Clay Matthews, ILB

With two family members having not only played, but excelled at Southern California, you would think that with a name like Clay Matthews III that he would have been one of the team's elite recruits. However, 160-pound high school players do not have Pete Carroll knocking on their door, no matter what his last name is. Still, after joining the team as a walk-on, putting in three years as a reserve and a special teams player, Matthews wrote a terrific final chapter to his college career that could end in April with him joining his father and uncle as USC first-round selections.

When the Matthews family gets together during the holidays, that gathering is filled with athletes. It all begins with Clay's grandfather, Clay Sr., who was on the football, wrestling and swimming teams at Georgia Tech in the 1940s and then played in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s. Clay's father, Clay Jr., was a four-year (1974-77) linebacker at USC who played on the Trojans' 1974 national championship team and earned All-American honors in 1977. He went on to play with the NFL's Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons from 1978-96.

Clay's uncle, Bruce, was a three-year (1980-82) letterman offensive guard at USC who earned All-American honors in 1982 and then played with the NFL's Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1983-2001. Clay's older brother, Kyle, lettered at safety on USC's 2003 national championship team. Another brother, Casey, is a sophomore linebacker at Oregon. His cousin, Ashley Nick, is a senior on the USC women's soccer team that captured the 2007 NCAA championship.

Matthews prepped at Agoura High School. His dramatic rise as a pro prospect would be one of this draft's more compelling stories, even without his bloodlines. Lightly recruited as a high school junior, he walked on to USC rather than take a scholarship to a smaller program. "He was 160 pounds as a junior in high school," his father, Clay Jr., said. "His senior year, he just got taller and bigger. But you're recruited your junior year. I was thinking he wasn't going to be able to play football, and I was fine with that."

The freshman linebacker was relegated to duties on the scout team at Southern California in 2004. As a red-shirt freshman, he played mostly on special teams in 2005, seeing action in all but the Hawaii contest (missed that game with an elbow sprain). He managed to record eight tackles (4 solos) to earn his first varsity letter.

Now measuring in at 230 pounds, Matthews earned a scholarship during 2006 fall camp. He served as a reserve strong-side outside linebacker behind Dallas Sartz, but made his reputation when he was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. He was also a second-team Academic All-Pac 10 Conference pick. In 13 games, he delivered 15 tackles (9 solos) with a 7-yard sack.

Matthews was again the key backup at both outside linebacker positions and captured the team's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive season in 2007. He played in all 13 games, blocking two kicks while posting 17 tackles (15 solos) with three stops for loss. He also caused two fumbles, both coming vs. Illinois in the Rose Bowl.

An intense weight training program during the 2008 offseason was tempered by surgery performed on his hand, but he still ended up receiving Co-Lifter of the Year honors. The now 240-pounder opened the 2008 campaign as a reserve, but took over right defensive end duties for the final 10 contests. The All-American honorable mention and All-Pac 10 Conference second-team choice was named the team's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. He ranked fourth on the team with 56 tackles (28 solos), blocked another kick and had 4.5 sacks to go with nine stops for losses.

Positives: Ascending player who may be just scratching the surface of his potential. Well-built athlete whose dedication in the weight-room is obvious in his physique. Reliable open-field tackler. Versatile defender who flashes as a natural pass rusher off the edge. Good speed upfield and has the balance and burst to redirect his rush. Good initial hand punch to pop the blocker and disengage. Good effort and speed in pursuit. Instinctive defender who played well in space as a traditional linebacker. Excellent special teams player. Twice named co-special teams player of the year (2005, 2006). Excellent bloodlines. Father, Clay, played 19 seasons at linebacker and made the Pro Bowl four times. Uncle, Bruce, made the Pro Bowl 14 times and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. Grandfather, also named Clay, played for the 49ers in the 1950s. Pac-10 Academic All-American with a 3.06 GPA in international relations.

Negatives: Has less than a full season as a starter and only 10 career starts -- all in 2008. Surrounded by so much talent at USC that holes in his game could have been disguised. Lacks the bulk to remain at defensive end. Prefers to run around blocks rather than take them on. While he improved as the year went on, remains a work in progress in disengaging from blocks. Suffered broken left thumb against Nebraska, then fractured a metacarpal later in season, then had to have surgery after the bowl game as it did not heal properly.

