University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Football Coach/OLBs/Special Teams Coordinator
Matt Powledge is in his second season as an assistant coach with the Louisiana football program and serves as an outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
During the 2018 season, Powledge helped guided Louisiana’s outside linebackers and special team’s efforts. His top-performing outside backer was Justin Middleton, who finished third on the team with 67 tackles, 4.0 TFL and 1.0 sack in route to All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention recognition. Terik Miller also played a major role in 10 appearances, recording 39 tackles.
The Ragin’ Cajuns specialists also had a productive season, as Kyle Pfau went 15-for-18 on field goal attempts, including a 52-yarder in a win against Arkansas State, the program’s 24th all-time. Pfau went on to earn Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt honors. Louisiana’s kickers combined for 18 touchbacks, while punter Rhys Byrns booted six punts for over 50 yards, including a season-best 68-yard effort.
Powledge served as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator for ULM from 2016-17. Under Powledge, ULM ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in 2017 in kickoff returns averaging 25.2 yards per return. Junior Marcus Green led the nation with four return touchdowns during the season while ranking third in FBS in kickoff return average (32.4). The Warhawks also were among the league leaders in field goal percentage and punting.
Prior to ULM, Powledge spent two seasons at Sam Houston State where he led his alma mater to arguably its best special teams season of all-time. The Bearkats ranked atop the Southland Conference leaderboard in four different categories (punt return yards, blocked kicks, special teams scores and PAT percentage). The squad was also one of six teams in the NCAA to block two-plus punts and return two or more for touchdowns.
Powledge also helped lead the Bearkat offense to a No. 1 ranking in the country as well as top-five finishes in scoring offense and rushing.
In 2013, Powledge served as a graduate assistant at Kentucky. While with the Wildcats, Powledge assisted the special teams coordinator with weekly planning and was in charge of film input, breakdowns of weekly opponents and compiling scouting reports among other things.
Powledge’s previous two stops were in the Southland Conference. He was a member of the Northwestern State staff for the 2012 season and mentored Philip Harvey to All-American honors for returning while serving as the running backs and fullbacks coach as well.
Prior to Northwestern State, Powledge served as a graduate assistant from 2010-11 at Southeastern Louisiana. He earned his Master of Arts in Sports Management there while assisting with everyday planning for the opponents.
Powledge was a standout at Sam Houston State from 2005-09, culminating in All-Southland and team captain honors his senior season. He also made the Academic Honor Roll and was invited to the Elite Pro Football Combine.
Playing for coach Mitch Coey at Huntsville (Texas) High School, Powledge was an all-district running back and linebacker and earned area “Red Zone Player of the Year” honors.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston in 2009 and his Master’s degree in sports management from Southeastern Louisiana in 2011.
