Matt Viator

[J-Town Cajun]

No one mentioned Matt Viator from McNeese. We got the best basketball coach from the Southland, why not get the best football coach form the Southland also?

[cajun4life]

_ No one mentioned Matt Viator from McNeese. We got the best basketball coach from the Southland, why not get the best football coach form the Southland also? _

Because he is not the best football coach in the Southland.

[BirdofParadise]

_ Because he is not the best football coach in the Southland. _

+1

[Hammer58]

_ Because he is not the best football coach in the Southland. _

Oh no, get ready for the brokeb@ck invasion.

[J-Town Cajun]

_ +1 _

So who do you think is the best coach in the Southland. Viator is about to tie for 1st in the SLC with a win next week and will be his 4th SLC championship in his 5 yrs as HC. He has put up some impressive offensive numbers while both the OC and HC also. Below is a bio through 2008. McNeese has not updated their website since then it looks like.

In three seasons, Matt Viator has become one of the most successful coaches in the NCAA’s FCS division. He has guided the Cowboys to a Southland Conference football championship and into the NCAA Division I championship in two of his three years as head coach at McNeese State.
His 2007 team posted only the fourth undefeated, untied regular season record in the university’s history, won the league title for a second year and participated in the NCAA FCS championship for a second straight year.
Viator had taken over the head job four games deep into the 2006 season, went 6-2 the rest of the way, won the SLC title and put his team into the NCAA FCS championship.
His coaching record is an outstanding 24-7 and his teams have lost only five regular season games.
In conference competition only, his teams have a 16-4 mark.
Viator has earned numerous coaching honors including two straight SLC coach of the year awards and a Louisiana collegiate coach of the year award. He has also been a finalist for the national Eddie Robinson award twice.
He claimed his first collegiate coaching victory in his very first game as head coach when the Cowboys posted a 30-27 win over Southern Utah in 2006.
Viator is the 14th head coach in McNeese history. He was 6-2 in his first season and 5-1 in league play, winning the final five league games of the year.
Prior to his becoming head coach, Viator, who is a graduate of McNeese, had served the university as offensive coordinator and is regarded as one of the top Division I offensive minds.
The Cowboys have ranked among the national leaders in offense for seven of the past nine years and the university has also produced the Southland Conference’s top offensive performer three of the last six seasons.
His offenses have led the league in scoring five times and in 2008 set school records for total offense per game, passing offense per game and scoring average per game.
Before he joined the Cowboys, Viator was one of the top prep coaches in Louisiana, producing an 81-37 won-lost record, winning one state crown and five league titles. He joined McNeese in 1999 as linebacker coach and was made offensive coordinator in 2000, the Cowboys leading the league in both scoring offense and total offense that year.

[Duggie35]

Before he joined the Cowboys, Viator was one of the top prep coaches in Louisiana, producing an 81-37 won-lost record, winning one state crown and five league titles. _

Coach Viator is still one of the top prep Coaches in Louisiana. However, UL will not be looking for a prep coach to be our next head coach.

[GetTheFacts1st]

_ Coach Viator is still one of the top prep Coaches in Louisiana. However, UL will not be looking for a prep coach to be our next head coach. _

nor one from a state school having lower entry standards than what we have.

[Boomer]

_ nor one from a state school having lower entry standards than what we have. _

I think that Coach Robe has done a pretty good job having moved up from McNeese------I don't know that much about him(Viator) but at least he knows the state and could get a staff together in a short time that knows the state ---he could just keep the former coaches that recruit the outside areas or hire others from that area or who know it!!!!

[cajun4life]

_ I think that Coach Robe has done a pretty good job having moved up from McNeese------I don't know that much about him(Viator) but at least he knows the state and could get a staff together in a short time that knows the state ---he could just keep the former coaches that recruit the outside areas or hire others from that area or who know it!!!! _

No way Boomer, we need a guy who will make a splash, not Viator.

[J-Town Cajun]

_ Coach Viator is still one of the top prep Coaches in Louisiana. However, UL will not be looking for a prep coach to be our next head coach. _

Viator has not coached the prep ranks in over a dozen years I believe. He has been at McNeese that long. First LB's coach, then WR coach, then OC, then HC. Again his resume says he is more than a good prep coach. Coach Cook was a good prep coach before becoming successful at UL. And as for as Coaches coming from McNeese to UL, I believe Robe has done pretty well.

