Who would have thought that after a remarkable season, Missouri State would be out there searching for a new head coach? Ryan Beard led Missouri State to a 7-5 run with their first six wins against FBS opponents since 1990. And now Beard is all set to take the reins at Coastal Carolina despite the Bears’ $10 million push.

“Sources: Missouri State coach Ryan Beard will be the next head coach at Coastal Carolina, as the sides have completed a deal. He went 7-5 at Missouri State this season,” ESPN analyst Pete Thamel said on X. “CBS first reported the hire.”

Losing Ryan Beard is a big blow for Missouri State, as he is the one who guided Missouri State from FCS to FBS, going 19-16 overall. The Bears entered the FBS division this fall, and after that, they won 7 games, getting an invitation to the Xbox Bowl against Arkansas State. That caliber attracted Coastal Carolina, and they hired Beard as Tim Beck’s replacement. What’s even more surprising is that Missouri State was finalizing a $10 million contract extension for Ryan Beard, but still, he made his move towards Coastal Carolina.

Ryan Beard was born in June 1989 and grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. He played four years of high school at Bowling Green High School, where he was a standout player who helped his team to reach the Class 3A championship twice. Then, after completing high school, he moved to Western Kentucky, and from 2007 to 2011, Beard played as a defensive back.

Just like in high school, he turned heads in college too. Earned all freshman and all academic honors. Ryan Beard also received WKU’s Iron Man Award as a senior for his exceptional performance. Then after completing his college, he started working as a graduate assistant coach at Western Kentucky. And had multiple assistant stints at Louisville, Northern Michigan, Western Kentucky, and Central Michigan. Then in 2020, he joined Missouri State as defensive coordinator under head coach Bobby Petrino, who’s also his father-in-law.

Under Beard’s guidance, Missouri State was in its best form. This year, they finished second in Conference USA in both total defense and rushing defense, posting a perfect 5-0 mark in games where they held their opponents under 300 total yards. Ryan Beard’s surge isn’t just an overnight miracle; it’s built on discipline and strong player development. The result? Eight Bears players earned Conference USA postseason honors.

Even last year they had a remarkable standing with an 8-4 finish. They were ranked in the top 29 in passing offense, total offense, and scoring. Even defensively, they led the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 2.6 sacks per game. He took his team to bowl games in all three seasons of his head coaching job. On top of it, his recruiting powers turned the Bears’ fate.  This season Ryan Beard’s team signed 29 new players in their first season in the FBS.

But all this is a result of constant grind.

Ryan Beard hustling days

The real deal behind Ryan Beard’s success is not just his hard work but the life lessons he learned growing up in Bowling Green. His father worked as a road contractor and had been shoveling asphalt since he was 16, whereas his mother, a St. Louis native, encouraged him towards faith. And with that, there was competition between the siblings, as his sister played soccer at Alabama and his brother pursued football at Indiana before an injury ended his career.

As a kid, Beard loved baseball, but then the football field attracted him while playing as a defensive back at Bowling Green High School. With a remarkable high school career and college standing, Ryan Beard dreamed of making it to the NFL, but a late-season game against LSU changed everything for him when he busted his shoulder. After which, he realized that his playing days were over and turned his focus to coaching. Determined to stay in football, he went to Willie Taggart and asked if he could join the staff.

“He did one of the older coaches’ things and sat back and laughs and he said that ‘I don’t really know if you understand what it entails to be a successful college football coach,'” Beard said. “I said ‘maybe you could teach me.’ And he kind of smiled and laughed.”

Top Stories

Forced to Leave FOX, Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Says ESPN Is Like ‘U.S. Government’ & Clearly Distinguishes the Two Networks

Who Is Paige Shiver? All About Michigan Football Staffer & Daughter of Veteran Bears Scout Jeff Shiver

Michael Jordan Brings NASCAR to Its Knees as Jim France’s Courtroom Collapse Triggers Settlement

What Happened to T.J. Watt? Why Is He Hospitalized? Steelers Announce Latest News on LB Before Dolphins Game

FOX Issues Strict Ban on Terry Bradshaw But NFL Legend Defies It to Join Popular Morning Show

$250M Michigan Booster Names Super Bowl-Winning HC as Better Fit to Replace Sherrone Moore Than Kalen DeBoer

And the rest is history. Since then, Beard has been turning heads and making an impact on the field, guiding his team to success at various stops. Now, let’s wait and see how things will turn for him in Coastal Carolina.