Cumberland University

Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan announced the hiring of Tim Mathis as head coach for the Phoenix on January 22, 2018. He becomes the sixth head coach since Cumberland restarted the football program in 1990. Mathis is entering his eighth season as the Phoenix Head Coach in 2025.

Mathis is 30-38 in his first seven seasons at Cumberland. This past season, he was named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Phoenix to a 7-3 record, the best-record during his tenure at Cumberland. The seven-win season was the first time the team had seven wins since 2017. Cumberland also reached as high as No. 22 in the rankings while being ranked or receiving votes in four polls throughout the season, their first time in the Top 25 since 2018. The offense put up 32.1 points per game averaging 400.5 yards per game, a mark that the Phoenix have not reached since 2017. The Phoenix ran for 253.7 yards per game this season, fourth-best in the NAIA and also threw for 1,468 yards this season. The defense held opponents to 18.3 points per game and we're stout on run-defense holding teams to 131.7 yards per game. 

In 2023, the Phoenix went 5-5. Since Mathis has been at the helm, Cumberland has had on of the most prolific rushing games in the NAIA. This past season, CU finished 13th in the NAIA with 2,319 yards on the ground, an average of 231.9 rushing yards per game. The defense finished 33rd in the country in yards per game. Cumberland had five players earn All-Conference honors including the 2023 Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year, Aaron Davis. 

In 2021, Cumberland started the season 3-3 before dropping their final four games. The team had four selection to the All-Mid-South Conference team including Jace Capps who was named a a Second Team NAIA All-American and a First Team AP All-American.

In a COVID shortened season 2020 season played in the spring of 2021, Cumberland went 2-5 all against league opponents. Cumberland produced their first running back All-American in program history as Treylon Sheppard became the first 1,000-yard rusher since 2012. 

In Mathis' first season at Cumberland, he led the Phoenix to a 5-6 (MSC 3-3) record. The Phoenix upset the number 4 ranked Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders 24-21at home on Senior Day. The offense averaged 20.0 points per game while averaging 324.9 total yards per game.

Mathis served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons at Shorter University when the Hawks started their program in the NAIA in 2005. He was the team’s offensive coordinator during his last five years at Shorter, including during the transition to NCAA Division II.

Mathis was a member of the Shorter staff for the inaugural season in 2005 and served five years as the team’s offensive line coach. The Hawks led the NAIA in rushing, won the Mid-South Conference championship and earned the program’s first-ever postseason playoff berth in 2008. Two players earned All-America honors and a dozen offensive linemen were named All-Mid-South during those five seasons.

He moved into the role of offensive coordinator from 2010-14, working with running backs for two seasons and quarterbacks and fullbacks the final three. Shorter ranked second nationally in rushing at 310.9 yards per game and posted 30.5 points per contest in 2010 and ranked third in the country in rushing (271.9), averaging 30.0 points per outing in 2011, the program’s last in the NAIA.

In 2012, the first transition year to Division II, the Hawks ranked ninth nationally in rushing at 268.5 yards per game and ranked third the Gulf South Conference in rushing (227.9) and second in time of possession. Shorter ranked third in total offense in 2013, with fullback Bradley Moon leading the GSC and ranking sixth in rushing yards and quarterback Eric Dodson ranking fifth in the conference in total offense.

Shorter ranked third in the Gulf South and 22nd nationally in rushing in 2014 with 225.3 yards per contest.

Mathis was the head coach the last two seasons at St. Francis High School in Alpharetta, Ga., posting a 2-8 record in 2016 with freshmen and sophomores making up 74 percent of the roster. He registered a 4-6 mark in 2017 with the Knights.

He also served one season as head coach at Franklin County High School in Eastpoint, Fla., helping the Seahawks break a 23-game losing streak and finishing the season 3-7 overall.

Prior to his time at Shorter, Mathis worked four years at Trion City Schools in Trion, Ga., coaching the offensive line all four seasons as well as serving as defensive coordinator for two years. He was also the wrestling coach for two years and the golf coach for two seasons.

Mathis earned his bachelor’s in History with a minor in Political Science from Georgia Southern in 1996 and received his master’s in Leadership from Shorter in 2010. He is married to the former Mesha Layman and the couple has two children - Abby and Hunter.

Mathis' Coaching Career