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Was fortunate to have Jeff Breeden join the show to discuss their magical run in Tuscaloosa last year and their upcoming season. Picked to finish 3rd in CUSA and looks promising returning a majority of their production and refreshed coaching staff!

The specific answer to what many have been asking:

CNMs current contract expires in June of 2025. His buyout is currently 50% of base salary owed. That rate does not lower before the end of the contract. Base salary is still $575k.



The full story:

CNM signed a 5-year contract in 2018, so it expired in 2023. Terms of the buyout were full base salary owed if terminated in first three years, then half base salary owed if terminated in the final two years.

He signed what I want to call a mulligan extension in fall 2019. This extension essentially voided the first season and pushed all the terms of the contract forward a year. Everything is the same besides the range of his contract being 2019 to 2024.

This is important when wondering why he was not terminated in 2021. Even though they had just finished 5-18 and CNM was 24-62 in his three seasons in Murfreesboro, that mulligan extension pushed the buyout terms a year forward. Thus in Spring of 2021, CNM was still owed three years of full base salary and the 50% discount on the buyout would not kick in until summer of 2022.

Its worth considering how much was different back then: financial hardships from covid, athletic budgeting was still held hostage by CRS’s contract, they had no buyout revenue from nine schools leaving C-USA, etc… Also was hard to gauge how much of the 5-18 season resulted from the hindrances of covid. Not arguing that it was the right or wrong decision to retain him because I think the more important question is why he was given that 2019 mulligan extension in the first place.

Fast-forward to summer of 2022: CNM signs a one-year extension after a successful 26-11 season, thus pushing its termination date to June 2025. Buyout terms remained the same. No other contractual agreement has been documented since.


Good win Wednesday night, so maybe they can go on a major run and CNM can save himself. But the facts are this: Middle Tennessee has 8 total seasons in program history with 18 or more losses. Assuming this year will be number 9, CNM will account for 4 of those 9 seasons. And it must be said again: these results have all occurred DESPITE succeeding the greatest stretch in program history.

The buyout is affordable. The optics of retaining him after CM ranted a few months ago about how winning and championships matter would look very bad. I feel like the writing is on the wall, but a lot can change in two months, especially in this sport. We will see.

Western Kentucky University

Location: Bowling Green, KY
Enrollment: 19,461
Arena: E.A. Diddle Arena (7,523)
Website: wkusports.com Twitter: @WKUBasketball
Colors: Red & White Nickname: Hilltoppers
Head Coach: Steve Lutz Record at School: 0-0 (1st Season) Career: 47-23 (Third Season)
2022-23 Record: 17-16, 8-12 22-23 Finish: 7th CUSA 22-23 Postseason: CUSA Quarterfinal
Starters R/L: 1/4
Letterwinners R/L: 4/6
Roster: Hilltoppers
Series: WKU leads 98-46

TV: ESPNU
Radio: Classic Hits 93.3 - 95.1 - WGNS 101.9 FM/1450 AM/100.5FM


WATCH: ESPN U
STATS: LINK
RADIO: WGNS/CLASSIC HITS 93.3/95.1 (LINK)
MT NOTES: LINK
WKU NOTES: LINK
HISTORY: LINK

There have been some recent additions to the football staff that aren't on field position coaches. All have experience at a P5 or with the new special teams coach...

Chief of Staff - Caitlyn Manning

Special Teams Analyst - Max Arnold Jr
Special Teams Grad Assistant - Cam Curtis
Outside Linebackers/Defensive Line Analyst - Joshua Smith

Offensive Line Analyst - Baer Hunter

Blue Raiders’ men’s tennis team who has been receiving votes for the top 25 recently just picked up a home victory over #23 Mississippi State 4-3

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@OliverLBaltz

Here

Thursday, Feb. 1

LA Tech at FIU 6 p.m. ESPN+
Sam Houston at WKU 7 p.m. CBSSN
Jax State at UTEP 8 p.m. ESPN+
Liberty at NM State 8 p.m. ESPN+

Saturday, Feb. 3

Sam Houston at FIU 1 p.m. ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at WKU 7 p.m. ESPNU
Liberty at UTEP 8 p.m. ESPN+
Jax State at NM State 8 p.m. ESPN+

@Shayne_Pickering is now covering football recruiting for GoMiddle! BIG addition!

