Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
2016 Football Roster
Roster
Mathers, I'Tavius
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Jersey Number 4
I'Tavius Mathers
- Position:
- RB
- Ht./Wt.:
- 5-11 / 197
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Murfreesboro, TN
- High School:
- Blackman
Bio
2016 (r-Senior)
• Named First Team All-C-USA
• Named First Team All-C-USA by Phil Steele
• Invited to the 2017 NFLPA Bowl Game
• Invited to the 2017 East-West Shrine Game
• Voted a Permanent Team Captain
• Earned Ironman status from the strength and conditioning staff
• Named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Earned the Grinder award for Running Backs in the spring
• Named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19, Sept. 26 and Oct. 24
• Voted the TSWA Player of the Week on 9/20/16 and 10/25/16
• Played in all 13 games and had 12 starts
• Led team with 1,561 yards rushing and 17 rushing touchdowns to go with 66 catches for 633 yards and three scores
• First player in NCAA FBS history to have 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season
• Had eight 100-yard rushing games, including six in a row to equal the second longest streak in school history
• Set the single-season record for rushing yards (1,561), all-purpose yards (2,194) and receptions for a running back (66)
• Scored 120 points which went down as the third most in school history and his 20 total touchdowns also ranked third
• Had five or more receptions in a game eight times
• Became just the second player in MT history to record 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in a game when he tallied 157 rushing yards and 103 receiving yards at Bowling Green
• Tallied a career-best 215 rushing yards on 28 attempts in win at Missouri to go with a personal-high eight receptions
• Turned in his second 200-yard rushing game with 213 yards and three TDs against FAU
2015 (Senior)
• Transferred to Middle Tennessee after three years at Ole Miss
• Sat out the 2015 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules
2014 (Junior)
• Played in 12 games and had one start
• Was third on the team in rushing with 290 yards to go with three touchdowns
• Also added six catches for 49 yards
• Rushed for a season-high 57 yards each in wins over Louisiana and Memphis
• Had 48 yards on the ground and a touchdown against Auburn, while adding 38 rushing yards against LSU
2013 (Sophomore)
• Played in 12 games with one start at running back
• Led the team with 563 rushing yards
• Fourth on team with three rushing TDs and also caught 10 passes for 83 yards
• vs. Southeast Missouri (9/7/13): Saw his first action of the year and rushed four times for 56 yards and his second career TD
• vs. #6 LSU (10/19/13): Rushed 12 times for 51 yards and caught a pass for no gain
• vs. Idaho (10/26/13): Set career highs in rushing attempts (14) and yards (138), highlighted by a 64-yard TD jaunt
• vs. Arkansas (11/9/13): Made his first career start and rushed 12 times for 44 yards
• vs. Troy (11/16/13): Rushed eight times for 59 yards, including a 45-yard run
• vs. #8 Missouri (11/23/13): Rushed seven times for a team-high 66 yards, including a 45-yard TD, and had two catches for 14 yards
• Music City Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (12/30/13): Gained 58 rushing yards on 13 carries and posted career highs in receptions (5) and receiving yards (49)
• Did not play in the season opener while recovering from an ankle injury
• Spring 2013: Received the Eli Manning Award, presented to the most improved offensive player of the spring
2012 (Freshman)
• Played in every game as a backup RB and on special teams
• On the season, had 208 rushing yards on 27 carries with one TD and returned three kicks for 20 yards
• vs. Central Arkansas (9/1): Rushed four times for 20 yards in his college debut
• vs. UTEP (9/8): Rushed for 26 yards on just three carries and caught a three-yard pass
• BBVA Compass Bowl vs. Pitt (1/5): Led the Rebels with a season-high 96 rushing yards on just six attempts, including a 62-yard TD in the fourth quarter
High School
• Named The Tennessean's Player of the Year as a junior and senior and was named to the publication's Dream Team in 2011
• Named district and county MVP in 2011
• Earned Tennessee Gatorade and Old Spice Player of the Year honors his junior year
• A SuperPrep All-Region selection and rated the No. 8 player in Tennessee
• Earned Tennessee Class AAA Mr. Football honors
• Listed No. 84 on Mobile Press-Register Super Southeast 120 list
• Rated the No. 20 running back in the nation and the No. 7 player in Tennessee by Rivals.com
• Listed as the No. 35 running back in the nation by Scout.com
• Rated the No. 42 running back in the nation and No. 20 player in the state by ESPN.com
• Rushed for 2,253 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior after rushing for 2,614 yards and 29 TDs as a junior
• Team finished 8-4 his senior year and advanced to the state playoffs
• Coached in high school by Philip Shadowen
Personal
