.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
Camp Blog: Preseason Primer - MTSU
8/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
GopherSports.com will provide a daily blog from the beginning of preseason traiing camp until the week of the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State, set for Sept. 2. Check back here often for updates from throughout preseason camp. Associate Athletic Communications Director Andy Seeley and other staff members will be covering camp. If you would like to ask a question about preseason camp, have a request for something you'd like to see in the blog or just a comment on the blog, feel free to send an e-mail to aseeley@umn.edu.
You can follow us on Twitter (@GoldenGopherFB) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoldenGopherFootball). We'll also be uploading video content to our YouTube Channel.
Camp Blog: Preseason Primer - Middle Tennessee State
GopherSports.com will provide Minnesota Football fans with a primer on the Gophers’ four non-conference opponents as we roll through the preseason camp blog. Up first is the season opener Sept. 2 at Middle Tennessee State.
For Openers:
| The MTSU File | |
| Head Coach | Rick Stockstill |
| Coach's Record | 27-23, 5th Season |
| 2008 Record | 10-3, 7-1 |
| Home/Away/Neutral | 5-1/4-2/1-0 |
| Starters Returning/Lost | 14/8 |
| Letterwinners Ret./Lost | 42/14 |
Minnesota's trip Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tenn. will be the the team's second consecutive road opener. Minnesota won its season-opener 23-20 over Syracuse in overtime last season. The Gophers are 2-1 in season-opening games under head coach Tim Brewster. Minnesota is 12-16-1 all-time when opening a season in a road game.
Series History: 
This is the first meeting ever between Minnesota and Middle Tennessee State. The Gophers have a little history with schools from the State of Tennessee, however. Minnesota is 4-3 all-time vs. schools from the Volunteer State. The Gophers own a 2-0 record against Memphis, a 2-2 mark vs. Vanderbilt and an 0-1 record vs. Tennessee.
About Middle Tennessee State: 
Middle Tennessee State University was founded in 1911. The school boasts 25,188 students. The football program began in 1911. The Blue Raiders are the first Sun Belt Conference football team to win 10 games or more in a season, going 10-3 last season. They capped that 10-win season with a 42-32 victory over Southern Mississippi in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium holds 30,788 fans.
About Murfreesboro, Tenn.: 
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee. The population was 101,7
| 2009 MTSU Statistics/Rankings | |||
| | Stat | NCAA | SBC |
| Scor. Off. | 32.0 | 23 | 2 |
| Tot. Off | 421.7 | 27 | 3 |
| Rush Off. | 186.0 | 27 | 1 |
| Pass Off. | 325.7 | 42 | 3 |
| Scor. Def. | 23.7 | 49 | 2 |
| Tot. Def. | 354.9 | 50 | 3 |
| Rush Def. | 136.8 | 50 | 3 |
| Pass Def. | 218.1 | 59 | 2 |
Points of interest in and around Murfreesboro:
- Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village
- Discovery Center at Mufree Spring
- Geographic center of Tennessee
- Oaklands Historic House Museum
- Stones River Greenway Arboretum
- Stones River National Battlefield
Middle Tennessee Overview: 
The Blue Raiders were 10-3 overall and 7-1 in Sun Belt Conference play in 2009. Under head coach Rick Stockstill, who is now in his fifth season, MTSU 27-23 and have been to two bowl games. The Blue Raiders became the first team in the history of the Sun Belt Conference to win double-digit games.
Stockstill's Blue Raiders will have 14 starters returning from last year’s squad, which defeated Southern Miss 42-32 in the New Orleans Bowl. Middle Tennessee State has plenty of experience returning, with 42 returning letterwinners.
MTSU was chosen to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference in the league's annual preseason poll of coaches. The Blue Raiders were picked to edge out Troy for the championship. The Sun Belt poll was rounded out by Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas and Western Kentucky.
Middle Tennessee remains at home following the Minnesota game to host Austin Peay. The Blue Raiders go on the road for the first time in Week 3 with an in-state trip to the University of Memphis. Later in the season, MTSU faces its second BCS-level opponent of the season when the Blue Raiders play at Georgia Tech.
MTSU Offensive Player to Watch: Quarterback Dwight Dasher
Dwight Dasher was named the Offensive MVP of the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the end of last season, following a season when he was named Second-Team All-Sun Belt. Dasher is a preseason All-Sun Belt selection coming into the 2010 season.
In MTSU's career records, Dasher ranks first in rushing yards by a quarterback, fourth in total offense, fifth in touchdown passes, fourth in completions, fifth in pass attempts, seventh in passing yards. Dasher finished the year ranked 7th nationally in total offense, 9th in points responsible for, 35th in passing yards, and 40th in rushing. He became just the fourth player in NCAA history to throw for 2,500 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single-season. Dasher also set a new school record in total offense with 3,943 yards while accounting for 36 touchdowns. He also threw for 2,789 yards, which is the most in school history, while setting a new school record with 23 touchdown passes
MTSU Defensive Player to Watch: Defensive End Jamari Lattimore
Jamari Lattimore was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection in 2009. He is a preseason All-Sun Belt selection coming into the 2010 season.
Lattimore finished ninth on the team with 47 tackles, while adding 9.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks. He also tallied an interception, six hurries, two pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble.
MTSU Offense At A Glance:The Blue Raiders averaged 32 points and nearly 422 yards of total offense per game in 2009. Middle Tennessee's scoring offense ranked second in the Sun Belt and 23rd in the nation. The Blue Raiders total offense per game ranked No. 3 in the SBC and No. 27 in the nation.
The Blue Raiders proclaim to be a multiple offense, but they are mostly a spread offense. They are fairly balanced, although they rushed the ball with a little more success than they had in the air in 2009. MTSU ran for 186 yards per game to rank No. 1 in the SBC and No. 27 in the nation. The Blue Raiders used the aerial attack for 235.7 yards per game, ranking No. 3 in the Sun Belt and No. 42 in the nation.
Middle Tennesee returns six starters on offense.Middle Tennessee Defense At A Glance:
The MTSU defense was above average in 2009. The Blue Raiders ranked No. 2 in the Sun Belt and No. 49 in the nation in scoring defense, while they ranked No. 3 in the conference and No. 50 in total defense. The Blue Raiders allowed 23.7 points and just less than 355 yards per game.
The Blue Raiders return eight starters on defense, including two of their top three tacklers from 2009. Corey Carmichael (94 tackles) and Rod Issac (72 tackles) both return to the Blue Raider defensive unit. That's in addition to the 9.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks made by Lattimore.
MTSU primarily works out of a 4-3 scheme on defense. The Blue Raiders were good at creating turnovers last season out of that scheme. MTSU finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation in turnover margin and No. 8 in the country, creating 33 turnovers.
Game Implications: 
It’s the home-opener for Middle Tennessee and the first time a Big Ten team has visited Floyd Stadium. The Blue Raiders' fans will be jacked up. It isn't their first time bringing in a BCS-level program. MTSU defeated Maryland at Floyd Stadium and on the road back in 2008 and 2009. Meanwhile, the Gophers are opening the season on the road for a second consecutive season. It's the season-opener for both teams, so the implications are obvious. Both teams want to get off to a good start and have the momentum going into home games for both sides in Week 2.
-Andy Seeley, Associate Director of Athletic Communications
