Now in his 14th season as a coach at Portland State, Viking football alum Matt Leunen assumes the role of offensive coordinator as well as offensive line coach.
Leunen played a major role in the success of the running game in 2023 as the Vikings averaged 224.0 yards per game on the ground to rank fifth in the nation. The Vikings rushed for 203.2 yards per game in 2024.
In 2022, Leunen guided center Tyson Pauling to a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection. In 2023, Shiloh Ta’ase was named second team All-Big Sky. In 2024, Richard Estrella and Billy Lutui were each honorable mention All-Big Sky.
Leunen has spent most of his time coaching tight ends and tackles during his tenure at Portland State - the two positions he played as an undergraduate for the Vikings.
During his time as tight ends coach, Leunen produced a pair of All-Conference performers (Maximo Espitia, Charlie Taumoepeau). Taumoepeau went on to first team honors and was a second team All-American selection in 2018.
In 2016, Leunen had two players earn All-Big Sky Conference honors in tight end Maximo Espitia and left tackle Randin Crecelius.
Both of Leunen’s starting tackles earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2015. Kyle Smith was named second team All-Big Sky and Mike Davis earned third team.
Leunen was an assistant coach at PSU from 2011-13, was away from the program for a year, then hired back by Bruce Barnum in 2015.
BACKGROUND
Leunen’s first coaching stint at PSU was 2011-13, when he coached tight ends. It came after spending the 2010 season as tight ends coach at Pacific University.
Leunen was a member of the Viking program from 2005-09. He started his career as a tight end, but moved to offensive tackle in 2007 when the tight-end-less Run-and-Shoot offense was installed. Leunen started at right tackle for two seasons on an offense that led the nation in passing. He was selected as an Honorable Mention All-Big Sky Conference performer in 2009.
An Oregon native, Leunen was a standout football and basketball player at Redmond High School, earning First Team All-Intermountain Conference and Second Team All-State honors at both tight end and punter.
Leunen earned his degree in Social Science from Portland State in 2010.
THE MATT LEUNEN FILE
14th year at Portland State
Hometown: Redmond, OR
Alma Mater: Portland State, 2010, Social Science
Playing Experience: Portland State, 2005-09, tight end/offensive tackle
Date of Birth: June 20, 1987
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2015-25 Portland State, Tight Ends, Tackles (2015-17)/Offensive Line (2018-22)/Run Game Coordinator, Offensive Line (2024)/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line (2025)
2011-13 Portland State, Tight Ends
2010 Pacific, Tight Ends
ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE VIKINGS UNDER MATT LEUNEN
2015
2nd team: Kyle Smith, OT
3rd team: Mike Davis, OT
2016
2nd team: Maximo Espitia, TE
3rd team: Randin Crecelius, OT
2017
2nd team: Charlie Taumoepeau, TE
2018
1st team: Charlie Taumoepeau, TE
3rd team: Josh Brown, LT; Korbin Sorensen, RG
2nd team All-American: Charlie Taumoepeau, TE
2019
1st team: Charlie Taumoepeau, TE
3rd team: Emmanuel Daigbe, WR; Garret Stauffer, C
2nd team All-American: Charlie Taumoepeau, TE
2022
1st team: Tyson Pauling, C
2023
2nd team: Shiloh Ta’ase, C
2024
Honorable Mention: Billy Lutui, OL; Richard Estrella, OL
