Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Blue Raider freshmen ready for “next week on the island”
12/8/2021 6:00:00 PM | Football
It’ll be the first bowl appearance for a plethora of contributors on this year’s roster
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It was a chilly Tuesday afternoon on the Blue Raiders' practice field, the wind biting your skin as it whipped through the overcast sky. Just a few miles away at the Murfreesboro Airport, temperatures measured just above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The players were dressed for the weather, long sleeves on their arms, shorts occasionally switched out for sweatpants during the non-padded practice. But the buzz on the field, and the thoughts of where the Blue Raiders would be at that time next week, certainly raised their spirits.
Nassau, Bahamas. At that time on Tuesday, 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and plenty of bright sunshine on the beach.
"I really haven't been telling people we're going to the Bahamas, I've been telling people we're going on an island," Richard Kinley smiled after practice. "It's crazy, the veterans are really telling us to just take it in and enjoy the moment."
Middle Tennessee had just completed their second practice of the bowl season, and the cobwebs being knocked out were evident after nearly a week off following the team's regular season finale. But for the younger players on the roster, the prospect of playing in their first ever bowl game was clearly starting to set in, helping keep their focus through the exam week ahead of them and the preparations for the trip outside of the country.
"They put an awful lot into this season and this is a great reward," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "I told them before practice and I told them after practice that if you're practicing in December, that's a special thing, because not everyone gets to do it. You dream of playing in bowl games all your life growing up, for these young guys, it's their first one."
There's a plethora of players on the 2021 MT roster who are "freshmen" by their year of eligibility. Some, like Kinley and Quincy Riley, have been in the program for three seasons however, thanks to some COVID eligibility years. Others, like Jaylin Lane, are true freshmen who played last year. And then there's guys like Nicholas Vattiato, who are "actual" true freshmen. College football in 2021, who knew?
For all those guys in those years, however, the Bahamas Bowl is the first ever bowl they've reached at Middle. And something that, at least among his contemporaries, Vattiato has said they've been talking about for a long time.
"I know, especially for this recruiting class that came in for our true freshman year, we wanted to make a change from the past two years," the quarterback said. "This is a great first step in that."
After Riley and Lane were both named to the All-Conference USA First Team on Tuesday, and Vattiato and Deidrick Stanley II the All-Freshman team, the future of Blue Raider football is looking bright. Lane, who earned his spot at punt returner, and earned an honorable mention nod at kick returner, the award only meant his team had been doing a great job setting him up.
"It means a lot to me, but really it tells a lot about our unit on punt return, because those guys, they bust their tails to get in front of guys and hold them up and block for me," said Lane, who leads the nation in punt return average with 16.9 yards. "Without them, I wouldn't be able to do it."
Riley was also buzzing about his selection. He ended the regular season tied for the nation's lead in interceptions. But also wondered how much more he could've done without missing some games early in the season due to injury. For now, however, Riley is focused on his excitement building, as helping his teammates end their careers on the right note.
"It's growing, but it's my first time, so I'm really just enjoying it," Riley said. "Taking it all in, sending the seniors out the right way, and keeping it going to make another bowl game next year and the year after that."
Before their plane takes off on Monday, however, this group of freshmen has one last obstacle to tackle this semester: finals week. All four of Kinley, Lane, Riley and Vattiato said they were confident they could handle it, in part because Stockstill rearranged this week's lift schedule to give his guys time to study and take their exams. But as always, there's usually one or two classes that add some stress, Kinley pointed out.
"I have an essay due on Thursday that I only did the intro (for so far), so that's pretty much the only one that's really got me worried," Kinley laughed.
The players were dressed for the weather, long sleeves on their arms, shorts occasionally switched out for sweatpants during the non-padded practice. But the buzz on the field, and the thoughts of where the Blue Raiders would be at that time next week, certainly raised their spirits.
Nassau, Bahamas. At that time on Tuesday, 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and plenty of bright sunshine on the beach.
"I really haven't been telling people we're going to the Bahamas, I've been telling people we're going on an island," Richard Kinley smiled after practice. "It's crazy, the veterans are really telling us to just take it in and enjoy the moment."
Middle Tennessee had just completed their second practice of the bowl season, and the cobwebs being knocked out were evident after nearly a week off following the team's regular season finale. But for the younger players on the roster, the prospect of playing in their first ever bowl game was clearly starting to set in, helping keep their focus through the exam week ahead of them and the preparations for the trip outside of the country.
"They put an awful lot into this season and this is a great reward," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "I told them before practice and I told them after practice that if you're practicing in December, that's a special thing, because not everyone gets to do it. You dream of playing in bowl games all your life growing up, for these young guys, it's their first one."
There's a plethora of players on the 2021 MT roster who are "freshmen" by their year of eligibility. Some, like Kinley and Quincy Riley, have been in the program for three seasons however, thanks to some COVID eligibility years. Others, like Jaylin Lane, are true freshmen who played last year. And then there's guys like Nicholas Vattiato, who are "actual" true freshmen. College football in 2021, who knew?
For all those guys in those years, however, the Bahamas Bowl is the first ever bowl they've reached at Middle. And something that, at least among his contemporaries, Vattiato has said they've been talking about for a long time.
"I know, especially for this recruiting class that came in for our true freshman year, we wanted to make a change from the past two years," the quarterback said. "This is a great first step in that."
After Riley and Lane were both named to the All-Conference USA First Team on Tuesday, and Vattiato and Deidrick Stanley II the All-Freshman team, the future of Blue Raider football is looking bright. Lane, who earned his spot at punt returner, and earned an honorable mention nod at kick returner, the award only meant his team had been doing a great job setting him up.
"It means a lot to me, but really it tells a lot about our unit on punt return, because those guys, they bust their tails to get in front of guys and hold them up and block for me," said Lane, who leads the nation in punt return average with 16.9 yards. "Without them, I wouldn't be able to do it."
Riley was also buzzing about his selection. He ended the regular season tied for the nation's lead in interceptions. But also wondered how much more he could've done without missing some games early in the season due to injury. For now, however, Riley is focused on his excitement building, as helping his teammates end their careers on the right note.
"It's growing, but it's my first time, so I'm really just enjoying it," Riley said. "Taking it all in, sending the seniors out the right way, and keeping it going to make another bowl game next year and the year after that."
Before their plane takes off on Monday, however, this group of freshmen has one last obstacle to tackle this semester: finals week. All four of Kinley, Lane, Riley and Vattiato said they were confident they could handle it, in part because Stockstill rearranged this week's lift schedule to give his guys time to study and take their exams. But as always, there's usually one or two classes that add some stress, Kinley pointed out.
"I have an essay due on Thursday that I only did the intro (for so far), so that's pretty much the only one that's really got me worried," Kinley laughed.
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