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Secondary
Returners 18 Kenneth Gilstrap, r-Sr., LC 4 Herbert King Sr., LC 21 Drayton Calhoun, r-Sr., LC 7 Khari Burke, r-Jr., LC *John Kelly, r-Jr., LC Alex Dale, r-Fr., LC 20 Kevin Byard, r-So., SS 23 Chris Brown, r-Fr., SS 47 Rodney O'Neal, r-So., SS 22 David Jones, r-Sr., LB 34 Anfornee Stewart, r-Fr., FS 31 Reginald Farmer, r-Sr., FS 8 Sammy Seamster, r-Sr., RC 24 Jared Singletary, r-So., RC 27 Chris Sharpe, r-Jr., RC *Jeremy Massey, r-Jr., RC *Keemem Berry , r-Fr., RC
Newcomers Shon Akins, Fr., LC Xavier Walker, So., SS Michael Minter, Fr., RC *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "This is a solid group but also a position where we can improve the most as a football team. We gave up too many big plays last year so we have to focus on getting better in that department immediately. We also need some guys to step up at corner.
Gilstrap: Will be out for the spring due to the injury he suffered in South Alabama game ... Most experienced corner on the team who was really good last year ... Played more physical in 2012 which is what the coaches wanted him to do ... Needs to have a big year for the defense.
Seamster: Showed some flashes late last year despite being a corner for the first time in his career ... Has all the tools to help the team ... Gives the team a good size corner and plays physical.
Byard: Coming off a great year as a freshman last season ... If he stays humble and does not get satisfied then his future is extremely bright ... A good tackler with exceptional ball skills ... Needs to compete every day in order to be a great player.
Jones: Moved to linebacker in the middle of spring drills ... A good all-around football player who has experience and is a guy the coaches trust ... Loves the game of football and is very competitive ... Needs to be more consistent.
Stewart: Coaches are very anxious to see him play after a very productive redshirt year ... Expected to make an impact.
Sharpe, King, Singletary: All three will compete for starting positions and/or prominent backup roles ... Spring and summer will be critical.
Kilgore, Grammer
lead offense; Defense gets 13 sacks
Middle Tennessee ran 105 plays to complete
its second scrimmage of the spring on a beautiful Saturday morning at Floyd
Stadium.
Middle Tennessee had strong performances from both quarterbacks. Redshirt
freshman Austin Grammer went 17-of-30 for 316 yards and two touchdowns, while
veteran Logan Kilgore completed 16-of-24 for 262 yards and one interception.
Christian Collis snatched five passes for 99 yards and junior Chris Perkins
grabbed three passes for 32 yards to lead the receivers. On the ground, Reggie
Whatley led the running back corps with seven rushes for 39 yards and a
touchdown, averaging six yards per carry.
The Blue Raider defense had a strong interior presence picking up 18 tackles
for loss and 13 sacks during the scrimmage. Linebacker T.T. Barber led the
bruising defense with 10 tackles, three TFLs and a sack, while defensive end
Stephen Roberts collected six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
"I thought we tackled well," said head coach Rick Stockstill.
"We had some turnovers and we had some short yardage stops on third and
fourth down. Some guys really stepped up on that side of the ball."
The MT offense was held scoreless on its first four possessions until Cody
Clark notched a 44-yard field goal. Kilgore completed passes of 13, 16 and 23
yards to set up a two-yard rushing touchdown for William Pratcher. Midway
through the first portion of the scrimmage, Zachary Lopez connected on his
first field goal from 44-yards.
Kilgore found his longest pass of the day with a 39-yard strike to Pratcher
that landed the MT offense another 42-yard field goal by Clark.
Freshman signal-caller Grammer connected on a 60-yard touchdown strike to Chris
Perkins for his first of two scores on Saturday.
"My reads are getting quicker and my feet are getting better every
day," said Grammer. "Coach (Buster) Faulkner works with me a lot with
having a sense of urgency. He tells me to speed the game up in my mind."
The offensive rhythm picked up for Kilgore as he fired three consecutive
passes to set up a rushing touchdown of four yards by Whatley.
Roderic Blunt scored the first of two defensive touchdowns with his fumble
recovery at the defense's nine yard-line. The redshirt senior linebacker
scampered 91 yards to paydirt. Blunt finished Saturday with two tackles, a
fumble recovery and a touchdown.
The Blue Raider defense once again found the end zone when Sammy Seamster
intercepted a Kilgore pass and returned it for a 60-yard touchdown. The
Ooltewah native finished the day with five tackles, a sack and a tackle for
loss.
