Matt Gueguen enters his fifth year on the Saint Francis coaching staff as the team’s defensive line coach in 2018.
The Red Flash defensive line helped the SFU defense to another dominant year in 2017, allowing just 14.6 points and 287.2 total yards per game as well as 149.5 passing yards and 137.6 rushing yards, leading the NEC in all four categories. SFU allowed an opponent pass efficiency rating of just 96.2 and held opponents to just 63.6 percent in the Red Zone. SFU ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense, 10th in total defense, seventh in pass defense, second in pass efficiency defense and seventh in Red Zone defense. SFU forced 25 turnovers, ranking 16th in the nation. SFU set a program record with four defensive touchdowns.
The Red Flash held nine of its 11 opponents to under 200 yards passing, four opponents to under 100 yards rushing and forced two or more turnovers in eight games. Against NEC opponents, SFU allowed only four scoring drives longer than 60 yards and only 15 plays of 20 or more yards. In five games against non-conference opponents (four against full-scholarship programs), SFU allowed only six scoring drives over 60 yards and 11 plays of 20 or more yards.
The SFU defensive line was led by Second Team All-NEC selection Austin Gray. In nine games, Gray had 25 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Defensive end Luke Weiss paced the defensive line with 34 tackles, including a 12-stop performance vs. Sacred Heart, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. Fellow end Shawn McCord recorded 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four QB hurries and a pass breakup. Nose tackle Jake Beistel added 17 tackles, with 1.5 for loss and a pass breakup.
Junior end Louie Gartner was a finalist for the Piesman Trophy for his 93-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Robert Morris, the longest interception return in program history. He also had a 49-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Presbyterian. Gartner collected 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, a pass breakup and a blocked field goal.
Gueguen’s defensive line helped SFU to be one of the top defenses in the FCS in 2016. The Red Flash ranked 11th in the nation in scoring defense (19.8 ppg), 15th in total defense (320.8 ypg), 18th in rushing defense (121.2) and 39th in passing defense (199.6). SFU forced 24 turnovers, ranking 21st in the country, and set a new program-record with 39 sacks, ranking fourth in the FCS.
The line was led by First Team All-NEC nose tackle Wesley Nagaseu, a two-time All-NEC selection, who led the defensive line with 45 tackles, including 18 solo, 6.5 for loss and a sack.
Junior end Austin Gray had 45 tackles, including 8.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks to go with two forced fumbles, while junior Shawn McCord had 37 stops, with 13 solo, six for loss and three sacks.
Senior Luke Weiss started all 12 games and posted 27 tackles, with 11 solo and three for loss, while sophomore Louie Gartner had 22 tackles.
Gueguen led a Red Flash defensive line that helped SFU rank second in the NEC and 28th in the FCS in scoring defense (20.9 ppg) in 2015. The Red Flash led the league and placed 17th in the nation in total defense, allowing 309.3 yards per game. SFU also finished 40th in the FCS in rush defense, giving up 146.3 yards per game. The Red Flash were among the top teams in the nation in pass defense, allowing only 163 yards per game, to rank ninth in the FCS.
The defensive line helped Saint Francis to average 2.6 sacks per game, good for 25th in the FCS.
The line was a very consistent unit in 2015, with Wesley Nagaseu, Erik Walker and Luke Weiss starting all 11 games this season.
Nagaseu was one of the top performers in the NEC, earning Second Team honors. The junior made the move to nose tackle this year after spending the last two at linebacker. Nagaseu used his size and quickness to lead the line with 37 tackles, including 19 solo, eight for loss and team for the team-lead with four sacks. Nagaseu also forced a fumble at Duquesne. Nagaseu’s top performance of the season came at Central Connecticut State, where he had five stops, with 2.5 for loss and two sacks.
The senior, Walker, was close behind Nagaseu with 35 tackles, including 22 solo, eight for loss and four sacks. Weiss contributed 18 tackles, with five solo and one for loss, and also recovered a fumble.
Freshman Louie Gartner had a breakout rookie year, earning three NEC Rookie of the Week awards. He tied for the team-lead with four sacks while also having 25 tackles, including 5.5 for loss. His first award came after a 3.5-tackle for loss, two-sack performance at East Tennessee State, where he also forced a fumble.
Gueguen headed a pretty solid defensive line during the 2014 season. Senior Terrace Bourne put together a strong 2014 campaign with 45 tackles, 6.5 of them were for a loss, which led the Red Flash. Bourne was named to the All-Northeast Conference Second Team for his efforts during the season. Lorenzo Coscarelli came into his own during his senior season tallying 33 tackles and a sack. Gueguen also oversaw senior Brody Maughan-Evanson on and off the field, he recorded 30 tackles and earned a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
Gueguen spent the past four seasons as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa. Last season, the Lakers allowed just 130.6 rushing yards per game, finishing in the top quarter of Div. II defenses. The defense also finished first in the PSAC in fewest first downs allowed.
Mercyhurst won six of its final seven games of the season to finish the year 7-4. In his four seasons with the team, the Lakers went a combined 30-16 and were 18-11 in PSAC play.
He served as an assistant coach and assistant video coordinator at Coastal Carolina in 2009. While assisting with the defensive line that season, the Chanticleers finished with 25 sacks, tied for third most in school history. Defensive end Phillip Oboh finished with 6.5 sacks, tied for second most in a season.
Gueguen played as an offensive lineman at Slippery Rock University from 2005-09 while earning a degree in sport management. He earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Mercyhurst in 2012.
