Coach to Coach: Don Beebe Unplugged - Delivering impact beyond the game at Aurora University while building "Championship Character"

 

Photo Courtesy of Steve Woltman

By Nate McCray

It’s not often you have the opportunity to meet someone who has made it to the Super Bowl six times in their pro football career.  However, I had the good fortune to connect with former Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Don Beebe to talk ball, philosophies, culture, family and faith.  When Don Beebe was named head football coach at Division III Aurora University in 2019, he brought more than just a Super Bowl ring and nine years of NFL experience to the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference—he carried with him a philosophy rooted in something far deeper than X’s and O’s. A champion with the Green Bay Packers and a relentless competitor best known for his never-quit mindset in four Super Bowl appearances alone with the Buffalo Bills, Coach Beebe returned to the sidelines with a mission to mold young men of substance, not just skill.

In those early days at Aurora, as he began to build a program that would go on to capture the 2019 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference championship, Beebe leaned on the wisdom of his former head coach in Buffalo, the legendary Marv Levy. As we discuss the great days in Buffalo, he recalls the time when he reached out to Levy for guidance and receiving a message that would forever shape his coaching approach. “Character,” Levy told him, “outweighs everything else when identifying talent for your squad—regardless of how good the player is.” That conversation became a cornerstone of Beebe’s philosophy at Aurora University, where heart, discipline, and integrity became just as vital as speed and strength.

Don Beebe’s coaching foundation didn’t end with Marv Levy in Buffalo. During his time with the Green Bay Packers, he tapped into a reservoir of knowledge that only a handful of men in football ever get to access. He often reflects on conversations with the late Reggie White, a locker room giant whose leadership extended far beyond the field. He also absorbed the offensive philosophies of former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren, whose West Coast system demanded precision, rhythm, and a relentless commitment to fundamentals.

Beebe learned quickly that success on offense starts with two critical components—the five offensive linemen up front and the quarterback. “Nate, if you don’t get those positions right,” he stated during our conversation, “then it’s not going to work.” Don Beebe’s time in Green Bay also gave him proximity to Sherman Lewis, then the Packers’ offensive coordinator, who brought a championship pedigree from his years coaching legends like Jerry Rice with the San Francisco 49ers. “Coach, what better people to learn from?” Beebe would remark during my conversation with him. It was this rich tapestry of mentorship, elite football intellect, and personal experience that he wove into his coaching DNA at Aurora University—where he set out not just to win games, but to build a culture grounded in the same values and precision that defined his own playing career.

When Don Beebe accepted the head coaching role at Aurora University, he didn’t step into the room quietly — he came with intent, vision, and a standard of excellence forged by years in the NFL. On Day 1, standing before the team he had yet to coach, Beebe posed a simple question: “How many of you want to win a conference championship?” Hands shot up across the room. Then he asked those players to step forward. To the rest, he posed a deeper question — “What do you want to accomplish?” Their answers varied: win some games, have a winning season, improve personally. That’s when Beebe made a point, no one in the room expected. He pulled out a set of car keys, held them up, and said, “I basically gave you the keys to a Lamborghini, and you just turned it into a Ford Pinto. Why don’t you want to win it all?” “Why not a National Championship?” In that moment, Beebe didn’t just challenge their ambitions—he redefined them. He made it clear that settling wasn’t an option under his watch.

As a college coach myself, I understand the boxes that need to be checked when recruiting the right players for a football program. When I presented the question to Coach Beebe regarding what boxes are a must have to check off, he painted me a picture that was abundantly clear.  For Don, recruiting talent at Aurora University has never been just about 40-yard dash times or highlight reel plays—it’s about passion, drive, and the kind of inner fire that can’t be coached. He looks for players who don’t need an alarm clock to wake up before dawn, who show up early with their cleats laced and minds focused—not because they’re told to, but because they want to. “Those are the guys I want on this team,” Beebe said with conviction. To him, accountability and self-motivation are non-negotiable. If a player misses a morning lift or skips a workout and his coaches go looking for that player, Beebe won’t hesitate to let that player know that the Aurora program isn’t the place for that player. That type of behavior, he believes, reflects a deeper issue. “It always goes back to character,” he explains, revisiting the lesson Marv Levy impressed upon him when he first took the job. In Beebe’s program, character isn’t a buzzword, it’s the blueprint. And without it, no amount of talent will ever earn you a place in his locker room.

Don Beebe doesn’t put much stock in setting conventional goals—not because he lacks ambition, but because he believes goals can become ceilings. In his mind, drawing a finish line only limits how far you’re willing to run. If a wide receiver tells him his goal is to catch 40 passes in a season, Beebe’s response to me is immediate and pointed when I asked him the question of setting goals: “Why stop there? Why not 45? Why not 50? Why not 55?” It’s not that he discourages targets, he refuses to let his players cap their own potential. In Beebe’s world, progress should be relentless, and expectations should evolve with effort. If there’s one goal he does endorse, it’s simple and bold: “Win it all.” To him, a National Championship isn’t just a dream, it’s the only destination worth aiming for. Everything else is just a steppingstone, and who am I to question a head coach that is sporting a 51-10 career record and a 42-0 in conference record that accompanies six Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference titles since taking the helm at Aurora University.

Leadership isn’t left to chance in Don Beebe’s program—it’s cultivated with purpose and accountability. Beebe believes that building a championship culture starts with developing leaders from within, and that means everyone—players and coaches alike—must share the same team-first mindset. That philosophy takes shape through Aurora’s Leadership Council, a select group of players chosen by their peers through a team vote. Beebe honors that democratic process, but with one important caveat: if a player is voted in but he believes they’re not ready to lead, he won’t hesitate to veto the decision. “Leadership is earned,” he says. Conversely, if a capable leader is nominated but doesn’t receive enough votes, Beebe won’t override the outcome—respecting the peer-driven standard he’s helped establish. The council doesn’t just meet—they lead in action. Players are drafted into council-led teams that compete throughout the year in everything from pickup basketball and academic performance to strength and conditioning challenges. The stakes? Bragging rights and the ultimate reward: a celebratory fish fry at Coach Beebe’s house, a must-attend event that players circle on their calendars. It’s fun, sure—but more importantly, it reinforces that leadership, accountability, and camaraderie are the true cornerstones of winning.

Coach Beebe’s voice carried pride as he reflected on the culture, he and his staff have built at Aurora University—a culture rooted in accountability, trust, and unity. What stood out most in his remarks was how deeply the players had embraced the program’s values, not just in words but in their everyday actions. Discipline wasn’t seen as punishment, but rather as a lesson, a reinforcement of standards that players themselves respected because they believed in the process and the purpose behind it. “When players trust the coach and understand the ‘why’ behind everything we do, they’ll accept correction as a part of their growth,” Beebe said. He emphasized that the team’s success goes far beyond wins and losses—it’s about shaping men of integrity who carry those lessons into life. “I don’t coach for the money or for recognition,” he said. “I am a man of faith and god, and I coach to help young men become leaders and assist them with their growth.” That guiding principle continues to shape every rep, every meeting, and every moment inside the Aurora football program.

Stay tuned for the next Coach to Coach piece in the coming weeks!