Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Raiders conclude successful first spring practice
3/16/2021 8:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Preparation for the 2021 football season really ramped up Tuesday at Middle Tennessee with the start of spring practice.
This year's spring had a little more anticipation going in after the COVID-19 pandemic forced college football programs across the country to abandon spring and summer drills in 2020.
Head coach Rick Stockstill said he could tell his Blue Raiders were a little extra excited to take the field Tuesday.
"It was good to be back out there," he said. "I thought our guys approached it mentally with the right attitude. I've always told them there are four phases for a team — winter workouts, spring practice, summer conditioning and August. … We had really good winter workouts, and today was a good first day for phase two."
Middle Tennessee will hit the field on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until the spring finale on April 17, giving the coaches 15 practices to teach the finer points of the game.
It also gives MT's offense 15 practices to further dive into new offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon's scheme.
Dearmon came to Murfreesboro in January from Kansas, where he spent the last two seasons, including about a season and a half as offensive coordinator.
"I feel like we handled it well on the first day," senior wide receiver CJ Windham said. "We all latched onto the new offense pretty well. … We had a good base and a foundation, and that translated over to the first day."
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and his group are no strangers to each other.
Shafer is entering his fifth season as the leader of the Blue Raider stoppers, and he gets all 11 starters back from last year's team, plus a handful of non-starters who played significant snaps.
This spring, Shafer wants to see his defense go to the next level with their knowledge of the playbook and being fundamentally sound.
"We're just blessed to be back out here again," redshirt junior defensive end Jordan Ferguson said. "We had a long offseason … so I think we're all fresh and ready to go.
"We have five weeks to go, and we're just looking to get better and better every day."
Coaches and players alike realized last season how important spring practice is for a football program. Having the chance to slow things down and focus on the fundamentals again is an opportunity the Blue Raiders won't let go to waste.
"Spring is when you can slow things down and coach and teach," Stockstill said. "We have so many young guys who needed spring and summer last year and they didn't have it. … So, I'm really excited to get to coach these guys up. I like where we are right now, and it was a good first day."
This year's spring had a little more anticipation going in after the COVID-19 pandemic forced college football programs across the country to abandon spring and summer drills in 2020.
Head coach Rick Stockstill said he could tell his Blue Raiders were a little extra excited to take the field Tuesday.
"It was good to be back out there," he said. "I thought our guys approached it mentally with the right attitude. I've always told them there are four phases for a team — winter workouts, spring practice, summer conditioning and August. … We had really good winter workouts, and today was a good first day for phase two."
Middle Tennessee will hit the field on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until the spring finale on April 17, giving the coaches 15 practices to teach the finer points of the game.
It also gives MT's offense 15 practices to further dive into new offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon's scheme.
Dearmon came to Murfreesboro in January from Kansas, where he spent the last two seasons, including about a season and a half as offensive coordinator.
"I feel like we handled it well on the first day," senior wide receiver CJ Windham said. "We all latched onto the new offense pretty well. … We had a good base and a foundation, and that translated over to the first day."
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and his group are no strangers to each other.
Shafer is entering his fifth season as the leader of the Blue Raider stoppers, and he gets all 11 starters back from last year's team, plus a handful of non-starters who played significant snaps.
This spring, Shafer wants to see his defense go to the next level with their knowledge of the playbook and being fundamentally sound.
"We're just blessed to be back out here again," redshirt junior defensive end Jordan Ferguson said. "We had a long offseason … so I think we're all fresh and ready to go.
"We have five weeks to go, and we're just looking to get better and better every day."
Coaches and players alike realized last season how important spring practice is for a football program. Having the chance to slow things down and focus on the fundamentals again is an opportunity the Blue Raiders won't let go to waste.
"Spring is when you can slow things down and coach and teach," Stockstill said. "We have so many young guys who needed spring and summer last year and they didn't have it. … So, I'm really excited to get to coach these guys up. I like where we are right now, and it was a good first day."
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