Compares To: MARCUS WASHINGTON, ex-Washington -- Matthews knows how to use his quickness to slip past and avoid blocks in order to get to the ball and clog the inside rush lanes. He has the balance and body control to run clean and take proper angles to the ball when working in space. He is a solid wrap-up tackler with enough power to drag ball carriers down. He is not big enough to prevent NFL linemen from engulfing him as a defensive end, but as a linebacker he could develop into a solid blitzer. He has the hand strength to get a decent push off the ball and works hard to play off blocks to get to the quarterback. When working off the edge, he can surprise a lethargic offensive lineman with his ability to explode past the opponent and has more than enough speed to close, making him a nice fit for strong-side linebacker.

GENERAL REPORT: GRADE: 6.44

Body Structure: Matthews has a compact, solid frame with good upper body development, broad shoulders, thick chest, tapered thighs and thick hamstrings. He shows good straight-line quickness and the arm extension to shed blocks and has room on his frame to carry another 10 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness. His body is more suited for linebacker, as he is more likely at maximum growth potential and will not be able to carry the bulk needed to compete as a down lineman on a steady basis.

Athletic Ability: Matthews has good upfield quickness, showing suddenness in his initial move off the ball and gets to top speed quickly. He has some stiffness in his hips that affects his lateral and change of direction agility, but is combative in attempts to slip off blocks and string plays wide. He shows good strength upon initial contact and breaks down well on the move. He is an effective short-area pass defender because of his foot speed to stay with most receivers through their routes. He is playing out of position on the defensive line and is better suited for the outside linebacker position, as he has good explosion coming off the ball and adequate power behind his hits. GRADE: 6.6

Football Sense: Matthews has solid field instincts and vision. He needs minimal reps to retain and has no problems taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field. He is not used much in pass coverage and needs to show he has the ability to locate the ball when working in the deeper areas of the zone. He will sometimes take poor angles in pursuit and lacks the hip snap to neutralize the cutback lanes. He can slip under trash when trying to shoot the gaps, but is susceptible to side blocks and must become more alert to blocking schemes. Right now, he plays more on adrenalin that on football knowledge. GRADE: 5.9

Character: Matthews plays with a solid blue-collar work ethic. He is a self-starter who puts in the extra hours in the weight room and film room. He comes from a football oriented family, as his father and uncle both starred in the NFL. He has a good approach to his play and is a solid individual, both on and off the field. GRADE: 6.7

Competitiveness: Matthews was a former walk-on who excelled on special teams so much, the staff finally gave him an opportunity to start early in the 2008 season. He is the type of athlete that gives full effort until the whistle. He is not the type that will let emotions get the better of him, playing with a good head on his shoulders. He stays focused and plays hard, whether in game action or practices. He handles pressure in the heat of the battle well and will always run to the ball with total effort. GRADE: 6.5

Work Habits: Matthews is the type of player who will do whatever the coaches ask. He is a self-motivated athlete who takes well to hard coaching. He is an outstanding worker in practices and a self-made type that pushes himself hard to succeed. While he is always in control of his emotions, he will not hesitate to get vocal in the huddle. His passion for the game is highly evident. GRADE: 6.5

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 6.70

Key and Diagnostic Skills: For a one-year starter, Matthews shows the vision of a veteran reading key and getting into position to make the play. He is not one to get fooled by misdirection and shows good knee bend to take on blockers and escape. He needs to play with better control, though, as he will get reckless and then over-pursue the play (tries to make the sensational hit rather than taking what the offense has to offer). He attacks the ball with good urgency due to his ability to quickly break down plays in front of him. He is very quick coming off the snap, staying low in his pads while generating quick lateral movements to string the plays wide. He has the natural ability to anticipate the flow of the ball. He needs to be quicker dropping back in pass coverage, but is effective at reacting and tracking down the ball when working in a crowd at the line of scrimmage. GRADE: 6.9

Playing Strength and Explosion: Matthews has good weight room strength, but is still developing proper hand placement and techniques to separate from blocks. He hits with a good thud, but due to his lack of bulk as a down lineman, he needs to avoid the opponent rather than engaging the bigger blockers. He does not use his hand punch well in attempts to shed and when he short arms, the bigger offensive linemen have good success in engulfing him. He needs to be more combative with his arm swipes, as he will try to out-finesse rather than battle his opponent in one-on-one confrontations. He is an avid weight lifter and a product of the team's training room, adding more than 40 pounds of bulk since his sophomore year. He has more than enough functional strength to take on blocks and shed, but must be more alert to low blocks to protect his body from double teams. He has no problems running downhill to fill the rush lane and plays with good leverage when taking on the linemen. With his power and intelligence, he could be a better fit for middle linebacker at the next level, as he has the strength to stack and the power to contain the running game between the tackles. GRADE: 7.2

