Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Brent Brock: The man behind the program
8/22/2018 4:00:00 PM | General
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Walk out to a Middle Tennessee football practice or scan the sidelines during a game and you'll see coaches, players and a big, self-proclaimed teddy bear.
That teddy bear of a man is named Brent Brock, and he may be one of the most instrumental pieces to the Blue Raiders' success both on and off the field.
Brock, who serves as director of football operations, does a little bit of everything behind the scenes for the Raiders.
He works closely with almost every department in MT Athletics that deals with players and coaches, from compliance to admissions and academic enhancement, and also organizes team travel, recruiting weekends and the team banquet. He also coordinates life skills events and all community service projects the players participate in.
Simply put, if it deals with football players, coaches or day-to-day activities, you can bet Brock has a hand in it.
"What he does for us is unmeasurable," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "He's highly, highly underpaid for what he does and what he means to this program and to me personally.
"BB is a great friend, and I have great respect for him and love him."
Brock and Stockstill go back much further than their time together in Murfreesboro.
The two first met in 1977 as 18-year-old freshmen at Florida State University, where Stockstill would become an All-American quarterback behind his most-trusted lineman, Brock.
They connected immediately, building a friendship that has lasted decades. They're so close that Stockstill's son, Brent, MT's redshirt senior quarterback, is named after Brock.
The opportunity to have Brent Stockstill play before his eyes is something Brock has cherished.
"I've got family members named after me," he said, "but when someone outside of your family names a son after you, that's one of the most humbling things that can happen to you.
"The icing on the cake, I guess you could say, is Brent being the quarterback of our program. I'm just like Rick, I'm just proud of who he is as a person, not just a good quarterback or a good player."
After his playing days at FSU were over, Brock became a highly successful high school coach and athletic director in Georgia. He roamed the sidelines for more than 20 years, coaching in numerous all-star games and state championships and winning multiple all-sports trophies.
His accolades and popularity among the Georgia high school ranks were rising when he got a call late in 2005 from Stockstill, who was hired as MT's 13th head coach in December of that year.
While it was tough to leave Georgia, Brock packed up and headed for Murfreesboro with his wife, Missie, who's his high school sweetheart, and their two dogs.
"In all fairness, it was the person that made me leave Georgia," Brock said. "Coach Stock and I always talked about working together. When he had the opportunity to get the head job here, he called, and I said, 'Let's do it.'
"I left good jobs in Georgia because I believed in what Rick Stockstill wanted to do. I knew it would be done the right way."
Brock started as the Blue Raiders' tight ends coach and would also coach the inside receivers and running backs until he had to make one of the toughest decisions of his life in 2013.
Facing health complications, Brock was forced to step off the sidelines.
His best friend since college wouldn't let Brock leave the program, though. Stockstill urged Brock to take over a new position, director of player development.
"I was very blessed and thankful that Stock thought enough of me as a person to care about my health and that he and Chris Massaro created a position for me," Brock said. "Stock takes care of people, period … he always has the best interests of others at heart.
"It was difficult for Stock and I to have that conversation, but I can admit now that it was the right decision."
While it isn't the same as coaching, Brock quickly found a love for his new position, which switched to director of football operations when Chris Matusek left for a job with the Tennessee Titans in 2016.
"I think my relationship with the players has gotten better, and I really enjoy it," Brock said. "I'm a people person and love to help … and I think our players all know Coach Brock is there for them, to help them.
"When you're a position coach, you invest a lot of your time in those six, seven, eight players. But, with this position I'm in now, I get to help the whole team both on the field and off the field. I love helping people, and I especially love helping young people."
Don't think Brock still doesn't get amped around this time of year, either.
College football opening week is just about a week and a half away, and he's starting to get the itch.
"I still have that same anxiety once camp starts," Brock said. "I'm just as excited being in this program in my position now as I was when I was a coach."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
That teddy bear of a man is named Brent Brock, and he may be one of the most instrumental pieces to the Blue Raiders' success both on and off the field.
Brock, who serves as director of football operations, does a little bit of everything behind the scenes for the Raiders.
He works closely with almost every department in MT Athletics that deals with players and coaches, from compliance to admissions and academic enhancement, and also organizes team travel, recruiting weekends and the team banquet. He also coordinates life skills events and all community service projects the players participate in.
Simply put, if it deals with football players, coaches or day-to-day activities, you can bet Brock has a hand in it.
"What he does for us is unmeasurable," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "He's highly, highly underpaid for what he does and what he means to this program and to me personally.
"BB is a great friend, and I have great respect for him and love him."
Brock and Stockstill go back much further than their time together in Murfreesboro.
The two first met in 1977 as 18-year-old freshmen at Florida State University, where Stockstill would become an All-American quarterback behind his most-trusted lineman, Brock.
They connected immediately, building a friendship that has lasted decades. They're so close that Stockstill's son, Brent, MT's redshirt senior quarterback, is named after Brock.
The opportunity to have Brent Stockstill play before his eyes is something Brock has cherished.
"I've got family members named after me," he said, "but when someone outside of your family names a son after you, that's one of the most humbling things that can happen to you.
"The icing on the cake, I guess you could say, is Brent being the quarterback of our program. I'm just like Rick, I'm just proud of who he is as a person, not just a good quarterback or a good player."
After his playing days at FSU were over, Brock became a highly successful high school coach and athletic director in Georgia. He roamed the sidelines for more than 20 years, coaching in numerous all-star games and state championships and winning multiple all-sports trophies.
His accolades and popularity among the Georgia high school ranks were rising when he got a call late in 2005 from Stockstill, who was hired as MT's 13th head coach in December of that year.
While it was tough to leave Georgia, Brock packed up and headed for Murfreesboro with his wife, Missie, who's his high school sweetheart, and their two dogs.
"In all fairness, it was the person that made me leave Georgia," Brock said. "Coach Stock and I always talked about working together. When he had the opportunity to get the head job here, he called, and I said, 'Let's do it.'
"I left good jobs in Georgia because I believed in what Rick Stockstill wanted to do. I knew it would be done the right way."
Brock started as the Blue Raiders' tight ends coach and would also coach the inside receivers and running backs until he had to make one of the toughest decisions of his life in 2013.
Facing health complications, Brock was forced to step off the sidelines.
His best friend since college wouldn't let Brock leave the program, though. Stockstill urged Brock to take over a new position, director of player development.
"I was very blessed and thankful that Stock thought enough of me as a person to care about my health and that he and Chris Massaro created a position for me," Brock said. "Stock takes care of people, period … he always has the best interests of others at heart.
"It was difficult for Stock and I to have that conversation, but I can admit now that it was the right decision."
While it isn't the same as coaching, Brock quickly found a love for his new position, which switched to director of football operations when Chris Matusek left for a job with the Tennessee Titans in 2016.
"I think my relationship with the players has gotten better, and I really enjoy it," Brock said. "I'm a people person and love to help … and I think our players all know Coach Brock is there for them, to help them.
"When you're a position coach, you invest a lot of your time in those six, seven, eight players. But, with this position I'm in now, I get to help the whole team both on the field and off the field. I love helping people, and I especially love helping young people."
Don't think Brock still doesn't get amped around this time of year, either.
College football opening week is just about a week and a half away, and he's starting to get the itch.
"I still have that same anxiety once camp starts," Brock said. "I'm just as excited being in this program in my position now as I was when I was a coach."
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
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