Football
20210918_football_sdsu_v_utah_dtuskan_00258

Kurt Mattix

TitleDefensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Phone594-7197
Emailsdsufootball@sdsu.edu
Kurt Mattix

At San Diego State

  • Kurt Mattix, who worked with head coach Brady Hoke at Michigan, completed his fourth season as San Diego State’s defensive coordinator. He also coaches the Aztec linebackers.
  • Since taking over as the DC, the Aztecs rank ninth in rushing defense (112.3), 17th in total defense (337.4), and 18th in scoring (21.4) and pass efficiency rating (121.8).
  • The 2023 season saw Mattix’s defense force 18 turnovers with 10 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. The 10 interceptions ranked 22nd in FBS.
  • Individually, he saw three of his defenders earn All-MW honors. Cornerback Noah Tumblin, who led the league in passes defended, pass breakups, and graded as the best coverage cornerback, earned a second team selection. Fellow DB Dez Malone and linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu were honorable mentions.
  • In 2022, the defense continued to play as one of the best in FBS with the Aztecs ranking third nationally in red zone defense (0.69), 15th in total defense (322.7), and 19th in scoring (20.5). Individually, Jonah Tavai ranked eighth in FBS in sacks with 10.5 for the season and 0.81 sacks per game.
  • Tavai would eventually be named all-American by Pro Football Focus, Bleacher Report, Associated Press, USA Today, and College Football Network.
  • Along with his all-American accolades, Tavai’s first team all-MW first team selection headlined a group of seven defensive all-conference honorees. Linebacker Caden McDonald and safety Patrick McMorris were also first team selections, linebacker Michael Shawcroft was a second team selection, while defensive end Keshawn Banks and cornerbacks Dez Malone and Dallas Branch were honorable mentions.
  • In 2021, Mattix coached a defense that continued to shine on the national stage, as SDSU finished third in rushing defense (80.3) and tied for fifth in passes intercepted (17). In addition, the Scarlet and Black ranked 12th in the country in total defense (324.4), 13th in pass efficiency defense (118.01) and 17th in scoring defense (19.8). The Aztecs also scored two defensive touchdowns last season to tie for 25th nationally.
  • Individually, San Diego State sported four defenders who received all-Mountain West recognition under Mattix’s guidance in 2021, including lineman Cameron Thomas, the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year who additionally merited first-team All-America recognition from multiple media outlets and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • Not to be outdone, safeties Patrick McMorris, Trenton Thompson and linebacker Caden McDonald joined Thomas as first-team all-MW honorees. 
  • In Mattix’s first season on The Mesa in 2020, SDSU finished among the nation’s leaders in total defense (3rd, 283.5), rushing defense (7th, 98.2) and passing efficiency defense (11th, 115.19), topping the Mountain West in those respective categories. Additionally, the Aztecs found themselves among the FBS elite in opponent  third-down conversion percentage (6th, .298) team tackles for loss (8th, 8.1) and scoring defense (11th, 17.80), all of which ranked second in the conference last year.
  • Individually, SDSU had eight defenders garner all-MW accolades under Mattix’s direction in 2020, including first-teamers Cameron Thomas (DE/DT), Caden McDonald (LB), Darren Hall (CB) and Tariq Thompson (S), while Keshawn Banks (DE), Jonah Tavai (DT), Tayler Hawkins (CB) and Dwayne Johnson Jr. (S) received honorable mention.      
  • Following the season, Mattix was nominated for the 2020 Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches.

Previous Coaching Experience

  • Mattix arrived in “America’s Finest City” after serving a four-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Eastern Kentucky from 2016-19.   
  • During his tenure at EKU , the Colonels ranked 24th in FCS play in defensive pass efficiency (120.4), 36th in defensive rush avg. (4.0) and 38th in total defense (360.9) 
  • EKU was particularly impressive on defense over his final two seasons, ranking as one of the top units in the Ohio Valley Conference.
  • The 2019 Colonel defense led the OVC in third down percentage (.310, 5th in FCS), fourth down percentage (.333, 7th in FCS), red zone percentage (.700, 11th in FCS), tackles for loss per game (7.9, 13th in FCS) and first downs allowed (205, 18th in FCS), while ranking second in scoring defense (20.6, 15th in FCS), rush defense (119.1, 15th in FCS) and total defense (325.3, 16th in FCS).
  • Not to be outdone, EKU held its opponents to under 100 yards rushing six times during the 2019 campaign, including two outstanding efforts when the Colonels yielded just two yards against Tennessee Tech and 22 yards against Murray State.
  • Under Mattix’s guidance, EKU lineman Aaron Patrick was selected as the 2019 OVC Defensive Player of the Year, was a first team All-American and a finalist for the national defensive player of the year award. Patrick and fellow lineman Taquan Evans also earned all-conference recognition. 
  • In 2018, Mattix’s defense helped the Colonels finish 7-4 and in third place in the OVC. EKU ranked second in the league in scoring defense and third in total defense. Eastern Kentucky also finished fifth in the nation with 19 interceptions, 12 more than the team recorded in 2017.
  • Individually, three defensive players picked up All-OVC honors at the end of the season - Leodis Moore III (first team), Patrick (first team) and Cornelius Floyd (second team), while three were earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors during the 2018 campaign.
  • In his first season at EKU in 2016, Mattix coached a defense that allowed fewer passing yards than any Colonel team since 2009 and fewer passing touchdowns (12) than any of the program’s defenses since 2005 (9). The EKU defense led the OVC and was sixth in the country with 13 fumbles recovered. The Colonels were also 16th in the nation with three defensive touchdowns and 25th with 23 forced turnovers.
  • The EKU defense improved in Mattix’s second season in 2017, allowing 62 fewer yards and 4.0 fewer points per game. Additionally, the Colonels allowed 571 fewer rushing yards and 112 fewer yards, while ranking first in the league and eighth in FCS with 13 fumbles recovered.
  • In 2017, Luder Jean Louis and Kobie Grace each garnered second-team All-OVC recognition. Jean Louis led the OVC and was ninth in the country in sacks, and ranked second in the OVC and 16th in FCS in tackles for a loss. Grace, meanwhile, led the nation in fumbles recovered, and was second in the league and 18th nationally in fumbles forced.
  • Prior to his stint at Eastern Kentucky, Mattix was the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at his alma mater Valparaiso University during the 2015 campaign, 
  • In his lone season on the Crusaders’ staff, Mattix helped linebacker  Alex Green garner first-team All-Pioneer Football League accolades.
  • Mattix moved to Valparaiso after spending four seasons (2011-14) as the defensive quality control coach at Michigan under the tutelage of Brady Hoke, where he worked with the defensive line and linebackers, and assisted in all aspects of special teams.
  • In 2009 and 2010, Mattix coached the tight ends at Ball State.
  • Mattix began his coaching career as an assistant at Portage High School (1998-99). He soon entered the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at Trine University (2000) and Anderson University (2001) before accepting a graduate assistant position at Ball State during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Playing Experience

  • Mattix played two seasons at the University of Indianapolis (1994-95) before finishing his collegiate career at Valparaiso (1996-98).

Education

  • Mattix earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education at Valparaiso in 1999.