Scouting Report: Middle Tennessee

What: Middle Tennessee at No. 24 Alabama

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When: September 3, 2005

Time/TV: 6:05 p.m. CST/Pay-per-view

Last meeting: In the 2002 season opener for both teams, Alabama held off a furious rally that saw the Blue Raiders pull to within five points or less three times in the game's final nine minutes to secure a 39-34 win at Birmingham's Legion Field. With 3:07 remaining in the game and Middle Tennessee trailing 32-27 with the ball at its own 38-yard line, quarteback Andrico Hines was intercepted by UA linebacker Freddie Roach, who returned the pick 41 yards for a game-cinching score.

About Middle Tennessee

2004 Record: 5-6 (4-4 in Sun Belt Conference)

Head Coach: Andy McCollum (Austin Peay --'81): McCollum was named head coach at Middle Tennessee on Dec. 8, 1998. In six seasons in Murfreesboro, McCollum's teams have compiled an overall record of 30-38. McCollum served as an assistant at Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Baylor before taking over the Blue Raider program. McCollum's future at Middle Tennessee may very well hinge on the upcoming season. He was given the dreaded vote of confidence by former AD Boots Donnelly following the 2004 season, but Donnelly has since been replaced by Chris Massaro.

Returning Letterman: 54 (Offense-25, Defense-25, Specialists-4)

Returning Starters: 21 (Offense-8, Defense-9, Specialists-4)

How Middle Tennessee's offense operates: The Blue Raiders employ a no-huddle, one-back attack that will have three or four wide receivers on the field at all times. As a result, expect to see Alabama's nickel defensive package for much (if not all) of the game. When MT goes three wides, look for a tight end to enter the game. Middle Tennessee was close to 50:50 in its run-pass ratio a season ago, but the running game was unproductive for the most part -- which is why it was a focal point of spring drills.

Middle Tennessee's best offensive player: That would be Clint Marks, the Blue Raiders' 6-foot-2, 203-pound junior quarterback. Marks set the single-season passing yardage record at Middle Tennessee with 2,749 in 2004. The southpaw threw for a career-best 447 yards on 30-for-34 passing to go along with four touchdown passes in a win over Arkansas State last season. In completing 70.4 percent of his attempts, Marks ranked second in the nation in completion percentage. While he has adequate arm strength, Marks greatest asset comes in his growing knowledge of the offense. Interceptions (he was picked 14 times in '04) were a bugaboo a year ago, but with a full season of starting experience under his belt, the MT staff expects his touchdown pass to interception ratio will improve. Marks was recently named to the Davey O'Brien Watch List as one of 33 candidates for the nation's top quarterback award.

Greatest area of strength for the Middle Tennessee offense: Although McCollum wants to see more production from the running game, the passing game will determine just how far the Blue Raiders go in 2005. And considering that Middle Tennessee bases out of a four-wide look, that should come as no surprise.

When the Blue Raiders run the ball they will call on: Junior running back Eugene Gross, who led the team in rushing with 402 yards in 2004. At 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds, Gross is squat in build and isn't much of a homerun threat. Gross is a decent option, but true freshman Alex Suber appears to be the future at the position. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Suber will see plenty of action in his first collegiate game.

These are the guys Marks will look to throw to: Wide receiver Chris Henry enters his senior campaign as Marks' go-to guy. Henry caught 60 balls for 586 yards last season. Senior receiver Cleannord Saintil, who had 40 catches of his own in 2004, is the guy Marks will look to next. Wide receiver Bobby Williams could become the first true freshman to start in an opener at MT in the program's brief Division I-A history. Williams didn't join the Blue Radiers until the second day of fall camp, but that didn't keep him from making a run to the top of the depth chart. Alabama's linebackers and safeties will need to also keep an eye on tight end Stephen Chicola when he enters the game.

Where's the weakness on offense?: Middle Tennessee returns three starters up front, including offensive tackles Germayle Franklin and Willie Hall, but with the move of Quinton Staton from the offensive line --where he was an all-conference performer in 2004-- to defense both guard positions are question marks. As expected, sophomore Brandon Nix and senior Brian Smith nailed down the left and right guard spots, respectively, in the preseason.

How Middle Tennessee's defense operates: Defensively, the Blue Raiders are working under their third coordinator in as many years in Mark Criner, who was promoted from secondary coach by McCollum following the 2004 season. Criner isn't expected to make many changes to the 4-3 scheme that was favored by his predecesser, Bradley Dale Peveto, but McCollum has put in a request for more blitzing.

Middle Tennessee's best defensive player: The lone Blue Raider defender to pick up preseason first-team All-Sun Belt honors, tackle Jeff Littlejohn, who has appeared in 33 games during his career at Middle Tennessee, is back to anchor the front four.

Greatest area of strength for the Middle Tennessee defense: There's experience at the end positions in Erik Walden and Devarick Scandrett and top reserve Sean Mosley. Scandrett ranks fifth on the all-time sacks list at MT and Walden led the team in the category a season ago with six.

Where's the weakness on defense?: The front seven was solid against the run a year ago, but the secondary struggled in defending the pass. Starting experience abounds in the defensive backfield, but Alabama will likely look to attack Middle Tennessee corners Bradley Robinson and Keon Raymond early and often. Middle Tennessee allowed 273.5 yards passing per game in 2004.

Kickin' it up a notch: In Colby Smith, MTSU's placekicking and punting is a one-man show. A Lou Groza award candidate for the second year in a row, Smith converted 15-of-17 field goal attempts in 2004. When he wasn't making field goals, Smith managed to average 39.9 yards per punt. Henry is in line to replace the ultra-productive Kerry Wright as the Blue Raiders' top punt returner, and he'll be joined by Saintil on kickoff returns. Paul Wheeler, who recorded touchbacks on 14 of his 53 kickoffs in 2004, also returns.

TALE OF THE TAPE

(2004 NCAA Ranking in parenthesis)

Alabama MT

326.7 (94) ----- Total Offense -------374.3 (57)

185.1 (26) ------ Rushing Off. ------ 106.5 (101)

21 ---------------- TD's Rushing ----------------- 16

141.6 (112) ----- Passing Off. --------267.7 (15)

11 ---------------- TD's Passing ----------------- 15

24.6 (64) -------- Scoring Off. --------- 24.5 (66)

245.5 (2) ------- Total Defense ------- 411.8 (86)

132.4 (37) ------ Rushing Def. --------138.4 (45)

113.1 (1) --------Passing Def. ------ 273.5 (112)

15.8 (7) ---------- Scoring Def. --------- 26.6 (68)

.50 (25) ------- Turnover Margin ------- -.55 (94)

16-9 ------------- Fumbles/Lost ------------- 20-10

11 ----------- Interceptions Thrown ------------ 16

24.4 (9) --------- KO Ret. Avg. -------18.1 (101)

8.2 (76) ---------Punt Ret. Avg. -------- 10.4 (47)

25-166 ------------- Sacks by -------------- 28-172

16-119 --------- Sacks Allowed ---------- 29-163

31:59 ------------------ TOP ------------------- 30:07

2005 Middle Tennessee Football Schedule

Date Opponent

Sep 3 at Alabama

Sep 10 North Texas (SB)

Sep 17 Akron

Oct 1 at Vanderbilt (6 PM CST)

Oct 15 at Florida Atlantic (SB)

Oct 22 Louisiana-Lafayette (SB)

Oct 29 at Florida International (5 PM CST)

Nov 5 Arkansas State (SB)

Nov 12 Louisiana-Monroe (SB)

Nov 19 at North Carolina State

Nov 26 at Troy (SB)

(SB) = Sun Belt Conference Game

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