(Photo Credit: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
WR Yusuf Ali, WR Jarrin Pierce, WR C.J. Windham, OC Jordan Palmer, OG Marcus Greer, OG Dorian Hinton, DE Jordan Ferguson, DE Jorden Starling, LB Johnathan Butler, LB Cody Smith, LB D.Q. Thomas, CB Decorian Patterson, CB/PR Quincy Riley, CB Teldrick Ross, FS Reed Blankenship, SS Gregory Grate, KR Jaylin Lane, and PT Kyle Ulbrich.
Key Players Departing:
QB Asher O’Hara, and PK Crews Holt.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Kameron Grays (Eight Mile, Alabama), DE Joseph Honeysucker (Memphis transfer), WR Majon Wright (Arizona transfer), WR Javonte Sherman (Valdosta, Georgia), OG Jamari Williams (Arizona transfer), OT Jacqui Graham (Decatur, Mississippi), QB Nick Vattito (Miami Gardens, Florida), LB ZaBrien Harden (Swainsboro, Georgia), WR Elijah Metcalf (Charlotte, North Carolina), and Terrell Pack (Sarasota, Florida).
2020 Results:
G01 at Army L 0-42
G02 TROY L 14-47
G03 at UTSA L 35-37
G04 WESTERN KENTUCKY 17-20
G05 at FIU W 31-28
G06 NORTH TEXAS L 35-52
G07 at Rice W | 2OT 40-34
G08 at #16 Marshall L 14-42
G09 at Troy W 20-17
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 3-6 (5th in CUSA East)
Home: 0-3
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-4
Non-CUSA: 1-2
Head Coach: Rick Stockstill
Middle Tennessee: 94-92
Career: 94-92
Bowls: 2-6
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Chase Cunningham (9-17, 73 yards, 52.9%, 4.3 avg., 0 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Chaton Mobley (80 car., 366 yards, 4.6 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Jarrin Pierce (59 rec., 584 yards, 9.9 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Chaton Mobley (6)
Sacks: D.Q. Thomas (3.5)
Tackles: Reed Blankenship (76)
Interceptions: Gregory Grate (4)
Pass Deflections: Decorian Patterson/Quincy Riley (4)
Tackles For Loss: Cody Smith (8)
Forced Fumbles: Gregory Grate (3)
Kick Returns: Jaylin Lane (13 ret., 247 yards, 21.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Quincy Riley (3 ret., 6 yards, 2.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Kyle Ulbrich (43 punts, 1882 yards, 43.8 avg., 12 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 16 Chase Cunningham (RS JR)
RB: 10 Bailey Hockman (GR/TR)
WR: 7 D.J. Chisolm-England (SO)
WR: 9 Jarrin Pierce (RS SR/TR)
WR: 89 Yusuf Ali (RS JR)
WR: 81 C.J. Windham (RS SR)
LT: 74 Steven Losoya (RS FR)
LG: 78 Dorian Hinton (RS FR)
OC: 62 Jordan Palmer (JR/TR)
RG: 65 Marcus Greer (RS SO)
RT: 53 Lance Robinson (FR)
KR: 83 Jaylin Lane (FR)
PK: 24 Scott Payne (RS FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 49 Jorden Starling (RS SO)
DT: 99 Jordan Branch (RS SO)
DT: 57 Marley Cook (RS FR)
DE: 91 Jordan Ferguson (RS JR)
LB: 20 D.Q. Thomas (SR)
LB: 38 Johnathan Butler (JR/TR)
LB: 42 Cody Smith (RS JR)
CB: 15 Raheme Fuller (RS JR)
CB: 33 Decorian Pattrerson (RS SO)
FS: 12 Reed Blankenship (SR)
SS: 3 Gregory Grate (JR)
PR: 83 Jaylin Lane (FR)
PT: 13 Kyle Ulbrich (RS JR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/04 MONMOUTH HAWKS | First meeting between schools.
09/11 at Virginia Tech Hokies | First meeting between schools.
09/18 at UTSA Roadrunners | Middle Tennessee trails the series 1-2. Last season’s 35-37 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2016.
09/24 at Charlotte 49ers | Middle Tennessee leads the series 4-1. The Blue Raiders lost (20-34) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/02 MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD | Middle Tennessee trails the series 4-6. The Blue Raiders are 4-4 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (24-13) was in 2019.
10/09 at Liberty Flames | Middle Tennessee won (27-7) the last meeting between schools in 1982.
10/23 at Connecticut Huskies | Middle Tennessee leads the series 2-0. The Blue Raiders won (38-14) the last meeting between schools in 2001.
10/30 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | Middle Tennessee leads the series 3-0. The Blue Raiders won (37-31) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
11/06 at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | Middle Tennessee leads the series 35-34-1. The Blue Raiders are 3-6 since 2011, and their last series win (29-10) was in 2018.
11/13 FIU PANTHERS | Middle Tennessee leads the series 11-5. The Blue Raiders are 7-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2018.
11/20 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | Middle Tennessee leads the series 4-0. The Blue Raiders won (38-17) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/27 at Florida Atlantic Owls | Middle Tennessee leads the series 12-5. The Blue Raiders lost (13-28) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 3-2
Away: 2-5
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 3-5
Non-CUSA: 2-2
Overall: 5-7 (5th in CUSA East)
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