WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioLouie Matsakis Named Special Teams Coordinator/RBs Coach

Louie Matsakis Named Special Teams Coordinator/RBs Coach

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Youngstown State Head Football Coach Eric Wolford announced on Wednesday that Louie Matsakis has joined the Penguins' coaching staff as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Matsakis, a Shadyside, Ohio, native, spent the past three years in the same capacity at Kansas.

Wolford initially meet Matsakis during his first coaching job at Emporia State. Matsakis was the team's placekicker and punter while Wolford was on the coaching staff.

"I am very excited to have special teams coordinator with Louie's experience on staff to guide those units," Wolford said. "He is one of the young and upcoming coaches in our profession and we are very fortunate to have him at Youngstown State. He will recruit the Columbus and Eastern Ohio area for us. He's been at two programs that have experienced success and has an impressive track record coaching running backs."

Matsakis spent five of the past six seasons with Kansas. From 2007-09 he was the Jayhawks' running backs coach and oversaw the special teams units. In 2004-05 he was a quality control coach.

Last season, KU had a freshman running back lead the program in rushing for the first time since 2002 when Toben Opurum had a team-high 554 yards while scoring nine touchdowns. The Jayhawks averaged 41.3 yards per punt and made 13 field goals during the campaign. Individually, placekicker Jacob Branstetter drilled a 57-yard field goal against Oklahoma while punter Alonso Rojas was a candidate for the Ray Guy Award.

In 2008, KU running back Jake Sharp earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors finishing the year with 860 yards and 12 touchdowns. Sharp also became the first running back in school history to record 100 yards receiving in a game when he had 107 versus Iowa State. Branstetter set a school record with 49 consecutive PATs made and Rojas averaged 40.7 yards per punt. KU's punt return unit ranked 26th nationally averaging 11.58 yards per return.

In 2007, running back Brandon McAnderson rushed for 1,125 yards, while Sharp added 821, as the Jayhawks produced a potent one-two punch. The KU offense averaged 188.8 yards rushing while scoring 30 touchdowns. KU ranked second in the Big 12 and seventh in the NCAA in kickoff returns averaging 25.21 per return. He coached one of the greatest kickers in school history in Scott Webb. Webb drilled 18-of-26 field-goal attempts and 66 of 67 PATs on the season. Kick returner Marcus Herford was named the Big 12 Specialist of the Year after ranking second in the conference with a 28.6 yards per return average. Herford returned two kickoffs for touchdowns during the season.

At Capital in 2006, Matsakis was the special teams coordinator. He coached All-American and first-team all-league placekicker Matt Spitz and tutored the first-team all-conference punt returner, Thom Hausler. The Crusaders set a school record for wins in a season with 11.

In his first stint at Kansas from 2004-05, Matsakis assisted with the day-to-day operations and game planning alongside the special teams coordinator.

Matsakis served as the special teams coordinator on the FCS level for Texas State in 2003 for his brother Manny. At Texas State, Matsakis developed All-Southland Conference punter Cory Elolf, who was ranked seventh nationally and first in the Southland in punting average (43.4 yards per punt). He also worked extensively with the Bobcat offense, which finished first in the conference and seventh nationally in total offense with 443.42 yards per game.

He served as special teams intern at Texas Tech from 2000-02 for Coach Mike Leach. While a member of the Red Raiders' staff, he was part of teams that played in the Tangerine (2002), Alamo (2001) and Galleryfurniture.com (2000) Bowls.

Matsakis was a three-year letterman as a placekicker and punter at Emporia State University from 1995-98. He set the ESU single-season record for most extra points made in a season with 47 and set single-game records with most PATs attempted and made with nine in 1998.