COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland head coach DJ Durkin has announced that Chris Beatty, Anthony Tucker and Matt Barnes have joined the Terrapin football coaching staff.
Beatty will serve as wide receivers coach, Tucker will take over as running backs coach and Barnes will coach linebackers.
“These are three really quality additions to the coaching staff,” said Durkin. “All three are tremendous coaches who are really solid recruiters and truly care about and can relate to our players. I'm excited to have them on board.”
Boasting FBS coaching experience at Virginia (2015), Wisconsin (2013-14), Illinois (2012), Vanderbilt (2011), West Virginia (2008-10) and Northern Illinois (2007), Beatty comes to College Park having coached a variety of offensive positions.
Beatty served as assistant head coach/running backs coach at Virginia, coached wide receivers for two years and spent one season as the recruiting coordinator at Wisconsin, served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Illinois, coached wide receivers and was the recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt, oversaw the running backs and slot receivers at West Virginia and served as the running backs coach at Northern Illinois.
This past season, Beatty worked under current Maryland Associate Head Coach Mike London at Virginia. He oversaw the rise of junior running back Taquan Mizzell, who broke the ACC record for receiving yards by a running back in a season with 721 on his way to third-team All-ACC honors.
Beatty helped guide Wisconsin to an 11-3 record in 2014, including a 34-31 overtime win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl. In 2013, Beatty helped senior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis set the school record for receptions in a season (78) and become just the third receiver in school history to compile over 1,000 receiving yards in a season with 1,081. Abbrederis, who went on to be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 NFL Draft, was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection.
Ten of Beatty's former players have gone on to the NFL, and he also mentored 14 all-conference performers.
A 1995 graduate of East Tennessee State, where he was a standout wide receiver, Beatty played professionally in the Canadian Football League before becoming a successful high school coach in Virginia. A native of Centreville, Va., Beatty led Landstown High School to a 40-2 record from 2003-05 and won a state championship with a team that featured current Buffalo Bills wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Tucker has spent the last three seasons at Arkansas State, serving as running backs coach from 2014-15 and wide receivers coach in 2013.
The Red Wolves were extremely successful during Tucker's tenure, claiming the Sun Belt Conference championship in 2013 and 2015, and earning trips to bowl games during all three seasons.
Under Tucker's tutelage in 2015, Arkansas State ranked 15th in the FBS in rushing offense, averaging 231.3 yards per game on the ground. The Red Wolves racked up 3,007 rushing yards on the season and rushed for 4.95 yards per carry. Arkansas State also set school records in both points scored (520) and touchdowns (69).
Red Wolves running back Michael Gordon rushed for a combined 2,162 yards and 24 touchdowns during his two years under Tucker's guidance. He was named a second team All-Sun Belt Conference pick both years. In addition, freshman running back Warren Ward was recognized on the leagues newcomer team in 2015 after rushing for 709 yards and five touchdowns during his first season.
Tucker spent four seasons in the NFL, signing as a free agent with the New York Giants in 1999 and later earning a spot on the team's practice squad in 2000. He was allocated to NFL Europe from the Giants in 2001 and played for the Amsterdam Admirals. He signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2002 and then suffered a career-ending leg injury.
A three-year letterman at Fresno State, Tucker started at wide receiver his last two seasons with the Bulldogs. Tucker earned his Bachelor of Science degree in criminology in 1999 from Fresno State, where he was a WAC Scholar-Athlete, member of the dean's list three times and earned President's List honors one time for having a 4.0 GPA.
Barnes spent the 2015 season as the defensive analyst at the University of Michigan under Durkin and head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverine defense ranked first nationally in defensive pass efficiency, third in passing yards allowed, fourth in total defense and 11th in scoring defense. On game days, Barnes served as the primary scouter in the press box and contributed to sideline and halftime adjustments.
Prior to Michigan, Barnes served as a defensive and special teams graduate assistant for three years at the University of Florida from 2012-14. He worked directly under the defensive and special teams coordinators, assisting a 2014 Gator defense that ranked 15th nationally in total defense and 10th in defensive pass efficiency.
Florida's special teams unit also achieved immense success during Barnes' tenure, ranking second nationally in kickoff coverage and third in punt returns in 2013. He directly assisted Durkin, who was named the footballscoop.com Special Teams Coordinator of the Year in 2012.
Barnes is a 2008 graduate of Salisbury University on Maryland's eastern shore, where he played for four years and was elected as team captain by his teammates.
Durkin also officially announced that Offensive Coordinator Walt Bell will also coach quarterbacks and Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Pete Lembo will oversee tight ends.
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