New Bern High School football coach Chip Williams believed Chris
Mattocks’ talents were similar to those of Montario Hardesty when the
two were freshman.
“They were about the same height, same speed,
everything,’’ Williams said. “He’s the same type of athlete as Montario.’’
The duo would share running back duties for the New Bern junior
varsity as freshmen, then began their sophomore seasons doing the same
on the varsity squad. But two games into the 2002 season, Mattocks
suffered a dislocated right knee against Jacksonville and their careers
suddenly took different paths.
Hardesty went on to become one of the nation’s top college prospects
this season as a senior, earning scholarship offers from the likes of
Nebraska, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others. Earlier this week
Hardesty finally gave North Carolina a verbal commitment.
Mattocks required surgery “to replace’’ his anterior cruciate and
lateral collateral ligaments, followed by an intense eight-month
rehabilitation process. When he returned to the New Bern football team
as a junior, Williams decided to use him at safety on defense where
there’d be less contact on his repaired knee.
It would be almost another year before Mattocks would regain the
speed and agility that led to the Hardesty comparisons.
“When I first came back I wasn’t playing as fast,’’ Mattocks said. “I
used to be the fastest guy on the team. All of a sudden I was finishing
in the middle of the pack. I couldn’t run fast and that was
frustrating.’’
Major colleges, obviously still wary of the injury, were hesitant to
recruit Mattocks this season, even though he was healthy enough to earn
all-league honors on it. Smaller schools such as Elon and Coastal
Carolina offered scholarships, but it wasn’t until Skip Holtz was named
the new head coach at East Carolina in December that a Division I-A
program showed interest.
ECU assistant coach Donnie Thompson, who was renowned for his
recruiting efforts working for Mack Brown at North Carolina in the
1990s, was put on the case.
“When the new staff came in they started taking an interest in me,’’
Mattocks said Tuesday after becoming the
second prospect to make a
verbal commitment to Holtz at ECU. “I was immediately interested in
them.
“I liked everything I saw there from the new coaching staff. I’m
fired up about the upcoming season. I’m looking to help turn the program
around.’’
The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder played both safety and cornerback for the
Bears last season. He finished among the team leaders in tackles,
intercepted one pass and broke up 15 others.
Mattocks said he’s been recruited to play safety for the Pirates, but
Williams believes he could also handle the pressure at cornerback.
“We played him at cornerback the first half of the year,’’ Williams
said. “At 6-1, 200 pounds, he still has good cover skills. But as the
year progressed, we needed him at safety. He stepped in there and played
very physical against the run. He could play either one. But I think
he’d be great against those tall receivers at corner.’’
Mattocks is just happy to have the opportunity to play at the
Division I-A level, like his old friend Hardesty.
“We’ve always been real competitive, but we’re real good friends,’’
Mattocks said. “We played on different teams in Pop Warner football when
we were kids. His team would always win, but I’d score two or three
touchdowns every game against them.
“It was the same in middle school. Our team ran the wishbone and we
were both running backs. Then in the ninth and 10th grade we alternated
at tailback until I got hurt.
“I’m happy for his success, and I know he’s happy for me. Now we both
get to make our dreams come true and play DI college football. I feel
really blessed to have this chance. I want to pay Coach Holtz back by
helping East Carolina get back on track.’’
