JUCO RB flips to Auburn

AUBURN | The transfer of Roc Thomas to Jacksonville State has put Auburn short on running backs this year and in dire need of a big crop of signees for the 2017 class.

The Tigers took a big step in filling that need Sunday with the commitment of Itawamba (Miss.) Community College tailback Octavius Matthews.

“They said they’ll only have one running back after Jovon leaves. That’s really what made me want to commit because they’re not going to have any running backs and Coach said they should have five or six running backs,” Matthews said.

Matthews, originally from North Jackson High School in Stevenson, Ala., committed to Louisville in April but flipped his commitment to the Tigers one day after attending Big Cat.

“Spent Saturday night with the players and it’s really a family that wanted me,” Matthews said. “They really treated me like family already and I liked that. My mom, she liked it too.”

Matthews, 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, rushed for 808 yards and four touchdowns on 94 carries last season. He also caught 13 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

As a senior at North Jackson, he rushed for 1,773 yards and 26 touchdowns, caught four touchdown passes, returned three kicks for touchdowns and returned a punt for a touchdown. He was named first-team all-state.

“I like (Auburn) a lot,” Matthews said. “They’re the ones that got me to the juco in Mississippi. When I was in high school, Coach (Gus Malzahn) said he was going to stay in touch with me and that’s what he did. Two years later now I’m there.”

It was Malzahn who Matthews called Sunday to give him the good news.

“He was real happy and excited to get me down there and get to coach me,” Matthews said.

The December graduate plans to enroll at Auburn next January.

“I’m ready to get down there. I’ll be back there this weekend,” he said.