Louie Matsakis Named Caldwell University Sprint Football Head Coach

Louie Matsakis, who served as assistant coach at the University of Kentucky for seven years, has been named head coach of Caldwell University Sprint Football, it was announced today by Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Mark A. Corino. Matsakis becomes the program’s third head coach as it enters its eighth year competing in the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) in 2024.

Matsakis served as special teams analyst for Kentucky from 2016-2022. There he coordinated all aspects of the program’s outstanding special teams unit, which in 2019 led the NCAA in net punting yards and featured Ray Guy Award winner Max Duffy. During Matsakis’s tenure, the Wildcats advanced to seven consecutive bowl games, winning four straight. His special teams were a big part of that run, including two punt returns for TD in 2018, 11 blocked kicks and six special teams touchdowns.

“We are fortunate to have someone with the background and connections within college football of Louie Matsakis to take our sprint football program to the top of the CSFL,” said Corino. “He has coached at the highest levels of the collegiate game, and we were even more impressed with him as a person, his passion for the game, and his commitment to the success of our student-athletes. We welcome Coach Louie and Cori and their three children to the Caldwell University family.”

“This is an exciting time for me and my family, and I’m looking forward to getting to work right away in building on the success that the Caldwell University Sprint Football program has experienced,” said Matsakis, who will also serve as an athletics administrator for the department. “I have spent a lot of time recruiting the New Jersey prep scene, and I’m confident that we can attract many of the best student-athletes in the region and bring the program to even further heights on and off the field.”

Prior to his time at Kentucky, the Shadyside, Ohio, native performed various roles at three stints totaling seven years at the University of Kansas, the final of which was as chief of staff and director of player personnel for the Jayhawks. He also worked in several capacities at Youngstown State University, Capital (Ohio) University, Texas State University and Texas Tech University, where he began his coaching career under Mike Leach after graduating from Emporia State (Kan.) University with a B.S. in Finance in 2000. He also earned an MA in Christian Ministry from Liberty University.

“Louie will be a great head coach,” said Mark Stoops, University of Kentucky Head Coach. “He was instrumental in the development of our players during his time on my staff at Kentucky, specifically with special teams. The players loved him and with his knowledge of the game, Caldwell will be in good hands.”

Matsakis takes over Caldwell University Sprint Football following the retirement of Jim Kelly, who led the Cougars for the past six years. The Cougars compiled back-to-back 5-2 seasons and CSFL North Division second place finishes during Kelly’s time at Caldwell. In the last three years, CU has gone 12-8 (.600).

In addition to having recruited extensively in New Jersey, Matsakis has a further connection to the state: his brother Jim is the head coach at Jefferson High School in Morris County.

Matsakis and his wife Cori have three children: sons Michael, 16, and Nicholas, 14, and daughter Maia, 12.