Football | 1/5/2026 10:00:00 AM

Northern Michigan Release

Marquette, Mich. - Northern Michigan University has named Matt Janus as its next head football coach, the school announced Monday.  Janus is the 24th head coach in program history and the sixth since 2002.

Janus completed his sixth season as UW-La Crosse's head football coach in 2025. Named the 14th head football coach in school history on February 5, 2020, Janus went 45-14 (.763) overall and 29-6 (.829) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in five seasons of competition at UW-La Crosse. The 2020 season, Janus' first year as head coach, was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat.

UW-La Crosse will conduct a national search for the next head coach as soon as possible.

With a minimum of five years as head coach, Janus' .763 winning percentage ranks second in school history behind Roger Harring's record of .771 (261-75-7 in 31 seasons). Harring ranks first in school history and sixth in the history of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III in overall victories (261).

UW-La Crosse's 45 overall victories over the last five seasons are the most since winning 56 games from 1992-96. The Eagles' 29 league wins are the most in a five-year span since 2002-06 (27).

A native of Lake Zurich, Illinois, Janus led UW-La Crosse to the NCAA Division III Championships in each of his five seasons of competition. The Eagles went 5-5 in the national playoffs under Janus, advancing to the second round in 2021 and 2024, the third round in 2025 and national quarterfinals in 2023. 

The Eagles finished in the top-two in the WIAC standings in each of Janus' five seasons, winning two (2022, 2023) league titles and finishing third three seasons (2021, 2024, 2025).

UW-La Crosse finished 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC in 2025, advancing to the NCAA III Third Round. After receiving a first round bye, the Eagles earned a 9-7 victory at 18th-ranked Hope College (Mich.) in the second round before falling, 35-27, at top-ranked North Central College (Ill.) in the third round. UW-La Crosse was ranked 13th on the final regular season D3football.com and 16th on the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Polls.

The Eagles went 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference in 2024, advancing to the second round of the national championships. UW-La Crosse finished ranked 21st on the final AFCA and D3football.com Top-25 Polls.

Janus was named the 2023 WIAC Coach of the Year and D3football.com Region Coach of the Year after leading UW-La Crosse to a 11-2 overall and 7-0 WIAC record while capturing the league title. It marked the Eagles first outright championship since 2004. UW-La Crosse advanced to the NCAA III Quarterfinals for the first time since 1996. The team was fourth on the final AFCA and D3football.com Top 25 Polls in 2023.

UW-La Crosse went 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC in 2022 with the nine regular-season victories marking its most since 2003. The Eagles claimed a share of the WIAC title in 2022, the team's first conference crown since 2004. For his efforts, Janus was named the 2022 WIAC Coach of the Year. The Eagles finished 12th in the final D3football.com Top 25 Poll and 11th in the AFCA.

UW-La Crosse finished 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC in 2021, recording its most overall and league victories since going 9-2 overall and 6-1 in 2006. It was also the team's first appearance in the national playoffs since 2006. The Eagles finished 11th on D3football.com and 12th in the AFCA Top 25 Polls in 2021.

Ninety-two members of UW-La Crosse's squad have earned All-WIAC honors under Janus' tenure as head coach, including 46 first team selections.

Twenty All-America accolades have been earned under Janus with eight first team honors.

Prior to being named head coach, Janus served as UW-La Crosse's defensive coordinator from 2017-19. A total of 15 All-WIAC honors were earned in his three seasons as defensive coordinator, including five first team choices. 
Janus worked as an assistant coach at UW-Platteville from 2014-16, serving as co-defensive coordinator for the 2016 season. He was UW-Platteville's Athletics Department Recruiting Coordinator for Iowa from June 2014-March 2016 while also serving as the defensive line coach. 

Prior to arriving at UW-Platteville, Janus was the defensive coordinator at Sheboygan Falls (Wis.) High School from June 2011-June 2014.   He was a graduate assistant coach at UW-Platteville from May 2010-June 2011, working with the outside linebackers.

Janus earned his bachelor's (2010) degree in social science and master's (2016) in adult education from UW-Platteville.  He earned three letters for the Pioneers, serving as team captain in 2009.

Janus at UW-La Crosse
Year                Overall Record          WIAC Record/Finish
2021                9-3                               6-1/2nd            
2022                9-2                               6-1/Tied 1st     
2023                11-2                             7-0/1st
2024                8-4                               5-2/2nd
2025                8-3                               5-2/Tied 2nd
Totals              45-14                           29-6
 
Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette, with an enrollment of 7,386.  The 18-varsity sports program is a member of NCAA Division II and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).