Fresno State hires Matt Entz as head coach

Fresno State hired Southern California assistant head coach Matt Entz as its new head coach on Wednesday.

Entz led FCS power North Dakota State to two national championships before joining the USC team after last season.

“It is a great honor to join the Fresno State family as head football coach,” Entz said in the school’s announcement. “This university’s rich tradition of excellence, both on and off the field, aligns perfectly with my values ​​and coaching philosophy.”

The 52-year-old Entz had a 60-11 record at North Dakota State from 2019-2023. The Bison were national champions in 2019 and 2021.

“Matt Entz is a proven winner with a championship history who consistently leads his teams to success on the field,” Fresno State athletic director Garrett Klassy said. “He is a leader of people who value growth on and off the field. Beyond his impressive football achievements, Matt and his family embody the core values ​​of integrity, courage, hard work and selflessness that define what it means to be a Bulldog.”

Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley said Entz is a big loss to his coaching staff.

“If you have a really good staff and really good people on your team, you’re going to have guys that have the opportunity to move on and I think first of all we’re excited for Coach Entz,” Riley told reporters Wednesday. “Head coaching jobs in college football are really, really hard to come by, and I think that’s always a sign of a healthy program where programs want to come in and hire people, especially for head coaching positions.”

“He did a great job for us, made us better, made me better, was a great addition, a big part of what was statistically one of the most improved defenses in the country. I wish him and (his wife) Brenda “the best.”

At USC, Entz was also the linebackers coach in addition to his duties as assistant head coach and overseeing the defense.

Entz replaces Tim Skipper, who led Fresno State to a 6-6 record (4-3 Mountain West) as interim coach this season. Skipper took over the position after Jeff Tedford left in mid-July for health reasons.

Fresno State is scheduled to move to the Pac-12 for the 2026 season.

–Field level media