• Complete Southeast Missouri Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt introduced
Tom Matukewicz as the new head football coach at Southeast Missouri State University Wednesday.
Matukewicz spent the last two years as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Toledo.
"We are so fortunate to hire Tom Matukewicz as our head football coach. Tom has been very successful in his coaching career and was very instrumental in transforming Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois into perennial winners," said Alnutt.
"More importantly, he has mentored football student-athletes to be successful off the field and in the classroom. He truly believes in our mission of providing a first class collegiate experience for our student-athletes through academic excellence, social development and competitive success. Tom, along with his wife, Lenna, and daughters, Georgia and Shelby, will be great additions to the Southeast family and the community."
Matukewicz, the 13th head football coach in Southeast history, agreed to a four-year contract which will run through January 31, 2018. He will earn a base salary of $130,000 with additional compensation up to $57,000 per year. In addition, Matukewicz will have an opportunity to receive performance incentives as agreed upon by the Director of Athletics.
"I am thrilled to be the new head football coach here at Southeast!," said Matukewicz. "I feel like I am well-prepared for this opportunity and look forward to making a difference not only in this football program, but in this region."
Also known as "Coach Tuke," Matukewicz has 17 years of coaching experience, including 12 seasons as a coordinator. His teams have participated in postseason play 10 of the last 11 seasons.
Toledo, which is a member of the Mid-American Conference and Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, went 7-5 this season, but did not get invited to a bowl.
In his first year at Toledo, Matukewicz helped guide a defense that ranked among the top 25 in the nation in fourth-down conversion (9th), red-zone defense (10th), interceptions (18th) and turnovers forced (25th). The Rockets went 9-4 and earned a trip to the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Matukewicz's defense also featured the nation's leading tackler in senior linebacker Dan Molls. Molls had 166 tackles, earned First-Team All-MAC honors and became Toledo's first Academic All-American in eight years.
Prior to that, Matukewicz coached at Northern Illinois from 2008-11, where he helped lead the Huskies to the MAC West title in 2010 and an outright MAC Championship in 2011. Matukewicz was the linebackers coach in 2011 after serving as defensive run-game coordinator the previous three seasons under then-head coach Jerry Kill.
Matukewicz served as interim head coach for the Huskies' appearance in the 2010 Humanitarian Bowl after Kill accepted the Minnesota job at the end of the season. He led the Huskies to a commanding 40-17 victory over Fresno State.
Matukewicz was responsible for coordinating the Huskies' run defense during his first three seasons at Northern Illinois. In 2010, NIU ranked 24th nationally and third in the MAC in rushing defense, allowing 126.5 yards per game. NIU also had the MAC's No. 1 total defense in 2008 and 2009.
In his first year in DeKalb, Matukewicz was part of a staff which turned the Huskies into the No. 1 scoring and total defense in the MAC, and one of the top 20 units in the country. NIU boasted the second-most improved scoring defense in the nation in 2008. That season, the Huskies allowed 18 points per game, down from 30.8 the year before. NIU ranked 17th nationally in total defense and was fifth in the country in pass defense.
Matukewicz spent seven seasons at Southern Illinois with Kill from 2001-07. He was named the 2007 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association after helping turn the Salukis into one of the top rushing defenses in the country. SIU held its opponents to a rushing average below 135 yards per game every year from 2002-07 as the Salukis had three of the top-10 rushing defenses in program history during that time.
Matukewicz's 2004 linebacker corps formed the heart of a defense which gave up only 101.7 rushing yards per game, led the nation in scoring defense and allowed 13.2 points per contest.
Before coaching at SIU, Matukewicz was the defensive line coach at Emporia State, where he also had responsibilities as the marketing and promotions director. In addition, he made stops at Butler Community College, Coffeyville Community College and Pittsburg State.
Matukewicz, a native of Silver Lake, Kan. Completed his undergraduate work at Fort Hays State, receiving his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1997. He then earned his master's degree in administration at Pittsburg State.
Matukewicz and his wife, Lenna, have two daughters, Georgia (6) and Shelby (1).