MTSU football finishes the spring with Blue
MTSU student receives $10K diversity scholar awardMTSU football team begins season preparationsMTSU graduate wins first place in Pick Tennessee Products competitionMTSU’s Keel among 2016 honorees for YWCA Academy for Women of AchievementThe Reclaim Showcase: an arts showcase celebrating survivors of domestic, sexual violenceMTSU football embraces lofty expectationsRecent donations strengthen MTSU student ‘ties’ at Raiders’ ClosetQ with MTSU quarterback Brent StockstillMTSU Photography Student Show gives big picture to aspiring professionalsQ with MTSU football coach Rick StockstillThe MTSU football team finished spring practice April 18 with the 2015 Blue White Spring Game at Floyd Stadium. The offense got a late touchdown to defeat the defense 31 28 in front of an announced crowd of 3,111.The biggest question heading into the game was how the playing time would be done between the two quarterbacks, freshman Brent Stockstill and junior Austin Grammer, who are competing for the starting job heading into the fall. On the day, Stockstill received 10 more snaps and two more possessions than Grammer.Stockstill finished the day going 19 for 25 for 125 yards and one touchdown in seven possessions of action, while Grammer was 11 for 15 for 145 yards and two touchdown passes. Cheap Jerseys free shipping Neither quarterback had a turnover in the win for the offense.”As an offense we played with great tempo, and we protected the ball and had no turnovers,” Stockstill said. “I was able to put it in the end zone a couple of times. As a team, we competed and played hard and stayed injury free.”Grammer added: “I know at times we could have played faster, but all spring we have been working in new guys and new plays. With that being said, I thought we did really well.”Two newcomers led the way receiving for the Blue Raiders> Derek Barnes had three catches for 84 yards, including a 54 yarder and a 27 yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Freshman Richie James had nine catches for 74 yards, including a 5 yard touchdown reception from Stockstill in the third quarter. Senior Ed Batties also had a touchdown catch from Grammer.”It was the right play call as the inside receiver got me open, and I just made a play,” Barnes said. “It was a good ball, good throw.”The offense had 296 yards through the air, but only 112 on the ground. Senior and former Smyrna Jeremiah Bryson had 46 yards rushing to lead MTSU, while junior Shane Tucker added 38, including a 3 yard touchdown run to end the scoring.MTSU’s defense was led by senior linebacker Trey Wafford with 5.5 tackles, while fellow senior and safety Quay Watt added five tackles of his own. Six different players registered one sack apiece, but the whole defense did not cause a turnover.”We all did our assignments, and everybody played together as one,” Wafford said. “It was a big thing coming together and having fun, because it was the last scrimmage.”The MTSU spring game was not your traditional football contest. Instead, the teams were broken up with the Blue team being the defense, and the White team was the offense. All three quarterbacks who played in the game wore black jerseys, and they were off limits.Also, the scoring was done differently with the offensive rules being the same as a normal game, while the defense got seven points automatically before each quarter, and four additional points if they caused a turnover.The length of the game was shorter than usual, with the first and second quarter being eight minutes long under traditional timing rules, while the third and fourth quarter were on a 12 minute running clock unless for a change in possession.The Blue Raiders will report for fall camp on Aug. 5, with the first practice on the following day as they will open the season on Sept. 5 at home against Jackson State.
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