Matt House Position: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties

After helping Pitt rank among college football's top pass defenses in 2012, Matt House was promoted to defensive coordinator by Paul Chryst in February.

House joined Chryst's staff last year as secondary coach following a four-season tenure in the National Football League. In his debut season with the Panthers, House's defensive backfield helped Pitt earn lofty NCAA rankings in pass defense (20th, 194.15 yards/game), pass efficiency defense (21st, 113.12 rating) and interceptions (26th, 15 total).

Pitt boasted a No. 17 national ranking in total defense, surrendering just 330.54 yards per game.

House oversaw the development of free safety Jason Hendricks, who was named All-Big East after leading the league and ranking sixth nationally in interceptions (0.46 per game). Hendricks' six total INTs were the most by a Pitt player since 2000. Additionally, House's starting cornerback tandem of K'Waun Williams (four interceptions) and Lafayette Pitts (one INT and a team-high nine pass breakups) emerged as one of the Big East's best in 2012.

Hendricks, Williams and Pitts all return in 2013, making the secondary an area of high promise for the Panthers' defense.

Prior to Pitt, House served as a defensive quality control coach with the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11. In 2008, he was a special teams assistant with the Carolina Panthers, who went 12-4 that year en route to the NFC South Division title and the fourth-ever playoff berth in franchise history. In addition to contributing to special teams, House also served Carolina as a strength and conditioning assistant.

Prior to his NFL stint, House was defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator under Turner Gill at the University of Buffalo for two seasons (2006-07). In his final season at UB, the rising Bulls captured a share of the MAC East Division title. House's pupils at Buffalo included four-time first-team All-MAC safety Davonte Shannon, a native of Jeannette, Pa., and graduate of Jeannette High. Shannon finished as the Bulls' all-time leading tackler and signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.

House additionally was defensive line coach at Gardner-Webb University (2005), where he helped develop consensus All-America defensive end Brian Johnston. The two-time Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year would go on to be selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 NFL Draft.

House began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State (his alma mater) during the 2001 and '02 seasons and worked with the Spartans' defensive backs and special teams. The 2002 Spartans earned an invitation to the Silicon Valley Bowl. He also was a defensive assistant at North Carolina for two years (2003-04) working with the secondary.

House and his wife Jessi have two sons, Jackson and Jacob, and a daughter, Avery.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: May 17, 1978

Hometown: Harrison, Mich.

Alma Mater: Michigan State, 2000

Family:House and his wife Jessi have two sons, Jackson and Jacob, and a daughter, Avery.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Professional

Carolina Panthers, 2008, special teams assistant & strength and conditioning assistant.

St. Louis Rams, 2009-11, quality control/defense.

College

Michigan State, 2001-02, graduate assistant/secondary.

North Carolina, 2003-04, defensive assistant.

Gardner-Webb, 2005, defensive line.

University of Buffalo, 2006-07, defensive backs & recruiting
coordinator.

Pittsburgh, 2012, secondary; 2013, defensive coordinator & safeties.