Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Troy (Sun Belt Network)
Blue Raiders set to open conference play
9/23/2011 12:56:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Now in his sixth season at the helm of Middle Tennessee's football program, Rick Stockstill has twice been named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year. His teams have been to three bowl games in five years, and have the highest rated APR in the league, and one of the best in the nation. It is obvious to even the most casual observer that Stockstill does a lot of things well.
But, one of the things that he does the best is something that he doesn't do at all. Stockstill never looks back, nor does he let his coaches and players look back. This philosophy will serve him well on Saturday afternoon when his Blue Raiders play the Troy Trojans on the road.
Kickoff for the game, the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams, will be at 3:30 pm, and will be televised live on the Sun Belt Network (CSS and ESPN3.com). Joe Davis will handle the play-by-play, Cole Cubelic will provide color analysis, and Erin Cofiell with be reporting from the sidelines. Blue Raider fans can also listen to the game on the Blue Raider Network. Chip Walters will provide the play-by-play, with Kelly Holcomb offering color analysis. Bob Saunders is the producer.
Troy is the only team in the league with a winning record against Stockstill. In fact, his Blue Raiders have never beaten the Trojans in their five previous meetings.
"Those games have absolutely no bearing on the game Saturday. Talking about it is not going to change those games. All I am worried about is this year's team. This year's team hasn't lost to them."
"I give Troy credit; they've won every game since I've been here. They've played better than us. They've done a better coaching job than we have. They've won the games. But to dwell on it is a waste of time because it has no bearing on what happens Saturday afternoon."
After opening the season against Purdue and Georgia Tech, the 0-2 Blue Raiders enjoyed an open date, which Stockstill feels came at a very good time for his young team.
"We had some guys on the front seven on defense that got nicked, that had been slow to get back into practice last week, but we got a couple of them back Monday. Hopefully, we'll go down to Troy and play our best game of the year."
In addition to the significance of winning the conference opener, both teams will be looking for their first win of the season. Troy has lost road games at Clemson (19-43) and at 14th-ranked Arkansas (28-38).
Sophomore QB Logan Kilgore will once again lead the Blue Raiders offensive attack. In the games against Purdue and Georgia Tech, Kilgore has completed 43-73 passes for 444 yards and two touchdowns. Eleven different receivers have caught passes, led by seniors Sancho McDonald (9-105/2) and Malcolm Beyah (6-93/1) and junior Tavarres Jefferson (10-68/0).
Despite the fact that the Blue Raiders will still go with a spread offense in an up-tempo mode, this could be the best running attack that Middle Tennessee has had in Stockstill's tenure.
Junior Benny Cunningham, who had 80 yards on 15 carries vs. Georgia Tech, and sophomore William Pratcher are bullish inside runners with good speed, while senior D. D. Kyles is a threat to score any time he touches the ball.
A veteran offensive line, led by seniors Mike Williams, Brandon McLeroy and Colin Boss, has given Cunningham & Co, room to run, and have also protected Kilgore and backup Jeff Murphy by not giving up a sack thru two games.
Defensively, the side of the ball on which most of the youth and inexperience reside, the youngsters are growing up in a hurry. Junior DE Omar McLendon, who's only two starts have been this season, had ten tackles vs. Georgia Tech, and is second on the team. Eight of the 11 leading tacklers on the Blue Raiders are either freshmen or sophomores.
Senior cornerback Eric Russell, the Sun Belt Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for his play against Purdue, is the team leader with 16 tackles and 4 assists. He, along with fellow seniors Derrick Crumpton, T.L Edwards, and Arness Ikner anchor a defensive backfield that Troy Coach Larry Blakeney calls the strongest part of the MT defense.
If the game comes down to field goals, both teams have superb kickers. MT senior Alan Gendreau has been selected as the All-Sun Belt Conference placekicker the past two seasons by the league's coaches and media. He entered his senior season with 240 points (38 FGs, 126 PATs), but has struggled in the first two games, hitting one of four field goals and having a potential game-tying 47 yarder blocked on the last play of the game at Purdue.
Punter Nathaniel Toulson has punted seven times for a 42.4 average and has had three punts downed inside the 20 yard line.
Stockstill believes that the game will come down to toughness.
"I am talking about toughness on both sides of the ball, in all three phases of the game. I hope, after the two teams we have played so far, it will help us going into this game."
In addition to the Sun Belt Conference telecast, and the Blue Raider Network, fans may access the game on GoBlueRaiders.com, and obtain live stats from troytrojans.com. Murfreesboro flagship stations on BRN are WGNS 1450 AM and WMOT 89.5 FM, while WNSR 560 AM is the flagship station in Nashville.
