John Matocha
John Matocha is an American football quarterback for the Colorado Mines Orediggers.
Colorado Mines Orediggers – No. 10 | |
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Position | Quarterback |
Class | ![]() Redshirt |
Major | Computer Science |
Personal information | |
Born: | Magnolia, Texas |
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
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High school | Magnolia West (Magnolia, Texas) |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Early life and high school
Matocha grew up in Magnolia, Texas and attended Magnolia West High School.[1] As a senior, he completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,441 yards and 38 touchdowns and also rushed for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns.[2]
College career
Matocha became the Colorado Mines Orediggers' starting quarterback two games into his freshman season. He was named first-team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and the conference's Offensive Freshman of the Year after passing for 2,825 yards with 29 touchdown passes and five interceptions while also rushing for 598 yards and 11 touchdowns.[3] Matocha's sophomore season was cancelled due to Covid-19.[4]
In 2021, Matocha passed for 3,105 yards and 38 touchdowns and was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year.[5] He repeated as the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year and won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division II in 2022.[6][7] Matocha finished the season with 4,778 passing yards and 52 touchdown passes.[8]
On October 7, 2023, in the Orediggers' week 6 game against Colorado Mesa, Matocha threw for two touchdowns in a 52–0 win, bringing his career total passing touchdowns to 135, and making him the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's all-time leader in passing touchdowns, as well as third all-time in NCAA Division II.[9]
In the Orediggers' week 8 game against Black Hills State, Matocha again moved up in the Division II record books after a 42–17 win, becoming second all-time in total touchdowns with 169, trailing only Tyson Bagent's mark of 171. In this game, Matocha also became the RMAC's all-time leader in total yards, with 14,834 in his career.[10]
Statistics
Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
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GP | Record | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | Avg | TD | Int | Rate | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | ||
Colorado Mines Orediggers | |||||||||||||||
2019 | 12 | 11–1 | 252 | 342 | 73.7 | 2,825 | 8.3 | 29 | 5 | 168.1 | 145 | 598 | 4.1 | 11 | |
2020 | DNP | ||||||||||||||
2021 | 14 | 12–2 | 260 | 382 | 68.1 | 3,105 | 8.1 | 38 | 8 | 165.0 | 154 | 492 | 3.2 | 7 | |
2022 | 16 | 13–3 | 348 | 506 | 68.8 | 4,778 | 9.4 | 52 | 8 | 178.8 | 133 | 443 | 3.3 | 5 | |
2023 | 8 | 8–0 | 186 | 275 | 67.6 | 2,389 | 8.7 | 26 | 4 | 165.8 | 48 | 186 | 3.9 | 0 | |
Career | 50 | 44−6 | 1,046 | 1,505 | 69.5 | 13,097 | 8.7 | 145 | 25 | 170.6 | 480 | 1,719 | 3.6 | 23 |
References
- "FOOTBALL: Matocha leading efficient Magnolia West offense". Houston Chronicle. October 21, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- "Former Magnolia West star Matocha leads Colorado School of Mines into title game". The Courier. December 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- "Magnolia West's Matocha piles up accolades at Colorado School of Mines". The Courier. July 10, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- Tobey, Jacob (September 10, 2021). "Led by QB John Matocha, Mines football looking to reach the mountaintop". 9News.com. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- "Montgomery County alums set for college bowl games". Houston Chronicle. December 16, 2021.
- "Colorado School of Mines quarterback John Matocha wins Harlon Hill Award, becoming third Oredigger to do so". The Denver Post. December 16, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- "John Matocha's magnificent play pushes Colorado School of Mines football to second straight Division II semifinal". The Denver Post. December 9, 2022.
- Olson, Eric (August 18, 2023). "Pick Six: Colorado Mines star QB John Matocha returns as one of the top small college players". APNews.com. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
- https://minesathletics.com/news/2023/10/7/football-2-mines-shuts-out-mesa-retains-nyikos-cup.aspx
- https://minesathletics.com/news/2023/10/21/football-second-half-surge-pushes-1-mines-past-bhsu.aspx