Karson Pike resigns as BSU Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Jordan Hein Returns

BSU Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Karson Pike announced his resignation Thursday

Bemidji State University Football Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Karson Pike announced his resignation from coaching Thursday morning.

Karson Pike completed his ninth season as the offensive coordinator for the Bemidji State University football program in 2024. Pike also served as the quarterbacks coach for BSU.

Pike released this statement regarding his decision:
“My family and I have decided it is time to pursue an opportunity outside of football. This has been a difficult decision to make as we are extremely proud members of Beaver Nation, but we know this is the right time for us as a growing family. I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunities and experiences I have had during my time at Bemidji State and several thanks are in order.
First, to the athletes and alum. This place is second to none, because of you. You have built a strong foundation and continue to raise the bar for Beaver football through both sweat and support. Secondly, I’d like to thank our assistant coaches, both current and former. There have been many great coaches come through to aid in the incredible culture Coach Bolte and the athletes have built. Their hard work, dedication and pride in the program are much appreciated.

Another thanks to our administration and support staff. Brit and Tracy as Athletic Directors have put the whole department in a place to succeed and are great leaders of people. The heart and soul of the department, do it all Deb. Along with President Hoffman and his vision for the university and athletics department.

Finally, I would like to send a special thanks to Brent and Kim Bolte. They have played a large role in our families lives and we are very grateful for that. There are not enough words to convey our appreciation.

We are excited for not only our future, but the future of Beaver Football! Roll. Dam. Beavs. We can’t wait to watch you Chop next year!”

Head Coach Brent Bolte said, “I want to thank Karson for all his hard work and dedication to BSU Football. We certainly wouldn’t be making these runs deep into the playoffs and wouldn’t be the program we are today without having him running our offensive group. He has been an integral part of our program.”

This season, the Beavers made their longest stretch into the playoffs in program history, making it to the quarterfinal round against conference rival Minnesota State University Mankato. Finishing 10-4, the Beavers marked their second 10-win season with a second-place finish in the conference. The team has had four All-American selections so far this post season, along with a Gene Upshaw Award finalist in center Jake Gannon and three All-Super Region 4 accolades. The Beavers added multiple student athletes to numerous national individual rankings, producing one of the best offensive units in the country.

The 2023 season, saw the third-straight NCAA playoff run for Bemidji State, making it to the second round. The Beavers finished 9-3 with an 8-2 record in the NSIC. One of the hallmark players of the season included wide receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby. Duncan-Busby was drafted in the third round of the 2024 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan RoughRiders. Additionally, BSU earned eight All-American selections plus numerous All-Super Region 4 and All-District. Quarterback Brandon Alt also earned his third Harlon Hill nomination of his career and offensive lineman Ty Cobb was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award.

In 2022, Pike’s sixth season as offensive coordinator, BSU went 10-3 with a 9-2 record in the conference. Earning the second-straight NCAA playoff berth, BSU marked its first 10-win season in program history. High points for Beaver offense included wide receiver Brendan Beaulieu, quarterback Brandon Alt and offensive lineman Ty Cobb being named All-Americans by multiple organizations. Alt also earned his second-straight Harlon Hill nomination, making it to the final round of voting and taking eighth overall.

The 2021 Beaver squad finished 10-3 overall, securing the first 10-win season in program history, as Pike was named the 2021 NSIC Assistant Coach of the Year. He led BSU to its sixth overall NSIC Championship, first since 2006, and first NSIC North Division Championship outright. The Beavers opened the NCAA Tournament with a 28-24 win at No. 25 Augustana and advanced as the only NSIC program in the second round. Bemidji State ended its season ranked No. 18 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Media Poll and No. 19 in the AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, marking the highest ranking in either poll in program history.

Pike had three players earn All-America honors in Brendan Beaulieu, Ty Cobb and Malik Williams in 2021. Beaulieu garnered three All-America honors through the Associated Press, D2Football.com and Don Hansen Football Committee, and set BSU single-season receiving records with 76 catches and 1,318 yards to go along with 13 touchdown receptions. Williams also set a BSU single-season record 18 receiving touchdowns, which ranked second in NCAA Division II. Cobb, a D2CCA All-Super Region 4 and All-NSIC First Team selection, contributed to the nation’s fifth-best offensive line in sacks allowed (9), the fifth-highest passing offense (335.3 ypg), ninth-highest total offense (466.7 ypg) and 11th-best tackles for loss allowed (44). He blocked for quarterback Brandon Alt, who finished fifth in the 2021 Harlon Hill voting and set the NSIC single-season record with 46 passing touchdowns. Alt became just the 20th player in NCAA Division II history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in a single season and set the single-season BSU record with 4,245 passing yards.

