Top 10 Breakout Mountaineers: No. 9 Tony Mathis

Can the youngster fill a big role in 2020?

One area of concern heading into the 2020 football season for West Virginia is the rushing attack. 

The combination of Kennedy McKoy, Martell Pettaway, Leddie Brown, and Alec Sinkfield seemed like one of the most talented running back units in the Big 12 heading into the season, but they finished far from it. 

As a matter of fact, the Mountaineers ended the season ranked dead last in rushing yards per game (73.2) and yards per carry (2.6). To put some perspective on how bad it was, the ninth worst rushing team in the conference (Iowa State) averaged 133 yards on the ground per game, which nearly doubles the Mountaineers' output.

A lot of these issues stemmed from the lack of push the offensive line had, but also the lack of confidence the backs had. There were too many times where they would hesitate instead of just hitting a hole and it cost them nearly every time.

Junior running back Leddie Brown appears to be the team's workhorse heading into 2020, but he's going to need a counterpart. To have an efficient rushing attack you need at least one, if not two capable backs that can be rotated in. One guy that you should keep a very close eye on is redshirt freshman Tony Mathis.

He saw action in four games in 2019, making his debut vs Texas Tech where he would record his first receiving touchdown of his young career. He finished the season with four carries for 14 yards and three receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown.

Mathis Jr. looked a little skittish, which is completely normal for a true freshman, but the more he was out there the more comfortable he looked. Alec Sinkfield is a "home run" type of threat and a guy they want to get the ball to on the perimeter. Mathis is a bruising runner that likes to get physical in between the tackles, making him the perfect compliment to Leddie Brown. Unfortunately for Mathis Jr., he's going to need to step up in a big way and quickly. He's not going to have the luxury of developing and watching from the sideline like most young backs. 

Will Tony Mathis Jr. emerge as the team's best option behind Leddie Brown? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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