Kevin Beard Named Wide Receivers Coach
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami football team announced today the promotion of Kevin Beard as the Hurricanes’ new wide receivers coach for the 2015 season.
Beard played with the Hurricanes from 1999-2003 and was a key member of Miami’s 2001 National Championship team. He finished his career with over 900 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.
“We are thrilled to promote former Cane and National Champion Kevin Beard to wide receivers coach,” said head coach Al Golden. “This is something that Kevin has pursued for more than a decade now, so it’s truly awesome to see his dream become a reality.”
As a player, Beard served as a team captain on the Hurricanes’ 2003 squad that finished with an 11-2 record and came away with a 16-14 victory over Florida State in the 2004 Orange Bowl.
During his career at Miami, Beard played with some of the best wide receivers to ever play in a Hurricane uniform, including Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss and Roscoe Parrish.
“To coach at my alma mater is a dream come true,” Beard said. “This opportunity takes me back to my playing days, where you were always playing for the man next to you. I want my players to know that you’re not just playing for the person next to you, but also our alumni and diehard fans, who expect excellence.”
Following his graduation from Miami with a degree in Liberal Arts and a minor in Sociology in 2003, Beard spent four years playing professionally in the Arena Football League.
Following his stint in the AFL, Beard returned to South Florida where he would begin his coaching and training career, working primarily with 7 on 7 teams and at University High School in Davie, Fla. During his four-year tenure at University High School, Beard coached the wide receivers and helped the Suns to the 2012 3A Florida High School State Championship.
During his time as a high school and 7 on 7 coach, Beard mentored some of college football’s top wide receivers in Amari Cooper (Alabama), Travis Rudolph (Florida State), Ermon Lane (Florida State), Macgarrett Kings (Michigan State) and Jordan Cunningham (Vanderbilt). He also coached current Miami wide receivers Tyre Brady, Malcolm Lewis and Herb Waters during their respective 7 on 7 seasons.
“Kevin brings with him a wealth of knowledge as a well-respected wide receivers coach and mentor here in South Florida for more than 10 years,” Golden said. “Kevin had a great impact for us last year in operations as he transitioned back into the college game. His strengths are his interpersonal relationships, life-skill building and overall development of our student-athletes. Kevin is a man of great faith, a former student-athlete at The U and someone who knows what it takes to be a champion on and off the field here at Miami.”
Beard spent this past fall, serving as the Hurricane’s Assistant Director of Operations.
“I can’t thank Coach Golden enough for giving me this opportunity. I truly feel in my heart that I am the right guy at the right time to lead these young men to greatness both on and off the field.”
Beard and his wife Nordea reside in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
What they are saying about Kevin Beard:
Reggie Wayne
“I believe they have found the right guy in Kevin Beard to finally get us back to Receiver U. Kevin knows what it takes to be a successful wide receiver being that he himself is a former wide receiver at the University of Miami, who was part of the last national championship team at UM. He will certainly get the boys on the right track with technique and fundamentals.
Andre Johnson
“I am just excited to hear that he got the job. Kevin played there and won a national championship there, so he knows everything about the program and what we want the program to get back to in the future. I just think it is great to have a guy who knows how to do things right. I know he is going to get the best out of the players and at the end of the day his guys are going to know he is trying to get the best out of them. I think this is a big for the school.”
Sinorice Moss
“This is the right move at the right time for our program. He (Kevin) truly knows what it means to be a Hurricane. I couldn’t be more excited than I am right now. This is the person you want on your coaching staff. He is a great teammate and friend on and off the field. Kevin exemplifies resilience. He’s now in the perfect position to mold our younger CANES to become great student athletes through commitment, hard work and dedication.”
