Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Explosive, competitive Lane breaks out at wideout for Blue Raiders
10/12/2022 5:34:00 PM | Football
The redshirt sophomore leads C-USA in All-Purpose Yards
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Mitch Stewart knew a great many things about Jaylin Lane before he'd even stepped on campus in Murfreesboro this past winter.
He knew the Glover, S.C. native had amazing speed from his kick and punt return highlights in 2021. He knew the redshirt sophomore was explosive on his routes and in attacking the football. Once he was able to get into the weight room with his guys, Lane's explosion on the field translated to the work off the field.
But now, six games into Lane's 2022 campaign, Stewart says that one trait continues to impress him day after day.
"Competitiveness," Stewart said. "He wants to win every rep. He's a tough player, he hasn't been 100 percent yet, ever since fall camp. That dude never even thinks about taking a day off."
It's a competitiveness that shows up all over Lane's tape. In the closing minutes, down two scores against UTSA, when many might've packed it in, there's Lane, stretching out to catch a deflection off a Roadrunner defensive back on third down to keep the drive alive.
Or last week, on the road at UAB, catching a pass on 3rd and 15 for a touchdown through two Blazer defenders.
That fight, as well as his talent, has made Lane one of the top weapons in Conference USA this season, where his 705 all-purpose yards lead the conference through six weeks, while averaging 93.8 receiving yards per game (16th nationally), starting every game but the season opener he missed due to injury.
It's been the type of breakout campaign that the Blue Raiders knew that Lane had in him after he earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors at punt returner after finishing second in the country in punt return average in 2021 (15.5 yards). His 469 receiving yards have already surpassed the 466 yards he compiled a season ago.
"We talk about how it's players, not plays," Stewart said. "And in critical moments, it's not a pencil-whipping effect, it's 'ok, who's our best guy, how do we get the ball to him.'"
While the natural talent has always jumped out with Lane, those around the Blue Raider program say his work ethic off the field is what makes him so dynamic on it. Perhaps Lane puts it best himself.
"Most of what you see on Saturday, that's just the tip of the iceberg," Lane said. "The rest of it, the big iceberg under the water, that's what you have to build up."
Stewart says that Lane is one of the hardest workers on the team, a fact backed up by his quarterback, Chase Cunningham. Lane's fellow captain, who's tossed countless passes before, during and after practice, and of course during their in-game production over the past two seasons, said that he's one of the best examples for others in the Blue Raiders' locker room.
"You guys don't really get to see off the field how he is, but he's never going to be late to anything, (he's) always one of the first ones there," Cunningham said. "(He's a) great motivator in getting the rest of the room going."
Being a motivator, a role that Lane readily admits is not a natural one for him, comes a little easier when you have the production to back it up. And Lane has had to earn every bit of playing time early in his career. Starting as a true freshman, where he supplanted Reed Blankenship late in the 2020 season as the team's primary kick returner and then in 2021, when he had to compete for reps at wideout with seniors CJ Windham, Jarrin Pierce and Jimmy Marshall, to say nothing of current standouts Yusuf Ali, Izaiah Gathings and DJ England-Chisolm.
Lane was a depth piece early on his redshirt freshman season, but eventually started the Blue Raiders' final eight games at wide receiver.
"I kind of gained their respect," Lane said of the veteran wide receiver room at the time. "I started making plays, they started patting me on the back, saying you're next up."
The respect was reciprocated around the country, where Lane was named a preseason All-American at punt returner by Phil Steele and Athlon, but also within the Blue Raider locker room. Lane was the only non-sixth-year senior to be named a permanent team captain by his peers in 2022, an honor that clearly moves Lane, even two months after the fact.
"It meant the world to me," Lane said. "I wouldn't call myself a very vocal guy, but they see that I work hard and that I bring people along with me. It means a lot that my teammates notice that and trust me to lead them."
His position as the only young captain leaves him with plenty of shoes to fill in the future, but there's time for his legacy to be written later. Now, it's all about continuing that connection with Cunningham. Of the quarterback's 146 completions so far this season, 30 of them have gone Lane's way. And with Lane's speed to take the top off the defense, or cut up field on a short route, as he did against Miami, Mitch Stewart has plenty of ways to move Lane around the field to get him the ball.
"That's the biggest thing with him, the Sabanism, 'When your best players are your hardest workers, that's when you've got something going,'" Stewart said. "With him, that's the case. He's one of our best players AND he's one of our hardest workers."
