For the school’s 100th anniversary celebration, Middle Tennessee State officials wanted to bring in a brand-name opponent. Blue Raiders fans eagerly await Georgia Tech’s arrival Saturday.
BCS conference teams have visited Middle Tennessee in the past, but Tech “has a lot of local interest. Georgia Tech is three hours down the road, so there’s a lot of name recognition,” athletic director Chris Massaro said.
Tech coach Paul Johnson has spoken to the team about playing in front of a rowdy crowd and an energized team. Middle Tennessee officials said the game could set an attendance record at 30,788-seat Floyd Stadium and be the first sellout since the stadium was expanded in 1998.
Part of the anniversary celebration will be the presentation of a cake, 10 feet long, 5 feet wide and 6-8 feet high, modeled after the school’s athletic complex.
The team, too, is eager to face Tech after losing 42-14 last season at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Blue Raiders nearly upset Purdue on Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind., in a 27-24 loss.
Middle Tennessee wide receiver Malcolm Beyah, who played at Chamblee High with A-back Roddy Jones and guard Omoregie Uzzi, said last year’s loss was embarrassing.
“We’ve prepared ourselves this year more than we did last year,” Beyah said. “We know what to do against them. We’re just going to take it from there and hopefully we’ll come out better than we did in the Purdue game.”
Middle Tennessee is 5-34 against BCS conference teams since joining FBS (formerly Division I-A) in 1999, but has held its own in recent years, including wins over Maryland in 2008 and 2009.
“We’re not going to let up any slack,” Beyah said. “That’s how we play.”
Boosting B-backs
Co-offensive line coach Mike Sewak would like to get the running game going with the B-backs. In the opener Thursday night against Western Carolina, starter David Sims ran nine times for 44 yards with a touchdown. The four B-backs — Charles Perkins, Preston Lyons, Richard Watson and Sims — had 19 rushes for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
“That’s something that, if we’re going to be any good, we need to go ahead and establish and make it happen,” Sewak said.
The Western Carolina game was useful for Sims to adjust to playing at game speed. Last year, he played in five games, often in mop-up duty.
“Coming in, say, at the end of the game, it’s basically like a scrimmage,” Sims said. “Starting off the game, going against their best and we have our best, it’s going to be a little bit faster than normal.”
Hanging around
Punter Sean Poole wants to boost his hang time to 4.0 seconds. Poole said he was told his two punts against Western Carolina were in the 3.7- to 3.8-second range.
“It’s just something where you’ve just got to get through the ball more,” he said.
Poole averaged 40.5 yards on two punts, but Tech netted 33.0 yards. Poole said the team’s net goal is 40 yards. Only five teams in the country averaged better than a 40-yard net last season, when Tech averaged 32.2 yards.
Poole said it is a “big turnaround from last year, but we have big expectations for this group and we have the group of guys to do it.”
Practice report
Tech had a spirited practice Wednesday afternoon.
“Guys were flying around, acting like they were having some fun,” Johnson said. “I think we’ll be ready to play.”
A-back Marcus Wright, whom Johnson expected to play earlier this week after missing the opener, probably will not. Offensive lineman Morgan Bailey probably also will not play. Injuries were not disclosed.
About the Author
