Tennessee WR Mike Matthews went viral before game against Arkansas for a quote that Vols fans are absolutely loving
Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver dropped a quote this week that UT football fans are absolutely loving.
Tennessee junior wide receiver Mike Matthews dropped a quote this week, ahead of a matchup against Arkansas, that Vols fans are loving.
Matthews, who has 18 receptions for 318 yards and three touchdowns through five games this season, was asked how much he loves blocking.
“I like winning,” responded Matthews. “Winning comes with blocking. Whatever I can do to help the team out.”
Matthews has been known as an elite blocker since his freshman season at Tennessee.
The Georgia native, in fact, has been highlighted numerous times for his physicality as a blocker.
“Let me just say this: I’m not sure I knew that Mike Matthews is a trained assassin,” said ESPN’s Cole Cubelic last month. “I don’t know if I knew that or not. He’s a good player with a big catch radius and he’s fast. A big body. I didn’t know that he was this guy — because he’s out there blocking people. He’s pancaking people onto the checkerboard in the end zone and getting in people’s faces…Tennessee over the years has had a guy at wide receiver who has been the alpha, and they might have it again.”
Vols junior wide receiver Braylon Staley, who was part of the same recruiting class as Matthews, made a similar comment last month.
“He’s a physical receiver – he wants to get dirty,” said Staley of Matthews. “But his game, he likes to change up his speed during routes, so you don’t know what he’s gonna run. He’s a physical receiver, like I said before. He’s a dog. He’s a dog, now.”
The Vols are expected to lean on the run game on the road against Arkansas on Saturday. I’m sure we’ll see Matthews “getting dirty” out there.
