SE Missouri hires Matukewicz as football coach

Tom Matukewicz, a veteran coach who spent the past two seasons

as defensive coordinator at Toledo, was introduced Wednesday as the

new head coach at Southeast Missouri State.

The 40-year-old Matukewicz replaces Tony Samuel, who was fired

after coaching the Redhawks to a 31-60 record in eight seasons. He

had two years remaining on a five-year contract when he was let go

Nov. 26.

Matukewicz also was linebackers coach at Toledo, a Mid-American

Conference team that went 7-5 in 2013. Under his guidance, Toledo’s

defense improved to ninth in overall defense from 12th in 2012.

His four-contract at Southeast Missouri provides a base salary

of $130,000 with additional compensation up to $57,000 per

year.

Matukewicz, a native of Silver Lake, Kan., was linebackers coach

at Northern Illinois before joining Toledo in 2012. He served as

interim head coach when NIU beat Fresno State in the 2010

Humanitarian Bowl after head coach Jerry Kill took the top job in

Minnesota.

Matukewicz also coached linebackers under Kill at Southern

Illinois in Carbondale from 2001 to 2007. He was named Football

Championship Subdivision assistant coach of the year in 2007.

Southeast Missouri finished the 2013 season 3-9 overall and 2-6

in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks have had winning

records three times since moving to Division I from Division II in

1991.

Southeast had just one winning season under Samuel, going 9-3 in

2010 and winning the OVC championship. Samuel won the Eddie

Robinson Coach of the Year honor that year, named for the top coach

in Division I’s Football Championship Subdivision.

Matukewicz said Wednesday he was ”thrilled” to get the

Southeast Missouri job.

”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,” he said.

Matukewicz’s coaching resume also includes positions at several

Kansas schools, including Emporia State and Pittsburg State, where

he earned a master’s degree in administration.