Later in the game, the Blue Raider offense started redzone drills with Lopez
drilling a 40-yard field goal to get things started. With the red jersey off
for the later portion of the scrimmage, Grammer found Terry Pettis for an
18-yard pass, setting up a two-yard rushing touchdown by Chukwadi Echetebu.
Once again, Grammer connected with Pettis for a nine-yard touchdown as the
Raiders started inside the 10-yard line. Pettis, a redshirt freshman from
Fairburn, Ga., caught six passes for 81 yards.
"He is getting better," noted Stockstill on Grammer. "He did
a better job protecting the ball today than he has in previous practices. I
feel confident with him right now as Logan's backup. I think he is better at
improvising plays than just sitting in the pocket. I just think that is more
his game. He does a nice job extending the play." Middle Tennessee returns to the practice field on Tuesday for its final preparations toward the Blue-White Spring Game next Saturday, April 20.
Blunt, Barber, and Henry lead experienced group
Linebackers
Returners 52 Ykeem Wells, r-So., Sam 40 Leighton Gasque, r-Jr., Sam 35 Craig Allen, r-Sr., Sam *Riley Osborne , r-Fr., Sam 33 Roderic Blunt, r-Sr., Mike 28 Christian Henry, r-Jr., Mike 50 Iman Smith, r-Fr., Mike 38 T.T. Barber, So., Will 32 Justin Jones, r-Sr., Will
Newcomers Veion Robinson, Fr., Sam *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "I thought this position improved last year from the previous season and I expect us to be even better in 2013. We have good speed, played tougher last year and showed more consistency. With added experience, I think this group can be a bright spot for our defense."
Blunt: A senior leader who brings toughness to the position ... Practices and plays physical ... Had a career season last year and should only get better.
Barber: Was a pleasant surprise last year playing as a true freshman ... Athletic and physical player who has added strength in the offseason ... Coaches feel things will come to him more naturally in year two ... Very instinctive and should be on the field a lot in 2013.
Wells: Might be the most athletic player in the group but needs to show consistency ... This is a big spring and big season for him ... Runs well, is strong and plays physical.
Henry: A good athlete who improved a lot in 2012 ... A tough player who needs to get better in the passing game with his drops ... Coaches love his physicality.
Jones: Battled injuries in 2011 and in fall camp prior to 2012 season but finally got healthy and saw action in nine games ... Adds experience with 37 career games played and toughness ... Will be counted on for leadership.
Gasque: Has 11 sacks in two years as a reserve ... Brings speed to the position and has added strength in the offseason ... Will be used in special packages.
Note: Allen's future playing status will be determined at a later date as he continues rehab and working with his doctors.
Defensive Line
Returners 55 Shubert Bastien, Jr., LE 30 Stephen Roberts, r-Sr., LE 89 Dearco Nolan, r-Sr., LE 46 Max Ugboaja, r-Jr., LE 92 Patrick McNeil, r-Jr., LT 91 J.D. Jones, r-So., LT 43 Raynard Felton, r-Fr., LT 94 O'Shae Bridges, r-So. , LT 90 Jimmy Staten, r-Sr., RT 51 Shaquille Huff, r-Fr., RT 98 Derious Bennett, r-Fr., RT 93 Marcus Robinson, r-So., RT 97 Jiajuan Fennell, r-Jr., RE 59 Chris Hale, r-Fr., RE 17 Alexandro Antoine, r-So., RE 54 *Evan Ward, r-So., RE
Newcomers Matthew Foster, Fr., LE Jahmal Jones, Fr., LE Kenderson Obas, Fr., LT Jimal McBride, Fr., RT Devonte Lee, Fr., RE Todney Evans, Fr., RE Ismael Aurismond, Fr., RE *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "We are a little short-handed this spring because Jimmy Staten and J.D. Jones are out with injuries. Jimmy is one of our best leaders and really sets the tone for the entire line and J.D. just keeps getting better. We have a lot of bodies and depth but we need someone to step up and be the bell cow. Hopefully, that will happen in the spring."
Bastien: Played in all 24 games of his career ... Has shown flashes at times but needs to be more consistent ... Has enjoyed a great offseason and possesses a strong work ethic ... Has the ability to make something happen off the edge.
McNeil: Missed first two years with injuries and finally saw the field in 2012 ... Did a solid job in his first season ... Is strong and very athletic but needs to play more physical rather than always relying on athletic ability.
Fennell: Did a super job with his body over the winter workout period ... Very athletic and plays smart ... A player who can line up inside or outside ... Has a chance to be the bell cow the coaches are looking for in 2013.
