MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — The finishing touches are being put on the brand new, state-of-the-art performance facility at Middle Tennessee. Just below, on the field, the Blue Raiders are ramping things up in fall camp as they look to continue the building process in year two of the Derek Mason era.
It’s all part of a long-term vision to revitalize the sorely lacking facilities around the football and other athletic programs and improve the product on the field.
“Development matters,” Mason said at Tuesday’s Media Day. “That’s what they care about. They care about nutrition, they care about recovery, they care about how do you get me better. And when you walk through this facility, it’s as good as anybody’s. We got the goods now. So we can recruit, we can go at anybody. The thing we have to do now is win.”
Mason believes his team will win this year thanks to the infusion of 62 new players thanks to the transfer portal and freshman recruiting. The Blue Raiders have revamped their offensive line, added playmakers at wide receiver, and shored up the depth on the defensive side of the ball.
Leading the way is fifth-year quarterback Nick Vattiato, who has played 32 career games and posted back-to-back seasons of exactly 3,092 yards. As he gets set for his final go-around, Vattiato believes he’s ready to direct the offense and the team as a whole.
“I think my leadership and my command of the locker room is definitely something I’ve taken a lot of pride in,” Vattiato said. “It’s something I learned from the guys that came before me, and it’s something I’m trying to instill into the young guys we have on this team now, and then I’m just trying to do everything in my ability to be the best I can and give this team a chance to win.”
Middle Tennessee moved the ball last season, mostly through the air, but struggled to score points. The investment in improving the offensive line should help the run game and make it easier to score touchdowns in the red zone.
The Blue Raiders are bullish on what this year’s offense can look like. They’ve set a goal to score 35 points per game, and that explosiveness was on display in Tuesday’s practice as former Vanderbilt wideout Gamarion Carter caught three deep touchdowns. Michigan transfer Amarion Walker and speedster Cam’ron Lacy have also shined in camp.
“We want to try to make the defense cover from the line of scrimmage to the goalline and from sideline to sideline,” offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder said. “And for us to do that, we’ve got to hit deep balls. Not only throw them, but hit them.
On defense, senior Parker Hughes moved from safety to linebacker last season and is the unquestioned quarterback of the defense in fall camp.
He knows how important it is for his unit to up their game this season.
“We’ve got to be physical,” Hughes said. “We’ve got to set the edge as far as the run goes. We’ve got to be better at tackling this year. Tips and overthrows, we’ve got to get those, that’s what we say. Strip the ball. We’ve got to get more of those. If we get the ball out, that’s turnovers and that gives the offense more chances to score.”
Hughes will get some help from Chattanooga transfer Alex Mitchell, who is expected to start next to him at linebacker. Mitchell led the Mocs with 103 tackles last season and was part of a playoff team during his time at the FCS school.
The Riverdale product is excited to return back home to Murfreesboro to play his final season of college football.
“I grew up here since I was around eight years old, “Mitchell said. “Playing for a community that really supports you and my family, and it’s really great to be surrounded by great people and play for them, so I really wanted to just come back home and make a name for myself in the community.”
The Blue Raiders took their lumps during a 3-9 campaign a year ago, but things are looking up in and around Floyd Stadium. Now it's on them to turn that excitement and optimism on the field into wins.
