 |
| |
|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
EVENTS
CENTERS
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
 |
Middle Tenn. Blue Raiders (2000: 6-5) The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I-A teams, be sure to order the 2001 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and programWith three outstanding recruiting classes in the house and the system of coach Andy McCollum entrenched, Middle Tennessee State football fans are ready to make reservations for a trip to New Orleans on Dec. 18.That’s because MTSU fans believe their Blue Raiders can win the Sun Belt Conference championship in their first year in the league and play in the New Orleans Bowl, which will match the league champion against the third pick from the Mountain West Conference. “This is a great challenge for this program and an even better opportunity after two years as a I-A Independent,’’ McCollum said. “The league will be highly competitive despite this being the first year of play, but I definitely feel we have a chance of being there at the end." After taking over the MTSU program two years ago, McCollum guided the Blue Raiders to a 3-8 record. Known as a premier recruiter, McCollum continued to bring in top-notch talent and Middle Tennessee went 6-5 last season with an offense that ranked 16th nationally and a defense that improved 31 spots in the NCAA’s total defense rankings from 1999 to 2000. Last year’s winning record was even more impressive because the Blue Raiders played a monster schedule with road games at Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi State and UAB. McCollum brought in what was determined to be the best recruiting class in MTSU history in 1999, then followed that a year later with a class rated among the top half of the 114 Division I-A programs. The 2001 class was rated the best in the Sun Belt. “The bottom line is that we try to improve a little each year,’’ McCollum said. “Hopefully, we will be able to continue doing that. “Obviously we are very ambitious for the 2001 season, but that is the case every year. We are always positive and believe strongly in what we do.’’
Bottom lineMiddle Tennessee will stick with its platoon system at quarterback that led to an offense that last season produced an average of 433 yards a game and 32 points.Record-setting quarterback Wes Counts (6-1, 187), a senior, is a master with the short passing game. He owns 15 school records and is the most accurate passer in Blue Raider history with a 63.2 career completion percentage. Counts, a lefthander, passed for 1,536 yards last year and had four touchdown passes against South Florida. Counts started nine games, but gave way twice to senior Jason Johnson (6-2, 210), whose expertise is throwing the long ball. Johnson also threw for more than 1,000 yards last season. He rallied the Blue Raiders to a season-ending victory over Louisiana-Lafayette that secured a winning record. MTSU is billing junior Dwone Hicks (5-11, 218) as an All-America candidate after his 1,277 rushing yards set a school record in 2000. He has rushed for more than 100 yards nine times and has an average per rush of 6.9 yards. The Blue Raiders are loaded at running back and the talent is just as impressive in the receiving corps. Headlining the talent pool at wide receiver is another All-America candidate -- senior Kendall Newson (6-2, 181). Newson is the school’s all-time leading receiver with 173 catches in 32 games and the school’s career leader in receiving yards with 2,278. He has caught at least one pass in 32 straight games. Although four linemen graduated, the best one is back in left tackle Brandon Westbrook (6-6, 285), a sophomore who is a candidate for all-conference honors. Westbrook missed the last game of the 2000 season after suffering a broken leg against South Florida. He had 85 knockdowns a year ago and is expected to be 100 percent.
Defense and special teamsNew coordinator Steve Davis will switch the Blue Raiders from a 3-4 scheme to the 4-3 this year. He should give MTSU new enthusiasm as the defense tries to catch up with the offense in terms of national attention.The defensive line will be anchored by left end Tanaka Scott (6-2, 266), a senior who led the Blue Raiders last year in sacks, tackles for loss and hurries. Starting inside will be 2000 starters Scott Brown (6-2, 222), a senior, and Chris Gatlin (6-2, 212), a junior, Brown started 10 games last year and was fourth on the team in tackles. Gatlin started eight games and was eighth in tackles despite nursing a nagging ankle injury. He and Brown should form a tremendous duo in the middle this season. Two of four backfield starters return, led by senior Jykine Bradley (5-10, 180). He led MTSU last year in interceptions (three), pass breakups (12) and was sixth in tackles from his left cornerback position. Help in the special teams area could come from Reggie Jones (6-3, 200) from Middle Georgia Junior College in Atlanta, who was the NJCAA All-America return specialist in 2000.
Bottom lineIf the offensive line comes through, the Blue Raiders will be awesome on offense. They averaged 239 yards passing and 194 yards rushing last year. Counts and Johnson are outstanding at quarterback and there is plenty of depth behind Hicks at running backs. The wide receivers should also be rated among the nation’s best by the end of the season.It will be interesting to see if the Blue Raiders can improve even more on defense under the direction of new coordinator Davis. The special teams are expected to be among the best in the conference as well. McCollum has the MTSU program on the rise and a championship in the Sun Belt Conference is a possibility. A trip to New Orleans would be nice for the Blue Raiders and their fans. The only problem is that a Sun Belt championship could make McCollum a hot commodity for a head-coaching job in a bigger conference. |
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
