Matt McCarthy joined the Fighting Saints in July of 2012 as the team’s Offensive Coordinator, and in 2019 was promoted to the title of Assistant Head Coach. The 2025-26 season will mark McCarthy’s seventh year as Assistant Head Coach and 14th overall as the Offensive Coordinator.
At St. Francis, McCarthy assists the program in coordination of practice plans, individual player development, assisting in training sessions, and implementation of game strategies. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association.
McCarthy has helped USF to an overall record of 71-63 (41-33 MSFA) during his 13 years with the program, while capturing a share of the 2015 and 2021 MSFA Midwest league titles. He was named the 2013 Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year after engineering an offense that ranked No. 6 in the NAIA in passing, and No. 7 in total offense.
During his 13 seasons at USF, McCarthy has helped develop 52 MSFA Offensive All-Conference selections, the 2021, 2022 and 2024 Offensive Players of the Year (Sam Tumilty), as well as six NAIA Offensive All-Americans (Sam Tumilty, 2021, 2022, 2023, Lexus Jackson – 2017, Kenny Smith – 2014, Doug Spacht - 2012). McCarthy has also seen 31 of his players receive MSFA Player of the Week awards, and one NAIA Player of the Week recognition.
McCarthy began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach to the wide receivers at NCAA Division II Ferris State University (Mich.). He was elevated to offensive coordinator at Ferris State in 2001 and remained in that role through the 2009 campaign. In 2010, he accepted a coaching position at NCAA Division I University of Cincinnati where he served as an assistant coach to offensive quality control and undertook responsibilities as the program’s assistant recruiting coordinator. Prior to joining the Fighting Saints coaching staff, McCarthy spent the 2011 season as the passing game coordinator at Mason High School in Mason, Ohio.
McCarthy graduated from NCAA Division II Ferris State University (Mich.) in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary science education, with certifications in secondary English and social studies. In 2015, he returned to FSU to complete his Masters of Education. While at Ferris State (1995-1999), McCarthy established himself as one the top quarterbacks in FSU history, as he led the Bulldogs to two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) titles and a NCAA Division II playoff berth. He earned All-America honors as a senior in 1999 and was a Northeast Region candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s top NCAA Division II player. McCarthy was a three-time all-conference selection and team captain (1997-1999) for the Bulldogs and was named the GLIAC Most Valuable Player in 1999, while receiving Kodak Academic All-American status that same year. He currently holds numerous GLIAC passing records, as well as finishing his Ferris State career holding or sharing 13 school records, including most career passing yards (8,669) and touchdowns (68). McCarthy is an inductee of the Alma (Mich.) Schools Athletics Hall of Fame.
