COVINGTON, Ga. — After being verbally committed to Chattanooga for several months, Newton Rams senior wide receiver, Mike Mathison has decided to open up his recruitment once again.
I want to thank Coach Arth and Coach Wright for allowing me to be apart of something special in Chattanooga but i feel that it is best if i reopen my recruitment. Looking forward to exploring all of my options in the next month or so👀
— ✨Michael Mathison✨ (@Mike_mathison) January 13, 2019
Mathison gave a verbal to UTC back in July. But since then, the Mocs have seen wholesale changes in their coaching staff. Former head coach Tom Arth resigned and took on head coaching duties at Akron in December.
Since then, UTC tabbed Rusty Wright as Arth’s successor, and Mathison said that, at least for him, things haven’t been the same since.
"They have a whole new staff at Chattanooga, and I just didn’t have that connection that i had with the old coaches,” Mathison said. “I kind of felt like I was just being tolerated, not really wanted. So im going to go to a place that really wants me and shows that same interest.”
Mathison finished the 2018 season with 40 catches, 558 yards and six receiving touchdowns. He garnered first-team all-area and All-Region 8-AAAAAAA while also scoring on a kickoff return touchdown and showing his play making ability at times in the defensive backfield as a safety.
Mathison combined with junior Robert Lewis to make one of the most productive wide receiver combos in the state. Recently he’s also played well as an on-ball defender and spot-up shooter for the seventh-ranked Newton basketball team.
At the time of his commitment, he also received offers from Southern Illinois, Morgan State, Albany State, Seton Hall and UVA-Wise. Since the beginning of the month, he’s also picked up an offer from Southern University.
National Signing Day will happen on Wednesday February 6, and while Mathison could sign on that day with a plethora of other college-bound athletes, he could also opt to wait.
