Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Five Blue Raiders on C-USA Preseason Watch List
7/25/2022 12:01:00 PM | Football
DALLAS – Conference USA released the 2022 preseason watch list, as selected by the league's 11 head coaches on Monday. Five student-athletes from each of the conference's 11 member institutions are recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2022 season.
Representing Middle Tennessee are WR Izaiah Gathings, WR Jaylin Lane, DE Jordan Ferguson, DL Zaylin Wood and punter Kyle Ulbrich.
Gathings finished the 2021 season with 24 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown after transferring from Gardner-Webb. The 6-4, 222-pound wideout is poised for a breakout campaign in 2022.
Lane, who has been on most preseason all-conference teams, finished the 2021 season with 42 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns, while also leading the team in punt returns (19 for 295) and kickoff returns (13 for 285). Lane was a freshman all-american as a returner last year.
Ferguson had a banner season in 2021 when he established new career marks in tackles (58), tackles for loss (16.5), sacks (9), hurries (14), forced fumbles (3) and fumble recoveries (2). He ranked 22nd nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.3) and was 30th in sacks per game (.69).
Wood, who started 12 games in 2021, finished the year with 29 tackles, including 4.0 TFLs, two hurries, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
Ulbrich ended the 2021 season with a 44.4-yard punting average with 16 punts of 50 or more yards and 24 downed inside the 20-yard line. His punting average ranked 27th nationally.
The Blue Raiders will begin the 2022 season on the road against James Madison on Sept. 3. Preseason camp will get started on Aug. 3 with the opening practice.
OFFENSE
QB Gavin Hardison, RS Jr., UTEP
QB Frank Harris, RS Sr., UTSA
QB N'Kosi Perry, GS, Florida Atlantic
QB Chris Reynolds, RS Sr., Charlotte
RB Jermaine Brown Jr., Jr., UAB
WR Roderic Burns, Jr., North Texas
WR Tyrese Chambers, Sr., FIU
WR Malachi Corley, So., WKU
WR Grant DuBose, Jr., Charlotte
WR Izaiah Gathings, Sr., Middle Tennessee
WR Smoke Harris, RS Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR Jaylin Lane, So., Middle Tennessee
WR Bradley Rozner, RS Sr., Rice
WR Tyrin Smith, So., UTEP
TE Rivaldo Fairweather, So., FIU
OL Shea Baker, RS Sr., Rice
OL Ashton Gist, RS Sr., Charlotte
OL Makai Hart, RS Sr., UTSA
OL Lyndell Hudson Jr., RS Jr., FIU
OL Elijah Klein, RS Jr., UTEP
OL Manase Mose, Sr., North Texas
OL Joshua Mote, RS Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL Rusty Staats, RS Jr., WKU
OL Kadeem Telfort, RS Sr., UAB
OL Nick Weber, RS Sr., Florida Atlantic
DEFENSE
DL Praise Amaewhule, RS Jr., UTEP
DL Evan Anderson, So., Florida Atlantic
DL Roderick Brown, So., North Texas
DL Ikenna Enechukwu, RS Jr., Rice
DL Jordan Ferguson, RS Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL Juwuan Jones, RS Sr., WKU
DL Brandon Matterson, Sr., UTSA
DL Fish McWilliams, RS Jr., UAB
DL Keivie Rose, RS So., Louisiana Tech
DL Davon Strickland, RS Jr., FIU
DL Markees Watts, RS Sr., Charlotte
DL Zaylin Wood, RS So., Middle Tennessee
LB KD Davis, Sr., North Texas
LB Tyler Grubbs, So., Louisiana Tech
DB Kahlef Hailassie, RS Jr., WKU
DB Mac McWilliams, RS So., UAB
DB George Nyakwol, GS, Rice
DB Rashad Wisdom, Sr., UTSA
DB Teja Young, RS Jr., Florida Atlantic
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Jacob Barnes, RS So., Louisiana Tech
K Ethan Mooney, Sr., North Texas
K Brayden Narveson, RS Jr., WKU
P Lucas Dean, Sr., UTSA
P Kyle Greenwell, Sr., UAB
P Josh Sloan, So., UTEP
P Kyle Ulbrich, RS Sr., Middle Tennessee
RET Lajohntay Wester, So., Florida Atlantic
KR Shadrick Byrd, RS So., Charlotte
KR Lexington Joseph, Jr., FIU
PR Sean Fresch, So., Rice
Representing Middle Tennessee are WR Izaiah Gathings, WR Jaylin Lane, DE Jordan Ferguson, DL Zaylin Wood and punter Kyle Ulbrich.
