Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Huff's consistency valuable to Raider defense
8/31/2016 5:29:00 PM | Football
Senior has 25 straight starts
MURFREESBORO - As players have come and gone through the Middle Tennessee football program over the last few seasons, one guy has been a mainstay in the starting lineup.
Redshirt senior Shaquille Huff has played in every game the last three seasons for the Blue Raiders at the defensive tackle spot. He enters this season as the team leader in career games started (26) and is tied for the team-high in games played with 38. If Middle Tennessee makes a bowl game this season and Huff plays every game, he will finish second in school history with 51 games played, one behind Mike Caldwell's school record of 52.
His production throughout his Middle Tennessee career has given him more experience than maybe any other player on this year's team, and his dependability will be relied upon heavily with a young linebacking corps behind him this season.
"He's just very consistent," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "He's smart, he does what he's supposed to do and does his job. He's been healthy throughout his career, and he's played a position where it's hard to stay healthy. That's been an advantage for him."
Huff has had the fortune of being healthy throughout his college career. He said there really isn't a secret to how he's been able to stay in the lineup.
"It comes from my family," he said. "My mom is a praying woman, my grandma is a praying woman, my whole family is a praying family, so staying prayered up and being healthy off the field has helped me stay healthy a long time."
Before Huff stepped onto the field to begin his long Blue Raider career, he was a high-schooler at Eastside High School in Covington, Ga. Former Middle Tennessee assistant coach Buster Faulkner first reached out to him about the possibility of becoming a Blue Raider when Huff was a junior.
Huff said at first he didn't give MT much thought. But when he got a scholarship offer and made a visit to Murfreesboro in his senior year, his choice was easily made.
"I initially came up here in my junior year, but I really didn't think anything of it until my senior year when they sent me an offer," he said. "Coach Faulkner was calling me like almost every other day trying to get me here, and when I took my visit it pretty much sealed the deal."
When he first joined the team, Huff wasn't the most vocal guy. Sticking true to the consistency he's shown since coming to Middle Tennessee, he still doesn't lead the defense by barking orders. He chooses to lead more by example.
"He's the guy that's kind of a quiet leader," MT defensive line coach Tommy West said. "But I think Shaq's a guy that when he does talk, they listen."
Luckily for Huff, he has four other seniors along the defensive line to help share the leadership role. That allows him to be the kind of lead-by-example guy, and he's able to show younger players how to be consistent in their everyday play.
His consistency is leading to lofty expectations this season.
"I think he'll have a really good year," West said. "Shaq loves to eat, like most defensive linemen, and he has to watch his weight and keep it under control, which he has. He really just needs to continue to do what he's done, because I think he's gotten better every season."
While it may seem like playing in so many games and making so many starts would make a collegiate career feel like it's lasted forever, Huff said it's gone by with the blink of an eye.
With this season being the last in his storied Middle Tennessee career, he's hoping to make it a great one.
"It goes by fast and you don't have many of them, so I'm making the best of it," he said. "That's what's going through my mind."
Redshirt senior Shaquille Huff has played in every game the last three seasons for the Blue Raiders at the defensive tackle spot. He enters this season as the team leader in career games started (26) and is tied for the team-high in games played with 38. If Middle Tennessee makes a bowl game this season and Huff plays every game, he will finish second in school history with 51 games played, one behind Mike Caldwell's school record of 52.
His production throughout his Middle Tennessee career has given him more experience than maybe any other player on this year's team, and his dependability will be relied upon heavily with a young linebacking corps behind him this season.
"He's just very consistent," MT head coach Rick Stockstill said. "He's smart, he does what he's supposed to do and does his job. He's been healthy throughout his career, and he's played a position where it's hard to stay healthy. That's been an advantage for him."
Huff has had the fortune of being healthy throughout his college career. He said there really isn't a secret to how he's been able to stay in the lineup.
"It comes from my family," he said. "My mom is a praying woman, my grandma is a praying woman, my whole family is a praying family, so staying prayered up and being healthy off the field has helped me stay healthy a long time."
Before Huff stepped onto the field to begin his long Blue Raider career, he was a high-schooler at Eastside High School in Covington, Ga. Former Middle Tennessee assistant coach Buster Faulkner first reached out to him about the possibility of becoming a Blue Raider when Huff was a junior.
Huff said at first he didn't give MT much thought. But when he got a scholarship offer and made a visit to Murfreesboro in his senior year, his choice was easily made.
"I initially came up here in my junior year, but I really didn't think anything of it until my senior year when they sent me an offer," he said. "Coach Faulkner was calling me like almost every other day trying to get me here, and when I took my visit it pretty much sealed the deal."
When he first joined the team, Huff wasn't the most vocal guy. Sticking true to the consistency he's shown since coming to Middle Tennessee, he still doesn't lead the defense by barking orders. He chooses to lead more by example.
"He's the guy that's kind of a quiet leader," MT defensive line coach Tommy West said. "But I think Shaq's a guy that when he does talk, they listen."
Luckily for Huff, he has four other seniors along the defensive line to help share the leadership role. That allows him to be the kind of lead-by-example guy, and he's able to show younger players how to be consistent in their everyday play.
His consistency is leading to lofty expectations this season.
"I think he'll have a really good year," West said. "Shaq loves to eat, like most defensive linemen, and he has to watch his weight and keep it under control, which he has. He really just needs to continue to do what he's done, because I think he's gotten better every season."
While it may seem like playing in so many games and making so many starts would make a collegiate career feel like it's lasted forever, Huff said it's gone by with the blink of an eye.
With this season being the last in his storied Middle Tennessee career, he's hoping to make it a great one.
"It goes by fast and you don't have many of them, so I'm making the best of it," he said. "That's what's going through my mind."
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