Matt Powledge Joins Lanning's Staff As Co-Defensive Coordinator
12/17/21 | Football
EUGENE, Ore. — Head coach Dan Lanning announced the hiring of Matt Powledge as Oregon football's new co-defensive coordinator on Friday.
Powledge is the second addition to Lanning's 2022 coaching staff, joining offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kenny Dillingham.
"I am excited to announce the addition of Matt Powledge as co-defensive coordinator," Lanning said. "Matt adds strong credentials and has a deep understanding of what it takes to win. Most recently, he served an integral role in a Big 12 championship team at Baylor, where he coached the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He previously was instrumental in the fantastic turnaround at Louisiana under Billy Napier. Most of all, Matt is deeply respected in the coaching profession because he cares about the young men he coaches and leads them to success. Duck Nation, join me in warmly welcoming Matt and his fiancée, Karina, to Eugene."
Powledge comes to Oregon after spending the last two seasons as Baylor's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. He has also been the special teams coordinator for Sam Houston State (2014-15), Louisiana Monroe (2016-17), and Louisiana (2018-19).
"I am humbled and extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve on the University of Oregon football staff under Coach Lanning," Powledge said. "I have long admired Coach Lanning and his leadership approach. When you add the tradition of the Oregon Ducks and the strong commitment by its leadership team, this is a special opportunity. My fiancée, Karina, and I are excited to arrive in Eugene. I can't wait to begin working with the outstanding young men in the Oregon program. Go Ducks!"
Powledge helped Baylor go 11-2 and win the Big 12 Championship this season, earning a berth in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Under Powledge's tutelage, safety Jalen Pitre earned consensus all-America and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the conference with 17.5 tackles for loss. He finished with 70 total tackles and added three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
Pitre was also a finalist for the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in the nation. In 2020, Powledge coached Pitre to an All-Big 12 first-team selection while fellow safeties Christian Morgan and JT Woods each had three interceptions to earn all-conference honorable mention recognition.
Kick returner Trestan Ebner was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in each of his two seasons with Powledge as the special teams coordinator, earning consensus second-team all-America honors in 2020. He racked up 603 total return yards with a 98-yard return for a touchdown in 2021, and he became the first player in Baylor's modern history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same game in a standout performance vs. Kansas in 2020.
Powledge went to Baylor from Louisiana, where he worked as the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2018 and 2019. While in Lafayette, Powledge coached six All-Sun Belt performers and helped the Rajin' Cajuns to back-to-back Sun Belt West Division titles.
Powledge helped head coach Billy Napier and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts lead the Rajin' Cajuns to the program's first-ever 10-win season in 2018. In 2019, Powledge's special teams unit ranked first or second in the league in kickoff return defense, kickoff returns, and net punting, and he helped outside linebacker Joe Dillon earn second-team all-SBC honors.
The tight ends coach and special teams coordinator at ULM in 2016 and 2017, Powledge coached kick returner Marcus Green to a stellar season before departing for Louisiana. Green ran four kickoffs back for touchdowns in 2017 while averaging 32.4 yards per return.
A Sam Houston State alum, Powledge returned to his alma mater as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator in 2014 and 2015. He coached five players to all-Southland first- or second-team honors, with two special teams players earning all-America honors after the 2014 season. The Bearkats were one of just six teams in the country in 2014 to block multiple punts and return two or more for touchdowns.
Powledge made his coaching debut as a graduate assistant at Southeastern Louisiana in 2010 before taking over as tight ends coach in 2011. He went to Northwestern State as the running backs coach in 2012, and was a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 2013 before returning to Sam Houston State.
A native of Huntsville, Texas, Powledge played fullback at Sam Houston State (2005-09) and was a team captain and all-Southland honoree as a senior. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2009.
Powledge is the second addition to Lanning's 2022 coaching staff, joining offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kenny Dillingham.
"I am excited to announce the addition of Matt Powledge as co-defensive coordinator," Lanning said. "Matt adds strong credentials and has a deep understanding of what it takes to win. Most recently, he served an integral role in a Big 12 championship team at Baylor, where he coached the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He previously was instrumental in the fantastic turnaround at Louisiana under Billy Napier. Most of all, Matt is deeply respected in the coaching profession because he cares about the young men he coaches and leads them to success. Duck Nation, join me in warmly welcoming Matt and his fiancée, Karina, to Eugene."
Powledge comes to Oregon after spending the last two seasons as Baylor's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. He has also been the special teams coordinator for Sam Houston State (2014-15), Louisiana Monroe (2016-17), and Louisiana (2018-19).
"I am humbled and extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve on the University of Oregon football staff under Coach Lanning," Powledge said. "I have long admired Coach Lanning and his leadership approach. When you add the tradition of the Oregon Ducks and the strong commitment by its leadership team, this is a special opportunity. My fiancée, Karina, and I are excited to arrive in Eugene. I can't wait to begin working with the outstanding young men in the Oregon program. Go Ducks!"
Powledge helped Baylor go 11-2 and win the Big 12 Championship this season, earning a berth in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Under Powledge's tutelage, safety Jalen Pitre earned consensus all-America and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the conference with 17.5 tackles for loss. He finished with 70 total tackles and added three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
Pitre was also a finalist for the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in the nation. In 2020, Powledge coached Pitre to an All-Big 12 first-team selection while fellow safeties Christian Morgan and JT Woods each had three interceptions to earn all-conference honorable mention recognition.
Kick returner Trestan Ebner was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in each of his two seasons with Powledge as the special teams coordinator, earning consensus second-team all-America honors in 2020. He racked up 603 total return yards with a 98-yard return for a touchdown in 2021, and he became the first player in Baylor's modern history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same game in a standout performance vs. Kansas in 2020.
Powledge went to Baylor from Louisiana, where he worked as the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2018 and 2019. While in Lafayette, Powledge coached six All-Sun Belt performers and helped the Rajin' Cajuns to back-to-back Sun Belt West Division titles.
Powledge helped head coach Billy Napier and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts lead the Rajin' Cajuns to the program's first-ever 10-win season in 2018. In 2019, Powledge's special teams unit ranked first or second in the league in kickoff return defense, kickoff returns, and net punting, and he helped outside linebacker Joe Dillon earn second-team all-SBC honors.
The tight ends coach and special teams coordinator at ULM in 2016 and 2017, Powledge coached kick returner Marcus Green to a stellar season before departing for Louisiana. Green ran four kickoffs back for touchdowns in 2017 while averaging 32.4 yards per return.
A Sam Houston State alum, Powledge returned to his alma mater as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator in 2014 and 2015. He coached five players to all-Southland first- or second-team honors, with two special teams players earning all-America honors after the 2014 season. The Bearkats were one of just six teams in the country in 2014 to block multiple punts and return two or more for touchdowns.
Powledge made his coaching debut as a graduate assistant at Southeastern Louisiana in 2010 before taking over as tight ends coach in 2011. He went to Northwestern State as the running backs coach in 2012, and was a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 2013 before returning to Sam Houston State.
A native of Huntsville, Texas, Powledge played fullback at Sam Houston State (2005-09) and was a team captain and all-Southland honoree as a senior. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2009.
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