Lounge Update #3...

Day 3 of the Players' Lounge project is over and some significant progress has been made. The carpet has been removed, ceiling taken down and divider wall taken down. Now work will focus on stripping the floors and preparing the ceilings.

Signing Day Press Conference Live...

Watch live streaming video from coachstocklive at livestream.com

Chronological Order...

For those of you wondering how the chips fell on the fax machine here is a list of the arrival order of today's faxes..

6:53am Jonathan Brooks
6:56am Khari Burke
7:04am Judde Hunt
7:10am Morris Moore
7:26am Max Ugboaja
7:41am Reggie Whatley
7:59am Corey Carmichael
8:34am Leighton Gasque
8:53am JiaJuan Fennell
8:54am Pat Mcneil
9:24am Isaiah Anderson
10:05am Chris Sharpe
10:06am Christian Henry

Also remember that the following players signed and enrolled in classes this January..
- Logan Kilgore
- Jared Bamber
- Jamar Brown
- Jeremiah Black
- Arness Ikner
- Tyler Mason
- Preston Bailey**
**Placed on scholarship in January

Food for thought...

Because the coaches will be camped out in the staff room from 6am this morning until?? Director of Football Operations Chris Matusek has made sure everyone is fed really well. He has brought in a bagel buffet from Einstein's Bagels for everyone to enjoy.

The trusty fax machine...

Nestled in the front of the MT Football staff room is the fax machine, the bearer of good news on signing day. It is funny with all the technology available these days that this almost outdated technology still reigns supreme.

Next in line...

The third prospect to become a Blue Raider is...
7:05am CST Judd Hunt, Oneonta High School, Alabama

Starting off Back-to-Back...

The fax machine has started to get going this morning with back-to-back faxes...

The first addition to the Blue Raider family is
6:53am CST Jonathan Brooks, Miller Grove High School, Georgia

Right behind him was..
6:56am CST Khari Burke, South Plantation High School, Florida

Getting started...

Its about time to get Signing Day fired up for the Blue Raider staff, coaches arrived at the Murphy Center offices about 6am this morning just in case any recruits from the eastern time zone faxed their information over first thing this morning.

We are sitting in the staff room in order to bring you signings as they happen and any other insider information you won't get anywhere else.

Signing Day Central...

With the start of National Signing Day only a few more hours away stay tuned to The Stock Report Blog all day tomorrow as we will be live from the Middle Tennessee Football staff room as all the action happens. We will be the first to report as the faxes roll off the machine and we will bring you inside stories like no one else can so STAY TUNED!

Blast from the Past...

While crews were ripping up the carpet on the lounge project they uncovered an interesting image of Blue Raider Football history. Along the back entrance to the locker room there was an older logo and three slogans hand painted on the floor as a motivational tool for past players.

Lounge Update #2...

Day two of the players' lounge project has just wrapped up. Today the crew started taking down the ceiling panels and the partial wall.

Lounge Update #1...

Yesterday work started on the new MT Football Players' Lounge. Crews were here most of the day ripping up the old carpet and stripping the floors down. Here are some shots of the action...

"Recruiting Round-up"...

Middle Tennessee and the Blue Raider Athletic Association will host its third annual Football Recruiting Roundup on February 10. The event will take place at 5:00 PM in the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame building on campus.

Head Coach Rick Stockstill and his coaching staff will be introduced, followed by a video presentation on all of the Blue Raiders' 2010 football signees. Members of the coaching staff will then talk more in-depth with fans about the newest Blue Raiders and how they made their way to Murfreesboro.

"This is a great chance for our staff to interact with the fans and fill them in on the latest members to the Blue Raider football program," said Stockstill. "It's just a great chance for our fans to be more involved with the program and get a closer look at our recruiting. We had a great time last year and enjoyed all the questions we received and are looking forward to another great night."

Doors open at 4:45 PM and the program will get underway at 5:00 PM and conclude at 7:00 PM in time for people to attend the Middle Tennessee-Denver basketball game.

