Raiders Ready for First Road Test/ Looking for Big Returns

Iceland12

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Oh, and where to find the game was in bold in the article itself. :cool:

http://goblueraiders.com/news/2014/9/4/FB_0904140335.aspx

[FONT=verb_regularregular]The Blue Raiders have gone from an off-the-board favorite over Savannah State at home to an underdog status that has reached more than two touchdowns as they face Big Ten power Minnesota Saturday on the road.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Game time is 2:30 PM, and it will be telecast live on the Big Ten Network alternate channel. Here is where fans can see the game on Saturday: [/FONT]DirecTV: 610-1, Dish Network: 405, AT&T U-Verse: 1694 or 694, and Comcast: BTN2Go (online only)[FONT=verb_regularregular].

[/FONT]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]Middle Tennessee and Minnesota have played once before, in 2010 when the Golden Gophers visited Murfreesboro and escaped with a 24-17 win after trailing the Blue Raiders through most of the first half.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]In 2011, Middle Tennessee faced another Big Ten team, Purdue, on the road, and took the Boilermakers down to the last play of the game before Purdue blocked a Blue Raider field goal attempt to escape with a 27-24 win.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Middle Tennessee Head Coach [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Rick Stockstill</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular] addressed his team's visit to Minnesota, and the big challenge ahead of them. [/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]"It's tough to win on the road, especially going into a new place that you have never been to before," said Stockstill. "You don't know what to expect, what it's going to look like, what it's going to sound like. We do know that it is going to be a loud environment, so we have to be able to handle the noise.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]"Minnesota is an excellent football team. They are coming off back-to-back bowl games, and they won eight games last year.".

[/FONT]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]Minnesota, as Stockstill pointed out, will be much bigger than the Blue Raiders, who will have to rely on speed and execution to offset the Gophers size advantage. The Gophers, on the other hand, are worried about MT's speed and quickness in the open field after the Blue Raiders have isolated bigger defenders on smaller, quicker runners and receivers.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Minnesota Head Coach Jerry Kill knows what the solution is … tackling well in the open field. But that is sometimes easier said than done, especially against Blue Raider playmakers like [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Reggie Whatley</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular], Batties, Clark and Henry.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Kill is also concerned about the Middle Tennessee rushing attack, with Whatley,[/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Shane Tucker</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular], [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Jeremiah Bryson</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular] and [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Jordan Parker</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular].[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]But Kill has built a defense that is big and fast, thrives on sacks, and was ranked 25[/FONT][SUP]th[/SUP]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]in the nation last year in scoring defense. However, the injury bug has struck the Gophers at the point of their greatest strength, the defensive line. One tackle is done for the season, while two others are listed as "doubtful". Kill has said that as many as three freshmen could see action in the defensive line on Saturday..

[/FONT]
http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/2014/09/04/mtsu-hopes-big-returns-upset-bid/15074763/

MURFREESBORO – After breaking his first punt return 61 yards for a touchdown, MTSU newcomer Ed'Marques Batties declared "I'm a punt returner, not a punt catcher."
Such a distinction could have a major impact on the Blue Raiders' chances at upsetting Minnesota on Saturday (2:30 p.m./Big Ten Network alternate).

Batties, a junior college transfer, and Jared Singletary could each see time at punt returner. Batties is 1-for-1 on punt returns for a TD in his young career, albeit against FCS foe Savannah State. Singletary, a junior, entered last week's opener as the sure-handed veteran, but he muffed a punt in the rain and was replaced by Batties.


Coach Rick Stockstill said they both could see time at punt returner at Minnesota.


"At punt returner, we'll evaluate that this week and see how both Ed'Marques and Jared do. I believe in competition," Stockstill said. "We are going to put the guy that gives us the best chance to be successful back there."


Electric kick returner Reggie Whatley will also be on the field. Despite a hip injury that sidelined him for much of preseason camp, Whatley was inserted at kick returner and running back in the opener. However, he never touched the ball on special teams, as Savannah State notched touchbacks on its only two kickoffs.


Whatley is MTSU's all-time leader in kick return average in both a single season (30.1 yards per return in 2012) and career (27.7 ypr). Batties is listed as the other kick returner for Saturday's game..

In its opening win over Eastern Illinois, the Golden Gophers recorded five touchbacks on seven kickoffs. And those two kick returns went for only 40 yards total.
None of Minnesota's six punts were returned, which included two touchbacks and one fair catch. Punter Peter Mortell is on the Ray Guy Award watch list, notched a 43.3 yards-per-punt average last season to rank third all-time in Minnesota history and booted two punts of at least 60 yards last week.







