Matt Vitzthum enters his eighth year on the Laker coaching staff, seventh as the quarterback coach second as offensvie coordinator. Under his leadership Laker quarterbacks have ranked among the national leaders in every statistical category yearly.
Vitzthum guided an offense that averaged 38.0 points and 411.8 yards of total offense in 2021. The Lakers used a balanced attack during the campaign, rushing for 219.8 yards per game and passing for 192.0 yards per game.
He tutored Bart Williams who was a four-year starter for the Lakers and rewrote the GVSU passing record book. Williams concluded his career as the all-time leader in passing yards (12,410), passing TDs (126) and completions (807).
Under the watchful eye of quarterback Bart Williams, the 2016 Laker offense was prolific. Grand Valley State averaged 485.5 yards and 40.4 points per game. In addition, QB Bart Williams went over the 3,300 passing yards and 33 passing TD mark for the second consecutive year as he averaged a GLIAC best 16.9 yards per completion. The Lakers also eclipsed the 40-point mark six times.
In 2015 Vitzthum tutored the top freshman QB in the country and one of the top quarterbacks in the country regardless of class in Williams. Williams led the nation in TD passes with 45, while completing 273-of-480 passes for a GVSU single-season record 4,206 yards. Williams’ 12 wins as a freshman QB ranked second in GVSU annals behind Cullen Finnerty’s 13 wins as a starter in 2003. Bart ranked among the national leaders in every QB category and guided the Laker offense to averages of 38.4 points, 285.5 yards passing yards, 171.9 rushing yards and 457.5 yards of total offense.
He tutored a pair of quarterbacks through an injury riddled 2014 campaign. Seniors Heath Parling and Isiah Grimes battled through injuries the entire season and guided the Lakers to a 6-2 mark the final eight games of the season.
Vitzthum mentored one of the most productive running back units in the country in 2013. The group rushed for 2,798 yards and 32 TDs, while accounting for 186.5 yards per game. Michael Ratay (1,012), Chris Robinson (880) and Kirk Spencer (450) led the way for the Laker rushing game. Ratay earned All-GLIAC honors, but missed the final six games with an injury, while Spencer missed the middle portion of the season. Robinson was coming back from a season ending injury in 2012.
Vitzthum joined the Wittenberg coaching staff in 2012 after spending three years at St. Cloud State as a graduate assistant coach. Wittenberg finished with a 10-2 mark and advanced to the second round of the NCAA DIII Playoffs during the 2012 campaign. He tutored an all-conference quarterback and helped direct an offense that led the league in total offense, passing efficiency and scoring.
Vitzthum served as the video coordinator and also coached both the tight ends and running backs at St. Cloud State, helping the team to a three-year record of 30-7, including two trips to the NCAA DII football playoffs. He coached three players who earned all-conference honors as St. Cloud State advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament in both 2010 and 2011.
Matt played three years of football at Wartburg College, earning Offensive Scout TeamPlayer of the Year and a varsity letter during his playing career. While working toward his bachelor of arts in business administration that he earned in 2009, Vitzthum spent two years serving as a student assistant coach, assisting the offensive coordinator with game plans and conducting weekly scout team meetings.
Matt and his wife, Alyssa, reside in Hudsonville with son Hayden (5) and daughter Emery (2).
