Matthew Middleton Named Aztec Wide Receivers Coach

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State head coach Sean Lewis has announced the hiring of Matthew Middleton. Middleton, who spent the last three seasons at Kansas State, will coach the Aztec wide receivers and will be the pass game coordinator.

The Wildcats went 24-14 over his three seasons (2023-25), including bowl wins in 2023 and 2024. KSU was bowl-eligible in 2025 with a 6-6 record but withdrew from bowl consideration because of a coaching staff transition. Wide receivers Jace Brown (third team) and Jaron Tibbs (honorable mention) each received all-Big 12 recognition in 2025 with Brown leading the team in receiving yards (41 catches for 712 yards and five touchdowns) and Tibbs in receptions (47 catches for 595 yards and three touchdowns).

Prior to Kansas State, Middleton spent five seasons working under Lewis at Kent State from 2018-22. Middleton coached six all-MAC selections with the Golden Flashes, including four first-team picks. In 2022, wide receiver Dante Cephas earned his second all-MAC first-team designation, while Devontez Walker also picked up first-team honors as Kent State passed for more than 2,500 yards. In addition to the two receivers, Middleton also coached Ja’Shawn Poke, who was a second-team honoree as a kick returner.

In 2021, the Golden Flashes set a school record for passing yards (3,435) and ranked fourth in the nation in total offense (493.7 yards per game). Cephas was named to the all-MAC first team after totaling 1,240 yards to rank 16th in the nation to go along with nine touchdowns. Kent State won the MAC East Division, played in the MAC Championship and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In the shortened 2020 campaign, Middleton coached junior wide receiver Isaiah McKoy to all-MAC first-team honors after finishing third in the conference in yards per catch (18.1) and yards per game (113.0).

In 2019, the Golden Flashes averaged 405.6 yards per game and logged 2,849 passing yards with 42 touchdowns. Kent State eclipsed 50 points in the program’s first-ever bowl win, a 51-41 victory over Utah State in the Frisco Bowl. Middleton saw two of his pupils earn all-MAC honors in McKoy (56 receptions, 872 yards, eight touchdowns) and Mike Carrigan (44 catches, 570 yards, five touchdowns). In his first year in Kent in 2018, Middleton’s unit saw an immediate jump in production from the previous season as Antwan Dixon hauled in 52 receptions and Carrigan produced a team-leading 597 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Middleton went to Kent State after serving as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at South Dakota the previous three seasons. In 2017, the Coyotes advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs, averaging 333.2 passing yards per game to rank sixth in the FCS.

Middleton began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ottawa, in 2008 before moving to Omaha to coach the wide receivers and returners for two seasons. He then coached the same two positions at Chadron State in 2011 and served as a graduate assistant at Kansas in 2012 before moving on to South Dakota.

Working concurrently with his collegiate jobs, Middleton also earned three Bill Walsh Minority Internships with NFL teams during the early part of training camp, working with the Chicago Bears (July 2015), Minnesota Vikings (July 2016) and Detroit Lions (July 2020).

After graduating from Bonner Springs High School, Middleton picked up four all-conference honors - including two in 2006 as a receiver and a returner - at Ottawa as he left the program as the school’s all-time leader with 159 career receptions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Ottawa in 2008 and went on to obtain a master’s degree in recreation administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2012.

San Diego State is coming off a 9-4 season in 2025.