University of North Texas Athletics
Football Announces Six New Hires for 2026 Staff
1/16/2026 1:15:00 PM | Football
Head Coach Neal Brown adds four more coaches and two support staff members
DENTON – UNT football head coach Neal Brown has announced the hiring of six new members of the football staff including four coaches and two support staff members.
Among the new hires on the coaching staff, Mike Bloesch returns to UNT as the run game coordinator/tight ends coach, former UNT safety Kishawn McClain takes over as wide receivers coach, Chad Scott will serve as running backs coach and Matt Mattox will serve as offensive line coach.
On the support staff, Jarae Thurmond has been added as the assistant general manager/director of scouting and Marielle McLoughlin will serve as the director of football operations.
Bloesch re-joins the Mean Green for his second stint with the program after spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Cal. In 2024, Bloesch served as the Golden Bears' offensive coordinator/offensive line coach. Bloesch was Cal's offensive line coach/run game coordinator during the 2023 regular season before being elevated in December of 2023 prior to the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
Under his watch, Bloesch helped the Golden Bears earn a bowl berth in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018-19.
Prior to being on staff at Cal, Bloesch was on staff at North Texas from 2020-22. Bloesch was promoted to offensive coordinator and primary play caller ahead of the 2021 season and moved to quarterbacks coach in February 2022. Bloesch was originally named the Mean Green's co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in January 2020.
In 2022, Bloesch helped UNT clinch a spot in the Conference USA Championship game and earn an appearance in the Frisco Bowl. The Mean Green led Conference USA in fewest per-game sacks allowed (0.79, 5th FBS) and tackles for loss allowed (4.07, 13th FBS).
Bloesch spent five seasons on The University of Tulsa coaching staff from 2015-19, the last four as offensive line coach. He joined Tulsa ahead of the 2015 season as the offensive quality control coach and was promoted to offensive line coach in December of that year prior to Tulsa's appearance in the Camping World Independence Bowl. He also spent time at both Temple High School and Abliene Cooper High School to start his career.
McClain joins the UNT staff after spending the 2025 season as the wide receivers coach at ULM. Prior to his time at ULM, McClain spent one season at East Tennessee State University as the team's pass game coordinator/wide receivers /returners coach.
ETSU's leading receiver AJ Johnson was named All-Southern Conference First Team after recording 40 receptions, 662 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Johnson's 662 receiving yards were the second-most by an ETSU receiver since 2015 and his six touchdowns were the most by a Buccaneer receiver since 2002.
Before his time at ETSU, McClain spent the 2023 season at Gardner-Webb as the team's passing game coordinator / wide receivers coach. The Runnin' Bulldogs earned a trip to the FCS Playoffs and upset No. 13 UT Martin during McClain's tenure on the football staff.
A former standout safety at North Texas, McClain completed his career with 336 tackles, the eighth-most in program history, along with five interceptions and five forced fumbles in 51 games. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from UNT in 2017.
A coaching veteran with 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, Scott has had coaching stops at Texas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas Tech and Troy with almost all his time spent coaching the running back position. Scott has coached in nine bowl games including the New Orleans Bowl, the Liberty Bowl and the Duke's Mayo Bowl among others.
Scott joins the staff after spending the 2025 season as running backs coach at the University of Texas. He helped the Longhorns post a 10-win season for the third consecutive year and earn a trip to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
Prior to his time at Texas, Scott spent six seasons on staff with current UNT Head Coach Neal Brown at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers appear in four bowl games. He was also the Interim Head Coach for the 2024 Frisco Bowl for the Mountaineers.
In his time at WVU, Scott served as the offensive coordinator for 2023-24, was the run game coordinator in 2022 and served as the co-offensive coordinator from 2019-21.
Scott also served stints at North Carolina (TE/Hybrids/2016-18), Kentucky (RB/2013-15), Texas Tech (RB/2010-12) and Troy (RB/2007-09).
A native of Plant City, Florida, Scott began his collegiate playing career at Kentucky before transferring to North Carolina, where he lettered in 2003 and 2005. He earned first-team All-ACC honors from ESPN.com after rushing for 796 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. Scott made his first career start as a Tar Heel against No. 4 Miami and rushed for a career-high 175 yards on 25 carries and scored twice in a 31-28 victory.