[FONT=verb_regularregular]
[/FONT]
 

Oh, and where to find the game was in bold in the article itself. :cool:

http://goblueraiders.com/news/2014/9/4/FB_0904140335.aspx

[FONT=verb_regularregular]The Blue Raiders have gone from an off-the-board favorite over Savannah State at home to an underdog status that has reached more than two touchdowns as they face Big Ten power Minnesota Saturday on the road.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Game time is 2:30 PM, and it will be telecast live on the Big Ten Network alternate channel. Here is where fans can see the game on Saturday: [/FONT]DirecTV: 610-1, Dish Network: 405, AT&T U-Verse: 1694 or 694, and Comcast: BTN2Go (online only)[FONT=verb_regularregular].

[/FONT]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]Middle Tennessee and Minnesota have played once before, in 2010 when the Golden Gophers visited Murfreesboro and escaped with a 24-17 win after trailing the Blue Raiders through most of the first half.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]In 2011, Middle Tennessee faced another Big Ten team, Purdue, on the road, and took the Boilermakers down to the last play of the game before Purdue blocked a Blue Raider field goal attempt to escape with a 27-24 win.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Middle Tennessee Head Coach [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Rick Stockstill</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular] addressed his team's visit to Minnesota, and the big challenge ahead of them. [/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]"It's tough to win on the road, especially going into a new place that you have never been to before," said Stockstill. "You don't know what to expect, what it's going to look like, what it's going to sound like. We do know that it is going to be a loud environment, so we have to be able to handle the noise.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]"Minnesota is an excellent football team. They are coming off back-to-back bowl games, and they won eight games last year.".

[/FONT]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]Minnesota, as Stockstill pointed out, will be much bigger than the Blue Raiders, who will have to rely on speed and execution to offset the Gophers size advantage. The Gophers, on the other hand, are worried about MT's speed and quickness in the open field after the Blue Raiders have isolated bigger defenders on smaller, quicker runners and receivers.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Minnesota Head Coach Jerry Kill knows what the solution is … tackling well in the open field. But that is sometimes easier said than done, especially against Blue Raider playmakers like [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Reggie Whatley</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular], Batties, Clark and Henry.[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]Kill is also concerned about the Middle Tennessee rushing attack, with Whatley,[/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Shane Tucker</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular], [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Jeremiah Bryson</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular] and [/FONT]<dfn style="box-sizing: content-box; float: none; font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verb_regularregular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Jordan Parker</dfn>[FONT=verb_regularregular].[/FONT]

[FONT=verb_regularregular]But Kill has built a defense that is big and fast, thrives on sacks, and was ranked 25[/FONT][SUP]th[/SUP]
[FONT=verb_regularregular]in the nation last year in scoring defense. However, the injury bug has struck the Gophers at the point of their greatest strength, the defensive line. One tackle is done for the season, while two others are listed as "doubtful". Kill has said that as many as three freshmen could see action in the defensive line on Saturday..

[/FONT]
http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/2014/09/04/mtsu-hopes-big-returns-upset-bid/15074763/

MURFREESBORO – After breaking his first punt return 61 yards for a touchdown, MTSU newcomer Ed'Marques Batties declared "I'm a punt returner, not a punt catcher."
Such a distinction could have a major impact on the Blue Raiders' chances at upsetting Minnesota on Saturday (2:30 p.m./Big Ten Network alternate).

Batties, a junior college transfer, and Jared Singletary could each see time at punt returner. Batties is 1-for-1 on punt returns for a TD in his young career, albeit against FCS foe Savannah State. Singletary, a junior, entered last week's opener as the sure-handed veteran, but he muffed a punt in the rain and was replaced by Batties.


Coach Rick Stockstill said they both could see time at punt returner at Minnesota.


"At punt returner, we'll evaluate that this week and see how both Ed'Marques and Jared do. I believe in competition," Stockstill said. "We are going to put the guy that gives us the best chance to be successful back there."


Electric kick returner Reggie Whatley will also be on the field. Despite a hip injury that sidelined him for much of preseason camp, Whatley was inserted at kick returner and running back in the opener. However, he never touched the ball on special teams, as Savannah State notched touchbacks on its only two kickoffs.


Whatley is MTSU's all-time leader in kick return average in both a single season (30.1 yards per return in 2012) and career (27.7 ypr). Batties is listed as the other kick returner for Saturday's game..

In its opening win over Eastern Illinois, the Golden Gophers recorded five touchbacks on seven kickoffs. And those two kick returns went for only 40 yards total.
None of Minnesota's six punts were returned, which included two touchbacks and one fair catch. Punter Peter Mortell is on the Ray Guy Award watch list, notched a 43.3 yards-per-punt average last season to rank third all-time in Minnesota history and booted two punts of at least 60 yards last week.







[FONT=verb_regularregular]
[/FONT]

I see the potential for at least a couple special teams TOs that Kill and Co. can take advantage of. This could especially be the case if Batties intends on returning everything he gets his hands on.
 




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