Matt Mattox has been named East Carolina's offensive line coach according to an announcement by head coach Mike Houston.
His appointment to the Pirates' staff extends a near 20-year coaching career, which included a recent stop at Ronald Reagan High School where he helped the Rattlers post an 11-1 overall record and claimed the 6A District 28 title. During his coaching tenure, Mattox has been a part of seven bowl games, nine conference championship squads and two NJCAA National Championship teams.
"We are thrilled to have Matt join our program and lead our offensive line group," Houston said. "Matt will do a great job not only in developing our players but also representing East Carolina University. Throughout his coaching career, his units have shown to be physical in the running game while being able to protect the quarterback. In our offense, everything starts up front and we are excited to have someone with his pedigree at ECU."
Mattox was instrumental in helping UTSA to a pair of Conference USA Championships (2021-22) where the Roadrunners tallied 30 wins over three seasons and appeared in three consecutive bowl games. In 2022, he served as the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach helping the squad rank among the NCAA leaders (Top 15) in first down offense (third/362), completion percentage (seventh/67.8 pct), third down conversion (10th/48.4 pct), total offense (12th/476.0 ypg), passing offense (13th/300.7 ypg), scoring offense (13th/36.8 ppg). Thirteen members of the 2022 team earned all-conference or honorable mention accolades that posted am 11-3 record.
In his first season with the Roadrunners, he helped the offense to a record-setting season that resulted in a 7-5 ledger, a runner-up finish in Conference USA's West Division with a 6-2 mark and an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
With Mattox installed as run game coordinator, UTSA broke single-season school records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24). His offensive line helped pave the way for All-America running back and 2020 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Sincere McCormick. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalist and Doak Walker Award semifinalist shattered UTSA's single-season marks for yards (1,467), carries (249) and touchdowns (11) while finishing second in the FBS with a program-record 133.4 rushing yards per game. The Roadrunners also smashed single-game standards for total yards (624) and rushing yards (443) in a game in a regular season-finale rout of North Texas.
Three members of his offensive line group — Spencer Burford, Makai Hart and Ahofitu Maka — garnered second-team all-conference accolades, while Demetris Allen was a C-USA All-Freshman Team selection. Burford also was named to the Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College First Team and Maka was a Rimington Award watch list member for the nation's top center.
In year two, UTSA continued their record-setting ways posting a 12-2 mark setting a new program standard for most wins and best winning percentage (.857) in a season. The Roadrunners captured their first conference title with a 49-41 win over WKU in the C-USA Championship Game, were nationally ranked (as high as No. 15) for the first time and made their second consecutive and third overall bowl appearance when they faced San Diego State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl.
UTSA broke school records for total points (516), points per game (36.9), first downs (320), total offense (6,146) and yards per game (439.0). The Roadrunners rushed for 2,569 yards — the second-best total in program annals — and a UTSA-record 26 touchdowns. McCormick repeated as C-USA Offensive Player of the Year and improved his own single-season standards for rushing yards (1,479), rushing TDs (15), rushes (298) and all-purpose yards (1,663) on his way to earning All-America accolades from the Associated Press, FWAA and Phil Steele, as well as landing on the finalist list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and semifinalist list for the Doak Walker Award.
Four of Mattox's offensive linemen were recognized by the league's head coaches, as Burford earned first-team honors, Maka was tabbed to the second team and Hart and Terrell Haynes received honorable mention. Burford, a fourth-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers, and Maka also garnered first- and second-team All-Texas College Team plaudits from Dave Campbell's Texas Football.
Mattox, who also spent time at Bowling Green, Eastern Illinois, South Florida, Texas and Tulsa, joined the Roadrunners after spending the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at McNeese. He oversaw a Cowboy offense that posted an increase in every statistical category from the previous year, including the following: 382 total offensive yards per game, an increase of 92 yards from 2018; 165 yards rushing (+54 from 2018); 220 yards passing (+40); 26 points scored per game (+6); 24 passing TDs (+12); 12 rushing TDs (+8). In addition, the Cowboys ranked second in the Southland Conference in rushing in league games with a 170.7 average.
During the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Mattox served as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at USF. In 2018, he helped lead a running game that averaged more than 208 yards per contest to rank in the top 30 nationally.
In his first season at USF, he tutored an offensive line unit that saw guard Jeremi Hall earn first team all-conference honors and tackle Marcus Norman claim second-team accolades. Senior running backs Darius Tice (986 yards and 11 TD) and D'Ernest Johnson (836 yards and 7 TD) both had career-best years and joined second team, all-conference quarterback Quinton Flowers (1,078 yards and 11 TD) in helping USF run for 3,169 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Bulls ranked eighth in the nation in rushing offense (264.1 ypg), sixth in total offense (513.0 ypg) and 10th in scoring offense (38.3 ppg). The Bulls ran for 200 yards or more in nine games, eclipsing 300 yards in five and ranked 29th nationally in sacks allowed (1.50 spg).
Prior to USF, Mattox spent the 2016 season at Texas. He also coached at Tulsa (2015), Bowling Green (2014) and Eastern Illinois (2013).
As the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Texas, Mattox coached All-Americans Connor Williams (left tackle) and running back D'Onta Foreman, who helped the Longhorns average 491.3 yards per game (16th in FBS) and 239.3 rushing yards per game (17th). The offense set a school record in 2016, totaling seven games with more than 500 yards. Under Mattox's guidance, Foreman finished second nationally with 2,028 rushing yards in 11 games, just the ninth Power 5 Conference player in NCAA history to record 2,000 yards in a season without the help of a bowl game. Foreman was named the 2016 Doak Walker Award winner and the 2016 Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
The Texas offensive line was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the top offensive line unit in college football. Williams, who was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys in 2018, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was honorable mention for conference Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Kent Perkins was a second team selection on the offensive line.
In 2015, Mattox worked as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach to help lead a Tulsa attack that ranked 11th nationally in passing (333 ypg), 13th in total offense (507 ypg) and 21st in scoring (37 ppg). The offense was led by American Athletic Conference first-team receiver Keyarris Garrett, who finished with 1,588 receiving yards, 122.2 yards per game. Josh Atkinson amassed 1,071 receiving yards, while quarterback Dane Evans passed for 4,332 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Prior to Tulsa, Mattox was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Bowling Green in 2014. The Falcons gained 432.9 yards per game to rank 41st nationally in total yards, while averaging 173.0 yards on the ground and 259.9 yards passing, all without starting quarterback Matt Johnson, who was injured and would the next year become the 2015 Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Offensive lineman Alex Huettel was tabbed second-team All-Mid-American Conference and was named to the 2015 preseason Lombardi Award watch list, while wide receiver Roger Lewis recorded 1,093 receiving yards and earned first-team All-MAC honors.
During the 2013 season, Mattox served as the offensive line coach at Eastern Illinois, which led the FCS in total offense (589.5 ypg) and scoring (48.2 ppg), while ranking second with 372.4 passing yards, and 20th with 217.1 rushing yards per game, leading to a 12-2 record and an Ohio Valley Conference Championship.
Behind third-team All-Americans Dominic Pagliara and Collin Seibert, the offensive line paved the way for the record-setting offense that included quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was named the 2013 Walter Payton Award winner, the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Consensus first-team All-American Erik Lora led the nation in receptions with 123, which tied for second in FCS history. In addition to Paliara and Seibert, offensive linemen Nick Borre was tabbed second-team All-OVC, and Jimmy Lowery was on the All-Newcomer Team.
Before Eastern Illinois, Mattox spent six years as an offensive line/tight ends coach in the junior college ranks.
He served as the offensive coordinator during the 2012 season at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. In his one season at Coffeyville, the offense averaged 370.2 total yards, including 170.2 rushing, and 28.8 points per game. Five of Coffeyville's offensive players earned all-conference honors, including center D.J. Lynn and guard Hayden Chandler.
Prior to Coffeyville, Mattox was the offensive line/tight ends coach at Butler (Kan.) Community College. During five seasons with the school from 2007-11, he helped coach the program to four conference and NJCAA Region VI Championships. In his tenure, he coached 31 all-conference offensive linemen and six junior college All-Americans.
In 2010, Butler advanced to the national championship game and finished the season ranked second in the nation with an 11-1 record and a conference and region title. The offense averaged 38.0 points per game, including a 40.4 average in region games, while recording over 370 yards per game.
The 2011 season also saw Butler post an 11-1 record with conference and region championships, along with a bowl win and a No. 2 final national ranking. The offense averaged 48.6 points and 499.3 yards per game in region play heading into the bowl and finished averaging 46.3 points for the season with just under 480 yards of offense.
Mattox began his coaching career at Houston, first working with the football program as an assistant strength coach in 2005 and then as a graduate assistant in 2006, assisting with the offensive tackles. Houston posted a 10-4 record in 2006, won the Conference USA Championship and made an appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
A native of Holton, Kan., Mattox was a second-team junior college All-American tight end at Butler Community College. He played his final two collegiate seasons (2002-03) at Houston, moving from tight end to offensive tackle prior to his senior season. As a senior, Mattox earned second-team All-Conference USA honors at offensive tackle as the Cougars posted a 7-6 record and played in the Hawaii Bowl.
Mattox earned his bachelor's degree in sports administration with a minor in health from Houston in 2005.
He and his wife, Stacey, have two children, Kirby and Macey.