Matthew Panker - Defensive Assistant (Secondary) - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Matthew Panker

Title:
Defensive Assistant (Secondary)

Matt Panker enters his first season as a defensive assistant on the Texas Tech staff, working directly with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Rob Greene.

Panker arrived at Texas Tech following two seasons at Army where he was the defensive quality control coach during the 2025 season. He began his tenure with the Black Knights as a defensive analyst under Army defensive coordinator Nate Woody in 2024. On the field he worked with the cornerbacks.

Army put together its best season in the more than 100-year history of the program during Panker’s first year on the staff in 2024, finishing an impressive 12-2 overall, including a perfect 8-0 mark in the Black Knights first season in the American Athletic Conference. The Black Knights ended the season at No. 21 in the Associated Press poll after topping Tulane in the AAC Championship Game as well as Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.

Army boasted one of the nations top defenses throughout the 2024 season as the Black Knights finished fourth in the FBS after allowing only 15.5 points per game. Army was also eighth in the country for total defense, giving up just 297.9 yards per game as part of a defense that was also ranked in the top 25 for red zone defense, passing defense, rushing defense and passes intercepted.

In 2025 the Army defense finished in the top…(add team stats, rankings here) and ended the season with a win against UCONN in the Fenway Bowl.

Panker began his coaching career immediately after his own playing career at Colby College in Maine. Like Coach Wood and Coach Greene he played on the offensive side of the ball as a wide receiver for Colby from 2019-2022. Panker caught 44 passes for 536 yards and three touchdowns before suffering a career ending foot injury prior to his senior season. He also played baseball at Colby and finished his baseball career with a .308 batting average.

Panker attended Iona Prep High School in New Rochelle, NY where he was an All-County football and baseball player. During his Senior year he caught 60 passes for 1000 yards and scored at least 1 TD in every game, finishing with 12.

Panker graduated from Colby College in Waterville, Maine in 2023