SWOSU Hires Ryan Held as New Football Coach
December 2, 2004
Weatherford, Oklahoma - Southwestern Oklahoma State University is turning to a coach that was the key architect in one of the most amazing turnarounds in NCAA Division II to help rebuild the Bulldog football fortunes.
SWOSU announced Thursday that Ryan Held has been hired as its new head football coach. Held replaces Paul Sharp who resigned earlier last month after 19 years at the Weatherford school. The 30-year-old Held will be introduced as SWOSU’s 20th head football coach at 1:30 p.m. Monday at a campus-wide “Meet-n-Greet” open to the public at the University’s Student Union.
An energetic, rising star in the coaching ranks, Held led the resurgence of Oklahoma Panhandle State putting together winning seasons in each of the last two years. He takes over a SWOSU program that finished 2004 with a 1-9 record. Held’s career head coaching record is 19-23 (.452) which includes one 5-5 season at Peru State in 2001
“Ryan Held fits this University, its athletic department and our football program,” athletic director Cecil Perkins said. “He is an established winner who has a clear vision of what it will take to have a successful program here. What he did at Panhandle considering their limited resources is a testament to his ability. People will be drawn to his enthusiasm, his energy and his dedication. This is an exciting time for Bulldog football.”
At OPSU Held inherited a program that had only 17 players upon his arrival and was marred in a 28-game losing streak. OPSU had not had a winning season since 1992. Held quickly went about restoring pride and support in the program and turned the Aggies into winners, going 6-5 in each of the last two seasons. OPSU had 131 players report to begin fall drills in 2004.
“I am very excited and feel privileged and honored for the opportunity to lead the football program here at Southwestern,” Held said. “I hope in a short period of time that we can produce a football team that the administration, students and alumni can be very proud of. I am very thankful to be given this opportunity by President (John) Hays and Cecil Perkins. I appreciate the professionalism in which the way the search was conducted.”
In addition to on-field performance, Held dedicated himself to seeing his student-athletes succeed in the classroom. The overall team GPA has increased from an initial 1.71 to 2.75. The Aggies had players receive scholar-athlete awards at the end of the season.
A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Held played at the University of Nebraska under former coach and current United States Congressman Tom Osborne from 1993-96. After graduating in 1996, Held remained with the Huskers serving as an administrative assistant. Held either played for or was part of three National Championship squads (1994, 1995, 1997).
Held then joined the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee under coach Phil Fullmer as a graduate assistant in 1998. He worked two years with the Volunteers and was a part of the 1998 BCS National Champion team, his fourth such as a player or coach.
Held and his wife, Siobhan, are the parents of a three-year old daughter, Rhylan.