July 15, 2008
IOWA CITY – Former Hawkeye Bryan Mattison has received the the Michael J. Rabold Distinguished Player Award, which is presented each year to a player who previously competed in the Indiana High School North-South All-Star Game and participated in college football and distinguished himself both on and off the football field.
After an outstanding high school career at Penn High School, Mattison took his talents to the University of Iowa, where he was named second team all-Big Ten by the league’s coaches and honorable mention all-Big Ten as a senior by the media last season.
Mattison was named one of the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s Top-50 and was an Associated Press first team all-state selection as a senior at Penn High School while playing for Coach Chris Geesman. He was voted the Best Prep Defensive Line¬man in Indiana by the Indianapolis Star and was selected the 2002 Indiana Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Mattison completed his Iowa career with 171 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 20 sacks.
As a freshman, Mattison was named to The Sporting News Big Ten all-freshman team after playing in all 12 games. He was also one of only two redshirt freshmen selected to the football team’s Leadership Council for the 2004 season.
As a sophomore, Mattison earned the Hawkeye Hustle Award for Defense and start¬ed all 12 games. He registered 46 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
In his junior season, Mattison managed 59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks. He also added four quarterback hurries and six pass break-ups while forcing four fum¬bles.
As a senior, Mattison tallied 61 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He ranked second in the Big Ten in forced fumbles with 0.33 per game. Mattison ranked sixth in the Big Ten in quar¬terback sacks per game.
Mattison was one of five seniors named to Iowa’s 2007 Leadership Council after serving as a member of the group all four years. Mat¬tison was also named to the Big Ten all-academic team and served as a defensive team captain. He was honored at the conclusion of his career with the Hayden Fry Award.
Mattison was a health and sport studies major at Iowa. He is the son of Ann and Greg Mattison. His father is the linebackers coach with the Baltimore Ravens.