WAVERLY, Iowa - Wartburg College head football coach Chris Winter announced on Monday, August 2 the promotion of Matt Wheeler to assistant head coach and Matt Tschetter to defensive coordinator. 

Wheeler, a 2011 Wartburg Hall of Fame inductee, will enter his 12th season as the program's offensive coordinator and first year as the assistant head coach. Under Wheeler's leadership, the Knights' offense has led the American Rivers Conference in scoring for three consecutive seasons and ranked 11th nationally with a 45-points per game average during the 2019 season. Since 2014, Wheeler has mentored four Gagliardi Trophy semifinalists, four first-team All-American offensive linemen, four 1,000-yard receivers and two 1,000-yard rushers. D3football.com All-American and Iowa Conference MVP Logan Schrader also set five career records under Wheeler's guidance. 

"Coach Wheeler is one of the best offensive coordinators in the country at our level and has certainly earned the opportunity to be named the assistant head coach of our football program. He has been a great leader and mentor for our student-athletes since he arrived at Wartburg in 2010," Winter said. "Matt's level of creativity with offensive football allows his players to maximize their talent by placing them in positions that feature their strengths."

Wheeler previously served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach as part of a six-year stint at North Carolina Wesleyan. He was the offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2009 and the assistant head coach in 2008 and 2009. Behind his offense, Wesleyan outscored its opponents 1,064-676 while the Bishops won two conference championships and earned playoff appearances in 2007 and 2009.

"His offense is diverse enough to adjust to the athletes he has on the team instead of making the athletes adjust to his system," Winter commented. "We are very fortunate to have his knowledge and experience on our staff and I am excited to have him in the assistant head coaching role moving forward." 

Tschetter, a 2011 All-American for the Knights, will embark on his first season as the defensive coordinator in 2021 after serving the past three years as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. He coached three All-Conference linebackers in the 2018 and 2019 seasons combined, including Antonio Santillan, who was voted Wartburg's defensive MVP in 2019 after compiling 97 tackles and 5 interceptions. Tschetter previously served as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va. where he mentored six All-Conference selections and three All-Region players in his time with the program.

"Coach Tschetter has influenced the success of Wartburg Football throughout his career as a student-athlete and coach," Winter said. "His passion for Wartburg College and commitment level to our football program make him the perfect fit for the defensive coordinator role."

Tschetter was a defensive line coach at Wartburg during the 2014 season when the Knights won the Iowa Conference championship and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Playoff. Tschetter was also a graduate assistant at UW-Platteville for two seasons where he coached three All-Conference selections and helped the Pioneers advance to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs in 2013.

"He has made a major impact on our linebacker group and our entire defensive unit over the past three years," Winter added. "Matt has prepared himself for this opportunity and is ready for the increased responsibility in our program. I am looking forward to helping him continue to evolve in the defensive coordinator position moving forward." 

The Orange & Black will make their long-awaited return to Walston-Hoover Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4, when they welcome Monmouth College at 7 p.m.

 

---