Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
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| These are the Dog Days of Summer and time when the Blue Raiders get to work and begin installing their plan for the 2017 season. Go behind the scenes of the Middle Tennessee training camp here at GoBlueRaiders.com. Here, you will find a plethora of information leading into the opener against Vanderbilt Sept. 2 at Floyd Stadium. We'll have information, practice reports, scrimmage statistics, quotes, blogs, tweets, photos, videos and more as Middle Tennessee begins its preparations for the 2017 campaign. Check back each day for all of the latest on the Blue Raiders! |
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| Blue Raiders conclude productive fall camp By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 26 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Plenty was accomplished, but not all questions were answered for Middle Tennessee during this year’s fall camp, which came to a close Saturday. Head coach Rick Stockstill, in his 12th season at the helm, wanted to see his team get back into football shape over this camp. He also wanted to see how they would handle the adversity of a few slight changes to their routine. For the first time, the summer class schedule overlapped with two weeks of fall camp. That meant players had to practice in the afternoon for half of camp, and weren’t afforded the chance to get work done in the morning because of classes. That mixed with a little longer of a camp than usual created some different things the Blue Raiders had to work through, not to mention the defense learning under new coordinator Scott Shafer. “It certainly wasn’t a normal camp,” Stockstill said. “The mental strain on you from those first two weeks of school and having meetings all night, then changing the last two weeks to having morning practices, lifting in the afternoon and meetings at night, that grinds on you. But, they’ve handled it pretty well. “It was a long camp – I’ve never been a part of a camp this long, and obviously they haven’t. I thought they handled it very maturely.” While MT benefitted from getting some players back from spring injuries this fall, including redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill, others were bit by the injury bug. Injuries to some key guys, including some who were expected to battle for starting spots along the offensive line and at running back, have caused some position groups to be slightly off schedule as the first game week of the season begins. “The injury bug has hit us a bit at certain positions,” Rick Stockstill said, “so we’re not exactly where we wanted to be. But, you can’t make excuses about that, and the next man’s got to step up.” Injuries may have hit some position groups at inopportune times during camp, but Coach Stockstill said he felt some guys were solidifying their positions in key spots, most notably on the defensive side. The Blue Raiders are tasked at replacing five graduated defensive linemen, but four guys – redshirt junior Walter Brady, redshirt sophomore Malik Manciel, redshirt senior Jahmal Jones and junior Rosheem Collins – have really impressed over the offseason. Not only will Coach Stockstill and his staff go back and look at notes to see who their best guys are as they prepare for Vanderbilt in the season opener on Sept. 2 inside Floyd Stadium, but he’s also looking at how to improve future camps. “I’ll go back and look at my notes from what we’ve done this year, like I do every year, to see how we can improve,” he said. “I’ll look at everything from meals to meeting times, practice schedules – I’ll review everything.” All in all, this year’s fall camp went without too many major kinks, and the Blue Raiders can now turn their focus to beginning the 2017 season. “I think it’s been pretty good – you’re never completely satisfied with everything, but for the most part, I was pleased with camp,” Coach Stockstill said. “I thought we competed well, our effort was good and our attention to detail was good throughout. “We’re excited to get going with game week this week, and ready to get on the field Sept. 2.” |
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 Camp Q&A with Jovante Moffatt Who is a role model you look up to for inspiration? I'm a big Brent Grimes fan, cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Who is your favorite superhero? Captain America, just because of his versatility as a hero. Who on this Blue Raider football team has the best dance moves? I would say Malik Hawkins. What is your favorite show to binge watch? Oh, easily “Ballers” on HBO. What social media do you like or use the most? I'm a big Instagram guy. Who is your celebrity crush? Christina Milian. Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving? Skydiving, just to see the world from such a different view. What is your favorite pregame routine? I'm the kind of person that just likes to get by myself and get in my own zone. If you could be any animal, what would you pick? Flamingo. Man, number one, I like their feathers and their colors. I like their vibe, I like how they travel in groups, too. Plus, they can fly. |
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 Position breakdown: Specialists By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 25 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - If Middle Tennessee is going to take a step forward this season and contend for its first outright conference championship under head coach Rick Stockstill, every facet of the game must improve. That includes special teams. Besides a career year for First Team All-Conference USA kicker Canon Rooker and another first-team nod for snapper Will Eads, the Blue Raiders' specialists left some to be desired in 2016. They finished just 11th in the conference in kickoff return average (19 yards per attempt), and their punt return average wasn't much better (7.7-yard average), good for ninth in C-USA. Top kickoff returner junior Desmond Anderson was also just 11th in the league with a 20.5-yard return average, while redshirt junior Richie James was sixth in punt return average (7.5 yards). Middle Tennessee was also eighth in C-USA in both net kickoff yard average (45.1) and net punt yard average (36.4), and junior punter Matt Bonadies, who was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List for the second straight season this summer, took a step back in the distance category. His 38.8-yard punting average was almost 3 yards worse than his total in eight games as a freshman (41.3). Those numbers will have to improve if special teams will become a strong suit for the Blue Raiders this season. "We're working towards a lot of consistency and being the best we can be," said Mike Polly, offensive tackles and tight ends coach and special teams coordinator. "I think we should have a chance to be really good with our specialists this year." Some positives also came out of last season's special teams play. MT's specialists only turned the ball over once - a fumble by James on a punt return against Bowling Green - and the punt coverage unit allowed opponents just a 4.2-yard return average. Rooker also had one of the best statistical seasons for placekickers in school history. The redshirt senior's 112 points scored in 2016 set a new Middle Tennessee record for a kicker, and he made 16 of 19 field goals, the fourth-most makes in a single season in school history. His nine-straight FG conversion streak prior to a miss against Missouri also gave him the second-longest streak for the Blue Raiders, and the 64 PATs he knocked home set a new single-season school record. He'll have to adjust to having a new holder with the graduation of Eads, a four-year starter, but redshirt freshman Daniel Sargent has taken over the role and done well through camp. "[Sargent's] done a really good job so far in camp," Polly said. "He works extremely hard, is extremely conscientious and does everything we ask him to do." The cast of returners along all of the specialist positions should lead to a better year in every facet of special teams this season for the Blue Raiders. As long as they can keep improving on consistency and stay healthy, improvements seen in this year's fall camp should bleed over into the regular season, which starts Sept. 2 at home against Vanderbilt. "Just like every year and every spring, the specialists have had their ups and downs - you just have to have more ups than downs and get better every day, which I think we're doing," Polly said. "We've got guys who've done it before in a lot of places ... and our guys have done a great job." Here are the expected specialists: Kickers 15 Canon Rooker [5-11, 192, R-Sr.] 19 Crews Holt [5-11, 180, R-Fr.] -- Jacob Smith [6-2, 205, Fr.] Holder 38 Jim Cardwell [5-9, 169, R-Jr.] Long Snappers 58 Russ Hiett [6-0, 210, R-Fr.] 69 Daniel Sargent [6-0, 212, R-Fr.] -- Hunter Gray [6-1, 230, Fr.] Punters 90 Matthew Stephenson [5-10, 212, R-Fr.] 99 Matt Bonadies [6-1, 197, Jr.] Returners 3 Richie James [5-9, 176, R-Jr.] 8 Ty Lee [5-9, 163, So.] 25 Desmond Anderson [5-10, 176, Jr.] 27 Ruben Garnett [5-9, 170, R-So.] |
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 Position Breakdown: The Defensive Line By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 24 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - No Middle Tennessee position group is coming into this season with more to replace than the defensive line. Five players who started at least four games along the line for the Blue Raiders in 2016 are gone, and in total, they'll be tasked at replacing a combined 230 games played and 106 starts from the loss of graduates Chris Hale, Steven Rhodes, Shaquille Huff, Jimal McBride and Raynard Felton. Even with so many players gone, defensive line coach Tommy West is excited about what the new group offers. "They bring energy, enthusiasm, and they're young and eager and wanting to play," he said. "I'm looking forward to watching them play - we're talented, we just haven't been there and done it yet." There may not be a lot of returning linemen with tons of starts under their belts, but some guys have gotten some playing time for the Blue Raiders. Redshirt sophomore end Tyshun Render is back after playing in every game and being named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2016, and redshirt junior end Darrius Liggins is expected to build on his 13 games played from last year. Redshirt senior Jahmal Jones is the only guy in the group who's started for MT. He made three spot starts for an injured Hale last season and played in all 13 games. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Malik Manciel, who was named Most Improved Defensive Lineman following spring drills, also played in 12 games last season. West said he's really taken a leadership role with the defense so far in this year's camp. "If there's a guy on the line that I couldn't be more pleased with, it would be Malik," the fourth-year Blue Raider defensive line coach said. "He comes to work every day and doesn't have a bad day out here. He's a bigtime energy guy ... and even though he's young, I think he's a leader." Middle Tennessee will lean on some new names to add to the likes of the previously mentioned returners. Most notably, redshirt junior end Walter Brady (Missouri transfer) and junior tackle Rosheem Collins (East Central Community College transfer) are expected to step in and grab starting nods right away. Redshirt freshman Ty Nix and true freshman Jordan Ferguson have also impressed through camp. "Those new guys, they're just a bunch of guys who are hungry and want to make a name for themselves," Manciel said. "It's a new start for a lot of us, and there aren't a lot of expectations. We're young, and we're hungry." Along with the new names along the front, MT first-year defensive coordinator Scott Shafer has also tried to implement more of an attacking and speed tendency with the group. "Whenever your line is attacking, it's always a difference," Manciel said. "Whenever you're playing fast and physical, that's always a good thing and always helps the defense put pressure on the quarterbacks and such." While the defensive line is lacking in the experience department, the personnel is in place to run the type of system Shafer wants. They hope the changes will lead to more quarterback hurries and raise their C-USA finish in sacks from seventh in 2016 (26 total). Now, they just have to put what they've worked on in camp onto the field on Sept. 2 for the season opener against Vanderbilt. "You have to go play to find out where your deficiencies are, because we do the same thing every day here for four weeks, but I think we're all looking forward to playing," West said. "We want to be an aggressive defense that chases the ball, and that's what good defenses do. I think we've got the kind of guys to do that." Here are the defensive linemen on the roster: 11 Peter Bailey [6-4, 265, r-Sr.] 43 Jahmal Jones [6-3, 253, r-Sr.] 56 Walter Brady [6-3, 267, r-Jr.] 85 Darrius Liggins [6-4, 233, r-Jr.] 88 Ja'Kerrius Wyatt [6-3, 306, Fr.] 89 Jordan Gonzalez [6-5, 255, r-Fr.] 90 Rakavian Poydras [6-1, 290, r-Fr.] 91 Jordan Ferguson [6-2, 280, Fr.] 92 Ty Nix [6-0, 282, r-Fr.] 93 Malik Manciel [6-3, 257, r-So.] 94 Tyshun Render [6-4, 253, r-So.] 95 Trae Philpots [6-4, 243, r-So.] 96 Rosheem Collins [6-1, 303, Jr.] 97 Aaron Griffith [6-0, 300, Jr.] 98 Chris Myers [6-6, 261, r-Fr.] -- Jordan James [6-4, 305, r-So.] |
