Beathard, Gallon join YSU staff

February 26, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State football team has filled the final two positions on its coaching staff.

Kurt Beathard will join the Penguins as the wide receivers coach while George Jenkins High head coach Eric Gallon will lead the running backs.

Beathard, the son of former NFL GM Bobby Beathard, was the offensive coordinator at Gardner-Webb last season. He coached wide receivers at Illinois from 2007-09.

YSU coach Eric Wolford was the Illini’s offensive line coach in 2008 and 2009. Beathard was also the offensive coordinator at FCS-member Eastern Kentucky from 2003-07. He spent 2010-11 as an offensive assistant with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League.

Beathard will replace Andre Coleman, who left to coach wide receivers at his alma mater, Kansas State.

Gallon, who played collegiately at Kansas State (also Wolford’s alma mater), spent four years as an assistant at the Lakeland, Fla., high school before becoming head coach last April. He replaces Louis Matsakis, who left to become Kansas’ director of personnel.

The hirings were first reported by Football Scoop.

Earlier this month, the Penguins added Jamie Bryant to coach special teams and linebackers.

Matsaskis had also coached special teams at YSU while Frank Buffano (who left to become director of football operations at Kentucky) had coached inside linebackers. YSU’s outside linebackers coach is Ron Stoops.