Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
“I’ve never been a selfish guy” - Brumfield thrives in his role for Blue Raider Defense
9/13/2023 4:24:00 PM | Football
“I could not believe that more people didn't go on him,” Scott Shafer says of the JuCo linebacker
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Sam Brumfield doesn't mention the number of times he's watched his sack-fumble-safety from the fourth quarter of Middle Tennessee football game at Missouri last week. He just knows that he's watched it a lot since the Blue Raiders' plane took off from Columbia on Saturday night.
Not out of a sense of vanity, as good a play as it was for Brumfield, who attacked on an add-in blitz shortly after the ball was snapped and hit Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook before you could even get to "three Mississippi" on your pass rush. But rather, to see if he could answer a question.
"I kept looking on film after the game, wondering if I could've gotten that ball," Brumfield said. "It all happened so fast."
A touchdown, rather than a safety, would've tied the game for the Blue Raiders, while the subsequent Zeke Rankin PAT would've given the team the lead. Brumfield doesn't know if he could've gotten to the ball in time, between the twist of the sack, the speed at which the ball rolls into the endzone and his distance from where the ball lands, it would've been tough.
But he does know he didn't know the ball was out when it first happened. A mistake? Given the speed at which everything happened, definitely not. But it was something Brumfield wanted to see if he could correct anyway, a habit the Pearl, Miss. native has had since he stepped foot on campus last semester, defensive coordinator Scott Shafer said.
"He'll make a mistake and then you'll never see that mistake again," Shafer said. "It's fun to coach kids like that."
A standout at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Brumfield played three years for the Rangers, racking up hundreds of tackles in one of the best junior college football leagues in the country, the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC), made famous on Netflix's "Last Chance U", whose first two seasons followed conference mate East Mississippi.
Only about two and half hours north of his hometown of Pearl, Brumfield said that the school was "a great fit" for the start of his college career.
After limited playing time in his first season in 2020, Brumfield broke out in 2021, leading the team with 93 tackles. But the offers that Brumfield wanted to play at the next level were not coming in like they were for his teammates, a fact that Brumfield admitted was hard to accept at the time.
"I was looking to go Division I after my two years in junior college, but once COVID hit, the way I looked at it, it was just another opportunity for me to keep getting better," Brumfield said. "Once I got to Division I, I'd be a few steps faster."
The extra year paid off, as Brumfield's best year with the Rangers was his last, where he earned NJCAA All-Region honors with 115 tackles in 2022, including 13 TFLs, six sacks, five hurries, and two forced fumbles. After two years of tape like that, Scott Shafer couldn't believe that MTSU was only competing with a few other teams for this guy.
"When we watched his tape when he was coming out of junior college, I could not believe that more people didn't go on him," Shafer said. "I always look at it and put a little tick mark next to it when it's good schools playing each other. In every damn game we watched, he was the best linebacker on the field."
Brumfield possessed all the traits Shafer loves in his linebackers. Incredible closing speed on the ball, excellent technique and instinct when blitzing, plays within his role on a given play and great physicality whether tackling or shedding blocks. They are traits that most defensive coordinators love in their linebackers. Brumfield just had one thing going against him: he was listed at 5-foot-11. Most schools like their linebackers, particularly their middle linebackers, like Brumfield, at least two, if not three inches taller, at a minimum.
"They've got kids going everywhere that are two inches taller," Shafer said of Northwest Mississippi, who has a host of alums playing on Saturdays at schools like NC State, Washington State and Ole Miss this fall. "But I'm glad he's short, because that's why we got him."
When he got to MTSU, a lot was put on Brumfield's shoulders during spring ball. With injuries keeping the Blue Raiders' other top options at MIKE linebacker, Devyn Curtis and Johnathan Butler, out for spring practice due to injuries, he'd have to be the MIKE for the first team in the spring. And in Shafer's defense, the MIKE is the one calling the checks, getting folks in position and generally has to know everything going on at once with the defense.
"I was in my playbook each and every day," Brumfield said. "That all comes with it, I knew that the coaches believed in me and trusted me. It was on me to make sure everything got done."
He earned mountains of praise from both his coaches and his teammates after the spring for his leadership and his play, making him one of the most anticipated new pieces in a veteran defense this fall. His snaps, with the return of both Curtis and Butler, have been far more limited than they were in the spring, but it's not something that concerns Brumfield.
For one, he's getting his production in his time, as his six tackles at Missouri, including two TFLs, showed. And his teammates are making those plays too.
"I've never been a selfish guy," Brumfield said. "I've always put my team before me. Whenever my name is called, that's when I'm going to do everything in my power to go out and make plays. But I want to see Devyn Curtis and Johnathan Butler make plays as well."
