Middle Tennessee State
From NCAA College Football Information & Resource
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The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders represent the Middle Tennessee State University in the Sun Belt Conference of the NCAA Division I-Bowl Subdivision. Middle Tennessee's football program officially got underway in 1911 as an Independent team, losing its first official game against Fitzgerald & Clark on November 11, via a 0-6 shut-out. After playing, and winning, a solitary game the following season, the Blue Raiders came out strong in 1913 with a winning season (5-1-1) under Coach Alfred B Miles. The team stayed in the Independent scene for almost 20 seasons, before joining the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1931. The team had a pretty decent start in its debut with the SIAA as they compiled six wins in ten games. After consecutive losing seasons, the Blue Raiders rebounded in the 1935 season under then new coach John Floyd, sweeping all of their eight assignments enroute to a first Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship. MTSU successfully defended that championship the following year, posting a 7-1-0 record. The Blue Raiders remained in the thick of the competition the following years, despite leaving the SIAA in 1942. In its first year with the Volunteer State Athletic Conference in 1949, the team got right to business with another undefeated season (8-0-1) and registering MTSU's third conference title under Coach Charles M. Murphy. It was in fact the start of MTSU's impressive run that bridged through the team's membership in the Ohio Valley Conference in 1952. The Blue Raiders strung up eight VSAC conference titles in nine years, including five straight from 1949 to 1953. MTSU also won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship in four consecutive years, from 1956 to 1959. It was during this period that the school was classified as an NCAA College Division (Small College) school. Another feat was also recorded during this era when the team appeared on its first bowl game, the Refrigerator Bowl in 1956, on a losing cause against Sam Houston State. MTSU was reclassified into a Division II school in 1973, elevated into a Division I-AA school in 1978, and as a Division I-A school in 1999. After 47 seasons in OVC, MTSU momentarily became Independent from 1999-2000, before being admitted into the Sun Belt Conference in 2001. Its freshmen year in Sun Belt brought good fortunes to MTSU in the form of the team's 19th conference championship, its first in Sun Belt.
2006 was one of the more productive years for the MTSU football program, finishing the season with a 7-6-0 record, a share of the Sun Belt title, and its first appearance in a Division I-A Bowl Game. The Blue Raiders known rivals are the University of North Texas Mean Green and the Troy University Trojans, both playing under the same conference as the Raiders.
Contents |
Ranking
- Have not ranked in the final major college polls.
| Year | Record | NCAA Rank | Sports Network Rank | USA/ESPN Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 8-2-0 | 16 | ||
| 1984 | 11-3-0 | 6 | ||
| 1985 | 11-1-0 | 1 | ||
