Camp Notebook: Raiders adjusting to new norms

Photo by: Nathan Wallach/Athletic Communications

8/16/2020 12:00:00 PM | Football

By: Josh Vardaman

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee participated in its first scrimmage on Saturday, and through just over a week of fall camp, things have looked a little different from procedural and equipment standpoints.

Along with new procedures like getting temperature checks before they enter facilities and holding team meetings outdoors, the Blue Raiders are utilizing some new equipment to help keep them safe.

All coaches and staff are wearing masks while at practice and in meetings, and the players are repping new face shields on their facemasks to give them another layer of protection. They also have their own water bottles, and ice tubs have been replaced by several large trash cans so the Raiders can be in their own ice after practice. Then, after each practice, equipment staff disinfect all of the players' equipment so it's ready for the next day.

Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said in Thursday's Fall Sports Update webinar he's thrilled with the work Assistant AD of Equipment Larry Maples, Assistant AD of Sports Medicine Drew Shea and their staffs have done to keep everyone safe.

"I can't give our coaches, training staff and equipment people enough credit for putting this thing together," Massaro said. "Most of these ideas were generated by them and implemented by them … they're probably the most central people we've had in getting our guys to this point."

First scrimmage is in the books

Middle Tennessee's first scrimmage Saturday was its first since the last game of the 2019 season because of spring practice being canceled in March. It wasn't a normal scrimmage, as the Raiders only ran about 20 plays in a live setting, but it was a good barometer for Stockstill and the coaching staff to see where the team is at eight practices into camp.

The play of the morning was a long touchdown reception from sophomore wide receiver DJ England-Chisolm, who took a screen pass to the right side around the defense and to the house. He flashed the same big-play ability as a freshman when he took a catch 80 yards for a score against Tennessee State, the longest catch for a true freshman in program history.

While they haven't lined up for a true scrimmage in almost nine months, Stockstill was pleased with what he saw from a tackling and energy standpoint.

"It was more of a practice than a scrimmage, to be honest with you," he said. "We're limited at certain positions, so I didn't want to stress those positions too much.

"We got out of it healthy … and their energy was good. I thought we tackled good for our first time doing live tackling, and we had a couple of explosive plays in there. I was overall pleased with where we were at today and now through eight practices."

On to Army

The Blue Raiders announced on Aug. 10 they'll start the season either Sept. 4 or 5 at Army. The decision threw a little bit of a curveball at Stockstill and his team, as the Black Knights' unique triple option offense will take a little longer to set up a game plan against than a normal season-opening opponent.

"Our focus now is on Army," Stockstill said. "It's going to get fast here in a hurry, so we'll start introducing Army [Thursday], which is a lot earlier than usual. Usually, we start on our first opponent about nine or 10 days out, but we'll have to expedite that because of the type of offense Army runs."

Raiders focusing on 'what they can control'

With the COVID-19 pandemic, state of college sports in the balance and other societal disagreements filling the airwaves presently, Stockstill is preaching to his team to focus on what they can control — namely, coming to practice every day in a positive manner.

"I just want them to have fun and enjoy it," he said. "Those guys stay on that phone all the time when they're at home and stuff, and there isn't a lot of positive going on there.

"We're just trying to control what we can control."

Fun stat of the day

Senior kicker Crews Holt is statistically one of the best to ever don a Blue Raiders uniform, and he could inch up several career stats categories this year.

The Brentwood, Tennessee native has made 30 of his 39 career field goal attempts, tying him with his predecessor, Canon Rooker, and Colby Smith for eighth on the program's all-time makes list. He's 22 away from Kelly Potter's record of 52 made field goals, and Holt already co-owns the single-season makes record with 18, set in 2018.

Holt's career make percentage of 76.92% also puts him third all-time. Rooker owns the best career mark at 83.3%.