Mike Matthews considered entering the transfer portal this offseason, but the Tennessee football player seemed to breathe a sigh of relief on Tuesday when recalling his decision to stay.
“It was definitely stressful because that one moment can make a lot (of difference) in terms of your future,” the wide receiver said during his first media appearance of spring practice.
“I backed away from everything and talked to my family a lot. That was the best thing I could do. But it was definitely tough just thinking about doing that. My family and the coaching staff and all my teammates helped me make my decision (to stay at Tennessee).”
Matthews, a former five-star recruit, made seven receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman last season. He wanted to play more, so he considered his options.
On Dec. 28, Matthews decided to explore the possibility of entering the transfer portal. That was the deadline to request paperwork to enter the portal, but he never appeared in the database. By Jan. 3, he made it clear that he was staying with the Vols.
On Tuesday, Matthews didn’t say how close he came to leaving. But things were definitely tense for UT fans during those six days of uncertainty.
Aside from his brief explanation about that time, it seems like a distant memory. Matthews admits his shortcomings from his freshman season, and he’s eager to become a prime target for quarterback Nico Iamaleava in 2025.
“(My route-running) wasn’t to the standard of Tennessee,” Matthews said of his freshman season. “But I want (Iamaleava) to perceive me as a guy that he knows he can go to. In any situation, I want him to think that he’s got someone out there that thinks like him and can make plays.”
How Mike Matthews feels about pressure of five-star rating
Matthews arrived at UT with a lot of hype. He was ranked the No. 6 wide receiver in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports Composite.
But a five-star rating doesn’t equal immediate stardom, and Matthews became the latest UT player to learn that hard lesson in patience.
“(A five-star rating) is at least not (a burden) to me. I feel like all the politics stuff, it’s good and all for your name,” Matthews said. “But at the end of the day, are you going to be able to go out and play on a high level and compete?
“You can be a five star, but it doesn’t really mean anything if you can’t play.”
Iamaleava was a five-star recruit in the 2023 class, but he didn’t start until the Citrus Bowl to end his freshman season. Edge rusher Jordan Ross was another five-star recruit in the 2024 class, but he mostly played special teams as a freshman.
Offensive tackle Lance Heard was a five-star recruit in LSU’s 2023 class. But it took transferring to Tennessee for him to crack the starting lineup in 2024.
David Sanders, the No. 1 ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 class, is the latest five-star recruit for the Vols. He is competing in spring practice in hopes of playing as a freshman.
Waiting to play was difficult for Matthews. But now approaching his sophomore season, he is trying to see the benefit of those growing pains.
“It was definitely a tough situation that I had to go through. But in life, you always have to go through challenges,” Matthews said. “And those challenges build you for the next moment. So I’m just looking forward to the future and planning on making a big impact.”
