Press release from Texassports.com
Mattox named offensive line coach/running game coordinator at Texas
Matt Mattox, former co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Tulsa, has been named offensive line coach/running game coordinator at Texas.
AUSTIN — Matt Mattox, the former co-offensive coordinator with Sterlin Gilbert and offensive line coach at Tulsa, has been named offensive line coach/running game coordinator at Texas, head coach Charlie Strong announced Saturday. He will receive a three-year contract worth $550,000 per year pending the approval of the UT System Board of Regents.
“Obviously this is one of the greatest institutions in the United States, and it’s the football capital of the world being in the state of Texas,” Mattox said. “Getting an opportunity to be here and coaching at The University of Texas, I’m very honored and very excited to get here and get to work.”
Mattox has spent the past three years coaching with Gilbert at Tulsa, Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois. This past season at Tulsa, he helped the offense rank 14th nationally in total offense (502.8 ypg), 25th in scoring (35.9 ppg) and 11th in passing (329.5 ypg). That offense scored at least 40 points in five of Tulsa’s six wins, leading to an Independence Bowl bid versus Virginia Tech.
“We just made two great hires for our staff,” Strong said. “They’re outstanding coaches who will do a great job of not only developing our players, but also representing this university and doing things the right way. We did a lot of research on both of them and we know they will be the right fit for our staff. I really feel we have two quality coaches who work well together, and they’ll do an outstanding job.
“Matt will handle the running game. He’s an unbelievable coach himself, who has shown great ability in coaching offensive lines in the places he’s been.”
The offense was led by American Athletic Conference first-team WR Keyarris Garrett, who is second in the country in receiving yards (1,451) and receiving yards per game (120.9 ypg), and tied for ninth in receptions (88). WR Josh Atkinson is just short of 1,000 receiving yards with 932, while QB Dane Evans is seventh in the country in passing (329.8 ypg) and 25th in efficiency (151.3).
“In the time I’ve had to meet Charlie and sit down together, I’ve enjoyed our time together. My wife got a chance to meet him and ask him questions, and it really felt like he promoted a great family atmosphere for me and my family. Obviously, he’s high character, a guy that’s ready to do whatever’s necessary to go get the job done, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
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 QB 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 WR Roger Lewis recorded 1,093 receiving yards and earned first-team All-MAC honors. RBs Travis Green (949/12), Fred Coppet (764/6) and Andre Givens (479/8) combined for 2,192 yards and 26 TDs. BGSU finished the season with a victory over South Alabama in the 2014 Camellia Bowl.
“Having played in Kansas, but then also being able to play in Texas and recruiting down here, I know the type of athletes that are being recruited here and the type of talent that comes from the state,” Mattox said. “I know the tradition that’s here at The University of Texas, and I’m just looking forward to getting a chance to put my mark on that.”
During the 2013 season, Mattox served as the offensive line coach at Eastern Illinois, where the Panthers led the nation 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 OT Dominic Pagliara and OG Collin Seibert, the offensive line paved the way for the record-setting offense that included QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who was named the 2013 Walter Payton Award winner, the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, and consensus first-team All-American Erik Lora, who led the nation in receptions with 123, which tied for second in FCS history. In addition to Paliara and Seibert, while offensive linemen Nick Borre was tabbed second-team All-OVC, and Jimmy Lowery was on the All-Newcomer Team.
Previously, 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, finishing the year at 6-4. Five of Coffeyville’s offensive players earned all-conference honors, including sophomore C D.J. Lynn and freshman OG Hayden Chandler.
Prior to Coffeyville, Mattox was the offensive line/tight ends coach at Butler (Kansas) 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 2007 and 2008, Mattox was part of a staff that coached Butler to the NJCAA National Championship. The 2007 team went a perfect 12-0 and led the Jayhawk Conference in scoring with 35.1 points per game. The following year, Butler was 11-1 and again led the league with 34.2 points per contest. Butler posted an 8-3 record in 2009, however still finished ranked No. 10 in the NJCAA poll.
In 2010, Butler also advanced to the national championship game again 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 a conference and region championship, 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 the University of Houston under Art Briles, 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, Kansas, 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 under Briles, 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 Hawai’i 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.