When Missouri State announced Friday morning that it would promote defensive coordinator Ryan Beard to be the football program's next head coach, a few of the top high school prospects from across the state went straight to their cell phones in celebration.
A group chat between those who are scheduled to sign their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to play at Missouri State erupted with joy. Once head coach Bobby Petrino was announced as the next offensive coordinator at UNLV, the players in the text chain spoke Beard's promotion into existence.
"Everyone's excited about it," said Glendale quarterback Cole Feuerbacher, who committed to the Bears on Monday.