RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Walt Wells has named Eric Mathies the new defensive line coach and run game coordinator of the Colonels, as announced by the head coach on Friday morning.
 
"I would like to thank Coach Wells for this amazing opportunity," said coach Mathies on joining the EKU coaching staff." My family and I are humbled to join the EKU family and the Richmond community. EKU is one of the most historic programs in college football, and it will be an honor to try and bring another championship to Richmond."
 
Mathies comes to Richmond with over 20 years of coaching and recruiting experience at the FBS and FCS levels, with deep ties to the Bluegrass State.
 
"I am excited to welcome Eric, Brittany (wife), Janelle (daughter), Cassius (son), and Symone (daughter) to EKU and Richmond, Ky.," said Wells regarding the hire. "I have known and worked with Eric for many years and am excited to bring someone with his experience to our defense and defensive line room. I have watched him recruit and develop many players both for futures in football and in life! Excited for our players to get to know him."
 
Mathies comes with a resume chock-full of experience, most recently at Long Island University where he spent the last two seasons as the assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator.
 
With the Sharks, he helped transform the program from a Division II program into a formidable FCS program in the Northeastern Conference.
 
In his first season at LIU, he coached and developed the NEC Freshman of the Year, Eric O'Niel, who was also named an FCS Freshman All-American and a Jerry Rice Award Finalist after recording 21 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
 
In 2023, Mathies helped improve the Sharks' defense in all statistical categories while coaching O'Niel to becoming the NEC's Defensive Player of the Year and AP All-American with 23.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
 
Prior to LIU, Mathies spent one season as the defensive line coach at North Texas, helping the Mean Green reach the Myrtle Beach Bowl while developing First Team All-Conference USA nose guard Dion Novil.
 
Before his season in the "Lone Star State," Mathies had six years in Florida as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at South Florida and then Florida Atlantic.
 
With the Owls through the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Mathies coached the FAU defensive front to cracking the top 10 nationally in sacks, a 57-spot improvement from the 2016 season.
 
The defensive prowess in 2017 helped FAU to an 11-3 record and its first-ever Conference USA championship.
 
In the two seasons in Boca Raton, Mathies also led recruiting efforts that resulted in the No. 1 recruiting class in the conference.
 
At USF, Mathies joined the Bulls in 2013 and guided the defensive line to a No. 12 rank in the FBS in tackles for loss per game while nearly tripling the forced turnovers from nine to 25 in his first season.
 
Mathies also helped guide USF's defensive end Eric Lee to Second Team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2015, as Lee led the Bulls with 12.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.
 
USF ranked No. 13 nationally in tackles for loss (7.5 per game), led the AAC while ranking No. 26 nationally in sacks (2.62 per game), and was third in the conference and No. 31 nationally against the run (141.4 per game).
 
His efforts continued in 2016, producing All-conference defensive linemen Deadrin Senet and Bruce Hector.
 
Mathies' last coaching position in Kentucky came at Western Kentucky, beginning in 2005 through 2012, as the defensive line coach and later recruiting coordinator.
 
As recruiting coordinator, Mathies helped produce the top recruiting class in the Sun Belt Conference in both 2010 and 2011, and the league's second-ranked class in 2012, according to Rivals.com. Rivals and Scout.com also recognized Mathies as the Sun Belt Conference Recruiter of the Year, while Rivals.com named him one of the top recruiters in the nation following the 2010 season.
 
While coaching the defensive line, Mathies mentored Quanterus Smith, who earned All-America honors from both SI.com and Phil Steele after the 2012 season.
 
Smith was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 12.5 sacks, which ranked third nationally.
 
As a whole, the WKU defense led the conference in sacks, TFL, total defense, rushing defense, and pass efficiency defense in 2012.
 
Mathies got his start in college football in Kentucky as a four-year letter winner in football at Murray State, helping the Racers to a pair of Ohio Valley Conference championships as MSU qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in both 1995 and '96.