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| Tucker ready for last go-round with Blue Raiders By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 23 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A long and winding road is entering its last turn for Shane Tucker. The redshirt senior running back from Memphis has been through a lot since arriving at Middle Tennessee in 2013. He was redshirted then un-redshirted after nine games in his freshman season, had offseason surgery before being Honorable Mention All-Conference USA as a sophomore, played in just 11 games due to injury in his junior season and last year took a redshirt after a leg injury forced him out of action the whole year. Now, he's entering his final year in Murfreesboro back at his natural position. He was moved to wide receiver prior to his 2016 injury, but he'll be a running back for his last Blue Raider campaign. He's also finally fully healthy. "I'm 100 percent," Tucker said. "I'm not using injuries as a crutch or anything - this is the best I've felt in a few years. Hopefully it continues to be that way and I can roll into Sept. 2 the best that I can be." Tucker came to Middle Tennessee as a three-star prospect out of Memphis University School. He was the 19th-best prospect in Tennessee and named all-state as a junior and senior after combining for 2,816 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in an offense featuring MT offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's system. While he had multiple offers from Southeastern Conference schools, MT stood out for one big reason. "Really, it was all [head coach Rick Stockstill]," Tucker said. "I was a three-star recruit and had a couple of SEC offers, but I trusted that Coach Stock would take care of me for my four, now five, years here. I couldn't have asked for a better coach to play for and better university." Through all of the trials and tribulations in his career, Tucker never rested on his laurels. He kept working hard even when he couldn't get on the field, trying to become more of a leader and learning more about the game he loves. "He's a great vocal leader, and he's turned into a really great teacher," Franklin said. "He's a guy I would hire as a coach, because he really understands football and has done a great job this summer of getting our guys to do the little things right. He's kind of like a coach." Though he's gone through multiple injuries, some of them major, Tucker hasn't changed much about the way he plays and practices. Rather, he's tried to take care of his body better after practices and in the weight room, and it seems to be paying off. "Football is a contact sport, and of course you're going to get banged up a little bit, especially as a running back," he said. "We have great trainers here and [strength coach Jason Spray] does a great job getting our bodies ready. At the end of the day, it's football and injuries happen, and you just have to bounce back from them." Going into this season, Middle Tennessee is searching for a way to replace graduate I'Tavius Mathers' production from out of the backfield a season ago. He set a new MT single-season record with 1,561 rushing yards, but it was in the passing game where he really set himself apart. His 2,194 all-purpose yards were also a school record, and he's the only player in NCAA FBS history to rack up 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season. Franklin is hoping Tucker's ability to catch the football, as evidenced by his move to wide receiver last year, will help ease the pain of Mathers' loss. "[Tucker's] opportunity to help us as a team is to be a physical, big back that can catch the ball out of the backfield and also do stuff in an empty set," the second-year MT offensive coordinator said. "We need someone who can finish runs who has a bigger body, and he brings that." Tucker also brings a leadership mentality to the backfield and to the entire offense. He was named a permanent team captain prior to fall camp. "That's something I've developed since I've been here," he said. "When I was a freshman here four or five years ago, the older guys taught me the ropes, and that's what I'm trying to do for the younger guys. I'm trying to be more vocal and be a leader throughout practice and games and off the field, also." With health on his side and being in his natural position, Tucker is hoping for a banner year for the blue and white. Though, he'll try to keep things slow and not get ahead of himself, that way he can take in all of his experiences every day from his last season. "It's very surreal being in my last season with all of the things I've been through career-wise," he said. "I take things day by day and know anything can happen at any point. I'm just continuing to try to stay humble and work my butt off to be the best I can be." |
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| Raiders hold annual Beanie Bowl MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The season opener against Vanderbilt is still two weeks away but it looked a lot like game day activities during Wednesday morning's Middle Tennessee football practice. Blue Raider Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill put his team through a dress rehearsal of sorts at Floyd Stadium in preparation of the Sept. 2 opener. Kickoff is 7 p.m. It has become customary throughout Stockstill's career to conduct what is called the "Beanie Bowl" each year. The purpose is to put the Blue Raiders through every situation possible during the scripted scrimmage. "It was a scripted practice where we went through different kicking plays that can occur in a game from onsides to hands teams to kick after a safety, a return after a safety, a regular kickoff, kickoff return punt safe and punt block," Stockstill said. "Then we put the first-team offense against the second-team defense in certain situations during a 10-play drive." Not only did players go through the pregame and various situations created by the coaching staff but the Blue Raider offensive and defensive scout teams represented the Vanderbilt offense and defense, respectively. Attention to detail was prevalent throughout the scrimmage, from prior to kick-off when Stockstill addressed where players would be on the sideline, to the flip of the coin and other various situations throughout the nearly three-hour workout. Coaches wore headsets and relayed the plays onto the field from the press box. Officials were working the field and replay officials were in the booth. As important as the run-through is for the players, Stockstill says it is equally important for the coaches and everyone who is involved with the program during the course of the game. "A lot of times people think this is just for the players but this is a very valuable practice for our coaches as well," said Stockstill. "We work on everything from the pregame warm-up to the coin toss. It's all very important and we want to make sure everybody knows what to do during any type of situation." Plays went according to a pre-determined script regardless of what the outcome of a particular play may have been. "No matter what happened on the play, whether it was a 40-yard gain or a 10-yard sack, we moved the ball on the next play to a different situation," said Stockstill. "We did this so our coaches can call a game with 2nd-and-5, 3rd-and-2 or whatever, while also working in various kicking situations. Everybody had to be alert and attentive on the sidelines with our substitutions." Players even went through pre-game warm-ups and were sent out to the field in their respective groups, as will be the case on game days. They went through the entire Game Day routine and conducted warm-ups in their Game Day areas. Fall camp will conclude with Saturday's practice as classes begin for students Monday. |
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| Position Breakdown: Offensive Line By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 22 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - It's often said that an offense is only as good as its offensive line, and Middle Tennessee's record-setting attack from the past few seasons fit the bill with one of the best groups in the nation. The Blue Raiders have ranked in the top 25 nationally in fewest sacks allowed five times in the last six seasons, including an 11th-place finish in 2016 (1.08 allowed per game). In 2017, though, some question marks hover over the offensive line that will have to be answered by the time Vanderbilt travels to Floyd Stadium on Sept. 2 for the season opener. "We've had some movement over the past few days with guys moving up and down, and I'm sure that'll continue through the week," offensive line coach Rick Mallory said. "We're finding the best five guys that we can get on the field at the same time, and it's a continuous search for that, it's a process. "We're looking for consistency and performance, and who can do the things we need them to do when they get a little gassed." Through three weeks of 2016 fall camp, MT had starters and even some backups in place along the line. Daniel Stephens was set at center, Josh Chester and Chandler Brewer flanked him on either side at guard, and Carlos Johnson and Maurquice Shakir were planted at the tackle positions. With one week left in 2017 camp, the scene is much different. Stephens, Chester, Shakir and main backup Hunter Rodgers are all gone, and with them went 167 combined games played and 98 starts over the past four years. Only Brewer and Johnson are back, and around them are a cast of some new faces and guys getting the opportunity to step into bigger roles. "We have a lot of competition in the group right now," Brewer said. "The young guys have to keep going, and for us older guys who've played a lot, we have to have that leadership to get us rolling. Details are a big deal in this game, and we have to come out here every day and get better at those details." Brewer, a junior, brings the most experience to the group. He's started 24 of 26 games as a Blue Raider, ranking second on the team. Johnson, a redshirt junior, has played in 18 games with 13 starts, and he was one of the main cogs of the line in 2016 before an ankle injury forced him to miss the last three games of the regular season. With Johnson out, redshirt junior Robert Behanan stepped in and made two spot starts at tackle the last two weeks of the regular season. He was moved over to center in the spring, and has impressed there so far through camp. "He's shown great potential," Brewer said. "He's shown he can be a leader in the middle of the line. I was used to playing with Dan [Stephens] there, but Rob has stepped in and been awesome so far. I'm excited for him." A handful of players have cycled through the left side of the line in camp. Redshirt seniors Conner Trent (20 games played at MT with no starts) and Lucas Hamilton (three starts at tight end for the Blue Raiders), sophomore Amir Luckett (Scottsdale Community College transfer), and freshmen D.J. Delfendahl and Elijah Dobbins have all gotten considerable playing time. Mallory is hoping some of them can separate themselves from the pack over the next 11 days. "Right now, one guy will have a good day then come right back and have a bad day," he said. "There's a human tendency that when you think you've arrived, you get complacent. We've seen that in some of our kids. "We're fighting human nature, but we'll find five tough guys to put on the field in 11 days." Offensive linemen on the roster: 54 Ty Watkins [6-1, 289, R-Jr.] 55 Carlos Johnson [6-3, 335, R-Jr.] 62 Jack Mitchell [6-2, 279, R-Jr.] 63 Eric Golston [6-3, 330, Jr.] 68 Luke Harris [6-4, 301, R-Fr.] 70 Conner Trent [6-5, 317, R-Sr.] 71 Angelo Owens [6-4, 291, R-Jr.] 72 Josh Fannin [6-3, 268, R-So.] 73 Chandler Brewer [6-6, 320, Jr.] 74 Robert Behanan [6-3, 293, R-Jr.] 75 Lucas Hamilton [6-5, 300, R-Sr.] 76 D.J. Delfendahl [6-4, 274, Fr.] 77 Amir Luckett [6-2, 287, So.] 78 Elijah Dobbins [6-4, 287, Fr.] 79 Cole Kirby [6-4, 285, Fr.] -- Jared Roberts [6-2, 285, Fr.] -- Eric Seay [6-1, 315, Fr.] |
