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Tim Beck named Texas Longhorns Offensive Coordinator

(via TexasSports.com)

AUSTIN – Tim Beck, a former Texas high school coach and coordinator at Ohio State and Nebraska, has been hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas, head coach Tom Herman announced Tuesday.

"I'm so excited to have Tim joining our staff and running our offense," Herman said. "He's a guy I've known and respected for a long time. Not only is he a coach that is highly thought of in our business, but he's an unbelievable person who does a tremendous job developing players, building relationships, working with a staff, recruiting — everything you're looking for as a head coach in an assistant. And on top of all of the great success he's had coaching across the country, he also spent several years coaching high school football in our great state. He'll be a tremendous addition to our staff."

"I'm extremely excited to be coming back to the state of Texas and working with a program that I've always hoped and dreamed I could one day be a part of," Beck said. "I know first hand from my high school coaching days here that the passion of the fans, love for football and the way the state embraces it on the high school and college levels are just unbelievable. There is no place like Texas, and I've always considered The University of Texas as the pinnacle of that, and what a great opportunity to be in this position while working with a great head coach in Tom Herman. He's energetic, smart, innovative, has a great plan, and he's put together an awesome staff. I can't tell you how excited I am to get started."

A former head coach at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton (1999-2001) and Mansfield Summit High School in Arlington (2002-04), Beck has a 29-year coaching resume that includes 18 seasons in the collegiate ranks and another 11 seasons in high school coaching with nine years as a head coach. He returns to the state of Texas after spending the last two seasons as Ohio State's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

"I can't say enough about what joining the staff at Texas and representing this state means to me," Beck said. "There are so many unbelievable high school coaches here, and the great thing is having coached high school football here, once you're a part of that circle, you'll always be a part of it. There's a special bond with Texas high school coaches, and I'm thrilled to be back here and humbled by the opportunity to be representing all of them."

With Beck, Ohio State featured one of the top offenses in the nation in 2016 en route to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. They ranked 14th in the FBS in scoring offense with an average of 39.4 points per game, while their 512 total points was the third-highest single-season total in school history. The rushing attack was also in the top 15 in the country, ranking 12th at 245.2 yards per game, which led the Big Ten, while the team's completion percentage (62.3%) also led the conference and ranked 24th in the nation.

A large part of the offense's success was due to the play of quarterback J.T. Barrett, who owns the school record for touchdowns responsible for with 100. For the season, Barrett posted 3,400 total yards (2,555 passing/845 rushing) and accounted for 33 touchdowns (24 passing/nine rushing). His nine rushing touchdowns tied for the team lead, while his 845 rushing yards were second. He was one of two players to share the 2016 Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award, which is voted on by the conference head coaches and awarded to the Big Ten MVP, and he was also named the conference quarterback of the year.

In 2015, Ohio State's offense featured a ground game that ranked 11th in the nation, matching the 2016 team with a 245.2 yards per game average. Much like 2016, the Buckeyes also ranked in the top 30 in the country in completion percentage at 62.8 percent (29th), while their 35.7 scoring average ranked 28th.

Beck coached two starting quarterbacks in 2015 in Cardale Jones and Barrett, and Ohio State ranked second in the Big Ten in passing efficiency with a 140.0 rating. Jones started eight of the first nine games with Barrett finishing it off with starts in five of the final six contests. The duo helped Ohio State to the fifth-highest totals in school history in points scored (464) and touchdowns (62). Jones went on to be a fourth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2016 NFL Draft. The offense also featured All-America running back Ezekiel Elliott, who ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yards (1,821), sixth in rushing yards per game (140.1) and third in rushing touchdowns (23) en route to being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and MVP. Ohio State finished the season with a 12-1 record, capped by a Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame.

Beck went to Ohio State after working seven years at Nebraska, four as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2011-14), and three as running backs coach (2008-10). He was named a nominee for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach in both 2012 and 2013.

Between 2011-14, Beck's Nebraska offenses ranked fifth, first, sixth and fourth in the Big Ten Conference, respectively, and his passing attack amassed more than 10,000 yards during that time with 86 touchdowns. In his four seasons as coordinator, the Huskers averaged 33.5 points per game, producing 209 offensive touchdowns in 53 games. Nebraska totaled more than 500 yards of total offense 12 times and racked up over 600 yards of total offense four times, including 784 yards against Florida Atlantic in the 2014 season opener. The Huskers broke more than 50 individual records including career marks for passing yards, completions, passing touchdowns, yards from scrimmage and total offense.

Nebraska never won fewer than nine games during Beck's seven seasons on staff, and the team advanced to the 2012 Big Ten and 2010 Big 12 championship games, along with seven bowl games.

In 2012, Nebraska totaled 2,500 rushing and passing yards in the same season for the first time in school history. The Huskers accomplished the feat again in 2013 despite using three starting quarterbacks due to injury, and then again reached the mark in 2014.

