Mickey Matthews (2024) - JMU Athletics Hall of Fame - James Madison University Athletics

Mickey Matthews

Induction:
2024

Owner of the most coaching victories in JMU football history, Mickey Matthews led the Dukes to a 109-71 record in 15 seasons, including the program's first national championship in program history and second among all sports in 2004. Matthews inherited a squad that went 8-14 in the two seasons prior to his arrival and immediately earned a share of the Atlantic 10 Championship and qualified for the I-AA (FCS) playoffs in his first year in 1999. Under Matthews' leadership, the program strategically revamped the roster, balancing the class structure and infusing talent, a process that led to a 19-27 record over the next four seasons. However, the fruit of the labor was a breakthrough season in 2004 with the Dukes again capturing a share of the Atlantic 10 title and then earning four straight playoff victories away from Harrisonburg, capped by a 31-21 victory over No. 2 Montana to finish 13-2 and win the national championship in Chattanooga. That initiated a five-year stretch featuring four NCAA Championship appearances, including a semifinal run and 12-2 mark in 2008, with a 49-15 ledger in that stretch. Overall, JMU made six playoff appearances in Matthews' 15 seasons with seven postseason victories. He also led the Dukes to one of the more memorable victories in program history with a 21-16 triumph at Virginia Tech in 2010, the second victory ever in college football by an FCS program over a ranked FBS program. Beginning in his fifth season, the Dukes finished .500 or better in each campaign, a mark that still stands at 21 straight JMU seasons, with only Boise State and Wisconsin matching that mark among all Division I football programs. Matthews was twice awarded the Eddie Robinson Award as National Coach of the Year (1999, 2008) and was named top coach nationally by the American Football Coaches Association after the title in 2004. He was the conference coach of the year in 1999 and 2008.