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| Camp Notebook #3 By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 20 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Only one week remains of camp for Middle Tennessee, and plenty has been accomplished over three weeks in Murfreesboro. The Blue Raiders will start focusing more on their season-opening matchup against Vanderbilt this week as they prepare for the first game week of the season. Here are some storylines from camp so far to keep in mind:
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| Camp Q&A with Conner Trent
Who would you say was your role model growing up? Peyton Manning, for sure. I grew up in Tennessee, close to Knoxville. I just like the way he played, his personality, the way he did things on and off the field. I just think he's an awesome guy and is an awesome role model to have even for kids today. What is your favorite home-cooked meal? My mamaw makes steak and gravy with mashed potatoes - it's really good. Who is your celebrity crush? Man, that's a tough one. I'd say the last couple of years it's been Margot Robbie. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid? Easy one: Tom and Jerry. Who on the team has the best dance moves? Malik Manciel, no contest. Who is your favorite superhero? Probably Superman, just because he can do it all. Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving? I'm terribly afraid of heights, so scuba for sure. If you could only have one for the rest of your life, would you rather have sweet candy or chocolate? Sweet candy. I'm not a big chocolate guy. My favorite is the salt water taffy Coach Brock keeps in his office. What is your favorite show to binge on Netflix? The Office, no question about it. If you could be any animal, what would you choose? Probably something big, like a grizzly bear. What is your favorite pregame routine? Just hanging out with my boys. Being with them gets me hyped and ready. |
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| Position Breakdown: Cornerbacks By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 18 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - If Middle Tennessee wants to be successful defensively against the potent passing attacks on its schedule, its cornerbacks will have to be outstanding. The Blue Raiders will square off in 2017 against four of the top seven Conference USA passing offenses from a season ago, and their Week 2 opponent, Syracuse, finished 11th in the nation in passing in 2016. While MT has several opponents sporting outstanding passing games, the cornerbacks can benefit from practicing every day against another lethal air attack. The Blue Raiders finished 2016 with the eighth-best passing offense in the nation (third in C-USA), and getting to go up against it every day has been a great teaching tool for the cornerback group. "We've got wide-outs all over the place, so for us, to go against those guys every day makes us better," cornerbacks coach Steve Ellis said. "[Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin] puts a lot of stress on you as a defense, so he pushes our defense to be their best every day." Middle Tennessee lost only one cornerback, Jeremy Cutrer, from last year's team. The group will also add redshirt junior Darryl Randolph, who ranked sixth on the team with 63 tackles as a safety in 2016. Randolph is moving back to his natural position after being a safety last season, where he also had two pass breakups to add to his 63 stops. "When I first got here I played corner, but I moved to safety last year because we needed depth there," he said. "Moving from safety, you have a much narrower focus as a cornerback. You're focused on your man more than the whole field." Randolph has certainly shown the move was a positive one. Through three weeks of camp, he's found himself on the first team for most drills opposite redshirt senior Mike Minter, who started 24 games over the past two seasons and intercepted two passes in 2016. Along with Minter and Randolph, senior Charvarius Ward will also bring experience to the group. The Hinds Community College transfer played in 12 games and earned two starts in his first season as a Blue Raider a year ago. "The most important thing we bring is knowledge," Minter said. "Coach can give us a call, but if we see something funny on the field, we know when to make a check and what check to make. I think that helps the other guys on the defense, too." Adding to the experienced guys are a handful of newcomers, including redshirt freshmen Kylan Stribling and Justin Brown and junior transfers O.J. Johnson and Kamau Farrell-Burke. The new pieces in the cornerback group will hopefully add plenty of depth, and they could also give the Blue Raider defense a size element to combat big opposing receivers. "It's a tradition in college football now to have bigger wide receivers," Ellis said. "We've tried to get some bigger guys who can set the edge ... if we can get that, we can be better at defending the run. Bigger guys will hopefully stand up better to the physicality of a long season, too." With a cast of corners on the roster, the Blue Raiders appear prime to improve on their seventh-ranked C-USA passing defense from 2016. Cornerbacks on the roster: 2 Charvarius Ward [6-1, 195, Sr.] 4 O.J. Johnson [6-0, 195, Jr.] 6 Mike Minter [6-0, 175, R-Sr.] 17 Kylan Stribling [5-11, 185, R-Fr.] 18 Raheme Fuller [6-3, 192, Fr.] 21 Justin Brown [6-0, 183, R-Fr.] 24 Jermel Walker [6-1, 187, R-Jr.] 29 Darryl Randolph [5-11, 181, R-Jr.] 36 Kamau Farrell-Burke [6-3, 187, Jr.] -- Brandon Archer [6-0, 178, R-Fr.] -- Sidney Austin [6-0, 180, R-So.] -- DeMonte Felton [6-0, 178, R-Jr.] -- Joseph Freeland [6-2, 195, R-Jr.] |
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| Position Breakdown: Running Backs By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 17 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - How to replace graduate I'Tavius Mathers in the backfield is one of the biggest questions for Middle Tennessee this season. Mathers enjoyed the best year for a running back in MT history in 2016. In his lone season with the Blue Raiders, his 1,561 rushing yards and 2,194 all-purpose yards set new school single-season records. He also became the first player in NCAA FBS history to rack up 1,500 yards rushing, 500 yards receiving and 60 catches in the same season. Middle Tennessee may not have a running back on its roster that can do all of the things Mathers was able to do from a skillset perspective. However, a committee is forming that could come close to filling his shoes. "We have five guys that when we started camp, any one of them could have been the starter," running backs coach Jeff Beckles said. "That creates a lot of competition in there, so everyone knows they can't take a day off." Leading the MT backfield is redshirt senior Shane Tucker, who is making the move back to running back this season after being a wide receiver in 2016. Tucker missed all of last year because of a broken leg, but he's received a bulk of first-team reps in this year's camp while redshirt sophomore Terelle West has been sidelined due to injury. Tucker's 1,140 career rushing yards are the most among active Blue Raiders. "My leg is 100 percent," Tucker said. "This is the best I've felt since I've been here, and hopefully it stays that way so we can go into Sept. 2 100 percent." Behind Tucker and West, a pair of juniors have also gotten into the mix during camp. Maurice Gordon, a Navarro College transfer, led the Bulldogs with 903 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 2016, and he was ranked the sixth-best JUCO running back in the nation by 247Sports. Like Tucker, Desmond Anderson has also moved from receiver back to the backfield. Freshman Brad Anderson, from Huntsville, Alabama, has also entered the fold for MT as a guy who may see playing time. "Each of those guys bring a lot to the table," Beckles said. "We do a lot with our backs - we have them in the backfield, split them out like a wide receiver and use them as a lead blocker. That's good that we have different types of backs, so whenever we need something in a certain situation, we have that." Having so many weapons could turn the Blue Raider backfield into more of a rotation. That could help keep the running backs fresh. "When we had an eight, 10, 12-play drive, towards the end [Mathers] was getting a little winded," Beckles said. "We feel like now in the middle of a drive we can put in a back with fresh legs and not lose a beat, and at the end of drives our backs will be fresher." If the running back group can stay healthy and utilize their committee, the loss of Mathers may not sting as much as anticipated. Running backs on the roster: 1 Shane Tucker [6-0, 220, R-Sr.] 11 Brad Anderson [5-8, 170, Fr.] 25 Desmond Anderson [5-10, 176, Jr.] 28 Maurice Gordon [5-10, 194, Jr.] 35 Terelle West [5-10, 193, R-So.] 45 Will Mitchell [5-6, 183, R-Fr.] -- Landon Board [5-8, 172, Fr.] -- Dexter Hurd [5-10, 246, R-Fr.] |
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| Blue Raider offense complimentary of aggressive defense By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 16 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Over the past few seasons, Middle Tennessee's defense has often looked a step behind its record-setting offense in practice drills. Through two weeks of camp this year, though, some of the key players for the Blue Raider offense have noticed a difference in their counterparts. It's a difference that has many around the program buzzing about the potential of their defense. "They're flying around a little more, and in the past, it's been a little easier for the offense to move the ball and do the things we want to do," redshirt senior running back Shane Tucker said. "The defensive guys are doing a great job right now and making it hard for us to do what we want to do, and we're just out there being competitive." The competitive and aggressive play so far is exactly what new defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, who was hired to replace Tyrone Nix in January, was hoping to see. Since coming to Murfreesboro, the former Syracuse head coach and defensive coordinator has tried to implement more of an attacking 4-3 scheme than the Blue Raiders have been used to. It appears the defense has responded well so far. "They're very aggressive," redshirt junior wide receiver Richie James said. "You can tell they've been coached well. Coach Shafer is putting them in positions to succeed, and that's where they need to be. "We've got a lot of athletes on defense, so hopefully they come with that same intensity every single day leading up to game day." When Shafer took over the Syracuse defense in 2009 under Doug Marrone, he inherited a unit ranked 101st in the nation in total and scoring defense the year prior. Then, in 2010, the Orange ranked seventh and 17th in the country in total and scoring defense, respectively. He's hoping to make a similar change to the MT defense, which ranked 11th in scoring (35.8 points per game) and ninth in total defense (449.5 yards per game) in Conference USA in 2016. It's all started with going back to fundamentals, especially in the way the Blue Raiders tackle. The extra work has seemed to pay off in camp. "They're really physical and flying downhill, and I think we have a good group that plays really hard and does the fundamentals really well," redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill said. "I think we're going to be a good tackling team." Playing downhill and getting a cast of players around the ball is also something Shafer has preached to his defense. That way, they can attack the ball carrier, instead of sitting back and waiting for things to develop in front of them. "I think they're going to set the tone and dictate what the [opposing] offense does," Stockstill said. "Instead of sitting back and keeping everything in front, we're going to force the issue and attack it that way." A good fall camp may not mean anything if the Blue Raiders don't show improvements when they strap up to take on Vanderbilt on Sept. 2 inside Floyd Stadium. However, if the defense plays with the confidence its shown through two weeks of camp, a better product should be on the field for MT fans. "They talk a lot, and that's how you know they're competitive," James said. "You can tell they're aggressive, they want to compete and they want to be the best. That's what we need, and it's going to make us better." |
