Matt Theobald was appointed as assistant football coach and strength/conditioning coordinator at Franklin College in February, 2003. He serves as Franklin’s assistant head coach and wing back coach in 2013 after being the defensive coordinator for the Grizzlies football program.
During his tenure, Theobald mentored three Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Most Valuable Players and two All-Americans. In 2008, defensive lineman Dan McManus earned third-team All-American honors and captured the program’s first defensive player of the year honor in 13 seasons. Defensive back Zack Corpe received third-team All-American honors and was named the 2012 HCAC Defensive Most Valuable Player. In 2011, defensive lineman David O’Rouke also earned defensive most valuable player honors.
In 2013, Theobald served as offensive coordinator and helped guide an offensive attack that averaged 42.2 points per game and 464.8 yards per game. Quarterback Jonny West was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Most Valuable Player. Split end Kyle Linville earned All-American honors by the American Football Coaches Association and was a first-team All-American by D3football.com in 2013.
Theobald played his collegiate football at Hanover College. He was a four-year letterman and started on two conference championship teams and an NCAA Division III playoffs squad.
After graduating from Hanover, Theobald was hired as a defensive backs coach for his alma mater. He moved over to the offensive side of the ball two years later when he took on the wide receiver and passing coordinator duties. Theobald coached an all-conference player each season he coached at Hanover, including two-time All-America selection Tarrik Wilson.
While coaching at Hanover, Theobald taught U.S. History and physical education at Southwestern High School in Hanover, Ind. Theobald also coached baseball during his 1996-2000 tenure at Southwestern, guiding his team to its first semi-state appearance one year. In 2001, Theobald moved on to Waynesburg University (Pa.), where he was the special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach. He helped the Yellow Jackets lead the President’s Athletic Conference in several statistical categories. As recruiting coordinator, Theobald helped recruit one of the school’s largest classes of football players.
Theobald and his wife, Jennifer, have three children, Joseph and Eli, and Olivia, and they reside in Franklin.
