Wesley Beschorner, who has helped lead offenses at Pittsburgh, Rice, Maryland and South Dakota, joined the Northern Illinois University football staff as runinng backs coach and passing game coordinator on January 31, 2023. Beschorner, an All-American quarterback during his playing days at South Dakota, spent the last three seasons as head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
“I am excited to bring Wesley on board,” Hammock said. "Not only does he bring coordinator experience, but he had an opportunity to be a head coach, so he understands the big picture, he understands how to build relationships with players. He brings a depth of knowledge to our offensive staff that can help us in all facets of the game with familiarity with multiple offenses. Along with that, he brings expertise to develop the running back position. I think he’ll be a great asset to our staff.”
In his first season in DeKalb, NIU was second in the MAC in rushing offense at 179.6 yards per game and in total offense at 369.4 yards per game. First Team All-MAC running back Antario Brown rushed for 1,296 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking second in the MAC in rushing and 15th in FBS. On Oct. 7, Brown rushed for 280 yards and four touchdowns in NIU's win at Akron. Brown was one of three running backs in FBS to rush for at least 280 yards in the 2023 season. Beschorner took on offensive coordinator duties during the 2023 season.
Beschorner coached a pair of All-Americans at UW-Eau Claire and led the Blugolds to a 2019 upset win over sixth-ranked St. Thomas. Prior to that, he spent the 2018 season as quarterbacks coach at the University of Maryland, working with an offense that ranked third in the Big Ten in rushing. In 2017, he was the quarterbacks coach at Rice University in Houston as the Owls ranked second in Conference USA in rushing offense. In 2016, Beschorner worked alongside former Huskie assistant coach Matt Canada on the offensive staff at the University of Pittsburgh, where he assisted in the recruitment of Pitt All-American and current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett.
A native of Lohrville, Iowa, Beschorner began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of South Dakota, in 2006. He coached the quarterbacks and served as passing game coordinator from 2007-11 before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2009 and adding associate head coach duties in 2011.
USD recorded several big wins with Beschorner leading the offense, notably knocking off a pair of No. 1 (Football Championship Subdivision) teams in North Dakota State and defending national champion Eastern Washington. The Coyotes were nationally ranked for 10 consecutive weeks in 2011 and the program also recorded a 41-38 signature win over the University of Minnesota in 2010.
During his time as offensive coordinator, Beschorner coached 25 players who earned first team all-conference accolades and six CoSIDA (now CSC) Academic All-Americans. Thirteen of Beschorner’s players have gone on to play professional football, including four NFL draft selections.
“I’m super thrilled to work with Coach Hammock and this storied program,” Beschorner said. “I will do whatever I can on a daily basis to enhance the lives of our student-athletes. The success NIU has had on and off the field has made them one of the top programs in the MAC for a long time and seeing the types of kids they’ve recruited and the types of young men they have graduated makes me super excited to be a part of it.”
Recognized as one of the best players in South Dakota history, Beschorner was a first-team All-American at quarterback and finished as runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II MVP) as a senior in 2005 when he threw for 3,000 yards and combined for 47 touchdowns (39 pass, 8 rush) against four interceptions. The Coyotes were North Central Conference champions and finished with a 9-2 record.
He earned his bachelor's degree in history from South Dakota in 2005 and a master's of education in athletic administration from South Dakota in 2008.
Beschorner and his wife, former USD track standout Kiki (Smith) Beschorner, have three sons, Burke, Rhett and Troy.
