The college football season ended in December, and along with player transfers, coaches also moved around to new programs.

Five new additions to the team join Trent Bray’s staff for the Oregon State University Beavers for the 2025-26 football season, along with a few departures, including a former interim head coach.

Kefense Hynson departed the team ahead of next season, earning his first opportunity to coach at the professional level with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who added him as their new passing game coordinator.

Hyson was the Oregon State Beavers’ wide receivers coach this season, as well as the interim head coach in 2023 for the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl after Jonathon Smith left the team. 

Pat McCann joined the Beavers crew, replacing Hynson. McCann came from Fresno State as their offensive coordinator, but was hired as a wide receivers coach initially. He was promoted after one year with the Bulldogs, running their offense since early 2023.

“I think the thing that stands out is the people around,” McCann said of his first weeks in Corvallis. “That has probably helped the transition more than anything because with it being this late there is a lot of catch up to do. The goal is to put the best product on the field, and sometimes in the game you can get stuck with, ‘This is the way we have always done it,’ so I think having different perspectives and different ideas I think that has really contributed a lot.”

Will Heck was also added to the coaching team, becoming the team’s new tight ends coach. He replaced Jon Boyer, who reunited with former Beaver head coach Smith at Michigan State, becoming their new quarterback’s coach. 

Heck was promoted from his position with the Beavers as their offensive quality control.

“It was a dream come true to me,” Heck said on his promotion. “Last year was awesome, I got to grow and learn the passing game, but I really missed having a position group and running all the drills, all the meetings with the guys, so that just meant the world to me.

Ray Pickering joined the staff as the new running back coach, replacing Thomas Ford. Pickering, prior to becoming a Beav, coached the running backs at the University of Buffalo. The year before that, he was the offensive coordinator at Norfolk State.

“Since I have been here, I will tell you they wear me to death,” Pickering said of the running back group. “They have been in my office every day of the week every second and every minute and I love it. You love for those guys to be students of the game, you want to soak up as much time with them as possible so that you can build those connections.”

Robb Akey joined the staff as one of the most seasoned coaches. He has 35 years of coaching experience, including time with the Washington Commanders, as well as a year with the Minnesota Vikings. He is now the Special Assistant to the head coach. He also has the longest title in college football.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Akey said. “I’m too young to retire, that’s not going to happen,” the 58 year old said. 

“You don’t know until you sit in that position, and he’s still the head coach, he is going to do all those things, but I think where I can help, I got a couple years of experience of having done all this and can be like, ‘here is another thing to think about’ and then he makes a call that fits what we do best.”

Akey talked about how having a ton of experience will help, especially being a head coach before himself. He also mentioned how he wants to be able to recommend different ways to think of calls, with Bray making the final call that fits best.

Mike Cavanaugh is a familiar face to Oregon State, as he reunites with the position group that he coached from 2005-14, the offensive line. Cavanaugh replaces Kyle DeVan who also left for the National Football League to join the Chicago Bears organization.

“Same kind of philosophy, coach them hard, love them hard,” Cavanaugh said.. “I told Gundy and Trent when I got the job that I’m not that guy in 2005 that could jog around, run around, chase guys cause I had both my knees replaced and a hip replaced.”

The Beavers are set to play their spring game on April 19, and Beaver Nation will get their first hint at what to see in the fall of 2025.

The Daily Baro sports team has started a sports talk show with KBVR FM. Listen here to the first episode online.