Lateral Pursuit/Range: Matthews is a little stiff in his pass drops, but does a good job of moving down the line and redirecting to plays at the Xs. His ability to play in space make him a better fit at linebacker than as a down lineman. Perhaps because of the team's system, he is used more to keep plays in front of him and did not get enough reps in pass coverage to fully evaluate his ability in that area. He has the ability to run through and around traffic. He gives good effort in pursuit and when he plays under control, he can properly read and adjust to the flow of the ball, but can get caught in trash when he fails to keep leverage on the ball. GRADE: 6.2

Use of Hands: Matthews runs hot and cold here. He will short arm at times, letting blockers to get under his jersey when he does so. He has a strong punch, but will try to avoid power confrontations when he should be meeting them head-on. When he keeps his hands properly extended, he can effectively to keep blockers off his feet and get around trash quickly, but must keep them active at all times, as he is susceptible to the low block. He is not a natural hands catcher (more pass deflections rather than interceptions), but the USC system calls for him to attack the man, rather than the ball, making it difficult to evaluate his ability as an interceptor. GRADE: 6.2

Tackling Ability: Matthews is developing into a solid wrap-up tackler, showing good mechanics to secure and drag down. He extends his arms properly to stalk and is the type that collides with ball carriers upon initial contact, showing the strength to shed blocks and stay on the ball. He has that ease of movement getting to the ball when working in space and the leg drive and strength to get the ball carrier on the ground and impede the opponent's forward momentum. He can deliver a strong thud upon contact and his hits have been known to jar the ball loose from several ball carriers. When he brings his arms properly to wrap, he can strike opponents with good pop on contact. GRADE: 7.1

Run Defense: Most linebackers his size can get engulfed when working in-line, but Matthews does a good job of coming downhill, using his hands to shed when working near the line of scrimmage, which allows him to fill the rush lane. He plays with good leverage taking on blocks coming off the edge. And has the speed and burst to head off ball carriers along the corners. He is a smart player who stays in control and while he has some hip stiffness, he can make plays sideline to sideline. His change of direction skills might not let him cover large portions of the field, but he runs to the ball well and has the hand usage to slip off passive blocks. When he closes on the ball, he will usually take good angles. His speed is evident when he simply explodes and accelerates to close. GRADE: 7.4

Pass Defense: Matthews needs to generate better hip swerve in order to drop off deep in the zone. While he takes no wasted steps in transition, he must become quicker when trying to turn coming out of his backpedal. He doesn't flip his hips properly, but plays at a good pad level. Because of the stiffness in his turns, he can't drop off quickly. He gets adequate depth in his pass drops, but does keep his head on a swivel to locate the ball in flight. In man coverage, he has the quickness to stay on the tight ends and slot backs, using his hands effectively to reroute. He has the acceleration to maintain position on the receiver when working underneath. His quick feet allow him to shadow the speedier running backs on screens, but he needs to do a better job of opening his hips to turn and run. GRADE: 6.3

Zone Defense: Matthews is a work in progress, as he was rarely used on plays outside the box. He lacks the fluid hips to come out of his backpedal suddenly and will trip over his feet at times, as he does not have a strong concept for angling. He is not used much in zone coverage, especially when picking up and switching off on receivers, but is effective at keeping the play in front of him. He has an explosive break on the ball and keeps his hands properly extended to wrap and secure. He is too smart to be fooled by the tight ends, but has not had enough playing time in the passing game to evaluate if he has an understanding of zone concepts. GRADE: 6.0

Pass Rush and Blitz: Matthews shows the ability to elude blockers on the move, staying low in his pads and maintaining balance coming off the edge to get into the backfield with good urgency. He plays with 100 percent effort and if unblocked, he is relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. He is better served pressuring the pocket on the move than with his hand down, as he gives up too much bulk to combat offensive tackles on a regular basis. With his burst through the gaps, he could be a nice fit as a strong-side linebacker, as his speed is evident racing through the holes. Unfortunately, speed is his only asset as a blitzer, as he does not have a good array of pass rush moves. He can get caught up vs. inside trash due to a lack of ideal size for a down lineman, but as a linebacker, his acceleration and power lets him get a strong push off the blocker. He needs to stay active with his hands to prevent getting absorbed working inside, but he gives good effort as a blitzer, especially when attacking from the back side, making him a better fit for the linebacker position than as a rush end. GRADE: 7.0

