Claude Mathis led arguably the greatest team this State has ever seen in a perfect season! An average margin of victory of 35 points. Destroyed a gauntlet of DFW Super Powers: Beat 6AD1 Champ Duncanville by 14, Allen by 32, SOC by 40, and Big Rival Cedar Hill twice. Claude may have earned a 25-year contract extension for winning the “Battle of Beltline” by 110 points in the last 3 contests! It was a Record-Breaking Season with an historic finish, 74-14 over Summer Creek in the Title Game. That was a 6A record for most points scored, shattering Kyler Murray’s record of 63 points during Allen’s 3-Peat! The Closest game was against Southlake Carroll in the State Semifinals where the Eagles overcame 4 turnovers to persevere by 7! Claude did it with the greatest DeSoto QB ever in DJ Bailey who threw for over 7100 yards, 90 Tds, 67% Completion Rate, and Just 4 INTs in 2 State Title Runs. The Eagles had a bevy of weapons with 2, 1000 yard RBs in Marvin Duffey and Tiger Riden with a trio of WRs that made the Eagles unstoppable with Daylon Singleton, TJ Pride, and “Boobie” Feaster. It all starts with that incredible OLine with Leon Brigham and Social Media Sensation Byron Washington who stands at 6’8’’ and a whopping 380 lbs. Defense was loaded with Brandon Booker (SMU), Mario Buford (Neb), Sael Reyes, and State Title MVP “KeKe” Abrams (Purdue). 

In 2008, Claude took over the program and saw something in a community nobody else did! He turned DeSoto into a perennial national power.  In 2020, Claude fought for his life in a COVID hospital room that only 3% make it out of. Thanks to incredible support from his family and a relentless fight, he’s one in a million.  Mathis led DeSoto to Back2Back Titles in his second stint as head coach in South Dallas. Now, he’s walking on red carpets, enjoying the parades, and polishing his rings! His Locker Room Speeches and Band Dances are legendary and “DeSoto U” is a Statewide Passion. He’s changed many lives along the way… including mine! He was the first guest on my podcast when I had no idea what I was doing… and now we make it an annual thing after all of his State Championships! So Proud to call him my good friend!