Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Spring Position Update: Quarterbacks and Running Backs
3/25/2019 6:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – For the first time since 2014, Middle Tennessee will have to name a new starting quarterback before the start of the 2019 season.
Four-year starter Brent Stockstill, who set virtually every school passing record and finished in the top 20 in touchdown passes all-time in the NCAA, is gone. That means a new leader will have to step up under center, and that starts this spring.
Three names to keep an eye on during spring drills are Asher O'Hara, Chance Nolan and Chase Cunningham. O'Hara subbed in against FIU last season after Stockstill suffered an ankle injury, while Nolan is a redshirt freshman who caught praise last year in practice with his arm strength. Cunningham played in four games as a redshirt freshman in 2018, all late in the contest with the outcomes already decided.
Junior college transfer Randall Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound QB from Los Angeles, will also compete for the starting job, but he won't be on campus until the summer.
"They're all good," veteran offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said. "You couldn't separate them right now, and that's not because they're all bad, it's because they've all played well. I'm tickled about how they've played so far this spring."
Luckily for the new Blue Raider quarterback, he'll get to step into the backfield alongside some experience. Middle Tennessee's top rusher from last season, Chaton Mobley, will return as a redshirt sophomore, while Terelle West, a redshirt senior, will also be back. Brad Anderson, a junior who missed half of last season with a leg injury, will be out for spring drills but hopes to be ready for fall camp.
Newcomer Jayy McDonald, a three-star rated junior college recruit according to 247Sports out of Laney College in California, could also step in to help in the backfield and return game. He's small at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, but he's a speedster.
"I like the depth there when we get everybody back," Franklin said. "They're fast and they're some big guys, and they're all tough. I think that's a strong group … and we'll be able to use them all over the field."
Here are the quarterback and running back names to know this spring:
QUARTERBACK
Asher O'Hara, R-So., 6-0, 196
Chance Nolan, R-Fr., 6-2, 205
Chase Cunningham, R-So., 5-11, 185
RUNNING BACK
Chaton Mobley, R-So., 6-1, 235
Brad Anderson, Jr., 5-8, 166
Terelle West, R-Sr., 5-10, 196
Maurice Gordon, R-Sr., 5-10, 203
Jayy McDonald, Jr., 5-9, 191
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.
Four-year starter Brent Stockstill, who set virtually every school passing record and finished in the top 20 in touchdown passes all-time in the NCAA, is gone. That means a new leader will have to step up under center, and that starts this spring.
Three names to keep an eye on during spring drills are Asher O'Hara, Chance Nolan and Chase Cunningham. O'Hara subbed in against FIU last season after Stockstill suffered an ankle injury, while Nolan is a redshirt freshman who caught praise last year in practice with his arm strength. Cunningham played in four games as a redshirt freshman in 2018, all late in the contest with the outcomes already decided.
Junior college transfer Randall Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound QB from Los Angeles, will also compete for the starting job, but he won't be on campus until the summer.
"They're all good," veteran offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said. "You couldn't separate them right now, and that's not because they're all bad, it's because they've all played well. I'm tickled about how they've played so far this spring."
Luckily for the new Blue Raider quarterback, he'll get to step into the backfield alongside some experience. Middle Tennessee's top rusher from last season, Chaton Mobley, will return as a redshirt sophomore, while Terelle West, a redshirt senior, will also be back. Brad Anderson, a junior who missed half of last season with a leg injury, will be out for spring drills but hopes to be ready for fall camp.
Newcomer Jayy McDonald, a three-star rated junior college recruit according to 247Sports out of Laney College in California, could also step in to help in the backfield and return game. He's small at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, but he's a speedster.
"I like the depth there when we get everybody back," Franklin said. "They're fast and they're some big guys, and they're all tough. I think that's a strong group … and we'll be able to use them all over the field."
Here are the quarterback and running back names to know this spring:
QUARTERBACK
Asher O'Hara, R-So., 6-0, 196
- Played in 2 games and was redshirted in 2018
- Team-high 85 rushing yards and a TD, 9-of-20 passing for 114 yards against FIU
- Transferred from College of DuPage
Chance Nolan, R-Fr., 6-2, 205
- Redshirted in 2018
- Named team's Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Chase Cunningham, R-So., 5-11, 185
- Played in four games last year
RUNNING BACK
Chaton Mobley, R-So., 6-1, 235
- C-USA All-Freshman team in 2018
- Team-high 613 yards, 5 total TDs, averaged 5.0 yards per carry
Brad Anderson, Jr., 5-8, 166
- Played in 6 games before being injured in 2018
- Finished the season with 122 rushing and 332 receiving yards
- Will not participate in spring drills due to injury
Terelle West, R-Sr., 5-10, 196
- Second on the team with 298 rushing yards, 1 TD, career-best 21 rec., 170 yards
- Will be limited in spring drills while recovering from injury
Maurice Gordon, R-Sr., 5-10, 203
- Played in nine games last year and rushed for 41 yards
- Named the most improved back in spring 2018
Jayy McDonald, Jr., 5-9, 191
- Led Laney College to the 2018 CCCAA state title
- Rushed for 217 yards on 38 carries to earn state title player of the game
- Finished 2018 with 1,313 rushing yards, 10 TDs, 24.2 yards per kickoff return
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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