REPORT: Oregon State Hires Wide Receivers Coach James Finley
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The 2026 Oregon State football coaching staff is continuing to take complete shape with another impending offensive hire.
Less than a week after making an Instagram post celebrating his daughter’s acceptance to Oregon State University, Beaver parent James Finley is about to become a Beaver coach.
First reported by OregonLive.com’s Ryan Clarke and confirmed by multiple outlets, Finley will join Oregon State head coach JaMarcus Shephard’s staff as their wide receivers coach. He most recently served as Jay Norvell’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Colorado State.
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Finley’s move marks a return to the west coast for the Southern California native (Inglewood, CA), and a homecoming to the Beaver State: after playing juco ball at Compton Community College (2004-05), Finley transferred to Oregon (2005-06). He played two seasons in green & yellow for the Ducks under head coach Mike Bellotti, catching 72 passes for 708 yards and two touchdowns.
MORE: Oregon State Announces Strength & Conditioning Director Jeff Eaton
After four seasons coaching wide receivers at one of high school football’s most dominant programs, Mater Dei in Orange County, Finley joined Colorado State’s staff in January 2022. He was originally hired to coach running backs, but became the school’s tight ends coach following Timmy Chang’s return to his alma mater Hawaii. Following the 2024 season, wide receivers coach & recruiting coordinator Chad Savage left for USC, so Colorado State promoted Finley to his most recent position.
Alabama analyst Torrey Gill, a former Oregon State graduate assistant, was previously reported by many outlets to be Oregon State’s next wide receivers coach, including this one. Now, it appears that Gill could stay behind in Tuscaloosa and fill JaMarcus Shephard’s coaching vacancy. Things change quickly in the ever-spinning college football coaching carousel.
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