Matt Entz

Entz in 2019
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Fresno State
Conference	MW
Record	0–0
Biographical details
Born	(1972-10-09) October 9, 1972 (age 52) Waterloo, Iowa, U.S.
Alma mater	Wartburg College (1995)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1998	Illinois College (DC)
1999–2001	Wayne State (NE) (AHC/LB)
2002–2009	Winona State (AHC/DC/LB)
2010–2011	Northern Iowa (DL)
2012	Northern Iowa (DC)
2013	Western Illinois (AHC/DC/DL)
2014–2018	North Dakota State (DC/LB)
2019–2023	North Dakota State
2024	USC (AHC/LB)
2025–present	Fresno State
Head coaching record
Overall	60–11
Tournaments	15–3 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 NCAA Division I FCS (2019, 2021) 2 MVFC (2019, 2021)
Awards
2× MVFC Coach of the Year (2019, 2021) 2x AFCA FCS Coach of the Year (2019, 2021) 3× AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year (2019–2021)

Matthew John Entz (born October 9, 1972) is an American college football coach who is the head football coach at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State), a position he has held since 2025. He also served as the head coach at North Dakota State University from 2019 to 2023. Entz took over from the departing Chris Klieman after Klieman led the 2018 North Dakota State Bison football team to the program's seventh NCAA Division I Football Championship in eight seasons. Entz was the defensive coordinator for the Bison from 2014 until his promotion following the 2018 season. He was the linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defense at the University of Southern California (USC) for the 2024 season.

A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Entz attended Wartburg College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1995 and a master's degree in education and exercise science from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska in 1998.^[1]

After graduating from Wayne State College, Entz began his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Illinois College in 1998. He then joined Wayne State College as their assistant head coach and linebackers coach in 1999.

In 2002, Entz was hired as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Winona State University under head coach Tom Sawyer.

In 2010, Entz was hired by the University of Northern Iowa as their defensive line coach under head coach Chris Klieman. In 2012, Entz was promoted to defensive coordinator.

In 2013, Entz was hired as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Western Illinois University under head coach Bob Nielson.

In 2014, Entz was hired as the defensive coordinator at North Dakota State University, reuniting with head coach Chris Klieman. He would hold this position for five seasons. In 2018, Entz was named as the 31st head coach at North Dakota State University, following Klieman's departure in to become head coach at Kansas State University.^[2] During his five-season tenure as head coach at North Dakota State, Entz led the football program to the playoffs in all five years, ending in two national championships, a runner-up finish, along with a semifinal and quarterfinal appearances. His overall record was 60–11 with a 15–3 playoff record.

On December 10, 2023, Entz was named assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach at the University of Southern California (USC) under head coach Lincoln Riley.^[3] He remained at NDSU for the remainder of the 2023 playoff run which ended the next Saturday at Montana in the FCS semifinals.

On December 4, 2024, Entz was named the 23rd head coach at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State).^[4][5]

Entz and his wife, Brenda, have two sons: Kellen and Konner.^[1] Entz is a Christian.^[6]

• North Dakota State profile