He has one mission. To create better people, which he aims to do every day at State High. Matthew Lintal, State High school counselor and responsible for in-school suspension, has had a very impactful career thus far, whether it is in a classroom or on a football field.

This upcoming fall, Lintal will be entering his 22nd season as a coach. He began his coaching career at Bucknell University, where he coached quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers for seven years. He was also the passing game coordinator for the Bison. After his final season at Bucknell, Lintal returned to his high school alma mater, State High, to be an assistant coach for four years, before becoming the current head football coach. This year will mark his 11th year in the position, and he hopes to continue to build an exceptional program over time.

When it comes to the game of football, Lintal knows how to take care of business. In his 10 years in the State High head coach role, his record is 90-33. Not to mention, going 9-1 in District VI title games, adding seven state quarterfinal appearances and two semifinal appearances.

Lintal’s method behind the success is encouraged by his philosophy, which focuses on striving for his players to be the best versions of themselves both on and off the field. “The purpose of the program is to promote our student-athletes, but to also make sure we are building people of integrity and empathy,” Lintal said. “Empathy to me is the ultimate human characteristic, so being able to create empathetic people that will listen and feel what others feel so that they can go out and be impactful in whatever it is that they do; I want to make sure they are ready to do that and change the world.”

Along with his philosophy, his expectations are just as important. He encourages players to put the team before themselves, play with a positive attitude, have good sportsmanship, and more. On the other hand, he also emphasizes the importance of taking on one game at a time and experiencing the process together as a team. He wants his team to improve daily and work hard, leading them to peak at the right time.

Lintal owes much of his success to his coaching staff. “The guys that coach on our staff are fantastic. Just the experience and the collective camaraderie of our coaching staff is really amazing. I think that’s kind of the secret to it. I’m grateful to have the people that we have,” Lintal said.

Senior Justin Castro-Dixon played under Lintal for three seasons. He also praised the coaching staff he played for during his career. “All the experts on our team have a common mindset and it’s really good to have that because if a coaching staff is out of disarray, players are going to be out of disarray too,” Castro-Dixon said.

Castro-Dixon has nothing but kind words to say about Coach Lintal and his experience with State High football.

“I loved playing for him. He was a great coach. I can’t say that I had a negative moment with Coach ever. It was so enjoyable,” Castro-Dixon said. Nevertheless, he mentioned something special about Lintal that makes him stand out from any other coach. “He’s a little bit too outstanding. He’s never the coach to get mad at you or blow up in the middle of practice. He’s probably the only coach I haven’t seen yell at practice,” Castro-Dixon said.

Lintal’s most successful season was in 2022, recording an undefeated regular season, being District VI Champions, Mid-Penn Commonwealth Champions, and advancing to the State semi-finals. As a result of the season, Lintal earned his second Mid-Penn Commonwealth Coach of the Year and Central PA Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year (both he previously won in 2016) honors. Additionally, he was named 6A State Coach of the Year in 2022 by the PA Football News Coach’s Select All-State Team.

Lintal’s heart has always been with State High. He grew up on the sideline with his father Dave Lintal and eventually played wide receiver and outside linebacker for the Little Lions too. He was named the team captain for the 1998 season and was a three-year letter winner. After graduating from State College in 1999, he attended Franklin & Marshall College, where he also played football. Lintal was a strong safety who recorded 282 all-time career tackles (8th in Franklin & Marshall history) and 145 solo tackles (5th in Franklin & Marshall history). In addition, he was named team captain his senior year and graduated in 2003 with a Psychology Major and Religious Studies Minor. He then moved on to earn his Master’s Degree in Education from Bucknell University and his Secondary School Counseling Certification from Bloomsburg University in 2010.

Outside of being the State College Football Head Coach, Lintal has served in many leadership roles. He is the Second Vice President of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) and is on the Board of the Central PA Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

The Lintal family is also active in the community. His wife Jackie is currently a kindergarten teacher in State College and they have three kids together: Hayden, Ryleigh, and Brady.

Many people look up to Lintal and respect the program he has built. His players and staff are grateful for all of the moments they share with him. “You just can’t hate him,” Castro-Dixon said.