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| Position Breakdown: Safeties By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 15 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The last line of defense will be important for every Conference USA team in 2017, and Middle Tennessee is no different. In order to minimize the effectiveness of the potent passing attacks found in the conference, the Blue Raiders will have to get solid, consistent play from its defensive backs. Luckily for new defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, he has plenty of experience looming in the safeties group. "A lot of us played a lot last year," redshirt senior Alex Dale said. "We're kind of looked at to be vocal leaders ... we're the last line of defense, so we can't let anything get by us." Along with Dale, the group returns everyone from the 2016 season except for redshirt junior Darryl Randolph, who moved over to fill a starting cornerback spot. Two of the team's top six returning tacklers - Dale and junior Jovante Moffatt - come from the group, and it's clear they're the leaders of the unit. Moffatt has turned into a play caller for Shafer on the back end. His 76 total tackles ranked second on the team last season, and he also recorded three passes defended. "I think Moffatt has done a nice job of taking charge," Shafer said. "He's gotten to a point where he's making most of the calls and communicating with the guys." Not only are older players like Dale and Moffatt taking charge of the back end of the defense, but new guys are also getting plenty of chances to make good impressions. Junior college transfer Wesley Bush (Northwest Mississippi Community College) and redshirt sophomore Vernon Walker, who was in on 87 snaps for MT a season ago, have gotten a lot of opportunities with the first team through two weeks of camp so far. True freshmen Reed Blankenship and Cody Smith have also been pleasant surprises early in camp. They seem to be absorbing Shafer's system, and the older guys have taken to the new coach, as well. "I think the mantra around here is playing hard, and they're doing that," Dale said. "We have more emphasis on things like effort and attitude - all the things Coach Stock has always preached to us." Shafer has stated he wants to preach aggressiveness to the entire defense, and the safeties are no different. However, they have to be flexible, and the experience the group provides has helped them hit the ground running with everything Shafer has asked. "Sometimes they're down in it, and sometimes they're back over the top," the defensive coordinator said. "I think the key is being able to be multiple and having a sense of change. "More than anything, we're looking for that organization that tells us we're sound, where we need to be and on the same page." Safeties on the roster: 7 Jovante Moffatt [6-0, 200, Jr.] 12 Reed Blankenship [6-1, 175, Fr.] 22 Alex Dale [5-10, 200, R-Sr.] 23 Wesley Bush [6-1, 191, Jr.] 26 Wayne Parks [5-11, 216, Fr.] 42 Cody Smith {6-2, 205, Fr.] 46 Vernon Walker [6-0, 184, R-So.] 47 Reginald Henderson [6-2, 194, R-Fr.] -- Joseph Freeland [6-2, 195, R-Jr.] -- Tad Onwu [5-11, 183, R-Jr.] |
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| Camp Q&A with Canon Rooker
If you could be any animal, what would you be? Turtle. I think they're pretty cool. They're pretty slow, I'm slow and they're pretty smart, so I like that about them. What athlete did you look up to as a role model when you were a kid? I'm a pretty big Peyton Manning fan. I loved the way he carried himself on and off the field. I feel like he always did everything first class. What is your favorite subject in school? I'd have to say chemistry. I'm a biology-chemistry major here at MTSU, so I really enjoy the chemistry aspect. What is your favorite home-cooked meal? Chicken enchiladas my mom cooks me every time I come home. What social media do you like or use the most? I'm honestly not the biggest social media guy, but if I had to pick, I'd go Instagram. I check it a lot. Who is your celebrity crush? Definitely Selena Gomez. What is your favorite pre-game routine? It's more of a weekly routine during the season. We do a special teams player of the week, so that's something I like to see. What is your favorite show to binge watch? Game of Thrones. Sweet candy or chocolate? Chocolate, my favorite is Crunch a Bunch. Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving? Skydiving, even though I hate heights. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid? Suite Life of Zach and Cody. |
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| MT staff benefits from mix of youth, experience By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 13 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - With 12 years at the helm of Middle Tennessee's football team under his belt, head coach Rick Stockstill can be called one of the most experienced head coaches, not just Conference USA, but the nation. This season, he's surrounded himself with plenty of other experienced men on his coaching staff to help lead the Blue Raiders, and he's also added a few young, bright minds. With the addition of defensive coordinator Scott Shafer in January, Stockstill's position coaches now include two guys - Shafer and defensive line coach Tommy West - who've been head coaches at Power 5 conference schools. Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin also won the 2007 Chik-fil-A Bowl as the interim head coach at Auburn University. In addition to Franklin, Shafer and West, four other coaches on MT's staff - cornerbacks coach Steven Ellis, offensive line coach Rick Mallory, tackles and tight ends coach Mike Polly and running backs coach Jeff Beckles - have more than 10 years' coaching experience. The knowledge and wisdom the group of coaches have could be invaluable for the Blue Raiders this season. "All of those guys have been successful," Stockstill said. "I rely heavily on those guys, and I'm really fortunate to have what I think is a really good staff." While a majority of the staff brings a lot of years of experience to the table, two new coaches don't have as long of a history. Wide receivers coach Austin Silvoy was promoted to the job after serving in a quality control position for MT the previous year, and new linebackers coach Siriki Diabate was hired in June. Diabate came to MT after coaching safeties at Colgate University for three years, while Silvoy has five years of experience at Central Oklahoma and Florida Tech. Their youth - they're 26 and 27 years old, respectively - gives the coaching staff another tool to help get the attention of the team. "They bring energy, and that's what they should bring," West, who made stops as a head coach at Clemson, Memphis and UT-Chattanooga, said. "Not that we don't have it, but we don't have energy like some of those younger guys." The experienced members of the staff have also done wonders in helping Silvoy and Diabate grow as coaches already. "It's an awesome experience, because I can soak it all in," Silvoy said. "They've forgotten more football than I know, so I'm just trying to pay attention to the details. "Coach Stock does a great job with organization, so seeing him organize the program and keep it as structured as possible is good." When looking for coaches to come onto his staff, Stockstill doesn't necessarily look for how experienced a candidate is. Instead, he looks at what kind of person he'll bring in to teach his players. "The first thing I look at is if they're a good person ... and then someone who's a good football coach," Stockstill said. "It really doesn't matter if they've coached one year or 50 years - I want a good person first, and then a qualified coach who's going to be relentless as a recruiter and takes a genuine, sincere interest in the players they coach." Sometimes, as in the case with Diabate, coaches come onto Stockstill's staff with experience beyond their years. The linebackers coach spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Syracuse while Shafer was the head coach, and he also held two internships as an on-field linebackers coach with the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. "[Diabate] can relate to the players and understands their culture," Shafer said. "He's a young man that's probably the most unselfish person I know. He's an intelligent young man, and we're lucky to have him." The mix of the young, up-and-coming coaches mixed with the multiple seasoned veterans has gone exactly how Stockstill hoped it would halfway through fall camp as the Blue Raiders prepare for their season opener on Sept. 2. "I think we've got a good mixture of youth and experience," he said. "These players are fortunate to have the men that they have coaching them." |
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| CAMP NOTEBOOK #2 August 12, 2017 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Two weeks of fall camp are in the books for Middle Tennessee. After focusing on conditioning and implementing the playbook in the first week, the second was dedicated to putting some plans into action. The Blue Raiders are starting to come into form with three weeks left until Vanderbilt makes the short trip from Nashville to Murfreesboro on Sept. 2 for the season opener, and some changes are in store for the second half of camp. Here are some storylines to keep in mind:
Reginald Henderson, R-Fr., wide receiver to safety Jermel Walker, R-Jr., wide receiver to cornerback Desmond Anderson, Jr., wide receiver to running back Ruben Garnett, R-So., running back to wide receiver Darryl Randolph, R-Jr., safety to cornerback Robert Behanan, R-Jr., tackle to center
Here is a list of newcomers and their numbers: 4 O.J. Johnson, DB, Jr. 9 Tavares Thomas, LB, Jr. 11 Brad Anderson, RB, Fr. 12 Reed Blankenship, DB, Fr. 13 Tyrese Johnson, WR, Fr. 18 Raheme Fuller, DB, Fr. 20 DQ Thomas, LB, Fr. 23 Wesley Bush, DB, Jr. 26 Wayne Parks, DB, Fr. 28 Maurice Gordon, RB, Jr. 36 Kamau Farrell-Burke, DB, Jr. 42 Cody Smith, DB, Fr. 44 Chaton Mobley, LB, Fr. 45 Will Mitchell, RB, R-Fr. 56 Walter Brady, DE, R-Jr. 58 Russ Hiett, DS, R-Fr. 63 Eric Golston, OL, Jr. 76 D.J. Delfendahl, OL, Fr. 77 Amir Luckett, OL, So. 78 Elijah Dobbins, OL, Fr. 79 Cole Kirby, OL, Fr. 82 Remy Wasserbach, WR, Jr. 83 Jimmy Marshall, WR, Fr. 84 Zeke Cobb, WR, Fr. 86 Tavonn Salter, WR, Jr. 91 Jordan Ferguson, DT, Fr. 96 Rosheem Collins, DL, Jr. 97 Aaron Griffith, DT, Jr.
