Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Recruiting Class of 2022 First Look: Seth Falley
1/28/2022 11:00:00 AM | Football
The All-Conference JUCO product is an impact offensive lineman for the Blue Raiders
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — For as long as Nate Haremza has known Seth Falley, the offensive line coach at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan. remembers the note on the phone his offensive lineman carries.
"Kansas Players Can't Play" the note reads.
"We can all get on Twitter right now and see 90 million kids posting 'oh, I'm slept on,'" Haremza said. "Well, come to junior college and people will find out. At this level, especially this conference, everything you get is earned."
For Falley, the Haysville, Kan. native, the note is a subtle, everyday reminder of how he was under recruited out of high school, graduating only with Preferred Walk On opportunities at the FBS level. So he bet on himself, went to Butler, became a team captain, earned first-team all-conference at center, and got that FBS opportunity he knew he was good enough for at Middle Tennessee.
"I'm a firm believer that everyone who plays junior college football and does it at a high level could play anywhere in the NCAA," Falley said.
An offensive lineman that has "everything" you could possibly want in an offensive lineman, Haremza said, Falley was attracted to Middle Tennessee because of the relationships he built with the coaching staff. Mike Polly and Rick Mallory played a big part in that, but also the relatability he felt with Rick Stockstill helped him feel right at home on his recruiting business.
It wasn't just the relationships, but also the longevity of Stockstill's tenure that appealed to Falley. Showing to him that MT was Stock's home, and that it's where he wants to be.
"One of the problems that you kind of find, especially in today's day and age, is that coaches are very Hollywood," Falley said. "And (Coach Stock's) not like that, he's here to develop you as a person and win football games."
It didn't hurt that MT was also the only school that offered a program in what Falley really wanted to study, agricultural business. Coming from a family with a long farming background, Falley wants to eventually be a cattle rancher whenever football is done with him, and MT's School of Agriculture can give him the tools to reach those goals at that time.
"My aunt runs the largest horse rescue in the Midwest. I've always had a big tie in with animals," Falley said. "I've worked with crops, just didn't have a very big love for it like messing with a different animal every day and seeing them progress from the time they're calves to the time they're steers."
For now though, Falley is excited to step right in on the offensive line as an impact player right away, something Haremza expects to happen early with Falley's work ethic and blue collar mentality.
What Haremza is most excited about for his former team leader, however, is for Middle Tennessee fans to finally meet him…and his mullet.
"Seth is a guy who will be a fan favorite once people get to know him. The more media you can put out on him, the better," Haremza said. "I told him the other day that you'll have a fan base called the "Middle Tennessee Mullet Mafia" with your haircut once the fans get a hold of it."
Quick Hits
Favorite Musician: George Strait (BIG old school country fan)
Favorite Athlete: Ryan Jensen, center for Tampa Bay Buccaneers (D2 guy that made his own way)
Favorite Food: Steak (not well done, if you get it cooked well done, it's a problem)
"Kansas Players Can't Play" the note reads.
"We can all get on Twitter right now and see 90 million kids posting 'oh, I'm slept on,'" Haremza said. "Well, come to junior college and people will find out. At this level, especially this conference, everything you get is earned."
For Falley, the Haysville, Kan. native, the note is a subtle, everyday reminder of how he was under recruited out of high school, graduating only with Preferred Walk On opportunities at the FBS level. So he bet on himself, went to Butler, became a team captain, earned first-team all-conference at center, and got that FBS opportunity he knew he was good enough for at Middle Tennessee.
"I'm a firm believer that everyone who plays junior college football and does it at a high level could play anywhere in the NCAA," Falley said.
An offensive lineman that has "everything" you could possibly want in an offensive lineman, Haremza said, Falley was attracted to Middle Tennessee because of the relationships he built with the coaching staff. Mike Polly and Rick Mallory played a big part in that, but also the relatability he felt with Rick Stockstill helped him feel right at home on his recruiting business.
It wasn't just the relationships, but also the longevity of Stockstill's tenure that appealed to Falley. Showing to him that MT was Stock's home, and that it's where he wants to be.
"One of the problems that you kind of find, especially in today's day and age, is that coaches are very Hollywood," Falley said. "And (Coach Stock's) not like that, he's here to develop you as a person and win football games."
It didn't hurt that MT was also the only school that offered a program in what Falley really wanted to study, agricultural business. Coming from a family with a long farming background, Falley wants to eventually be a cattle rancher whenever football is done with him, and MT's School of Agriculture can give him the tools to reach those goals at that time.
"My aunt runs the largest horse rescue in the Midwest. I've always had a big tie in with animals," Falley said. "I've worked with crops, just didn't have a very big love for it like messing with a different animal every day and seeing them progress from the time they're calves to the time they're steers."
For now though, Falley is excited to step right in on the offensive line as an impact player right away, something Haremza expects to happen early with Falley's work ethic and blue collar mentality.
What Haremza is most excited about for his former team leader, however, is for Middle Tennessee fans to finally meet him…and his mullet.
"Seth is a guy who will be a fan favorite once people get to know him. The more media you can put out on him, the better," Haremza said. "I told him the other day that you'll have a fan base called the "Middle Tennessee Mullet Mafia" with your haircut once the fans get a hold of it."
Quick Hits
Favorite Musician: George Strait (BIG old school country fan)
Favorite Athlete: Ryan Jensen, center for Tampa Bay Buccaneers (D2 guy that made his own way)
Favorite Food: Steak (not well done, if you get it cooked well done, it's a problem)
Players Mentioned
OL
/ FootballMTSU Football @ Kennesaw State post-game conference - 9/27/25
Saturday, September 27
Raider Report Week 5 - MTSU vs. Kennesaw State University
Friday, September 26
Derek Mason LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille Week 5 (Video)
Monday, September 22
MTSU Football Weekly Press Conference 9/22/25
Monday, September 22
