Matt Young, who currently serves as the OVC's Coordinator of Football Officiating, has been named the NCAA secretary-rules editor for football this week, effective September 1.

Young, who has worked as a football official for 37 years, including 22 years at the NCAA level, succeeds Steve Shaw, who is retiring from the position. He also serves as the NCAA Football Coordinator of Officials for Division II, where he oversees rule execution, evaluation, and consistency across Division II.

Young has worked with the OVC since March 2017 and will continue in that role.

“I am beyond humbled, grateful and excited to serve as NCAA football secretary-rules editor,” Young said. “The rules of the game impact us all — student-athletes, coaches, officials, commissioners, parents and fans everywhere. I’m looking forward to working collaboratively and diligently in the trenches with so many others to ensure fairness, promote player safety and improve the accuracy and consistency of officiating. This can be accomplished applying our greatest time-honored traditions, embracing new approaches and harnessing tomorrow’s technology for improvement.”

On the field, Young has worked games in the Ohio Valley and Sun Belt Conferences as well as the Mid-South Conference, Arena Football League 2 and the National Indoor Football League. He was assigned to officiate the 2009 Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national title game.

Young is a longtime and decorated high school football official in Kentucky, including being named the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Official of the Year in 2006.

Since 2011, Young has worked as a chaplain for the Newport Fire/EMS Department in Newport, Kentucky.  He also serves as the Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport.