McKeesport football coach Matt Miller not stepping down amid controversy surrounding program

Despite his affiliation with a controversial church, the coach of the McKeesport High School football team is not stepping down. 

Sources tell KDKA-TV that coach Matt Miller told the district's athletic director last week he would be resigning after some school board members threatened not to renew his entire assistant coaching staff. But the board has delayed a vote on that decision, and Miller has now told the district and those assistants he will be staying on. 

Miller did not return KDKA-TV's phone calls, but he is the son of Guy Miller, the pastor of the Church of Life in Christ and the subject of a 2016 KDKA investigation into allegations that he is the charismatic leader of a cult. 

A jury recently convicted church member Isaac Smith of murdering Karli Short, the pregnant daughter of Brandon Short, the former McKeesport High football standout who went on to become a Super Bowl champion. Brandon Short has expressed outrage that two church members who are also associated with the McKeesport football program testified on Isaac Smith's behalf. 

"Two character witnesses called on behalf of the convict, Joe Smith and Josh Lefcowitz, testified that they hold positions with McKeesport football, a program I hold near and dear to my heart," Brandon Short said on June 2.

Testifying were Joe Smith, no relation to the defendant, who is one of the assistant coaches, and Lefcowitz, who is the head of the football team's booster association. Short said other members of the church crowded the courtroom during the trial, and one member approached a member of his family, saying God had revealed to him that Isaac Smith was innocent. 

"That is not faith," Brandon Short said on June 2. "That is an unwanted and deeply inappropriate intrusion into the grief of a family that has already lost everything."

Some board members called for a house cleaning. 

"Due to what has transpired and the profound loss of trust that has followed, I'm calling for the resignation of this entire football coaching staff right now," board member Matt Holtzman said. 

But the motion not to renew the assistant coaches has been tabled. And though the board is expected to call a special meeting next week to decide that matter, there is no motion to relieve Matt Miller of his duties. In January, the board voted to retain coach Miller through next season. Brandon Short would not weigh in on what the board should do. 

"I'm not on the school board, and I'm not in the position to make any decisions," he told KDK-TV. "But I do know with certainty that the community needs to have confidence in whoever is in that position."

"Do you believe that Matt Miller should resign or should be fired?" KDKA-TV's Andy Sheehan asked.

"My opinion on that point is not relevant," Brandon Short said. "What is relevant is the most important thing, which is whoever is in the position has the full faith of the community, and it doesn't appear that the current coaching staff has that."

Right now, the board appears split down the middle, with board president Dave Seropian saying coach Miller has his support.

"Coach Miller has never done anything that's been intertwined with the church," he said.