Jones: Will not go through spring practice while recovering from injury ... Made strides his freshman year and looks to have a bright future.
Felton, Hale, Bennett, Huff: All four are redshirt freshmen who will be going through their first spring practice ... All showed great signs during their redshirt year and expected to contribute immediately in 2013.
Offensive Line
Returners 75 Darius Johnson, r-So., OT 79 Alex Jauregui, r-Fr., OT 72 *Jonah Sells, r-Jr., OT 77 Josh Walker, r-Sr., OG 58 Jesse Grisham, r-Sr., OG 56 *Lance Campbell, r-Jr., OG 60 Nick Nunez, r-Jr., C 62 Patrick Hughes, r-Jr., C 67 Josh Chester, r-Fr., C 61 Jadareius Hamlin, r-Sr., OG 78 Adam Stickel, r-Fr., OG 68 *Matt Sprouse, r-Sr., OG 73 Isaiah Anderson, r-Jr., OT 70 Roberto Loya, r-So., OT 65 Hunter Rogers, r-Fr., OT
Newcomers Conner Trent, Fr., OT Dalton Ownby, Fr., OG Daniel Stephens, Fr., C *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "The first priority is to find a center during spring drills to go with our four returning starters. If this group can stay healthy it can be a very good unit. They have toughness and some nastiness to them which is what you want in your guys up front. I like the unit and feel like we are starting to develop quality depth."
Walker: A 21-game starter who adds experience, understands the game, plays tough and works very hard ... Rates very good in the passing game and the run game ... Collected 78 knockdowns and did not allow a sack all season ... Led all offensive linemen with 885 total snaps and had 70 or more nine times.
Anderson: Continued to show improvement last year ... Has added weight ... Possesses great feet and hands but needs to be more physical ... Smart and athletic player ... Started all 10 games he played in 2012 and tallied 671 snaps.
Johnson: A special player in the making ... Is very strong and has a tremendous work ethic ... Plays with toughness ... Has a great future in store if he continues at his current pace ... Needs to show leadership in 2013 ... Had 74 knockdowns, including a season-high nine against Georgia Tech ... Gave up one sack all season.
Hamlin: A tough player who comes to work every day ... A great leader and teammate who puts his body on the line every practice and game ... Was fifth among linemen last year with 514 snaps.
Grisham: A senior leader who had a great offseason ... Works hard and will be a key figure at center.
Hughes, Loya, Nunez, Rogers, Stickel: This will be a very big spring for each player as the Blue Raiders continue to develop depth.
Jefferson, Henry are back after injuries
Receivers
Returners 81 Christian Collis, r-So., X Houston Brown, r-So., X 9 Kyle Griswould, r-Sr., H 13 Demetrius Frazier, r-Fr., H *Cey-ron Willingham, r-So., H 3 Tavarres Jefferson, r-Sr., Y 84 Terry Pettis, r-Fr., Y *Jermaine Dave, r-Fr., Y 19 Marcus Henry, Jr., Z *Zach Schiltz, r-Fr., Z 83 Jacob Corbaley, Sr., TE 57 Judd Hunt, r-Jr., TE *Darrell Baptist, r-Jr., TE
Newcomers *Travis McMillan, r-So., X 80, Chris Perkins, Jr., X Jevontay Smith, Fr., X 86 Devin Clarke, Jr., Z Ed Batties, Jr., Z Shannon Smith, Fr., Z *Douglas Lipscomb, r-Fr., TE Lucas Hamilton, Fr., TE *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "This is a very tough and talented group that takes pride in their work. Christian Collis is a good player with a year under his belt and Tavarres Jefferson is in the best shape of his career, while Kyle Griswould adds experience and toughness. We have a lot of new guys to mix in that we are very excited about and look forward to having Marcus Henry's speed back in the lineup after missing most of last season."
Collis: Enjoyed a solid rookie season with 18 catches (10 were for touchdowns or first downs) ... A bigger target that plays strong and physical ... Can make the tough catch and possesses a great work ethic.
Griswould: A versatile player who Logan Kilgore relies on in the passing game ... Showed improvement each game ... Not the fastest player but has some shake and great ball skills ... Owns the team's top mark in the squat.
Jefferson: Missed all of last year with an injury and appears to be back better than ever as he looks quicker and faster ... A smart player who understands leverage ... Experienced and versatile.
Henry: Missed almost all of the last seven games with an ankle injury ... Has deceptive speed, good hands and plays intelligent ... Coaches believe he will continue to improve and be a major factor in 2013.