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| Camp Q&A with Darryl Randolph
What's your favorite pregame routine? Probably stretching. Stretching is the most critical thing for a defensive back, so I like to stretch to get loose before the game. What social media outlet do you use the most? Instagram. I like to see other college players around the world, just the things they do and how they train. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid? Courage the Cowardly Dog If you could only have one for the rest of your life, would you rather have sweet candy or chocolate? Sweet candy. Who has the best hair on the team? [Redshirt sophomore safety] Vernon Walker Who has the best dance moves on the team? Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle] Malik Manciel Who is your celebrity crush? Rihanna What athlete do you look up to as a role model? Man, I've kind of always been on the smaller side, so as a defensive back I've always looked up to [Arizona Cardinals safety] Tyrann Mathieu. He's a big role model for me. Are you more of a Tupac or Biggie fan? Biggie. Who's your favorite superhero? Batman If you could be any animal, what would you choose? Probably a lion. They're just the biggest animals, king of the jungle. |
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| Position Breakdown: Wide Receivers By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 10 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Blue Raider fans have seen two record-breaking offensive seasons in a row at Middle Tennessee. After setting school records in most offensive categories in 2015, the Blue Raiders followed with another all-time season in 2016, setting new highs in points scored (516), total yards (6,730) and many other areas. One of the main reasons for the offensive explosions in Murfreesboro the past two years was MT's exceptional wide receiver play, and it's expected to continue in 2017. Led by redshirt junior Richie James, a 2016 Third Team All-American and two-time All-Conference USA First Team member, Blue Raider receivers have had a hand in setting school records in passing yards and touchdowns each of the last two seasons. Luckily for Middle Tennessee's offense and redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill, only one receiver, Dennis Andrews, is gone from last year's team. Junior Desmond Anderson and redshirt senior Shane Tucker also switched from wide receiver to running back, but the rest of the cast is back. The returning experience was important for the group's new position coach. Austin Silvoy was promoted in March from quality control to wide receivers coach. "He does a good job of getting us to finish," James said. "He gets on us if we don't finish a drill or a route. He's definitely an energizer bunny out there and is constantly on us. It's good for us, and he's doing great." James, who was recently named the top returning college player in the state of Tennessee (58th in the nation) by 247Sports, has been the clear leader of the group the past two seasons. He currently ranks second at MT all-time in receptions (213) and receiving yards (2,971) and is fourth in touchdown catches (20). He's also ranked first nationally among active players in receptions per game and receiving yards per game, and if he continues his pace of 1,485.5 receiving yards per season, he'll easily break the NCAA's all-time receiving yards record (5,278). "He continues to get better and better," Silvoy said. "He really is a leader by example and is constantly doing the right things." Joining James as returning talent for this year's team are redshirt junior Patrick Smith (332 receiving yards, four TDs in 2016) and a host of sophomores that include FWAA Freshman All-American Ty Lee (63 catches, 699 yards and nine TDs), CJ Windham, Jocquez Bruce and Isiah Upton. Also with the returners this season in the receiving corps is a host of big newcomers. Freshmen Jimmy Marshall and Zeke Cobb and junior Mt. San Antonio transfer Tavonn Salter are all listed at 6-foot-2 or taller, and if they can contribute for the Blue Raiders this season, they could give the offense another dimension. "They just compliment everyone ... we can do a lot of fade routes around the goal line and in the red zone. It just gives us another asset to the offense," James said. No matter who lines up outside for the Blue Raiders, expect them to be successful in offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's system. "Coach Franklin is all about the details and trying to push us to be better every day, and as long as we can do that we'll be successful," Silvoy said. Wide Receivers on the roster: 3 Richie James [5-9, 176, R-Jr.] 5 Jocquez Bruce [5-10, 167, R-So.] 8 Ty Lee [5-9, 163, So.] 9 Isiah Upton [6-0, 180, R-So.] 13 Tyrese Johnson [5-8, 167, Fr.] 27 Ruben Garnett [5-9, 170, R-So.] 34 Tyshawn Brown [6-1, 174, So.] 37 Patrick Smith [6-0, 177, R-Jr.] 81 CJ Windham [6-2, 201, So.] 82 Remy Wasserbach [5-10, 190, Jr.] 83 Jimmy Marshall [6-5, 216, Fr.] 84 Zeke Cobb [6-3, 207, Fr.] 86 Tavonn Salter [6-2, 200, Jr.] 87 Ricky Blair [6-3, 184, Sr.] -- Yusuf Ali [5-9, 170, Fr.] -- Aidan Black [6-3, 216, R-So.] -- Peyton Burke [5-11, 183, R-Fr.] -- Zack Dobson [5-8, 165, Fr.] -- Chris Dunnum [5-11, 180, R-Jr.] -- Xavier Dupree [5-11, 163, R-Fr.] -- Robert Kelley [5-9, 175, R-Sr.] -- Fundrail Quimbley [6-0, 193, R-So.] -- William Wilcox [6-6, 225, R-Fr.] -- Ulysses Williams [6-3, 200, Fr.] |
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| Florence High reunion a long time coming for Brady, Manciel, Brewer By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 9 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee head football coach Rick Stockstill might owe something to Florence High School head coach Jason Wallace. Wallace was promoted to the head job at Florence in 2014 after spending two years as the team's defensive coordinator. In his last season as a coordinator and first as a head coach, he was instrumental in the early development of three players who are expected to be some of the biggest leaders for MT in 2017. During the 2013 season, Wallace, in his last season as a coordinator at that time, was granted with the transfer of high school senior defensive end Walter Brady to add to a line already featuring high school junior defensive tackle Malik Manciel. On the other side of the ball, Chandler Brewer, also a high school junior at the time, was trying to keep opposing teams off the Florence quarterback. Little did Manciel and Brewer know it was the first of two times Brady would transfer to their school and make an impact. Brady and Manciel clicked immediately on Wallace's defense. In his only season at Florence, Brady tallied 85 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and two interceptions. Manciel, a 2014 all-state first team selection, would then finish his high school career a year later with a total of 231.5 tackles, 67.5 TFLs, 19 sacks, 30 pressures, 10 pass breakups, three blocked field goals and an interception. On the offensive line, Brewer was instrumental in leading one of the best offenses in the state of Alabama. He was named honorable mention all-state as a junior in 2013, then as a senior was placed on the 6A all-state second team after helping Florence average 33.1 points per game. The three had the chance right away to carry their relationship to Middle Tennessee. When Brady graduated in 2013, a year ahead of Manciel and Brewer, he was originally verbally committed to the Blue Raiders. But, he flipped his commitment to Missouri at the last minute, meaning a reunion would have to wait. Brady redshirted his first season in Columbia, then in 2015 led the nation's freshmen with seven sacks on his way to being named a First Team Freshman All-American. At the same time in Murfreesboro, Brewer became a starter for the Blue Raiders as a true freshman, while Manciel took a redshirt year. Their paths looked to be going in different directions until the spring of 2016, when it was announced Brady would seek a transfer from Missouri. With Brewer and Manciel already firmly entrenched at MT, Brady began searching in the spring of 2016 for a place to transfer, and he knew just where to look: to the school where his two former teammates were. "At the end of the day, you always want to go somewhere where you're comfortable," Brady said. "Coach Stock looked thoroughly at my situation ... and gave me an opportunity to come here and be a part of this family so I can grow as a man. "It's great being able to line up next to the kid [Manciel] again and do what we do best. We're looking forward to getting out there to do it together." Brady enrolled at Middle Tennessee in September and was forced to sit out the 2016 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Now, almost a year later, he, Brewer and Manciel are prepping to be on the same field for the first time since 2013. "It's an awesome thing with all of us playing together again," Brewer said. "Malik and I have been together going on five, six years, and now to get Walter back, it's great. He's definitely going to help out our defense this year." The three will be key pieces to the success of the Blue Raiders this season. Brewer is the most experienced lineman the Raiders have, and his 24 career starts rank second on the team behind Richie James' 25. Manciel and Brady will slot into starting positions on the other side of the ball, where they will be tasked at replacing a combined 230 games played and 106 starts from the loss of five graduates. The leadership the three bring will be instrumental to their young position groups. "Even I still learn a lot from Walt," Manciel said. "He's a hard worker and a great pass rusher. Chandler's a hard worker, too. When he got to Florence, I saw him work every day to get better, and he's a monster in the weight room. I'm glad everything's panned out for all of us, and we're excited to help lead this team this year." While all three are older and more mature now than they were four years ago when Brady transferred to Florence, some things haven't changed. "We had a lot of fun at high school," Brady said. "It's always been a competition between me and Manciel on the D-line, and at the end of the day we go out there and create as much chaos as we can for opposing offenses. "He thinks he can outdo me. You just have to let kids dream these days." |
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| Camp Q&A with Walter Brady
What athlete did you look up to as a role model? Dwight Freeney. I grew up playing defense and I'm a huge fan of his get-off and his ability to get to the quarterback over the long span of his career in the league. Who's your favorite superhero? I wouldn't say I like the superheroes as much as the villains, so I'd pick Black Spiderman. What's your favorite home-cooked meal? Oh man. My momma can throw down in the kitchen, so I'll probably say her fried chicken, for sure. Who on the team has the best dance moves? Dale Craig. Who on the team has best hair? Me! Would you rather go skydiving or scuba diving? Skydiving. I don't mess with the water too much. Tupac or Biggie? Tupac. If you could be any animal, what would you be? A bull. They're naturally strong, and throughout my life my family and I have been in positions where we've had to be bulls, had to be naturally strong and stand our ground and on our foundation. Who is your celebrity crush? Meagan Good. What's the best movie you've seen recently? The Spongebob Movie. |