Compares To: MARCUS WASHINGTON, ex-Washington -- Matthews knows how to use his quickness to slip past and avoid blocks in order to get to the ball and clog the inside rush lanes. He has the balance and body control to run clean and take proper angles to the ball when working in space. He is a solid wrap-up tackler with enough power to drag ball carriers down. He is not big enough to prevent NFL linemen from engulfing him as a defensive end, but as a linebacker he could develop into a solid blitzer. He has the hand strength to get a decent push off the ball and works hard to play off blocks to get to the quarterback. When working off the edge, he can surprise a lethargic offensive lineman with his ability to explode past the opponent and has more than enough speed to close, making him a nice fit for strong-side linebacker.

OVERALL GRADE: 6.66

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

Matthews started the final 10 games of his 50-game Southern California career at right defensive end and vs. Nebraska and Washington State at strong-side outside linebacker in 2007 … The three-time team Co-Special Teams Player of the Year blocked three kicks, deflected four passes, recovered two fumbles and recovered four others … Also recorded 96 tackles (56 solos) that included one quarterback pressure, 5.5 sacks for minus 49 yards and 13.5 stops for losses totaling 91 yards.

Matthews earned All-American honorable mention from Pro Football Weekly, in addition to receiving All-Pac 10 Conference second-team accolades … Academic All-Pac 10 first-team and named the squad's Co-Lifter of the Year and Co-Special Teams Player of the Year, the third consecutive season he captured that latter award … Underwent hand surgery prior to spring practice, but was fully recovered by the season opener … Played behind Everson Griffen at right defensive tackle for the season's first three games before taking over and starting the final ten contests … Ranked fourth on the team with 56 tackles (28 solos), as he helped the Trojans lead the nation in scoring defense (9.0 ppg) and passing efficiency defense (85.75 rating) … Tied for second on the team with 4.5 sacks for minus 42 yards and ranked third on the team with nine stops for losses of 59 yards, as the Trojans finished fifth nationally in rush defense (87.38 ypg) and second in total defense (221.77 ypg) … Had a pair of pass deflections and blocked his third field goal for his career (vs. Oregon State) … Also caused and recovered a pair of fumbles.

Virginia … Matthews led the Trojan defense in tackles vs. Virginia, making 7 stops (6 solos) and adding one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and one sack in USC's decisive 52-7 win over the Cavaliers … Midway through the first quarter, Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Matthews on a 3rd-&-10 play from the Cavaliers' 20-yard line, forcing Virginia to punt the ball away … The USC linebacker picked up a tackle on the kickoff coverage team at the 4:01 mark in the first quarter … On the ensuing drive, Matthews was penalized 15 yards for roughing the passer, moving the ball to the USC 29-yard line and giving Virginia a first down … At the 9:07 mark in the second quarter, Matthews tackled Kevin Ogletree after the wide receiver picked up 8 yards and a first down on a pass reception … Midway through the third quarter, the USC linebacker stopped Virginia tailback Cedric Peerman for a 2-yard gain and, later in the drive, tackled Mikell Simpson after the running back picked up 9 yards on a 2nd-&-8 play … Matthews made his second kickoff-coverage tackled of the game at the 3:28 mark in the third quarter, when he tackled Kevin Ogletree after a 25-yard return … Near the end of the third quarter, Matthews recovered a fumble by quarterback Peter Lalich on third down … Early in the fourth quarter, Matthews tackled John Phillips after a 1-yard gain at the Virginia 47-yard line, causing the tight end to fumble the ball, which Matthews was able to recover … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#37-Cedric Peerman (5:10-208)-Eight carries for 32 yards, two catches for 7 yards, one kickoff return for 17 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 11 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 32 yards on 21 carries (1.52 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-2 passes that were thrown into his area for 9 yards … Matthews was involved in two third-down plays, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one sack, as the defense allowed 187 total yards on 56 plays (3.34 yards per play) … The opposition completed 18-of-35 passes for 155 yards, with one interception.

