Ball State University Athletics
Football Names James Bettcher Defensive Ends Coach
March 04, 2010 | Football
James Bettcher, a 2003 graduate of the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind., has been named the defensive ends coach for the Ball State University football team, according to head football coach Stan Parrish.
"We had a number of outstanding candidates for this position, and James stood out after all the interviews," Parrish says. "He is a good young football coach who is extremely bright and has a lot of energy. He has Indiana roots, which will help in recruiting the state. We are looking forward to his contribution to the Ball State football family."
Bettcher came to Ball State after spending from 2007-09 as a defensive graduate assistant at North Carolina. For the Tar Heels, he helped coach the linebackers, defensive ends and special teams, while assisting with recruiting in Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina. Prior to North Carolina, Bettcher was a defensive graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 2006, where he helped with the secondary and special teams plus helped recruit Ohio and Indiana.
A three-time NAIA All-American Scholar and three-time Mid-States Football Association Scholar at St. Francis, Bettcher was a two-time NAIA Coach's All-American and a two-time Don Hansen's All-American. He earned all-conference honors three times and received the St. Francis Helmet Award in 2002. In addition, Bettcher placed second in the shot put at the 2001 NAIA Championships and was a three-time track All-American.
After his college graduation, Bettcher spent the 2003-05 seasons on the staff at St. Francis, where he also spent time on the strength and conditioning staff and was the head track coach in 2003 and 2004.
Bettcher, a 1997 graduate of LaVille High School in Lakeville, Ind., is married to the former Erica Wills of Fort Wayne, an elementary school teacher.
