PHILADELPHIA - Matt Rhule, who spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach at Western Carolina, including three as assistant head coach, has been named defensive line coach at Temple University by Al Golden. Rhule, who played four seasons at Penn State from 1994-97, arrives in Owl Country with eight seasons of collegiate coaching experience.
"Matt Rhule is second only to Coach DeLeone on the staff in the number of positions he has coached and sheer knowledge of the game," said Golden. "Matt is young, energetic and unselfish. Matt has lived and recruited in Pennsylvania so he satisfies a particular recruiting need for us here in the commonwealth. Matt is the only defensive line coach in the MAC who has also coached the offensive line. This will prove to be a tremendous advantage for both our staff and players as we prepare for our opponents. Coach Rhule brings with him over a decade of excellence in scholarship, professionalism and leadership to North Broad Street. Lastly, I know he and his wife, who is a Williamsport native, are excited about returning to the Keystone State."
Rhule is the fifth former Nittany Lion letterwinner on the football coaching staff, joining Golden (TE, 1989-91), defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio (LB, 1989-91), running backs coach Jeff Nixon (RB, 1996) and offensive graduate assistant Zack Mills (QB, 2001-04).
From 2002 to 2005, Rhule was an assistant at Western Carolina under head coach Kent Briggs, serving as assistant head coach during his last three seasons. In 2005, he was offensive line coach and run game coordinator after directing the linebackers his first three years. Rhule was special teams coordinator through the course of his tenure in Cullowhee (N.C.). This past season, the Catamounts led Division I-AA in kickoff returns, averaging 27.44 yards per return. Sophomore Mike Malone earned first team All-Southern Conference honors with a 31.29 yards per kickoff return average, ranking second nationally. Two offensive linemen and the team's punter captured second team all-league accolades.
In 2004, WCU ranked 12th nationally in total defense and 15th in pass defense, largely due to the production of Rhule's linebacker corps. The team's top five tacklers were linebackers in its eight man front scheme. In 2003, the Catamounts led the SoCon in rush defense for the first time in school history.
Rhule arrived at Western Carolina after serving as assistant defensive line coach at UCLA in 2001. He assisted in coaching five Bruins that earned All Pac-10 honors as the team posted a 7-4 record under head coach Bob Toledo.
From 1999 to 2000, Rhule served as an assistant coach at Mid-American Conference member Buffalo, directing the Bulls defensive line in 2000 and working as assistant defensive line coach in 1999. In 2000, the team's sack total increased from 12 to 27 utilizing a 3-4 alignment. Buffalo also earned two Division I-A victories, its first I-A wins in school history, that season.
Rhule began his coaching career as volunteer assistant at Penn State in the spring of 1998 before working at Albright College in Reading, Pa. for the 1998 season. At Albright, he coached the linebackers in a 4-3 scheme and recruited western and central Pennsylvania.
Rhule, born January 31, 1975, played four seasons with the Nittany Lions under Joe Paterno as a linebacker and tight end. A three-time Penn State Scholar-Athlete, he earned Academic All-Big 10 honors in 1997. A State College, Pa. native, he was both a high school and college teammate of current Temple running backs coach Jeff Nixon.
Rhule received his undergraduate degree in political science before earning his master's degree in educational psychology from Buffalo in 2003. He is married to the former Julie Nibert. The couple has a one-year old son, Bryant.
