Matt Viator

Matt Viator (born September 3, 1963) is an American football coach. He is currently in his second stint as the head coach at McNeese State University, having previously served there from 2006 to 2015 and then the University of Louisiana at Monroe from 2016 to 2020.^[1][2] Viator began his coaching career in 1986 as a high school assistant coach, before leading several high schools in southwestern Louisiana as a head coach. He moved to the college ranks at McNeese State in 1999 and was elevated to head coach four games into the 2006 season after the firing of Tommy Tate.^[3]

Matt Viator

Viator at 2018 Sun Belt Media Day
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	McNeese
Conference	Southland
Record	78–33
Biographical details
Born	(1963-09-03) September 3, 1963 (age 61)
Alma mater	McNeese State University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1986–1988	Sam Houston HS (LA) (assistant)
1989–1990	Vinton HS (LA)
1991–1994	Jennings HS (LA)
1995–1998	Sulphur HS (LA)
1999	McNeese State (LB)
2000–2006	McNeese State (OC)
2006–2015	McNeese State
2016–2020	Louisiana–Monroe
2021–2024	Louisiana (QC)
2025–present	McNeese
Head coaching record
Overall	97–72 (college)
Tournaments	0–5 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4 SLC (2006–2007, 2009, 2015)
Awards
3× Southland Coach of the Year (2006–2007, 2015)

Coaching career

High school

Viator led Jennings High School to a Louisiana Class 3A State Championship in 1992, the school's first, and only, state title since 1939.

Head coaching record

College

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
McNeese State Cowboys (Southland Conference) (2006–2015)
2006	McNeese State	6–2	5–1	1st	L NCAA Division I First Round
2007	McNeese State	11–1	7–0	1st	L NCAA Division I First Round
2008	McNeese State	7–4	4–3	T–3rd
2009	McNeese State	9–3	6–1	T–1st	L NCAA Division I First Round
2010	McNeese State	6–5	5–2	2nd
2011	McNeese State	6–5	4–3	4th
2012	McNeese State	7–4	4–3	T–4th
2013	McNeese State	10–3	6–1	2nd	L NCAA Division I Second Round
2014	McNeese State	6–5	4–4	T–6th
2015	McNeese State	10–1	9–0	1st	L NCAA Division I Second Round
Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks (Sun Belt Conference) (2016–2020)
2016	Louisiana–Monroe	4–8	3–5	7th
2017	Louisiana–Monroe	4–8	4–4	T–5th
2018	Louisiana–Monroe	6–6	4–4	3rd (West)
2019	Louisiana–Monroe	5–7	4–4	3rd (West)
2020	Louisiana–Monroe	0–10	0–7	5th (West)
Louisiana–Monroe:		19–39	15–24
McNeese Cowboys (Southland Conference) (2025–present)
2025	McNeese	0–0	0–0
McNeese State:		78–33	54–18
Total:		97–72
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth