Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, November 11
Murfreesboro, TN
2:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
FIU
PREVIEW: Q&A with FIU Radio Play-by-play broadcaster AJ Ricketts
11/10/2023 3:12:00 PM | Football
The Blue Raiders welcome the Panthers for their first home game in over a month on Saturday
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The scouting report for FIU nearly every year from Rick Stockstill remains the same.
Through coaching changes, through players graduating, through changes in scheme, the constants of how the Panthers' roster is made up haven't changed much since MTSU and FIU began facing off every year in 2005, when FIU joined MTSU in the Sun Belt.
When the Blue Raiders (2-7, 1-4 CUSA) face off against the Panthers (4-5, 1-5 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon in Floyd Stadium at 2:30 p.m., it'll once again be the athleticism of FIU that gives Stockstill pause.
"They've always had great team speed," Stockstill said of FIU. "I think they're extremely fast on defense. It's the second year in the system now for them, both offensively and defensively. But it really shows up, their team speed and athleticism, on defense. I think that's helped them."
Heading into the second year of Mike MacIntyre's tenure at the helm of the program, the speed of the South Florida athletes that FIU is able to get due to their location remains impressive. And while the Panthers have not put the pieces together consistently to play winning football in quite some time, that level of speed can cause problems regardless of past success.
"They've got good skill, good athleticism, good speed on both sides of the ball that can create some matchup issues," Stockstill said.
They've also got the right makeup, South Florida native and MTSU quarterback Nicholas Vattiato noted, to give you a fight every time out, including in last year's game in Miami that needed a Jakobe Thomas pick-6 to claim victory for the Blue Raiders.
"Just being from down there, I'm fortunate enough to know some of their players," Vattiato said. "I know that they're very good competitors. They're good people. They play with their hearts and you're always going to get their best."
One of those players that will play their best? Quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who has burst onto the scene this season as a true freshman, providing a dual-threat ability out of the backfield that has given the Panther offense a boost. Despite only appearing in eight games this season, Jenkins ranks sixth in CUSA in passing offense and is a top five quarterback in passing efficiency.
MacIntyre announced this week that Jenkins will start against the Blue Raiders Saturday after Grayson James, who began the season as the starter for FIU, got most of the snaps against Jacksonville State in the Panthers' most recent game on October 25. The fact that Jenkins is a lefty, safety Tra Fluellen noted, means the defense will have to practice slightly differently to get ready.
"Left-handed quarterbacks read a defense and turn their shoulders a lot different than a right-handed QB,' Fluellen said. "Right-handed QB, it's easier (for them) to throw to the left side, left-handed, obviously, the other side. This week, we'll be practicing on reading the shoulder and coming downhill and not missing tackles."
Despite MTSU now officially missing out on bowl eligibility this season, the team's focus has not wavered, Stockstill said. And while that goal is out of reach, the character of the team needs to be strong to end the season positively in the final month.
"You've got to look at yourself in the mirror and be a man about it," Stockstill said. "Just because you can't get to where you wanted to get to doesn't mean you're allowed to quit. We're not going to quit, we're going to play, we're going to finish this season like men, like teammates. We're going to fight our guts out to try to win these last three games."
To learn more about the Panthers, GoBlueRaiders.com Staff Writer reached out to AJ Ricketts, who is the radio play-by-play announcer for FIU. The pair discussed FIU's roller coaster season between nonconference and conference play, the pair of quarterbacks that have seen time for the Panthers, impact players and keys to the game for this weekend!
----
1. From afar, it looked like Year Two of Mike MacIntyre's tenure at FIU started off with lots of signs of progress, particularly given an undefeated 3-0 record so far in non-conference play. But the 1-5 CUSA record, of course, tempers some of that excitement. What have been the highs and lows of the season for the Panthers?
It certainly was a memorable start to the season, with all four games of the first month coming down to dramatic defensive stops and highlight reel offensive plays. It felt for a few moments as if this rebuild was ahead of schedule - and a strong finish to the season can still certainly support that perspective. A thrilling 46-39 win against a North Texas team that blew out FIU last year was a particularly notable win early in the season, and going on the road to take down a UCONN team that also handled FIU easily last season showed year-to-year growth. The past few weeks have seen less explosiveness in the offense than the first month and will need to be something FIU improves upon if the Panthers make their first bowl since 2019.
2. Keyone Jenkins has certainly shown flashes of brilliance as FIU's southpaw quarterback, most notably helping lead a comeback at Sam Houston State. But last time out, Grayson James, who began the season as the starter, got most of the reps at QB. What skill set does each signal caller bring to the offense when MacIntyre gives them the nod?
Grayson James was the starter in the season opener at Louisiana Tech, but Jenkins got the nod after a four yard passing performance in that affair. In the second half last time out against UTEP, James threw for 200 yards and looked at times like the quarterback who led FIU to a number of impressive victories last season. James has a great QB build, arm strength, and experience, while Jenkins brings an exciting brand of elusiveness, flair, and leadership to the offense. Both have had exceptional games in their FIU career, and both have had performances that they would say they can improve on. It will certainly be interesting down this final stretch of the season how effectively either can lead the offense.
3. Kris Mitchell is having a breakout season at wide receiver, averaging 91.1 yards per game and 17.08 yards per reception while more than doubling his closest teammate with 48 catches on the year. What has the Jacksonville, Fla. native done well in 2023 that's led to his success?
If you talk to Coach Mac, he'll talk about the time Mitchell has spent in the weight room, how he's developed his physical ability and release off the line of scrimmage. Mitchell is a guy who has bided his time behind a number of talented receivers through the years and is without a doubt having an incredible breakout season. It would have been very easy for a guy in his situation to transfer, through a coaching change and lack of playing time - however, he stuck through a good deal of turbulence and has transitioned into a leader on this FIU roster. It's been necessary, particularly with the departure of leading receiver Tyrese Chambers to Maryland this past off-season.
4. Rick Stockstill was certain to highlight the speed of the Panthers on both sides of the ball in his weekly presser. Linebackers Donovan Manuel and Reggie Peterson have both showcased that in 2023, with each ranking in the top 10 of tackles in CUSA. What do those players do well when the FIU defense is clicking?
Manuel is a tackling machine, and perhaps the best pro prospect on the defensive side of the football for FIU. Peterson has developed from a former walk-on to a scholarship player who defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt really trusts - and has a pair of impressive 60+ yard interception returns the past year. Running quarterbacks have had their share of success at times against the Panthers, but the pair has done a great job of really improving the run defense from where it was a year ago.
5. FIU has a chance to go to its first bowl game since 2019 with two wins in their final three games to end the season. With Arkansas around the bend the following week, it seems like the 2-7 Blue Raiders would be a prime opponent to make that happen. What do think will be the keys to lead the Panthers to victory on Saturday afternoon?
Without a doubt, FIU has to figure some things out on the offensive side of the football and find the kind of rhythm they had when they scored 39 offensive points against North Texas, and took a three touchdown lead in the first half at UCONN. In the last four losses, FIU has scored 6, 17, 14, and 16 points, respectively. In this era of college football, it's obviously hard to win consistently scoring at that pace. If FIU can get Keyone Jenkins into the kind of form he had in his first three starts, which starts with protecting him better, there's certainly a possibility of taking two of the final three - but that will start with playing well in Murfreesboro, which has not been the precedent for the Panthers in the past few years.
Through coaching changes, through players graduating, through changes in scheme, the constants of how the Panthers' roster is made up haven't changed much since MTSU and FIU began facing off every year in 2005, when FIU joined MTSU in the Sun Belt.
When the Blue Raiders (2-7, 1-4 CUSA) face off against the Panthers (4-5, 1-5 CUSA) on Saturday afternoon in Floyd Stadium at 2:30 p.m., it'll once again be the athleticism of FIU that gives Stockstill pause.
"They've always had great team speed," Stockstill said of FIU. "I think they're extremely fast on defense. It's the second year in the system now for them, both offensively and defensively. But it really shows up, their team speed and athleticism, on defense. I think that's helped them."
Heading into the second year of Mike MacIntyre's tenure at the helm of the program, the speed of the South Florida athletes that FIU is able to get due to their location remains impressive. And while the Panthers have not put the pieces together consistently to play winning football in quite some time, that level of speed can cause problems regardless of past success.
"They've got good skill, good athleticism, good speed on both sides of the ball that can create some matchup issues," Stockstill said.
They've also got the right makeup, South Florida native and MTSU quarterback Nicholas Vattiato noted, to give you a fight every time out, including in last year's game in Miami that needed a Jakobe Thomas pick-6 to claim victory for the Blue Raiders.
"Just being from down there, I'm fortunate enough to know some of their players," Vattiato said. "I know that they're very good competitors. They're good people. They play with their hearts and you're always going to get their best."
One of those players that will play their best? Quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who has burst onto the scene this season as a true freshman, providing a dual-threat ability out of the backfield that has given the Panther offense a boost. Despite only appearing in eight games this season, Jenkins ranks sixth in CUSA in passing offense and is a top five quarterback in passing efficiency.
MacIntyre announced this week that Jenkins will start against the Blue Raiders Saturday after Grayson James, who began the season as the starter for FIU, got most of the snaps against Jacksonville State in the Panthers' most recent game on October 25. The fact that Jenkins is a lefty, safety Tra Fluellen noted, means the defense will have to practice slightly differently to get ready.
"Left-handed quarterbacks read a defense and turn their shoulders a lot different than a right-handed QB,' Fluellen said. "Right-handed QB, it's easier (for them) to throw to the left side, left-handed, obviously, the other side. This week, we'll be practicing on reading the shoulder and coming downhill and not missing tackles."
Despite MTSU now officially missing out on bowl eligibility this season, the team's focus has not wavered, Stockstill said. And while that goal is out of reach, the character of the team needs to be strong to end the season positively in the final month.
"You've got to look at yourself in the mirror and be a man about it," Stockstill said. "Just because you can't get to where you wanted to get to doesn't mean you're allowed to quit. We're not going to quit, we're going to play, we're going to finish this season like men, like teammates. We're going to fight our guts out to try to win these last three games."
To learn more about the Panthers, GoBlueRaiders.com Staff Writer reached out to AJ Ricketts, who is the radio play-by-play announcer for FIU. The pair discussed FIU's roller coaster season between nonconference and conference play, the pair of quarterbacks that have seen time for the Panthers, impact players and keys to the game for this weekend!
----
1. From afar, it looked like Year Two of Mike MacIntyre's tenure at FIU started off with lots of signs of progress, particularly given an undefeated 3-0 record so far in non-conference play. But the 1-5 CUSA record, of course, tempers some of that excitement. What have been the highs and lows of the season for the Panthers?
It certainly was a memorable start to the season, with all four games of the first month coming down to dramatic defensive stops and highlight reel offensive plays. It felt for a few moments as if this rebuild was ahead of schedule - and a strong finish to the season can still certainly support that perspective. A thrilling 46-39 win against a North Texas team that blew out FIU last year was a particularly notable win early in the season, and going on the road to take down a UCONN team that also handled FIU easily last season showed year-to-year growth. The past few weeks have seen less explosiveness in the offense than the first month and will need to be something FIU improves upon if the Panthers make their first bowl since 2019.
2. Keyone Jenkins has certainly shown flashes of brilliance as FIU's southpaw quarterback, most notably helping lead a comeback at Sam Houston State. But last time out, Grayson James, who began the season as the starter, got most of the reps at QB. What skill set does each signal caller bring to the offense when MacIntyre gives them the nod?
Grayson James was the starter in the season opener at Louisiana Tech, but Jenkins got the nod after a four yard passing performance in that affair. In the second half last time out against UTEP, James threw for 200 yards and looked at times like the quarterback who led FIU to a number of impressive victories last season. James has a great QB build, arm strength, and experience, while Jenkins brings an exciting brand of elusiveness, flair, and leadership to the offense. Both have had exceptional games in their FIU career, and both have had performances that they would say they can improve on. It will certainly be interesting down this final stretch of the season how effectively either can lead the offense.
3. Kris Mitchell is having a breakout season at wide receiver, averaging 91.1 yards per game and 17.08 yards per reception while more than doubling his closest teammate with 48 catches on the year. What has the Jacksonville, Fla. native done well in 2023 that's led to his success?
If you talk to Coach Mac, he'll talk about the time Mitchell has spent in the weight room, how he's developed his physical ability and release off the line of scrimmage. Mitchell is a guy who has bided his time behind a number of talented receivers through the years and is without a doubt having an incredible breakout season. It would have been very easy for a guy in his situation to transfer, through a coaching change and lack of playing time - however, he stuck through a good deal of turbulence and has transitioned into a leader on this FIU roster. It's been necessary, particularly with the departure of leading receiver Tyrese Chambers to Maryland this past off-season.
4. Rick Stockstill was certain to highlight the speed of the Panthers on both sides of the ball in his weekly presser. Linebackers Donovan Manuel and Reggie Peterson have both showcased that in 2023, with each ranking in the top 10 of tackles in CUSA. What do those players do well when the FIU defense is clicking?
Manuel is a tackling machine, and perhaps the best pro prospect on the defensive side of the football for FIU. Peterson has developed from a former walk-on to a scholarship player who defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt really trusts - and has a pair of impressive 60+ yard interception returns the past year. Running quarterbacks have had their share of success at times against the Panthers, but the pair has done a great job of really improving the run defense from where it was a year ago.
5. FIU has a chance to go to its first bowl game since 2019 with two wins in their final three games to end the season. With Arkansas around the bend the following week, it seems like the 2-7 Blue Raiders would be a prime opponent to make that happen. What do think will be the keys to lead the Panthers to victory on Saturday afternoon?
Without a doubt, FIU has to figure some things out on the offensive side of the football and find the kind of rhythm they had when they scored 39 offensive points against North Texas, and took a three touchdown lead in the first half at UCONN. In the last four losses, FIU has scored 6, 17, 14, and 16 points, respectively. In this era of college football, it's obviously hard to win consistently scoring at that pace. If FIU can get Keyone Jenkins into the kind of form he had in his first three starts, which starts with protecting him better, there's certainly a possibility of taking two of the final three - but that will start with playing well in Murfreesboro, which has not been the precedent for the Panthers in the past few years.
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