Texas State Athletics

Claude Mathis was a four-year letter winner at Texas State as a starting running back for the Bobcat football team from 1994-1997.  Mathis was the Southland Conference all-time leading rusher. Mathis was named All-Conference and All-American all four years of his Texas State football career.  His first two seasons, Mathis played as a return specialist/running back.  He earned The Sporting News All-American-Honorable Mention and Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in 1994 and Southland Football League Player of the Year award in 1996. Texas State also awarded him the title of Offensive Player of the year in 1996 and 1997.

Mathis owns the career records for most rushing yards (4,694), rushing attempts (882), rushing touchdowns (45), all purpose yards (7,264), total points scored (294), and touchdowns scored (49). He also holds records for most attempts in a game (46), season (311), most yards rushing in a game (310), most touchdowns in a single season (17), most all purpose yards in a season (205.8), most rushing yards in a season (1,595), most rushing touchdowns in a season (16),  and highest rushing average per game for a season (145). He also made a name for himself as a kickoff and punt returner with a career kickoff return average of over 26 yards, including an outstanding 29.42 yards per kickoff return average during the 1994 season and a career average of over 17 yards a punt return.

He finished third in the running for the Walter Payton Player of the Year Award, played in the Hula Bowl, and was drafted to the Minnesota Vikings in 1998.  Mathis maintained a high GPA and made the Dean's list twice during his academic career at Texas State. He graduated in 1998 with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science. 

Mathis now works at DeSoto High School in Desoto, Texas as the head football coach, track and field assistant coach, and athletic coordinator.  He was named District 11-5A Coach of the Year in 2008. He coached the 4x100 and 4x200 track team to a State Championship last year at Desoto. He has also coached at Anderson High School, Somerville High School, and LBJ High School where in 2007 they were state quarter-finalists. Aside from coaching, Mathis volunteers in the DeSoto Food Pantry food drives, the DeSoto Eagle Olympics, charity events, and mentors students throughout the community through local churches.