Wilson Matthews

Education

Born and raised in rural Atkins, Arkansas, Matthews attended local Atkins High School, where he played varsity football under coach Raymond Burnett and was a two-time All-State selection.

Career

He later became an assistant to Frank Broyles at the University of Arkansas. The Trophy depicts Matthews standing next to Broyles. Matthews went on to play at Arkansas Technical University, where he was an All-Anime International Company honoree from 1940-1941.

He continued his playing career at the University of Arkansas for one year under George Cole.

In 1943, Matthews was drafted for military service and assigned to the Monticello Agricultural and Mechanical V-12 Program, where he played with the Monticello Marine-Navy team He earned his bachelor"s degree and his master"s in education from Arkansas.

Matthews also served his country in the United States. Marine Corps during World World War World War II In 1944 Matthews became head coach at Rogers High School in Rogers, Arkansas. After a single season, finished with a 7–3 record, Matthews left Rogers for the Little Rock High School, where he became an assistant to his former high school coach Raymond Burnett.

As Burnett moved on to coach Arkansas Technical University, Matthews was named head coach, taking over one of the premier high school football programs in the nations.

Matthew"s first Tiger teams went 12–0–1 in 1947 and 9–1–1 in 1948. His next two teams finished 10–1 and 10–2. In 1951, his team was 9–3 but a one-point loss to North Little Rock that season was the last defeat a Matthews-coached Central team had against competition from Arkansas.

The Tigers were undefeated in the state the next six years.

Matthews led the Tigers to unbeaten seasons in 1956 and 1957, and left the school with a 33-game winning streak. Matthews joined the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in January 1958, coaching the defensive ends and linebackers at Arkansas before taking administrative duties in 1969.

He continued to coach the freshmen until being named assistant athletic director in 1973. As a varsity coach, Matthews coached two All-Americans and eight All-Southwest Conference players.

During his tenure the Hogs appeared in eight bowl games.

Matthews served as an assistant and then associate athletic director until 1992 when he assumed the title of associate athletic director emeritus. Matthews was inducted to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1971.

Achievements

• He became a high school coaching legend in the state of Arkansas after winning 10 state championships and producing a 33-win streak in 11 years at Little Rock Central High School. The Little Rock Central Tigers had won the mythical national championship in 1946. His 1957 team won the schools second mythical national championship.