Viator may not be my first choice, but he is not too far down my list. I like Leviett the former coach at USF, then Leach, and then Orgeron.

[Turbine]

So who do you think is the best coach in the Southland. Viator is about to tie for 1st in the SLC with a win next week and will be his 4th SLC championship in his 5 yrs as HC. He has put up some impressive offensive numbers while both the OC and HC also. Below is a bio through 2008. McNeese has not updated their website since then it looks like.

In three seasons, Matt Viator has become one of the most successful coaches in the NCAA?s FCS division. He has guided the Cowboys to a Southland Conference football championship and into the NCAA Division I championship in two of his three years as head coach at McNeese State.
His 2007 team posted only the fourth undefeated, untied regular season record in the university?s history, won the league title for a second year and participated in the NCAA FCS championship for a second straight year.
Viator had taken over the head job four games deep into the 2006 season, went 6-2 the rest of the way, won the SLC title and put his team into the NCAA FCS championship.
His coaching record is an outstanding 24-7 and his teams have lost only five regular season games.
In conference competition only, his teams have a 16-4 mark.
Viator has earned numerous coaching honors including two straight SLC coach of the year awards and a Louisiana collegiate coach of the year award. He has also been a finalist for the national Eddie Robinson award twice.
He claimed his first collegiate coaching victory in his very first game as head coach when the Cowboys posted a 30-27 win over Southern Utah in 2006.
Viator is the 14th head coach in McNeese history. He was 6-2 in his first season and 5-1 in league play, winning the final five league games of the year.
Prior to his becoming head coach, Viator, who is a graduate of McNeese, had served the university as offensive coordinator and is regarded as one of the top Division I offensive minds.
The Cowboys have ranked among the national leaders in offense for seven of the past nine years and the university has also produced the Southland Conference?s top offensive performer three of the last six seasons.
His offenses have led the league in scoring five times and in 2008 set school records for total offense per game, passing offense per game and scoring average per game.
Before he joined the Cowboys, Viator was one of the top prep coaches in Louisiana, producing an 81-37 won-lost record, winning one state crown and five league titles. He joined McNeese in 1999 as linebacker coach and was made offensive coordinator in 2000, the Cowboys leading the league in both scoring offense and total offense that year.

Wow nice, can't argue with that.
igeaux.mobi

[CajunRed]

I'm not saying you are wrongbut Coach Robe was not coaching Division II baseball. I'm not sure if the comparison would hold true.

Viator has not coached the prep ranks in over a dozen years I believe. He has been at McNeese that long. First LB's coach, then WR coach, then OC, then HC. Again his resume says he is more than a good prep coach. Coach Cook was a good prep coach before becoming successful at UL. And as for as Coaches coming from McNeese to UL, I believe Robe has done pretty well.

Viator may not be my first choice, but he is not too far down my list. I like Leviett the former coach at USF, then Leach, and then Orgeron.

igeaux.mobi

[Hammer58]

_ I think that Coach Robe has done a pretty good job having moved up from McNeese------I don't know that much about him(Viator) but at least he knows the state and could get a staff together in a short time that knows the state ---he could just keep the former coaches that recruit the outside areas or hire others from that area or who know it!!!! _

Boomer look at his current staff. Its pretty incestuous. With few exceptions all brokeb@ck guys. I would think we want a more experienced staff with a more diverse resume.

[BankerCajun]

_ +1 _

Who is the best coach in the Southland Conf?

[CAJUN_LXA685]

_ Coach Viator is still one of the top prep Coaches in Louisiana. However, UL will not be looking for a prep coach to be our next head coach. _

Viator was SHS coach when I was in high school and he did a great job. He has done a great job since he has joined McNeese coaching staff, but at this point can we gamble that a DII coach can step up and turn this program away? Can we afford to progress backwards if hiring someone like Viator doesn't work out?

Also, I would be berrated with taunts from my friends that are MSU fans about how we had to take their coach to win, etc, etc.

Again, I think he is a great guy and great coach