Pike guided the Beaver offense which led the team to an 8-4 record in 2019. The Beaver offense totaled 232 first downs and 46 total touchdowns (16 rushing, 28 passing) and ranked second in the conference with 433.5 yards per game. The Beavers averaged 232.9 passing yards per game to rank fifth in the conference and 200.6 rushing yards per game to rank third in the conference, which featured the NSIC’s leading rusher in sophomore Jalen Frye. Frye’s 148.6 rushing yards per game averaged over 40 yards more per game than the next leading rusher and while he also fell just three yards shy of tying the BSU single-game rushing record with 316 yards on Nov. 16, 2019. BSU ranked fourth in the conference with 30.4 points per game behind eight all-conference selections. Linemen Hank Bellefy, Nick Niemi, and Joe Woods, along with running back Jalen Frye and wide receiver Malik Williams, were named to the All-NSIC First Team while wide receiver Brendan Beaulieu was named to the All-NSIC Second Team. Wide receiver Jacob Anderson and fullback Matt Gross completed BSU’s offensive all-conference honorees with selections to the All-NSIC Honorable Mention team. Frye, Niemi, and Woods each earned All-America status with selections to the 2019 Don Hansen All-America Team.

In 2018, the Beaver offense helped the team to a 7-4 record. The offense scored 420 total points (38.2 ppg) and 133 points off of turnovers. The Beavers totaled 214 first downs (116 rushing, 84 passing, and 14 from penalties). The run game totaled 2,382 yards for the Beavers off of 492 rushing attempts and an average of 4.8 yards per rush and 22 total rushing touchdowns. Passing yardage totaled 1971 yards from 147 completed passes out of 270 attempted with just three interceptions. The passing game totaled 27 touchdowns for the Beavers. The 2018 season saw a few awards and nominations for the team: offensive linemen Parker Blakeslee and Nick Niemi were selected to the 2018 Don Hansen All-Super Region Four Third Team while quarterback Jared Henning was selected to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

Pike spent two seasons as head football coach at Aspen High School in Aspen, Colo., and helped lead the program to a playoff berth in 2017, its first since the 2013 season. He improved the Skiers’ win total by six games in his second season, finishing 2017 with an 8-2 record overall.

After graduating with a master’s of science in sports studies from Bemidji State in 2013, Pike joined the high-scoring Iowa Western Community College football program where he coached several positions from 2012-2016. In his first season with the Reivers, the team lead the nation with 62.8 points per game, was second in passing yards per game and third in rushing yards per game. IWCC ranked among the top 10 of the nation in scoring in each of Pike’s first three seasons with the program. He took over the running backs during the 2012-13 seasons before moving to offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the 2014-15 seasons.

IWCC went 44-4 during Pike’s four seasons with the program and finished each season ranked among the top three teams in the nation. The Reivers claimed a national championship during Pike’s first season in 2012 and finished as national title runners-up in 2014.

Pike served as the Beavers’ cornerbacks coach from 2010-11 and running backs coach in the spring of 2012 as a graduate assistant. BSU ranked third in pass defense and fourth in pass defense efficiency among the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference during Pike’s first season with the program in 2010. The Beavers ranked among the top four of the conference in total defense for the second straight year in Pike’s second season. The “Gang Green” secondary also ranked second in the league in interceptions in 2011.

Pike began his coaching career at Central Lakes College as quarterbacks and wide receivers coach from 2007-10. He helped lead the Raiders to earn the 2009 Minnesota College Athletic Conference Championship while also earning a berth in the 2009 Graphic Edge Bowl. Pike coached several All-MCAC team members in his three seasons with the program.
Pike played quarterback at Central Lakes College from 2005-06 and led the team to its first winning season in seven years as a team captain. He spent his first two collegiate seasons as a quarterback and long snapper for Kansas Wesleyan University from 2004-05.

Pike earned his bachelor’s degree in physical and health education from St. Cloud State University in 2010 before he finished his master’s degree at BSU in 2013.

A standout high school quarterback at Golden High School in Golden, Colo., Pike was named 2004 First Team Offensive Specialist Mountain Plains League. He played five different positions as a team captain and helped GHS to a second-place finish in the Colorado state tournament in 2003.

Pike and his wife, Courtney, reside in Bemidji and welcomed their first son Zebulon “Monte” Pike in March of 2024.

Bemidji State University Football Head Coach Brent Bolte announced the return of Beaver Football alumni and former special teams coordinator Jordan Hein as the team’s offensive coordinator. Hein will begin his stint with BSU in January.

Jordan Hein will enter his sixth season overall and first season as offensive coordinator on the Beaver Football coaching staff in 2025. He became the special teams coordinator in 2021 and coached with the Beavers until the spring of 2024 before heading to Northern State University to start his offensive coordinator journey. He played quarterback for BSU for four seasons between 2014-17 and finished his career as the program’s all-time leader in many categories, including passing yards, passing touchdowns, 250-yard passing games, and total offensive yardage, among others.