Gathings finished the 2021 season with 24 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown after transferring from Gardner-Webb. The 6-4, 222-pound wideout is poised for a breakout campaign in 2022.
Lane, who has been on most preseason all-conference teams, finished the 2021 season with 42 receptions for 466 yards and four touchdowns, while also leading the team in punt returns (19 for 295) and kickoff returns (13 for 285). Lane was a freshman all-american as a returner last year.
Ferguson had a banner season in 2021 when he established new career marks in tackles (58), tackles for loss (16.5), sacks (9), hurries (14), forced fumbles (3) and fumble recoveries (2). He ranked 22nd nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.3) and was 30th in sacks per game (.69).
Wood, who started 12 games in 2021, finished the year with 29 tackles, including 4.0 TFLs, two hurries, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
Ulbrich ended the 2021 season with a 44.4-yard punting average with 16 punts of 50 or more yards and 24 downed inside the 20-yard line. His punting average ranked 27th nationally.
The Blue Raiders will begin the 2022 season on the road against James Madison on Sept. 3. Preseason camp will get started on Aug. 3 with the opening practice.
OFFENSE
QB Gavin Hardison, RS Jr., UTEP
QB Frank Harris, RS Sr., UTSA
QB N'Kosi Perry, GS, Florida Atlantic
QB Chris Reynolds, RS Sr., Charlotte
RB Jermaine Brown Jr., Jr., UAB
WR Roderic Burns, Jr., North Texas
WR Tyrese Chambers, Sr., FIU
WR Malachi Corley, So., WKU
WR Grant DuBose, Jr., Charlotte
WR Izaiah Gathings, Sr., Middle Tennessee
WR Smoke Harris, RS Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR Jaylin Lane, So., Middle Tennessee
WR Bradley Rozner, RS Sr., Rice
WR Tyrin Smith, So., UTEP
TE Rivaldo Fairweather, So., FIU
OL Shea Baker, RS Sr., Rice
OL Ashton Gist, RS Sr., Charlotte
OL Makai Hart, RS Sr., UTSA
OL Lyndell Hudson Jr., RS Jr., FIU
OL Elijah Klein, RS Jr., UTEP
OL Manase Mose, Sr., North Texas
OL Joshua Mote, RS Sr., Louisiana Tech
OL Rusty Staats, RS Jr., WKU
OL Kadeem Telfort, RS Sr., UAB
OL Nick Weber, RS Sr., Florida Atlantic
DEFENSE
DL Praise Amaewhule, RS Jr., UTEP
DL Evan Anderson, So., Florida Atlantic
DL Roderick Brown, So., North Texas
DL Ikenna Enechukwu, RS Jr., Rice
DL Jordan Ferguson, RS Sr., Middle Tennessee
DL Juwuan Jones, RS Sr., WKU
DL Brandon Matterson, Sr., UTSA
DL Fish McWilliams, RS Jr., UAB
DL Keivie Rose, RS So., Louisiana Tech
DL Davon Strickland, RS Jr., FIU
DL Markees Watts, RS Sr., Charlotte
DL Zaylin Wood, RS So., Middle Tennessee
LB KD Davis, Sr., North Texas
LB Tyler Grubbs, So., Louisiana Tech
DB Kahlef Hailassie, RS Jr., WKU
DB Mac McWilliams, RS So., UAB
DB George Nyakwol, GS, Rice
DB Rashad Wisdom, Sr., UTSA
DB Teja Young, RS Jr., Florida Atlantic
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Jacob Barnes, RS So., Louisiana Tech
K Ethan Mooney, Sr., North Texas
K Brayden Narveson, RS Jr., WKU
P Lucas Dean, Sr., UTSA
P Kyle Greenwell, Sr., UAB
P Josh Sloan, So., UTEP
P Kyle Ulbrich, RS Sr., Middle Tennessee
RET Lajohntay Wester, So., Florida Atlantic
KR Shadrick Byrd, RS So., Charlotte
KR Lexington Joseph, Jr., FIU
PR Sean Fresch, So., Rice
Players Mentioned
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