In 2002, Middle Tennessee State’s football program gets to see how far it progressed after a 2001 season that started with a victory over Vanderbilt and included an 8-3 record and a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship.

This season, the Blue Raiders will again get to test their worth against a Southeastern Conference School. They open at Alabama, then travel to Tennessee and Kentucky. That’s a killer of a three-week stretch for a team that has played Division I-A football for only three years.

After spring practice, McCollum was already thinking about the Aug. 31 game against the Crimson Tide.

"This has been a great spring for our football team," he said. "The attitude and work ethic these guys have displayed has been incredible. Now we have to have dedication this summer and be ready to go strong in August."

The coaches at Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky certainly won’t be overlooking the Blue Raiders. McCollum’s team was ranked No. 5 nationally in offense last year. Defensively, the Blue Raiders once again improved -- jumping 36 spots in the national statistics from year one to year three under McCollum.

And the Blue Raiders have something else the Crimson Tide, Volunteers and Wildcats must prepare for -- a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Dwone Hicks , who announced in January he would return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft.

MTSU also returns its entire offensive line, which means once again the Blue Raiders may have one of the more balanced offenses in Division I-A football. MTSU ranked seventh nationally in rushing offense in 2001 with 237.6 yards per game.

The Blue Raiders moved from a 4-3 defensive alignment in the middle of two-a-days last year to a 3-3 stack under defensive coordinator Steve Davis. The move gave the Blue Raiders more speed and athleticism.

In three years with the Blue Raiders, McCollum has won a league championship, produced the conference player of the year and offensive player of the year. He had a freshman All-American and placed seven players on the first-team all-conference squad. McCollum has also developed back-to-back 1,000-yard rushers, the nation’s completion leader, and the country’s No. 2 (2001) and No. 3 (2000) scorers.

McCollum added four new coaches for the 2002 season, including wide receiver/passing game coordinator Blake Anderson, secondary coach Todd Bradford, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Campbell and defensive line coach Fred Tate.

Perhaps the biggest key for the Blue Raiders will be finding a replacement for quarterback Wes Counts, who directed an offense that set school records in total offense with 5,295 yards and 408 points.

In order to pick up where they left off offensively a year ago, someone must step up at quarterback. The favorite is red-shirt junior Andrico Hines (6-3, 221), a transfer from Southwest Mississippi Junior College. He watched and learned last year from Counts while traveling with the team and signaling in plays from the sideline.

"Andrico has all the tools to be a great quarterback for Middle Tennessee," McCollum said. "What he doesn’t have is experience at this level, so it’s our job to get him ready.

"But Andrico is not alone. He will have some talented players pushing him every day. Andre Green brings some different things to the table and we signed the No. 3 quarterback class in the country last year. Our situation under center is very encouraging."

Hines is a big, rangy quarterback who was known for his accuracy and decision making in two seasons at Southwest. He completed 101-of-158 passes for 1,319 yards his final season there. He has been working hard with the receivers.

Green (6-1, 212), a red-shirt freshman from Fayetteville, Ga., was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 59 high school player in the country in 2000. He was considered one of the top athletes in the Atlanta area. Green is faster and more elusive than Hines.

Hicks (5-11, 225), a senior, and junior Rashard Lee (5-10, 215) ranked 25th and 72nd, respectively, in the nation in rushing last season. This is the most talented, deepest and strongest position for the Blue Raiders.

Behind Hicks, Lee and junior Don Calloway (5-7, 174), the Blue Raiders averaged 237.6 yards a game last year.

Gone is fullback Jason Spray, but plenty of talent returns in senior Avery Hatten (6-2, 247) and senior John Madrick (5-10, 230). Hatten started two games last year while Madrick played in five games.

Also seeking playing time will be newcomer Nick McAfee (5-11, 220), a sophomore who sat out last year to concentrate on academics. He was highly recruited out of Marietta, Ga.

Counts and wide receiver Kendall Newson own virtually every record at their positions at MTSU. Newson, however, is also gone and must be replaced for the 2002 season.

Even though Newson is gone, the Blue Raiders return seven of their top nine pass receivers including all-conference candidates Tyrone Calico (6-4, 224) and David Youell (5-11, 178), both seniors.

