Jimmy Beal will be San Diego State's running backs coach, according to multiple reports.
Beal is SDSU's third running backs coach this calendar year. Jeff Horton, SDSU's offensive coordinator and longtime running backs coach, retired in January. Head coach Brady Hoke replaced Horton with former Stanford running backs coach Ron Gould, but Gould then left to become the associate head coach and running backs coach for the Los Angeles Rams. (Ryan Lindley, SDSU's all-time leading passer, replaced Horton as offensive coordinator.)
Beal joins the program after spending the past three years at Montana State. The Bobcats led FCS in rushing yards (4,366) and yards per carry (6.49) in 2022. Montana State went 24-5 with a Big Sky title, an FCS title game berth and an FCS semifinals trip in his two seasons on campus.
A Los Angeles native, Beal played at Rocky Mountain College and Montana State from 2003-06. He coached running backs and wide receivers at RMC and track at MSU Billings before landing a GA role at Texas State in 2009. He has previously coached running backs at Northern Arizona and South Dakota State.
At the other SDSU, Beal coached Pierre Strong, Jr., who now totes the rock for the New England Patriots.
From 2010 to 2018, San Diego State produced 11 1,000-yard rushers (including Juwan Washington, who totaled 999 yards in '18). Donnel Pumphrey became FBS's all-time leading rusher (6,405 yards between 2013-16) before spending three years in the NFL and winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Rashaad Penny was a consensus First Team All-American in 2017 before becoming a first round pick of the Seattle Seahawks the following spring.
Since 2019, though, only one Aztec has registered 1,000 yards. In 2022, Jordan Byrd led the club with 102 carries for 390 yards and three touchdowns.
San Diego State is one of the most consistent winners in college football -- the Aztecs have not suffered a losing season since 2009 -- and could be on the cusp of a Pac-12 invite.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.