Ohio State … Ohio State could muster only 71 yards on the ground vs. USC's stout defense, which benefited from Matthews' six tackles (2 solos), one forced fumble, one pass deflection, and one sack … Early in the first quarter, Matthews was credited with three tackles on one Ohio State drive, tackling tailback Dan Herron after runs of 6, 5, and 5 yards … At the 10:51 mark in the second quarter, the USC linebacker broke up Buckeye quarterback Todd Boeckman's third-down pass that was intended for wide receiver Brian Robiskie, forcing Ohio State to attempt a 46-yard field goal, which was missed wide right … Near the end of the first half, Matthews tackled Ohio State's Brian Hartline for a 2-yard loss after the wide receiver hauled in a pass from Boeckman and, later in the drive, Matthews sacked Boeckman for a 10-yard loss, causing the signal-caller to fumble the ball, which was recovered by USC defensive end Kyle Moore at the Ohio State 38-yard line … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#1-Dan Herron (5:10-193)-Eleven carries for 51 yards, three catches for 23 yards, 2 kickoff returns for 32 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made three tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 16 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 71 yards on 34 carries (2.09 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-2 passes that were thrown into his area for -2 yards … Matthews was involved in one third-down play, one tackle for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup, as the defense allowed 207 total yards on 64 plays (3.23 yards per play) … The opposition completed 21-of-30 passes for 136 yards, with two interceptions.

Oregon State … The USC defense was unable to corral Oregon State's diminutive, yet powerful and explosive, tailback Jacquizz Rodgers, who rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns in the Beavers' stunning upset over the top-ranked Trojans … Matthews contributed five tackles (3 solos) and a blocked field goal in the Trojans' disappointing loss … Early in the first quarter, on a 2nd-&-1 play at the USC 10-yard line, OSU's Jacquizz Rodgers picked up 2 yards and a first down before Matthews could bring him down … Midway through the first quarter, Matthews was credited with tackling Beaver wide receiver Sammie Stroughter for a 3-yard loss on a punt return … On OSU's ensuing drive, Beaver quarterback Lyle Moevao completed a 10-yard pass to Jacquizz Rodgers, who was tackled by Matthews at the 24-yard line … At the 5:12 mark in the second quarter, Rodgers hauled in a Moevao pass and gained 17 yards before Matthews brought him down at the USC 9-yard line … Midway through the fourth quarter, the USC linebacker blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt by OSU kicker Sean Sehnem … With 5:30 remaining in the game, Matthews stopped Jacquizz Rodgers for no gain on a rushing attempt near midfield … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#1-Jacquizz Rodgers (5:07-193)-37 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns, two receptions for 27 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 2 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 176 yards on 45 carries (3.91 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-2 passes that were thrown into his area for 27 yards … Matthews was involved in one red-zone play and one tackle for no gain, as the defense allowed 343 total yards on 73 plays (4.70 yards per play) … The opposition completed 18-of-28 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Oregon … Matthews contributed five tackles (1 solo) in the Trojans' 44-10 win over PAC-10 rivals Oregon, getting a strong performance from its defense, which yielded only 60 rushing yards to the Ducks … In the first quarter, Matthews tackled Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli after the quarterback rushed for 5 yards and, later in the quarter, stopped tailback LeGarrette Blount for a loss of 7 yards … Midway through the second quarter, the USC linebacker was credited with limiting Blount to 5 yards on a rushing attempt … Early in the third quarter, Matthews tackled Oregon running back Jeremiah Johnson for no gain on third down, forcing the Ducks to punt … Later in the quarter, Matthews duplicated his previous effort, stopping Johnson for no gain on 3rd-&-1 at the Oregon 29-yard line, forcing the Ducks to punt once again … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#24-Jeremiah Johnson (5:09-210)-13 carries for 45 yards and one touchdown … Defensive Impact: Matthews made five tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 3 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 60 yards on 39 carries (1.54 ypc) … Matthews was involved in two third-down plays, two tackles for no gain, and one tackle for loss, as the defense allowed 239 total yards on 72 plays (3.32 yards per play) … The opposition completed 20-of-33 passes for 179 yards, with one interception.

