Former Washington Assistant Turning Heads as Oregon State HC

College football has only been in full swing for three weeks, but that hasn't stopped fans and media members from expressing their impressions of first-year head coaches. While names like Florida's Jon Sumrall and Ole Miss's Pete Golding are off to hot starts in 2026, some are making a name for themselves in the Group of Five ranks, including former Washington Huskies wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard.

Despite posting a 1-2 record through the early part of the season in his first year as the head coach at Oregon State, Shephard has emerged as one of the most electric up-and-coming leaders in the country. Before leaving Kalen DeBoer's staff at Alabama for Corvallis, the first-time head coach served as UW's assistant head coach, wide receivers coach, and passing game coordinator in 2022 and 2023.