Matt Troxel, Idaho State’s offensive coordinator and a former Montana wide receiver, was hired to join the Grizzlies’ coaching staff, sources confirmed Friday morning.
Troxel’s hiring comes days after it was confirmed that Montana was not going to renew the contract of outside receivers coach and pass game coordinator Nolan Swett, who served in the capacity for two seasons. Sources confirmed that Troxel was in Missoula on Wednesday to interview for the position.
Troxel’s hiring as inside receivers coach bumps his former teammate, Mike Ferriter, from inside to outside receiver coach. Montana also announced in a press release that Ferriter will have the title of passing game coordinator to his responsibilities.
Troxel returns to Montana from Idaho State where he spent the past five seasons. Troxel was promoted to offensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season after four years coaching the Bengals’ wide receivers, special teams and offensive line.
Troxel also spent two seasons at Idaho as a graduate assistant working with the Vandals’ receivers and offensive line. Before his time in Moscow, Troxel was a student assistant for one season at Montana under the guidance of Bobby Hauck, Troxel’s former coach.
Troxel was the first recruit to commit to Hauck and the Grizzlies in May 2003.
Idaho State offensive Coordinator Matt Troxel was hired to join the Montana coaching staff/by ISU Athletics
Troxel, who is the son of former Montana quarterback Van Troxel, played three injury riddled seasons at Montana, winning three Big Sky Conference titles. During those three seasons, Troxel played with current Montana assistants Ferriter, Shann Schillinger and Andrew Selle.
“I always remember when I was playing a few times and he was injured I would ask him —even before I went to coaches — what is going on on the field. He’s extremely intelligent,” Ferriter said of Troxel in November before Idaho State came to Missoula to play the Griz.
Under Troxel’s tutelage, Idaho State’s offense struggled to the worst scoring and yardage outputs in the Big Sky. The Bengals, full of freshmen and sophomores, managed just 24 points and 366 yards per game. Despite the paltry sums, Troxel has received rave reviews from coaches for his expansive offensive knowledge.
“He was one of those guys that had such a good understanding of it at a young age, nothing he would do coaching would surprise me at all,” Hauck said of Troxel. “I think it’s more about where he wants to go with it. I think he could coach anywhere at any level.”
Montana made the decision to move on from Swett after its offense was wildly inconsistent, posting three games of at least 60 points but struggling to find the end zone during a late-season collapse that kept the Grizzlies from reaching the postseason for the first time since 2012.
Swett was one of four coaches Stitt brought with him from the Colorado School of Mines when Stitt was hired as Montana’s 36th head coach in Dec. 2014.
Swett oversaw the production of Jamaal Jones during the senior season of the school’s all-time receiving yards leader. In 2016, Swett’s group largely consisted of receivers playing either their first or second year of Division I football. The five receivers who rotated through the positions accounted for 99 catches, 1,494 yards and 18 touchdowns.
This story was updated to reflect Troxel’s appointment as inside receivers coach and Mike Ferriter’s new position on staff.
