By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
 
He could have split, especially in today's climate with the transfer portal and NILs running wild. There's little doubt this multi-talented athlete with not a speck of baggage would have found plenty of opportunities elsewhere.
 
Yet that's not what Hollis Mathis, MBA candidate in the Mason School of Business and major headache for opposing defensive coordinators, is about. His six seasons with William & Mary football haven't gone exactly as envisioned, but that was no reason to look for greener pastures — which, of course, aren't always greener.
 
To be clear, Mathis isn't critical of those who choose the transfer route, not even those who end up at four or even five different programs. It just wasn't for him.
 
"The way you want to think about it is, do what's best for yourself," Mathis said. "That's the advice I give to everybody. From taking a look at everything, the best situation athletically and academically was staying here.
 
"I had buddies who played at Power Five schools, and they encouraged me to look at the options because they knew the type of athlete I was. But I knew that football is a window opportunity. If I'm lucky, I could play into my 30s or 40s. But football will come to an end, and I want to make sure the degree I finish with will be something I can be proud of."
 
Mathis, who earned his B.A. in kinesiology and health sciences in 2023, can afford that pride. He has lived his college experience to the absolute fullest — in the classroom, on the field, in the community, and beyond.
 
"He's a well-rounded guy who has taken advantage of an opportunity to achieve something," Tribe coach Mike London said. "He's traveled different places and represented the school. He's been an ambassador."
 
Jon LeDonne, Mathis' coach at Penn Hills High in Pittsburgh, saw it coming.
 
"He was always very mature and ahead of his time," LeDonne said. "He was always a high-character, team-first kind of guy. For him to have the success and impact that he's had is no surprise."
 
Becoming a Swiss Army Knife
Entering Saturday's home finale against Bryant, Mathis is the Tribe's leading receiver with 44 catches for 535 yards. Solid numbers on their own, but Mathis was strictly a quarterback throughout high school and his first three seasons at William & Mary (counting the abbreviated '21 spring).
 
These days, he's listed at ATH (athlete) on the depth chart. But he's more like a Swiss Army Knife with multiple purposes.
 
Mathis lines up wide, in the slot, in the backfield … pretty much everywhere but on the offensive line (although there are at least two games remaining). He's accounted for six touchdowns this season — three receiving, two rushing and one passing.
 
Mathis' career yardage totals are 1,716 passing, 1,088 rushing and 938 receiving. With 62 more yards receiving, he'll become only the second player in college football history to have at least 1,000 in each category.
 
"That would be great for Hollis and great for the university," W&M wide receivers coach Mike London Jr. said. "But when you put that much into football, football has a way of paying it back to you.
 
"Running the ball, catching the ball, whatever we've needed him to do, he's done it. And he's done it full speed. That's football saying, 'Man, we're going to pay you back because we see the work and sweat you've put into this game.'"
 
Mathis arrived at William & Mary in the summer of 2019 and became the program's first true freshman to start at quarterback in 44 years. He led the team in total yardage with 1,522 and threw a game-winning touchdown in overtime at Richmond.
 
W&M had its quarterback of the present and future. But first came a labral tear in his right (throwing) shoulder, which would require surgery. Then came the COVID outbreak, which canceled the '20 fall season. And then came a freshman quarterback from New York named Darius Wilson.
 
The coaching staff knew two things: Wilson had emerged as the best option at quarterback, and Mathis was far too good to stand on the sideline.
 
"Darius was objectively better for the team, and they told me I'd still be able to be a factor in our offense," Mathis said. "It would be better off for the team to have me and Darius on the field, so I saw it as a strategic advantage.
 
"I trusted the coaches wholeheartedly, and it wasn't anything I was ever against. I just wanted to help the team win, and I didn't care what position I did that from. Through that, I've been able to find a new position that's just as fun."
 
Of course, Mathis could have taken his three years of eligibility elsewhere. Instead, he stayed where he was happy.
 
"I'm pretty sure he could have gone other places and maybe got some NIL deals and all that stuff, but I don't know if it's always best to chase the money," said Bernard Mathis, Hollis' father. "He might not have had the same experience somewhere else.
 
"Another thing about him staying was the quality of education. It's a very selective school with alumni who are very influential in the world. Getting that quality education was one of the biggest reasons why he wanted to stay."
 
Vyetta Mathis, Hollis' mother, pointed to another key factor.
 
"We always tried to instill in him, as well as his older brothers (Malik and Haetaun), a sense of loyalty," she said. "We talked it through with him, but he really was all in staying at William & Mary not only because of the coaching staff but the school itself. I think he made a good choice."
 
Living the full W&M experience
Ted Hefter, who came to William & Mary in 2016 as a walk-on quarterback and was voted team captain before graduating in '21, became close with Mathis in those two seasons that overlapped. So close that Mathis, who is three years younger, called him "Uncle Ted."
 
Hefter saw Mathis' early promise, left just as the process of changing positions got underway, and returned as quarterbacks coach to see the final product. That Mathis handled it without drama was no surprise.
 
"He very clearly prioritized his degree and loyalty over things like short-term money because of his physical traits being in the spotlight," Hefter said. "He decided to go with long-term gratification by being loyal to the program and getting his degree and now an MBA. He's taking full advantage of his situation here."
 
Last May, Mathis was one of four W&M student-athletes to attend the Black Student Athlete Summit in Los Angeles. He also does two podcasts — "Kickin' It with KB (Kayla Beckwith) & 12" and Williamsburg History.
 
Mathis volunteers as strength and conditioning coach with the women's basketball team and is a commentator/analyst for Tribe basketball games. And he exemplifies the first-through-the-door mentality.
 
"We bring in professional speakers every Friday night," London Sr. said. "He's always in front taking notes, taking advantage of all William & Mary has to offer from the career development center."
 
Hollis Mathis was 18 when he arrived at William & Mary; he'll be 24 when he receives his MBA in May. Doing the math, one-fourth of his life has been spent on this campus. That would have been a much smaller fraction had he chosen another route.
 
"When you leave and go to four different schools, you don't have a home you can go back to for homecoming," Mathis said. "But I've spent six years here and only worn one helmet -- well, I guess two, since we technically switched to the green.
 
"I'll forever be able to call this place home and call these guys brothers. I'll have full stake in this program the same way the alumni has had in the teams I've been a part of. I found a place that took a chance on me in 2019 and, I made sure to repay them the best I could."