| John Matocha | |
| Position: | Quarterback |
| Birth Place: | Magnolia, Texas, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 11 |
| Weight Lbs: | 180 |
| High School: | Magnolia West (Magnolia, Texas) |
| College: | Colorado School of Mines (2019–2023) |
| Undraftedyear: | 2024 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Status: | Active |
| Cflstatus: | American |
| Highlights: |
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| Cfl: | john-matocha/ |
John Matocha is an American professional gridiron football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers.[1] [2]
Matocha grew up in Magnolia, Texas and attended Magnolia West High School.[3] As a senior, he completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,441 yards and 38 touchdowns and also rushed for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns.[4]
Matocha became the Colorado Mines Orediggers' starting quarterback two games into his freshman season. He was named first-team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and the conference's Offensive Freshman of the Year after passing for 2,825 yards with 29 touchdown passes and five interceptions while also rushing for 598 yards and 11 touchdowns.[5] Matocha's sophomore season was canceled due to COVID-19.[6]
In 2021, Matocha passed for 3,105 yards and 38 touchdowns and was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year.[7] Matocha was also named a first-team Division II football Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America, since renamed College Sports Communicators (CSC).[8] He repeated as the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year and won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division II in 2022.[9] [10] Matocha finished the season with 4,778 passing yards and 52 touchdown passes.[11] After the season, Matocha was named the Division II football Academic All-American of the Year by CSC,[12] and was later named the Academic All-American of the Year for all Division II sports for the 2022–23 school year.[13]
On November 11, 2023, in the Orediggers' season finale against Fort Lewis, Matocha scored four total touchdowns in an 82–0 win, raising his career total to 181, and making him the all-time total touchdowns leader in all of college football.[14]
| Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Record | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | Avg | TD | Int | Rate | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | ||
| Colorado Mines Orediggers | |||||||||||||||
| 2019 | 12 | 11–1 | 252 | 342 | 73.7 | 2,825 | 8.3 | 29 | 5 | 168.1 | 145 | 598 | 4.1 | 11 | |
| 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 14 | 12–2 | 260 | 382 | 68.1 | 3,105 | 8.1 | 38 | 8 | 165.0 | 154 | 492 | 3.2 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 13–3 | 348 | 506 | 68.8 | 4,778 | 9.4 | 52 | 8 | 178.8 | 133 | 443 | 3.3 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 15 | 14–1 | 333 | 471 | 70.7 | 4,298 | 9.1 | 43 | 7 | 174.5 | 106 | 449 | 4.2 | 5 | |
| Career | 57 | 50−7 | 1,193 | 1,701 | 70.1 | 15,006 | 8.8 | 162 | 28 | 172.4 | 538 | 1,982 | 3.7 | 28 | |
Matocha went undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft, but was invited to rookie minicamp with the Denver Broncos.[15]
On May 27, 2024, it was announced that Matocha had signed with the Toronto Argonauts.[16] However, he was part of the final training camp cuts on June 1, 2024.[17]