Preview: Q&A with Voice of the FIU Panthers AJ Ricketts

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A flip through the first page of the Conference USA stat packet tells one story about the 2024 FIU Panthers. In Year Three under head coach Mike MacIntyre, the Panthers possess an above average offense in CUSA, posting 25.5 points per game. The defense, meanwhile, is fourth in yards per game given up and they're the best pass defense in league in yards per game.

So why does FIU enter Saturday's season finale against MTSU with the same record as the Blue Raiders, 3-8, 2-5 in CUSA play, a team that ranks near the bottom of the league in both points scored per game and yards allowed per game? FIU has lost five of those eight games by just a single score.

"As you look, the games have been close," MTSU head coach Derek Mason said. "They've played well on both sides, and you can see the progress in this FIU team."

FIU has been able to hang with some of CUSA's best this season, losing by just three to Sam Houston (10-7) and Jax State (34-31) and by just seven to Liberty (31-24). Mason says that's a credit to the weapons the Panthers have on offense, as well as the "dynamic" front seven on defense.

"They can throw, they can run," Mason said. "Their quarterback has done a terrific job of sort of point guarding this offense and making sure that find their targets... Their front seven is dynamic...23 tackles for loss, the two linebackers have 200 tackles between the two, and then the safeties have 160 tackles between the two of them. It's a defense that's been opportunistic."

Offensively, the wide receiver duo of Eric Rivers (55 catches for 1055 yards and 11 touchdowns) and Dean Patterson (46 catches for 558 yards and five touchdowns) has been joined late in the season by the emergence of freshman running back Devonte Lyons, who rushed for 99 yards on just 16 carries last week against Kennesaw State.

"We're going to have to move the stress around," Mason said of the MTSU defense. "You've got to hide the coverage a little bit, you've got to make sure that you can move your fronts so that if you're going to game the stunt, ok, and present some problems in the run or pass game, the defense has to look static or almost the same the whole time."

For the Blue Raiders, Mason hopes the final game of the season can be the one where MTSU puts together the complete package, with an offense building off the run game success a week ago and a defense building off better tackling near the line of scrimmage.

"This group has a chance to play its best ball because we haven't done that yet," Mason said. "You're still looking for it, you're still looking to find it and this week just presents another opportunity to go do just that. Throw the ball, run the ball, tackle the ball, stop the pass and put it in the endzone."

To learn more about the Panthers, GoBlueRaiders.com Staff Writer Sam Doughton reached out to AJ Ricketts, who covers FIU as the play-by-play announcer for both radio and television broadcasts. The pair discussed the close margins for FIU this season, weapons to know on both sides of the ball and how the Panthers are finding motivation for Saturday.
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1. FIU has been more competitive in Year 3 of the Mike McIntyre Era than they were in the first two years, despite a 3-8 record. The Panthers have lost five of those eight games by just one score. What's been the main factor in how FIU could not get over the finish line in those contests? Or has it been a multitude of issues throughout the season?

There's certainly been a noticeable step forward in the overall quality of play, but it's been unfortunate how snakebit the team has been in close games. Coach Mac remarked this week he's never been a part of a season in which essentially every 50/50 game went against him. Most recently against Kennesaw State the offense sputtered with five three and outs in six second half drives, and a missed FG and PAT cost us in a one-point loss. Offense has been the culprit at times - the team had 7 points and 76 passing yards in a 10-7 home loss vs. Sam Houston, while at other points untimely defensive miscues have proved costly, such as at Jacksonville State in a game that had eight lead changes - with the Panthers being unable to hold the advantage each time the offense scored a critical touchdown. Complimentary football has been difficult to perfect!

2. On paper, Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson might be the best duo of receivers in Conference USA, with Rivers being especially prolific this season, already surpassing 1,000 yards receiving. How have those two connected with quarterback Keyone Jenkins this season and what are their best traits on the perimeter for the Panthers?

It's been really fun to watch these two this season, with Rivers having a huge breakout year and setting school records, while Patterson has become a go-to receiver as well. Rivers has great acceleration and the ability to create space and stay under control on deep routes, while Patterson is someone who Coach Mac says can make a 50/50 ball a 60/40 or 70/30 ball in his favor. Jenkins has developed a great rapport with the pair of them - it seems FIU has always had an elite receiver the past few years, whether it was Kris Mitchell who is now at Notre Dame or Tyrese Chambers prior to that.

3. Derek Mason made sure to highlight running back Devonte Lyons during his weekly press conference, who's averaging 6.7 yards per carry since being pressed into action as a true freshman in FIU's past two games. What's impressed you about the freshman as he's gotten his first taste of college action?

The coaching staff had raved about Lyons during the year, but he just found himself behind a trio of veteran running backs for much of the season but is finally getting his opportunities towards the end of the regular season. He nearly cracked 100 yards last week - he has a fantastic burst off the line and can make the first defender to approach him from the secondary miss. It seems there is rarely an easy tackle of the true freshman - and anytime you see a young player averaging 7 YPG it quickly catches your attention.

4. Travion Barnes and Elijah Anderson-Taylor have combined for over 200 tackles at the second level of the FIU defense so far this season, with the high number of assisted tackles for each suggesting they always find a way to populate to the ball. How have those two been able to anchor the Panther defense this season and what traits stand out about their play?

Barnes is a physical tackler and has such impressive lateral quickness, and it feels like him and Anderson-Taylor are rarely out of position. They remind me of talented linebackers from the past here in recent years like Anthony Wint or Treyvon Williams. They can make an impact filling gaps on inside runs, yet it also sometimes feels like they're athletic DB's in a sense with their pursuit of the ball in space. They've been impressive this year - there have been a number of games where maybe the points allowed defensively doesn't tell the full story of how often the defense was on the field and how efficient and effective they were for much of that time.

5. There won't be much to play for but pride over Thanksgiving weekend in Miami, but both programs will be desperate to enter 2025 with some momentum at the end of the year. What do you think will be the keys for FIU to come out of the game with a win?

FIU found a way to make this game competitive two years ago in a game in which they also did not have much to play for, and they'll want to continue to show that they're close to turning the corner after all these close losses. The formula has been there the last few games - get Lyons involved on the ground early, throw the ball down the field to Rivers and Patterson, and do a more effective job of stopping the run. Even though Jacksonville State wound up rushing for 234 yards, that was well below their average, against an FIU team that has struggled in run defense this year, and a big chunk of those yards were late in the second half. The Panthers have lost their last three games by a combined seven points - they have really been simply one effective offensive or defensive drive away from coming out on the winning side in each of those contests. We'll see if the team can put it all together in the final regular season game and make Pitbull proud.

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics

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