Scott spent time in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers before returning to his alma mater in 2006 as a graduate assistant video analyst.
Mattox joins the UNT staff as the offensive line coach after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons in the same role at East Carolina.
A veteran coach with 20 seasons of experience, Mattox has made stops at East Carolina, Texas, UTSA, Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois, South Florida, Tulsa and others. During his career, he has been part of eight bowl games, nine conference championship teams and two NJCAA National Championship programs.
Prior to ECU, Mattox was on staff at Ronald Reagan High School, where he helped guide the Rattlers to an 11-1 record and the 6A District 28 championship.
Mattox previously spent three seasons at UTSA, where he helped the Roadrunners win Conference USA championships in 2021 and 2022. Over that span, UTSA totaled 30 wins and appeared in three consecutive bowl games. In 2022, he served as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach as the Roadrunners ranked among the national leaders in multiple categories, including first downs, completion percentage, third-down conversion rate, total offense, passing offense and scoring offense. UTSA finished the season with an 11-3 record and saw 13 players earn all-conference or honorable mention recognition.
From 2017 to 2018, Mattox served as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at South Florida. In 2018, the Bulls ranked among the national leaders in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense, while producing multiple all-conference performers.
Mattox also coached at Texas in 2016, Tulsa in 2015, Bowling Green in 2014 and Eastern Illinois in 2013. At Texas, he coached All-Americans Connor Williams and the Longhorn offensive line was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.
Before entering the Division I ranks, Mattox spent six seasons coaching offensive line and tight ends in the junior college ranks, including stints at Coffeyville Community College and Butler Community College. During his time at Butler, the program won four conference and region championships and advanced to the NJCAA national championship game in 2010.
Thurmond joins the staff after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the Director of Player Personnel at Western Kentucky.
In two seasons at WKU, Thurmond helped the Hilltoppers finish with eight wins in 2024 and nine wins in 2025 with back-to-back bowl appearances as well as an appearance in the 2024 Conference USA Championship game.
Prior to his time at WKU, Thurmond spent two seasons at Georgia Southern from 2022-23 where he helped the Eagles clinch a spot in back-to-back bowl games. He joined the GSU staff as a volunteer assistant in 2022 before being promoted to Director of Player and Recruiting Relations in 2023.
A native of Dacatur, Georgia, Thurmond joined the Georgia Southern support staff in 2022 after medical retirement from the U.S. Navy after 12 years of honorable service.
Thurmond served on board the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and Submarine Training Facility SD, where he was awarded Instructor of the Year (2020) and Sailor of the Year (2021) for his command.
This was while serving as a coach at Sweetwater High School (San Diego, CA) for four years as the varsity running backs/wide receivers coach. While with the Red Devils, he coached three 1,000-yard rushers and was on staff of the first playoff winning team in over eight years at the school with back-to-back Metro Pacific League championships.
McLoughlin joins as director of football operations after spending four seasons at the University of Houston Football as its assistant director of recruiting operations & player development.
In her role, McLoughlin arranged team travel including schedules, charter flight assignments, bus and hotel accommodations. She coordinated various program activities and plans all details of special fundraising events such as the Head Coach Golf Tournament and Women's Clinic.
McLoughlin was a key figure in Houston's involvement within the community including partnerships with local organizations such as Get-in-the Game Program and Field Day. She also tracked student-athlete off-campus housing, designs recruiting presentations and organizes and filters student-athlete ticket requests among other responsibilities.
Prior to Houston, McLoughlin spent over two years at Mississippi State including her final year as coordinator of recruiting operations where she assisted in all official and unofficial visits, facilitated all visits, game day, camps, clinics and special event set up and organized recruit and high school game day ticket requests among other responsibilities.
McLoughlin worked as the Bulldogs' operations assistant from June 2019-May 2021, serving as the primary contact for the athletic business office to the football program.
She worked as a Marketing Intern at Mississippi State from June-August 2018 with a specific focus on women's soccer before spending 10 months at her alma mater, Syracuse, as a team equipment manager.
McLoughlin began her sports experience as a social media intern with the Brewster Whitecaps Baseball Club in Brewster, Mass., from June-August 2017. She also volunteered at the SEC Baseball Tournament in 2019 as a marketing intern.