Arizona State … With a 28-0 shutout of Arizona State, the Trojans now have defeated the Sun Devils nine-straight times, a feat that couldn't have been accomplish without USC's suffocating defense, which limited ASU to just 75 yards on the ground … Matthews contributed five tackles (1 solo) and one pass deflection to win … At the 11:46 mark in the first quarter, Matthews broke up a pass that was intended for wide receiver Chris McGaha on third down, forcing the Sun Devils to punt … Midway through the quarter, the USC linebacker stopped tailback Dimitri Nance after a 5-yard rush … At the 12:36 mark in the second quarter, Matthews was penalized 15 yards for an illegal facemask and, later in the quarter, stopped Nance for no gain at the USC 21-yard line … With a few minutes remaining before halftime, Matthews tackled Nance after a 4-yard rush and limited halfback Ryan Bass to 1 yard on a rushing attempt … At the start of the second half, Matthews was credited with tackling Dimitri Nance after a 2-yard rush to the ASU 26-yard line … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#31-Dimitri Nance (5:10-220)-14 carries for 64 yards, five catches for 31 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made five tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 12 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 75 yards on 36 carries (2.10 ypc) … The opposition completed 0-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area … Matthews was involved in one third-down play, one tackle for no gain, and one pass deflection, as the defense allowed 229 total yards on 73 plays (3.14 yards per play) … The opposition completed 15-of-37 passes for 154 yards, with three interceptions.

Washington State … Matthews registered two tackles in the Trojans' 69-0 drubbing of Washington State … Midway through the first quarter, Cougar tailback Chantz Staden picked up 1 yard before being stopped by Matthews at the WSU 21-yard line … Early in the third quarter, Matthews stopped halfback Marcus Richmond for a 3-yard gain to midfield … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#34-Logwone Mitz (6:01-219)-19 carries for 52 yards, one catch for -1 yard … Defensive Impact: Matthews made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 4 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 88 yards on 37 carries (2.38 ypc) and 116 total yards on 46 plays (2.52 yards per play) … The opposition completed 6-of-9 yards for 28 yards, with one interception.

Arizona … The USC defense limited the ninth-ranked scoring offense in the nation to just 10 points, as the Trojans defeated the Arizona Wildcats, 17-10, to keep their national-title hopes alive … Matthews finished the game with five tackles (4 solos) and 1.5 sacks … At the 5:03 mark in the second quarter, Arizona wide receiver Terrell Turner picked up 12 yards and a first down on a pass reception from quarterback Willie Tuitama before Matthews brought him down at the USC 33-yard line … Early in the third quarter, Arizona tailback Nic Grigsby rushed for 4 yards on 3rd-&-4 before Matthews stopped him at the USC 5-yard line … Midway through the third quarter, Matthews sacked Tuitama for a 10-yard loss on third down, forcing Arizona to punt … At the 10:35 mark in the fourth quarter, Matthews sacked Tuitama for an 8-yard loss in Arizona territory … With a few minutes left in the game, the USC linebacker was credited with tackling wide receiver Mike Thomas after an 11-yard punt return … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#5-Nic Grigsby (5:10-194)-14 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown … Defensive Impact: Matthews made one tackle vs. the run, which netted the offense 4 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 100 yards on 30 carries (3.33 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 12 yards … Matthews was involved in two third-down plays, two sacks, and one red-zone tackle, as the defense allowed 188 total yards on 61 plays (3.10 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-31 passes for 88 yards, with one interception.

Washington … Matthews contributed four tackles (3 solos) and 0.5 sack to a USC defense that shut out Washington, 56-0, and limited the Huskies to just 184 total yards of offense … Early in the game, Matthews limited Washington's D'Andre Goodwin to 2 yards after the wide receiver hauled in a pass from quarterback Ronnie Fouch on 3rd-&-4, forcing the Huskies to punt … Midway through the second quarter, Matthews stopped Washington tailback Terrance Dailey after a 6-yard rush … On an early third-quarter drive, Matthews was credited with tackling Huskie running back Brandon Johnson for a 9-yard loss and, later in the drive, sacking quarterback Ronnie Fouch for a 9-yard loss on 3rd-&-10, forcing Washington to punt the ball away … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#6-Brandon Johnson (5:09-207)-18 carries for 54 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense -3 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 71 yards on 30 carries (2.37 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 2 yards … Matthews was involved in two third-down plays, one sack, and one tackle for loss, as the defense allowed 184 total yards on 63 plays (2.92 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-33 passes for 113 yards, with three interceptions.

