Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Seniors providing leadership for young linebackers
8/18/2020 5:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — With an overall young group of linebackers this season, leadership from a few upperclassmen has been crucial for Middle Tennessee linebackers coach Siriki Diabate.
While talent has been evident across the board during the first couple of weeks of fall camp, the group as a whole doesn't have a lot of experience. That makes the leadership from seniors DQ Thomas and Brett Shepherd and redshirt juniors Cody Smith and Wayne Parks all the more valuable.
"Those guys are starting to become more of a big brother," Diabate, who's in his fourth season at MT, said. "They're taking the younger guys and teaching them the ways and the standards of how we do everything … and teaching them the expectations that the coaches have. They're really taking over the leadership and control of the defense."
Thomas has established himself as just another in a string of excellent Blue Raider linebackers who've been under Diabate's tutelage in the last four years. The Oxford, Mississippi native has followed in the footsteps of household names like DJ Sanders, Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks to rank in the top 10 in program history in sacks (eighth with 12) and tackles for loss (ninth with 29). His 74 tackles in 2019 set a career high while ranking second on the team, pushing his career total to 153.
With the stats and the ability to back himself up, Thomas has had to grow to be more of a leader in the group this season with a big group of youngsters. Middle Tennessee's linebacking corps features eight underclassmen against six upperclassmen, one of which is junior Johnathan Butler, who transferred in this year from Highland Community College (KS).
In total, Thomas owns 25 of the combined 32 career starts in the group.
"One thing I know I have to do is be more vocal," he said. "That helps me push myself and shows them if I can do it, they can.
"We have a lot of smart, young guys. When I was a freshman, I don't think I knew the defense like they do. They have a bright future ahead of them."
Needing another veteran voice to join with Thomas, it's been Shepherd who's stepped up so far through camp.
Shepherd started five of the eight games he played in during the 2019 season, missing four due to injury. He's now healthy and brings a unique experience to the group, having transferred to MT from Maryland in 2019 after taking a year off from football in 2018.
His second fall camp at Middle Tennessee has been quite different than the first, even without with the pandemic.
"It was good last year to finally get back to football after being out for a year, and kind of get the game to start coming back to me and get more comfortable with myself," Shepherd said. "I think that's the biggest thing in this year's camp, I'm a lot more comfortable and a lot smarter football player."
The linebackers might be young, but Diabate is excited about the versatility he's seen in camp, which might prove crucial this season because of the uncertainties caused by COVID-19.
He's confident in putting multiple players at all three linebacker positions, and that also creates a good deal of depth behind Thomas, Shepherd and whoever takes over the third starting spot, likely either Smith or Parks.
"I'm extremely excited about everyone we have," Diabate said. "They're willing to work, and once you have that hard-work characteristic, it makes it easier. No matter what we ask them to do, they're willing to get it done. … We're starting to see the progress on the field, and I'm fired up about this young group."
The Blue Raiders have had a good run of talented linebackers the past few years, and there are plenty of young candidates who look like they're ready to carry the torch next.
While talent has been evident across the board during the first couple of weeks of fall camp, the group as a whole doesn't have a lot of experience. That makes the leadership from seniors DQ Thomas and Brett Shepherd and redshirt juniors Cody Smith and Wayne Parks all the more valuable.
"Those guys are starting to become more of a big brother," Diabate, who's in his fourth season at MT, said. "They're taking the younger guys and teaching them the ways and the standards of how we do everything … and teaching them the expectations that the coaches have. They're really taking over the leadership and control of the defense."
Thomas has established himself as just another in a string of excellent Blue Raider linebackers who've been under Diabate's tutelage in the last four years. The Oxford, Mississippi native has followed in the footsteps of household names like DJ Sanders, Darius Harris and Khalil Brooks to rank in the top 10 in program history in sacks (eighth with 12) and tackles for loss (ninth with 29). His 74 tackles in 2019 set a career high while ranking second on the team, pushing his career total to 153.
With the stats and the ability to back himself up, Thomas has had to grow to be more of a leader in the group this season with a big group of youngsters. Middle Tennessee's linebacking corps features eight underclassmen against six upperclassmen, one of which is junior Johnathan Butler, who transferred in this year from Highland Community College (KS).
In total, Thomas owns 25 of the combined 32 career starts in the group.
"One thing I know I have to do is be more vocal," he said. "That helps me push myself and shows them if I can do it, they can.
"We have a lot of smart, young guys. When I was a freshman, I don't think I knew the defense like they do. They have a bright future ahead of them."
Needing another veteran voice to join with Thomas, it's been Shepherd who's stepped up so far through camp.
Shepherd started five of the eight games he played in during the 2019 season, missing four due to injury. He's now healthy and brings a unique experience to the group, having transferred to MT from Maryland in 2019 after taking a year off from football in 2018.
His second fall camp at Middle Tennessee has been quite different than the first, even without with the pandemic.
"It was good last year to finally get back to football after being out for a year, and kind of get the game to start coming back to me and get more comfortable with myself," Shepherd said. "I think that's the biggest thing in this year's camp, I'm a lot more comfortable and a lot smarter football player."
The linebackers might be young, but Diabate is excited about the versatility he's seen in camp, which might prove crucial this season because of the uncertainties caused by COVID-19.
He's confident in putting multiple players at all three linebacker positions, and that also creates a good deal of depth behind Thomas, Shepherd and whoever takes over the third starting spot, likely either Smith or Parks.
"I'm extremely excited about everyone we have," Diabate said. "They're willing to work, and once you have that hard-work characteristic, it makes it easier. No matter what we ask them to do, they're willing to get it done. … We're starting to see the progress on the field, and I'm fired up about this young group."
The Blue Raiders have had a good run of talented linebackers the past few years, and there are plenty of young candidates who look like they're ready to carry the torch next.
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