| Will Matthews |
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Running Back
6-3 · 260
Austin, Texas (Westwood)
#37
A big, physical and versatile fifth-year fullback ... was a tremendous blocker, powerful runner, and solid receiver ... also a member of special teams ... played in 48 career games, started in four, and rushed 52 times for 212 yards and four TDs ... played in all 12 games as UT's primary fullback in 2004 ... rushed 38 times for 161 yards and a TD and caught eight passes for 42 yards and a TD ... rushed 13 times in 2003 for 49 yards and three TDs, to go along with one reception for five yards ... gained experience at fullback and was a valuable member of the special teams as a sophomore ... posted five special teams tackles in 2002 ... saw action at fullback and on special teams in '01 as well ... spent his true freshman season working at fullback while redshirting.
SENIOR (2004)
Played in all 12 games and started two as UT's primary fullback and a member of the special teams ... had the most productive rushing and receiving season of his career ... rushed 38 times for 161 yards and one TD and caught eight passes for 42 yards and a TD ... was a key runner and blocker in an offense that ranked second in the nation in rushing (299.2 ypg), seventh in total offense (464.4 ypg) and 12th in scoring (35.3 ppg) ... Texas' 3,590 rushing yards this season is the sixth-highest total in school history ... UT registered six 300-yard rushing games, the most since 1977 ... opened the season with one rushing TD and his first career receiving TD versus North Texas ... carried the ball four times for 19 yards and caught two passes for 13 yards against the Mean Green ... had career highs with seven carries and 50 yards versus Rice ... made a career-long 17-yard run against the Owls ... had 10 yards on four carries versus Baylor ... carried four times for 15 yards at Texas Tech ... recorded four carries for 19 yards at Colorado ... closed the regular season with five carries for 16 yards and a 12-yard reception against No. 22 Texas A&M ... helped block for 673 yards of total offense (No. 3 on the UT all-time list), including 513 yards rushing (No. 7 on the UT all-time list), versus North Texas ... helped register 409 total yards with 259 of those on the ground at Arkansas ... helped clear the way for 525 total yards against Rice, including 339 on the ground ... produced another 507 yards versus Baylor with 303 rushing yards ... helped block for 154 rushing yards against a No. 2 Oklahoma defense that ranked sixth nationally against the run (77.0) ... the Longhorns rushed for 193 yards against a Missouri defense that allowed just 98.0 rushing yards per game ... UT then rushed for 351 yards and five TDs at Texas Tech, as part of 493 total yards ... helped clear 300 yards rushing with 326 and pushed through four TDs on the ground at Colorado ... helped produce the 15th-best offensive performance in UT history with 600 total yards, including 322 on the ground, versus No. 19 Oklahoma State ... UT surpassed 250 yards in both categories, recording 289 yards in the air and 292 on the ground, and totaled 581 yards, the ninth-best total in the Mack Brown era, at Kansas ... closed the regular season with 274 rushing yards as part of 405 total yards against No. 22 Texas A&M ... it was the fifth straight game of the season rushing for at least 250 yards, marking the first time that has been accomplished since 1974 ... rushed one time for one yard and had one reception for eight yards in the 38-37 Rose Bowl victory against Michigan ... he also had one kickoff return for 13 yards.
JUNIOR (2003)
Appeared in all 13 games and started two at fullback while seeing time on special teams ... had limited starts due to offense opening in three-receiver set ... shared UT's Most Consistent Offensive Players honors and earned one of the team's Joseph W. Moore Awards (tenacity) ... a key blocker for a Longhorn offense that ranked eighth nationally in rushing (232.5 ypg) and sixth in scoring (41.0 ppg) ... helped pave the way for Cedric Benson to rush for 1,360 yards (No. 5 on UT's single-season list) and an NCAA-leading 21 TDs (No. 3 on UT's single-season list) ... it marked the ninth straight year UT had a 1,000-yard rusher ... UT recorded four 300-yard rushing games and rushed for 3,023 yards in 2003, both were the most since 1977 ... UT's 41 rushing TDs were the fourth-most nationally ... Texas set school records for points (533) and total yards (5,709) on the year ... rushed two times for 14 yards, including a season-long seven-yarder in the opener against New Mexico State ... posted one carry for four yards at Rice ... registered five yards on two carries against Tulane ... carried the ball twice against No. 12 Nebraska for six yards ... had season highs of four carries, 18 yards and a career-high three TDs at No. 21 Oklahoma State ... the three TDs were the first of his career and included a seven-yarder that tied his season-long rush ... was named UT's Darrel K Royal Offensive Player of the Week against No. 21 Oklahoma State ... ran for 49 yards and three TDs on 13 carries during the season ... also saw action on special teams and recorded three tackles.
SOPHOMORE (2002)
Appeared in all 12 games as a backup fullback and on special teams ... helped the offense score 33.8 points per game, which ranked 16th nationally ... helped open holes for UT's eighth consecutive 1,000-yard rusher in sophomore Cedric Benson (1,293 yards) ... shared UT's Darrell K Royal Offensive Player of the Week honors after helping the offense pile up a season-high 569 total yards at North Carolina ... also recorded five special teams tackles (three solo).
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2001)
Saw limited action, primarily on special teams ... also played fullback ... had one carry for two yards ... added one reception for four yards ... redshirted in 2000.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Jerry Spradlin at Westwood High ... racked up 1,074 rushing yards on 199 carries (5.4 yards per carry) en route to first-team all-district and team MVP honors as a senior ... produced those numbers despite being Westwood's primary blocking back ... scored 11 TDs (nine rushing/two receiving) ... was a solid receiver out of the backfield who posted more than 100 yards receiving and caught three TD passes in 1999.
PERSONAL
Born 4/30/81 in Radford, Va. ... full name is William Robert Matthews, IV ... a youth and community studies major ... was active in UT's community service program ... mentored at local elementary and middle schools ... worked at a camp for underprivileged children during summer breaks.
CAREER STATISTICS
Rushing/Receiving
Year G/GS Rush-Yds YPC TD Long Rec-Yds YPC TD Long
2004 12/2 38-161 4.2 1 17/Rice 8-42 5.3 1 12/A&M
2003 13/2 13-49 3.8 3 7/OSU, NMS 1-5 5.0 0 5/OU
2002 12/0 0-0 0.0 0 -- 0-0 0.0 0 --
2001 11/0 1-2 2.0 0 2/BU 1-4 4.0 0 4/CU
2000 Redshirted
Career 48/4 52-212 4.1 4 17/Rice 10-51 5.1 1 12/A&M
Special Teams
Year G TT (Solo) FC FR PBLK KBLK
2004 11 1 (0) 0 0 0 0
2003 13 3 (1) 0 0 0 0
2002 12 5 (3) 0 0 0 0
2001 11 0 (0) 0 0 0 0
2000 Redshirted
Career 47 9 (4) 0 0 0 0
High Games
Rushing attempts: 7 vs. Rice (Sr.)
Rushing yards: 50 vs. Rice (Sr.)
Rushing TDs: 3 at Oklahoma State (Jr.)
Long: 17 vs. Rice (Sr.)
Receptions: 2 vs. North Texas (Sr.)
Receiving yards: 13 vs. North Texas (Sr.)
Receiving TDs: 1 vs. North Texas (Sr.)
