Coaching Staff
Coach Johnson enters his 21st season as the head coach of the Bethel University football program. Under Coach Johnson’s leadership, the Royals have had winning records in the MIAC in 18 of his 20 years. Johnson has recorded the most wins of any Bethel football coach and has been selected MIAC Coach of the Year five times, after the 1989, 1996, 2000, 2006, and 2007 seasons. He was also selected as the West Region Coach of the Year following the 1996 and 2007 seasons.
In 2003, Johnson recorded his 100th career win in a 44-10 victory over Augsburg. He has made Bethel a contender not only in the MIAC, but on a national level, as the Royals have won four MIAC Championships and were crowned West Region champions during the 2007 season. They have advanced to the NCAA National Playoffs five times in the last nine years.
Johnson graduated from Bethel in 1979 with a B.A. degree in physical education. Following graduation, he served as an assistant coach at St. Cloud State University and received his master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports psychology. He then moved to St. Cloud Cathedral High School, where he was the head football coach for four years. In 1986, Johnson accepted a position as graduate assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, where he coached the running backs. He later served as assistant coach at Montana State for two years before coming back to Bethel. Johnson has brought stability to the coaching staff, a football-family focus to the team, and a vision of excellence for Bethel football.
Johnson says, “At Bethel University, we have a very distinct football program philosophy, one that is consistent with the mission of the institution as a whole. The cornerstone of our program and school is a real and intelligent faith in Jesus Christ. This faith manifests itself not in contrived or superficial ways, but in very real ways that are evidenced by our attitudes and behaviors.”
“We believe Christian faith lends direct and natural strength to our team. Filled with love from Christ, we strive more than anything to love one another (Philippians 1:9). This love is evidenced by, among other things, our commitment to other members of the team. Because we are committed to one another, we hold each other accountable for great effort toward spiritual, academic, and athletic growth. Toughness and self-discipline are a result of accepting this correction and encouragement from our football family members over a period of time. Football becomes a vehicle to help each player develop a faithful, consistent, goal-oriented life.”
“At Bethel University, it is our intense goal to win each football game we play. Our goal is to win, but our focus is on one another and on the unity and growth we may achieve through Jesus Christ,” added Johnson. “Oswald Chambers said, ‘the most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the thing that is continually under attack.’ This is what Bethel football is all about.”
Coach Johnson and his wife, Susan, have three children: Cornell, a senior at Bethel, and twin daughters - Katie and Maddie - both juniors at Bethel.
Coach Miller enters his ninth year as Bethel’s defensive coordinator following a successful 10-year run as head coach at Northwestern College. During his time at Northwestern, Miller was named the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference coach of the year twice and led the Eagles to a win in the Victory Bowl, the national championship game for the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), following the 2000 season.
Last season, Miller directed a Bethel defense that finished first in the MIAC. Bethel led in several categories, including scoring defense by
allowing the fewest points, touchdowns, and extra points. Bethel was also first against the pass, allowing just five yards per reception and fewer than 130 yards per game. The Royals allowed the fewest first downs, and even more impressively, the discipline of the defense allowed fewer than 10 first downs by way of penalty as the least penalized team in the conference. Bethel's defense was the toughest in the red zone, posted the second highest number of sacks in the conference, and was also the second toughest team to convert on fourth down against.
Miller, a top player for the Royals after transferring in for his final two seasons, is a 1983 Bethel graduate and a 2003 inductee into the Bethel University Athletic Hall of Fame. Miller also teaches in Bethel’s health and physical education department.
He and his wife Liz, also a Bethel grad, live in Falcon Heights with daughters Casey, a junior at Bethel, Carly, a freshman at Bethel, son Beau, 13, and Moses, their one-year old yellow Labrador.
Coach Peterson, entering his 18th year coaching at Bethel, is beginning his seventh year coordinating Bethel’s offense. As the Royals wide receiver coach, he has coached six of Bethel’s top 10 all-time receivers and has been instrumental in developing a high caliber offense.
Peterson is in his 22nd consecutive year of being a part of Bethel football and has been either played or coached in 217 straight games. He has been with Head Coach Steve Johnson as a player or coach for all of Coach Johnson's head coaching career at Bethel.
