MTSU coach Rick Stockstill will not name his starting quarterback until the Aug. 28 season-opener versus Troy.
?It will be a game-time decision,? Stockstill said after Monday?s practice.
Senior Joe Craddock and sophomore Dwight Dasher have split reps throughout preseason camp, both playing with the first-team offense.
Both quarterbacks started six games under center last season. Craddock led the Sun Belt in passing efficiency. Dasher was MTSU?s leading rusher.
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MTSU football coaches turning up the heat
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
MTSU's football coaches turned up the tempo and temperature on their first-year players Monday, just 10 days shy of the season-opener versus Troy.
"Those first 10 to 14 days (of preseason camp), they don't know anything, and it was unfair for us to expect them to know what to do," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. "... Now, this is our 20th practice, so it's time for them to start learning, and we expect them to know more than they did earlier. You know early on, it wasn't fair for them to know. Now there's no excuse for them not to know."
Like his former coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden, Stockstill likes to use the phrase "dad-gum" when he challenges players. He handed out plenty of "dad-gums" in Monday's practice, and assistant coaches picked apart the play of first-year players preparing for the Aug. 28 Troy game.
Players got the hint.
"You could tell we weren't at our best when practice started, and they got on us," junior wide receiver Patrick Honeycutt said. "It started bad, but after our break we were better and we worked a lot harder."
MTSU's coaches were animated early in Monday's practice, pushing for a higher tempo and more effort. By mid-practice, they got their wish. But from there, younger players were challenged to execute better.
The first-year wide receivers ? many of whom have impressed early in camp with their athleticism and big-play ability ? were noticeable targets for coaches' criticism.
"(Wide receiver coach Justin Watts) was really getting on those guys hard because he knows they're young, but they can be good," said Honeycutt, MTSU's most experienced wideout.
"That's what good coaches should do, get on the guys you know that have potential. When a coach stops coaching you hard, that means he doesn't care about you. But our coaches care about these guys, and they have to be ready for the first game."
Stockstill, who had been complimentary of his new wideouts early in preseason camp, was a bit more critical Monday with the season fast approaching.
"I told them that it's their responsibility to get ready," Stockstill said. "They don't have any school this week. They have to study (the playbook) at night because we can't be behind them next Thursday night (Aug. 28) like we were in (Saturday's) scrimmage. They've got to assume some responsibility to learn some things and be ready to play."
Junior wide receiver Michael Cannon said the coaches' heightened sense of urgency is expected with just 10 days until the season-opener.
"It's closer to game-week, and everybody around here feels that," Cannon said. "The coaches are looking for our best effort. That's all.
"And we want guys to have an edge to them when the first game comes. They have to be ready for the game, and they need a concept of what to do and where to go. Things should be like this with the game getting closer."
MTSU will hold a mock game today to go through all game-day preparation and routines for the season-opener. Players will be on the game field in Floyd Stadium, and pregame and in-game situations will be played out during the workout with the scout team standing in for Troy's offense and defense.
MTSU is still trying to stabilize its offensive line after several injuries in camp. Freshman right tackle Alex Stuart returned to practice Monday and played with the first team, while junior Mark Thompson moved to center.
?It will be a game-time decision,? Stockstill said after Monday?s practice.
Senior Joe Craddock and sophomore Dwight Dasher have split reps throughout preseason camp, both playing with the first-team offense.
Both quarterbacks started six games under center last season. Craddock led the Sun Belt in passing efficiency. Dasher was MTSU?s leading rusher.
==========
MTSU football coaches turning up the heat
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
MTSU's football coaches turned up the tempo and temperature on their first-year players Monday, just 10 days shy of the season-opener versus Troy.
"Those first 10 to 14 days (of preseason camp), they don't know anything, and it was unfair for us to expect them to know what to do," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. "... Now, this is our 20th practice, so it's time for them to start learning, and we expect them to know more than they did earlier. You know early on, it wasn't fair for them to know. Now there's no excuse for them not to know."
Like his former coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden, Stockstill likes to use the phrase "dad-gum" when he challenges players. He handed out plenty of "dad-gums" in Monday's practice, and assistant coaches picked apart the play of first-year players preparing for the Aug. 28 Troy game.
Players got the hint.
"You could tell we weren't at our best when practice started, and they got on us," junior wide receiver Patrick Honeycutt said. "It started bad, but after our break we were better and we worked a lot harder."
MTSU's coaches were animated early in Monday's practice, pushing for a higher tempo and more effort. By mid-practice, they got their wish. But from there, younger players were challenged to execute better.
The first-year wide receivers ? many of whom have impressed early in camp with their athleticism and big-play ability ? were noticeable targets for coaches' criticism.
"(Wide receiver coach Justin Watts) was really getting on those guys hard because he knows they're young, but they can be good," said Honeycutt, MTSU's most experienced wideout.
"That's what good coaches should do, get on the guys you know that have potential. When a coach stops coaching you hard, that means he doesn't care about you. But our coaches care about these guys, and they have to be ready for the first game."
Stockstill, who had been complimentary of his new wideouts early in preseason camp, was a bit more critical Monday with the season fast approaching.
"I told them that it's their responsibility to get ready," Stockstill said. "They don't have any school this week. They have to study (the playbook) at night because we can't be behind them next Thursday night (Aug. 28) like we were in (Saturday's) scrimmage. They've got to assume some responsibility to learn some things and be ready to play."
Junior wide receiver Michael Cannon said the coaches' heightened sense of urgency is expected with just 10 days until the season-opener.
"It's closer to game-week, and everybody around here feels that," Cannon said. "The coaches are looking for our best effort. That's all.
"And we want guys to have an edge to them when the first game comes. They have to be ready for the game, and they need a concept of what to do and where to go. Things should be like this with the game getting closer."
MTSU will hold a mock game today to go through all game-day preparation and routines for the season-opener. Players will be on the game field in Floyd Stadium, and pregame and in-game situations will be played out during the workout with the scout team standing in for Troy's offense and defense.
MTSU is still trying to stabilize its offensive line after several injuries in camp. Freshman right tackle Alex Stuart returned to practice Monday and played with the first team, while junior Mark Thompson moved to center.
