When Gwaine Mathews speaks, you can practically taste the jambalaya and beignets. Born and raised in New Orleans, Mathews is rebuliding a UAM program in desperate need of an overhaul. About to begin his fourth season in Monticello, Mathews believes his program is ready to win.

As a player at the high school and college levels, Mathews has always been a winner. He won as a player at DeLaSalle High School in New Orleans. He won as an All-Gulf South Conference defensive back at Delta State. He won big as an assistant coach at Delta State, serving as defensive coordinator and helping the Statesmen capture the 2000 NCAA Division II national championship.

Intense, tough, hard-nosed and competitive... they all define Mathews. After enduring two difficult seasons in 2005-06, Mathews' program came of age last year. The Boll Weevils went from last to first in the GSC in rushing offense, scored points in bunches and excited UAM fans with a wide-open style of play. The 4-7 record is not what Mathews would like, but he knows building a winning program isn't about taking shortcuts.

Since becoming UAM's 24th head coach in April 2005, Mathews has has to rebuild a program short on talent, discipline, and the intangibles qualities that separate winners from the rest of the pack.

"It's been tough, I'll be honest with you," says Mathews in his distinctive New Orleans accent. "I know the results on the field didn't show in the first couple of years, but after last year, I think we're getting there. I thought we turned a huge corner last year with our offense. Now if our defense can make the same kind of improvement, we'll be able to play with anybody in this league."

Mathews is convinced he can make UAM a contender in the rugged Gulf South Conference and his track record would indicate he knows how. Mathews was the defensive coordinator at Delta State, his alma mater, from 1998 through 2000 and helped lead the Statesmen to the 2000 NCAA Division II national championship. He spent the next two seasons as defensive coordinator at North Alabama, helping return a once-proud program to national prominence.

After two seasons, as defensive coordinator at then Division I-AA Tennessee-Chattanooga, Mathews answered the call at UAM and started rebuilding from the ground up. "I don't believe in taking shortcuts, I believe in doing things the right way all the time," he says. "That doesn't mean I don't expect to win right away. I want to win every time we set foot on that field, but I'm also realistic enough to know it will take some time to assemble the talent we need to compete in this league."

The 42-year-old Mathews is no stranger to the GSC as either a coach or player. He was an All-GSC defensive back at Delta State in 1987 and an Academic All-GSC pick in 1988 while earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He continued his football career north of the border, playing two seasons for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League before becoming a coach.

Mathews served as a graduate assistant coach at Delta State form the 1991 season while earning a master's degree in social science education and health, physical education and recreation.

He returned to his hometown and his high school alma mater in 1992 for his first head coaching job at DeLaSalle High School. Mathews built a winner at DeLaSalle, guiding the program to the state playoffs in 1997, the school's first playoff appearance in 30 years.

After spending the next seven years as a college assistant, Mathews was anxious to put his stamp of a program he could call his own. So anxious, in fact, that when Chancellor Jack Lassiter called to offer Mathews the head coaching position at UAM, Mathews immediately grabbed his cell phone and called three recruits... before calling his wife to let her know he accepted the job.
 

Gwaine Mathews

Office:
(870) 460-1817

E-Mail:
mathews@uamont.edu