Utah State University Athletics

Jimmy Beal is in his first season at Utah State as the running backs coach. During his 19 seasons as a collegiate coach, Beal has coached in five Football Championship Series (FCS) playoff games and been part of one conference championship team.

Beal came to Utah State after spending the 2023 season as the running backs coach at San Diego State, where the Aztecs averaged 154.3 rushing yards per game.

Beal joined the Aztecs after spending the three years (2020-22) at his alma mater Montana State. Over his two seasons (Montana State did not play during the 2020 COVID campaign), the Bobcats ranked second among all FCS teams in yards per carry (5.8), third in rushing yards (7,662) and third in rushing yards per game (262.4). During those two seasons, MSU rushed for at least 200 yards in 20 of its 29 games and won all 20 of those matchups. The Bobcats also logged 10 games with at least 300 rushing yards, including a 439-yard effort against rival Montana and a 549-yard game against Cal Poly.

Montana State finished the 2022 season as Big Sky Conference champions as it posted a 12-2 record and advanced to the FCS semifinals. The Bobcats ranked second in the country in rushing yards per game (311.9) in spite of starting five different players at running back.

In 2021, Montana State posted a 12-3 record and advanced to the FCS Championship game as it ranked seventh in the FCS with 220.9 rushing yards per game. In 2021, Beal coached Isaiah Ifanse to a second-team All-America honors as he rushed for 1,623 yards and 10 touchdowns on 280 attempts (5.8 yards per rush).

Prior to joining the Bobcat staff, Beal coached the running backs at South Dakota State in 2019. The Jackrabbits ran for 2,576 yards and 26 touchdowns in 13 games, averaging 198.2 rushing yards per game, led by Pierre Strong Jr.’s 1,018-yard season in just 11 games en route to earning third-team All-America accolades.

Before South Dakota State, Beal was Northern Arizona’s running backs coach from 2010-18, helping a player earn all-Big Sky honors in eight of the nine seasons. Lumberjack running back Zach Bauman earned All-America honors three times, 2011-13, and set the NAU career rushing record (5,132 yards) under Beal’s tutelage.

Beal also helped Northern Arizona to the first round of the FCS playoffs in 2013 and 2017.

Beal, who spent one season as a graduate assistant at Texas State, began his collegiate coaching career at Rocky Mountain College, where he spent four seasons, as he coached the wide receivers from 2005-07 and the running backs in 2008. Beal also coached sprinters on the MSU Billings track & field team from 2007-09.

Beal began his college football career at Montana State in 2002 and started playing in 2003 following a redshirt campaign. Beal, who also ran track at MSU, moved to cornerback in 2004 before finishing his playing career at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont. He joined the team in 2005, and as a senior in 2006 earned team MVP and most valuable running back honors.

Beal graduated from Montana State with a degree in art education and a minor in coaching in 2006 and earned his master’s in sport management from MSU-Billings in 2009.

Beal has a daughter, Jenasee, and son, Trey.

JIMMY BEAL FILE
Coaching History
2024-               Utah State – Running Backs
2023                San Diego State – Running Backs
2020-22           Montana State – Running Backs
2019                South Dakota State – Running Backs
2016-18           Northern Arizona – Running Backs/Tight Ends
2010-15           Northern Arizona – Running Backs
2009                Texas State – Graduate Assistant
2008                Rocky Mountain College – Running Backs
2005-07           Rocky Mountain College – Wide Receivers
 
Conference Championships (1)
Montana State (1): 2022 Big Sky Conference
 
FCS Playoffs (5)
Montana State (2): 2022 Semifinals; 2021 Championship Game
South Dakota State (1): 2019 First Round
Northern Arizona (2): 2017 First Round; 2013 First Round
 
Playing Experience
2005-06           Rocky Mountain College – Running Back
2002-04           Montana State – Running Back/Cornerback
 
Education
2009                Montana State-Billings – Master’s in Sport Management
2006                Montana State – Art Education
 
Family
Children – Jenasee, Trey
 
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