Matt Janus is in his sixth year as UW-La Crosse's head football coach in 2025. He was named head coach on February 5, 2020 after serving as interim head coach since December 12, 2019.
A native of Lake Zurich, Illinois, Janus has led UWL to four straight (2021-24) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. The Eagles are 4-4 all-time in the NCAA Division III Playoffs, advancing to the national quarterfinals in 2023 and to the second round in 2021 and 2024.
UWL finished 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in 2024. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Division III Second Round after a first round win over the University of Northwestern (Minn.). UWL finished 21st on the final regular-season American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D3football.com Top-25 Polls.
The Eagles went 11-2 overall and 7-0 in the WIAC in 2023, earning their first outright league title since 2004. UWL, ranked fourth on the final regular-season AFCA and D3football.com Top-25 Polls, advanced to the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship Quarterfinals for the first time since 1996. The 11 wins in 2023 were the most since finishing 11-2 in 1996. UWL earned victories in the first two rounds of the 2023 national championships, both coming at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Eagles defeated the University of Minnesota Morris, 62-7, in the opening round and 12th-ranked Aurora University (Ill.), 56-35, in the second round. UWL fell, 55-42, to top-ranked North Central College (Ill.) in the quarterfinals played at UWL.
Matt Janus has led UWL to four straight
NCAA III Championship appearances (2021-24).
Janus was named the 2023 WIAC Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year, the second straight season he earned the accolade. Janus was also selected the 2023 D3football.com Region 6 Coach of the Year.
UWL went 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the conference in 2022 under Janus. The nine regular-season victories were the most since 2003. The Eagles claimed a share of their 34th WIAC title in school history with their 6-1 league record in 2022, the team's first conference crown since 2004. Earning one of five at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Championships, UWL fell 14-6 at Wartburg College (Iowa) in the first round in 2022. For his efforts, Janus was named the 2022 WIAC Coach of the Year. UWL finished 12th in the final 2022 D3football.com Poll and 11th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
In Janus' first year as head coach in 2021 (the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat), UWL went 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC, recording its most overall and league victories since going 9-2 overall and 6-1 in 2006. The Eagles earned a 58-23 win at Albion College (Mich.) in the first round of the 2021 NCAA III Championships, their first playoff victory since 2006. The 58 points were the most for UWL in a playoff game. UWL was 11th in the final 2021 D3football.com and 12th in the AFCA Top-25 Polls.
He is 37-11 in his career at UWL, including 24-4 in the WIAC. The Eagles are 19-4 at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex under Janus.
A total of 55 All-WIAC selections have been earned in four years under Janus, including 26 to the first team. The Eagles'
Ryan Daines,
Levi Liedke,
Gabe Lynch,
Trent Mullen and
Jack Studer were named to the 2024 All-WIAC First Team with
Marik Dickson,
Brendan Harder,
Tanner Newlin and
Dain Walter earning second team accolades.
Ross Gengler and
Wyatt LeMoine was selected to the 2024 honorable mention team. Four players earned D3football.com All-Region honors as Mullen was named to the D3football.com All-Region First Team while Daines, Lynch and Studer earned second team. Studer was also selected a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist.
Seven first team choices were selected to the 2023 All-WIAC squad, including
Ryan Bartol,
Mike Bertoia,
Keyser Helterbrand,
Jack Kelly, Newlin,
Michael Stack and Studer with Helterbrand named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Year and Stack voted the WIAC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. Bertoia was named to the 2023 AFCA, D3football.com and Associated Press (AP) All-America First Teams. Helterbrand was a D3football.com All-America Second Team choice and named a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist. A finalist for the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Placekicker Award, Stack earned Associated Press and D3football.com All-America First Team honors. Studer was voted to the Associated Press and D3football.com All-America Second Team.
Fifteen players were named to the 2022 All-WIAC Team, including Bertoia,
Ben Hildebrand,
Joey Stutzman, Kelly,
AJ Spychala,
Elijah Alt and
Ryan Beirne to the first team. Stutzman was selected the 2022 WIAC Offensive Player of the Year while
Alex Bongers earned the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete. Bertoia was named to the 2022 D3football.com All-America Second Team with Bongers voted to the AFCA All-America Second Team. Stutzman was a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy.
Fourteen members of UWL's squad earned 2021 All-WIAC honors under Janus, including seven first team selections.
Jake Simuncak was named the WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Simuncak was also named to the Associated Press All-America Second Team and D3football.com All-America Fourth Team. Alt earned 2021 Associated Press All-America Second Team accolades and D3football.com All-America Third Team honors. The Eagles'
Ryan Daines was voted to the AFCA All-America Second Team
Janus completed his third year as the Eagles' defensive coordinator in 2019. UWL finished in the top-four in eight defensive categories in the WIAC in 2019, including second in turnover margin (+8), opponents' third-down conversions (34.0%) and red-zone defense (65.0%). The team was third in the league in rushing defense (107.7 yards per game) and quarterback sacks (40) while also finishing fourth in scoring defense (22.1 points per game), total defense (365.3 yards) and passing defense efficiency (113.9).
A total of 15 All-WIAC honors were earned in Janus' three seasons as UWL's defensive coordinator, including five first team choices. Defensive back
Peter Kissling and linebacker
Rusty Murphy were both named to the 2019 All-WIAC First Team.
The Eagles finished in the top-four in six defensive categories in the WIAC in 2018, including second in quarterback sacks (36) and opponents' third-down conversions (36.4%). UWL was also third in scoring defense (23.3) in 2018 while finishing fourth in rushing defense (130.0 yards per game), turnover margin (+3) and red-zone defense (68.6%). The team forced 17 turnovers overall, including eight interceptions and nine fumbles. Linebacker
Elijah McGeehan was a 2018 All-WIAC First Team choice.
Opponents scored 151 points (15.1 average) in 2017 versus UWL, the fewest points for an opponent since 2000. The Eagles allowed eight passing touchdowns in 2017, the fewest since 2000. UWL also allowed 3,311 yards of offense, the fewest for an opponent since 2007. The team ranked in the top-three in eight defensive categories in the WIAC in 2017, including leading the league in pass defense (164.6 yards per game), pass defense efficiency (99.5), turnover margin (+11) and opponents' fourth-down conversions (17.6%, three-of-17).
UWL forced 27 turnovers in 2017, including 13 fumbles and 14 interceptions. The Eagles were second in the conference in scoring defense (15.1), quarterback sacks (30) and red-zone defense (60.0%) while finishing third in opponents' third-down conversions (30.4%, 42-of-138). The team was fourth in total defense (333.1). Defensive back
Steve Law and linebacker
Noah Risch were both named to the 2017 All-WIAC First Team.
Janus worked as an assistant coach at UW-Platteville from 2014-16, serving as co-defensive coordinator for the 2016 season. The Pioneers finished second in the WIAC in total (342.1 yards per game) and rushing (109.5) defense in 2016 while ranking third in scoring defense (18.9 points per game) and turnover margin (+10). UW-Platteville was also fourth in passing defense (232.5 yards per game) as it earned an at-large bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship.
He was UW-Platteville's Athletics Department Recruiting Coordinator for Iowa from June 2014-March 2016 while also serving as the Pioneers’ defensive line coach. Janus coached
Andrew Robinson at UW-Platteville, who was named the 2015 WIAC Defensive Player of the Year. Robinson earned 2015 D3football.com All-America Third honors under Janus’ tutelage. He was a three-time (2013-15) All-WIAC First Team selection. A total of nine defensive players earned all-conference honors under Janus at UW-Platteville.
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 2008.
