GREENVILLE -- Furman head football coach Clay Hendrix announced today the hiring of Matt McCutchan as the Paladins' new offensive line coach.

McCutchan joins the Paladins following four seasons at East Tennessee State, where he coached the Buccaneers' offensive front.

"We are very fortunate to be able to add Matt McCutchan to our staff," said Hendrix.  "I have enjoyed watching his groups play, and I know he will do a terrific job with our offensive line.  He checked all of the boxes as I went through this process, and he was also an outstanding offensive lineman in the SEC.  I am excited about his ability to develop and help our players reach their full potential."

McCutchan played a key role in ETSU's 2021 Southern Conference championship season that saw the Bucs advance three rounds into the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs. Driving that effort was his offensive line that featured All-America performers Tre'mond Shorts and Tavon Matthews, who combined to help clear the way for the school's all-time leading rusher, All-American Quay Holmes, who ran for a school record 1,553 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2021 to finish his career with 4,264 yards and 51 touchdowns.

Shorts, who collected the SoCon's Jacobs Blocking Award for the 2021 spring season, thereby joining ETSU's 2018 recipient and McCutchan understudy, Matt Pyke, was among eight All-SoCon performers and 12 All-Americans coached by McCutchan in his four seasons in Johnson City.
 
Prior to his tenure at ETSU, McCutchan worked five seasons (2013-17) at Florida State as the offensive quality control coach, and was on staff when the Seminoles won the 2014 national championship.

He spent the 2012 season as the offensive line coach at Morehead State following a one-year stint (2011) as offensive line coach at Lincoln University (Mo.).

McCutchan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kentucky, his alma mater, from 2008-10.

He played offensive line for the Wildcats from 2004-06, starting 31 games and earning the team's Most Outstanding Lineman Award in 2005. He twice earned Southeastern Conference Lineman of the Week laurels during his career.

McCutchan was a member of Kentucky's 2006 squad that won eight games, capped by a Music City Bowl victory over Clemson. He was a multiple SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics.

In addition to announcing the addition of McCutchan, Hendrix indicated running backs coach Antonio Wilcox is assuming the program's recruiting coordinator duties, and Brian Bratton, the Paladins' wide receivers coach, had added the title of co-offensive coordinator.