Overview
- Running backs coach Ray Pickering and secondary coach AJ Cooper said they are departing after meetings in which Shephard informed assistants of retention decisions, with co-defensive coordinator Rod Chance also not expected to return, according to a source.
- Shephard is expected to hire Alabama personnel executive Eron Hodges as football general manager, Mitch Dahlen as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and Torrey Gill as wide receivers coach, multiple reports say.
- Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Shephard plans to be with the Crimson Tide for SEC championship preparations “as much as he can,” and Shephard coached on the sideline in the Iron Bowl after his Oregon State hire was announced.
- Oregon State scheduled Shephard’s introductory press conference for noon Tuesday, and the school shared his arrival in Corvallis with family on its social media accounts.
- The moves mark the early stages of a broad reset after the Beavers finished 2-10 in 2025, with staffing decisions and roster management prioritized as the transfer window opens.