Newport football coach resigns after weekend arrest; McDay named Wildcats interim coach

NKyTribune staff

In late January, Newport High School gave Matt Schmitz a second chance to be the head coach of the Wildcats football program.

Schmitz, however, has squandered that opportunity before even coaching a game in his second stint at Newport.

After being arrested this past weekend by police in Dayton for alcohol intoxication in a public place, Schmitz has resigned as Newport’s football coach, according to school officials. It’s not the first time Schmitz has been in trouble with the law.

Schmitz served as both head coach and athletic director at Newport before an arrest for marijuana possession prompted his dismissal from both roles in 2015. Schmitz pleaded guilty to one count of marijuana possession and was sentenced to two years’ probation in 2015.

The Newport Independent School District suspended Schmitz with pay after his 2015 arrest, and his contract for head coach and athletic director was not renewed.

Newport administrators issued a statement Monday night regarding the latest incident involving Schmitz, who is finished as head coach of the Wildcats football program.

“With the deepest regrets for our players and students, Matthew Schmitz has resigned as head coach of the Newport High School football team and as a teacher in the school’s alternative program effective as of Sunday morning,” Newport High School principal Kyle Niederman said in a statement. “We hope Matt finally gets the help he truly needs and he gets his life in order. But there is no longer a place for him at Newport High School.

“We are proud to announce that Juan McDay has been named interim football coach. Coach McDay has had tremendous success coaching the Newport middle school football team and will be able to immediately step into his new role.”

Newport hired Schmitz in 2013 to rebuild the football program (3-8 record in 2012) and he immediately produced a competitive team, as the Wildcats posted a 5-6 record and advanced to the 2A playoffs.

In 2014, Schmitz guided Newport to an 8-5 record and a pair of wins during the 2A playoffs. The Wildcats advanced to the regional championship game, where they dropped a hard-fought 42-26 decision to rival Newport Central Catholic.

He became Newport’s athletic director the following year and served in the dual roles until his arrest on May 15, 2015.

In exchange for Schmitz’s plea, prosecutors dropped charges of public intoxication and resisting arrest. The judge also ordered Schmitz to undergo drug abuse treatment.

Tim Viox replaced Schmitz as head coach in 2015 and posted a 4-29 record in three seasons. The Wildcats finished 2-9 last year.