Craig Bray, a longtime college football coach with deep ties to Washington State, passed away this week at the age of 74 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Glen, Montana. Bray, a two-time assistant at WSU and the father of current Cougars defensive coordinator Trent Bray, left a lasting imprint on the program through his leadership, defensive acumen, and the relationships he built over decades in the game.
“He’s the reason I do what I do,” Trent Bray said. “It’s why I got into coaching, why I first started loving football.
I was always at practice and around the office. He was very instrumental in shaping who I am right now.”
Craig Bray’s coaching journey in Pullman spanned eight seasons over two separate stints - first under Dennis Erickson in 1987-88, then under Mike Price from 1994 to 1999. And while his title was secondary coach, his impact went far beyond job descriptions. He helped engineer two of the most iconic defenses in WSU history: the hard-hitting, havoc-wreaking “Palouse Posse” of 1994 and the 1997 squad that powered the Cougars to a Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl appearance.
And let’s not forget the 1988 team - a group that stunned No. 1 UCLA and finished the season ranked No.
- That was Bray’s first taste of what Cougar football could be at its best.
After his time at Wazzu, Bray followed Erickson to Oregon State, taking over as defensive coordinator. That move kicked off another chapter in a coaching career that stretched across the college football map, with stops at Arizona State, Idaho, Miami, Colorado, and Arizona. Wherever he went, Bray brought the same edge: a no-nonsense approach to preparation, a deep understanding of defensive football, and a knack for developing talent in the secondary.
At Washington State, Bray’s defensive backs were known for being physical, smart, and fundamentally sound - a reflection of their coach. He mentored a long list of standout players, including current WSU safeties coach Greg Burns, who got his coaching start as a graduate assistant under Bray. Other names that Cougar fans will remember: Torey Hunter, Singor Mobley, John Rushing, Brian Walker, Lamont Thompson, Duane Stewart, Dee Moronkola, Ray Jackson, and Billy Newman.
Bray’s coaching style could be intense - just ask Ryan Leaf. In his memoir 596 Switch, Leaf recalled his days as a scout team quarterback in 1994, when Bray would lose it if he deviated from the script in practice.
Leaf, trying to avoid bad habits, didn’t want to throw into coverage just because the cue card told him to. Bray wasn’t having it.
“This is not about you, Leaf,” Bray barked. “This is about the defense getting ready to play on Saturday.”
That quote might say more about Craig Bray than anything else. He was all about the mission.
Saturdays were sacred. Preparation was non-negotiable.
And individual egos? They had no place on his practice field.
But off the field, Bray was a different kind of presence - thoughtful, engaging, and always ready with a story. Over the years, he remained connected to WSU and the wider football community. He was the kind of coach who could break down zone coverage technique in detail, then pivot to laughing about a wild Pac-10 road trip from the ‘90s.
In his later years, Bray found peace in Montana. According to Trent, those may have been his best years - full of friendship, community, and the simple joy of living life on his own terms.
Bray’s legacy at Washington State is as layered as it is enduring. He coached in two distinct eras, helped develop some of the program’s best defensive talent, and played a role in one of the most memorable runs in school history. And even now, decades after his last game on the sideline in Pullman, his name still carries weight.
Because Craig Bray wasn’t just a coach. He was a teacher, a mentor, and a reminder that football - at its core - is about preparation, execution, and doing your job for the guy next to you.
A celebration of life is being planned by the family.
In a sad coincidence, Bray is the second former WSU assistant to pass away in recent days. Ammon McWashington, a standout running back from WSU’s famed 1965 “Cardiac Kids” and later an assistant coach for the Cougars’ freshman team in 1967, died on February 1 at age 80.
His son, Shawn McWashington, was a key receiver on the 1998 Rose Bowl team. A memorial service for Ammon will be held at Seattle’s Garfield Community Center on February 22 from 2-4 p.m.