Matt Ballard is in his 19th season as the head football coach at Morehead State and his 25th year as a collegiate head coach. He entered the 2012 campaign with a 98-98 (.500) record at MSU and 133-123-1 (.519) career mark.
Under Ballard's watch, the MSU offense set 17 school records in 2011. The Eagles led the Pioneer Football League in first downs (25.2), passing yards (358.2), total yards (478.9) and points (36.1) per contest.
In 18 previous campaigns, Ballard has led Morehead State to four PFL South Division championships (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) and a school-record nine wins on two occasions (1998, 2002). He was also named the league's South Division Coach of the Year four straight years from 2002-05.
Ballard was named NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major National Coach of the Year and Coach of the Year among I-AA Independents in 1998. That Eagle squad was ranked No. 1 among I-AA Mid-Majors by The Football Gazette.
Ballard has directed MSU to NCAA national statistical championships in first downs (2011), tackles for loss (2009), rushing defense (2007), total offense (2000), scoring offense (1997 & 2000) and punt returns (1997). In addition to first downs, his 2011 squad led the league in total yards, passing yards and points per game.
In 2003, Morehead State defensive back Charlie Byrd led the nation in passes defended. In 2005, Nick Feldman led the country in punt returns. In 2007, defensive back David Hyland paced the nation in interceptions per game.
Ballard has coached four NCAA Mid-Major National Players of the Year -- David Dinkins (Offensive Back and National POY), Doug Turner (Offensive Back), Bubba Combs (Offensive Lineman) and Toby Moeves (Specialist).
Ballard compiled a 35-25-1 record in six seasons as the head coach at Union College (Ky.) from 1988-93. He led the Bulldogs to their best single-season record and the institution’s first Mid-South Football Conference championship. He was named Mid-South and NAIA District 32 Coach of the Year in 1992.
Ballard was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Morehead State from 1984-87. Prior to his first stint at MSU, Ballard also logged four years (1980-83) as the offensive/defensive coordinator at Georgetown College (Ky.) and one season (1979) as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb.
A native of Davidson, N.C., Ballard graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, N.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Gardner-Webb in 1979 and master’s degree from Georgetown College in 1980.
Ballard is active in many community service projects. He actively supports two scholarship funds named in honor of his son, Matthew -- one at Rowan County High School and one at Morehead State. Matthew was a student football coach at MSU when he was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident on July 12, 2005.
