New SEMO defensive coach brings a lot to the table in his latest career stop

Veteran Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz was certainly not born with a silver whistle in his mouth, which enabled him to have a carefree journey through his career, so, when it comes to hiring Redhawk assistant coaches, he takes a liking to guys who had to climb their way to this point.

That absolutely applies to first-year SEMO defensive line coach Kevon Beckwith.

“He has kind of had to take the back stairs,” Matukewicz said of Beckwith’s career.

Beckwith is a native of New Orleans and played football at Louisiana-Lafayette until he was medically discharged from competing any longer. At that point, instead of walking away from the game, Beckwith just walked to the coaching box instead.

“He was medically disqualified from playing,” Matukewicz said, “so he basically showed up and was a manager, before all of a sudden, he became a full-time Division I coach.

“You don’t just do that.”

You do if you have the drive of Beckwith.

Beckwith served in a variety of roles at Louisiana-Lafayette before landing as the defensive line coach at then-Ohio Valley Conference rival Austin Peay for the 2019 season.

That gave Beckwith a foundation of success (the Governors went 4-2 in the OVC that season), which also left an impression on both Matukewicz and SEMO defensive coordinator Ricky Coon.

“He has come from winning programs,” Coon said of Beckwith. “He has been at a lot of good places, and I felt like we shared a lot of the same beliefs in defensive line play.

“So far, he has been what I thought he would be.”

Last fall, Beckwith was the (defensive) run game coordinator and defensive line coach at Incarnate Word in Texas, which battled FCS power North Dakota State to a 35-32 loss in the FCS Playoff semifinal.

“He has had a lot of experience with great teams,” Matukewicz said, “great players, and he has (FCS playoff) experience.”

Coon rattled off a lot of traits that he likes about Beckwith, including the fact that he has the right personality.

“Anybody that is coaching big people,” Coon said, “he needs to have a little bit of a mean personality when they need to.”

Coon made his way through coaching by working with the defensive line, so the position group holds a special place with him, and he likes how Beckwith has communicated with the Redhawk athletes this spring.

“I definitely want a guy who has some intensity,” Coon said.

From a recruiting perspective, Beckwith not only has experience evaluating and signing players who can compete at the top of FCS and the OVC, but his Louisiana roots will prove to be beneficial, as SEMO is trying to expand its footprint into New Orleans.

The 2023 Redhawk incoming class has a pair of players (defensive back DJ Delmore and offensive lineman Kaleb Pearley) from Louisiana, and those two are the only SEMO players from that state – currently.

“I think that he is going to do a good job in the state of Louisiana,” Coon said. “He has some connections down there.”