The cost is $20 and will include beverages and snacks. Fans can pay cash at the door and Blue Diamond and above members in the BRAA will be admitted free.

For more information, contact the Athletic Communications Office at 615-898-2968.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to NCAA rules, prospects or signees and their families may not purchase tickets or attend the event.

Work has begun...

This off-season the Middle Tennessee Football facilities will be undergoing several improvement projects to make life easier and more comfortable for players and coaches. Work has started today on the new Player Lounge that will be part of the locker room in the Murphy Center.

Thanks to some generous private donations this project will be a great area for the players to relax and even improve their football IQ's. This area will included several recreational amenities along with some high class tech equipment. Some of the lounge amenities will include:
- Several HD Flat Screen TV's
- Pool Table
- Leather Sofas
- Computer stations for Class work
- DVSport Video Stations for opponent film study
- Playstation 3
- Xbox 360

These are before shots of the area of the locker room where the lounge will be built-

Signing day looms...

The big day looms in the not so distant future, National Signing Day is less than 48hrs away and the Middle Tennessee Football offices are buzzing with activity. For the first time in over a month all the coaches are back in the office which automatically creates some activity.

All the months of research and background work combined with over two months of hard time spent on the road recruiting across the country by our coaches will manifest itself on the football office fax machine starting at 6am CST Wednesday morning. That's when recruits can begin signing their NLI's and faxing them into our office to make things official.

Until that time the MT staff, just like ever other staff in the country, is taking advantage of the NCAA's unlimited phone call rule in the 48hrs leading up to this big event. This will be the last opportunity for coaches to talk to recruits and their families. Coaches will be working to keep other schools away from committed prospects and will even make a few last attempts to sway prospects that are still on the fence.

You can bet this staff like most others in the country will be brewing some extra coffee and missing out on some sleep in the next two days.

ESPN gives Franklin an "A"...

Thursday, January 28, 2010
A review of the top 2008 first-year assistant coach hires

---

By Graham Watson

At the beginning of the season, I tabbed the top five new assistants among the non-AQs that I thought would make a difference for their respective teams. I thought I would look back and see how those assistants fared and grade them on their performance.

1. Tony Franklin, Middle Tennessee, OC: Franklin lived up to all the expectations that were levied on him and his offensive scheme, and made Middle Tennessee a legitimate contender not just in the Sun Belt Conference but across its schedule. The Blue Raiders won 10 games, ranked 27^th nationally in total offense and 23rd in scoring offense. He turned Dwight Dasher, who had been thought of as a running quarterback, into a solid dual threat. Dasher ranked seventh in the country in total offense.

Grade: A

Telling time...

Along with the New Orleans Bowl ring MT players & staff will receive a bowl watch. Just like the watch Coach Stockstill had his pick of several designs and styles. It will also be delivered around Mid-March...

Final proof of the Bowl watch...

Bling Bling from the Boro....

We have had many questions about the 2009 New Orleans Bowl Championship Ring.The New Orleans Bowl gives rings as part of the gift package to players and allows the schools to choose from many different designs. The only part of the ring that must remain unchanged is the New Orleans Bowl side, other than that Coach Stockstill got to create a unique piece of history for the Middle Tennessee players & staff. The rings have been ordered and should be delivered around the end of February to the middle of March.

Below is a final proof of the ring...

Local restaurant giving out some thanks...

One of Murfreesboro's most popular restaurants is giving out some love to MT Football...

Mardi Gras Night...

Make sure to be at the MTSU Men's Basketball game against New Orleans tonight to cheer on the guys and because the 2009 New Orleans Bowl Champions will be recognized at half-time. The annual Mardi Gras theme will be the highlight of the evening.

A pre-game autograph session with the football team will get underway at 6 PM on the track level of Murphy Center. New Orleans Bowl championship posters will be available while supplies last.

The 10-3 Blue Raiders will then be introduced on the court during a halftime celebration, and then members of the team will participate in the annual Mardi Gras parade.

Due to the final week of recruiting for the 2010 class, Head Coach Rick Stockstill will not be in attendance for the celebration.