Looking ahead to FIU
The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are currently bottom dwellers and in the cellar for Conference USA. MT is 0-4 overall and a lowly 0-2 in Conference USA play.
The seat under Coach Rick Stockstill is starting to really sizzle. The echoes and reverberations calling and clamoring for his job will only strengthen if MT loses this week at Florida International and falls to 0-5.
It is now time to turn the page and look at what MT is up against this Saturday as they take on Florida International.
The Unknown
There really is not much on paper to look at when it comes to the FIU Panthers. Their first two ballgames of the season were postponed. Their home opener against Jacksonville State was called off, as was their road contest against Central Florida.
FIU's lone game this season at Liberty resulted in a loss. Liberty outscored FIU 36-34.
To really try and discern what FIU has to offer, we are left to look at their only opponent, Liberty.
The Flames are 3-0 on the season. Liberty's three victories included two nail biters and one blowout. They defeated Western Kentucky 30-24, and as mentioned, they beat FIU 36-34.
The lone easy, comfortable victory was against North Alabama, ending 28-7 in favor of Liberty.
Considering all this, it should be apparent that judging FIU can be an enigma at this point in time.
Will MT battle?
Anyone with a brain understands that even after being the head man for over 15 seasons, Rick Stockstill's seat is starting to get really toasty.
The looming question we should be asking is whether the team will get off the mat and scrap. I think that the Blue Raiders have every reason and every incentive to lay down and continue the losing streak.
Obviously the outlook for the rest of the 2020 season is bleak. Face it; MTSU is not going to contend for the Conference USA championship. Will this factor into the mindset of the players? Will the guys in Blue continue to let the losses mount and pile up or will they demonstrate moxie and perseverance resulting in some wins?
Another question worth posing is whether the coaches have lost the actual guys on the team. Sometimes when a head coach has his job in jeopardy, the players rally around him, competing and fighting for the coach they love. Will this be the case for the rest of the 2020 season? Who knows. But we will find out.
What we know about FIU
Once again, there is a very small sample size to look at when attempting to dissect what Florida International brings to the table.
When slicing up their one game against Liberty, FIU put forth a pretty balanced offensive attack. Against Liberty they threw the ball 20 times and ran the rock 31 times.
The Panthers only accumulated 136 yards through the air in the one game, while rushing for a somewhat impressive 168 yards.
Tailback D'Vonte Price is the thoroughbred in the stable for FIU. Price had 148 yards rushing against Liberty, averaging 11.4 yards per carry. Kaylan Wiggins, a quarterback, had 35 yards on only three carries. That's 11.7 yards a carry.
Defensive back Dorian Hall leads the team in tackles with nine, five of which were solo tackles. Linebacker Tyson Maeva has eight tackles, six of them being solo tackles.
I will divulge more this coming week as we inch closer to the game, but I do think that MT drops to a dismal 0-5 after this game.