• Parents: Son of Ira Mathers Jr. and Gale Jones
• Full name: I'Tavius Von Tez Mathers
• Born: Nov. 19, 1993
• Major: Liberal Studies (pursuing second degree)
• Named First Team All-C-USA
• Named First Team All-C-USA by Phil Steele
• Invited to the 2017 NFLPA Bowl Game
• Invited to the 2017 East-West Shrine Game
• Voted a Permanent Team Captain
• Earned Ironman status from the strength and conditioning staff
• Named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Earned the Grinder award for Running Backs in the spring
• Named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19, Sept. 26 and Oct. 24
• Voted the TSWA Player of the Week on 9/20/16 and 10/25/16
• Played in all 13 games and had 12 starts
• Led team with 1,561 yards rushing and 17 rushing touchdowns to go with 66 catches for 633 yards and three scores
• First player in NCAA FBS history to have 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season
• Had eight 100-yard rushing games, including six in a row to equal the second longest streak in school history
• Set the single-season record for rushing yards (1,561), all-purpose yards (2,194) and receptions for a running back (66)
• Scored 120 points which went down as the third most in school history and his 20 total touchdowns also ranked third
• Had five or more receptions in a game eight times
• Became just the second player in MT history to record 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in a game when he tallied 157 rushing yards and 103 receiving yards at Bowling Green
• Tallied a career-best 215 rushing yards on 28 attempts in win at Missouri to go with a personal-high eight receptions
• Turned in his second 200-yard rushing game with 213 yards and three TDs against FAU
2015 (Senior)
• Transferred to Middle Tennessee after three years at Ole Miss
• Sat out the 2015 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules
2014 (Junior)
• Played in 12 games and had one start
• Was third on the team in rushing with 290 yards to go with three touchdowns
• Also added six catches for 49 yards
• Rushed for a season-high 57 yards each in wins over Louisiana and Memphis
• Had 48 yards on the ground and a touchdown against Auburn, while adding 38 rushing yards against LSU
2013 (Sophomore)
• Played in 12 games with one start at running back
• Led the team with 563 rushing yards
• Fourth on team with three rushing TDs and also caught 10 passes for 83 yards
• vs. Southeast Missouri (9/7/13): Saw his first action of the year and rushed four times for 56 yards and his second career TD
• vs. #6 LSU (10/19/13): Rushed 12 times for 51 yards and caught a pass for no gain
• vs. Idaho (10/26/13): Set career highs in rushing attempts (14) and yards (138), highlighted by a 64-yard TD jaunt
• vs. Arkansas (11/9/13): Made his first career start and rushed 12 times for 44 yards
• vs. Troy (11/16/13): Rushed eight times for 59 yards, including a 45-yard run
• vs. #8 Missouri (11/23/13): Rushed seven times for a team-high 66 yards, including a 45-yard TD, and had two catches for 14 yards
• Music City Bowl vs. Georgia Tech (12/30/13): Gained 58 rushing yards on 13 carries and posted career highs in receptions (5) and receiving yards (49)
• Did not play in the season opener while recovering from an ankle injury
• Spring 2013: Received the Eli Manning Award, presented to the most improved offensive player of the spring
2012 (Freshman)
• Played in every game as a backup RB and on special teams
• On the season, had 208 rushing yards on 27 carries with one TD and returned three kicks for 20 yards
• vs. Central Arkansas (9/1): Rushed four times for 20 yards in his college debut
• vs. UTEP (9/8): Rushed for 26 yards on just three carries and caught a three-yard pass
• BBVA Compass Bowl vs. Pitt (1/5): Led the Rebels with a season-high 96 rushing yards on just six attempts, including a 62-yard TD in the fourth quarter
High School
• Named The Tennessean's Player of the Year as a junior and senior and was named to the publication's Dream Team in 2011
• Named district and county MVP in 2011
• Earned Tennessee Gatorade and Old Spice Player of the Year honors his junior year
• A SuperPrep All-Region selection and rated the No. 8 player in Tennessee
• Earned Tennessee Class AAA Mr. Football honors
• Listed No. 84 on Mobile Press-Register Super Southeast 120 list
• Rated the No. 20 running back in the nation and the No. 7 player in Tennessee by Rivals.com
• Listed as the No. 35 running back in the nation by Scout.com
• Rated the No. 42 running back in the nation and No. 20 player in the state by ESPN.com
• Rushed for 2,253 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior after rushing for 2,614 yards and 29 TDs as a junior
• Team finished 8-4 his senior year and advanced to the state playoffs
• Coached in high school by Philip Shadowen
Personal
• Parents: Son of Ira Mathers Jr. and Gale Jones
• Full name: I'Tavius Von Tez Mathers
• Born: Nov. 19, 1993
• Major: Liberal Studies (pursuing second degree)
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