Coastal Carolina football moved away from Tim Beck following the 2025 season. The Chanticleers have now found their fourth-ever head coach in program history — plucking Ryan Beard from Missouri State.

Beard surfaced as Beck's replacement Thursday with Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports reporting the move.

“Led by the 36-year old Beard, Missouri State — in its first year as an FBS program — is 7-3 this season against non-Power Four opponents,” Zenitz posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter. 
The latter mark should intrigue Coastal Carolina fans. Beard proved he could take a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program and win out the gate. He'll aim to reignite a program that once appeared to be on its way of becoming a Sun Belt Conference power.

Coastal Carolina luring defensive-minded coach out of Missouri State

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers running back Breyahn Townsend (25) attempts to recover a fumble against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Scott Stadium.
Amber Searls-Imagn Images
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Beard becomes the opposite of Beck in his arrival to the famed teal turf. He brings more of a defensive acumen.

The 36-year-old previously served as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Missouri State from 2020 to 2022. He's also coached defensive backs at Western Kentucky. But Louisville (2017 to 2018) and Central Michigan (2019) represent his past FBS coaching experience.

Beard's first Bears team went 4-7 but since pulled off two winning seasons — including the 7-5 mark of this season. Missouri State also went 5-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

He'll aim to re-galvanize a program that went 20-18 under Beck. The previous leader of the Chanticleers delivered mixed results — including losing beloved quarterback Grayson McCall to the College Football Transfer Portal.

CC fans will hope Beard can deliver similar results from the Jamey Chadwell era — who delivered two 11-win campaigns at Conway, South Carolina.