Middle Tennessee State
Middle Tennessee State

Middle Tennessee State Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 03:09 EST

It was all about tempo this spring for the Blue Raiders.

Coming off the program's worst record in Rick Stockstill's tenure as coach, a dismal 2-10 mark that was capped by four straight double-figure losses in Sun Belt Conference play, accountability and pace were the major points of emphasis during spring practice. It was estimated that the team ran through almost 200 plays per practice by the time spring drills concluded.

What does that mean regarding MTSU's chances in 2012? The jury is still out. Buster Faulkner appears entrenched as the new offensive coordinator after filling in as the play-caller for half of last season after Willie Simmons resigned. He's got six starters back, including Logan Kilgore at QB, who is the clear front-runner to take the first snap when Middle opens its 2012 season.

Kilgore's part of a backfield that's full of playmakers. The bigger issues exist on defense, where Tyrone Nix will be calling the plays now as the newly appointed co-defensive coordinator. That side of the ball includes an almost entirely new cast in the secondary and a linebacking corps that must improve after being plagued by injuries and erratic play in 2011.

--QB Jeff Murphy, who logged multiple starts in 2011, tore his ACL toward the end of spring practice and faces a tough decision. Murphy, a fifth-year senior, can either undergo surgery and likely see his collegiate career end unless he's granted a medical hardship -- or he can choose to play his senior year on the injured knee and have surgery after the season.

"I am going to talk to my family and get all the information from the doctors and then weigh my options, but I want to get back on the field," Murphy told the Daily News Journal. "It's possible to play with no ACL, and I know a couple guys that have done it. You have to be tough, but I consider myself a tough competitor."

--Newly promoted offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner made some tweaks to Middle's version of the spread -- most notably in the way plays are signaled in to the guys on the field. Previously, all signals and audibles came from the coaches on the sideline. Now, the play is signaled into QB Logan Kilgore and he communicates additional adjustments directly to his teammates on the field.

One catch to that system? It requires whoever is at QB to have complete mental mastery of the offense, and right now the only other healthy signal-caller on scholarship is Shaun White, a talented but untested redshirt freshman.

SPRING MOVERS:

CB Khairi Burke -- A rising sophomore, Burke made some waves this spring and capped his performance with two big plays in the spring game. Burke drilled WR Tavarres Jefferson for a 3-yard loss in one series in the third quarter. Then, on the very next play, Burke picked off a pass by Logan Kilgore and returned it 33 yards.

QB Shaun White -- Kilgore left spring practice as the starter in all but name, but the injury to Jeff Murphy moved White up the depth chart and makes it even more vital that the redshirt freshmen be ready for prime time in case something happens to Kilgore.

DE Shubert Bastien -- Might Bastien be poised to follow in the footsteps of Erik Walden and Jamari Lattimore? Bastien has a long way to go to match the production of those former MTSU standout ends but he looks to be the leader of the defensive line this season. Bastien has bulked up by 32 pounds since the start of fall camp in August, extra size and muscle which should help him increase on the 33 tackles, 4.5 stops for loss and two forced fumbles he tallied last season.

CB Kenneth Gilstrap -- The Sun Belt Conference two-time champion in the 55-meter dash, Gilstrap now has the complete game to match his top-flight speed. Steve Ellis, Middle's co-defensive coordinator, said Gilstrap was playing his best football this spring. With 23 career starts, Gilstrap needs to provide a steadying presence in a secondary that returns zero additional starters in the defensive backfield.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't care if Usain Bolt or Michael Johnson is in front of me. When I'm in press coverage, running with guys is just something I can do." -- CB Kenneth Gilstrap

2012 OUTLOOK: The schedule sets up nicely for Middle, opening up with three consecutive winnable games against McNeese State, FAU and Memphis. The Blue Raiders' chances probably rest on those three contests. Win all three, and it would guarantee Middle a winning record heading into October and build confidence for a team that definitely needs to generate some positive momentum coming off last season's nosedive to a 2-10 finish. Lose to FAU and Memphis, and Middle will have a tough time scratching out any remains wins over the final nine weeks of the season.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The backfield is loaded with RBs Ben Cunningham and William Pratcher both returning after splitting time as the starting ball carrier in 2011 and Drayton Calhoun joining the fold after sitting out last season following his transfer from LSU. Expect all three backs to remain key cogs in the offense.

Logan Kilgore has all the tools to be a successful QB, as evidenced by his 415-yard performance against Troy during which he set the program record for consecutive completions. However, Kilgore throws too many interceptions -- 13 in 14 games played.

Tavarres Jefferson, Kyle Griswould and Anthony Amos provide a capable trio at receiver, but the most dynamic element in the passing game is on the way this summer when Jacob Bennett arrives for preseason camp. Bennett is the cousin of former Vanderbilt standout and current NFL player Earl Bennett.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Tyrone Nix becomes the fourth different defensive play-caller at Middle in a span of five years. He inherits a defense that's got a talented but still growing line, a linebacking corps in desperate need of improvement and a secondary running perilously short on proven players. Moving Leighton Gasque should help the second level of the defense. Gasque, who led MTSU in sacks last season as a DE despite very few snaps, is now in the mix at outside linebacker.

Shubert Bastien and Jiajuan Fennell headline the cast of characters at defensive end. Kenneth Gilstrap will be expected to be the main man in the secondary as the only incumbent starter but don't sleep on safety Jajuan Harley, a transfer from Florida State.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Carlos Lopez, a transfer from Carson-Newman, currently is the heir apparent to replace Sun Belt Conference record-holder Alan Gendreau as Middle's placekicker. Lopez will receive some competition this August when the freshmen arrive. Josh Davis takes over full-time as the punter after splitting that duty with Nathaniel Toulson last season. Middle has a variety of speedy and capable candidates to return kickoffs and punts, but the key point is fielding those kicks successfully.

The Blue Raiders have developed a formidable reputation as kick blockers under Stockstill, and expect that trend to continue.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

PK Carlos Lopez -- The transfer from Carson-Newman might end up being the most important addition made to the roster since the conclusion of the 2011 season. A good kicker can be an asset, especially in close games. Alan Gendreau, though he did set the Sun Belt career scoring record last season, had his issues with accuracy on field goals though there were a variety of factors at work there.

QB Austin Grammer -- The incoming freshman probably wouldn't need to play unless disaster struck and Middle lost both Logan Kilgore and Shaun White to injury, and Jeff Murphy chose not to play on his torn ACL. Still, stranger things have happened and with Murphy hurt, the opportunity for Grammer to play sooner than expected could come to fruition.

WR Jacob Bennett -- The junior-college transfer and late addition who inked after national signing day could provide the dynamic downfield element that has been absent from the Middle passing game in recent years.

ROSTER REPORT:

--WR Marcus Henry sat out the spring game with a separated shoulder.

--LB Roderic Blunt hurt his knee during a scrum over a fumble in the spring game. He's expected to miss up to a couple of months but should be at full strength well before the team reconvenes for fall practice.

--Micah James got some work at center while incumbent starter Alex Stuart missed several practices this spring due to a serious illness in his family.

--RB Jeremiah Bryson got most of his work at H-receiver, which lines up either in the slot or in the backfield. He also is a potential candidate on kick returns.

--Dearco Nolan moved from DT to his natural end position this spring.