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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
JMU Football Adds Matt Birkett as Assistant Coach
12/29/2018 12:42:00 PM | Football
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Head Coach Curt Cignetti announced the hiring of Matt Birkett as an assistant football coach on Saturday.
Birkett spent the past seven seasons on the coaching staff at Maine, where he was most recently the defensive backs coach for the Black Bears' top-rated defense in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The 2018 season was one of the best in program history for the program, as they won the CAA championship, reached the FCS semifinals for the first time and led the league in six defensive categories. That included a CAA-best 18 interceptions, which ranked sixth nationally. Birkett guided Manny Patterson to First Team All-CAA status after he led the conference for the second straight year with 22 pass breakups and 25 total passes defended, which was good for third in the entire FCS. Patterson was also a Second Team selection in 2017 after tallying 17 breakups.
Prior to leading the defensive backs, he was the cornerbacks coach for three seasons (2014-16) and was on the offensive side of the ball with the running backs for one season (2013) and with the tight ends in his first season (2012).
"I'm very excited to add Matt Birkett to the staff as our corners coach," Cignetti said. "He's extremely impressive and does a great job coaching cornerbacks, particularly in press coverage. Matt is as good as it gets in that area and he takes a lot of pride in it. He's been a tremendous recruiter for Maine in the Mid-Atlantic region and he will be a terrific asset in that area for us."
Cignetti's Coaching Staff at JMU (as of 12/29)
Birkett spent the past seven seasons on the coaching staff at Maine, where he was most recently the defensive backs coach for the Black Bears' top-rated defense in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The 2018 season was one of the best in program history for the program, as they won the CAA championship, reached the FCS semifinals for the first time and led the league in six defensive categories. That included a CAA-best 18 interceptions, which ranked sixth nationally. Birkett guided Manny Patterson to First Team All-CAA status after he led the conference for the second straight year with 22 pass breakups and 25 total passes defended, which was good for third in the entire FCS. Patterson was also a Second Team selection in 2017 after tallying 17 breakups.
Prior to leading the defensive backs, he was the cornerbacks coach for three seasons (2014-16) and was on the offensive side of the ball with the running backs for one season (2013) and with the tight ends in his first season (2012).
"I'm very excited to add Matt Birkett to the staff as our corners coach," Cignetti said. "He's extremely impressive and does a great job coaching cornerbacks, particularly in press coverage. Matt is as good as it gets in that area and he takes a lot of pride in it. He's been a tremendous recruiter for Maine in the Mid-Atlantic region and he will be a terrific asset in that area for us."
Cignetti's Coaching Staff at JMU (as of 12/29)
| Offensive Coordinator | Shane Montgomery |
| Defensive Coordinator | Corey Hetherman |
| Assistant Coach | Mike Shanahan |
| Assistant Coach | Damian Wroblewski |
| Assistant Coach | Bryant Haines |
| Assistant Coach | Ryan Smith |
| Assistant Coach | Matt Merritt |
| Assistant Coach | Matt Birkett |
| Director of Strength & Conditioning | Brian Phillips |
| Director of Football Operations | James Ferguson |
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