‘Everything is a battle:’ First-year head coach Bray, Oregon State ready for 2024 football fall camp

Published 2:37 pm Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Football season officially hit Corvallis on Wednesday, July 31 with Oregon State taking to the field for the first practices of fall camp.

While not much can be gleaned from just a single practice worth, Beavers head coach Trent Bray said he’s excited about the team he has in front of them and seeing how things play out in the month leading up to their week one matchup with FCS Idaho State on Aug. 31.

“The effort was good and the energy was good (today),” Bray said. “The physical talent is here.”

The first-year head coach doesn’t seem interested in easing his way into his first season at the helm of the Beavers either, saying he feels confident in his team’s ability to win now and win big — not shying away from the possibility of the team making a run at an at-large bid in the newly expanded 12-team playoff.

“I think from a size, strength, speed standpoint it’s here. We can win the games we need to win with the talent we have here,” Bray said. “Now it’s just (about) how fast can we come together, how fast can those guys play — which is something we’ve done a great job of the past couple years, our guys play fast and they play physical… That’s the part that’s going to take some work and be the biggest part in our success.”

Fresh off their third straight bowl game for just the third time in program history, drawing off how things were done in the past will set the tone for how Bray expects his team to be moving forward, even if the team looks and plays entirely different in 2024. Bray went on to say that conference realignment and the Beavers potential search for a long-term solution won’t overshadow what they do on the field this season.

“No, not at all,” Bray said. “I mean, offseason it does because you’re hearing so much. But the actual football part and going in and winning games, it has no bearing.”

The turnover across the roster has allowed new faces to step into leadership roles, with Bray citing veteran quarterback Ben Gulbranson, running back Anthony Hankerson and former Westview star wide receiver Darrius Clemons amongst those who have taken charge verbally. It has also cultivated an environment of competition, with just about every position up for grabs as they move through fall camp.

“All of them,” Bray said about what spots will be battles this fall. “There’s really not a position — maybe corner (with Jaden Robinson) and guard with (Joshua Gray) — that are set. Everything is a battle.”

Position battles and all, it hasn’t stopped the new roster from gelling together and allowing iron to sharpen iron. The community beginning to be built as well as the physical shape of the players in the Oregon State locker room is something Bray said he’s loved to see.

“There were quite a bit of gains across the board from a physical standpoint,” Bray said. Their interactions (have been great) especially because a lot of those guys just met each other in December. I was very impressed with how they’ve come together.”

Growing pains are to be expected as the Beavers find out what kind of team they’ll have this year. Whether it be the struggles of finding rhythm with the new offense, identifying the talent on the roster to get on the field or overcoming the general lack of experience up and down the position groups. But for the time being, Bray is just happy to be back on the turf.

“It’s nice to finally get out here,” Bray said. “All the talk and everything that’s gone on off the field, it’s good to finally get back in to football.”