Tim Beckman likes to tell people he has 44 years of coaching experience. That's just his way of saying he was born to coach.

Beckman, who turned 44 last January, is a coach's son who has never known anything but football as a way of life. His father, Dave Beckman, coached on the high school, collegiate and professional levels for years, exposing his son to all aspects of coaching, not to mention some great coaches. The younger Beckman never seriously considered any other profession.

"I tell recruits that I've got 44 years of coaching experience because I've been around football and football coaches all my life," said Beckman. "I was born with a football. My dad coached high school ball and up to college ball and the pros, so I've had a chance to see it all."

Beckman played college football at the University of Findlay under Dick Strahm, then began his climb up the coaching ladder with a graduate assistant's position under Pat Dye at Auburn in 1988. Most recently, Beckman concluded a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator under Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State. Along the way, he also worked with Urban Meyer at Bowling Green and Jim Tressel at Ohio State.

"I'm blessed that I've been able to be around football for 44 years and learn from coaches like these," said Beckman. "I just love football. I love being around it. It's an important part of my life."

Beckman Becomes a Rocket

Beckman was introduced at the 25th head football coach in UT history last December. He succeeds Tom Amstutz, who stepped down at the end of the 2008 season following eight years as the Rockets' leader.

"Tim is an outstanding coach and an exceptional person," said UT Athletic Director Mike O'Brien. "His experience in helping build winning football programs speaks for itself, but it only tells part of the story. He is a man of great character, who we feel will be able to recruit student-athletes who will excel in the classroom and bring Rocket Football back into national prominence. We are very excited for the future of Rocket football under Tim's guidance."

Beckman, likewise, is happy to be returning to the Buckeye State.

"Being from Ohio and having coached in the Mid-American Conference, I have always had a great respect for the tradition and accomplishments of the Toledo football program," he said. "I feel this is one of the best, if not the best football program in the Mid-American Conference, and I am honored that I have been chosen to carry on the tradition here."

Competitiveness!

Beckman's first task as head coach was to simultaneously assemble a coaching staff and a recruiting class. Within days of his hire, he had a core of coaches together and out on the road in an all-out effort to sign a top-notch group of recruits. Starting with just two verbal commitments from the fall, Beckman and his staff added 16 more recruits to give the Rockets a very respectable recruiting class of 18 signees. In addition to seven players from Ohio, the Rocket staff used their wide-spread connections to nab recruits from eight other states, including seven players from six southern states.

Beckman's other challenge was to begin to change the attitude and habits of the current Rockets. He started by instilling firm expectations for his players, whether in off-season training, in the class room or in the community. For example, Beckman requires his players to sit in the first two rows in their classes. He also requires players to make personal contact with each of their instructors outside of the class room at least once at the beginning of the semester. Beckman also began a program of community service in which the Rockets are involved in volunteer activities on Fridays during the off-season.

As part of his plan to increase competitiveness and team-building, Beckman broke his squad up into eight "teams," making them compete in everything during the off-season-in the weight room, in the classroom, during drills, even during fun social activities. The first-place team was rewarded each week, while the eighth-place team had to run drills at 4:00 a.m.

"It's constant competition," said Beckman said of his off-season philosophy. "Peer pressure comes into play. Players aren't happy if they lose because their teammate was late for class."

21 Years of Experience as an Assistant

Beckman has had 21 years of experience as an assistant coach, mostly with winning teams. He has been a part of teams that made the top 25 in each of his last seven seasons as an assistant. Prior to accepting the head position at Toledo, Beckman served as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State (2007-08); the cornerbacks coach at Ohio State (2005-06); the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at Bowling Green (1998-2004); the defensive coordinator at Elon (1996-97); the secondary coach/recruiting coordinator at Western Carolina (1990-95); and as a graduate assistant at Auburn (1988-89).

Beckman's two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State were highly successful considering the ultra-competitive nature of the Big 12. During Beckman's time in Stillwater, the Cowboys posted a 16-10 record, including a 9-4 mark in 2008. Oklahoma State ranked as high as No. 6 in the BCS rankings and No. 7 in the AP poll last season, with three of its losses coming to teams that were ranked in the top three in the country when they faced OSU (#1 Texas, #2 Texas Tech and #3 Oklahoma). In four of the Cowboys' victories, Beckman's defense held opponents to 14 points or fewer. In 2007, the Cowboys went 7-6, including a 49-33 win over Indiana in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, AZ.

At Ohio State, Beckman mentored the Buckeye cornerbacks. In 2006, Ohio State ended the year No. 12 nationally in total defense, allowing just 280.5 yards per game. The Buckeyes were fifth in the country in scoring defense, yielding only 12.8 points per game, and Antonio Smith was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

In 2005, Beckman helped coach an Ohio State defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation against the run and fifth in total defense. The Buckeyes finished fourth in both major polls. During his stay at Ohio State, the Buckeyes were 22-3 with appearances in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl and the 2007 BCS Championship game. Along the way he coached six All-Big Ten defensive backs. His final game as a coach with Ohio State was the 2007 BCS National Championship Game vs. Florida, where Beckman faced his former boss from his days at Bowling Green, Urban Meyer.

At Bowling Green, Beckman was a three-time nominee for the Frank Broyles Award, presented annually to the nation's top assistant coach. He was a finalist in 2001 when the Falcons led the Mid-American Conference in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, turnovers gained and scoring margin. The College Football News named him one of the country's top defensive coordinators. During his stay at Bowling Green, the Falcons won two bowl games, a MAC division title and finished ranked in the national polls three times. Playing Days and Coaching Origins

Beckman began his coaching career in 1988 as a graduate assistant at Auburn, where he earned his master's degree in education. His first full-time coaching job came at Western Carolina, where he coached the secondary and served as recruiting coordinator from 1990-95. He coached two of the top defenses in the Southern Conference during his time with the Catamounts. Beckman then served as the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Elon College from 1996-97 before moving on to Bowling Green.

Beckman started his college playing career at Kentucky but transferred to Findlay and excelled under head coach Dick Strahm. A 1988 graduate of Findlay, Beckman majored in physical education and lettered in 1984 and 1985 on Oiler teams that qualified for the NAIA playoffs both seasons. He attended Forest Park High School in Beaumont, TX, for two years before completing high school at Berea (OH) High School near Cleveland.

Beckman is a native of Berea. He and his wife Kim have three children: Tyler (18), Lindsay (16), and Alex (12). Tyler will be attending the University of Findlay this fall on a football scholarship.

Tim Beckman’s Coaching Experience