Beavers: Oregon State announces football coach search committee

CORVALLIS — Oregon State University announced it has chosen six people with connections to the university that will help with the search for the next Beavers head football coach.

The search committee, headed by athletic director Scott Barnes, includes former OSU receiver Brandin Cooks, former OSU football coach Mike Riley, former OSU volleyball player Nikki Neuburger, OSU alum and booster Marty Reser, and OSU graduates and businessmen Joth Ricci and John Stirek.

“I’m grateful to the members of the search committee for accepting my invitation to serve and for their willingness to share their expertise,” Barnes said in a release. “Our focus is to identify a head coach whose perspective and vision will help shape the next chapter of our Oregon State football program. That established leader will have our full support and the resources necessary to compete and succeed at the highest level on behalf of Beaver Nation.”

Search firm DHR Global will be utilized to assist in securing the next head football coach at Oregon State.

Search committee members —

Brandin Cooks

• Played football at Oregon State from 2011-13 under Mike Riley
• Earned the Biletnikoff Award and was a consensus All-American following the 2013 season
• Established Oregon State records for career receiving touchdowns with 24 and single-season touchdown receptions with 16
• Was the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints
• Has played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints (2014-16), New England Patriots (2017), Los Angeles Rams (2018-19), Houston Texans (2020-22), Dallas Cowboys (2023-24), and Saints (current).

Nikki Neuburger

• Graduated from Oregon State with a degree in business administration in 2004
• Played volleyball, and served as team captain, at Oregon State from 1999-2002 and earned Pac-10 All-Conference and All-Academic honors
• Currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Brand & Product Activation Officer at Lululemon
• Prior to joining Lululemon, she was Global Head of Marketing for Uber Eats, leading the introduction and global expansion of the brand through the company’s IPO
• Previously worked at Nike for 14 years, where she was Global Vice President of Nike Running

 Marty Reser

• Graduated from Oregon State with a degree in marketing and management in 1983
• Was on the Oregon State wrestling team from 1979-81
• Athletic Director Board of Advisors committee member
• Was the Vice President of Retail Sales for Reser’s Fine Foods before his retirement
• The Reser family has supported an extensive list of major university projects, including the naming rights to Reser Stadium and the Linus Pauling Science Center
• His parents, the late Al Reser, and Pat both graduated from Oregon State in 1960

Joth Ricci

• Graduated from Oregon State with a degree in business education in 1991
• Athletic Director Board of Advisors committee member
• Is currently serving as executive in residence for the Oregon State College of Business
• Served as the president, chief executive officer, and board member at Dutch Bros from 2019-2023
• Also had leadership roles with Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Adelsheim Vineyards, Jones Soda and, most recently, Burgerville
• Current Chair of the Oregon Business Council Action Lab and Vice Chair of the Children’s Institute. Served on the State of Oregon’s Racial Justice Council.

Mike Riley

• In his second year as a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee
• Was hired as the head football coach at Oregon State in 1997; in 1998 he led the Beavers to a 5-6 mark capped off by a double-overtime 44-41 victory over Oregon
• He returned to Oregon State in 2003 and led the Beavers for the next 12 years
• He won six bowl games during his time at Oregon State and was named the 2008 Pac-10 Coach of the Year
• His 93 wins overall in 14 seasons at OSU are the most in school history
• He was named to the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023

John Stirek

• Graduated from Oregon State with a degree in accounting/business in 1982.
• Current chair of Athletic Director Board of Advisors
• Current co-chair of OSU Foundation Campaign and is a past chair of the OSU Foundation Board
• Joined the Board of Directors for Summit Bank in September 2025
• Retired in 2024 after a long tenure with Trammell Crow Company/CBRE, where he served as president of Western Operations and Capital Markets, chief operating officer, and national director of development and investment
• John and Kate were the recipients of the 2021 Martin Chaves Lifetime Achievement Award