A native of Bowling Green, Kentucky,[2] Beard attended Bowling Green High School where he played football for four seasons and helped them reach the Class 3A championship twice.[3] He began playing college football for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in 2007 as a defensive back and was an all-freshman selection.[4] Beard became a starter in 2008.[5] He graduated following the 2011 season and has two degrees from Western Kentucky: a Bachelor of Science in business management and a Master of Science in recreation and sports administration.[4] He was twice named All-Sun Belt Conference in his time with the Hilltoppers and was also an all-academic selection, additionally being given the school's "Iron Man Award" as a senior after posting 51 stops.[4][6][7] His career-high in tackles came as a junior in 2010, when he recorded 71.[6]
Coaching career
Beard began his coaching career immediately after graduating from Western Kentucky, serving as the Hilltoppers' defensive graduate assistant from 2012 to 2013.[3] He served as the defensive quality control coach for the Louisville Cardinals in 2014,[3] and after one season in that position, became an assistant at Northern Michigan, working with the cornerbacks.[8][9]
Beard was to serve as Northern Michigan secondary coach in 2016, but left for Western Kentucky in July of that year.[10] He served as their defensive backs coach for one season.[7] In 2017, he returned to Louisville, where he served as an assistant for two seasons.[4] Beard coached the special teams and safeties at Central Michigan in 2019.[4]
Beard was named defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Missouri State Bears in 2020.[11] In his first season in the position, he helped them set the school record for single-season sacks and reach the playoffs for the first time in 30 years.[12] The next year, the Bears defense again broke the single-season sack record and they made the playoffs for the second consecutive year.[12] Following the 2022 season, where Missouri State went 5–6 and missed the playoffs, Beard was named the new head coach.[13]
Personal life
Beard is married to Katie, the daughter of Bobby Petrino, whom Beard succeeded as Missouri State head coach in 2023.[4] As of 2022, they have four children together.[4]