| 1989 | 9-4-0 | 10 | ||
| 1990 | 11-2-0 | 1 | ||
| 1991 | 9-4-0 | 9 | ||
| 1992 | 10-3-0 | 4 | ||
| 1994 | 8-3-1 | 16 | ||
| 1995 | 7-4-0 | 25 |
Scouting Report
| Category | SBC Rank | Nat'l Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring Offense | 3 | 73 |
| Scoring Defense | 4 | 65 |
| Total Offense | 7 | 96 |
| Total Defense | 4 | 80 |
| Turnover Margin | 2 | 12 |
| Pass Efficiency Defense | 2 | 53 |
| Kickoff Returns | 5 | 80 |
| Net Punting | 2 | 44 |
| Passing Offense | 5 | 82 |
| Passing Defense | 3 | 40 |
| Passing Efficiency | 2 | 27 |
| Punt Returns | 6 | 86 |
| Rushing Offense | 5 | 81 |
| Rushing Defense | 5 | 102 |
Championships
Conference Championships
- 1935 - Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Champions
- 1936 - Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Champions
- 1949 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1950 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1951 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1952 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1953 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Co-Champions
- 1955 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1956 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1956 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1957 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1957 - Volunteer State Athletic Conference Champions
- 1958 - Ohio Valley Conference Co-Champions
- 1959 - Ohio Valley Conference Co-Champions
- 1964 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1965 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1985 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1989 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 1990 - Ohio Valley Conference Co-Champions
- 1992 - Ohio Valley Conference Champions
- 2001 - Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions
- 2006 - Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions
Small College National Championships
- 1964 - NCAA College Division Mideast Region Champions
MTSU Bowl History
| Year | Bowl Game | Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 26, 2006 | Motor City Bowl | L | Central Michigan | 14-31 |
| Year | Bowl Game | Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 1964 | Grantland Rice Bowl | W | Muskingum | 20-0 |
| Dec 29, 1961 | Tangerine Bowl | L | Lamar | 14-21 |
| Jan 01, 1960 | Tangerine Bowl | W | Presbyterian | 21-12 |
| Dec 01, 1956 | Refrigerator Bowl | L | Sam Houston State | 13-27 |
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08.28.08 | Troy | Murfreesboro, TN | L, 17-31 |
| 09.06.08 | Maryland | Murfreesboro, TN | W, 24-14 |
| 09.13.08 | Kentucky | Lexington, KY | |
| 09.20.08 | Arkansas State | Jonesboro, AR | |
| 09.30.08 | Florida Atlantic | Murfreesboro, TN | |
| 10.11.08 | Florida International | Miami, FL | |
| 10.18.08 | Louisville | Louisville, KY | |
| 10.25.08 | Mississippi State | Starkville, MS | |
| 11.08.08 | Louisiana-Monroe | Murfreesboro, TN | |
| 11.15.08 | Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, KY | |
| 11.22.08 | North Texas | Murfreesboro, TN | |
| 12.03.08 | Louisiana-Lafayette | Lafayette, LA |
Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown (Prev. School) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris McClover | WR | 6-4 | 210 | Jr. | Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Dillard) |
| 2 | Desmond Gee | RB | 5-8 | 165 | Jr. | Greenville, FL (Madison Co.) |
| 3 | Marcus Udell | CB | 6-0 | 190 | Jr. | Tallahassee, FL (Godby) |
| 4 | Malcolm Beyah | WR | 5-11 | 182 | Fr. | Chamblee, GA (Chamblee HS) |
| 5 | Hakeem Johnson | CB | 5-10 | 173 | Fr. | Jacksonville, FL (Andrew Jackson) |
| 6 | Rod Issac | DB | 5-11 | 180 | So. | Miami, FL (Miami-Dade Central HS) |
| 7 | Alex Suber | DB | 5-9 | 165 | r-Jr. | Tampa, FL (Thomas Jefferson) |
| 8 | Anthony Glover | S | 6-2 | 215 | r-Sr. | Decatur, GA (McNair) |
| 9 | Dwight Dasher | QB | 5-10 | 202 | So. | Folkston, GA (Charlton Co. HS) |
| 10 | Brent Burnette | QB | 6-3 | 210 | Fr. | Maryville, TN (Maryville) |
| 11 | Jamari Lattimore | DE | 6-3 | 235 | So. | Miami, FL (Dodge City CC) |
| 12 | Joe Craddock | QB | 5-11 | 197 | r-Sr. | Birmingham, AL (Briarwood Christian) |
| 13 | Michael Cannon | WR | 5-10 | 180 | r-Jr. | Memphis, TN (Whitehaven) |
| 15 | Sancho McDonald | WR | 6-3 | 197 | Fr. | Miami, FL (Booker T. Washington) |
| 16 | Gene Delle Donne | QB | 6-5 | 255 | r-Jr. | Wilmington, DE (Salesianum) |
| 17 | Patrick Honeycutt | WR | 5-9 | 173 | r-Jr. | Pelham, AL (Spain Park) |
| 19 | Andrew Banks | QB | 5-9 | 160 | r-Fr. | Clinton, MD (Gwynn Park) |
| 20 | Jeremy Kellem | CB | 5-10 | 184 | So. | North Lauderdale, FL (Deerfield Beach HS) |
| 21 | Phillip Tanner | RB | 6-0 | 205 | Jr. | Dallas, TX (Kimball) |
| 22 | Tony Smith | RB | 6-0 | 175 | Fr. | Bushnell, FL (South Sumter) |
| 23 | D.D. Kyles | RB | 6-1 | 190 | r-Fr. | Tampa, FL (Armwood HS) |
| 24 | Derrick Crumpton | S | 5-11 | 181 | Fr. | Miami, FL (Christopher Columbus) |
| 25 | Ted Riley | CB | 6-0 | 180 | Sr. | Boynton Beach, FL (Eastern Arizona CC) |
| 26 | Jawan Carson | RB | 5-9 | 170 | Fr. | Newark, NJ (Marist) |
| 27 | Ivon Hickmon | LB | 6-0 | 213 | Sr. | Lake, MS (Lake HS) |
| 28 | Josh Gregory | S | 5-9 | 195 | r-Jr. | Huntsville, AL (Lincoln County) |
| 29 | Lonnie Clemons | LB | 6-1 | 230 | r-Sr. | Milledgeville, GA (Baldwin) |
| 30 | Cam Robinson | LB | 6-1 | 218 | Jr. | Stevenson, AL (North Jackson) |
| 31 | Denzell Guerra | S | 6-0 | 188 | Fr. | Loganville, GA (Grayson) |
| 32 | Sayquan Jordan | CB | 6-0 | 162 | Jr | St. George, SC (Woodland) |
| 33 | Kevin Brown | S | 6-1 | 199 | So. | Tampa, FL (Jefferson HS) |
| 34 | Marquise Branton | RB | 5-10 | 210 | So. | Seffner, FL (Armwood HS) |
| 35 | Matt King | PK | 5-10 | 198 | r-Sr. | Valdosta, GA (Valdosta) |
| 36 | Nate Toulson | P | 6-1 | 235 | r-Fr. | West Palm Beach, FL (The Kings Academy) |
| 37 | David DeFatta | P/K | 5-10 | 190 | r-Jr. | Franklin, TN (Franklin) |
| 38 | Alan Gendreau | PK | 5-10 | 172 | Fr. | Maitland, FL (Orangewood Christian) |
| 39 | Spike McDaniel | FB | 5-8 | 205 | r-Sr. | Murfreesboro, TN (Riverdale) |
| 40 | Wesley Hale | FB | 6-0 | 225 | r-Fr. | Morristown, TN (Morristown West HS) |
| 41 | John Marc Stephens | FB | 6-4 | 245 | r-Sr. | Murfreesboro, TN (Blackman) |
| 42 | Jacob Longoria | FB | 6-2 | 230 | So. | Alpharetta, GA (St. Piux X) |
