CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian College Director of Athletics Dee Nichols has named Matt Rahl as the 18^th head football coach in program history, announced on Monday morning.

Rahl – who holds 24 years of experience as an assistant coach, including three FBS programs – has served as PC's offensive line coach, run game coordinator, and offensive recruiting coordinator for the past two seasons. He takes over a program that reached new heights in 2025 with his guidance, helping the Blue Hose post a 16-8 record since arriving.

Presbyterian will host an introductory press conference for Rahl next Monday, January 5 at 1:00 PM. The event will be held at the Ross E. Templeton Center.

"We are proud to welcome our new head coach to the PC family, even though he is no stranger to the program," commented Nichols. "Matt has been an integral part of our success over the last two seasons. He is an individual who values character, accountability, and team culture as much as wins on the field.

"Matt's commitment to our student-athletes, our college, and our community makes him the right leader at the right time for Blue Hose Football. We believe he will lead the team to continued success and we are greatly looking forward to this program's future."

"Coach Rahl will continue Blue Hose Football's winning tradition with a focus on his players' academic excellence and character development," remarked PC President Dr. Anita Gustafson. "He is the right man to take the helm of our football program, and I am excited about the future of Blue Hose Football."

Rahl developed the PC offensive line to record numbers in 2025, setting a new single-season school record with 2,124 rushing yards as the Blue Hose achieved their third-ever 10-win campaign. Presbyterian reached as high as #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, another all-time best.

"I am extremely honored and thankful to be named the Head Football Coach at Presbyterian," Rahl said. "I'm truly grateful to Dee Nichols, Dr. Anita Gustafson, and the PC administration for their belief in me to lead this program.

"I cannot wait to get back to campus with our team and begin to work towards our goals! Go Blue Hose! Win Today!"






 
Presbyterian (2024-Present)

 
- Rahl's elevation to Head Coach at PC can be traced back to the team's extraordinary 2025 journey, a season that saw a school-record 11-game winning streak and numerous program milestones.

- The Blue Hose won their final four contests of the 2024 season by an average of 18 points per game, carrying that momentum to a 7-0 start the following year. PC was included in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and Stats Perform national rankings simultaneously for six consecutive weeks, the longest stretch for any team in the Pioneer Football League since 2009.

- PC rushed for 26 total touchdowns last season, ranking 16^th in FCS with an average of 34 points per game. The Blue Hose produced 417 total yards per game (27^th nationally) and also ranked inside the FCS top 30 in fewest sacks allowed.

- Eleven Presbyterian players were voted all-conference last month – another program record – with six of them on the offensive end. Quarterback Collin Hurst was a finalist for the FCS Walter Payton Award and was chosen as the PFL Offensive Player of the Year. Tight end Nathan Levicki was also named a Second-Team All-American by Stats Perform and FCS Football Central.

- PC went undefeated at Bailey Memorial Stadium last fall, the first time that they'd managed a full season without a home loss since 1998 (minimum six games). Dating back to 2024, Presby has won eight in a row on their home turf.


 
Missouri Southern State (2020-23)

 
- Prior to joining the staff at PC, Rahl spent four seasons at his alma mater, Missouri Southern State University, where he was the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator.

- The Lions improved their overall record in each of Rahl's last three years calling plays, ranking seventh in Division II for fewest sacks allowed in 2023.

- Running back Nathan Glades and tight end Deontay Campbell were both named Second Team All-MIAA in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

- Rahl's final game as a Missouri Southern staff member was a 47-41 overtime victory versus #19 Missouri Western. Opponents only reached three tackles-for-a-loss per game against Rahl's offense, the second-fewest in Division II.


 
UTEP (2018-19)

 
- Rahl was hired to his third Football Bowl Subdivision school before rejoining Missouri Southern, becoming the Recruiting Coordinator and later Offensive Quality Control at the University of Texas at El Paso.

- In two years with the Miners, Rahl assisted all phases of special teams and oversaw all aspects of UTEP recruiting. In 2019, UTEP ranked inside the FBS top 15 in fewest penalty yards per game and blocked four field goal attempts throughout the year (10^th nationally).


 
McKendree (2014-17)

 
- Prior to UTEP, Rahl spent four seasons as the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach at McKendree University in Illinois. Before his last year with the Bearcats, he was promoted to Associate Head Coach.

- McKendree posted a 16-5 combined record in back-to-back campaigns with Rahl directing the offense, establishing 13 GLVC individual and team records along the way.

