Former Houston standout Matt Nicholson begins his second season as defensive graduate assistant coach in 2011. He will assist with the coaching duties on the defensive side of the ball and scout teams.
In his first season on staff with the Cougars Nicholson helped the club to incredible defensive success, ranking among national leaders in sacks, tackles-for-loss and interceptions.
Nicholson starred for the Cougars from 2006-2010, racking up 179 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions, including one interception return for a touchdown, despite missing 17 games over the final three seasons due to knee injuries.
Nicholson, who played in 47 career games for the Cougars, served as a team captain during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Nicholson received his bachelor's degree in sport administration from Houston in December of 2010.
A native of Plano, Texas, and a product of Plano Senior High School, Nicholson helped carry the Wildcats to a 13-1 record and an appearance in the regional finals as a senior. Nicholson, who was an Honorable Mention 5A All-State selection, posted his best game against Flower Mound, registering 20 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, three quarterback hurries and three tackles for loss.
Nicholson and his son, Ryan, reside in Houston.
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G
2006................ 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2007................ 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2008................ 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2009................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2010................ 9 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 0.7
TOTAL............... 47 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 0.1
KICK RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2006................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2007................ 13 1 8 0 8 8.0 0.6
2008................ 9 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2009................ 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2010................ 9 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
TOTAL............... 47 1 8 0 8 8.0 0.2
INTERCEPTIONS G No Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2006................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2007................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2008................ 9 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2009................ 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0
2010................ 9 1 42 1 42 42.0 4.7
TOTAL............... 47 2 42 1 42 21.0 0.9
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G
2006................ 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2007................ 13 0 0 0 8 0 8 0.6
2008................ 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2009................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0
2010................ 9 0 0 0 0 42 42 4.7
TOTAL............... 47 0 0 0 8 42 50 1.1
TACKLES G UA A Total TFL-Yds PD FF FR Blkd
2006................ 13 7 0 7 0.0-0 0 0 1 0
2007................ 13 16 20 36 4.0-8 0 0 0 0
2008................ 9 35 31 66 4.5-28 1 0 0 0
2009................ 3 7 6 13 0.0-0 0 0 0 0
2010................ 9 29 28 57 5.5-8 6 1 3 0
TOTAL............... 47 94 85 179 14.0-44 7 1 4 0
SACKS G UA A Total Yds
2006................ 13 0 0 0.0 0
2007................ 13 0 0 0.0 0
2008................ 9 1 0 1.0 15
2009................ 3 0 0 0.0 0
2010................ 9 0 0 0.0 0
TOTAL............... 47 1 0 1.0 15
2010 Game-by-Game
|---RUSHING---| |--RECEIVING--| |-------PASSING-------| |--KICK RET--| |--PUNT RET--| all
Date Opponent No. Yds TD Lg No. Yds TD Lg Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Lg No Yds TD Lg No Yds TD Lg purp
Sep 4, 2010 TEXAS STATE............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42
Sep 10, 2010 UTEP................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 18, 2010 at UCLA................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 25, 2010 TULANE................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 9, 2010 MISSISSIPPI STATE...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 16, 2010 at Rice................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 23, 2010 at SMU................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 30, 2010 at Memphis............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nov 5, 2010 UCF.................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42
Games played: 9
All purpose avg/game: 4.7
|---------TACKLES---------| |-SACKS-| |-FUMBLE-| Pass Blkd |-Kicks--XPTS-|
Date Opponent Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds QBH Brk Kick Att-Mad Run Rcv Saf Pts
Sep 4, 2010 TEXAS STATE............ 0 6 6 0.5-2 0.0-0 0 1-0 1-42 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 6
