Football
Passwaters, Matt
Matt Passwaters
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Defensive Line
- Email:
- UNTFootball@unt.edu
- Alma Mater:
- New Mexico State, 2009
Matt Passwaters was named North Texas’ defensive line coach in February 2021.
Passwaters’ first season with the Mean Green included mentoring senior Dion Novil to second team All-CUSA honors. The Abilene native finished the season with 49 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks and one interception.
Additionally, freshman Roderick Brown burst on the scene with 20 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 3.0 sack and two forced fumbles en route to being named to the CUSA All-Freshman team.
Overall, the UNT defensive line group finished second in the league with 38 sacks. Overall,. the UNT defense in 2021 posted the biggest improvement of any FBS program cutting its total yards allowed by 144.3 ypg
Prior to joining UNT, Passwaters spent the 2020 season working as a quality control assistant on the offensive side of the ball at Hawai’I on Todd Graham’s staff.
Passwaters also has experience as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, New Mexico State, on offense (2018-19) and defense (2017). He helped the Aggies reach the 2017 Arizona Bowl, the program's first bowl game in 57 years. He also has stints at New Mexico Highlands (2016), Point Loma High School (2016), Onate High School (2013-15) and Gadsden High School (2012).
Passwaters played offensive line at New Mexico State from 2008-09. He graduated from NMSU in 2015. He completed a master's degree in 2020. Passwaters and his wife Maddie have a daughter, Payton.
Coaching History
2012: Gadsden (Calif.) HS, assistant coach
2013-15: Onate (Calif.) HS, offensive line
2016: Point Loma (Calif.) HS, offensive line
2016: New Mexico Highlands, tight ends
2017-19: New Mexico State, graduate assistant
2020: Hawaii, quality control
2021-current: UNT, defensive line
Passwaters’ first season with the Mean Green included mentoring senior Dion Novil to second team All-CUSA honors. The Abilene native finished the season with 49 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks and one interception.
Additionally, freshman Roderick Brown burst on the scene with 20 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 3.0 sack and two forced fumbles en route to being named to the CUSA All-Freshman team.
Overall, the UNT defensive line group finished second in the league with 38 sacks. Overall,. the UNT defense in 2021 posted the biggest improvement of any FBS program cutting its total yards allowed by 144.3 ypg
Prior to joining UNT, Passwaters spent the 2020 season working as a quality control assistant on the offensive side of the ball at Hawai’I on Todd Graham’s staff.
Passwaters also has experience as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, New Mexico State, on offense (2018-19) and defense (2017). He helped the Aggies reach the 2017 Arizona Bowl, the program's first bowl game in 57 years. He also has stints at New Mexico Highlands (2016), Point Loma High School (2016), Onate High School (2013-15) and Gadsden High School (2012).
Passwaters played offensive line at New Mexico State from 2008-09. He graduated from NMSU in 2015. He completed a master's degree in 2020. Passwaters and his wife Maddie have a daughter, Payton.
Coaching History
2012: Gadsden (Calif.) HS, assistant coach
2013-15: Onate (Calif.) HS, offensive line
2016: Point Loma (Calif.) HS, offensive line
2016: New Mexico Highlands, tight ends
2017-19: New Mexico State, graduate assistant
2020: Hawaii, quality control
2021-current: UNT, defensive line
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