A Warren native, Coach Matt Richardson graduated from John F. Kennedy High School and Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He was a member of JFK's 1991 state championship and 1992 state runner-up football teams. He continued his winning ways as a Penguin under Hall of Fame Coach Jim Tressel as he was also a member of YSU’s Division I-AA national championship football teams in 1994 and 1997. After beginning his coaching career as the Running Backs & Linebackers Coach at The Rayen School (Youngstown) in 1999, Richardson started his first stint at Harding a year later in 2000. As the Running Backs Coach under now-National High School Hall of Fame head coach Thom McDaniels, Richardson helped power the development of then-future college football signees the likes of Maurice Clarett (Ohio State in 2002), David Herron (Michigan State in 2002; linebacker), Rob Massucci (Youngstown State in 2003; defensive back), Richard Davis (Toledo in 2004), Delbert Ferguson (Cincinnati in 2004; linebacker), Jon Richardson (Gannon University in 2005), and Daniel "Boom" Herron (Ohio State in 2007). In 2001, Clarett rushed for 2,249 yards & 30 touchdowns, hauled in 23 catches for 349 yards & 4 touchdowns, and returned 11 punts for 263 yards & 4 touchdowns en route to not only winning Ohio's coveted Mr. Football Award, but the USA Today also named him their National Offensive Player of the Year. In the 84 total games that Richardson served on Harding's sideline from 2000 until 2006, Harding's running backs accounted for 14,533 rushing yards & 187 touchdowns on 1,972 carries. The Raiders compiled a record of 63-21 in those games and were the Division I state runner-up in 2002. Richardson's success at Harding didn't go unnoticed as Solon High School hired him as their Running Backs Coach in 2007 before promoting him to offensive coordinator in 2010. In twelve seasons under the leadership of then-head coach Jim McQuaide, Richardson helped the Comets compile a combined record of 98-38, which included nine playoff appearances (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018). A brief one-year hiatus from coaching in 2019 set the table for a huge opportunity for Richardson the following year as he was hired by Archbishop Hoban High School. Led by his former Youngstown State teammate in head coach Tim Tyrrell, the Knights won four consecutive state championships from 2015 thru 2018. After coming up short in the third round of the 2019 Division II playoffs against Massillon (17-14), one of the changes that Hoban made was bringing on Richardson as their Running Backs Coach in 2020. It didn't take long for that move to pay dividends as the Knights went on to enjoy an 11-0 campaign during the COVID-shortened season. The cherry on top was a dominant 35-6 victory over Massillon in the 2020 Division II state championship game. After Hoban finished the 2021 season as the Division II state runner-up, Richardson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022. His background as a Running Backs Coach showed up big as Lamar Sperling set OHSAA single-season rushing records with 3,984 yards and 59 touchdowns. Like Clarett 21 years prior, Sperling not only received Ohio's Mr. Football Award, but he was also named the USA Today's National Offensive Player of the Year. As of 2024, Sperling is a running back for the University of Buffalo. In four seasons on Hoban's staff, Richardson helped lead the Knights to a combined record of 50-8 with the aforementioned state crown in 2020 and three consecutive Division II state runner-up finishes from 2021 thru 2023. In his 24 years’ worth of coaching experience, Richardson's teams have compiled a combined record of 213-76. He'll look to bring his winning ways back to the school that originally helped him lay the foundation for his coaching career in Warren G. Harding. Richardson is married to Janell, who is a long-time teacher in the Warren City Schools District. Together, they have three kids... Justice, Jayla, and Matthew Jr.