“I’m excited to bring Coach Hein back. I’ve known him for many years, from recruiting his older brother Jesse when he was still in high school to recruiting and coaching him and then coaching with him for a handful of years,” said Head Coach Brent Bolte. “I’m excited to have him back here as he understands what BSU football is all about. He’s helped build this program to what it is today as both a player and a coach, now he’s taking another step. He has become a proven commodity and proven winner, so we expect him to jump in and fill the big shoes that Karson [Pike] left.”

Hein coached three All-American wide receivers at BSU and saw multiple school records fall including single season receiving yards, single season receptions, single season receiving touchdowns. From 2021-23, Bemidji State ranked in the top-15 nationally in passing offense, finishing fifth in 2021, fourth in 2022, and 14th in 2023. Off the field, Hein served as the coordinator for the BSU Football Golf Outing and team camp coordinator for multiple seasons. He coordinated the first ever golf outing and built it to a 120-golfer event. The BSU team camps from 2019-2023 featured over 1300 participants each year.

With the Wolves, Hein helped bring NSU back from a four-game losing streak to begin the season. The Wolves finished the season at 6-5 with a 6-4 conference record and finished eighth in the NSIC. NSU finished the season averaging 20 points per game with 167.3 rushing yards and 131.82 passing yards. They averaged a 40.29% 3rd down conversion percentage and 36.36% on 4th downs.

The 2023 season saw the third-straight NCAA playoff run for Bemidji State, making it to the second round. The Beavers finished 9-3 with an 8-2 record in the NSIC. One of the hallmark players of the season included wide receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby. Duncan-Busby was drafted in the third round of the 2024 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan RoughRiders. Additionally, BSU earned eight All-American selections plus numerous All-Super Region 4 and All-District.

In 2022, Hein’s fourth season on the coaching staff, BSU went 10-3 with a 9-2 record in the conference. Earning the second-straight NCAA playoff berth, BSU marked its first 10-win season in program history. High points for Beaver wide receivers included the senior season of All-American Brendan Beaulieu who finished his collegiate career with ten All-American nods.

Bemidji State’s wide receivers continued to rank among the best nationally in 2021 under Hein. The 2021 Beaver squad finished 10-3 overall, securing the first 10-win season and NCAA Postseason Tournament victory in program history, thanks in part to two All-American receivers in Brendan Beaulieu and Malik Williams. Beaulieu garnered three All-America honors through the Associated Press, D2Football.com and Don Hansen Football Committee, and set BSU single-season receiving records with 76 catches and 1,318 yards, which ranked third in the nation, to go along with 13 touchdown receptions, which ranked 10th nationally. Williams also set a BSU single-season record 18 receiving touchdowns, which ranked second in NCAA Division II. Dhel Duncan-Busby also ranked 15th in the conference in receiving yards per game, marking the only receiving trio in the NSIC to rank among the top 21 in the category.

Hein coached the wide receivers on a team that went 8-3 in 2019. The Beaver offense averaged 30.4 points per game to rank fourth in the NSIC, 232.9 passing yards per game to rank fifth, and totaled 24 touchdowns by wide receivers. Two of BSU’s wide receivers ranked among the top eight in the conference in receiving yards per game, including Brendan Beaulieu with 77.8 receiving yards per game (4th) and Malik Williams with 60.8 receiving yards per game (8th). BSU was the only program in the conference to have two wide receivers rank among the top 10 in receiving yards per game. Williams was named to the All-NSIC First Team with Beaulieu named to the All-NSIC Second Team and Jacob Anderson named to the All-NSIC Honorable Mention Team.

In 2018, the Beaver offense helped the team to a 7-4 record. The offense scored 420 total points (38.2 ppg) and 133 points off of turnovers. The Beavers totaled 214 first downs (116 rushing, 84 passing, and 14 from penalties). The run game totaled 2,382 yards for the Beavers off of 492 rushing attempts and an average of 4.8 yards per rush and 22 total rushing touchdowns. Passing yardage totaled 1971 yards from 147 completed passes out of 270 attempted with just three interceptions. The passing game totaled 27 touchdowns for the Beavers. The 2018 season saw several awards for the team including offensive linemen Parker Blakeslee and Nick Niemi to selected to the 2018 Don Hansen All-Super Region Four Third Team while quarterback Jared Henning was selected to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

Hein was a two-time All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference First Team selection in 2016 and 2018 and was chosen to the All-NSIC Second Team in 2017. He became the first Beaver ever to total over 10,000 offensive yards and 100 touchdowns responsible for during his career, finishing with 110 total touchdowns. Hein totaled more than 300 offensive yards in a game 15 times, nearly twice as many as any Beaver in program history.

During the 2016 season, Hein was a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top Division II football player and earned a spot on the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-Super Region Three team. He helped guide the Beavers to their first-ever postseason victory against Washburn University in the Mineral Water Bowl. Hein threw for 261 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for one touchdown, on his way to earning the Mineral Water Bowl Offensive MVP.

Hein graduated from Bemidji State in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in education.