Trent Bray asks Oregon State fans, donors to stick by Beavers despite 0-6 start

CORVALLIS — With athletic director Scott Barnes and deputy AD Brent Blaylock present in the back of the room Monday, Trent Bray spoke plainly.

Oregon State football is going to need more engagement from fans and donors — not less — if they want to compete, Bray said. The same goes for his players and remaining assistant coaches after the firing of special teams coordinator Jamie Christian.

But the Beavers are still 0-6.

“Very simple. The way I look at it is, the way things are going — wrong or not the way you want them — you need more,” Bray said. “That’s when you need to pour into stuff. That’s what I’d say. Backing away and removing yourself from it isn’t going to better the situation.

“If we all want to get through this — I’m talking everyone — we’ve got to put more into it.”

It is a tough sell for Bray: we aren’t winning, so give us more money. There isn’t an existing foundation to serve as proof of concept.

Many fans aren’t sure whether Bray is the right person to make this argument, or if it even holds water given this roster’s failure to live up to its own expectations. The program under Bray’s leadership finds itself in disarray, and game-to-game issues for the Beavers have less to do with a lack of talent than a culture that seems to be missing.

Bray admitted the OSU locker room was distraught after a road loss at Appalachian State.

“I’m not gonna lie, that game hurt us,” Bray said of the Appalachian State loss, and its impact on the locker room. “Because that one we expected to win, had multiple opportunities to win, and didn’t. So, won’t even try to lie about that. But getting with them (Sunday), they’ve been resilient all year long in the way that they’ve bounced back from not getting the results they want. And I saw that again (Sunday) and and look to see that the rest of the season.”

Millions of dollars were invested in this roster in the transfer portal alone — including $1.5 million for quarterback Maalik Murphy, who has underwhelmed in his first season after transferring from Duke. A reported $250,000 each was invested in tight ends Jackson Bowers and Riley Williams, neither of whom has made a significant contribution on the field.

Some small-dollar members are cancelling their individual subscriptions to OSU’s NIL operation in the wake of controversy around the school’s deal with Blueprint Sports. Oregon State donors at all levels are growing impatient with the progress of a team that has lost 12 of its last 13 games. The results of the next six games could break some of them.

Bray fired Christian, and the remaining schedule does offer at least two wins; FCS Lafayette and 0-6 Sam Houston State are among teams left on the 2025 schedule.

The Beavers need to win. Appearing consistently competitive won’t be enough.

“Our return on investment this year has been much better than it was a year ago,” Bray said. “Is it perfect and everyone that is getting something contributing the way we hoped they would? No. It goes back to evaluation. And while they’re here, we have to continue to get them to be motivated. Sometimes you lose motivation when you are handed stuff. That’s something in college football across the country right now.”

Money still rules in modern college football: the highest-price rosters are more often the ones with the best players, and having the best players leads to more wins. In the end, culture separates great teams from the pack.

OSU doesn’t have a clear path to becoming part of the pack. But Bray’s argument is don’t give up on the Beavers now, or it might get worse. You can’t develop a culture if there is nobody left to build it.

But what could be worse than zero wins?

Oregon State (0-6) vs. Wake Forest (3-2)

• When: Saturday, Oct. 11
• Time: 12:30 p.m. PT
• Where: Reser Stadium
• TV Channel: The CW (Channel 32 in Portland)
• Odds (Oct. 6): Wake Forest by 2.5; over/under 52.5