Mike Matthews' Season Impact

Tennessee football junior wide receiver Mike Matthews opened the season with 132 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions in the win over Furman.

Matthews' Season Stats

Over the course of the season, Matthews has totaled 34 receptions for 528 yards and three receiving touchdowns, placing him inside the top 10 for receiving yards in the Southeastern Conference.

Recent Game Performance

In Saturday’s 27-24 loss at South Carolina, Matthews finished with five receptions for 47 yards but a 48-yard touchdown catch was wiped off the board by a penalty.

Matthews' Playstyle

Matthews is at his best on the move, catching it in stride or taking a direct snap with full head of steam and letting his speed and physicality do the rest.

Slant Route Effectiveness

The slant route puts a receiver in traffic but gets the ball to him quickly with room to run, a style Matthews says gives him confidence over the middle.

Matthews' Self-Confidence

Matthews said, 'Really just trusting myself. Running slants is sometimes dangerous because there’s a lot of bodies inside. But I know I play with speed going in and out of breaks'.

“Really just trusting myself,” Matthews said. “Running slants is sometimes dangerous because there’s a lot of bodies inside. But I know that I play with a lot of speed going in and out of breaks, and I’m going to trust whoever’s back there to put me in position to make a play on the ball.”

Matthews' Blocker Role

He brings value without the ball, being selfless and a physical blocker in the run game, a role many receivers avoid.

Tennessee's Offensive Strategy

Tennessee’s offense is more dangerous when Matthews has the ball, and the Vols must prioritize his playmaking through the remainder of the season.