Football
- Title:
- Wide Receivers
- Email:
- football@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-3350
Matthew Middleton was hired as wide receivers coach at Kent State in January of 2018.
Middleton's fourth year with the Golden Flashes saw remarkable successes. The Flashes set a school record for passing offense, in no small part due to a great collection of wide receivers. Dante Cephas was named to the All-MAC First Team after recording 82 catches for 1240 yards and 9 touchdowns. Two other receivers from Middleton's unit drew attention from professional teams after leaving Kent State. Nykeim Johnson signed with the BC Lions of the CFL, while Keshunn Abram participated in training camp with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. Middleton's great receiver room helped the Flashes rank fourth in the nation for total offense.
Middleton's third year on Coach Lewis’ staff went even better than the first two, resulting in Kent State going 3-1 in the shortened 2020 season. Junior wide receiver Isaiah McKoy led the way for Middleton’s receiving corps, picking up first team All-MAC honors thanks to an impressive campaign that saw him finish third in the MAC in yards per catch (18.1) and yards per game (113). McKoy topped 100 yards in three of four games this season and had at least one touchdown in all four games. And as a whole, Kent State’s passing game ranked second in the MAC in average yards per game with 323.5.
Middleton and the Flashes' offense dropped a 50-piece in the team's first bowl win in school history. Kent State outscored Utah State, 51-41, to secure a victory in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl.
The Golden Flashes' offense averaged 405.6 yards per game, which ranks third in program history. The 905 plays ran also rank third all-time. The 2,849 passing yards rank second in Kent State history and the 42 total touchdowns ranks fifth.
In year two at Kent State, Middleton's receiver room put two players on the all-MAC third team, Isaiah McKoy and Mike Carrigan. McKoy led the Flashes with 56 receptions, 872 yards and eight touchdowns, cracking the top-10 in program history in all three categories. McKoy also led the Mid-American Conference with 72.7 yards per game as well as touchdowns. Carrigan caught 44 balls for 570 yards and five touchdowns.
Under Middleton's guidance, the Kent State wide receiver unit saw an immediate jump in production. Antwan Dixon hauled in 52 receptions, the ninth most in a single season in program history. Mike Carrigan flourished in his junior campaign and produced a team-leading 597 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Middleton came to Kent with 10 years of experience coaching college wide receivers, most recently spending the previous five seasons as both wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at South Dakota. In 2017, the Coyotes advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs, while averaging 333 passing yards per game.
Prior to South Dakota, Middleton, worked with wide receivers as a graduate assistant for one season at the University of Kansas.
In 2011, Middleton spent a season coaching at Division II Chadron State College (Neb.) coaching wide receivers and special teams returners. He held the same title at Nebraska-Omaha for the 2009 and 2010 seasons when he was on staff with Sean Lewis.
A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Middleton’s first coaching experience came in 2008 at his alma mater, NAIA Ottawa University (Kan.) where he coached wide receivers. A wide receiver at Ottawa, he was a three-time all-conference selection and remains the program’s all-time leader in receptions.
A graduate 2008 from Ottawa, Middleton earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a master’s degree from Nebraska-Omaha. He and his wife Jenna have two sons, Evan and Elijah and two daughters Bria and Cora.