California … Cal's offense came into the game averaging 36.4 points per game, but the impenetrable USC defense held the Golden Bears to 3 points and 165 yards of total offense in the Trojans' 17-3 victory over their PAC-10 rival … Matthews contributed four tackles (1 solo) to the winning effort … Early in the first quarter, Cal tailback Jahvid Best was dropped for a 1-yard loss at the Golden Bears' 19-yard line by Matthews … At the 4:54 mark in the second quarter, Matthews allowed Best to pick up a first down via a 6-yard reception on a 3rd-&-3 play … Early in the third quarter, Cal wide receiver Jeremy Ross rushed 5 yards to the USC 10-yard line before Matthews could bring him down … Later in the quarter, Matthews stopped running back Shane Vereen after a 3-yard gain to the USC 30-yard line … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#4-Jahvid Best (5:10-193)-13 carries for 30 yards, three catches for 15 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made three tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 7 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 27 yards on 26 carries (1.04 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 6 yards … Matthews was involved in one third-down play, one tackle for loss, and one red-zone tackle, as the defense allowed 165 total yards on 57 plays (2.89 yards per play) … The opposition completed 15-of-31 passes for 138 yards, with one interception.

Stanford … With Cardinal fans wearing "Greatest Upset Ever" T-shirts in the stands at Stanford Stadium, the USC Trojans made sure there would be no repeat performance of last season's game, when Stanford pulled off a shocking 24-23 upset of the second-ranked Trojans. Instead, USC overcame an early deficit to avenge last year's game with a 45-23 victory over Stanford … Matthews helped the Trojans' cause with three tackles (1 solo) … On a drive that started at the 6:46 mark in the first quarter, Matthews was credited with limiting Cardinal tailback Toby Gerhart to rushes of 3 and -2 yards, the latter of which occurred on third down and forced Stanford settle for a field goal … A few minutes before halftime, Matthews stopped Gerhart for a 2-yard gain on a rushing attempt … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#7-Toby Gerhart (6:01-232)-23 carries for 101 yards and one touchdown, two catches for 15 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made three tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 3 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 202 yards on 41 carries (4.93 ypc) … Matthews was involved in one third-down play, one tackle for loss, and one red-zone tackle, as the defense allowed 367 total yards on 68 plays (5.40 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-27 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.

Notre Dame … The USC defense completely shut down the Notre Dame offensive attack, holding the Irish to just 91 yards of total offense in the Trojans' decisive 38-3 victory … Matthews finished the contest with three tackles (2 solos) and 0.5 sack … Early in the second quarter, on 3rd-&-11 from the Notre Dame 24-yard line, Matthews limited Irish tailback Armando Allen to 4 yards on a pass reception from quarterback Jimmy Clausen, forcing the Irish to punt … Later in the quarter, Clausen was sacked 8 yards behind the line of scrimmage by Matthews … At the 13:25 mark in the third quarter, Clausen completed a pass on third down to halfback Robert Hughes, who was dropped for a 1-yard loss by Matthews, forcing the Irish to punt the ball away … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#34-James Aldridge (6:00-225)-12 carries for 58 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews helped the defense hold the opposition to 50 yards on 27 carries (1.85 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-2 passes that were thrown into his area for 3 yards … Matthews was involved in two third-down plays, one sack, and one tackle for loss, as the defense allowed 91 total yards on 49 plays (1.86 yards per play) … The opposition completed 11-of-22 passes for 41 yards, with two interceptions.

UCLA … Matthews contributed three tackles (1 solo) to the Trojan defense, which limited UCLA to just 157 total yards in USC's 28-7 win over its cross-town rival, the Trojans' ninth victory over the Bruins in their last 10 meetings … On the Bruins' first drive of the game, Matthews tackled Kahlil Bell after the tailback gained 5 yards on a rushing attempt … Later in the quarter, Bell picked up 1 yard before Matthews brought down the running back … Midway through the fourth quarter, UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Dominique Johnson, who picked up a first down before being tackled by Matthews at the Bruin 46-yard line … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#36-Kahlil Bell (6:00-219)-15 carries for 39 yards, one catch for 21 yards and a touchdown … Defensive Impact: Matthews made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 6 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 47 yards on 21 carries (2.24 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 8 yards … Matthews was involved in one third-down play, as the defense allowed 157 total yards on 50 plays (3.14 yards per play) … The opposition completed 12-of-29 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.

