Ware County senior offensive lineman Kyler Matthews has shown great progress throughout the season, and in Week 12 against Wayne County, Matthews had his best game. Matthews looked explosive coming off the ball and finished off his blocks with thunderous pancakes, which earned him a spot on the Bully Squad – our top OL of the week.
He was voted the #1 OL of the Week in a wild community vote, so major credit to the Ware County community, but that’s sort of the Gator way. They are a passionate fanbase, with passionate football players.
“My senior year has gone well; we are 8-2 going into the playoffs. I have played really well this year, not letting up a single sack. I have accumulated around 30 pancakes so far,” Matthews said.
Ware County’s dynamic running duo, Jamir Boyd and Tayshawn Franklin, have run wild this season, getting a lot of headlines, but it’s guys like Matthews who are opening up those big holes. Matthews talked about his mindset on the field.
“My mindset on the field is just to lock in and punish whoever lines up across the ball. I play freely and not stressed. The only person who affects your performance during a game is yourself,” he said.
On the recruiting front, Matthews said he has taken visits to Georgia Southern and LaGrange this fall, noting he would be open to any other kind of opportunities.
The GHSA playoffs start this Friday, and Ware County will be playing a dangerous Flower Branch team in Round 1. We asked the senior OL what he hopes to accomplish with his final push into the 4A playoffs.
“My goals for the playoffs are to go 1-0 every week, don’t look ahead, and get too far out. Just focus on the week and going 1-0,” he said.
Obviously, the moment is not too big for Matthews. His focus is surely shared across the team; Ware County is the type of program that could make some noise in 4A this year. For a senior like Matthews, who is still venturing for recruiting friction, the more games against top competition, the better, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to see the latest highlights on Matthews and guys across the state of Georgia.