Not out of a sense of vanity, as good a play as it was for Brumfield, who attacked on an add-in blitz shortly after the ball was snapped and hit Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook before you could even get to "three Mississippi" on your pass rush. But rather, to see if he could answer a question.
"I kept looking on film after the game, wondering if I could've gotten that ball," Brumfield said. "It all happened so fast."
SAFETY!!
— Middle Tennessee Football (@MT_FB) September 10, 2023
Defense comes up with a big 2️⃣ points!
6:07, QTR 4 | Middle Tennessee 19, Missouri 23#BLUEnited | #EATT pic.twitter.com/5ZnqKFnPFr
A touchdown, rather than a safety, would've tied the game for the Blue Raiders, while the subsequent Zeke Rankin PAT would've given the team the lead. Brumfield doesn't know if he could've gotten to the ball in time, between the twist of the sack, the speed at which the ball rolls into the endzone and his distance from where the ball lands, it would've been tough.
But he does know he didn't know the ball was out when it first happened. A mistake? Given the speed at which everything happened, definitely not. But it was something Brumfield wanted to see if he could correct anyway, a habit the Pearl, Miss. native has had since he stepped foot on campus last semester, defensive coordinator Scott Shafer said.
"He'll make a mistake and then you'll never see that mistake again," Shafer said. "It's fun to coach kids like that."
A standout at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Brumfield played three years for the Rangers, racking up hundreds of tackles in one of the best junior college football leagues in the country, the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC), made famous on Netflix's "Last Chance U", whose first two seasons followed conference mate East Mississippi.
Only about two and half hours north of his hometown of Pearl, Brumfield said that the school was "a great fit" for the start of his college career.
After limited playing time in his first season in 2020, Brumfield broke out in 2021, leading the team with 93 tackles. But the offers that Brumfield wanted to play at the next level were not coming in like they were for his teammates, a fact that Brumfield admitted was hard to accept at the time.
"I was looking to go Division I after my two years in junior college, but once COVID hit, the way I looked at it, it was just another opportunity for me to keep getting better," Brumfield said. "Once I got to Division I, I'd be a few steps faster."
The extra year paid off, as Brumfield's best year with the Rangers was his last, where he earned NJCAA All-Region honors with 115 tackles in 2022, including 13 TFLs, six sacks, five hurries, and two forced fumbles. After two years of tape like that, Scott Shafer couldn't believe that MTSU was only competing with a few other teams for this guy.
"When we watched his tape when he was coming out of junior college, I could not believe that more people didn't go on him," Shafer said. "I always look at it and put a little tick mark next to it when it's good schools playing each other. In every damn game we watched, he was the best linebacker on the field."
Brumfield possessed all the traits Shafer loves in his linebackers. Incredible closing speed on the ball, excellent technique and instinct when blitzing, plays within his role on a given play and great physicality whether tackling or shedding blocks. They are traits that most defensive coordinators love in their linebackers. Brumfield just had one thing going against him: he was listed at 5-foot-11. Most schools like their linebackers, particularly their middle linebackers, like Brumfield, at least two, if not three inches taller, at a minimum.
"They've got kids going everywhere that are two inches taller," Shafer said of Northwest Mississippi, who has a host of alums playing on Saturdays at schools like NC State, Washington State and Ole Miss this fall. "But I'm glad he's short, because that's why we got him."
When he got to MTSU, a lot was put on Brumfield's shoulders during spring ball. With injuries keeping the Blue Raiders' other top options at MIKE linebacker, Devyn Curtis and Johnathan Butler, out for spring practice due to injuries, he'd have to be the MIKE for the first team in the spring. And in Shafer's defense, the MIKE is the one calling the checks, getting folks in position and generally has to know everything going on at once with the defense.
"I was in my playbook each and every day," Brumfield said. "That all comes with it, I knew that the coaches believed in me and trusted me. It was on me to make sure everything got done."
He earned mountains of praise from both his coaches and his teammates after the spring for his leadership and his play, making him one of the most anticipated new pieces in a veteran defense this fall. His snaps, with the return of both Curtis and Butler, have been far more limited than they were in the spring, but it's not something that concerns Brumfield.
For one, he's getting his production in his time, as his six tackles at Missouri, including two TFLs, showed. And his teammates are making those plays too.
"I've never been a selfish guy," Brumfield said. "I've always put my team before me. Whenever my name is called, that's when I'm going to do everything in my power to go out and make plays. But I want to see Devyn Curtis and Johnathan Butler make plays as well."
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