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The Tuscaloosa News
Alabama football assistant JaMarcus Shephard to lead Oregon State
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama football assistant JaMarcus Shephard to lead Oregon State
Alabama football will have to replace a key member of its coaching staff.
JaMarcus Shephard , Alabama 's co-offensive coordinator, assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for the past two seasons under Kalen DeBoer , has agreed to terms to be Oregon State 's next football coach.
"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."
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According to reports, Shephard has agreed to a five-year deal. The Oregon State job is Shephard's first head coaching job.
Shephard followed DeBoer to Alabama after working as DeBoer's assistant head coach, pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach for two seasons at Washington in 2022-23. Shephard was hired at Washington after five seasons at Purdue .
In two seasons at Alabama, Shephard helped develop Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams , and helps lead a passing game that is third-best in the SEC in 2025 with 292.45 passing yards per game.
Shephard has also been a major recruiter for the Crimson Tide, helping secure five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan in the 2026 recruiting class.
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Shephard has also worked at Washington State and Western Kentucky as a position coach.
As of Nov. 28, 14 active Division 1 head coaches were once on an Alabama football coaching staff: Bill O'Brien at Boston College , Charles Kelly at Jacksonville State , Steve Sarkisian at Texas , Charles Huff at Southern Miss , Mike Locksley at Maryland , Brent Key at Georgia Tech , Mario Cristobal at Miami, Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss , Butch Jones at Arkansas State, Dabo Swinney at Clemson, Kirby Smart at Georgia, Dan Lanning at Oregon, Curt Cignetti at Indiana and Major Applewhite at South Alabama.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football's JaMarcus Shephard hired as Oregon State head coach