A four-year starter on the Bethel offense from 1988-91 and a member of the Royals’ basketball team, Peterson graduated from Bethel in 1992 with a degree in elementary education and in 2004 earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership. In addition to his coaching duties, Peterson is Bethel’s assistant athletic director.
He and his wife Alison live in White Bear Lake with their two sons Gunnar, 6, Wyatt, 4, and daughter Marin, now 1.
Linebackers: Mike Fregeau
Fregeau returns for his 11th year coaching at Bethel. After working with the defensive line for six years, he is in his fifth year working with the linebackers where he has 15 years of experience at the high school level. An intense and disciplined coach, Fregeau will help develop a talented group of linebackers. He has coached several all-conference players, including 2006 MIAC MVP
Kirby Carr and 2002 NCAA Division III sack leader Jon Foss. He is also an assistant for Bethel’s Track and Field team and teaches in Bethel’s Health and Physical Education department.
Fregeau, a 1983 Bethel graduate, was a standout running back for the Royals during his playing career. He and his wife Cheryl live in Andover with children, Casey, a junior at Bethel, and Courtney, 18.
Running Backs: Paul Swan
Coach Swan returns for his eighth year on Bethel’s staff after a long teaching and coaching career at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill. Swan followed Bethel football as a fan from 1996-99 when he watched his son, Eric, play for the Royals as an offensive lineman.
Swan retired from teaching in 2002 after 33 years at Stevenson High School. He is a member of the Lake County, Ill., Hall of Fame for his years of service as a football, basketball, and baseball coach. He was recently inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a "career coach."Swan continues to coach basketball at Stevenson. He is an excellent coaching technician and a great competitor. Swan is a valuable asset to the Bethel program as a coach and mentor to players and coaches alike. He and his wife Kathy reside in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and have two grown children, Eric and Aimee (Walford).
Coach Rick Meyer is in his fifth year at Bethel after a two-year stint as defensive coordinator at Concordia Academy in Roseville. Prior to his time on the high school level, Meyer worked as a defensive assistant on the Bethel staff while completing his degree and becoming a certified athletic trainer. Meyer, a two-time All-MIAC defensive end for the Royals in 2000 and 2001, was a solid edge rusher for a stellar Royal defense and was part of two conference championship teams. He finished his playing career at Bethel having compiled 155 tackles and 21.5 sacks.
Rick and his wife Tara live in Mahtomedi with their daughters Annika and Nakari. Rick currently works as the weight room coordinator and strength and conditioning coordinator while also teaching Physical Education/Athletic Training courses at Bethel.
Quarterbacks: Scott Kirchoff
Coach Kirchoff returns for his fifth season coaching Bethel’s quarterbacks. A four-year starter for the Royals, Kirchoff set numerous conference and team passing records while leading the Royals to three national playoff appearances. Kirchoff holds career passing records for attempts (1,041), yards (8,108), completions (636), and touchdowns (65). A three-time All-MIAC selection, Kirchoff is also the 3rd all-time MIAC leader in passing yards (6,645). His caring heart, will to give, and leadership skills will bolster the Bethel program. Kirchoff has recently spent time in Texas as part of an adult ministry training program and the past few summers as a white water rafting guide in Colorado. After receiving NFL interest and Arena League tryouts in Texas, Kirchoff has focused his attention on coaching.
Kirchoff, a 2003 Bethel grad, holds a degree in secondary history education and works for the Bethel admissions office with transfer students.
Defensive Line: Justin Hall
Hall enters his first season with the Bethel Royals football staff and will work with the defensive line. Prior to coming to Bethel, Hall has been building his coaching resume at the high school level for eight years, with the last four as the defensive coordinator at Bloomington Kennedy. In 2008, he also served as the interim head coach. As a player, Hall attended the University of Minnesota and started as a true freshman at fullback before switching over to linebacker for the next three seasons. At the U of M, he was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten award winner, and also earned the Paul Giel Award for unselfishness.
Hall currently lives in Bloomington, Minn., with his wife Casey, and teaches math at Kennedy high school.
