Oregon State hiring Alabama assistant JaMarcus Shephard as head coach

Alabama wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard has landed his first head coaching job.

Oregon State has agreed to terms on a 5-year deal to make Shephard its next head coach, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. In addition to coaching wide receivers, Shephard has also served as the Crimson Tide’s assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator the last two seasons.

*** Update: Oregon State made the hire official with a press release via the school.

“I’m honored to lead the Oregon State University football program and to join a community that cares so deeply about its student-athletes,” Shephard said in a statement. “We will build a culture rooted in toughness, integrity, and relentless effort, and I’m excited to get to work with our players, staff, and supporters to write the next great chapter of Beaver football.”

Shephard followed Kalen DeBoer to Alabama after the 2023 season. In Tuscaloosa, he was able to once again coach Germie Bernard, who also joined the Crimson Tide before the 2024 campaign, and mentored Ryan Williams during his first two years at the college level.

Shephard helped recruit Miami transfer Isaiah Horton and freshmen Lotzeir Brooks and Derek Meadows to Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide currently has three wide receivers committed in its 2026 class a week from the early signing period, including five-star Cederian Morgan.

Prior to Alabama, Shephard spent two seasons at Washington, where he was the Huskies’ assistant head coach, pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach. In Seattle, Shephard coached future NFL draft picks Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk, who helped give Washington one of the nation’s top passing attacks for the 2022-23 seasons.

Shephard got his first college coaching gig at Western Kentucky in 2011 and spent five years there before taking the wide receivers coach position at Washington State in 2016 under head coach Mike Leach. He moved on to Purdue, where he led the wideouts from 2017-22.

Alabama will close out the regular season at Auburn on Saturday, November 29. A win over the Tigers would clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game for the No. 10 Crimson Tide.

Shepherd will be formally introduced during a press conference on Tuesday, December 2. If UA wins the Iron Bowl and advances to the SEC title game, the Tide will have practice that day.

Outside of Shephard, Alabama staffers who work with the wide receivers include analysts Torrey Gill and Tyler Hughes. Hughes coached the New England Patriots’ wideouts in 2024.

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