Beaty Adds Todd Bradford to Jayhawk Football Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football head coach David Beaty stayed true to his philosophy of surrounding his program with assistant coaches who are well-rounded by announcing the hiring of Todd Bradford as linebackers coach.
After having success at a number of stops, Bradford, who has coached in Conference USA, the Big 12, Big Ten and ACC, gives the Jayhawks another experienced assistant coach who stands out both in his recruiting abilities and his development of players.
“I have made it a point to hire coaches who are not just talented in one area,” said Beaty. “I want our staff to consist of men who can get after it in recruiting and at the same time develop the players in our program and Todd definitely fits that mold.”
In his 25 years of collegiate coaching, Bradford has a combined 36 players that he either recruited or coached who have gone on to have careers in the National Football League.
“Not only does Todd’s track record speak for itself in regards to recruiting and development of players, but he has done it within the landscape of the Big 12,” said Beaty. “He was a key member of Mike Gundy’s staff at Oklahoma State that helped push that program to the top of our conference. He knows what it takes to help a team become successful in this league.”
Bradford comes to Kansas after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Maryland, the fourth time in his career he has held those dual roles.
Prior to his time with the ‘Terps, Bradford coached in bowl games in five-straight seasons and has been a coordinator on both sides of the ball, spending three seasons as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Southern Mississippi (2008-10).
The Golden Eagles rushing defense ranked No. 13 (113.0 yards per game) in the FBS in 2010. They were also No. 14 in third-down conversions (34 percent), No. 30 in turnovers gained (26) and tied for 26th in tackles for loss (6.7 pg).
In his second season with Southern Miss, Bradford led an opportunistic defense which helped the team rank No. 19 nationally in turnover margin. The Golden Eagles ended 2009 tied for 18th in the FBS in sacks (2.7 per game), tied for 25th in turnovers gained (27) and No. 26 in tackles for loss (6.8 pg).
In his first season, Bradford oversaw a defense that got stingy over the last half of the year and helped lead the team to a season-ending five-game winning streak, including a victory in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl.
The Golden Eagles ranked No. 10 nationally in turnover margin in 2008 by forcing 29 total turnovers including 13 over the final five contests.
The defense gave up just 12.4 points per game over that span as well, while allowing just 254.2 yards (60.6 yards rushing, 193.6 passing). The defense also recorded its first game since 2006 without giving up a touchdown to C-USA rival East Carolina in a 21-3 victory.
Bradford came to Southern Miss after spending three seasons (2005-07) as Oklahoma State’s linebackers coach.
During his time in Stillwater, Oklahoma, he coached two freshman All-Americans in Patrick Levine (2006 first team by Rivals.com) and Chris Collins (2006 second team – Rivals.com), and helped the team reach a pair of bowl games.
Prior to his stint at OSU, Bradford worked on the other side of the football as the offensive coordinator at Brigham Young for two seasons.
While at BYU, he coached a pair of award-winning wide receivers in Todd Watkins, an honorable mention All- American, and Austin Collie, the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and freshman All-American.
Bradford served as secondary and kickoff coverage coach at Middle Tennessee in 2002, and was the defensive backs coach at Wisconsin from 2000-01.
While with the Badgers, Bradford tutored Jamar Fletcher, who led the Big Ten in interceptions and won the 2000 Jim Thorpe Award. Fletcher then was taken in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
From 1997-99, Bradford worked on the staff at Louisiana Tech, serving as the defensive coordinator. Bradford was also on the defensive staff at Eastern Michigan from 1995-96 where that unit broke 43 school records.
He was the defensive coordinator at Lehigh in 1994 and helped guide the Engineers to the Patriot League championship game, while boasting the league’s second-best defense.
Bradford began his coaching career in 1987 at his alma mater, Southern Utah, before moving on to New Hampshire as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 1988-93.
Bradford and his wife, Sondra, have a son, Kody, and three daughters, Ashlee, Hailee and Whitnee.
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