Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Five short takeaways from Saturday
9/4/2016 2:43:00 PM | Football
1.New faces at receiver looked like veterans. Fifteen players caught at least one pass for the Blue Raiders against Alabama A&M, and of those nine were playing in their first game at Middle Tennessee. The receiving group caught 40 of their 51 targets for 435 yards (10.9-yard average) and six total touchdowns. Redshirt sophomore and Freshman All-American Richie James led the way with eight catches for 73 yards and a score.
2.Middle Tennessee defense didn't let Alabama A&M get anywhere. The Bulldogs struggled offensively against the Blue Raider defense. A&M punted on 13 of its 16 drives in the game and gained just 146 yards on 51 plays, good for a 2.9-yard average. The 146 yards are the fewest allowed by MT in 105 games (138 yards vs Arkansas State in 2007).
3.Alabama A&M struggled on third down. The Blue Raiders held Alabama A&M to just one third down completion on 15 attempts, good for a 6.7 percent completion percentage.
4.Middle Tennessee was very good on first down. MT had 45 plays on first down, and from those gained 311 total yards. Blue Raider quarterbacks completed 20-of-25 passes for 214 yards on first down, and Middle Tennessee averaged 6.9 yards per play on first down.
5.Canon Rooker capitalizes on his first start as placekicker. The primary placekicker from 2015, Cody Clark, is no longer at Middle Tennessee. This offseason, redshirt junior Canon Rooker and true freshman Crews Holt battled it out for the starting job. Rooker was given the nod against Alabama A&M and didn't disappoint, nailing his first two collegiate field goals from 25 and 46 yards. He also converted on all seven extra points he attempted.
DAY AFTER NOTES: The six touchdown passes by the Blue Raiders equaled the school record … MT's 35 first downs went down as the third most for a single game … Darrius Liggins registered the first two sacks of his career … The team's 40 pass completions established a new school record … Only five times has an MT player completed 30 or more passes in a game and Brent Stockstill owns three of those … MT has not started a season 2-0 since 2001.
2.Middle Tennessee defense didn't let Alabama A&M get anywhere. The Bulldogs struggled offensively against the Blue Raider defense. A&M punted on 13 of its 16 drives in the game and gained just 146 yards on 51 plays, good for a 2.9-yard average. The 146 yards are the fewest allowed by MT in 105 games (138 yards vs Arkansas State in 2007).
3.Alabama A&M struggled on third down. The Blue Raiders held Alabama A&M to just one third down completion on 15 attempts, good for a 6.7 percent completion percentage.
4.Middle Tennessee was very good on first down. MT had 45 plays on first down, and from those gained 311 total yards. Blue Raider quarterbacks completed 20-of-25 passes for 214 yards on first down, and Middle Tennessee averaged 6.9 yards per play on first down.
5.Canon Rooker capitalizes on his first start as placekicker. The primary placekicker from 2015, Cody Clark, is no longer at Middle Tennessee. This offseason, redshirt junior Canon Rooker and true freshman Crews Holt battled it out for the starting job. Rooker was given the nod against Alabama A&M and didn't disappoint, nailing his first two collegiate field goals from 25 and 46 yards. He also converted on all seven extra points he attempted.
DAY AFTER NOTES: The six touchdown passes by the Blue Raiders equaled the school record … MT's 35 first downs went down as the third most for a single game … Darrius Liggins registered the first two sacks of his career … The team's 40 pass completions established a new school record … Only five times has an MT player completed 30 or more passes in a game and Brent Stockstill owns three of those … MT has not started a season 2-0 since 2001.
Players Mentioned
PK
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PK
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WR
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DE
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PK
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QB
/ FootballMTSU Football Weekly Presser 11/4/25
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