Matt Powledge

LAFAYETTE — Billy Napier is putting the Louisiana into his coaching staff.

The Louisiana-Lafayette head football coach announced Thursday that UL-Monroe tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Matt Powledge will be joining the Ragin’ Cajuns staff. Powledge will serve as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette.

“I’m extremely excited to announce a big addition to our staff in Matt Powledge,” Napier said. “Matt is a quality coach and has had success as a student-athlete and coach. His recruiting experience and relationships will be a great fit for our plan. His passion for and production as a special teams coordinator speaks for itself. It’s a great day for the University of Louisiana.”

Powledge was on head coach Matt Viator’s staff at ULM for the past two seasons and is the third coach that has recently coached for the rival Warhawks, following Tim Leger and Rob Sale.

Prior to joining ULM, Powledge spent two seasons at FCS powerhouse Sam Houston State where he served as special teams coordinator and running backs coach. In his two seasons with the Bearkats the team ranked atop the Southland Conference in four different categories (punt return yards, blocked kicks, special team scores and PAT percentage).

Powledge also coached for one season at the University of Kentucky (2013) as a graduate assistant, at Northwestern State University as running backs coach (2012) and at Southeastern Louisiana as a graduate assistant (2010-11).

The Hunstville, Texas, native was a star fullback at Sam Houston State earning All-Southland honors as a senior.

The addition of Powledge brings the total to eight for staff members that are either from Louisiana or have coached in Louisiana. That list includes offensive coordinator Sale (ULM, McNeese State coach, LSU player), defensive coordinator Karl Scott (Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana coach), running backs coach Jabbar Juluke (Edna Karr High School head coach, LSU assistant), wide receivers coach-recruiting coordinator Leger (ULM, McNeese State coach), assistant football coach Michael Desormeaux (Catholic High and UL-Lafayette star), safeties coach Patrick Toney (SLU grad), director of football operations Troy Wingerter (Cajuns letterman) and strength and conditioning coach Mark Hocke (University of New Orleans and Tulane grad).