FOOTBALL Fall Camp, 2024
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
- Start date
Let's consolidate the updates, movers and shakers from camp in here. I'll pin to the homepage
"There's a little more intent behind everything you do” - Blue Raiders wrap up first day of fall camp - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Derek Mason didn't know he'd get emotional when the Daily News Journal's Cecil Joyce asked him what it meant to be on the field coaching fall
goblueraiders.com
Why Derek Mason was 'emotional' after MTSU football's first day of preseason practice
With his first preseason practice completed, Middle Tennessee State football coach Derek Mason had a lot to be optimistic about Thursday.
www.dnj.com
Looks like the battle for a couple OL spots is going to be HEATED
Got a lot of good stuff today. Make sure to check the stream we had for interviews with players, coaches, staffers, etc and our previews for the team, conference, and so on
A 3.5 hour marathon podcast. Is that the longest podcast you guys have done?
Why MTSU football quarterback Nick Vattiato hasn't taken keeping starting job for granted
Nick Vattiato decided to stick with MTSU, then his next task was retaining the starting quarterback position.
www.dnj.com
I love this. Learning to adapt to cater to your players' strengths rather than forcing them to adapt to you...good luck with getting 20yr olds to adapt.
It’s gotta be lol. Was exciting to see first practice under this staff in full length and to hear from double digit people
After watching these videos, & seeing the drive & communication skills of the coaching staff there is one huge thought that comes to mind. How the devil did CDM get these coaches especially the defensive co-ordinator, & special team's coach to come to a smaller G5 school? After seeing & listening to some of these guys in even short interviews you would have imagined a lot of P4 schools would have been clamoring to have them on their staff's.
Anyway, count me as super impressed. The supposed P4 schools losses in not grabbing these coaches up are MT's gains. CDM has to be one heck of a salesman.
Anyway, count me as super impressed. The supposed P4 schools losses in not grabbing these coaches up are MT's gains. CDM has to be one heck of a salesman.
I agree 100%. I personally feel CDM's NFL experience helped. Yes he was only there for a few years, but it gives him an extra level of connections that the previous staff just didn't have.
Not to mention his college stops. Gundy has been around so long he knows everyone. Same for Harbaugh from when Mason was at Stanford. Those are both easy calls to say "hey, who do you see that I should look at?" Add to that time talking to everyone at every level while with ESPN.
Mason has also mentioned before how he was hired here early in the cycle giving him time to truly build a staff he wanted. Has said he didn't have that at Vandy as he wasn't hired until January there. We hired him almost 6 weeks earlier in the cycle.
And.... Let's be real. It's so much easier to get decent players here than at Vandy. Even with NIL. VU's academic requirements plus before NIL limited them a whole lot. The school kept it's overall student trust money away from the athletic program which is like 2B now. So they couldn't lure anyone there over a UT, UF, UGA, or BAMA. They still can't now with NIL. However, with Jerry Kill going there, they did get Diego Pavia to portal in. That's the QB who throttled Auburn and took NMSU to a 10 win season. It's crazy that Mason had 2 6 win seasons there and crushed us 4 years straight. With the guys we are getting commitments from now vs. under Stock really tells the story as to why we weren't improving. It's like laughable now.
“If we're not striving to be the best in the country, then what are we doing it for?” - Special Teams sets the tone in New Era of Blue Raider football - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When you walk into Special Teams Coordinator Luke Paschall office, there's lots of things you'll typically find in a football coach's office:
goblueraiders.com
What Derek Mason has already changed about MTSU football recruiting
One of the things Middle Tennessee State football coach Derek Mason emphasized when he was hired was winning the area when it came to recruiting.
www.dnj.com
excerpts:
"....Mason and the Blue Raiders have eight 2025 commitments from Middle Tennessee: three-star prospects D.J. Taylor (Riverdale RB), Kyle Larkin (Ravenwood OL), Ben Hubbard (Brentwood WR), Neo Clifton (Brentwood Academy WR) and Rai'keyrean Chandler (Shelbyville RB), as well as Rockvale's Bryan, Independence athlete Taylor Lawrence and Ensworth linebacker Micah Smith....."