| 43 | Gorby Loreus | LB | 5-11 | 220 | Fr. | Tampa, FL (Thomas Jefferson) |
| 44 | Danny Carmichael | LB | 6-0 | 240 | Jr. | Woodstock, GA (Woodstock) |
| 45 | Jarrett Crittenton | DL | 6-6 | 278 | Jr. | Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County) |
| 47 | Dwight Smith | DT | 6-2 | 265 | So. | Swainsboro, GA (Swainsboro HS) |
| 48 | Adam Wade | DS | 5-8 | 215 | r-So. | Florence, SC (South Florence) |
| 49 | Andre Wicker | DL | 6-1 | 270 | r-So. | Atlanta, GA (Booker T. Washington) |
| 50 | Colin Boss | OL | 6-4 | 315 | r-Fr. | Tampa, FL (Berkeley Prep) |
| 51 | SaCoby Carter | DE | 6-2 | 270 | r-Fr. | Hawkinsville, GA (Hawkinsville HS) |
| 52 | Antwan Davis | LB | 6-1 | 212 | So. | Ft. Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas HS) |
| 54 | Rogeric Govan | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Fr. | Little Rock, AR (Episcopal Collegiate) |
| 55 | Andrew Harrington | LB | 6-2 | 215 | Sr. | Dekalb, MS (Kemper Co. HS) |
| 56 | Wes Hofacker | DL | 6-2 | 240 | r-Sr. | Allen, TX (Allen) |
| 57 | Jeremy Michel | OL | 6-5 | 285 | r-So. | Bradenton, FL (Manatee) |
| 58 | Troy Wolfe | LB | 6-1 | 215 | Fr. | Tampa, FL (Thomas Jefferson) |
| 59 | Darin Davis | LB | 6-2 | 193 | Fr. | Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Dillard) |
| 60 | Brandon McLeroy | OL | 6-3 | 310 | Fr. | Spring City, TN (Rhea County) |
| 62 | Evon Lettsome | OL | 6-4 | 285 | r-So. | Apopka, FL (Apopka) |
| 63 | Daniel Ryder | OL | 6-1 | 265 | r-Fr. | Clearwater, FL (Clearwater) |
| 65 | Alex Stuart | OL | 6-3 | 295 | Fr. | Oak Ridge, TN (Oak Ridge) |
| 70 | Jamal Lewis | OL | 6-3 | 295 | r-So. | Huntsville, AL (Butler) |
| 71 | Jake Padrick | OL | 6-1 | 280 | r-Fr. | Fort Pierce, FL (US Air Force Prep) |
| 72 | Mark Thompson | OL | 6-5 | 290 | r-Jr. | Old Hickory, TN (DCA) |
| 73 | Travis Lilienthal | OL | 6-2 | 255 | Fr. | Murfreesboro, TN (Riverdale) |
| 74 | Mark Fisher | OL | 6-3 | 285 | So. | Nashville, TN (Goodpasture HS) |
| 75 | Chris Hawkins | OL | 6-3 | 285 | r-So. | Lexington, KY (Henry Clay) |
| 77 | Derek Cardaci | OL | 6-4 | 260 | r-Fr. | Cape May, NJ (St. Augustine Prep) |
| 78 | Mike Williams | OL | 6-3 | 265 | r-Fr. | Tampa, FL (Jefferson HS) |
| 80 | Chris Johnson | WR | 6-0 | 185 | r-Sr. | Los Angeles, CA (Loyola) |
| 81 | Wes Caldwell | WR | 6-1 | 184 | So. | Lexington, KY (Catholic HS) |
| 82 | Alvin Ingle | TE | 6-3 | 230 | r-So. | Madison, TN (Pope John Paul II) |
| 83 | Eldred King | WR | 5-9 | 165 | Jr. | Thomaston, GA (Garden City CC) |
| 86 | Byron McLeod | TE | 6-2 | 230 | r-Fr. | Tampa, FL (Jefferson HS) |
| 88 | Marcus Thurmond | WR | 6-0 | 165 | Fr. | North Augusta, SC (North Augusta) |
| 89 | Terans Goodson | DE | 6-1 | 236 | r-Fr. | Fairburn, GA (Creekside) |
| 90 | Immanuel Chu | DL | 6-3 | 260 | Jr. | Woodstock, GA (College of Sequoias) |
| 91 | Emmanuel Perez | DE | 6-1 | 230 | So. | Miramar, FL (Everglades HS) |
| 92 | Brandon Perry | DL | 6-1 | 318 | r-Jr. | Hawkinsville, GA (Hawkinsville) |
| 93 | Phillip Tinsley | DE | 6-3 | 236 | Fr. | Dexter, GA (Dodge County) |
| 94 | Gary Tucker | DL | 6-2 | 262 | r-So. | Maryville, TN (Maryville) |
| 95 | Jonathan Presley | DL | 6-4 | 262 | r-Jr. | Jacksonville, FL (Forrest) |
