It didn’t take long for West Virginia running back Tony Mathis to find a new home. The former Mountaineer announced that he’s transferring to the Houston Cougars ahead of the 2023 college football season.
Tony Mathis Transfers to Houston
Mathis entered the transfer portal as the spring window was closing, potentially due to being the odd man out in a talented running back room. He’ll now take his talents to Houston and join the Cougars.
This fall, Mathis will compete for the starting running back position for Houston, and he has two years of remaining eligibility after redshirting for the Mountaineers in 2019, along with the additional year of eligibility given to all student-athletes due to the disruption of the 2020 campaign.
Last season, Mathis took on the workload for West Virginia due to CJ Donaldson’s injury. The 5’11”, 210-pound back started 10 games for the Mountaineers, rushing for a career-high 562 yards with five rushing touchdowns. The highlight of his breakout season was a 163-yard performance against the Baylor Bears.
MORE: Big 12 RB Rankings 2023
During the 2022 college football season, Mathis had one of only two multi-touchdown games. He also has three games on his college football résumé where he rushed for over 100 yards. While he has had limited usage as a receiving back during his time with the Mountaineers, he did score a touchdown against Texas Tech as a redshirt freshman.
As a three-star prospect in West Virginia’s 2019 recruiting class, Mathis arrived in Morgantown after being named the Class 5-4A Offensive Player of the Year at Cedartown High School. He was also a track athlete before transitioning to college football.
Mathis’ frame enables him to withstand contact in short-yardage situations, but he excels when utilizing his speed and jump cut-ability to evade defenders. His film includes multiple examples of him leaving opponents grasping at thin air, and he brings that ability to the Houston backfield.
Mathis Quick Facts
- Class: Redshirt senior
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 210
- Hometown: Orlando, FL
- Career carries: 229
- Career rushing yards: 943
- Career rushing yards per carry: 4.1
- Career rushing touchdowns: 6
- Career receiving yards: 64
- Career receiving touchdowns: 1