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| Former Raiders use MT lessons to excel with Titans By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 7 NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Former Blue Raiders getting the chance to play in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans is nothing new. When former MT safety Kevin Byard was drafted by the team in the third round of the 2016 draft (No. 64 overall), he became the sixth Blue Raider to don a Titans jersey. This season, two more alums - Erik Walden and Jimmy Staten - have joined him just up the road from Murfreesboro in Nashville. "It's a blessing. I thank God every day for being here and being able to do what a lot of people can't," Staten said. "I've been around a bit, so being back here in Nashville I think is a part of the plan." Byard spent the entirety of his rookie season as the only Middle Tennessee alum on the Tennessee roster and excelled on the field, finishing third on the team with 58 total tackles. This season, he's hoping for bigger and better things with Walden and Staten by his side. "The moment I got drafted it was a blessing knowing I would come back to the Middle Tennessee area," Byard said. "Last year, I got my feet wet and was able to go out and make a few plays, but I definitely want to be able to up my game this year and take it to a whole new level." While Byard's NFL journey is just getting started, Walden and Staten have been around the block some. Walden, an outside linebacker and 2007 MT graduate who's the school's all-time leader in sacks (22.5), signed with the Titans in late July after stints with Dallas, Kansas City, Miami, Green Bay and, most recently, Indianapolis from 2013-2016. He set a career best with 11 sacks, his first career double-digit sack season, in 2016. Staten, a 2013 MT graduate, was signed in May after bouncing around between active rosters and practice squads in Seattle, New York (Giants), Chicago and Atlanta. All three players are looking forward to finding or building upon their role with the Titans this season. Lessons learned in Murfreesboro may just help them in that journey. "The entire process of being a prop, sitting out a year and maturing academically, and getting myself fit physically as far as strength and conditioning and mentally prepared me for the NFL," Walden said. "I'm ready to see what this team is going to do. We have all the ammunition in all three phases and great coaches who are going to provide us with a gameplan, so it's on us." Even though all three have gone off and done big things since leaving Middle Tennessee, they all think about their time in the 'Boro often. Most notably, they all remember the time they spent with head coach Rick Stockstill. "I think a lot of the small talks Coach Stock and I had - not the big talks that happened in front of the team, but the little talks we had about staying focused, staying humble and not trying to get a big head or thinking you're better than the next man - I think that's one thing I've learned from him," Byard said. When Staten signed with the Titans in May, Stockstill was one of the first people he talked to. "I said, 'I'm talking to no one until I make the team,'" Staten said. "He asked if I was going to go down to practice, but I told him I'll be down there when I make the team." Not only are Byard, Staten and Walden happy to see the success of Middle Tennessee's program over the past few seasons, but Stockstill is also thrilled with the players and men they've become since leaving his watch. "It is special to me because I am happy for them," he said. "They are three great ambassadors for Middle Tennessee. I couldn't be happier for Erik (Walden) and Jimmy (Staten) and K.B. (Kevin Byard). "I told [Titans head coach] Mike Mularkey he is going to love coaching them because they are tough, hard-nosed, hard workers who care about the team. I am really happy for those guys." All three players may have a lot to focus on in Nashville this season, but they'll also keep a keen eye on what's happening about 35 miles south in Murfreesboro. Needless to say, they're expecting big things at their alma mater. "If you're in the Middle Tennessee area and you're not supporting the Blue Raiders, you ought to be ashamed of yourself," Walden said. "It's our time - ask Vanderbilt, they'll see in Week 1." |
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| Position Breakdown: Linebackers By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 6 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee certainly has its fair share of spots to fill on the roster this season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With six total defensive linemen (five who started at least one game in 2016) and their No. 1 cornerback gone from last year's team, the Blue Raiders are looking anywhere they can for experienced leaders. Luckily, they have plenty right in the middle. The linebacking corps didn't lose any players from last year's team to graduation, and four of MT's top eight returning tacklers from a season ago are included in the group. Their experience may be their greatest asset for the young defense. "People look to us to lead the team, and we have to make the calls," senior middle linebacker D.J. Sanders said. "We're kind of the heart of the defense." Along with Sanders, whose 38 career games played are second on the team, the Blue Raiders return four guys who've started in a linebacker spot at least seven times for the blue and white. They include 2016 team-leading tackler (102) Chris Melton, redshirt senior Myles Harges (47 tackles in 10 games in 2016) and redshirt junior Darius Harris (third on the team with 74 tackles in 2016). Redshirt sophomore Khalil Brooks, whose four pass deflections were second for the backers to Sanders' nine last season, will also battle for the strong side starting spot, and senior Malik Hawkins will provide more depth. Having so much returning talent is a blessing for new linebackers coach Siriki Diabate, who was hired in June to replace David Bibee. It also brings its own challenges, though. "When you have guys who've played a lot of football, they get into some different habits that are different than the stuff we're trying to do," the 26-year-old Diabate said. "But, it's also great to have guys who have a lot of game experience, because the communication is easier and more streamlined. You can tell them one or two things, and they'll pick it up and have a great understanding of it." Being able to pick things up quickly has been imperative for the Blue Raiders' defense this offseason. New defensive coordinator Scott Shafer was hired in January and has brought a new mindset and attacking scheme to the defense. "We're playing more downhill," Sanders said. "Last year, we played a little more side to side, but this year we're trying to get downhill to make more plays in the backfield." Even with all of the returning players filling the linebacking corps, it may be hard to keep some newcomers off the field, as well. Junior Navarro College transfer Tavares Thomas, whose 11 sacks last season ranked 11th nationally in the junior college ranks, and freshman DQ Thomas have drawn rave reviews from their teammates so far. "DQ is big time. He's really good already," Sanders said. "Tavares is very quick, and he just has to learn the playbook better. Those young guys have definitely shown us a lot so far." Middle Tennessee's linebackers may be the key to a better season defensively in 2017. In order for the Blue Raiders to improve on their 11th-place finish in Conference USA in scoring defense a year ago (35.8 points per game allowed), the experienced guys in the middle will have to lead the way. "We always want to have 11 leaders out there, but I told my guys we have to have a good command and good control on everybody," Diabate said. "We have to do a good job of representing ourselves well and getting the defense in the right position every play." Linebackers on the roster: 9 Tavares Thomas [6-0, 238, Jr.] 16 Khalil Brooks [5-11, 200, R-So.] 20 DQ Thomas [6-2, 200, Fr.] 30 Darius Harris [6-2, 227, R-Jr.] 31 D.J. Sanders [6-0, 233, Sr.] 32 Chris Melton [6-1, 211, Jr.] 33 Myles Harges [6-2, 236, R-Sr.] 38 Malik Hawkins [6-1, 225, Sr.] 39 Cain McWilliams [6-1, 236, Fr.] 40 Dale Craig [6-0, 214, So.] 41 Caleb Felton [6-1, 201, R-Fr.] 44 Chaton Mobley [6-1, 245, Fr.] -- Miller Armstrong [6-0, 210, r-Fr.] -- Jon Carrothers [6-0, 215, R-So.] |
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| CAMP NOTEBOOK #1 August 5, 2017 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee finished up its first week of fall camp on Saturday, and plenty was accomplished in a short amount of time. From new players getting acclimated to life in college football, new coaches getting the first chance to teach in a fall camp and position fillers falling into place, the first week was full of excitement as the Blue Raiders prepare for the season opener against Vanderbilt on Sept. 2. Here are some additional tidbits you may have missed:
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| Camp Q&A with Jocquez Bruce What athlete did you look up to as a role model growing up? That's easy - Reggie Bush. What's your favorite superhero? That's a hard one. I like a lot of people, but I'll go with Superman. What's your favorite thing to do before a game? I listen to rap music. Young Thugs and just a lot of people. If you could only eat one home-cooked meal, what would it be? Chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls - kind of like Thanksgiving. What was the last movie you saw that you loved? Planet of the Apes, the new one. That's a really good one, and I love all of those movies. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? A lion, because he's the king of the jungle. No one can touch him. What was your favorite cartoon growing up? Ed, Edd and Eddy. Back then, all of the TV shows in the 1990s were awesome. I liked all of them. Who's the best dancer on the team? I have to go with myself. I'll be hitting them fools, breaking that neck, you know? Who's got the best hair on the team? Tyrese Johnson, without a doubt. |
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| Position Breakdown: The Quarterbacks By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 3 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - While not much has changed from last season on the quarterback depth chart for Middle Tennessee, some of the guys in the group have definitely altered in the past year. Redshirt junior Brent Stockstill is still one of the main cogs of the record-setting Blue Raider offense, and he's still one of the biggest leaders for the Blue Raiders. Behind him, redshirt sophomore John Urzua is still the No. 2 option, and redshirt freshman Kyle Banks occupies the third slot. The three may be in the same spots on the depth chart as they were to start the 2016 season, but each experienced a lot over the past year. They came into this year's camp as slightly different quarterbacks and slightly different, more mature men, as well. Stockstill enters this season already as MT's all-time leader in touchdown passes (61), and he's poised to break almost every other passing record in the school's history during 2017. Though he may already be the best the program has ever seen under center, he grew as a player in an interesting way over last season and this offseason. A broken collarbone caused him to miss three games in 2016, and offseason shoulder surgery on his left arm (his throwing arm) kept him out of all spring drills. The time off afforded him the chance to take off his helmet and put on another hat, one that's more similar to his father's. "It was a tough process. But it was okay because I put on a different hat and tried to use my age and leadership ability to mentor the younger guys," Brent Stockstill said. "I really tried to help the younger guys, that way when I got back I didn't miss a beat, and now it's on me to get myself back and ready to go." Being able to step away and coach gave the younger Stockstill an opportunity to learn about a profession he may pursue after his playing days are over. Now, though, he's healthy and eager to get the season started. "I have a lot of work to do," he said. "I feel healthy - that's the main thing - but I have to just get back into the swing of things and knock some rust off. I'm happy to be back, I feel good and I just have to keep working every day to get better." When Brent Stockstill was on the sidelines in 2016, Urzua was gifted the chance to step in and get actual game experience. Then, this offseason, he again was able to work with the first team offense. The opportunity to work with the first team guys was invaluable for Urzua in numerous ways. He better learned how to make the game slow down for him, and he was able to mesh with the rest of the offense. A concussion suffered in the last regular season game also showed him he needed to bulk up, and he concentrated on that over the summer. "I've gained about 20 pounds, so I'm pushing 200 now," he said. "I was really working on physically getting bigger, because I've always been a smaller guy. I think that's helped me a lot." The work Urzua put in over the offseason didn't go unnoticed by offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, and he thinks Urzua is in a much better spot now should he have to come in to spell Brent Stockstill again. "He's looked a lot sharper and a lot better in the pocket," Franklin said. "He's much more confident than he was, and that's helped him be a lot better so far. "He wasn't anywhere near ready last season, and he weighed about 170 pounds. I think he's gotten better with physical strength and put on some good, solid muscle." While Brent Stockstill and Urzua were trying to help navigate the Blue Raiders through the season, Banks was on the sidelines taking a redshirt year. The season gave him the chance to sit back and learn from the two guys ahead of him on the depth chart, and Brent Stockstill thinks he used the time to the fullest. "I think watching him in the spring, the jump he made was tremendous," he said. "He matured a lot and has taken to coaching well, and I know he'll be ready when his number is called. With added experience and the younger Stockstill leading the way, the quarterback group should again be one of the brightest spots for Middle Tennessee in 2017. Quarterbacks on the roster: 10 Kyle Banks [6-2, 195, R-Fr.] 12 Brent Stockstill [6-0, 221, R-Jr.] 18 John Turner [6-1, 201, Fr.] 19 John Urzua [6-3, 189, R-So.] -- Miller Armstrong [6-0, 210, R-Fr.] -- Jordan Middleton [6-1, 186, R-Fr.] -- Davis Witt [6-2, 204, R-Fr.] |
