Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Standout Mathers returns to alma mater
6/15/2022 5:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — I'Tavius Mathers only played one full season for Middle Tennessee, a 2016 Redshirt Senior campaign after transferring back home from Ole Miss. But that 2016 season reads like a perfect resume for a job application anywhere in football.
First Team All-C-USA, named permanent team captain by his teammates and Ironman award winner from the strength and conditioning staff, the first player in NCAA FBS history to have 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season (not to mention his 20 combined touchdowns that season).
But it was what came after, with several years of coaching high school football at both his alma mater, Blackman High School, as well as Wilson Central, that has made Mathers an intriguing addition to the MT coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
Staff Writer Sam Doughton caught up with Mathers recently to chat about his high school coaching experience, what goes into being a GA for the Blue Raiders, and joining a staff with so many familiar faces.
The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
To start things off, you've been up to a lot since you last played here in 2016. What was the path that led you back to Middle Tennessee?
I signed with Jacksonville out of college, and then I had an injury. Right after that, I got into coaching at my alma mater, Blackman High School. I started out with the freshman football team, coaching the running backs and being co-offensive coordinator. That following year, I took a job at Wilson Central, working with the running backs. And they were short staffed, so we had to do freshman, JV and varsity. Then I came back to Blackman.
When I first started, I was just coaching football. But at Wilson Central, I was helping with special education, and then with the P.E. department at Blackman.
What was it like coaching at your alma mater?
It was pretty fun! At first, I thought how it might be, because you see all these banners with my name on them, so you wonder if kids are going to call you by your first name or is it more of a "Coach Mathers" situation. But it was a fun experience as far as the teaching part of it goes. The coaching was great, the kids respected me.
I guess the timeline lines up so they might've been coming to some of your games.
I had a couple of kids say that 'my parents used to take me to the games.' Or 'you played with my brother,' or 'my brother was in the band, so we got to watch you on Friday nights.'
What was that like for you?
That's when I realized I'm getting old!
Blackman was having success while you were there. What made you want to leave the world of high school coaching and come back to Middle?
It's always been my dream job to be a college coach, so I figured I'd have to get my feet wet sooner or later. The opportunity came and I couldn't turn it down.
I saw that there was a position open, so I messaged Coach Stock, and he told me he'd love to have me.
When did you officially start your Graduate Assistant work?
In spring ball, I was here every day, just watching, learning the players and the plays, stuff like that, just because I love football. But I officially started May 16.
I've been doing a bunch of ARMS (recruiting profiles), seeing if we can find some great players. I help with all the camps here. I show people around on tours, and whatever I can do to help make us better. I'm probably missing something, but it's a lot.
The GA's do a lot of the prep work before the ten coaches go out and recruit in person. What are some of the things y'all are looking for as you put these profiles together?
When we get on ARMS, let's say the name I'Tavius Mathers is up there. Click on the profile, make sure the information matches up. Then we'll go to the Hudl information, find a recent highlight tape. Watch it, evaluate it. If we like them, we'll pass them. If we don't, we'll reject them. It's a long process
Another long process is the camp season here at Middle Tennessee. What's it been like to get back out there coaching in these camps?
It's been good. (Coach Beckles) was on the road recruiting, so he kind of threw me in the fire with 'you've got the backs today.' I think it was pretty smooth, especially since I've been working with the backs at the high school level, and those are who are coming to the camps. So I think I did a pretty good job of helping them and showing them what we were looking for and what we were running.
Is that going to be the position you're working with primarily?
Yeah, I'll be with the backs and I'll be working with special teams.
So you'll be working with Coach Gilstrap, who also started as a GA here. Has he given you advice about the GA experience?
'Strap is pretty much like an older brother to me. We've got history. He played a part in recruiting me from Ole Miss. So, he's been on me, really since I got with ball, he was telling me 'hey man, you need to come to the college level.'
For example, yesterday he told me, whatever you're doing, just keep working hard. Always do what you're supposed to do. Get here early, stay late. All the little stuff. He said it'll pay off sooner or later.
The staff is filled with a lot of guys who played for Coach Stock. Not just Coach Gilstrap, but Brent Stockstill, Shane Tucker, a couple of the other GAs. What's it like coming into that environment, not only with former players, but also coaches that have been here a long time like Coach West and Coach Mallory?
It's a pretty good feeling. You've got Coach West, Coach Mallory, Coach Beckles, (Mike) Polly, 'Strap, Coach Shafer, all those guys have pretty much been here since I've been here. Coach Shafer, when I was leaving, he was coming in. So, I feel like everybody just fits right in. I know all of them, they all know me, so that's pretty cool.
Shane Tucker, Brent Stockstill, Maurquice Shakir, all of us have a connection because we all played together. Brent is always helping the GA's out, giving us advice, helping us with ARMS, whatever it takes, he's always around. Shane, he gives a lot of advice, telling us what to look for, how to do this and that. I think that's what's going to be better is that the coaches are helping the GA's.
Where do you hope to be in 10-15 years in your coaching career?
