Ryan Beard

Ryan Beard, a highly accomplished college football coach, initiated his impactful career after a distinguished collegiate playing tenure at Western Kentucky University from 2007 to 2011. As a defensive back, Beard was recognized as an All-freshman selection in 2007 and became a starter in 2008. He was twice named All-Sun Belt Conference and earned multiple all-academic selections. In 2010, he recorded a career-high 71 tackles as a junior, followed by the prestigious ‘Iron Man Award’ in his senior year for his 51 stops in 2011.

He holds two degrees from Western Kentucky: a Bachelor of Science in business management and a Master of Science in recreation and sports administration. Transitioning to coaching, Beard served as a defensive graduate assistant at Western Kentucky from 2012 to 2013, laying the groundwork for his coaching ascent. He moved to Louisville in 2014 as a defensive quality control coach before joining Northern Michigan in 2015 as an assistant coach for cornerbacks, a role from which he was swiftly promoted to secondary coach within the same year. In 2016, he returned to his alma mater, Western Kentucky, as the defensive backs coach.

Ryan Beard was appointed the head coach for Missouri State University in 2023, marking a significant professional milestone. Since his appointment, he has continued to lead the program, demonstrating a consistent commitment to development and achievement. As of the 2025 season, Beard maintains an overall head coaching record of 15–14, underscoring his trajectory as a successful leader in collegiate football.