Matthews staying for senior year
Vanderbilt's 2012 football season ended with a bang when the Commodores beat North Carolina State, 38-24, in the Music City Bowl.
It's 2013 started with a bang when its best player, junior wide receiver Jordan Matthews, announced he's returning for his senior season.
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"I've decided to forgo my opportunity to enter the NFL Draft and return for my senior year," a grinning Matthews told the media at a Sunday press conference. "It was a no brainer."
Matthews was a unanimous first-team All-Southeastern Conference performer this season, catching 94 balls for a school-record 1,323 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He added 61 more yards and another score on three rushes.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder has been an unstoppable force for VU since the middle of the 2011 season. In his last 19 games, Matthews has ten 100-yard games, with eight of those coming against SEC foes.
The Madison (Ala.) native helped VU make history by leading the team to its first nine-win season since 1915. He'll have a chance to make some history for both his team and himself next year.
Matthews has 150 catches for 2,282 yards and 17 scores for his career. He's 812 yards from passing Georgia's Terrence Edwards on the SEC's all-time yardage chart, and 87 catches from surpassing former VU star Earl Bennett as the SEC's receptions leader.
Matthews currently ranks fourth on VU's all-time yardage chart, and fifth in catches. He's four TD receptions from tying Dan Stricker for the top spot on the school career chart as well.