Kansas State University Athletics
Football
Kardulis, Matt
Matt Kardulis
- Title:
- Defense Quality Control/Assistant Director of Recruiting
Matt Kardulis is in his fifth season at K-State in 2025 and first as the Wildcats’ assistant safeties coach. He spent his first four seasons on staff as a defensive quality control coach and assistant director of recruiting.
During his time in Manhattan, Kardulis has helped K-State average 21.8 points allowed per game over the last four seasons – a span of 53 games – to rank 24th nationally, 17th among Power 4 teams and third among current Big 12 programs. Additionally, K-State has forced 62 turnovers the last three seasons to rank first among current Big 12 schools.
In 2024, Kardulis helped K-State finish in the top 30 nationally in three categories, ranking fourth in fourth down defense (32.1%), 25th in sacks per game (2.69) and 28th in rushing yards allowed (118.7). The Wildcats’ rushing defense ranking and mark was the program’s best since 2007. The 2024 Wildcats finished with a 9-4 record, the third-straight season with at least nine victories.
The 2023 season saw Kardulis aid in K-State finishing the season ranked in the top 30 nationally in eight categories, placing 11th in third-down defense (30.2%), 16th in fumble recovered (10), 18th in pass efficiency defense (118.63), 20th in turnovers gained (23), 25th in interceptions (13), 26th in scoring defense (21.0), 28th in first downs allowed (225) and 30th in red zone defense (89.2%). Although the Wildcats allowed points in nearly 90% of their opponents’ red zone attempts, only 39.4% of those resulted in touchdowns, which was the second-best mark in the nation.
Kardulis helped the Wildcats win a Big 12 Championship in 2022 as they ranked in the top 30 nationally in five categories. One of those was a No. 18 showing in fourth down defense (39.4%), which included a key 4th and Goal stop in overtime of the Big 12 Championship. K-State also ranked 10th in the nation in interceptions (16) and 14th in total turnovers (24) as both those figures were the most by the Wildcats since 2016, while K-State’s No. 10 national ranking in interceptions was the best since 2003. Additionally, Kansas State’s pass efficiency defense of 123.36 was its best mark since 2013 (114.82).
In 2021, Kardulis helped the Wildcats pick up a victory in the Texas Bowl, one that capped a great turnaround by the K-State defense. During the 2021 campaign, the Wildcats allowed just 21.0 points per game to stand as their best mark since 2003 and result in a 12.2-point decrease from the previous season. Additionally, the defense allowed its fewest yards per game since 2009 (344.7) to rank third in the Big 12, while its 129.5 rushing yards allowed per game was its best effort in four seasons. K-State also finished with 90 tackles for loss on the year – its best mark since 2006 – to rank 10th in school history.
Kardulis came to Manhattan after spending the previous two seasons on staff at Virginia Tech as a defensive graduate assistant working under Hokie defensive coordinators Bud Foster (2019) and Justin Hamilton (2020). During those two seasons, he assisted in coaching two future NFL defensive backs, including Caleb Farley – a first round draft pick – while the Hokies reached the Belk Bowl in 2019.
Prior to his stint in Blacksburg, Kardulis was a defensive quality control coach at Campbell, helping the Camels rank first in the FCS in passing yards allowed. Prior to Campbell, he spent the 2017 season at his alma mater, Emory & Henry College, as a video coordinator and running backs coach. His coaching career began in 2016 at Frostburg State as a defensive graduate assistant.
Kardulis played defensive back for five years at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. He was a four-time academic all-conference performer and a member of the 2015 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. He graduated from Emory & Henry in December 2015 with a degree in mathematics and obtained his master’s in education from the college the following May.
During his time in Manhattan, Kardulis has helped K-State average 21.8 points allowed per game over the last four seasons – a span of 53 games – to rank 24th nationally, 17th among Power 4 teams and third among current Big 12 programs. Additionally, K-State has forced 62 turnovers the last three seasons to rank first among current Big 12 schools.
In 2024, Kardulis helped K-State finish in the top 30 nationally in three categories, ranking fourth in fourth down defense (32.1%), 25th in sacks per game (2.69) and 28th in rushing yards allowed (118.7). The Wildcats’ rushing defense ranking and mark was the program’s best since 2007. The 2024 Wildcats finished with a 9-4 record, the third-straight season with at least nine victories.
The 2023 season saw Kardulis aid in K-State finishing the season ranked in the top 30 nationally in eight categories, placing 11th in third-down defense (30.2%), 16th in fumble recovered (10), 18th in pass efficiency defense (118.63), 20th in turnovers gained (23), 25th in interceptions (13), 26th in scoring defense (21.0), 28th in first downs allowed (225) and 30th in red zone defense (89.2%). Although the Wildcats allowed points in nearly 90% of their opponents’ red zone attempts, only 39.4% of those resulted in touchdowns, which was the second-best mark in the nation.
Kardulis helped the Wildcats win a Big 12 Championship in 2022 as they ranked in the top 30 nationally in five categories. One of those was a No. 18 showing in fourth down defense (39.4%), which included a key 4th and Goal stop in overtime of the Big 12 Championship. K-State also ranked 10th in the nation in interceptions (16) and 14th in total turnovers (24) as both those figures were the most by the Wildcats since 2016, while K-State’s No. 10 national ranking in interceptions was the best since 2003. Additionally, Kansas State’s pass efficiency defense of 123.36 was its best mark since 2013 (114.82).
In 2021, Kardulis helped the Wildcats pick up a victory in the Texas Bowl, one that capped a great turnaround by the K-State defense. During the 2021 campaign, the Wildcats allowed just 21.0 points per game to stand as their best mark since 2003 and result in a 12.2-point decrease from the previous season. Additionally, the defense allowed its fewest yards per game since 2009 (344.7) to rank third in the Big 12, while its 129.5 rushing yards allowed per game was its best effort in four seasons. K-State also finished with 90 tackles for loss on the year – its best mark since 2006 – to rank 10th in school history.
Kardulis came to Manhattan after spending the previous two seasons on staff at Virginia Tech as a defensive graduate assistant working under Hokie defensive coordinators Bud Foster (2019) and Justin Hamilton (2020). During those two seasons, he assisted in coaching two future NFL defensive backs, including Caleb Farley – a first round draft pick – while the Hokies reached the Belk Bowl in 2019.
Prior to his stint in Blacksburg, Kardulis was a defensive quality control coach at Campbell, helping the Camels rank first in the FCS in passing yards allowed. Prior to Campbell, he spent the 2017 season at his alma mater, Emory & Henry College, as a video coordinator and running backs coach. His coaching career began in 2016 at Frostburg State as a defensive graduate assistant.
Kardulis played defensive back for five years at Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. He was a four-time academic all-conference performer and a member of the 2015 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. He graduated from Emory & Henry in December 2015 with a degree in mathematics and obtained his master’s in education from the college the following May.
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