Interview: Rodney Fisher and Coach Claude Mathis, Desoto High School
Rodney Fisher: Alright coach, good to see you again of course. Get ready for the good season. Let me
ask you first of all about the new district. Umm…A little bit different than what you guys had last
season. Now you got a lot of city rivalries, player rivalries, and it’s a really big team, Cedar Hill, South
Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Timberview. You think this new district really helps you guys out as far as
keeping it high ranking and playing more competitive teams?
Coach Claude Mathis: Well I think it helps us financially first of all…
Rodney Fisher: Okay, yeah
Coach Claude Mathis: So, we ain’t gotta travel to East Texas so much, and try to help…uhh…the district
out with the budget. But, oh I think it’s good for the community because you get the rivalries back going
and everything. And then you have a bunch of kids that know each other so it makes it fun on their end
right there, but it makes it a little bit harder for us because now I think we’re in the hardest district in
the state right now from some people are saying. So… It’s definitely got our…Our district’s definitely
gotten a lot more interesting this year.
Rodney Fisher: Have you found that the players are feeding into it a lot more? Practice a lot more?
I know you’re a focused guy as it is… whether you see the kids getting more excited now they’re
playing these guys that they know.
Coach Claude Mathis: I think they are. I think they are. We haven’t really put much emphasis on it right
now. We usually take one game at a time, and…umm…so far we’re doing that. But I guarantee you when
it hits district and we start off with Cedar Hill, I think that’s when it’ll set in with our kids. I think they’ll
really start having little more fun.
Rodney Fisher: Now in the one you had on Friday against, Arillington Martin, you won 34-17, and in
that game, Des White, I think he threw for 158…or 188 in rushing yards for 175 or around that area.
Is that kind of the balance you want him to have or would you like to see him do more of one or the
other?
Coach Claude Mathis: We could of did a lot more. Uh…I think Des is going to have a great balance
to share just ‘cus Coach Peterman does a great job with the offensive staff and making sure to put
our kids in a great situation to be successful. But we want to be balanced. We want to be like fifty-
fifty on offense when it comes to passing and our running game. But Des definitely had a fantastic
game…Umm…We should have…We should have completed more passes than we did last week. I’m little
disappointed in that area right there, but I’d rather have over 200 yards passing than him over 100 yards
rushing if that’s possible. So that’s kind of the goals that we’re looking for.
Rodney Fisher: Yea, I think he was 10 for 21, 2 INT’s last…so… Is that something you guys are going to
be working on as far as getting him more proficient as a passer?
Coach Claude Mathis: Yes…Yes…We are…I mean, like I said before, he was just off. He was just off the
other night. He under threw some guys. At the same time, everybody said he had a great game, which
he did, but just imagine if he would’ve been on.
Rodney Fisher: Right
Coach Claude Mathis: If he would’ve been on, that’s a dangerous kid to be playing against right there.
But I feel honestly, I’ll say it over, too. I feel that we can pass with 300 yards a game with this young
man right here because he has the arm and knows the game. You understand, a lot of people don’t
understand he shared time last year, but now he’s getting more into reading defenses now like Polite
had to do and our last quarterback had to do. But…uh…Raheem…So right now, once he gets to reading
the defenses, he’ll become a lot better, faster, efficient quarterback.
Rodney Fisher: And your defense…you guys held ‘em to no points in the second half last week. Talk a
little about the defense this year in comparison to last year.
Coach Claude Mathis: Well, this year our defense is young. I mean we only have two starters coming
back. We have…um…Teddy Young, which is the anchor, along with Nick Orr, the secondary. So those
two guys right there the only returning starters. Everybody else is just new this year. So…I think Coach
Miller’s made a big difference with our D-line, a young D-line. Umm…which I didn’t think was going
to be great. I didn’t. I was really hard on those guys this spring and this summer, and Coach Miller has
prove me wrong from game one.
Rodney Fisher: Yea
Coach Claude Mathis: So…He’s got a good team to make that happen right there, but I think Coach
Brown…um…he knows the sense of urgency right now with our defense. He know they’re young. He’s
put ‘em in situations along with our defensive staff to be successful this year…Changed some things up
now and it’s working for us especially for the first ballgame at least.
Rodney Fisher: Good. Well you guys had your first one of course, and this week you’re playing Jenks,
Oklahoma, the Trojans up in Jenks, and they’re number four in the state of Oklahoma. Have you
scouted this team? Do you know what to expect from them? I know they lost last week, so they’ll be
looking for a win.
Coach Claude Mathis: I don’t see how they’re number four. I guess that that loss to Union must of
dropped to number four ‘cus they are definitely a top two team in that state right there from what I’m
hearin’ and from what I’ve seen on film. They can play. Uh…very good ball club…Coached very well… lot
of tradition…bunch of state championships…so…uh…when they come down here it’s gonna be a little bit
different for them. I say that just because they’re back in the state of Texas and they’re [No idea what
was said] our Texas rules when it come to playing. But, uh, they’re gonna adjust very well…coached very
well…It’s gonna be a great game.
Rodney Fisher: Yea, and you guys Euless Trinity after that. Then you start district play. How do
you…How do you get these…these schedules. Where do the schedules come from?
Coach Claude Mathis: They kind of…They kind of come from when you…when you…when you have a lot
of success that sometimes it’s hard to schedule games. It’s hard to get people to play you, and Trinity
is one of those teams that has a hard time finding…umm…we’re one of the teams, too…as well…that’s
finding people…There’s a bunch more in the state of Texas. That’s just the way it is. I mean we can’t
do anything about that. So sometimes the powerhouses are going to have to play each other now just
because we’re having trouble finding games. Would we like to do that all the time? Heck no.
Rodney Fisher: Yea
Coach Claude Mathis: ‘cus we try to stay healthy just like everybody else is doing in district.
Rodney Fisher: Right
Coach Claude Mathis: But sometimes I think it’s good for the…for the community, for the game of
football, for our players and everything. Um…no trust me…if I could dodge Trinity, I would. I wouldn’t be
playing them right now, but we don’t have a choice.
Rodney Fisher: Right. Well I want to thank you again for allowing us to broadcast this time. It’s been
great, of course, and good luck this season as well.
Coach Claude Mathis: Hey I appreciate it. I love to have you guys around…stick around…please do.
Rodney Fisher: Alright.
Coach Claude Mathis: Thank you
Rodney Fisher: Coach Claude Mathis
