Coastal Carolina makes great hire in Missouri State's Ryan Beard

Ryan Beard is on his way to coach Coastal Carolina. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers make great hire in Missouri State's Ryan Beard

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Dec 11, 2025 9:53 PM ET

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers have hired a new head coach.

That would be Ryan Beard, who was previously the head coach of the Missouri State Bears.

Beard is replacing Tim Beck, who was the Chanticleers' coach for the last three seasons. Beck totaled a 20-18 record as head coach, but was just 6-6 in 2025.

Yes, the Chanticleers were bowl eligible, but they ended the season on a three-game losing skid, and they have goals of being much more competitive in the Sun Belt.

That's why they went out and hired Beard.

"We landed one of the nation's best young coaches to be the head coach of our football team," Coastal Carolina athletic director Chance Miller said in a statement. "Teal Nation will love Ryan Beard's energy, work ethic and passion, and he is the perfect leader for this program. His track record of elevating teams, maximizing talent, and developing student-athletes speaks for itself. Everywhere he has been -- from Western Kentucky, Louisville, and Central Michigan to leading Missouri State through a successful FBS transition -- Coach Beard has shown an exceptional ability to inspire, transform, and win."

Ryan Beard built a great reputation at Missouri State

Thank You pic.twitter.com/YYl9eKGpdu
— Ryan Beard (@Ry_Beard) December 11, 2025

The job Beard had done at Missouri State is what really earned him this opportunity at Coastal Carolina.

He took over the Bears at just 33 years old in 2023 after a stint as the Missouri State defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022.

In 2024, Missouri State finished the season 8-4 and ranked No. 23 in FCS football. The Bears transitioned to FBS football for the 2025 season, and Beard led his team to a 7-5 record and a berth in the Xbox Bowl.

Going from FCS to FBS is no joke, but Beard, now 36, took it all in stride.

Beard played defensive back at Western Kentucky from 2007 to 2011, and his coaching career before Missouri State saw him take assistant coaching roles at Louisville, Northern Michigan, Western Kentucky, and Central Michigan.

"It's an incredible honor to be named the head football coach at Coastal Carolina University," Beard said. "This program has built a national reputation for competitiveness, toughness, and doing things the right way."

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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