Murfreesboro, TN – We are three days away from the highly anticipated debut of the Derek Mason Era for MTSU football. Questions have loomed all offseason about how the team will look with 59 new players, a revamped offensive line and a brand-new coaching staff.
Those questions will start to be answered on Saturday night when Tennessee Tech rolls into town for the 6 PM CT opening game at Floyd Stadium. But for now, there’s still uncertainty and I’m here to examine five of the biggest storylines heading into the 2024 campaign.
1. How does the offensive line look?
The MTSU offensive line was underwhelming, to say the least in 2023, allowing 32 sacks which was 103rd in the nation among FBS teams. Along with losing All-CUSA right guard Keylan Rutledge, things looked bleak for the Blue Raiders coming into 2024. However, head coach Derek Mason brought in several new linemen, two of which in Ellis Adams and Marcus Miller who could start on the right side of the line.
The biggest acquisition for the o-line room was bringing in former NFL player and Auburn offensive line coach Kendall Simmons to take the same position that he had with the Tigers. Simmons has quickly made an impact on his guys in the trenches, developing them into much more physical and swift players. Tennessee Tech won’t be the team to judge how well the Blue Raider line will be in 2024, but it will certainly be exciting to see how they developed over the summer and what the personnel is.
2. What’s the chemistry like between Nick Vattiato, Holden Willis, and Omari Kelly?
Last season was the first as starters for quarterback Nic Vattiato and tight end Holden Willis, both saw a lot of success as leaders of their position groups. Willis hauled in 46 passes for 697 yards and five touchdowns, being named to the All-CUSA First Team as a receiver. Vattiato was no slouch either, having 3,489 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns to establish himself as a top QB in CUSA.
Both will be looked upon to be the alpha’s of that offense, but there’s somebody else who has caught the attention of coaches since transferring to MTSU in December, and that’s Omari Kelly. The former 247Sports Composite four-star receiver was not able to see the field much with the Auburn Tigers, but was a vertical threat in his time there, averaging 20.2 yards per catch.
He has impressed the MTSU coaches and will be a starting receiver this season. With the addition of Kelly and veteran experience of Vattiato and Willis, the Blue Raider passing attack could be lethal. Seeing how those three play together and in a new system will be a must-watch for Week 1 and going forward.
3. How different is the front line after losing five DL/EDGE transfers?
The defensive line cupboard was raided after the 2023 season ended as MTSU saw its top tackler on the team, Sam Brumfield leave for Virginia Tech. Along with the top four sack and TFL producers via the transfer portal.
MTSU was able to retain talented linebackers Devyn Curtis, Drew Francis and Parker Hughes while also bringing in a plethora of new guys from the portal or JUCO reigns. The staff likes what they’ve seen out of the front wall and there’s no doubt they have the potential to be a good unit, however, they must show it against other teams.
That defensive front should go to town on the Golden Eagles offensive line, but the real question will be can they continue to produce week in and week out while dealing with the bumps and bruises of games. It’s still up in the air but from a talent perspective, they have enough to compete with nearly everyone on their schedule.
4. What’s the difference in physicality from last season to now?
The word coming out of summer and spring camps was the physicality is night and day from the past few seasons of MTSU football. Coach Mason and Co. have made it an emphasis to get players tougher and nasty in the trenches and so far, it’s seemed to be that way but now it’s time to see how all that work in the offseason translates.
With a tough first five weeks against Ole Miss, WKU, Duke and Memphis, the Blue Raiders will rely on their big guys up front to control the line of scrimmage. MTSU will roll through Week 1, but the exciting part will be to get a glance of how much more physical the team is before they take on No. 6 Ole Miss in Oxford. Followed by what could be a tell-tale game for the 2024 season when the Hilltoppers come to town.
5. Does the community come out to support MTSU in Coach Mason’s first game?
There has been a lot of hype coming into the season, and rightfully so. Coach Derek Mason is now at the helm and has assembled a tremendous staff, most of whom have coached or played in the NFL. Along with bringing in big-time transfers like Brendon Harris (Wake Forest), James Monds III (Indiana) and Kelly to gel with returning starters.
Mason has also made it a priority to build a relationship with the community, something the program lacked for years. It’s worked and there’s about as much hype in Murfreesboro, TN as there has been in recent memory.
At his Coaches Show on Monday, Mason talked about the fan base and how much they need support from the locals. Stating, “I can promise you that coming to games will be worth your time and money. It will be good football and the excitement of our team along with the energy the fans bring, makes for a great gameday atmosphere. That’s what we need, it’s not just about football but also the atmosphere that you bring, it makes the day so much more fun.”
It'll be interesting to see the number of fans that come out to support MTSU football on Saturday. Floyd Stadium has been lacking the screams of Blue Raider fanatics for a while, but could the narrative be flipped this season?
Middle Tennessee will kick off against Tennessee Tech at 6 PM CT on Saturday but the festivities will start hours beforehand. The new “Party in the Grove” featuring live music, food trucks and other fun activities starts at 2:30 PM with the Raider Walk taking place at 4 PM.
