Jeff Beckles - Football Coach - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

Jeff Beckles

Title:
Running Backs
Email:
jeff.beckles@mtsu.edu
Phone:
898-2926

Updated February 2023

Jeff Beckles, a former national championship winner, is in his eighth season as a member of Rick Stockstill’s coaching staff. Beckles is coaching the running backs for the sixth straight year.

COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
At Middle Tennessee, running backs, 2016-present
• Date Hired: Jan. 28, 2016
• Recruiting Area: SW Tennessee, North Florida, East Georgia, West Alabama, Central Mississippi, Mississippi Juco
• Coached First Team All-CUSA player I’Tavius Mathers in 2016, who set a single-season rushing record with 1,561 yards while becoming just the seventh player in FBS history to have 1,500 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season
• Mentored a group who ranked second in CUSA with 191.8 rush yards per game and had the biggest increase in yards per carry than any team in the nation in 2016
• In 2017, turned linebacker Tavares Thomas into the team’s leading rusher
• Coached C-USA All-Freshman team member Chaton Mobley, who led the team in rushing in 2018
• 2022 leading rusher and fourth leading receiver, Frank Peasant, earned Honorable Mention All-CUSA honors

At Samford, running backs, 2015
• Coached an offense that ranked first in SoCon with 34.6 points and 479.7 yards per game

At Troy, running backs, 2010-14
• Worked with DuJuan Harris and Shawn Southward, who combined for over 2,000 rushing yards in 2010
• Under Beckles, Southward became the seventh Troy player to top the 1,000-yard mark and was named to the All-Sun Belt second team
• Coached professional players DuJuan Harris (Jaguars, Packers, 49ers), Brandon Burks (Packers, Jets) and Jordan Chunn (Cowboys, Giants)

At Central Michigan, wide receivers (2003) running backs (2007-09), 2003/2007-09
• Mentored Ontario Sneed, who led the Chippewas in rushing in 2008 and finished his career eighth in school history in career rushing yards
• Coached professional players Zurlon Tipton (Colts), Carl Volny (Winnipeg) and Paris Cotton (Hamilton, Winnipeg, Calgary)

At Georgia Southern, wide receivers/recruiting coordinator (2006)
• Coached professional player Jayson Foster (Dolphins, Steelers)

COACHING EXPERIENCE
• 1994: Florida High (FL) HS (assistant)
• 1995-96: NB Forrest (FL) HS (assistant)
• 1997: Tift Co. HS (GA) (assistant)
• 1998: Worth Co. HS (GA) (assistant)
• 1999: Nicholls State (running backs)
• 2000-01: South Florida (GA)
• 2002: Georgia (GA)
• 2003: Central Michigan (wide receivers)
• 2004-05: Georgia (GA)
• 2006: Georgia Southern (wide receivers)
• 2007-09: Central Michigan (running backs)
• 2010-14: Troy (running backs)
• 2015: Samford (running backs)
• 2016-Present: Middle Tennessee (running backs)

Personal
• Birthdate: Sept. 2, 1969
• Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
• Children: Brooklyn

Education
• High School: Forrest HS, 1989
• College: Florida State, B.S. in Social Science Education, 1994

Playing Experience (WR)
• Florida State (1989-93)
• Won five straight bowl games
• Won ACC title and a National Championship in 1993
• Part of a recruiting class that included Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward and Terrell Buckley

Bowl Experience
• 1989: Fiesta Bowl (player)
• 1990: Blockbuster Bowl (player)
• 1991: Cotton Bowl (player)
• 1992: Orange Bowl (player)
• 1993: Orange Bowl (national championship) (player)
• 2002: Sugar Bowl (coach)
• 2004: Outback Bowl (coach)
• 2005: Sugar Bowl (coach)
• 2006: Chick-fil-A Bowl (coach)
• 2007: Motor City Bowl (coach)
• 2008: Motor City Bowl (coach)
• 2010: GMAC Bowl (coach)
• 2010: New Orleans Bowl (coach)
• 2016: Hawaii Bowl (coach)
• 2017: Camellia Bowl (coach)
• 2018: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (coach)
• 2021: Bahamas Bowl (coach)
• 2022: Hawai’i Bowl (coach)