"Calico and Youell have made a lot of big plays in their careers, and I don’t expect anything different this year," McCollum said.

Calico will try to move out of Newson’s shadow this year. He is the second leading receiver in school history with 149 catches for 2,030 yards. He ranks eighth in career touchdown receptions with 12.

Backing up Calico will be walk-on sophomore Ryan Edmiston (6-0, 198), who did not play last season. He did impress the MTSU coaches in practice with his route-running and pass-catching ability.

Youell returns as the starter at "H" receiver. He caught 37 passes for 358 yards and one touchdown last year. He had 10 catches for 104 yards against New Mexico State.

Playing behind Youell will be red-shirt freshman Chris Henry (5-9, 163), who traveled with the team last year while working on his knowledge of the offense. The highly rated player out of Kingsport, Tenn., was impressive in off-season workouts.

"Youell is someone who people may know after the season that he had last year," McCollum said. "He is a relentless worker who wants to get better."

The starter at the "Y" position will be sophomore Hashem Joyner (5-10, 152), who averaged three catches and 29.3 yards per game. His backup will be senior Reggie Jones (6-3, 225), who joined the Blue Raiders a year ago as a junior college transfer. He has the size to create match-up problems and was a return specialist in junior college.

Starting at the "Z" position will be sophomore Kerry Wright (5-9, 172), who started three games last season. A quick player, Wright had seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown last year. He has a vertical jump of 37 inches and runs a 1.66 10-yard dash. Pushing Wright for playing time will be junior Wardell Alsup (5-10, 161), a product of Murfreesboro Oakland High School who made one start last year. He also played defensive back.

The starter at tight end should be senior Lucas Frost (6-3, 267), who was chosen "Best Conditioned Athlete" last season at MTSU with a perfect score during the summer strength and conditioning program. He caught two passes for 12 yards and a touchdown in 2001.

Sophomore Quan Domineck (6-5, 240) will push Frost. He was rated the No. 4 tight end in the nation out of high school. Also in the mix is junior Brett Bucher (6-5, 239), who caught one pass last year.

This position, a question mark entering the 2001 season, is now considered a strong point. All five starters are back and ready to once again do the dirty work for one of the most dangerous offenses in the nation.

The starter at left tackle will be all-conference junior Brandon Westbrook (6-6, 288), who many believe is the best lineman in the Sun Belt. He had 65.5 knockdowns last year and was voted MTSU’s lineman of the week five times. He had starts last year at right tackle and right guard.

Backing up Westbrook will be senior Jonathan Proby (6-3, 285), who averaged a career-best 30 snaps last season. He had four starts and is considered a short-yardage specialist. Depth will come from red-shirt freshman Brett Trott (6-5, 290), a local product of Murfreesboro Oakland High.

The starter at left guard will be senior David Coy (6-4, 288), who can also play tackle. He had 46.5 knockdowns last year. Playing behind Coy will be senior Johnathan Barry (6-2, 320) and red-shirt freshman Shavaskey Brown (6-2, 332). Barry started two games last year and is also a critical part of the short-yardage team. Brown sat out last year, but coaches believe he will push for playing time.

The center will be senior Glen Elarbee (6-2, 269), who was last season’s most surprising player. He was a second-team all-conference player who led the Blue Raiders in knockdowns with 92.5 and snaps played (767).

"Elarbee is a hard worker who may not be as talented as a lot of people, but he is hard-nosed and has a great work ethic."

Playing behind Elarbee will be junior Joe Moos (6-2, 285) and junior Gary Sanders (6-4, 312). Moos is one of the strongest Blue Raiders. He moved over from the defensive line last year. Sanders has yet to see action in a game.

At right guard, the starter will be senior Kevin Pascoe (6-3, 288). He started 10 games last year and recorded 59.5 knockdowns. Junior Josh Willoughby (6-4, 338) will play behind Pascoe. Also a member of the short-yardage team, Willoughby played a career-best 142 snaps last year and started one game.

Playing behind Pascoe and Willoughby will be Bill Brasch (6-4, 298), who played last year mainly in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He made one start.

