.
- tv channel:cw
- Stream: You can watch this game with DIRECTV (free trial), or fubo (free trial). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available locally on these streaming services in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
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