Penn State (Rose Bowl) … Clay Matthews capped his USC career with five tackles (4 solos) in the Trojans' 38-24 victory over sixth-ranked Penn State in the Rose Bowl … Less than a minute before halftime, Matthews stopped PSU tailback Stephfon Green for a 1-yard gain, but the linebacker was flagged for a 15-yard facemask penalty … At the 10:24 mark in third quarter, Matthews limited Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark to 3 yards on a rushing attempt … Later in the quarter, PSU's Dan Lawlor rushed for 4 yards on 2nd-&-2 from the USC 14-yard line before Matthews was able to tackle the fullback … During an early fourth-quarter drive, Matthews was credited with stopping Stephfon Green for a 2-yard gain on a pass reception and tackling wide receiver Derrick Williams after a 7-yard pass reception to the USC 8-yard line … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#22-Evan Royster (6:01-209)-Six carriers for 34 yards … Defensive Impact: Matthews made three tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 8 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 137 yards on 29 carries (4.72 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-2 passes that were thrown into his area for 9 yards … Matthews was involved in two red-zone tackles, as the defense allowed 410 total yards on 66 plays (6.21 yards per play) … The opposition completed 21-of-37 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Matthews played behind Brian Cushing and Thomas Williams at strong-side outside line-backer, in addition to excelling on special teams, where he was selected Co-Special Teams Player of the Year for the second-straight season … Also took snap at rush end … Recorded seventeen tackles (15 solos) with three stops for losses of 23 yards and one quarterback pressure … Caused two fumbles, both coming in the Rose Bowl … Deflected one pass and blocked a pair of field goals … When Cushing was sidelined with an injury, Matthews stepped in and started at strong-side linebacker vs. Nebraska and Washington State.

Opened the season with four tackles, a pass deflection and a blocked field goal vs. Idaho, then added three tackles, including one for an 11-yard loss vs. Washington State … Made four stops vs. Arizona … Posted one tackle and blocked a field goal at Notre Dame … Was in on one more tackle at Oregon and had one for a 3-yard loss at California … Produced three tackles, including one that brought down QB Juice Williams for a 9-yard loss as he also forced two fumbles vs. Illinois in the Rose Bowl.

Academic All-Pac 10 Conference second-team choice … Named the team's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year … The one-time walk-on earned a scholarship in fall drills and served as a reserve strong-side outside linebacker, playing behind Dallas Sartz in thirteen games … Was a key special teams player as a sophomore … Overall, he recorded fifteen tackles (9 solos) with a 7-yard sack and 1.5 stops for minus 9 yards.

Posted four tackles with a 7-yard sack vs. Stanford … Added three hits vs. Oregon and two more vs. Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

As a redshirt freshman reserve linebacker, Matthews played mostly on special teams …

Finished with eight tackles (4 solos) and a pass deflection in eleven games … Sat out the Hawaii clash with an elbow sprain.

Recorded three tackles vs. Stanford and had two hits in the Washington State game … Made a tackle and a pass deflection vs. Arkansas.

He did not see any action as a first-year freshman linebacker in 2004.

2005: Did not play vs. Hawaii (9/03) due to a sprained elbow.

2008: Underwent hand surgery prior to the beginning of spring drills.

Combine: 4.62 in the 40-yard dash … 1.49 10-yard dash … 2.68 20-yard dash … 4.18 20-yard shuttle … 6.90 three-cone drill … 35 1/2-inch vertical jump … 10'1" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times … 32 1/4-inch arm length … 9 1/2-inch hands … Chose not to run the 60-yard shuttle.

Prepped at Agoura (Cal.) High School as a linebacker, but was not recruited by the major colleges … "He was 160 pounds as a junior in high school," his father, Clay Jr., said. "His senior year, he just got taller and bigger. But you're recruited your junior year. I was thinking he wasn't going to be able to play football, and I was fine with that."

International Relations major, attaining a 3.06 grade point average to earn Academic All-Pac 10 Conference honors in 2006 and 2008 … Comes from a family rich in sports tradition … Clay's grandfather, Clay Sr., was on the football, wrestling and swimming teams at Georgia Tech in the 1940s and then played in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s … Clay's father, Clay Jr., was a four-year (1974-77) linebacker at USC who played on Troy's 1974 national championship team and earned All-American honors in 1977. He went on to play with the NFL's Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons from 1978 to 1996 … Clay's uncle, Bruce, was a three-year (1980-82) letterman offensive guard at USC who earned All-American honors in 1982 and then played with the NFL's Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1983 to 2001 … Clay's older brother, Kyle, lettered at safety on USC's 2003 national championship team … Another brother, Casey, is a sophomore line-backer at Oregon … His cousin, Ashley Nick, is a senior on the USC women's soccer team that captured the 2007 NCAA championship … Born 5/14/86 … Resides in Agoura Hills, California.