On the ground, Nebraska ranked in the top 20 nationally in rushing every season with Beck as coordinator. Five Huskers posted a 1,000-yard rushing season in his four seasons calling plays, including second-team All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist Ameer Abdullah, who ranked 12th nationally with 1,611 rushing yards in 2014. Abdullah, a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award and first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2013, rushed for a conference-best 1,690 yards that year, the highest total by a Husker since 1997. Behind Abdullah, one of two running backs nationally to lead his team in total offense, Nebraska ranked 19th nationally in rushing at 215.7 yards per game. In Beck's offense, he became the first player in school history with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and just the second to rush for 1,500 yards in back-to-back seasons. He went on to become a second-round pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Through the air, two of Nebraska's top six passing seasons in school history came under Beck's direction, including 2012, when NU threw for 2,904 yards, the fourth-highest total in school history at the time. Quarterbacks excelled under Beck with Taylor Martinez enjoying an outstanding career where he set more than 40 school records, including becoming the Huskers' all-time total offense and passing leader. He was the league coaches' choice as the All-Big Ten Conference quarterback following the 2012 regular season. Meanwhile in 2014, Tommy Armstrong, Jr., became just the fourth Husker quarterback to record 3,000 yards of total offense in a season, joining Martinez who did so in 2012.

In addition to numerous individual records, Beck's offense set a school record with 330 first downs in 2012, when the Huskers also produced 6,451 total yards (No. 2 in NU history) and 487 points (No. 7 in NU history). Nebraska averaged 34.8 points per game in 2012, a total that ranked 28th nationally.

Beck produced impressive results in his first year as an offensive coordinator in 2011. Nebraska averaged nearly 30 points per game, and the Huskers scored at least two touchdowns in every game in 2011. Nebraska's rushing attack flourished under Beck's direction, averaging 217.2 yards per game to rank 15th nationally.

Individually, All-Big Ten back Rex Burkhead tied a school record by scoring a touchdown in 10 consecutive games to open the season. His 17 touchdowns were seventh in NU history and the most by a Husker since Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch scored 19 touchdowns in 2001. Burkhead finished 19th nationally in rushing (104.4 ypg), and his 1,357 rushing yards were the seventh-most in school history and the most by a Husker I-back since 1997.

As running backs coach in 2010, Beck helped the Huskers' rushing attack rank first in the Big 12 and ninth nationally at 247.6 yards per game. Nebraska topped the 200-yard mark 10 times, rushed for 300 yards four times and 400 yards once. The Huskers ranked seventh nationally with an average of 5.47 yards per carry. Nebraska also posted its first 2,500-yard rushing season since 2003 and scored 30 rushing touchdowns for the first time since 2001.

Two-time All-Big 12 selection Roy Helu Jr. ran for a career-high 1,245 yards, the second-highest total by a senior running back in NU history, before being selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Helu Jr. was the first Husker to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Calvin Jones in 1992 and 1993. Helu Jr. also set the Nebraska single-game rushing record with 307 yards against Missouri. Behind Helu Jr., Burkhead earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 accolades and rushed for 951 yards in 2010.

In 2009, Nebraska averaged 147.1 rushing yards per game, and outrushed 11 of 14 opponents. Helu Jr. rushed for 1,147 yards, and ranked fourth in the Big 12 in rushing to earn second-team All-Big 12 honors.

In Beck's first year, NU's running game improved throughout 2008. Nebraska had five games with more than 200 rushing yards in league play, including a season-high 355 yards against Kansas State. In Big 12 games, NU ranked third in the league in rushing (182.5 ypg).

Prior to Nebraska, Beck was at the University of Kansas where he was the Jayhawks' receivers coach in each of his three seasons (2005-07). He was promoted to passing game coordinator in 2007. Kansas finished second nationally in scoring offense in 2007 (42.8 ppg), eighth in total offense (479.8 ypg) and 17th in passing (291.0 ypg) and went 12-1 with a 24-21 victory over Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl and a final national ranking of No. 7. Wide receiver Marcus Henry led the team in receiving yards with 1,014 and was named second-team All-Big 12.

Beck's time at Kansas came on the heels of his two high school head coaching positions in the state of Texas at R.L. Turner High School and Mansfield Summit. He also was the head coach at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., from 1993-95.

His high school accomplishments include leading Summit to the state playoffs, Carrollton to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in 35 years, and Saguaro to the 1995 4A state championship. He was the 2003 Dallas Fort Worth District Coach of the Year while at Summit, and the 2000 District Coach of the Year while at Turner.

Beck started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Miramar (Fla.) High School for the 1988 and 1989 seasons and then moved to Illinois State as outside linebackers and punters coach in 1990.

He then spent two seasons on Bill Snyder's Kansas State staff (1991-92) as a graduate assistant.

In between his time as a high school coach in Arizona and Texas, Beck spent three years at Missouri State where he was offensive coordinator between 1996-98.

An Ohio native, Beck is a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School which has produced five major college head coaches recently, including Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), Bo Pelini (Youngstown State and previously Nebraska), Mark Stoops (Kentucky), Mike Stoops (former Arizona coach) and Carl Pelini (former Florida Atlantic coach). After graduating from Mooney, Beck played one year of football at Central Florida (1985) and he graduated from there in 1988 with a degree in liberal studies. He also has a master's in counseling and guidance from Kansas State University (1992).

Beck and his wife, Tamara, have two children – a son, Jordan, and a daughter, Haylie Marie.

Andy Gonzalez

Digital Editor for and article junkie for Horns Illustrated. Father of 4. Heisman Trophy winner winner.   Follow me on Twitter at @GoGoGonzilla .

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