Coach Chad Hunt: A Profile of Dedication and Impact

Nov 07, 2025 0

Coach Chad Hunt's journey in football is marked by dedication, a strong coaching philosophy, and a commitment to impacting lives both on and off the field. His career reflects a deep-rooted passion for the game and a desire to mentor young athletes.

Early Career and Education

Following a four-year playing career at Delta State - where he earned a bachelor's degree in math in 1998 and a master's in physical education the next year - Huff was a member of the Statesmen coaching staff for three seasons.

Finishing up playing at Delta State I was at a crossroads with what direction I was going to go, but I've always wanted to be around the game. Having so many coaches - both in high school and college - who were instrumental in my life and impacted me tremendously, I wanted to do the same and hopefully have an impact changing people's lives not only on the field but off.

Coaching Philosophy

My philosophy is to get better every day, Coach Campbell has been instrumental in that; I started coaching with him at Delta State and was there for three years before we worked together at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. for 10 seasons.

The goal here is to be the best we can possibly be one day at a time. We're looking forward to winning as many football games as we can at South Alabama, having grown up just a few minutes down the road from Mobile in South Mississippi I know that football has a chance to be really, really special here.

Read also: The Story of Chad Morris

Time at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C.

After 10 seasons as an assistant on the staff of first-year South head coach Steve Campbell at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. from 2004-13, Huff took over the reins of the program when Campbell was hired as head coach at Central Arkansas; over the last four years he guided the Bulldogs to a 26-14 record overall and a pair of berths in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) playoffs.

Personal Life and Interests

I'm a big family-oriented guy, I've been blessed all my life being raised by my mom and dad and having a wife and two boys who I love; I am very appreciative of that. When you look at my résumé and see where I've been and where I've traveled, I've been fortunate and blessed to get to where I am at and it obviously hasn't been on my own.

I don't know what else I would do if I wasn't a football coach. I think I would want to own my own lawn care business, I did a lot of cutting grass and landscaping when I was growing up.

Ryan Beard: Another Coaching Profile

Missouri State University officially presented Ryan Beard as its new head football coach on Dec. 19, 2022. Last season (2024), the Bears’ final campaign at the FCS level, Beard guided MoState to an 8-4 overall record and No. 23 national ranking with 12 all-conference standouts and three All-Americans in his camp.

Quarterback Jacob Clark finished 14th in the Walter Payton FCS Player of the Year voting, while running back Jacardia Wright signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Seahawks after the season.

The Bears reeled off eight straight wins from Sept. 14 to Nov. The Bears finished 6-2 in Valley play to tie for fourth place and match the team record for conference victories (1978, 2021), including MSU’s first 6-0 start in conference play since 1978.

Likewise, the Bears started 8-2 overall for the first time since 1990 and reached eight overall wins for the ninth time in program history -- first since the 2021 NCAA playoff team. Likewise, MSU’s four-game road win streak was its first since a split-season stretch from 1996-97.

In his inaugural coaching season (2023), Beard guided the Bears to a 4-7 overall record and a 3-5 ledger in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The team’s strong November surge included and a 35-16 home win over No. 18-ranked Northern Iowa.

Missouri State was rewarded with seven All-MVFC selections in Beard’s first campaign, including first-teamers Grant Burkett (P) and Raylen Sharpe (WR). Sharpe finished fourth in the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year voting.

In his first campaign in Springfield in 2020-21, Beard and his defensive unit broke the program record for sacks with 27, created 15 turnovers, and held every Missouri Valley Football Conference foe under 30 points for the first time since 1989.

As an encore effort in 2021, Beard’s second year with the program saw the Bears top the club sack record again (30) while racking up 25 takeaways and securing 15 interceptions.

In addition to making a second straight NCAA playoff appearance in 2021, MSU finished in sole possession of second place in the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference, ranked ninth nationally in turnovers gained and finished 14th in interceptions per game.

The 2021 Bears also boasted five all-conference players on the defensive side of the ball, including safeties Kyriq McDonald and Titus Wall.

The 2022 Bears defense gave up just 15.8 points per game over their last four games with defensive end Kevin Ellis leading the nation in fumble recoveries.

Before coming to Missouri State, Beard spent the 2019 season at Central Michigan University as the special teams and safeties coach for head coach Jim McElwain.

Beard served as an assistant at Louisville during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, starting as the defensive backs coach and in quality control before moving on to become the Cardinals’ linebackers coach and their co-special teams coordinator.

Beard was a standout defensive back at Western Kentucky himself from 2007-11. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and was named to the league’s All-Freshman squad and its All-Academic team.

He is married to the former Katie Petrino.