Derrick Mathews starts his fifth season on the TSU coaching staff and his first as the team's NFL liaison.

Mathews spent the previous four seasons at TSU as he was elevated to linebackers coach after spending one season as the team's defensive graduate assistant in 2019.

Mathews accomplished a huge feat in his coaching career as he played a direct role in the ascension of linebacker Jacob Williams. Williams earned his first-ever All-SWAC honor after a record-breaking 2023 season which saw him finish the year with 106 tackles and 18.5 tackles for loss. The Fresno, Texas native became TSU's first 100-plus tackler since 2004 as he ranked 19^th nationally and seventh in tackles for loss. His 18.5 tackles for loss marks the most at TSU since 2013. Williams was named to the Preseason Watch List for the HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year in the summer of 2024. Along with Williams, linebacker Isaiah Bogerty has developed into an All-SWAC linebacker after an 89-tackle sophomore season which also saw him finish with three sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.

Mathews had a huge hand in the development of middle linebacker Tarik Cooper during the fall of 2021. Cooper, who became TSU’s first all-conference linebacker since 2018, finished with a team-high 62 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Senior Julian Marcantel also had a solid senior campaign with 38 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. In addition to Cooper and Marcantel, Mathews also had the opportunity to mold several young linebackers who played key roles as true freshmen led by Jacob Williams' 26 tackles.

The Houston native took charge of the linebackers prior to the spring 2021 season and had impressive results as two of TSU's top four tacklers were linebackers. Senior Julian Marcantel returned to his All-SWAC form after missing the previous season as he had TSU's first safety in seven seasons while newcomer Tarik Cooper finished tied for second on the team with 12 tackles with a team-high two tackles for loss.

In his first season at TSU in 2019, Matthews served as a defensive graduate assistant and assisted the coaching staff with practice, gameday and postgame duties.

Matthews played at the University of Houston from 2011-14 and ranks as one of the top defenders in Cougar history. Playing linebacker, Matthews had three seasons with 100-plus tackles as he wrapped up his career with 400 tackles which ranks fifth all-time at UH along with 15 games with double-digit tackles. He's also tied for fourth in single game sacks with three against BYU in 2013 and tied for seventh with 43 tackles for loss over his career along with tied for eighth with six career forced fumbles. An all-around athlete, Matthews ranks tied for fifth all-time at UH with two interception returns for touchdowns while finishing the 2013 season with a team-high seven sacks.

As a freshman, Matthews played a huge part in UH's historic run which saw them win the 2011 Conference USA West Division Championship and a win over Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl. He also participated in the BBVA Compass Bowl in 2013.

Matthews was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week in 2013, a 2012 Conference USA All-Freshman Team and Honorable Mention awardee.

A 2015 graduate of UH with a bachelor's in sport and fitness administration, Matthews spent time in the NFL as he signed with the Washington Redskins as a free agent in 2014 while also spending time with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants from 2014-18.

Matthews is married to the former Michelle Liverman.