Bearcat Matthew McDoom is locked in.
It may be his senior year, but it is his first year at the University of Cincinnati. The Florida native transferred from Coastal Carolina University with his sights set on one thing — the NFL Draft.
McDoom joined the University of Cincinnati’s football team in January of 2025, along with 10 other new additions, in hopes of improving the team’s overall performance in the 2025 season.
As a sophomore at Coastal Carolina University in 2023, he started in all 13 games and was named All-SBC by Phil Steele and College Football Network (University of Cincinnati Athletics). During his final season with Coastal Carolina, McDoom was tied for 12th in the country in pass breakups and tied for second in the Sun Belt in passes defended. That same year, McDoom also had two interceptions in the regular season finale vs. Georgia State.
According to the New York Times, he was featured in the best Group of Five transfers heading into the Power 4 transfer cycle in the spring after arriving in Cincinnati. Sports Illustrated named him a “key member” of the Bearcats’ defense in September after they labeled him as “Cincinnati’s best transfer addition to the 2025 roster” in April 2025.
In an interview on Nov. 5 with CityBeat amid UC’s bye week, the cornerback details why he chose to come to the Midwest for the first time to pursue the next step in his career, what differences the Queen City has made in his performance, what keeps him motivated while he is thousands of miles away from home and how taking it one game at a time has had proven success for him.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
CityBeat: You came to UC from Coastal Carolina University. How has that transition been for you?
Matthew McDoom: It’s crazy, especially the cold. I like it; it’s new. Getting here in January with the snow, it was amazing.
CB: How has it been being far away from family?
MM: (I) miss being home, but it’s a job. I am on a mission. I’ve got a goal to achieve. My family shows a lot of support from anywhere; they make it easy not to be homesick. My teammates keep me level-minded. They are going through the same thing I am going through. Being able to talk to them eases the mind.
CB: Walk me through your transfer to UC. What initially sparked your interest?
MM: I wanted to see what I could do in a better conference. I want to get to the (NFL). I decided I had to come to the Big 12 — that’s where the ball is really at. So, I entered the portal, and Coach (Tyson) Veidt and everybody here was showing me so much love. When I came on my visit, I knew I was coming here.
CB: Performance-wise, what did you want to home in on when arriving in Cincinnati?
MM: Getting comfortable, you know, with the new change. Learning the defense as best as I can so that I can be on the field. (Also) get stronger, for sure — I was 170-172 (pounds) at Coastal (Carolina University). I can feel the change for sure. Now, it’s just trying to win. Now, we’ve got three more regular-season games, so it is going as hard as you can for that.
CB: As you are looking toward the end of the season, what is on your mind right now? How are you feeling?
MM: Locked in. It is my last year. Right now, it is locking into these three games. Being locked into whatever (I) do.
CB: Did the team’s loss to the University of Utah change your mindset going into this week? Did you change anything that you have been doing compared to the weeks before?
MM: It is getting back to the fundamentals. I feel like we don’t have to change. It was a bad loss, but we really don’t have to change anything. We just got to get back to what we do, work on the things we can control and let it roll off our backs.
CB: You appear to be a very calm person. Why do you think you are this way?
MM: I am level-headed. (I) take every minute (and am) grateful for everything. I have friends who did what I am doing, didn’t or couldn’t get this far, so I am just grateful for where I am at.
CB: Who do you do all of this for? What is your ‘Why’?
MM: It’s for sure my family. I’m doing it for them. Being the youngest, everyone is looking at you. I just want to make everyone proud of me. My main goal is to make sure everybody is good. When they look at me, they say, “Hey, he is doing what he is supposed to do. He’s shining.”
CB: What does your family think about your success?
MM: They’re loving it. They know I am living the dream, so they are really supportive and happy about everything I am doing. Keeps me going. (Their opinion) tells me if (what I am doing is) wrong or if I am right.
CB: You have another year of eligibility. Are you going to take it?
MM: I’ve been doing whatever my coach asks me to do — go on the field, do this, do that…I don’t think it looks like it, but we’ll see.
CB: You said you are looking to continue playing in the future. That isn’t very far anymore. How do you feel about that?
MM: Now that it is the last few games of my college career, it’s even more exciting to think of the next opportunity I could have. I would like the big stage…where everybody dreams of going. It’s not going to be easy. You have to be locked in.
CB: What are you most proud of this season?
MM: How far I’ve come.
The University of Cincinnati Bearcats currently have a 7-4 standing, most recently falling from the AP Top 25 College Football Poll following their three consecutive losses. Their loss to Brigham Young University on Saturday eliminated their chances of making it to the playoffs. The Bearcats’ final regular-season game is at Texas Christian University on Nov. 29.