D.J. Matthews Brings Speed and Savvy to Indiana Football, Expected to Play Week 1

Coming off an ACL tear that limited him to four games in 2021, D.J. Matthews is expected to be ready for Indiana football's Week 1 matchup against Illinois on Sept. 2 in Bloomington. After one week of fall camp, Allen is excited about the speed and savvy Matthews brings to the Hoosiers.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. In a room with five new coaches discussing a roster filled with newcomers, a general consensus arose in short order between Tom Allen and his staff following day one of fall camp on Tuesday.

They were discussing D.J. Matthews, the Florida State transfer who burned defenses as a wide receiver and return man for Indiana in 2021, but was limited to just four games after tearing his ACL.

"We were like 'Wow, boy did we sure miss D.J. last year,'" Allen said.

Matthews didn't practice in the spring, Allen said he's still being evaluated before practices to confirm the workload he's able to carry. At Indiana's first practice of fall camp on Tuesday, Matthews was seen wearing a knee brace. However, Allen said Matthews is expected to play in Indiana's season opener against Illinois on Sept. 2. 

Matthews’ return in 2022 serves as a crucial piece to Indiana's effort in bouncing back from a 2-10 campaign in 2021 when the Hoosiers ranked 13th in the Big Ten in points at 17.3 and 10th in passing yards with 175.5 per game. And with the loss of leading wideouts Ty Fryfogle and Miles Marshall, he boasts the most Power Five experience of any Indiana receiver.

"[Matthews] didn't get to play very many games," Allen said. "So you kind of forget really how good he was."

Whether he was returning punts for touchdowns or blowing by opposing cornerbacks, Matthews provided a skillset few and far between at Indiana in recent years.

His electrifying speed and agility gave Indiana a big-play threat at wide receiver, as well as the return game. Indiana’s offense stumbled mightily out of the gate in the season opener at Iowa, but began to find its footing against Idaho and later Cincinnati, who’d go on to reach the College Football Playoff.

Matthews hauled in four receptions against Idaho, but this game will be remembered for his 81-yard punt return touchdown just before halftime. Matthews caught the ball while running in the direction of the opposite end zone, circled his way toward the sideline and stiff-armed multiple defenders on his way to the end zone to give Indiana a 35-0 lead.

Indiana wide receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. (7) runs the ball to the end zone on a kickoff against the Idaho Vandals during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The following week, Matthews helped Indiana keep things close against then-No. 8 Cincinnati. He led Hoosier receivers with 120 yards against a Bearcat secondary featuring Sauce Gardner, the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Indiana trailed Cincinnati by three points with four minutes left in the third quarter when quarterback Michael Penix Jr. faked a hand-off up the middle. Matthews came sprinting behind Penix, who flipped the ball backward. Matthews caught the ball near the 20-yard line and darted for the end zone untouched, giving Indiana a 21-17 lead late in the third quarter.

The Hoosiers would ultimately lose this game 38-24, as well as much of the momentum built from bowl-eligible campaigns in 2019 and 2020. And after Matthews tore his ACL in week four against Western Kentucky, the Indiana offense fell stagnant and finished the season with a 2-10 record.

"[Matthews] is a special player," Allen said. "He's got really, really special ball skills, he knows how to get open, got a lot of moxie and savvy and toughness to him, so just a really good football player."

Allen said he's built a strong connection with Matthews over the past year, who he expects to step up as a leader in his second year as a Hoosier, too. Allen has noticed Matthews is always locked in during team meetings, and he's excited about the big-play threat returning to the field in 2022. 

"I have a lot of mutual love and respect for him and the man that he's become," Allen said. "It really, really hurt us last year by losing him, and it's great to have him back."

Related stories on Indiana football:

• FRESHMEN MAKING STRONG FIRST IMPRESSIONS: With significant roster turnover from last season, Allen rattled off freshmen in Indiana's highest-ranked recruiting class of all-time that will push for playing time in 2022. CLICK HERE
• TOM ALLEN SETS THE TONE: Indiana football began fall camp on Tuesday, and coach Tom Allen is looking to set the tone that the 2022 season will be different from last year, demanding a sense of urgency, attention to detail and accountability. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA DEPTH CHART ON FIRST DAY OF FALL CAMP: The Indiana football program had its first practice of fall camp on Tuesday. Tom Allen said every position is still up for grabs, but the team has released its first two-deep depth chart of the season. CLICK HERE