Men's golf team has high expectations entering 2007-08

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee men's golf team will usher in the Whit Turnbow era with the first tournament of what figures to be an extremely challenging fall slate at 2007 Scenic City Invitational, hosted by UT-Chattanooga Monday and Tuesday. Turnbow played golf for Middle Tennessee (1997-00) and spent the last five years as an assistant at his alma mater. He was named head coach following the retirement of 18-year veteran Johnny Moore after last season. Even though the responsibility of running the program now lies with Turnbow, not much will change overall since he was responsible for recruiting and signing the current crop of Blue Raiders, plus the fact he and Moore alternated coaching the team during tournament play in recent years. "Coach Moore did so much to allow me to be ready for this opportunity, and I am," Turnbow said. "There will be a few things we do differently as far as the day-to-day stuff goes but the approach will be the same as always. You can't play defense in golf, you are playing the course. The only thing we can worry about is Middle Tennessee." Turnbow returns five players who factored into a solid 2006-07 campaign; however, this year's team is considered a young squad - at least in terms of college experience. The Blue Raiders will feature one freshman, two sophomores, two juniors, and one senior in 2007-08, but the expectations are high for the group. "Expectations are always high around here," Turnbow said. "We expect to be able to compete in our conference and on a national level. The bunch we have is young but they are experienced if that makes sense." It makes sense when you consider Kent Bulle and Craig Smith were in the starting lineup as freshmen in 2006-07, while Rick Cochran and Chas Narramore were also among a group that finished the season ranked among the Top 50 nationally. Middle Tennessee lost a playoff for the Sun Belt Conference Championship, but Narramore still became the first Blue Raider to earn an invitational into the NCAA Championships as an individual, while Smith was low medalist at the league championships. Middle Tennessee's lineup for the 2007 opener at the Scenic City includes Nick Bailes, the only senior on the roster, Narramore, Smith, Bulle and freshman Jason Millard, the former Riverdale High School standout who shot 16-under for 108 holes of qualifying to earn a spot in the lineup for his first college tournament. The Scenic City will be played at the Council Fire Golf Club with 54 holes Monday and 18 Tuesday. The fall's first tournament should offer a prelude to what shapes into a tough field of competitive golf teams. In addition to Middle Tennessee, the 2007 field for the Scenic City includes host Chattanooga, LSU, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Mercer, defending champion Charlotte, Akron, South Florida, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, Virginia Commonwealth, Western Carolina, and Francis Marion. "This is what our golfers have wanted," Turnbow said. "They have earned this schedule and they are not intimidated or afraid to face it and do the best we can do. It is definitely the toughest schedule we have had at Middle Tennessee in the (11) years I have been here. If we are going to get into the Top 25 we have to go beat the people in the Top 25. We have to find the most difficult fields we can and that is what we are trying to do."

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Nick Bailes

Kent Bulle

Rick Cochran

Jason Millard

Chas Narramore

Craig Smith

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