Back at right tackle will be sophomore Julius Gant (6-4, 288), a strong player who averaged 54 snaps a game last year. His backup will be junior Brandon Parker (6-7, 322), who also played mainly in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Junior Brian Kelly (6-0, 172) returns as the place-kicker. He has made 17-of-22 career field goals and ranks fifth all-time in scoring at Middle among kickers. He has made 29 straight point-after kicks.

Red-shirt freshman Paul Wheeler (6-1, 215) backs up Kelly.

Gone at left end is Tanaka Scott, but there is still a lot of experience at the position. Senior Sam Smith (6-4, 258) will be the starter. A junior college transfer, Smith started one game last year and played in all 11.

Playing behind Smith will be junior Demetrios Walker (6-3, 232). He played a lot on special teams in 2001 and is expected to be a key contributor for the defense.

The starter in the middle at tackle is expected to be sophomore Jerry Vanderpool (6-3, 285), but he will be challenged by sophomore Thomas Johnson (6-3, 286) and senior Kal Ziegler (6-4, 285).

A player who could move up the depth chart is sophomore Jeff Littlejohn (6-3, 292), who sat out last year. He was one of the most highly recruited players in the history of MTSU, after being rated the No. 6 defensive lineman in the country coming out of Gaffney, S.C. He can be a dominating player for the Blue Raiders.

The starter at right end will be senior Curtis Daniely (6-5, 288), the leading returner in quarterback sacks. He comes off a season with 29 tackles, three sacks and four tackles for loss. The backup will be junior Dominic Jones (6-4, 275), a mid-term signee who chose MTSU over Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Memphis. He was the defensive MVP for the North team at the 2001 Mississippi JUCO All-Star game.

Red-shirt freshman Jonathan Callahan (6-4, 230) could also be a contributor.

Four of five starters return and McCollum believes this could be his best group yet at this position.

In the middle, junior Randy Arnold (5-11, 222) will start. He worked himself into the starting lineup last year and remained there the last nine games. He was the team’s fifth-leading tackler.

Behind Arnold will be junior Charlie Myles (6-1, 240), who signed in December out of Gulf Coast (Miss.) Community College. Also in the mix will be senior Chris Gatlin (6-1, 223), who started eight games as a sophomore. He played in nine games last year, starting once.

Sophomore Blake Morris (6-3, 213) will start at right linebacker. A former Tennessee Mr. Football finalist at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, Tenn., Morris made 20 tackles last year for the Blue Raiders. He started one game.

Backing up Morris will be senior Louis Kemp (5-8, 210), a former walk-on who made 35 tackles last year, and transfer Kenny Edwards (6-0, 225) from Georgia Military College. Edwards was the second-leading tackler last year for a GMC squad that went 11-0 and won the junior college national championship.

"Louis Kemp is a guy who you don’t read about a lot, but he is really getting better," McCollum said.

Senior Sheldon Durham (6-2, 223) will get the starting nod at left linebacker. He started nine games last year and made 39 tackles. Behind Durham will be sophomore Chris Hough (6-1, 200), who made 27 tackles last year in a reserve role, and junior Joey Montalbano (5-9, 203), the strongest player on the team. Red-shirt freshman Curt Brown ( 6-2, 230) could also see playing time.

The starter at left outside linebacker will be junior Brandon Lynch (6-0, 177), who made 54 tackles last year. He had eight tackles in consecutive games against New Mexico State, Arkansas State and LSU.

"Brandon Lynch is a guy who shows a lot of desire and intensity," McCollum said.

The backup will be red-shirt freshman Amon Binkley (6-1, 195).

Starting at right outside linebacker will be senior Kareem Bland (6-1, 194), who has started 16 games in his career. He made 46 tackles last year and also excels on special teams; he blocked two kicks in 2001. The backup is sophomore Alvin Fite (6-0, 213), a highly recruited player out of Nashville Hillsboro High School. He played in the first eight games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

McCollum picked up six new defensive backs through recruiting, including three junior college players who should make an immediate impact.

"We are still not where we need to be in the secondary, but I definitely think we have gotten better," McCollum said. "There are some guys back there who can put us over the hump, but it’s all about gaining experience."

