Oregon State Fires Defensive Coordinator Tim Tibesar

With their season starting to slip away the Oregon State football program has decided to make some big changes, with word breaking Sunday night that defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar has become the first casualty. Linebackers coach Trent Bray will serve as the interim DC going forward, with defensive analyst Kendrick Van Ackeren picking up some of Bray’s duties.

Tibesar had been the coordinator for the Beavers for past four seasons, having been one of Head Coach Jonathan Smith’s first assistant hires. While the OSU defense has struggled at times over that period, there was hope they would turn a corner this season, with the linebacker group regarded as a team strength and some promising development along the defensive line.

After a promising start to the season, the Beavers defense has severely struggled in the last month. They’ve given up over 30 points in their last four games, with the team going 1-3 over that span. After tough losses against California and Colorado teams that did not look like offensive juggernauts before they faced the Beavers.

With three games left in the season Oregon State is still one game short of bowl eligibility. Their best chance at getting that sixth win will likely be next weekend, when the 2-5 Stanford Cardinal come to Corvallis. After that, they’ll have one more home game against 4-2 Arizona State and then a trip to Eugene for the rivalry game against the 5-1, 4th ranked Oregon Ducks.

Coach Bray and the rest of the defense have a short time to prepare and lot of work to do.