Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan announced the hiring of Tim Mathis as head coach of the Phoenix on January 22, 2018. Mathis became the sixth head coach since Cumberland restarted its football program in 1990 and enters his ninth season leading the Phoenix in 2026.
Mathis owns a 37-42 record through eight seasons at Cumberland. In 2025, he guided the Phoenix to a 7-4 overall record and a 3-3 mark in Mid-South Conference play. Cumberland finished a perfect 5-0 at Nokes-Lasater Field, highlighted by a 35-33 victory over No. 6 Campbellsville and a 40-37 overtime win against the University of the Cumberlands. The Phoenix also set a program record for points in a game with a 72-14 victory over Faulkner.
Cumberland produced two AFCA All-Americans in 2025. Defensive lineman Cannon Johnson was named the Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned First Team AFCA All-America honors, while offensive lineman Will Sanchez was selected to the AFCA All-America Second Team.
In 2024, Mathis was named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Phoenix to a 7-3 record, the best mark of his tenure at the time. The seven-win season was Cumberland’s first since 2017. The Phoenix climbed as high as No. 22 in the national rankings and were ranked or received votes in four polls, marking the program’s first appearance in the Top 25 since 2018.
The 2024 offense averaged 32.1 points and 400.5 total yards per game, reaching the 400-yard mark for the first time since 2017. Cumberland rushed for 253.7 yards per game, the fourth-best average in the NAIA, and added 1,468 yards through the air. Defensively, the Phoenix held opponents to 18.3 points and 131.7 rushing yards per game.
In 2023, the Phoenix finished 5-5. Cumberland continued to feature one of the NAIA’s most productive rushing attacks, finishing 13th nationally with 2,319 rushing yards and an average of 231.9 yards per game. The defense ranked 33rd nationally in yards allowed per game. Five Phoenix players earned All-Mid-South Conference honors, including MSC Freshman of the Year Aaron Davis.
In 2021, Cumberland started the season 3-3 before dropping its final four games. Four Phoenix players were selected to the All-Mid-South Conference team, including Jace Capps, who earned Second Team NAIA All-America and First Team Associated Press All-America honors.
During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021, Cumberland went 2-5 against Mid-South Conference opponents. Treylon Sheppard became the first running back in program history to earn All-America honors and the Phoenix’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2012.
In Mathis’ first season at Cumberland, he led the Phoenix to a 5-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark in conference play. Cumberland upset fourth-ranked Lindsey Wilson, 24-21, at home on Senior Day. The Phoenix averaged 20.0 points and 324.9 total yards per game.
Before arriving at Cumberland, Mathis served as an assistant coach for 10 seasons at Shorter University after helping launch the Hawks’ football program in 2005. He was the team’s offensive coordinator during his final five seasons, including Shorter’s transition to NCAA Division II.
Mathis served as Shorter’s offensive line coach during his first five seasons. The Hawks led the NAIA in rushing, won the Mid-South Conference championship and earned the program’s first postseason playoff berth in 2008. Two players earned All-America honors and 12 offensive linemen received All-Mid-South Conference recognition during that span.
He moved into the offensive coordinator role from 2010-14, coaching the running backs for two seasons before working with the quarterbacks and fullbacks during his final three years. Shorter ranked second nationally in rushing at 310.9 yards per game and averaged 30.5 points per contest in 2010. The Hawks ranked third nationally in rushing at 271.9 yards per game and averaged 30.0 points in 2011, the program’s final season in the NAIA.
In 2012, Shorter’s first transition season in NCAA Division II, the Hawks ranked ninth nationally in rushing at 268.5 yards per game. They later ranked third in the Gulf South Conference in rushing at 227.9 yards per contest and second in time of possession. Shorter ranked third in the conference in total offense in 2013, with fullback Bradley Moon leading the GSC and ranking sixth nationally in rushing yards and quarterback Eric Dodson finishing fifth in the conference in total offense.
Shorter ranked third in the Gulf South Conference and 22nd nationally in rushing in 2014, averaging 225.3 yards per game.
Mathis spent two seasons as the head coach at St. Francis High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. He posted a 2-8 record in 2016 with freshmen and sophomores making up 74 percent of the roster before leading the Knights to a 4-6 mark in 2017.
He also served one season as the head coach at Franklin County High School in Eastpoint, Florida, helping the Seahawks snap a 23-game losing streak and finish 3-7.
Before joining Shorter, Mathis worked for four years at Trion City Schools in Trion, Georgia. He coached the offensive line all four seasons and served as defensive coordinator for two years. Mathis also coached wrestling and golf for two seasons each.
Mathis earned his bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in political science from Georgia Southern University in 1996 and received his master’s degree in leadership from Shorter University in 2010. He is married to the former Mesha Layman, and the couple has two children, Abby and Hunter.