"...MTSU signed no Middle Tennessee area players in former coach Rick Stockstill's last high school signing class (2023). The 2022 class had two signees (one from Rutherford County, Oakland OL Ethan Ellis) and the 2021 class had one from the Midstate (Tullahoma safety Jakobe Thomas)....."
Nashville channel 5 sports Steve Layman just ran another short about MT football fall practice along with its normal Tennessee Vols & Titans reports this evening.
As news was signing off Steve & the News 5 anchor took a moment to talk about how excited they were to see how things are developing in the Boro under Mason's direction this fall, & wanting him to strongly succeed. I rarely have heard Layman say or bring up one positive thing about MT athletics. Great to see some positive enthusiasm from Nashville media. Have the feeling Nashville's currently showing more attention to MT football than ever before. Can't put a price on how positive local media exposure like that is also free advertising for the program. Not only can help the team's growing ticket sales, but also places MT in the minds of young recruits in the area considering their next school. Hope it keeps going.
As news was signing off Steve & the News 5 anchor took a moment to talk about how excited they were to see how things are developing in the Boro under Mason's direction this fall, & wanting him to strongly succeed. I rarely have heard Layman say or bring up one positive thing about MT athletics. Great to see some positive enthusiasm from Nashville media. Have the feeling Nashville's currently showing more attention to MT football than ever before. Can't put a price on how positive local media exposure like that is also free advertising for the program. Not only can help the team's growing ticket sales, but also places MT in the minds of young recruits in the area considering their next school. Hope it keeps going.
article from last week
‘We Have As Good Of A Chance As Anybody’ – Derek Mason After Day Five of Fall Camp - Shelbyville Times-Gazette
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders held a post-practice media session on Tuesday morning, and with less than 25 days left until Week One kicks off at home against Tennessee Tech, the excitement was …
www.t-g.com
This is some great production and promotion of the season.
and on main streets sports podcast, Chip's segment had some good information. That segment begins at the 1:05:45 mark.
“If we're not striving to be the best in the country, then what are we doing it for?” - Special Teams sets the tone in New Era of Blue Raider football - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When you walk into Special Teams Coordinator Luke Paschall office, there's lots of things you'll typically find in a football coach's office:
Love that coach Mason brought Luke home. I wonder if the situation would ever be right for his brother, Walt, to return here too.
As a young man who started school here in the fall of 1980 can definitely say Chip's stats about the size of MT & Murfreesboro in 1981 are dead on. Tremendous change in the 'Boro & university in these past +40 years.
When I moved with my family here from McMinnville in summer of '69 Murfreesboro was only about 23k. What is stranger McMinnville in all these years is still almost same identical population, & has hardly changed at all.
When I moved with my family here from McMinnville in summer of '69 Murfreesboro was only about 23k. What is stranger McMinnville in all these years is still almost same identical population, & has hardly changed at all.
This was awesome!
I hope they have some of that merch available for the opener. My wallet's going to take a beating if so. I want that "MIDDLE TENNESSEE" black block hat that Mason's had on.
You and me both! I want some of the Boro Built/Middle Made merch as well.
MTSUGear (Lightning's) is lacking for Nike or other name brand and Alumni Hall has more urange and tristar stuff than anything. Sideline/coach gear should be available every year.
Josh Smith ignoring Derek Mason's advice at Vanderbilt pays off for new MTSU football coach
A decision former Oakland football standout Josh Smith made as a sophomore at Vanderbilt led him back to Derek Mason and MTSU.
www.dnj.com
Good article. Josh Smith is THE guy for the edge position for this defense. They were very intentional with the analyst hires they made.Josh Smith ignoring Derek Mason's advice at Vanderbilt pays off for new MTSU football coach
A decision former Oakland football standout Josh Smith made as a sophomore at Vanderbilt led him back to Derek Mason and MTSU.www.dnj.com
Feels good to finally have a coach not on cruise control.
Behind the Blue Raiders Episode 12 – Jamie Blatnick - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Jamie Blatnick, the Blue Raiders' Director of Strength and Conditioning, joins host Sam Doughton for the final episode of the Behind the Blue
goblueraiders.com
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