Season ticket renewals for the 2026 season as well as new season tickets are on sale now.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please head to meangreentickets.com. Fans can also contact the UNT Ticket office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can also visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of DATCU Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Among the new hires on the coaching staff, Mike Bloesch returns to UNT as the run game coordinator/tight ends coach, former UNT safety Kishawn McClain takes over as wide receivers coach, Chad Scott will serve as running backs coach and Matt Mattox will serve as offensive line coach.
On the support staff, Jarae Thurmond has been added as the assistant general manager/director of scouting and Marielle McLoughlin will serve as the director of football operations.
Bloesch re-joins the Mean Green for his second stint with the program after spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Cal. In 2024, Bloesch served as the Golden Bears' offensive coordinator/offensive line coach. Bloesch was Cal's offensive line coach/run game coordinator during the 2023 regular season before being elevated in December of 2023 prior to the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
Under his watch, Bloesch helped the Golden Bears earn a bowl berth in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018-19.
Prior to being on staff at Cal, Bloesch was on staff at North Texas from 2020-22. Bloesch was promoted to offensive coordinator and primary play caller ahead of the 2021 season and moved to quarterbacks coach in February 2022. Bloesch was originally named the Mean Green's co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in January 2020.
In 2022, Bloesch helped UNT clinch a spot in the Conference USA Championship game and earn an appearance in the Frisco Bowl. The Mean Green led Conference USA in fewest per-game sacks allowed (0.79, 5th FBS) and tackles for loss allowed (4.07, 13th FBS).
Bloesch spent five seasons on The University of Tulsa coaching staff from 2015-19, the last four as offensive line coach. He joined Tulsa ahead of the 2015 season as the offensive quality control coach and was promoted to offensive line coach in December of that year prior to Tulsa's appearance in the Camping World Independence Bowl. He also spent time at both Temple High School and Abliene Cooper High School to start his career.
McClain joins the UNT staff after spending the 2025 season as the wide receivers coach at ULM. Prior to his time at ULM, McClain spent one season at East Tennessee State University as the team's pass game coordinator/wide receivers /returners coach.
ETSU's leading receiver AJ Johnson was named All-Southern Conference First Team after recording 40 receptions, 662 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Johnson's 662 receiving yards were the second-most by an ETSU receiver since 2015 and his six touchdowns were the most by a Buccaneer receiver since 2002.
Before his time at ETSU, McClain spent the 2023 season at Gardner-Webb as the team's passing game coordinator / wide receivers coach. The Runnin' Bulldogs earned a trip to the FCS Playoffs and upset No. 13 UT Martin during McClain's tenure on the football staff.
A former standout safety at North Texas, McClain completed his career with 336 tackles, the eighth-most in program history, along with five interceptions and five forced fumbles in 51 games. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from UNT in 2017.
A coaching veteran with 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, Scott has had coaching stops at Texas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas Tech and Troy with almost all his time spent coaching the running back position. Scott has coached in nine bowl games including the New Orleans Bowl, the Liberty Bowl and the Duke's Mayo Bowl among others.
Scott joins the staff after spending the 2025 season as running backs coach at the University of Texas. He helped the Longhorns post a 10-win season for the third consecutive year and earn a trip to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
Prior to his time at Texas, Scott spent six seasons on staff with current UNT Head Coach Neal Brown at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers appear in four bowl games. He was also the Interim Head Coach for the 2024 Frisco Bowl for the Mountaineers.
In his time at WVU, Scott served as the offensive coordinator for 2023-24, was the run game coordinator in 2022 and served as the co-offensive coordinator from 2019-21.
Scott also served stints at North Carolina (TE/Hybrids/2016-18), Kentucky (RB/2013-15), Texas Tech (RB/2010-12) and Troy (RB/2007-09).
A native of Plant City, Florida, Scott began his collegiate playing career at Kentucky before transferring to North Carolina, where he lettered in 2003 and 2005. He earned first-team All-ACC honors from ESPN.com after rushing for 796 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. Scott made his first career start as a Tar Heel against No. 4 Miami and rushed for a career-high 175 yards on 25 carries and scored twice in a 31-28 victory.
Scott spent time in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers before returning to his alma mater in 2006 as a graduate assistant video analyst.
Mattox joins the UNT staff as the offensive line coach after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons in the same role at East Carolina.
