I'Tavius Mathers is a Pass-Catching Back for Middle Tennessee. I'Tavius's 2016 season ranks in the 60th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 279 plays — a average rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Breece Hall | Iowa State | 2020 | 301 | 0.340 | 4.5 | 102.3 |
| Hassan Haskins | Michigan | 2021 | 280 | 0.380 | 4.8 | 106.4 |
| James Flanders | Tulsa | 2016 | 266 | 0.390 | 4.9 | 103.7 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsAlabama A&M | W55-0 | — | 7 | 62 | 8.9 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0.52 |
| 2 | @Vanderbilt | L24-47 | -1.2 | 13 | 65 | 5.0 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Chart shows per-game EPA (bars) and rolling 5-game average (line). Season breaks marked with dashed lines. Line value = est. points over replacement per game.
Car 12 · Rush Yds 57 · Avg 4.8 · Rush TD 1
| 0 |
| 6 |
| 63 |
| 0 |
| 0.20 |
| 3 | @Bowling Green | W41-21 | -6.6 | 27 | 157 | 5.8 | 3 | 4 | 103 | 1 | 0.48 |
| 4 | vsLouisiana Tech | W38-34 | 3.1 | 21 | 163 | 7.8 | 3 | 5 | 74 | 1 | 0.59 |
| 5 | @North Texas | W30-13 | -14.6 | 24 | 135 | 5.6 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | -0.06 |
| 7 | vsWestern Kentucky | L43-44 | 15.5 | 22 | 143 | 6.5 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 0 | 0.49 |
| 8 | @Missouri | W51-45 | -1.0 | 28 | 215 | 7.7 | 1 | 8 | 48 | 1 | 0.32 |
| 9 | @Florida International | W42-35 | -19.0 | 14 | 112 | 8.0 | 1 | 6 | 69 | 0 | 0.42 |
| 10 | vsUTSA | L25-45 | -11.2 | 15 | 93 | 6.2 | 0 | 8 | 63 | 0 | 0.32 |
| 11 | @Marshall | L17-42 | -12.7 | 15 | 45 | 3.0 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 0 | -0.23 |
| 12 | @Charlotte | W38-31 | -20.9 | 16 | 101 | 6.3 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 0.06 |
| 13 | vsFlorida Atlantic | W77-56 | -14.1 | 18 | 213 | 11.8 | 3 | 2 | 37 | 0 | 0.93 |
| 1 | vsHawai'i | L35-52 | -10.1 | 12 | 57 | 4.8 | 1 | 4 | 44 | 0 | 0.31 |