If defense wins championships, then the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders may be in for a long season.
After finishing 7-1 in conference and 10-3 overall, the 'Raiders concluded their best season since joining Division I FBS in 1999 with its first ever bowl victory over Southern Miss in the 2009 New Orleans Bowl. It was just MT's second ever bowl game in school history. Despite returning eight starters from a team that averaged 32 points and 422 yards a game in 2009, the 'Raiders defense could be the hole in their Titanic, losing four starters in the front seven. They will have to get to work reinventing their strategy and formations early in the fall, possibly shifting to a 3-4 defense. After last year's second place finish behind rival the Troy Trojans, you can expect head coach Rick Stockstill to have his team ready to not only repeat a 10-win season, but to be the frontrunner for the Sun Belt Championship at the end of the 2010 season.
Here's a closer look at the 2010 Middle Tennessee to help make your College Football wagers winners.
Offense:
Much of the 'Raiders success in 2009 was their ability to put points on the board, and most of that scoring could be attributed to then junior quarterback Dwight Dasher, who finished the season second in the league in total offense (303.3 yards per game) with 3,943 yards overall -- 1,154 on the ground, and 23 touchdowns.
The MTSU offense was the best that the school has seen in the past decade ranking 27th nationally with 5,482 yards for an average of 428 per game. Over 3,000 of those yards were by passing, and scoring never seemed to be an issue as the Raiders ranked 23rd nationally with 32 points per game.
Dasher will return to the line up and one can only guess that after his first year as a full time starter, he will only get better. A versatile quarterback, Dasher not only completed 55 percent of his passes for 2,789 yards, but is also a threat on the run, racking up 89 yards per game on the ground while totaling 1,100 for the year and finding the end zone 11 times.
He will have plenty of protection as four starters return to the o-line along with OL Preston Bailey. A transfer from Tennessee, the 6-5, 315 pound sophomore sat out last season but is now eligible to play.
The bulk of the receiving group is inexperienced with the exception of senior wide out Phillip Tanner who returns after being sidelined most of last season with a knee injury. There are a few promising new candidates, one being sophomore Sancho McDonald. He had 24 catches last year for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and with an increase in playing time should see those numbers rise.
With a lean passing game the 'Raiders are likely to depend on their core rushing attack that includes two of the top six rushers in the conference -- Phillip Tanner and D.D. Kyle. Tanner's season-ending knee injury held him to just 83 yards and a single TD, while Kyle put up 857 yards and three TDs. Expect both to get more workload in this season's offensive scheme.
Overall the offense looks strong and Stockstill will continue to confuse the opposition with the option and spread offense.
Defense:
After finishing the 2009 season ranked 7th in sacks and 12th in interceptions, the Blue Raiders defense will have some significant holes to fill with the departure of defensive linemen Chris McCoy and Brandon Perry, linebackers Danny Carmichael and Cam Robinson, and cornerback Alex Suber.
In the face of all of those loses, the foundation is still solid for getting the job done.
It will all need to start up front with defensive end Jamari
Lattimore. Selected as one of the conferences' defensive players of the year, the senior wrecked havoc on the opposition recording 5.5 sacks, along with 9.5 tackles for a loss, and snagged three interceptions. Stockstill will expect him to step up as a leader and anchor the 'Raider front four.
Bookending that line will be The DE Omar McLendon. The sophomore appeared in 11 games last season and posted four sacks. His presence could help to improve the teams' pass rush if he can step up his game.
With so many holes in the second row, the 'Raiders will count on the redshirt freshman Stephen Roberts, who ended spring practice being named the "most improved" linebacker.The secondary returns Safeties Jeremy Kellem (three interceptions), and Kevin Brown (four interceptions).
2010 Prediction: First in the Sun Belt: The Blue Raiders finished the 2009 season winning seven straight games and were the first Sun Belt team ever to record 10 wins. With a roster jammed packed with talent including QB Dwight Dasher, they are the favorite and my pick to win the conference in 2010.
For a detailed look at the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Predictions check this out.
Also be sure stay up to date on all the college football odds right here this season. And check in often for more free college football picks to help make your betting experience a winner.
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