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| Blue Raiders show excitement at first press conference By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/August 2 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - If the tone of Middle Tennessee's first press conference of the 2017 season Wednesday showed anything about this year's Blue Raiders, it's that they're anxious to get into action. The Raiders finished their third day of summer camp Wednesday, and excitement is high early on with a visit from Vanderbilt looming on Sept. 2 to begin the regular season. "We're really excited about this year," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "We're two days into practice already, and it's been two really good days. I think we've got a good edge and a good sense of urgency about us." The players have entered this year's camp with a chip on their shoulder. After losing three of five games to end the 2016 season, including a 52-35 letdown against Hawai'i in the Hawai'i Bowl, they feel like there's something to prove in 2017. Though, that doesn't mean they're looking at the past. "I don't think we're talking about last year at all," redshirt junior quarterback Brent Stockstill said. "I think we know what we're capable of - we had a few slip-ups, but that's not crossing our minds. "We've competed with the best and beaten some really good opponents. So, we just have to be a mature team each and every week. No slip ups and just go to work, be a pro every day." Expectations externally are a little different this season than they were at the same time in 2016. A year ago, Middle Tennessee was picked by Conference USA media members to win the East division. After an 8-5 season and third-place finish in the East last year - which broke a streak of four straight seasons finishing second in their division or conference - the Blue Raiders are picked to finish second to WKU in the East in 2017. While the media may not be picking the Blue Raiders to finally win a first outright conference championship under Stockstill, the writing is on the wall for them to have a banner year if they can do a few key things leading up to the regular season. "One, we have to play better defense," the head coach said. "If we can play better defensively and continue to improve offensively, and in the kicking game, then I believe in November when the dust settles then I believe we will have a chance to compete for [a conference title]." That defense is hoping to be much improved behind a new defensive coordinator. Former Syracuse head coach Scott Shafer took over the job in January and has brought a new mindset and slightly altered scheme. "For me, you know what you want to get into scheme-wise, but it's getting to know who [the players] are as people and get to know them," he said. "I've really enjoyed getting to know them. Coach Stock and his staff has done a nice job bringing in kids that love to play the game and with that comes work ethics because they don't see it as work. That's the thing I've appreciated the most about this bunch is they work hard." Whatever Shafer has told his players has seemed to work so far. "This year, we're really focusing on flying to the ball, getting all 11 guys to the ball after every play," senior linebacker D.J. Sanders said. "We're really going back to the fundamentals of the game and working our way up." Offensively, coordinator Tony Franklin enters his second season during his current stint with Middle Tennessee (he was also the offensive coordinator for one year in 2009). The Blue Raider offense will have a lot to live up to after setting numerous school single-season records last year, including points scored and total offense. Franklin is hoping new offensive linemen (three starters graduated from last year's team) can mesh immediately and a running back can stand out in the crowd like I'Tavius Mathers did in his lone season in the 'Boro last year. "You hope that somebody jumps out and says 'If you don't give me the ball 20 times a game, something's wrong with you,' but if it doesn't happen or maybe three of them say that, then it's a good problem to have," Franklin said. "I can't tell right now because we haven't gotten into the padded stuff yet, but I like all of those guys." Even with Brent Stockstill missing all of spring practice due to offseason shoulder surgery, he and the new guys stepping into big roles in the offense have gelled nicely through three days of practice. Most notably, he and his offensive line have really bonded. "Today is only day three, but it's going good," junior right guard Chandler Brewer said. "Losing those three guys from last year is tough, but we're filling in the holes really well." Wednesday's practice was the first time this season the players were able to wear pads instead of a helmet and shorts, and with exactly a month until Vanderbilt makes the short trip to Floyd Stadium, there's plenty to work on for every player. But, that doesn't mean Coach Stockstill, the other coaches and the players aren't itching for it to finally get here. "I like this team, I like the makeup of our team," Coach Stockstill said. "We're really excited to coach this team the next few weeks as we prepare for the opener against Vanderbilt." |
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| RICK STOCKSTILL QUOTES FROM TODAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE On the offensive edge: "You look offensively at last year and we did some really good things. We put up some good numbers. I think those returning guys that played last year, and then the new guys coming in filling holes, they want to be better than they were last year. There is no complacency. There is no sense of accomplishment. They want to keep getting better. They have a great work ethic so I think that edge on offense is for us to improve and get better than we were last year." On the defensive edge: "I felt we underachieved defensively last year. When you give up 40 points a game in conference play, it is hard to win games. If we can just get a little bit better defensively and you can knock that down to just one less touchdown a game, then you are giving up 33 points a game. How much better can we be? Can you knock that down to 27? Then, how much better can we be? I think those guys on defense understand that. It is there edge, to prove they are better than the product we put on the field (last year), and it is not their fault. It is my fault. I am not playing them. They have an edge about themselves to prove they are a lot better than they were last year." Is the change defensively more about schematics?: "One, it is going to start schematically. We are going to be a lot different than we were last year. I think we are a fast defense. We have good speed on our defense at all positons so we are going to try and do some things to take advantage of their athleticism and their speed. Schematics will probably be the biggest change." On changes in the offensive line: "Offensively, we lost three starters in the offensive line and all three of those guys are going to be hard to replace because they were tough, physical, mentally tough, good football players. It is going to tough to replace those guys, but I feel really good about the guys we are replacing them with. Will they be able to play up to those standards as the guys before? We will find out, but I have confidence that they will. "I think (OL) Robert Behanan got better and better in the spring. He had a good summer and he has had two good days so far in practice at center. He's athletic. He's smart. He just has to do it. I have a lot of confidence in Robert, and I think he will have a good year for us. We have good competition at the tackle positions with Conner Trent and Eric Golston. We have guys competing for those spots. I feel good about our guys that by the end of August we will put a good offensive line out there. On the tailback situation: "We lost a lot of production from I'Tavius (Mathers) in the backfield. We have more depth at running back this year than we did last year and we have good competition there so I feel good about that position. It may be two or three of those guys put up I'Tavius numbers. It may just be one guy. Shane Tucker, Terrelle West and Desmond Anderson and Maurice Gordon are four really good guys who are competing." Any freshmen stepped up or surprised you so far?: "It is too early to say things about a freshman. They have had two practices and they have both been in shorts. I like all the freshmen we have signed. A couple of the receivers will have a chance to contribute early. I think those offensive lineman are going to be really good players. Whether they continue to develop when the pads go on will be seen but there is great potential there. I also feel there is really some good potential on the other side of the ball, on defense. DQ Thomas at linebacker, Tavares Thomas at linebacker is a junior college kid but he just got here. We have some new guys and we will have a better idea of how much they can contribute when they put on the pads, and how they hold up mentally under the grind of fall practice." Are you rotating the running backs, or is there a clear No.1? "When you send the ones out, someone has to go and right now Terrelle West is with the ones. Shane Tucker is with the twos, Desmond Anderson is with the threes and (Gordon) is with the fours. One part of practice, (Gordon) may be with the ones, Shane may be and Terrelle may be with the threes. They are all getting a lot of work and a lot of reps. They are all working with the ones." On improving and earning playing time: "I'Tavius is a great example. He came in here with a lot of hype because he was a local product and a transfer coming from the SEC. He had a lot to prove and he had a lot to improve on to develop his skill set as a running back and he did that. Just because you are second team today or third team today does not mean you can't be first team tomorrow. Just because you are first team today doesn't mean you can't be third team tomorrow. Every day you have to prove it and earn everything you get. There is no sense of entitlement. Just because I did it today doesn't mean you do it tomorrow." Is Richie James at a place where you can do even more with him offensively? "If you look at it, his freshman year he caught 110 balls and we used him in some jet sweeps and then in the passing game. Last year when Brent (Stockstill) got hurt we moved him back there and he was kind of the wildcat quarterback. We have moved him around a little bit. Now, being his third year, we can do even a little bit more. He is such a dynamic athlete. He is a really good player, great athlete. Most of the time when you are a good athlete you can do more than one thing. Richie is a smart player and that enables you to put him in different places to help the team." Is this Brent Stockstill's team? "No, this is Middle Tennessee's football team. No team is based around one player. Brent is a good player. He is a great leader for us, and he will be the first to tell you he could not do what he has done without Chandler (Brewer) and those guys up front. The guys behind him, beside him, and Richie is not going to catch 100 balls a year unless he has someone to throw it to him and have linemen to protect long enough for Brent to throw it to him. It's a team game - defense, offense, kicking game. I know it's cliché but this is not any one individual's team." How much more can Brent (Stockstill) improve? "I think every player can improve every year. What Brent is really good at, then continue to work at it and continue to get better at it. He was our second-leading rusher last year when he got hurt. I think that's an area where he might be able to contribute more to this offense from a running standpoint. He threw 31 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Can he cut those interceptions down? When you quit improving, then you stop living." On protecting Brent from injury: "Part of playing football is surviving games. Brent plays football the way you want it played. He goes hard. I would rather say, whoa! than sic' em. If you have to say sic em then that dog isn't going to hunt. I would rather have to say, 'whoa!' It is part of the game and it is unfortunate but we are not going to try and protect him. He wouldn't allow it anyway. To tell him to get what you can get and then get down, doesn't work. It goes in one ear and out the other." What does this program have to do in order to get a conference championship? "One, we have to play better defense. All of you have heard it; you win games with your defense. I think that's where it starts. If we can play better defensively and continue to improve offensively, and in the kicking game, then I believe in November when the dust settles then I believe we will have a chance to compete for it." How special is it for you to have three players with the Tennessee Titans? "It is special to me because I am happy for them. Everyone who comes here or plays college football, there lifelong dream is to play in the NFL and they get to realize their dream. They are three great ambassadors for Middle Tennessee. I couldn't be happier for Erik (Walden) and Jimmy (Staten) and K.B. (Kevin Byard). I told Coach Mike Mularkey he is going to coaching them because they are tough, hard-nosed, hard workers who care about the team. I am really happy for those games." COMPLETE QUOTES FROM COACHES AND PLAYERS |
