Matt Rahl begins his second year on the staff at Missouri Southern in 2022 and will serve as Offensive Coordinator. Rahl comes to the Lions after serving on the staff at The University of Texas at El Paso the prior two seasons.
In year one calling plays the Lions were led by freshman Dawson Herl and Nathan Glades at quarterback and running back, the offensive line saw four starters that were underclassmen with two freshman starting along with the skill positions being led by seniors with underclassmen getting valuable experience. The Lions scored 21.3 points per game while averaging 137.4 rushing and 206.8 yards passing in a more balanced system than years past.
Herl and Glades had some of the better freshman campaigns in their positions while Brian Boyd Jr. and Keandre Bledsoe were the top targets and set their names in the history books at wide receiver and tight end. Jaedon Stoshak and JarMichael Cooper saw significant time on the field and combined for 51 receptions, 606 yards and five touchdowns as wide receivers. Four Lions were named All-MIAA led by Boyd Jr. being a 3rd team selection.
At UTEP, Rahl was promoted to offensive quality control/assistant offensive line coach for the 2019 season. Previously, Rahl served as the recruiting coordinator/special teams quality control for the Miners (2018), assisting with all phases of special teams and overseeing all aspects of the Miners recruiting.
Prior to UTEP, Rahl spent four seasons at McKendree University as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Rahl, in the summer of 2017, also became the associate head coach for McKendree. During Rahl’s tenure as Offensive Coordinator at Mckendree the Bearcats established 13 GLVC conference Individual and Team Offensive records.
In 2017, the Bearcats averaged 29.4 points per game, scoring 323 points during a 7-4 campaign. McKendree averaged 345.6 yards of total offense per game, 164.0 yards rushing per game and 181.6 passing yards per game. The rushing attack found the end zone 18 times, while the field generals combined for 13 passing scores and only five interceptions on 315 pass attempts. The Bearcats offense only surrendered nine sacks (.82 per game) during the season.
McKendree running back Shayeen Edwards led the Bearcats with 1,035 rushing yards and 10 scores. Quarterback Reese Metcalf led the Bearcats in all passing categories, throwing for 1,902 yards on 184-of-292 passing, 13 scores and only four interceptions. Wide receiver Jalyn Williams led the Bearcats in receptions (45), receiving yards (596) and tied for the team lead with four receiving scores. Wide receiver Josh Revay tallied 449 yards on 32 receptions (14.0 avg.) and four scores, while tight end Zack Bobos (17 rec., 122 yards) hauled in three scores.
In 2016, Rahl helped guide the McKendree offense through some early-season injuries to a unit that found its footing over the last half of the season. During the Bearcats' season-ending five-game win streak, the McKendree offense put up more than 38 points per game and topped the 40-point mark three times during that stretch. The Bearcats finished fifth in the league in total offense while overcoming injuries at the quarterback position. Four different players earned a start as McKendree's signal-caller in 2016.
The offensive numbers escalated at a record pace for the McKendree football team in 2015. Under Rahl's guidance, the Bearcats set a new team standard for total offense for a second straight year. The 2015 team amassed 4,873 yards in just 10 games on its way to leading the GLVC in total offense. McKendree was eighth among all NCAA Division II programs in total offense with its 487.3 yard per game average. The Bearcats also topped another team record with 388 points scored, and the 38.8 PPG standard was good for 18th in NCAA Division II.
Isaac Fisher put the finishing touches on the most prolific career ever at McKendree on his way to becoming the first offensive player in school history to garner GLVC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Fisher -- who threw for a school-record six touchdowns in the 2015 season opener at West Liberty University -- led the conference by averaging 359.5 yards per game in total offense, was second in passing offense at 279.2 YPG and finished third in the league in rushing offense with 808 yards on the ground. He accounted for 30 total touchdowns (21 passing, nine rushing) in his final season in a McKendree uniform while placing in the top 10 in NCAA Division II in total offense, completion percentage (.688) and completions per game (24.3). Fisher closed his Bearcats' career in eight different statistical categories, including 10,257 yards of total offense, 8,508 passing yards and 64 TD passes.
For his efforts in helping the McKendree offense record its eye-popping numbers in 2015, Rahl was a finalist for the FootballScoop.com Division II National Coordinator of the Year award.
In Rahl's first season at McKendree in 2014, the Bearcats' spread offense evolved into one of the most prolific offensive units in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. McKendree set new program records in nearly every passing category, with quarterbacks combining for 276 completions on 446 attempts for 2,749 yards through the air. The Bearcats also tied a team record with 19 touchdown passes. As a team, McKendree finished in the top third of the GLVC in total offense (428.4 YPG), passing offense (249.9 YPG) and scoring offense (30.1 points per game).
Under Rahl's leadership, McKendree also set new game records for most plays (93 at Southwest Baptist) as well as pass attempts and completions (34-for-58 versus Saint Joseph's). The Bearcats' offense was extremely efficient during the team's season-ending, five-game win streak. McKendree averaged 41 points and just over 512 yards per contest during that final five-game span in 2014. The Bearcats topped the 500-yard mark in total offense in three of the five games.
Rahl joined the McKendree program after spending five years at the University of Wyoming. He served the Cowboys’ staff in a variety of capacities. In 2013, Rahl was the program’s director of recruiting, where he was responsible for all facets of the role including budgeting and the implementation of a year-round recruiting program. Under Rahl’s guidance, Wyoming boasted the highest-rated recruiting class in the program’s history.
Prior to that, Rahl was the Cowboys’ defensive line coach from 2011-12 and also served as the recruiting coordinator. He guided a group that helped Wyoming rank second in the NCAA in forced turnovers and ninth in turnover margin. He also assisted with Wyoming’s special teams unit, which twice ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in punt return average. In the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Rahl served as the Cowboys' first-ever director of recruiting, in which Wyoming saw unprecedented success in its recruiting efforts.
During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Rahl served as a graduate assistant the University of Missouri. Rahl helped coach the Tigers’ offensive line. In Rahl’s two seasons at Missouri, the team ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense, scoring offense and passing offense. In 2008, the offensive line paved the way for running back Tony Temple, who registered the Cotton Bowl single game rushing record.
From 2003 through the 2006 season, Rahl coached at Winona State University in Minnesota. He began his experience with the Warriors as a graduate assistant in 2003-04, where he tutored the team’s tight ends. For his last two seasons at Winona State, Rahl served as the Warriors’ offensive line coach and special teams coordinator.
Rahl began his coaching day as a student assistant at his alma mater, Missouri Southern State University. Rahl helped coach the Lions’ tight ends and offensive line during the 2002 season.
A native of Union, Mo., Rahl graduated from Missouri Southern State in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education after playing tight end from 1999-2001. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in educational leadership from Winona State in 2005. Rahl and his wife Carrie have three children: Hattie, Maggie and Locke.
COACHING HISTORY
2020: Missouri Southern (Offensive Coordinator)
2019: UTEP (Offensive Quality Control)
2018: UTEP (Recruiting Coordinator)
2017: McKendree (Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator)
2014-17: McKendree (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
2013: Wyoming (Director of Recruiting)
2011-12: Wyoming (Director of Recruiting/Defensive Line Coach)
2009-2010: Wyoming (Director of Recruiting)
2007-08: Missouri (Graduate Assistant)
2005-06: Winona State (Offensive Line Coach/Special Teams Coordinator)
2003-04: Winona State (Graduate Assistant)
2002: Missouri Southern State University (Student Assistant/Assisted with Tight Ends & Offensive Line)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1999-2001: Missouri Southern State University (Tight End)