Starting at right corner will be junior Muhammad Rashada (5-11, 175), a speedster who made seven tackles in starts against Ole Miss and North Texas. Competition will come from newcomer Tony Sutton (6-0, 193), a two-year starter for Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Sutton made 46 tackles last year in helping lead Tyler to an 8-4 record.

Sophomore Shawn Allen (6-1, 186) will start on the left side. He was rated the No. 2 safety in the state coming out of Troup County High in LaGrange, Ga. Allen sat out last year and should make an immediate impact this fall.

Senior Chris Johnson (5-10, 180), who played mostly at outside linebacker in 2001, will back up Allen. He has played in 33 games in his career.

Aaron Pitts (6-0, 175), a transfer from Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) Community College, will back up Allen and Johnson. Pitts made 12 interceptions in two years of junior college.

The starter at safety will be junior Michael Woods (6-2, 203), who led the Blue Raiders in tackles last year with 80. He was chosen a second-team all-conference player. He could possibly see time at outside linebacker.

"Michael Woods’ motor reminds me of Kendall Newson’s," McCollum said. "He is just a natural on the football field and has a great desire to be the best. He’s a fun guy to coach."

The backup will be junior Will Martin (6-1, 200), who played quarterback the last two years at Coffeyville Community College.

Junior Robert Billingsly (6-0, 200) led the Sun Belt in punting last year. He averaged 42.3 yards and had one-fourth of his punts downed inside the 20. He earned all-conference honors and would have ended the year ranked in the top 25 in the nation if he’d had enough attempts to qualify for NCAA statistics.

Wright is the favorite to take over the punt-return duties left vacant by Hansford Johnson. Wright had only four returns last season, but should be a natural for the position.

Seven MTSU signees were rated in the Top 40 by Rivals100.com. The signees included 15 defensive players, 11 offensive, three offensive or defensive linemen and four athletes.

The class includes several junior college signees who could make an immediate impact, players like Edwards at linebacker and Pitts, Sutton and Martin at defensive back.

Two signees could move into the picture at quarterback -- Josh Harris and Clint Marks .

Harris (6-3, 180) chose MTSU over Louisville and Vanderbilt. The quarterback from Union High School in Santuck, S.C., runs a 4.6 in the 40 and was rated the No. 32 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals100.com.

Marks (6-2, 180) selected MTSU over Army, Minnesota, Clemson, North Carolina, Akron and Bowling Green.

In the hunt for playing time at flanker will be Michael Watkins (6-2, 175), a Super Prep All-American out of College Park, Ga. Watkins, who chose MTSU over Bowling Green, Marshall, South Carolina and Louisville, runs a 4.5 in the 40. He was rated the No. 2 receiver in the state of Georgia and one of the top pass catchers in the south by recruiting analyst Max Emfinger

Pierre Ingram (6-4, 200) from Stockbridge (Ga.) High School could also see playing time at wide receiver. He chose Middle Tennessee over Georgia Tech and Troy State and runs a 4.55 in the 40 and possesses a 36-inch vertical leap. Ingram lettered in football, basketball, and track at Stockbridge High School. He had 32 catches for 678 yards as a senior.

Another signee who could make some noise at receiver is Sean Waller (5-10, 160) from Hunters Lane High School in Madison, Tenn. He runs a 4.4 in the 40.

Linebacker Dennis Burke (6-2, 215) was the first high school player to commit to the Blue Raiders in 2002.

Help in the secondary could come from signees Eugene Gross (5-11, 195), Tyrone Hicks (5-10, 175) and Kevin Copeland (5-9, 185). Gross played quarterback and safety at Statesboro (Ga.) High School. Hicks is the brother of Dwone Hicks and set the Alabama record last year with 12 interceptions. Copeland, out of Warm Springs, Ga., could play some at free safety.

McCollum has the Blue Raiders right where he wants them in his fourth season. The schedule gives them a chance to beat another SEC team, and the Blue Raiders certainly have a chance to win the Sun Belt Conference championship outright.

"You can’t hide the fact that we have a pair of pretty big shoes to fill in Counts and Newson," McCollum said. "But at the same time I think we have some exceptional talent waiting to run with the opportunity.

"We had a strong year on the offensive side of the ball last season and I don’t see any reason why we won’t be sound again in 2002."