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Spray happy with Raiders' offseason weight room work Whether it's gaining more muscle, beginning a true workout program for the first time as a freshman or trimming excess weight, there's plenty to work on between every season. This offseason was no different for Middle Tennessee, and head strength coach Jason Spray is satisfied with the work the team put in. For the second offseason in a row, the team performed a 1,000-pound club competition, and 23 players were able to reach the goal in March. "I thought they did a really good job this summer. The guys worked really hard," he said. Two of the biggest position groups where the Blue Raiders will have holes to fill are also the two that maybe needed to have the best offseason in the weight room. The loss of five offensive linemen (three starters) and six defensive linemen (four starters) due to graduation created an opportunity for new guys to step in and contribute. It also made positive gains in the weight room a necessity this offseason if new guys are going to be ready physically by the time Vanderbilt comes to Murfreesboro on Sept. 2 for the season opener. Spray said most of the guys he thought needed to have a great offseason saw vast improvements in their weight training, most notably on the defensive side. "I really liked how our defense had a much better mentality, and they were businesslike every day," he said. "[Linebacker] Darrius Harris was a really good leader this summer ... and I thought [defensive lineman] Tyshun Render did a really good job. "I feel like those guys have a chip on their shoulder ... and they carried that mentality through the whole summer." New guys being thrust into bigger roles along the offensive line also impressed Spray in the weight room, and they seemed to gravitate to a new leader. With Daniel Stephens, Josh Chester and Maurquice Shakir taking a combined 96 starts with them after graduation, a new leader in the locker room was needed. Junior guard Chandler Brewer, the most experienced returning lineman, seemed to have spearheaded that effort, at least in the weight room. "Chandler Brewer stepped up and really took over for guys like Dan [Stephens] and Josh Chester who we lost last year," Spray said. "Last year, he was a lead-by-example kind of guy. But, this summer he tried to be more vocal in that group. "The offensive linemen come to work every day. They're low maintenance, like you would expect." Now that fall camp is underway, the players will spend a little more time on the field and less in the weight facility. They'll focus less on building mass and more on recovering and maintaining what they've built in the offseason. "It's a lot more of recovery and maintenance type of stuff," Spray said. "We still lift two or three days a week, but the volume is definitely lower. We're just trying to keep the guys strong and help them recover from day to day." If the Blue Raiders can show the same amounts of improvement on the field that their strength coach saw in the weight room, several players could be in for a strong 2017 season. Here are the 23 members of this year's 1,000-Pound Club: 1. Carlos Johnson, 1,240 2. Chandler Brewer, 1,234 3. Ty Nix, 1,210 4. Malik Manciel, 1,205 5. D.J. Sanders, 1,164 6. Rakavian Poydras, 1,120 7. Rosheem Collins, 1,107 8. Walter Brady, 1,098 8. Khalil Brooks, 1,098 10. Chris Melton, 1,090 11. Brent Stockstill, 1,070 12. Luke Harris, 1,062 13. Lucas Hamilton, 1,061 14. Dale Craig, 1,060 15. Myles Harges, 1,050 16. Darrius Liggins, 1,048 17. Kamani Thomas, 1,047 18. Alex Dale, 1,037 19. Robert Kelley, 1,035 20. Will Mitchell, 1,028 21. Darryl Randolph, 1,020 22. Conner Trent, 1,016 23. Jahmal Jones, 1,005 |
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| First Raider practice goes without a hitch By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/July 31 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The first day of 2017 fall camp is in the books for Middle Tennessee, and the inaugural practice of the season went without a hitch for the players and coaches. Though the players were not practicing with pads - only helmets - plenty was accomplished. "I was really pleased," head coach Rick Stockstill said. "We threw a lot at them today on both sides of the ball and a little bit with kicking. I was really impressed with the young guys getting in there and getting some good work in. It was a good first day and a good start." It was the first day of camp as Blue Raiders for a lot of players and even some members of the coaching staff, most notably defensive coordinator Scott Shafer. The former Syracuse head coach was hired in January to try and revamp the MT defense after the departure of former defensive head man Ty Nix. Middle Tennessee was one of the worst defensive teams in Conference USA last season, finishing 11th in the league in scoring defense (35.8 points per game) and ninth in yards per game allowed (449.5). Shafer is hoping his attacking, aggressive-style defensive mentality will help the Blue Raiders be more effective at getting after the quarterback and stopping the run. "[The first day] always goes too fast; you wish you could stay out there longer," Shafer said. "I thought the kids did a nice job ... and communication was good for a Day 1. "All in all, I was pleased with the effort and I thought the kids had a good approach to practice number one." On the other side of the ball, it was the first day of offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's second camp with the Blue Raiders in his current stint with the team. He was also a part of the staff in 2009 as offensive coordinator. The offense excelled under Franklin in 2016, setting single-season school records in total offense, yards per game, yards per play, points scored, passing yards, pass attempts, pass completions, touchdown passes, total touchdowns, first downs and all-purpose yards. With quarterback Brent Stockstill and wide receiver Richie James (both redshirt juniors) returning with a wide range of other skill position talent, this season could be another record-setting one for Franklin and the MT offense. "I thought they ran around good [today]," Franklin said of the team's first practice. "They obviously know what they're doing with the details and there are lots of new bodies out there that are going to be able to help us some. "Relatively speaking, I was pleased compared to where we were at this same stage [last year]." The team will be back in action Tuesday at 4 p.m. Fans can catch the action in the first three periods of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday (starting at 3:50 p.m.), then the rest of camp will be closed to the public. Coach Stockstill, Franklin, Shafer and a few players will then be available on Wednesday for the season's opening press conference at 1:15 p.m., and the players will begin practicing in full pads on Friday. |
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| Players to watch as camp gets underway By Josh Vardaman, Athletic Communications/July 31, 2017 MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - As Middle Tennessee begins camp today, some players are seeking to enter starting positions or new role-playing jobs for the Blue Raiders. With graduation taking a lot of the talent from last year's Raiders, especially along the offensive and defensive lines, new players are hoping to step in and fill holes immediately. Here are some guys who you should keep an eye on as camp unfolds, broken down by some of the biggest expected position battles: Defensive line It's no secret the defensive line was the most hit by graduation. All four starters from last year's squad - Chris Hale, Shaquille Huff, Jimal McBride and Steven Rhodes - and overall six lettermen are gone. Players to watch Walter Brady, Jr., DE - Brady enters the fold this year after sitting out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. As a redshirt freshman at Missouri in 2015, he earned First Team All-American honors after leading all freshmen nationally with seven sacks. He's an All-Conference USA-type of player if he can step in and knock off some rust immediately. Malik Manciel, R-So., DT - Manciel didn't start a game for Middle Tennessee in 2016, but he played in 12 games and registered 14 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Though he may be undersized for a tackle at just 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, new defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and his staff have raved in the offseason about his work ethic and ability to play in Shafer's aggressive front seven. Tyshun Render, R-So., DE - Like Manciel, Render didn't make a start in 2016 but was still effective. He played in all 13 games and recorded 19 tackles, a tackle for loss and three hurries on his way to being named to the C-USA All-Freshman team. If Brady is going to be as good as anticipated on the left side of the line, whoever steps into the other side could see a lot of single coverage and an opportunity to get into the backfield. Jahmal Jones, R-Sr., DE - Jones, who missed all of his redshirt sophomore season because of a spring injury, made three starts for the Blue Raiders while Hale was down with an injury in 2016. He had a career-best 21 tackles and two hurries on the season, and will likely battle with Render for the starting right end spot. Offensive line Like the defensive front, the offensive line was also hit hard by graduation. Returners Chandler Brewer and Carlos Johnson bring a lot of playing experience back, but the three other line spots will need new starters after the departures of Josh Chester, Maurquice Shakir and Daniel Stephens. Five total letter winners graduated from the unit. Players to watch Robert Behanan, R-Jr., T - Behanan made the most of two starts in 2016 and also played in all 13 games for the Blue Raiders. The 6-foot-3, 293-pound tackle has drawn praise all offseason from head coach Rick Stockstill and offensive line coach Rick Mallory as a guy who'll hopefully step in and solidify the right side (the blind side for left-handed quarterback Brent Stockstill) of the line next to guard Chandler Brewer, an All-Conference USA contender. Luke Harris, R-Fr., C - Whoever steps in at center for Middle Tennessee will have big shoes to fill, as Stephens left after making 38 starts there in his four-year career. Harris, who redshirted last season, was named an early frontrunner to replace Stephens and had an excellent spring. At 6-foot-2, 304 pounds, he certainly looks the part. Angelo Owens, R-Jr., G - With Brewer solidified in the right guard spot, the left guard spot will need a new name. Owens took a redshirt season in 2016 after arriving from Dodge City Community College, where he was an honorable mention all-conference player his second season. He doesn't have a lot of size for a guard (6-foot-4, 291 pounds), but was named a frontrunner for the starting spot after spring drills. Running back The Blue Raider running backs will have a lot to replace this season. I'Tavius Mathers graduated and took with him an MT single-season record 1,561 rushing yards, 633 receiving yards and 20 total (17 rushing, three receiving) touchdowns from a season ago. This year's ground game will probably have to lean on more than just one back. Players to watch Shane Tucker, R-Sr. - Tucker has had an interesting career at Middle Tennessee. After coming into the program as a running back and playing three years at the position, racking up 1,140 yards and 15 touchdowns, he switched to wide receiver during 2016 spring drills. An offseason injury caused him to miss the whole season and take a redshirt, though, and this spring decided to change back to running back for his final year in Murfreesboro. Terelle West, R-So. - West enters the season as the running back with the most recent history playing behind quarterback Brent Stockstill. He was in on 186 snaps over 11 games in 2016 and finished the season with 168 yards on 40 carries. Blue Raider fans caught their first sight of West in the backfield against Alabama A&M in the season opener when he rushed 15 times for a team-high 83 yards after Mathers was taken out with a big MT lead. Maurice Gordon, Jr. - After earning all-conference honors and rushing for 903 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore season at Navarro College, Gordon transferred to Middle Tennessee this year as one of the most highly touted junior college running backs in the country. The Denton, Texas, native also showed flashes of being a multi-purpose back with a team lead in scoring and all-purpose yards. Cornerback While redshirt senior Mike Minter returns to the defensive secondary and will likely occupy one of the starting cornerback spots, the other is open for a new guy thanks to the graduation of Jeremy Cutrer. With a totally revamped defensive line, it may be imperative for the new starter to come in and contribute significantly right away if the defense is going to take a step forward this season. Players to watch Charvarius Ward, Sr. - Ward was the Blue Raiders' third cornerback a season ago behind Cutrer and Minter and likely has the leg up on the starting spot this year. He made two starts in 2016 when Cutrer was sidelined with an injury and tallied 26 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. While playing in significantly less time than Cutrer and Minter, Ward tallied the same number of picks as Minter and just one less than Cutrer, and if he can continue that production with an increased amount of snaps, the secondary could prove to be better in 2017. Darryl Randolph, R-Jr. - As a safety in 2016, Randolph was one of the nice surprises defensively for the Blue Raiders. He played in every game and ranked sixth on the team with 63 tackles, and he also showed versatility with 2.5 tackles for loss and two pass breakups. He'll move to cornerback this year, where he could prove to be one of the best tackling CBs in C-USA. |
