Wisconsin offensive line coach Eric Mateos has a history of building winning, productive units

MADISON, Wis. - Eric Mateos has never been afraid to do things his way.

It's a trait that's embedded in the way he coaches, installed in him from the time an overzealous soccer parent tattled on him in elementary school.

"I got kicked out of soccer because I wouldn't wear shin guards," Mateos told UWBadgers.com. "I was really good on defense, so a parent on the other team complained that I was too good because I didn't wear shin guards. They kicked me out of the game, so I decided I would never play soccer again."

Football has been in his bloodline ever since and has led him to successful coaching stints at Arkansas, Baylor, BYU, and LSU. He now takes over a Wisconsin offensive line unit that was part of an offense that ranked 135th out of 136 FBS teams - ahead of only UMass - in points per game (12.8), yards per game (253.1) and yards per play (4.37).

Honored to steward the legendary OL room at Wisconsin. It’s going to get very gritty. 🦡 https://t.co/Tecl0z98Og
— Eric Mateos 🦡 (@CoachMateos) December 12, 2025

In the release announcing his hire, Mateos called the Wisconsin offensive line position, "among the most coveted in the world of football." He will become Wisconsin's fifth offensive line coach over the past six seasons: Joe Rudolph in 2021, Bob Bostad in 2022, Jack Bicknell Jr. in 2023 and A.J. Blazek from 2024 to 2025, whose contract wasn't renewed.

"I worked for Coach (Bret) Bielema, who came to Arkansas from here, and all he ever talked about was Wisconsin," Mateos said. "The tradition that you learn about as an o-lineman. Offensive line coaches appreciate the arc of it. It really stated here. This is the most talent-rich tradition of offensive line play in the country. If you get an opportunity to coach o-line here, you are not the boss, you are the temporary steward of something that's way bigger than you, and I think that's such an honor."

There were several attributes that made Mateos the right fit, but likely at the top of the list was his history of turning around struggling offensive lines. He helped get two offensive linemen drafted from a BYU program that hadn't had one drafted in the 16 previous years. Baylor went from having one of the worst offensive lines in 2020, rushing for just over 90 yards a game, to rushing for 219.3 yards per game in 2021, winning the Big 12 and Sugar Bowl title in Mateos' first season.

He did the same at Arkansas, as the 2-10 Razorbacks still rushed for 191.9 yards per game. After Wisconsin went 5-7 in 2024, ending a string of 22 straight winning seasons, the Badgers went 4-8 last season, the program's most losses since 1990, when they finished 1-10.

"I haven't failed yet," he told a group of local media. "I guess that is maybe some cockiness, but I think you have to have that in this game. That is why I think it is gonna work."

A two-year starter at center for Southwest Baptist, Mateos was going to become a recruiter for a staffing agency when he graduated until he was offered an opportunity to coach at Hutchinson Community College. The career advice he received from his Cuban father and his football coach set him on his path.

"They said you might as well try it while you're poor," Mateos said, "because you're not going to want to do it when you make a little bit of money."

Over 10 years later, Mateos is still going. He eventually became a graduate assistant at Arkansas and LSU and coached the offensive line at Texas State, BYU, Baylor, and Arkansas the past two seasons.

Mateos and offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes have a long history together, first crossing paths at LSU where Grimes was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach and Mateos was a graduate assistant living at his house. His dogged approach and mentality eventually earned him a promotion to tight end coach, despite have no history coaching the position.

"I had not paid attention to a lot of pass game installs up to that point," Mateos said. "When Coach (Ed Orgeron) said you're coaching tight ends, well, we have a meeting on Monday and I better know what i'm talking about. I think i stayed to three, four in the morning making sure I knew all the routes."

The impression Mateos made led to him and Grimes working together at BYU and Baylor, with Grimes running the offense and Mateos coaching the linemen. Not being afraid to do different jobs was a trait engrained in him during his time at Hutchinson.

"I was the video coordinator, I was the assistant equipment coordinator, I was an assistant strength coach, all the hats you wear at those schools, you learn to be wiling to do anything," Mateos said. "I thought that was really good for me. At the higher level schools, people don't understand what other people's jobs are. Wheras I walk in, I know what it's like to stay late and wash laundry for the players. I know what it's like to get the video right before the head coach calls and yells at you."

Mateos inherits an uncertain position group heading into the spring. The Badgers have already lost starting left tackle Riley Mahlman (graduation) and center Jake Renfro (portal), including three depth pieces, while left guard Joe Brunner is expected to leave early for the NFL Draft.

In terms of restocking the cupboard, Mateos has wasted no time getting on the recruiting trail for the Badgers, extending a pair of offers to class of 2027 recruits Peyton Miller, Keyon Hemphill-Woods and five-star offensive lineman Ismael Camara.

"When you bring people in, you got to bring the right people in," Mateos said. "You got to bring in personalities that don't feel like they have to be the alpha day one. They're more humble, they're hungry and they want to become that dominant version of themselves on the field, but they realize this is a unit-driven position. As the coach, it's my job that the walls come down and it starts with me. I got to make sure that I'm vulnerable and that I'm open to new things, but you got to bring in players who have a similar mentality ... they want to come in and win a Big Ten championship.

"It's not a perfect science but i think if you're looking at how these players are going to mesh with each other, you don't want everybody to be the same. You don't want all the guys to come in with the same exact personality. You want to bring in some unique guys. as long as we're doing that and the receipe is right, it can lead to a lot of success. We did that at Arkansas and ready to do that here."

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