Noles 24 7 is reporting Rick Stockstill is being hired as an "offensive analyst."

Don't know what it pays but maybe it saves us a few bucks.

Tony has some questionable graphics at times, but this one actually seems about right. Surprised when we mention often here how much of our budget is tied to student fees, that we aren't the highest in CUSA.

Athletic Budgets
LU 57m
FIU 41m
MT 35m
WKU 35m
UTEP 33m
KSU 32m
NMSU 30m
LaT 28m
SHSU 21m
Jax 20m

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Click

10 seed MTSU v West Virginia (7)

The game would be in LA

Episode 8 with Topper Talk’s Steven Moffett.

I think the feelings are mutual this season. The home teams win this weekend. What will it take for MT to win on the road this week?

Lady Raiders play their game, should be 7-0.

Don’t miss the wrap-up to overview the P5 wins from both tennis programs.

Obviously four left. Give me Ravens and Lions…Can’t tolerate the TS coverage if KC goes to Super Bowl

It’s the offseason and it’s really slow, but what about this.

Bill Belichick is still unemployed and his prospects look very limited. He’s old which doesn’t help his resume. He was born in Nashville, has a house in Franklin and his girlfriend is from Brentwood. He spends time here and I’m sure he would like to keep coaching.

If he remains unemployed after the NFL positions are filled, what if MT just made a call to gauge his interest in some sort of consulting role with the team. Obviously it would be on his terms, but if he wanted to stay around football, maybe it is worth a call just to see. Whatever He wants to do would be a win for the university. I would think we could line up some donors that would pay him a nice little sum, but it might also allow him to scratch the football itch, while being in his own backyard and a low level of commitment.

If I am Massaro, I at least make the call if in 1-2 months he is unemployed. Nothing to lose. By the way, I would consider doing that with Jeff Fisher as well. Both guys have made their money, so I can’t imagine they are looking for millions.

Location: Miami, FL
Enrollment: 46,079
Arena: Ocean Bank Convovation Center (5,000)
Website: fiusports.com Twitter: @FIUHoops
Colors: Blue & Gold Nickname: Panthers
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Record at School: 77-79 (6th Season) Career: 77-79 (6th Season)
2022-23 Record: 14-18, 8-12 22-23 Finish: 8th CUSA 22-23 Postseason: CUSA First Round
Starters R/L: 3/2 Lettermen R/L: 9/5
Roster: Panthers


1/27/2024 | 5 PM

Radio: Classic Hits 93.3 - 95.1 - WGNS 101.9 FM/1450 AM/100.5FM

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Battle of unbeatens in Miami at high noon. FIU comes in red hot winning 11 of last 12. FIU is capable of pressing & using multiple players. MT had its way with the Panthers last year winning 67-41 in the 'Boro, & 85-46 in Miami. FIU will likely be without one of their key players senior forward Ajae Yoakum who had to be carried off the court in the 2nd half against WKU. Yoakum was in obvious pain with an apparent knee injury.

The first is American Nightmare on Netflix, the story about the gone girl hostage fake death case. It is 3 episodes, each ep being around 50 minutes. Just riveting stuff.

Then the ID Channel had a two part doc on the Zodiac Killer...Crazy stuff

Location: Jacksonville, AL
Enrollment: 9,633
Arena: Pete Mathews Coliseum (3,500)
Website: jaxstatesports.com Twitter: @JaxStateMBB
Colors: Red & White Nickname: Gamecocks
Head Coach: Ray Harper
Record at School: 132-94 (8th Season) Career Record: 221-158 (13th Season)
2022-23 Record: 13-18, 6-12 22-23 Finish: 12th ASUN 22-23 Postseason: None
Starters R/L: 2/3 Letterwinners R/L: 3/8
Roster: Gamecocks

TV: ESPN+
Radio: Classic Hits 93.3 - 95.1

• LIVE STATS
• LISTEN LIVE
• WATCH LIVE
• FULL SCHEDULE
• ROSTER
• MATCHUP HISTORY
• MT Notes
• Opponent Notes