2012: First team All-GSC selection despite playing in just less than five games ... Leading candidate for the 2012 Harolon Hill Trophy, which honors the top player in Division II football, before knee injury in fifth game ended his season ... Had rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown in the first half against West Georgia before sustaining knee injury that ended his season ... Ran for 178 yards in the win against Valdosta State, earning GSC Player of the Week honors for the second time in four weeks ... Opened the season by rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns on just 15 carries at Clark Atlanta ... Also caught two passes for 73 yards, including a 62-yard scoring strike in the first game ... Averaged 13.9 yards every time he touched the ball against CAU ... Battled bruised shoulder at Samford, picking up just 24 yards on 12 carries ... Played in just the first half against Mississippi College, gaining 84 yards and scoring a touchdown on 17 carries ... Preseason All-America and All-Gulf South Conference selection.
2011: Named to Don Hansen and D2Football.Com All-American Team and First Team All-GSC … Became the second rusher in program history to record 1,000 yards with 1,606 in his first season … Rushed the ball 302 times for an average of 5.3 yards per carry … Finished the season with 18 rushing touchdowns … Caught 14 psses for 164 yards and a TD … Rushed for 100-plus yards 10 times … Set career-high with 219 yards at Valdosta State on Oct. 15 … Returned four kickoffs for 79 yards.
JUCO: Played at Hinds Community College … National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) All-American Team Honorable Mention in 2010 ... Led the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) in rushing with 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2010 ... Named to the All-NJCAA Region XXIII Team and the MACJC All-State Team in 2010.
Prep: Played for Coach Jaris Patrick at Puckett (Miss.) High School … Helped PHS to state title in 2006 and runner-up in 2007 .... Also helped Puckett to a state powerlifting title in 2007 and 2008.
Personal: Full name is Matthew Thomas Willis ... Son of Percilla and Thomas Willis … Born on Jan. 4, 1990 … Father of infant son, Matthew,Jr. ... Majoring in Physical Education ... One of five children in his family ... Enjoys watching ESPN and favorite movie is Any Given Sunday ... Favorite book is the Bible ... Enjoys playing NBA 2K.