Sep 10, 2010 UTEP................... 3 5 8 1.5-1 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 18, 2010 at UCLA................ 3 1 4 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 1-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 25, 2010 TULANE................. 1 3 4 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 9, 2010 MISSISSIPPI STATE...... 2 7 9 0.5-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 16, 2010 at Rice................ 8 2 10 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 23, 2010 at SMU................. 5 0 5 1.0-1 0.0-0 0 1-0 0-0 0 1 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 30, 2010 at Memphis............. 4 1 5 0.5-2 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 5, 2010 UCF.................... 3 3 6 1.5-2 0.0-0 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 29 28 57 5.5-8 0.0-0 1 3-0 1-42 1 5 0 0-0 0 0 0 6
2009 Game-by-Game
|---------TACKLES---------| |-SACKS-| |-FUMBLE-| Pass Blkd |-Kicks--XPTS-|
Date Opponent Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds QBH Brk Kick Att-Mad Run Rcv Saf Pts
Sep 5, 2009 NORTHWESTERN STATE..... 1 3 4 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 12, 2009 at Oklahoma State...... 2 0 2 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 26, 2009 TEXAS TECH............. 4 3 7 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 7 6 13 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
2008 Game-by-Game
|---------TACKLES---------| |-SACKS-| |-FUMBLE-| Pass Blkd |-Kicks--XPTS-|
Date Opponent Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds QBH Brk Kick Att-Mad Run Rcv Saf Pts
Aug 30, 2008 SOUTHERN............... 1 2 3 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 6, 2008 at Oklahoma State...... 8 3 11 1.0-3 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 13, 2008 vs Air Force........... 6 1 7 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 20, 2008 at Colorado State...... 7 2 9 1.5-8 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 27, 2008 at East Carolina....... 2 5 7 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 8, 2008 UAB.................... 4 10 14 1.0-15 1.0-15 0 0-0 1-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 18, 2008 at SMU................. 5 1 6 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 28, 2008 at Marshall............ 2 7 9 1.0-2 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 8, 2008 TULANE................. 0 0 0 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 35 31 66 4.5-28 1.0-15 0 0-0 1-0 2 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
2007 Game-by-Game
|---RUSHING---| |--RECEIVING--| |-------PASSING-------| |--KICK RET--| |--PUNT RET--| all
Date Opponent No. Yds TD Lg No. Yds TD Lg Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Lg No Yds TD Lg No Yds TD Lg purp
Sep 1, 2007 at Oregon.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 15, 2007 at Tulane.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 22, 2007 COLORADO STATE......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sep 29, 2007 EAST CAROLINA.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 6, 2007 at Alabama............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 13, 2007 RICE................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 8
Oct 20, 2007 at UAB................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oct 27, 2007 at UTEP................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nov 4, 2007 SMU.................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nov 10, 2007 at Tulsa............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nov 17, 2007 MARSHALL............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nov 24, 2007 TEXAS SOUTHERN......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dec 28, 2007 vs TCU................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 8
Games played: 13
Kick ret avg: 8.0
All purpose avg/game: 0.6
|---------TACKLES---------| |-SACKS-| |-FUMBLE-| Pass Blkd |-Kicks--XPTS-|
Date Opponent Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds QBH Brk Kick Att-Mad Run Rcv Saf Pts
Sep 1, 2007 at Oregon.............. 1 1 2 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 15, 2007 at Tulane.............. 2 2 4 2.5-5 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 22, 2007 COLORADO STATE......... 1 2 3 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Sep 29, 2007 EAST CAROLINA.......... 0 4 4 0.5-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 6, 2007 at Alabama............. 1 4 5 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 13, 2007 RICE................... 2 1 3 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 20, 2007 at UAB................. 3 2 5 0.5-2 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Oct 27, 2007 at UTEP................ 0 0 0 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 4, 2007 SMU.................... 1 1 2 0.5-1 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 10, 2007 at Tulsa............... 2 3 5 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 17, 2007 MARSHALL............... 1 0 1 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Nov 24, 2007 TEXAS SOUTHERN......... 1 0 1 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Dec 28, 2007 vs TCU................. 1 0 1 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals.............................. 16 20 36 4.0-8 0.0-0 0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0
