Five home games have come and gone, and now MTSU is preparing for Senior Day against the New Mexico State Aggies this Saturday. It’s a bittersweet moment for the 16 that will be honored, but the Blue Raiders want to keep the main thing the main thing and send those players off with a victory.
“Football is like a carton of milk; it eventually has an expiration date,” says MTSU head coach Derek Mason. “There’s an opportunity for guys to send themselves out the right way, and I think this group is coming off a bye week with good work is pushing towards that.”
This senior class is exceptionally unique. When Mason was named the head coach in December 2023, he had to overhaul the roster that was left for him following the departure of over 40 players. So, some traditional MTSU seniors have been Blue Raiders for multiple years, while some are playing their first and only season in Murfreesboro.
Either way, they count the same towards the football family that Middle Tennessee is trying to build for now and the future.
SENIORS BEING HONORED
OL Ellis Adams, LS Brody Butler, LB Jalen Davis, WR Elijah Ealey, OL Ethan Ellis, QB Stone Frost, RB Jayce Gardner, WR Mitchell Howell, De'Arre McDonald, OL Julius Pierce, LB Terrell Pack, K Zeke Rankin, RB A’Varius Sparrow, DL James Stewart, P Trey Turk and TE Holden Willis.
It will be an emotional week for these seniors, but the message for the team is clear. Enjoy the moment but know what’s at stake.
“Seasons and careers go fast. You look up, and you’re a freshman, and now you have two games guaranteed in your college career,” Mason said. “That can seem a little disarming because it comes so fast, and you’re sitting there wondering what’s next. I want guys to create some memories, play our best ball and make your final home game memorable.”
The Aggies of New Mexico State stand in MTSU’s way of doing that behind a good rushing attack but lackluster defense. Middle should be able to score some points on the opposition that gives up 37.2 PPG, but the matchup to watch is the MTSU run D versus the Aggie run game.
NMSU runs for 4.5 YPC, ranking in the top 50 nationally and No. 23 among Group of Five teams. While MTSU is one of the worst defenses in the nation against the run, they’ll have to figure it out unless they want a repeat of the last three games where the Blue Raiders have surrendered 937 yards on 6.4 yards a touch.
Like always, that’s been an emphasis in practice, but linebacker Parker Hughes says the plan is simple.
“We’ve got to set the front, make sure everyone is locked in on their job to do their 1/11,” he says. “Especially for the linebackers, we must understand what has to be done to succeed, like fitting our gaps and playing sound football, and we’ll be good.”
Senior Day festivities will occur before the game, but the Blue Raiders and Aggies will kick off from Floyd Stadium at 1:30 p.m.
