Oregon State Defensive Coordinator Keith Heyward Steps Down
Family always comes first. That is the lesson which many fans are taking in the wake of Keith Heyward's resignation Sunday morning.
Heyward's father, Keith Sr., passed away shortly before last season kicked off. In an interview with The Oregonian, Heyward was frank about the desire to spend more time with his family. “I’ve been grinding in this business for 20 years. I’ve been focused on ball and college. It doesn’t allow you to take time for your family. So, I’m going to just take time to center myself and take care of my family.”
Oregon State's defensive coordinator is stepping away, but no one will doubt Keith Heyward's place in the Beavers' family: with 35 consecutive starts at cornerback and all Pac-10 honors, his illustrious playing career from 1997 through 2000 coincided with the brightest moment in the history of Beavers football: a shellacking of perennial-power Notre Dame in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. Dennis Erickson started Heyward at corner that night.
After brief stints in the Canadian Football League, now-defunct NFL Europe, and the Arena League, Heyward got his coaching start at Oregon State as a graduate assistant. Upon completing the 2007 season as NCAA D1 FCS Cal Poly's linebackers coach, Heyward returned to Corvallis as the defensive back coach from 2008-2011. Coaching spells across the country sent Heyward to Washington, USC, Louisville, Oregon, Cal, UNLV, and the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. He returned to Oregon State last season to call the defense.
The third of three stops in Corvallis comes to a close, but the love for a Beavers legend will remain in the hearts of Oregon State football fans across the world.
It is not known who will take over defensive coordinator duties from Coach Heyward at this time.
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