A veteran coach with 20 seasons of experience, Mattox has made stops at East Carolina, Texas, UTSA, Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois, South Florida, Tulsa and others. During his career, he has been part of eight bowl games, nine conference championship teams and two NJCAA National Championship programs.
Prior to ECU, Mattox was on staff at Ronald Reagan High School, where he helped guide the Rattlers to an 11-1 record and the 6A District 28 championship.
Mattox previously spent three seasons at UTSA, where he helped the Roadrunners win Conference USA championships in 2021 and 2022. Over that span, UTSA totaled 30 wins and appeared in three consecutive bowl games. In 2022, he served as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach as the Roadrunners ranked among the national leaders in multiple categories, including first downs, completion percentage, third-down conversion rate, total offense, passing offense and scoring offense. UTSA finished the season with an 11-3 record and saw 13 players earn all-conference or honorable mention recognition.
From 2017 to 2018, Mattox served as run game coordinator and offensive line coach at South Florida. In 2018, the Bulls ranked among the national leaders in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense, while producing multiple all-conference performers.
Mattox also coached at Texas in 2016, Tulsa in 2015, Bowling Green in 2014 and Eastern Illinois in 2013. At Texas, he coached All-Americans Connor Williams and the Longhorn offensive line was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.
Before entering the Division I ranks, Mattox spent six seasons coaching offensive line and tight ends in the junior college ranks, including stints at Coffeyville Community College and Butler Community College. During his time at Butler, the program won four conference and region championships and advanced to the NJCAA national championship game in 2010.
Thurmond joins the staff after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the Director of Player Personnel at Western Kentucky.
In two seasons at WKU, Thurmond helped the Hilltoppers finish with eight wins in 2024 and nine wins in 2025 with back-to-back bowl appearances as well as an appearance in the 2024 Conference USA Championship game.
Prior to his time at WKU, Thurmond spent two seasons at Georgia Southern from 2022-23 where he helped the Eagles clinch a spot in back-to-back bowl games. He joined the GSU staff as a volunteer assistant in 2022 before being promoted to Director of Player and Recruiting Relations in 2023.
A native of Dacatur, Georgia, Thurmond joined the Georgia Southern support staff in 2022 after medical retirement from the U.S. Navy after 12 years of honorable service.
Thurmond served on board the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and Submarine Training Facility SD, where he was awarded Instructor of the Year (2020) and Sailor of the Year (2021) for his command.
This was while serving as a coach at Sweetwater High School (San Diego, CA) for four years as the varsity running backs/wide receivers coach. While with the Red Devils, he coached three 1,000-yard rushers and was on staff of the first playoff winning team in over eight years at the school with back-to-back Metro Pacific League championships.
McLoughlin joins as director of football operations after spending four seasons at the University of Houston Football as its assistant director of recruiting operations & player development.
In her role, McLoughlin arranged team travel including schedules, charter flight assignments, bus and hotel accommodations. She coordinated various program activities and plans all details of special fundraising events such as the Head Coach Golf Tournament and Women's Clinic.
McLoughlin was a key figure in Houston's involvement within the community including partnerships with local organizations such as Get-in-the Game Program and Field Day. She also tracked student-athlete off-campus housing, designs recruiting presentations and organizes and filters student-athlete ticket requests among other responsibilities.
Prior to Houston, McLoughlin spent over two years at Mississippi State including her final year as coordinator of recruiting operations where she assisted in all official and unofficial visits, facilitated all visits, game day, camps, clinics and special event set up and organized recruit and high school game day ticket requests among other responsibilities.
McLoughlin worked as the Bulldogs' operations assistant from June 2019-May 2021, serving as the primary contact for the athletic business office to the football program.
She worked as a Marketing Intern at Mississippi State from June-August 2018 with a specific focus on women's soccer before spending 10 months at her alma mater, Syracuse, as a team equipment manager.
McLoughlin began her sports experience as a social media intern with the Brewster Whitecaps Baseball Club in Brewster, Mass., from June-August 2017. She also volunteered at the SEC Baseball Tournament in 2019 as a marketing intern.
Season ticket renewals for the 2026 season as well as new season tickets are on sale now.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please head to meangreentickets.com. Fans can also contact the UNT Ticket office at 940-565-2527 or at ticketoffice@unt.edu. Fans can also visit the UNT Athletics Ticket Office located at Gate 2 of DATCU Stadium between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
-- GMG --
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