Oregon State was one of the biggest surprises in college football this past season. A 10-win season was the first double-digit-win campaign in nearly two decades and just the third in program history.

That 10-3 campaign had a lot to do with Oregon State’s defensive acumen.

Recently, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg spoke with folks throughout college football to get a sense of which assistants have really improved their chances of landing a head coaching gig of late. Oregon State’s Trent Bray came up.

Rittenberg included Bray in the “heating up after 2022” category, writing the following on the Beavers’ defensive coordinator:

Although the Beavers started to win again in 2021, their significant surge took place this past season, largely because of Bray’s defense. Named interim coordinator in November 2021 and getting the post permanently soon after, Bray help(ed) Oregon State improve from 73rd nationally in yards allowed in 2021 to 26th in 2022, and from 60th in points allowed to 16th. The Beavers had All-Pac-12 honorees in all three levels of their defense. Bray, 40, has extensive Pac-12 experience and also spent three years at Nebraska, serving as interim head coach in 2017. He would be a natural fit for any job in the Northwest.

The Beavers ranked top-25 nationally in defensive success rate thanks to the Pac-12’s stingiest run defense. They also ranked fourth among Pac-12 teams in tackles for loss.

In the comeback win over Oregon to close out the regular season, Oregon State held the Ducks to just two field goals in the final 24 minutes of the game.

Bray was excellent in his first season as the full-time DC. More of the same in 2023 should keep the floor relatively high for head coach Jonathan Smith. And with DJ Uiagalelei and Damien Martinez giving Oregon State a talented and dynamic backfield, continued defensive fortitude could be the formula for a special 2023 campaign.