SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State has named Jimmy Beal as its running backs coach, head coach Brady Hoke announced Monday. Beal brings almost 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to The Mesa, including most recently at FCS power Montana State.
"We're very excited to add Jimmy Beal to the coaching staff," said Hoke. "Wherever he's been those teams have run the ball effectively. Jimmy does a great job developing players and recruiting to specific needs. His enthusiasm for football and love for coaching is contagious."
Beal joins the Aztecs after spending the last three years 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). Since 2021, MSU rushed for at least 200 yards in 20 of its 29 games with Montana State winning 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.
Last year, MSU finished as the Big Sky champions, went 12-2 and advanced to the FCS semifinals, while ranking 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 went 12-3 and made the FCS Championship game, ranking seventh in FCS with 220.9 rushing yards per game. In 2021, Beal coached Isaiah Ifanse to a second-team All-America nod as Ifanse rushed for 1,623 yards and 10 touchdowns on 280 attempts (5.8 avg.).
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 back Zach Bauman earned All-America honors three times, 2011-13, and set the NAU rushing record (5,132 yards) under Beal's tutelage.
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 in Billings, Montana. He joined the team in 2005, and as a senior in 2006 earned team MVP and most valuable running back honors.
Beal, who coached the RMC receivers in 2007 and running backs in 2009, and from 2007-09 also coached sprinters for MSU Billings, 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.