I hope to be known as a top recruiter, a top running back coach. I don't really have a location, I just want to be in D1 college football, that's the dream.
First Team All-C-USA, named permanent team captain by his teammates and Ironman award winner from the strength and conditioning staff, the first player in NCAA FBS history to have 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season (not to mention his 20 combined touchdowns that season).
But it was what came after, with several years of coaching high school football at both his alma mater, Blackman High School, as well as Wilson Central, that has made Mathers an intriguing addition to the MT coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
Staff Writer Sam Doughton caught up with Mathers recently to chat about his high school coaching experience, what goes into being a GA for the Blue Raiders, and joining a staff with so many familiar faces.
The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
To start things off, you've been up to a lot since you last played here in 2016. What was the path that led you back to Middle Tennessee?
I signed with Jacksonville out of college, and then I had an injury. Right after that, I got into coaching at my alma mater, Blackman High School. I started out with the freshman football team, coaching the running backs and being co-offensive coordinator. That following year, I took a job at Wilson Central, working with the running backs. And they were short staffed, so we had to do freshman, JV and varsity. Then I came back to Blackman.
When I first started, I was just coaching football. But at Wilson Central, I was helping with special education, and then with the P.E. department at Blackman.
What was it like coaching at your alma mater?
It was pretty fun! At first, I thought how it might be, because you see all these banners with my name on them, so you wonder if kids are going to call you by your first name or is it more of a "Coach Mathers" situation. But it was a fun experience as far as the teaching part of it goes. The coaching was great, the kids respected me.
I guess the timeline lines up so they might've been coming to some of your games.
I had a couple of kids say that 'my parents used to take me to the games.' Or 'you played with my brother,' or 'my brother was in the band, so we got to watch you on Friday nights.'
What was that like for you?
That's when I realized I'm getting old!
Blackman was having success while you were there. What made you want to leave the world of high school coaching and come back to Middle?
It's always been my dream job to be a college coach, so I figured I'd have to get my feet wet sooner or later. The opportunity came and I couldn't turn it down.
I saw that there was a position open, so I messaged Coach Stock, and he told me he'd love to have me.
When did you officially start your Graduate Assistant work?
In spring ball, I was here every day, just watching, learning the players and the plays, stuff like that, just because I love football. But I officially started May 16.
I've been doing a bunch of ARMS (recruiting profiles), seeing if we can find some great players. I help with all the camps here. I show people around on tours, and whatever I can do to help make us better. I'm probably missing something, but it's a lot.
The GA's do a lot of the prep work before the ten coaches go out and recruit in person. What are some of the things y'all are looking for as you put these profiles together?
When we get on ARMS, let's say the name I'Tavius Mathers is up there. Click on the profile, make sure the information matches up. Then we'll go to the Hudl information, find a recent highlight tape. Watch it, evaluate it. If we like them, we'll pass them. If we don't, we'll reject them. It's a long process
Another long process is the camp season here at Middle Tennessee. What's it been like to get back out there coaching in these camps?
It's been good. (Coach Beckles) was on the road recruiting, so he kind of threw me in the fire with 'you've got the backs today.' I think it was pretty smooth, especially since I've been working with the backs at the high school level, and those are who are coming to the camps. So I think I did a pretty good job of helping them and showing them what we were looking for and what we were running.
Is that going to be the position you're working with primarily?
Yeah, I'll be with the backs and I'll be working with special teams.
So you'll be working with Coach Gilstrap, who also started as a GA here. Has he given you advice about the GA experience?
'Strap is pretty much like an older brother to me. We've got history. He played a part in recruiting me from Ole Miss. So, he's been on me, really since I got with ball, he was telling me 'hey man, you need to come to the college level.'
For example, yesterday he told me, whatever you're doing, just keep working hard. Always do what you're supposed to do. Get here early, stay late. All the little stuff. He said it'll pay off sooner or later.
The staff is filled with a lot of guys who played for Coach Stock. Not just Coach Gilstrap, but Brent Stockstill, Shane Tucker, a couple of the other GAs. What's it like coming into that environment, not only with former players, but also coaches that have been here a long time like Coach West and Coach Mallory?
It's a pretty good feeling. You've got Coach West, Coach Mallory, Coach Beckles, (Mike) Polly, 'Strap, Coach Shafer, all those guys have pretty much been here since I've been here. Coach Shafer, when I was leaving, he was coming in. So, I feel like everybody just fits right in. I know all of them, they all know me, so that's pretty cool.
Shane Tucker, Brent Stockstill, Maurquice Shakir, all of us have a connection because we all played together. Brent is always helping the GA's out, giving us advice, helping us with ARMS, whatever it takes, he's always around. Shane, he gives a lot of advice, telling us what to look for, how to do this and that. I think that's what's going to be better is that the coaches are helping the GA's.
Where do you hope to be in 10-15 years in your coaching career?
I hope to be known as a top recruiter, a top running back coach. I don't really have a location, I just want to be in D1 college football, that's the dream.
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