Bobby Petrino is officially off to Vegas, and Missouri State wasted no time in identifying his replacement, because he was just down the hall.
The Bears announced Friday that defensive coordinator Ryan Beard is now the head coach.
"I look forward to working with Ryan in this capacity and continuing our success under his guidance," said AD Kyle Moats. "He is a young, dynamic coach who understands the nuance of today's recruiting world. He has worked with some of the best coaches in college football during his coaching career, including the likes of Willie Taggert, Jeff Brohm, Jim McElwain and of course . He loves Springfield, and he wants to elevate our program to bigger and better things."
The 33-year-old has been with Missouri State since 2020. His debut was a good one. Per Missouri State: "He made an immediate impact on the program, helping orchestrate an MSU defensive unit that racked up a school-record 27 sacks and forced 15 turnovers in an abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. Likewise, the Bears held every Missouri Valley opponent under 30 points for the first time since 1989 and claimed a share of the MVFC title for the first time since 1990."
Beard was an All-Sun Belt defensive back at Western Kentucky from 2007-11. He coached at his alma mater, helping WKU to a 2016 Conference USA title before joining Petrino's Louisville staff in 2017-18. From there, Beard spent the 2019 campaign coaching safeties and special teams at Central Michigan.
"It was important to me to keep the continuity of this staff based on the team's recent success," said Moats. "The strides we have made in recruiting under Ryan's direction have been significant, and he understands what it takes to win in this league. Coach Beard enthusiastically wanted this job, and he believes in Missouri State."
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