- Taking over a program that had endured three straight losing seasons before his arrival, Rahl engineered a dramatic statistical turnaround and was named a finalist for the FootballScoop.com Division II National Coordinator of the Year award in 2015.

- That year, the Bearcats stacked up 489 offensive yards per game, good enough to rank eighth in the country. They lost only 10 turnovers in 10 games (the fourth-fewest in all of D-II) and registered 39 points per contest.

- In 2016, McKendree closed the season with five consecutive victories while surpassing 40 points in three of those affairs. They realized eight wins for the second time in as many years despite shifting through four different starting quarterbacks due to injury.


 
Wyoming (2009-13)

 
- Before his profitable tenure at McKendree, Rahl was a member of Wyoming's staff in the Mountain West Conference over a period of five seasons. He served as the Cowboys' recruiting coordinator over the duration of his time there, as well as a two-year stint coaching the defensive line.

- Wyoming's first season with Rahl on the sideline ended with a victory in the 2009 New Mexico Bowl over Fresno State (35-28). The Cowboys became bowl-eligible with a one-point win at Colorado State in the regular season finale.

- Two years later (2011), Wyoming garnered eight regular-season wins for the first time since 1998 and would return to the New Mexico Bowl once more. In his only instance coaching the defensive side of the ball, Rahl's Cowboys ranked second in FBS for most turnovers forced and ninth in turnover margin.

- When Rahl was hired at Wyoming, he became the program's first-ever director of recruiting. By the time he departed for McKendree, Wyoming had witnessed its highest-ranked recruiting class in school history.


 
Missouri (2007-08)

 
- Rahl was given his first job at an FBS institution at the University of Missouri under legendary head coach Gary Pinkel. The Tigers achieved humongous success in the two years that Rahl was a Graduate Assistant, posting a combined record of 22-6.

- Beginning the 2007 season outside the AP top 25, Missouri ended up with 12 total victories to set a then-program record. After defeating second-ranked Kansas 36-28 in the regular season finale, the Tigers would be granted the #1 AP ranking for the first time since 1960.

- Missouri won the Big 12 North Division in both of Rahl's seasons there, thus qualifying for the Conference Championship Game on both occasions. They won the 2007 Cotton Bowl over #25 Arkansas (38-7) and were also the victors of the 2008 Alamo Bowl against #22 Northwestern (30-23 in overtime).

- The Tigers ranked in the NCAA top ten in total offense and scoring offense over this period, while running back Tony Temple set a Cotton Bowl single-game record with 281 rushing yards along with four touchdowns.


 
Winona State (2003-06)

 
- Before climbing up the ranks at Missouri, Rahl spent four seasons with the D-II Winona State Warriors in Minnesota and contributed to a 38-10 record over that stretch. He started with a GA position, before later being promoted to coaching the offensive line and special teams.

- Winona State qualified for the Division II Playoffs in three of Rahl's four seasons, going on four separate winning streaks of at least five games.

- In the 2004 season, the Warriors averaged a whopping 43 points per game to close the regular season with eight straight wins. They would one-up those numbers the following year, putting up 47 points per game during a seven-game window.


 
Beginnings at Missouri Southern State (1999-2002)

 
- A native of Union, Mo., Rahl enrolled at Missouri Southern State as a tight end and suited up for three seasons at the turn of the century. He spent the 2002 season as a student assistant coach, working with the offensive line and tight end groups as he moved towards his college diploma.

- He would receive a bachelor's degree in physical education from Missouri Southern in 2003, going on to earn a master's in educational leadership from Winona State in 2005.
 
- Matt and his wife Carrie have three children: Hattie, Maggie, and Locke.


 
THE RAHL PORTFOLIO

 
2024-25: Presbyterian (Offensive Line + Run Game Coordinator + Offensive Recruiting)

2021-23: Missouri Southern State (Associate Head Coach + Offensive Coordinator)

2020: Missouri Southern State (Associate Head Coach + Offensive Coordinator + Offensive Line)

2019: UTEP (Offensive Quality Control)

2018: UTEP (Recruiting Coordinator)

2017: McKendree (Associate Head Coach + Offensive Coordinator)

2014-16: McKendree (Offensive Coordinator + Offensive Line)

2009-10, 2013: Wyoming (Recruiting Coordinator)

2011-12: Wyoming (Recruiting Coordinator + Defensive Line)

2007-08: Missouri (Graduate Assistant)

2005-06: Winona State (Offensive Line + Special Teams Coordinator)

2003-04: Winona State (Graduate Assistant)

2002: Missouri Southern State (Student Assistant)


 
PLAYING EXPERIENCE

1999-01: Missouri Southern State (Tight End)