Saturday, Nov. 23, graduate quarterback/wide receiver/running back Hollis Mathis ’23 became the second player in college football history to record 1,000 receiving, 1,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards.
Mathis, however, does not credit this historic feat solely to himself.
“Those 1,000 yards were based on the receivers doing a great job making catches and plays on the field and the offense blocking for me,” he said. “It’s one of those situations where it seems like an individual record, but it is in no way, shape or form a record that I was able to get myself.”
Mathis described this achievement as a “William and Mary football record,” further emphasizing the support of his teammates and coaches.
“It’s not just about me,” he said. “It’s about the entire William and Mary football history that I’m now part of.”
Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Mario Acitelli emphasized Mathis’s team-oriented mentality and versatility on the field.
“He’s the ultimate team guy,” Acitelli said. “He’s willing to do whatever it takes for the team, whether that’s blocking, catching, throwing or running.”
Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pa., Mathis started playing football at just seven years old. Despite wanting to play college basketball during his early years at Penn Hills High School, he also served as the school’s quarterback.
“My frame and my size kind of panned out to be better for football,” Mathis said. “My family’s also a football family, so I decided to use my athletic ability to find a way into college.”
At Penn Hills, Mathis set records for career passing yards (5,431) and touchdown passes (68) and was a two-time first-team all-state selection.
Head coach Mike London’s coaching philosophies — or “Londonisms” as the team calls them — largely influenced Mathis’s decision to attend William and Mary. Mathis highlighted “faith, family, football” as one of London’s favorites.
“Once I saw the school and what it was about, it made it a very easy decision,” Mathis said.
Although Mathis began his William and Mary football career in 2019 as a quarterback, a shoulder injury and the COVID-19 pandemic limited his playing time. When standout senior quarterback Darius Wilson joined the Tribe in 2021, Mathis realized sticking with his former position would no longer be a viable option if he wanted to maximize the team’s success on the field.
Mathis described his team-centered mindset as the “catalyst” for his jack-of-all-trades playing style.
“I really had the want, the willpower to go out there and affect the team positively in any way, especially since I had been injured for so long,” Mathis said. “I wanted to do whatever the coaches asked of me to help the team, to help us win games, to help us move the ball down the field.”
Over his six seasons with Tribe football, Mathis has seen changes in the team’s competitiveness as a squad.
“I think we are a somewhat tougher team than we were in 2019,” Mathis said. “Everybody wants to compete every day, and we’re working every day trying to get each other better.”
Mathis also recognized his personal growth as a leader from his days as a new recruit in 2019 to being named a captain for the 2024 season.
“As I’ve gotten older, it wasn’t about how much better of an athlete I could be,” he said. “It was about making sure that my teammates got better, that the guy across from me and next to me got better, because we all had a common goal of trying to win some games.”
According to Acitelli, Mathis’s selflessness lends itself well to his leadership.
“The best way to describe him is as a selfless team player,” Acitelli said. “He’s incredibly thoughtful, and he’s always very much trying to look at the big picture. He’s always very intentional with how he approaches life.”
Although Mathis’s injuries were major obstacles, he credits them to his development as a leader.
“After I got the injuries, I had to figure out new ways to try to be just as effective to the team without being on the field,” he said.
Despite not playing in the 2022 Coastal Athletic Association Championship game, Mathis identified the victory as one of his favorite moments with the Green and Gold.
“I was extremely excited to be part of that team and a contributor to it,” Mathis said. “I think that is something I will never be able to forget.”
Mathis also mentioned his first touchdown and final game against Richmond as notable memories, acknowledging his teammates and coaches.
“Just being able to have a group of guys that were my peers helped me through this entire experience, as well as a group of older guys,” he said. “There have been a ton of people that have helped me become the man and player I am today.”
In addition to London, Mathis attributes his success to his teammates — particularly quarterbacks coach Ted Hefter ’20, Nate Atkins ’19, MBA ’20 and senior safety Marcus Barnes — and family members.
“Ted Hefter has been my mentor literally before I even stepped foot on campus,” Mathis said. “He was a player on the team my freshman and sophomore year who was instrumental to making me the player and person I am today.”
Mathis will graduate with a Master of Business Administration from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business in the spring and hopes to apply his communication and leadership skills to his future career. In 2023, Mathis graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science.
“I’m probably going to miss the team aspect of it most,” he said. “As a student-athlete and with a team of people you truly care about, you physically, mentally and emotionally grow a lot.”
Mathis will also miss living in close proximity to his friends.
“I will miss the times where my friends are just chilling in OTP or GGV together,” he said. “I think I’ll miss that team camaraderie aspect of playing with my friends the most.”
Most importantly, Mathis expressed gratitude for those who have supported him throughout his Tribe football journey.
“I know from the outside it looks like I have accomplished so much, but it is a huge credit to everyone that has helped me,” he said. “I want to say thank you as many times as I can to everybody that has put their hands on me in my career.”