He knew the Glover, S.C. native had amazing speed from his kick and punt return highlights in 2021. He knew the redshirt sophomore was explosive on his routes and in attacking the football. Once he was able to get into the weight room with his guys, Lane's explosion on the field translated to the work off the field.
But now, six games into Lane's 2022 campaign, Stewart says that one trait continues to impress him day after day.
"Competitiveness," Stewart said. "He wants to win every rep. He's a tough player, he hasn't been 100 percent yet, ever since fall camp. That dude never even thinks about taking a day off."
It's a competitiveness that shows up all over Lane's tape. In the closing minutes, down two scores against UTSA, when many might've packed it in, there's Lane, stretching out to catch a deflection off a Roadrunner defensive back on third down to keep the drive alive.
Ridiculous catch by @j_lane_2 👀#BLUEnited | #EATT pic.twitter.com/Ogi7oVKpQ9
— Middle Tennessee FB (@MT_FB) October 1, 2022
Or last week, on the road at UAB, catching a pass on 3rd and 15 for a touchdown through two Blazer defenders.
.@j_lane_2 doesn't care how many guys are guarding him. #BLUEnited | #EATT pic.twitter.com/W443R1n1hA
— Middle Tennessee FB (@MT_FB) October 8, 2022
That fight, as well as his talent, has made Lane one of the top weapons in Conference USA this season, where his 705 all-purpose yards lead the conference through six weeks, while averaging 93.8 receiving yards per game (16th nationally), starting every game but the season opener he missed due to injury.
It's been the type of breakout campaign that the Blue Raiders knew that Lane had in him after he earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors at punt returner after finishing second in the country in punt return average in 2021 (15.5 yards). His 469 receiving yards have already surpassed the 466 yards he compiled a season ago.
"We talk about how it's players, not plays," Stewart said. "And in critical moments, it's not a pencil-whipping effect, it's 'ok, who's our best guy, how do we get the ball to him.'"
While the natural talent has always jumped out with Lane, those around the Blue Raider program say his work ethic off the field is what makes him so dynamic on it. Perhaps Lane puts it best himself.
"Most of what you see on Saturday, that's just the tip of the iceberg," Lane said. "The rest of it, the big iceberg under the water, that's what you have to build up."
Stewart says that Lane is one of the hardest workers on the team, a fact backed up by his quarterback, Chase Cunningham. Lane's fellow captain, who's tossed countless passes before, during and after practice, and of course during their in-game production over the past two seasons, said that he's one of the best examples for others in the Blue Raiders' locker room.
"You guys don't really get to see off the field how he is, but he's never going to be late to anything, (he's) always one of the first ones there," Cunningham said. "(He's a) great motivator in getting the rest of the room going."
Being a motivator, a role that Lane readily admits is not a natural one for him, comes a little easier when you have the production to back it up. And Lane has had to earn every bit of playing time early in his career. Starting as a true freshman, where he supplanted Reed Blankenship late in the 2020 season as the team's primary kick returner and then in 2021, when he had to compete for reps at wideout with seniors CJ Windham, Jarrin Pierce and Jimmy Marshall, to say nothing of current standouts Yusuf Ali, Izaiah Gathings and DJ England-Chisolm.
Lane was a depth piece early on his redshirt freshman season, but eventually started the Blue Raiders' final eight games at wide receiver.
"I kind of gained their respect," Lane said of the veteran wide receiver room at the time. "I started making plays, they started patting me on the back, saying you're next up."
The respect was reciprocated around the country, where Lane was named a preseason All-American at punt returner by Phil Steele and Athlon, but also within the Blue Raider locker room. Lane was the only non-sixth-year senior to be named a permanent team captain by his peers in 2022, an honor that clearly moves Lane, even two months after the fact.
"It meant the world to me," Lane said. "I wouldn't call myself a very vocal guy, but they see that I work hard and that I bring people along with me. It means a lot that my teammates notice that and trust me to lead them."
His position as the only young captain leaves him with plenty of shoes to fill in the future, but there's time for his legacy to be written later. Now, it's all about continuing that connection with Cunningham. Of the quarterback's 146 completions so far this season, 30 of them have gone Lane's way. And with Lane's speed to take the top off the defense, or cut up field on a short route, as he did against Miami, Mitch Stewart has plenty of ways to move Lane around the field to get him the ball.
"That's the biggest thing with him, the Sabanism, 'When your best players are your hardest workers, that's when you've got something going,'" Stewart said. "With him, that's the case. He's one of our best players AND he's one of our hardest workers."
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