Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
2024 Football Roster
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Jersey Number 96
James Gillespie
- Position:
- NT
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-3 / 295
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Woodbridge, VA
2024 (r-Junior)
• Played in nine games and had two starts
• Ended the year with 10 tackles, including two sacks
• Had 157 total snaps on the season, including a season-high 37 against WKU
• Had two tackles, including a sack in 15 snaps against Tennessee Tech while earning the third best defensive PFF grade (77.3)
• Collected two stops, including a sack at Ole Miss (35 snaps)
• Added two tackles in a start against WKU
• Also had two stops against Duke
• Did not play against JSU, UTEP or NMSU
Ventura College
• Played in 12 games during the 2023 season
• Finished with 67 tackles, including 9.0 TFLs
• Team went 8-4 and 6-1 in conference play
2022 (r-Freshman at ULM)
• Did not play in any games
2021 (Freshman at ULM)
• Redshirted
High School
• Ranked among the nation’s top defensive tackles by ESPN (No. 37) out of Bishop Ireton High School
• Also rated among the East Region’s top prospects by ESPN (No. 62) and listed among Virginia’s top seniors by MaxPreps (No. 12), ESPN (No. 14), 247Sports (No. 30) and Rivals (No. 40)
• Three-year starter for Coach Gary Wortham Sr., including two years at Woodbridge (Va.) High School (sophomore and junior) and his senior season at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria
• Closed out his prep career by starting four games for the Cardinals during the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season
• Named first-team all-state as a junior at Woodbridge in 2019
• Earned All-Cardinal District Second-Team honors as a sophomore in 2018
Personal
• Full name: James Gillespie
• Parents: James Cherry and Natasha Gillespie
• Born: 6/17/2003
• Major: Integrated Studies
• Played in nine games and had two starts
• Ended the year with 10 tackles, including two sacks
• Had 157 total snaps on the season, including a season-high 37 against WKU
• Had two tackles, including a sack in 15 snaps against Tennessee Tech while earning the third best defensive PFF grade (77.3)
• Collected two stops, including a sack at Ole Miss (35 snaps)
• Added two tackles in a start against WKU
• Also had two stops against Duke
• Did not play against JSU, UTEP or NMSU
Ventura College
• Played in 12 games during the 2023 season
• Finished with 67 tackles, including 9.0 TFLs
• Team went 8-4 and 6-1 in conference play
2022 (r-Freshman at ULM)
• Did not play in any games
2021 (Freshman at ULM)
• Redshirted
High School
• Ranked among the nation’s top defensive tackles by ESPN (No. 37) out of Bishop Ireton High School
• Also rated among the East Region’s top prospects by ESPN (No. 62) and listed among Virginia’s top seniors by MaxPreps (No. 12), ESPN (No. 14), 247Sports (No. 30) and Rivals (No. 40)
• Three-year starter for Coach Gary Wortham Sr., including two years at Woodbridge (Va.) High School (sophomore and junior) and his senior season at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria
• Closed out his prep career by starting four games for the Cardinals during the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season
• Named first-team all-state as a junior at Woodbridge in 2019
• Earned All-Cardinal District Second-Team honors as a sophomore in 2018
Personal
• Full name: James Gillespie
• Parents: James Cherry and Natasha Gillespie
• Born: 6/17/2003
• Major: Integrated Studies
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MTSU Football vs. Missouri State post-game press conference – 10/8/25
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Raider Report Game 6 - MTSU vs. Missouri State University
Tuesday, October 07
