Vol Club Confidential: Mike Matthews
Coming off his most extensive playing time of the season, freshman wideout Mike Matthews joined Vol Club Confidential sponsored by Knoxville Smiles to discuss his first year in Knoxville.
“Just knowing throughout the season to work hard and stay confident in myself,” Matthews said. “ I may have not been getting the plays that I wanted but when Bru went down and Dont’e was hurting a little bit, just being able to step up for my team and my teammates and be able to be on the board and in the playoffs.”
Matthews caught his second touchdown of the season in the Vanderbilt game, which was a laser from Nico Iamaleava.
“Throughout the drive we was streaking and I was open a couple of times,” Matthews said. “I knew I was going to be able to beat him on any type of route I had. Just staying with it and staying confident I knew as we progressed down the field my time was going to come. They lined it up and I did what I did.”
Normally a touchdown would result in a celebration around thousands of fans, but with the construction in the one in zone, Matthews was looking at a handful of guys with hard hats instead.
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“It was kind of funny that they got right there in the field,” Matthews said. “I was too much in the moment because I just scored and lot of emotions running through.”
He has worked hard to do the little things well over the course of the season and has improved immensely, which has earned him more playing time down the stretch.
“It’s definitely difficult as a lot of freshmen probably think they are entitled to get more playing time and more opportunities,” Matthews said. “ I see it as a refresh button like the freshman year of high school to start and prove myself all over again.”
Watch the full episode below.