| 96 | Kendall Dangerfield | DL | 6-2 | 285 | Fr. | Pulaski, TN (Giles County) |
| 97 | Trevor Jenkins | DL | 6-1 | 287 | Sr. | Macon, GA (Stratford) |
| 98 | Chris McCoy | DL | 6-4 | 250 | r-Jr. | Villa Rica, GA (Villa Rica) |
| 99 | Antonio Hill | DL | 6-0 | 225 | r-Fr. | Chesapeake, VA (Oscar Smith HS) |
| Adam Bateman | RB | 5-9 | 185 | r-Fr. | Nashville, TN (Father Ryan) | |
| Shane Blissard | WR | 6-5 | 203 | r-Fr. | Mufreesboro, TN (Oakland) | |
| Jerry Cobb | LB | 6-2 | 185 | r-Fr. | Pulaski, TN (Giles County) | |
| Nicholas Coleman | QB | 6-3 | 215 | r-Jr. | Decaturville, TN (Decatur County) | |
| Albert Davies | DB | 5-8 | 197 | So. | Knoxville, TN (Harding (NC)) | |
| Derek Dickerson | LB | 5-11 | 228 | r-Fr. | Nashville, TN (Hunters Lane) | |
| Caleb Dugger | WR | 5-10 | 181 | r-Fr. | Columbia, TN (Mt. Pleasant) | |
| Sergio Gray | CB | 5-7 | 158 | r-Fr. | Huntsville, AL (J.O. Johnson) | |
| Greg Hardy | CB | 5-10 | 168 | r-Fr. | Germantown, TN (Germantown) | |
| DeMarcus Harmon | CB | 6-0 | 184 | r-Fr. | Memphis, TN (Whitehaven) | |
| Billy Heyne | OL | 6-0 | 265 | So. | Nashville, TN (Hillsboro) | |
| Craig Heyward | FB | 6-0 | 230 | r-Sr. | Passaic, NJ (Passaic) | |
| Marcus McGee | CB | 5-9 | 177 | r-Fr. | Tampa, FL (Jefferson) | |
| Phillip McGee | RB | 5-10 | 196 | r-Jr. | Clarksville, TN (Kenwood) | |
| Sherman Neal | CB | 5-8 | 170 | r-So. | Naperville, IL (Neuqua Valley) | |
| Taylor Ports | PK | 5-9 | 175 | Jr. | Crossville, TN (Cumberland County) | |
| Stuart Taylor | CB | 6-2 | 172 | r-So. | Dyersburg, TN (Dyersburg) | |
| Norman Washington | S | 5-11 | 222 | r-Fr. | Columbia, SC (Spring Valley) |
Coaches/Team Officials
- Head Coach: Rick Stockstill
- Asst. HC/Defensive Line: Les Herrin
- Offensive Coordinator/QB: G.A. Mangus
- Offensive Line: Jimmy Ray Stephens
- Wide Receivers: Justin Watts
- Tight Ends: Brent Brock
- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers: Manny Diaz
- Running Backs: Willie Simmons
- Safeties: David Bibee
- Cornerbacks: Antonio Goss
- Director of Football Operations: Chris Matusek
- Strength: Russell Patterson
- Director of Sports Medicine: Joe-Joe Petrone
- Video Coordinator: William Brown
- Equipment Manager: Troy Johnson
- Graduate Assistant Offense: Mike Polly
- Offensive Video GA: Zach Johnson
- Defensive Video GA: Tommy Harvell
Notable Alumni in NFL
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in NFL
- Troy Bergeron - Buffalo Bills, WR
- Franklin Dunbar - Philadelphia Eagles, T
- Kelly Holcomb - Minnesota Vikings, QB
- Thomas Johnson - New York Jets, DT
- ReShard Lee - Oakland Raiders, RB
- Erik Walden - Dallas Cowboys, DE
References
- ESPN NCAA Football Rankings
- Middle Tennessee Alumni Tracker
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Football Wikipedia
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Historical Data
- NCAA.org's 2006 Sun Belt Conference Team Report
External Links
- GoBlueRaiders.com/Football
- MTSU Blue Raiders Football on USA Today
- Middle Tennessee State University Website
| Sun Belt Conference Football Teams |
|---|
| Arkansas State • Florida Atlantic • Florida International • Louisiana-Lafayette • Louisiana-Monroe • Middle Tennessee State • North Texas • Troy |