Corbaley: A physical, tough, hard-nosed player who is effective in the passing and running game ... Loves contact and solidifies the tight end position.
Pettis, Perkins, Clarke: First-year players who still have to learn the offense but are talented ... Coaches expect them to make immediate impacts.
Running Backs
Returners 26 Jordan Parker, So., RB 25 Reggie Whatley, r-Jr., RB 5 Jeremiah Bryson, r-So., RB 29 William Pratcher, r-Sr., RB Chudi Echetebu, r-Fr., RB
44 Corey Carmichael, Sr., FB 82 William Wilson, r-Jr., FB 41 Chase Pennycuff, r-So., FB
Newcomers Kamani Thomas, Fr., RB Shane Tucker, Fr., RB *Non-scholarship
Coach Stockstill on position: "This is a very deep and talented group. We have guys that are tough, competitive and can help the offense in the passing game. It's an experienced position with explosive ability."
Parker: Set MT's freshman rushing record a year ago ... Ranked fifth in the conference in rushing and tallied four 100-yard games ... Powerful runner with ability to break off long runs ... Has a great attitude and is a smart player who wants to be great ... Gained 12 pounds in the offseason ... If he stays humble and keeps working then expect a brilliant career.
Whatley: A game-breaker who doubles as one of the best kickoff returners in the country ... A First Team All-SBC pick in 2012 ... Ranked 4th nationally with 30.5 yards per kick return ... Coaches appreciate how he practices and plays ... He loves football ... Gives offense a different look from Parker with his explosiveness and wiggle.
Bryson: Had some productive plays as a freshman last year ... Is a very similar player to Reggie Whatley as a guy who can make a defender miss ... Has added weight and strength ... Catches the ball well and is a smart player.
Pratcher: A fifth-year guy who comes into 2013 with a chip on his shoulder after seeing limited time as a junior ... Provides experience and leadership and the coaches like his attitude and work ethic ... May not be a player more excited about the spring to prove himself.
Quarterbacks
Returners 10 Logan Kilgore, r-Sr. 15 Shaun White, r-So. 11 Austin Grammer, r-Fr.
Newcomers A.J. Erdely, Fr.
Coach Stockstill on position: "We know what we have in starter Logan Kilgore so solidifying a backup and number three will be a focus. Shaun (White) and Austin (Grammer) are inexperienced but talented. This will be a very big spring for both players to see how they develop and learn the offense. Both will get a lot of work in order to bring them along faster."
Kilgore: Coming off his best season as a Blue Raider and ranks in the top five in nearly every career passing statistic ... Has back-to-back 2,000-yard passing seasons ... Coaches want to see him run the football more in 2013 to help the offense. They would like to see 30 to 40 yards a game rushing from the position so the "wildcat" formations will not be as predictable.
White: Has a very strong arm and is athletic ... Getting command of the offense and improving his decision-making will be a focus. Has lots of talent and coaches feel his accuracy will improve when his decision-making quickens.
Grammer: This is his first spring and has enjoyed a solid off-season ... Every day will be a learning experience so he will have to stay patient ... Needs to develop a quicker release which should happen once he feels more comfortable running the offense.
Fifteen former Blue Raiders had great showings at Middle Tennessee's Pro Day this morning in front of professional scouts from thirteen NFL teams.
Anthony Amos (WR) and Benny Cunningham (RB) had strong performances and impressed many of the scouts in attendance. Amos looked great on the field catching balls and running. His stock has continued to rise after his strong showing at the East-West Shrine Game in January. Amos posted a 4.65 40-yard time and a 32" vertical jump. Amos also ran the 60-yard shuttle in 12.08", which would have put him 13th at this season's NFL Combine.
While Cunningham did not run, he was impressive in the weight room with 26 reps on the bench press and shined in interviews with scouts. His 26 reps would put him tied for sixth at this year's NFL Combine.
On the defensive side of the ball, Omar McLendon (DE) looked great as well. McLendon had the best broad jump of the day at 9' 5" and posted a 4.52 20-yard shuttle. Both of these results would have placed McLendon 16th at the Combine.
Harold Turner (WR) posted a 36" vertical jump, which would have ranked 10th at the Combine this year.
Participants: Amos, Anthony WR Banks, Andrew WR Beyah, Malcolm WR Cunningham, Benny RB Dangerfield, Kendall DT Dasher, Dwight QB Hogg, Robert S Issac, Rod CB James, Micah OL Lopez, Carlos K McLendon, Omar DE Murphy, Jeff QB Turner, Harold WR - 36" vertical jump (10th) Van Horne, Vincent WR
NFL Teams: Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans
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