Football
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Jay Locey is in his ninth year at Oregon State and in January of 2013 took on a new role for the program, serving as the chief of staff.
In his new position, Locey coordinates critical off the field administrative projects and assignments for one of the most successful Pac-12 football programs this century. His responsibilities include career/job placement for football student-athletes working closely with the OSU Director of Leadership Development that includes professional workshops (resumes, networking, career fairs), prescreening of opponents, Varsity OSU football alumni engagement, fundraising, leadership development, coordination of high school clinics and camps, team building activities, community relations and assisting incoming student-athletes in conjunction with the BEST (Bridge Encouraging Successful Transition) Program.
In May of 2013 he was presented the Virtue First Foundation’s (Character Development Programs) Coach of the Year award for his commitment to rebuild the character of America’s youth.
Prior to accepting his new role, Locey served as the Assistant Head Coach, working with the tight ends for four years. He has also coached the wide receivers for three seasons.
He came to OSU after a tremendously successful career at Linfield College in nearby McMinnville. Locey brought to the Beavers many of the aspects that made him one of the most successful coaches in small college football.
The 2012 season proved to be historically one of the best turnarounds in college football as the Beavers posted a 9-4 record (3-9 previous season) and played in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The tight ends/H backs played a crucial role in helping the team achieve many goals, led by Connor Hamlett’s 32 receptions (4th for the season at OSU). Colby Prince also had a banner year and was selected to the District’s Academic All-America team.
In 2011, Locey coached tight end Joe Halahuni to one of the best years in OSU history for the position. Halahuni finished his career with 13 touchdowns receiving, the ninth-most in school history. The senior caught 31 passes and for his career had 97 receptions.
His 2010 wide receiver corps had to overcome the loss of All-America receiver James Rodgers due to injury early in the season. With the loss of the veteran receiver, Locey developed a young group that has excelled. Then sophomore Markus Wheaton led the team in receptions that season with 54.
In 2009, Rodgers earned Pac-10 first team honors after setting a then school record with 91 receptions. He led the Pac-10 and ranked 13th in the nation for receptions per game (7.0). The junior also ranked second in the league for receiving yards per game (79.5), and was the league-leader and seventh in the nation for all-purpose yards (179.1).
Locey’s receivers in 2008 had a banner year that culminated with a Pac-10 First Team selection in Sammie Stroughter, who was later invited to the East-West Shrine Game and was drafted in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His other two starters, James Rodgers and Shane Morales, also earned Pac-10 honors. That trio of receivers all ranked in the top-10 of the Conference in receptions per game, with Stroughter leading the league with 80 yards receiving per outing.
Locey spent the first two seasons at OSU working with the tight ends. In 2006 he coached senior Joe Newton, who earned postseason all-conference honors and competed in the Senior Bowl. Newton finished his career with the most touchdowns (15) ever for a Beaver tight end.
Locey is one of the most successful coaches in the history of small college football. The five-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year led the Wildcats to the 2004 NCAA Division III title and in 10 years as the head coach, guided the program to a record of 84-18, including a streak of 41 consecutive wins.
During his tenure as head coach, Locey coached 16 All-Americans, led Linfield to its longest Northwest Conference unbeaten streak (23 games), and continued with the program’s NCAA record consecutive winning seasons streak which stood at 50 at the end of 2005.
Locey was associated with Linfield for 23 years and experienced three national titles and 13 conference championships. In 2005 he was named one of the state’s top 25 most influential sports people by The Oregonian and was selected the Division III Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.
Locey began his Linfield career in 1983 when he accepted the position of defensive coordinator, replacing current Oregon State head coach Mike Riley, who moved on to the Canadian Football League.
The 57-year-old native of Corvallis served as an assistant under a number of Northwest coaching legends, including Ad Rutschman, Bud Riley, Dee Andros, Tom Smythe and Chuck Solberg. His grandfather, Percy Locey, was a college football coach at the University of Denver and the athletic director at Oregon State (1937-47).
In addition to his coaching duties at Linfield, Locey was a full professor in the College of Health and Human Performance. He was an instructor for anatomical kinesiology and the principles of neuromuscular conditioning.
As a sophomore at Corvallis High School in 1970, he had the opportunity to play on the varsity football team that went undefeated and won the state championship. A reserve linebacker, he played special teams while learning under a special group of seniors that included Mike Riley, Gary Beck (OSU’s FB Coordinator of Support Services), Don Reynolds, Jerry Hackenbruck and Kerry Eggers.
Locey earned a football scholarship to Oregon State. After starting just one game as a sophomore, he went on to receive Pacific-8 Conference First Team honors as a defensive back in 1976 and second team in 1975. Twice he was singled out as OSU's top student-athlete and received the outstanding senior award his final year. After an attempt at playing professional football in Canada, Locey returned to Oregon and embarked on a career in coaching. He served as a graduate assistant for one season at OSU before being hired by Smythe as a secondary coach at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Ore.
After four successful years at Lakeridge, Locey returned to his alma mater to coach with Beck while completing his master's degree at the University of Oregon (1983). Locey honed his coaching skills under Rutschman, and was a part of two NAIA national title teams in 1984 and 1986 before leading the Wildcats to the 2004 NCAA crown.
His family includes wife, Susan, and daughters Danika, Braelyn and Rachelle.
LOCEY PROFILE
Assignment: Chief of Staff
Year at OSU: 8th
Age: 57
Hometown: Corvallis, Oregon
Education: Master’s in Physical Education from the University of Oregon (1983), Bachelor’s in Physical Education from Oregon State (1978), Corvallis High School (1978)
Wife: Susan
Children: Danika, Braelyn and Rachelle
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Oregon State, 2006-present (TE/WR/Chief of Staff); Linfield, 1983-June 2006 (Head Coach); Corvallis High School, 1982; Lakeridge High School, 1978-81; Oregon State, 1977
OSU HIGHLIGHTS (coaching)
2012
Colby Prince, TE – Academic All-District.
Connor Hamlett, TE – 32 recep., 403 yards
Pass Offense (307.1) – 2nd in Pac-12/20th NCAA
2011
Joe Halahuni, TE – 13 career TDs receiving, 9th at OSU.
Connor Hamlett & Tyler Perry – Pac-12 academic honors
2010
Markus Wheaton, WR -- team-high 54 receptions
2009
James Rodgers, WR -- Pac-10 1st team, OSU record 91 recep., Pac-10 all-purpose yardage leader
Taylor Kavanaugh, WR/ST --AFCA “Good Works” Team
2008
Sammie Stroughter, WR, Pac-10 1st Team/East West Game participant/7th round Draft pick of Tampa Bay
James Rodgers, WR/KR – Pac-10 1st Team
Shane Morales, WR – HM Pac-10
Sammie Stroughter & Taylor Kavanaugh -- Pac-10 Academic Team
Total Offense (407.1 p/g) – 3rd in Pac-10
Sun Bowl Champions
2007
Howard Croom & Gabe Miller -- Pac-10 Academic Team
Rushing Offense (174.9) – 4th in Pac-10
Emerald Bowl Champions
2006
Joe Newton (TE) – HM Pac-10 /Senior Bowl participant
Scoring Offense (27.8) – 4th in Pac-10
Passing Offense (242.4) – 4th in Pac-10
Sun Bowl Champions
