Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
"We have to turn it into wins” — Blue Raider offense looks to build off what’s worked
9/19/2024 10:48:00 AM | Football
While the Blue Raiders had some near-record breaking nights on Saturday, everyone on the offense knows that standard has to be higher.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Decades from now, whenever someone opens a Middle Tennessee football media guide and flips to the records section, they'll find at least two stats put up by the Blue Raiders from Saturday's game against Western Kentucky among the best in their category.
While's there's a chance there will be 10 future Blue Raiders that surpass Nicholas Vattiato's 456 passing yards or Omari Kelly's 239 receiving yards from the game against the Hilltoppers, both of which are currently the second most in a single game for any Blue Raider in program history, it's likely that a future Blue Raider fan will see those numbers and want to flip back to that game on September 14, 2024, see those gaudy numbers and wonder what it was like to watch those two players play in that contest.
"The product of what happened on Saturday for those guys is the accumulation of the work that was done," Head Coach Derek Mason said. "You won't find a harder working guy than Nick Vattiato, same with Omari and that receiver room. I think those guys work extremely hard...I think they're maximizing the work. And the product is a conclusion of the process. For these guys, it doesn't surprise me, nor do I think it's the last time we're going to be seeing them."
But the fact that the score of the WKU game was 49-21 against MTSU, despite the success the passing offense had against the Hilltoppers, is both a reason for optimism and a reason for concern for the Blue Raiders, who coupled that air attack with just 58 total rushing yards on the ground.
"Pleased with the passing game but unpleased with the results we're getting," offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder said. "Individually, there's guys that are stepping up and making plays and getting comfortable in their roles. We're protecting (Vattiato) well. Now, we have to turn it into wins."
The individuals in the passing game aren't limited to the quarterback and the No. 1 wide receiver in the scheme. Vattiato was quick to name nearly every target that got snaps in his post-game media availability on Saturday, highlighting tight end Holden Willis as well as wideouts Gamarion Carter, Myles Butler and Cam'ron Lacy, the latter of whom has found a niche in the slot as a redshirt freshman. Kelly thinks the versatility of the receiving threat is why that part of the offense has found some success.
"Everybody has their own style of play," Kelly said. "Obviously, you can probably see that I've got speed. Holden catches literally everything, and we have other receivers and players that can also make plays."
Vattiato also praised his offensive line, who has only given up two sacks a game each of the first three contests, a praise echoed by his slot receiver.
"As long as (Vattiato's) got time in the pocket, he's going to have somebody to throw to," Lacy said.
But even with the success of the passing game, redzone inconsistency, where MTSU has scored just four touchdowns in 10 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line, along with a lack of balance in overall offense has limited the Blue Raiders' ceiling as a unit. Reeder pointed out that the offensive line's need to be more assignment sound in the running game, making sure they were pointing their eyes, making their first steps in the proper places as a particular point of emphasis that he knows will help the run game.
"Until we're sound up front, we're going to struggle running the ball," Reeder said, noting that there is some translation in eye discipline that's been good in pass protection can help the run game as well. "Anytime that you can play with your eyes, it doesn't matter play-to-play. You need to see what you're hitting and make sure that you have the right targets."
What Mason hopes, however, is that what the offense has done well can be a spark that sustains them when other things not going well are corrected. And if and when those issues are corrected, he expects the results will follow.
"This group is just starting to get to the best parts of what it can do, and we're not even doing it well," Mason said. "That's the scary thing, right now we're not doing it well. We're not doing it well because you want balance, run and pass. We're not doing it well because you want more opportunities for your offense. We're not doing it well because we need to have a decided advantage in special teams where we give them great field position. We haven't done that, they had to make their own so far."
Kelly noted that Vattiato spoke to the players after the game on Sunday, reminding the younger players that veterans weren't there to "babysit" their work ethic. It's a message a younger player like Lacy have already taken to heart.
"It could be the sky or it could space, it just depends on how we execute, how locked in we are, how practices goes the week before the game," Lacy said of this offense's potential. "We can be as good as we want it to be."
While's there's a chance there will be 10 future Blue Raiders that surpass Nicholas Vattiato's 456 passing yards or Omari Kelly's 239 receiving yards from the game against the Hilltoppers, both of which are currently the second most in a single game for any Blue Raider in program history, it's likely that a future Blue Raider fan will see those numbers and want to flip back to that game on September 14, 2024, see those gaudy numbers and wonder what it was like to watch those two players play in that contest.
"The product of what happened on Saturday for those guys is the accumulation of the work that was done," Head Coach Derek Mason said. "You won't find a harder working guy than Nick Vattiato, same with Omari and that receiver room. I think those guys work extremely hard...I think they're maximizing the work. And the product is a conclusion of the process. For these guys, it doesn't surprise me, nor do I think it's the last time we're going to be seeing them."
But the fact that the score of the WKU game was 49-21 against MTSU, despite the success the passing offense had against the Hilltoppers, is both a reason for optimism and a reason for concern for the Blue Raiders, who coupled that air attack with just 58 total rushing yards on the ground.
"Pleased with the passing game but unpleased with the results we're getting," offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder said. "Individually, there's guys that are stepping up and making plays and getting comfortable in their roles. We're protecting (Vattiato) well. Now, we have to turn it into wins."
The individuals in the passing game aren't limited to the quarterback and the No. 1 wide receiver in the scheme. Vattiato was quick to name nearly every target that got snaps in his post-game media availability on Saturday, highlighting tight end Holden Willis as well as wideouts Gamarion Carter, Myles Butler and Cam'ron Lacy, the latter of whom has found a niche in the slot as a redshirt freshman. Kelly thinks the versatility of the receiving threat is why that part of the offense has found some success.
"Everybody has their own style of play," Kelly said. "Obviously, you can probably see that I've got speed. Holden catches literally everything, and we have other receivers and players that can also make plays."
Vattiato also praised his offensive line, who has only given up two sacks a game each of the first three contests, a praise echoed by his slot receiver.
"As long as (Vattiato's) got time in the pocket, he's going to have somebody to throw to," Lacy said.
But even with the success of the passing game, redzone inconsistency, where MTSU has scored just four touchdowns in 10 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line, along with a lack of balance in overall offense has limited the Blue Raiders' ceiling as a unit. Reeder pointed out that the offensive line's need to be more assignment sound in the running game, making sure they were pointing their eyes, making their first steps in the proper places as a particular point of emphasis that he knows will help the run game.
"Until we're sound up front, we're going to struggle running the ball," Reeder said, noting that there is some translation in eye discipline that's been good in pass protection can help the run game as well. "Anytime that you can play with your eyes, it doesn't matter play-to-play. You need to see what you're hitting and make sure that you have the right targets."
What Mason hopes, however, is that what the offense has done well can be a spark that sustains them when other things not going well are corrected. And if and when those issues are corrected, he expects the results will follow.
"This group is just starting to get to the best parts of what it can do, and we're not even doing it well," Mason said. "That's the scary thing, right now we're not doing it well. We're not doing it well because you want balance, run and pass. We're not doing it well because you want more opportunities for your offense. We're not doing it well because we need to have a decided advantage in special teams where we give them great field position. We haven't done that, they had to make their own so far."
Kelly noted that Vattiato spoke to the players after the game on Sunday, reminding the younger players that veterans weren't there to "babysit" their work ethic. It's a message a younger player like Lacy have already taken to heart.
"It could be the sky or it could space, it just depends on how we execute, how locked in we are, how practices goes the week before the game," Lacy said of this offense's potential. "We can be as good as we want it to be."
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