As the ageless classic The Wizard of Oz has made known, 'There is no place like home.' That idea was on full display when freshman linebacker Amarrien Bailey had a breakthrough game in his return to the Magnolia State, finishing second on the team in tackles with seven against one of the best offenses in college football.

While he might be a new name to fans, the coaching staff is well aware of the talent and mindset that Bailey brings to the position. He had initially committed to the previous staff, but the new coaches prioritized keeping him in the class.

With him locked in, he stepped up and became a leader for the class, pushing for others to join him in Murfreesboro. Now a member of the Blue Raiders program, he has continued to step up as he steps into a more prominent role with reliable veterans Drew Francis and Parker Hughes still out.

"I look at where he is. He's never been afraid to play football. His fear factor is low and his productivity, like we saw on Saturday, can be high," head coach Derek Mason said.

Mason has preached being of a blue-collar mentality and earning your opportunities. The opportunity for Bailey to come in and be a factor right away was earned daily in practice in a deep position group, as the head coach declared after the game.

He made it clear that he is more than willing to let young players gain meaningful experience if the staff feels that they are ready. He believes this is best for the growth of the individual player and the team.

"I've always been a guy to play young guys because I think young guys become old guys. I'm not afraid to play young guys. I think that's why some of those guys came here; they came here for the chance to compete and I've always believed in having functional depth, no matter where I've been."

So far, his ideology has produced positive results for several players who have seen their first meaningful action this season. The true freshman falls into that category and his head coach believes he will only improve as he continues to gain the mental edge that comes with experience after an impressive outing against a top-five Ole Miss team.

"It was good to see him play. He didn't flinch. He hit everything that was moving and that's really what you want to see from a young guy. You may not know a whole lot, but run and hit something and make it right. As a linebacker, you always fix it with violence, and I thought that was what we saw from him. It is going to be good to see what he does moving forward," said Mason.

While it is true that Bailey has risen to prominence with a pair of veterans missing time, don't expect him to dissolve from the rotation when they return either. Mason made it a point that with the unit returning to full strength soon, the only thing that will change is the depth of the position.

"This complement of linebackers is going to be back soon, so that just means we are going to be deeper and more experienced in what we do."

As Middle Tennessee enters a new era and identity of Blue Raider football, it will be crucial for some younger options to step up to create more depth at positions in the short term and a bright future in the long term. With that being said, true freshman linebacker Amarrien Bailey is one player who has come in right away and flashed his abilities, giving the Blue Raiders program another exciting young player to watch blossom.