Blue Raiders trying to fill roster with walk-ons

MeanGreen61 · June 28, 2006

College football: Blue Raiders trying to fill roster with walk-ons

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../606280316/1006

By ADAM SPARKS

(Murfreesboro) Daily News Journal

MURFREESBORO - Watching the film "Rudy" at his Lexington, S.C., home, future Middle Tennessee State football player Brandon Gantt can't help but be inspired.

"That's the way a walk-on's story should go," said Gantt, an invited walk-on for MTSU. "It makes me want to fight every day to earn a scholarship and playing time when I get to Middle Tennessee."

New MTSU coach Rick Stockstill hopes the same passions will arise in other Blue Raider arrivals not under scholarship this fall.

Stockstill is trying to kickoff a program for walk-ons that would eventually award scholarships to the top one or two members of the scout team each season.

He's calling to all corners of the state and beyond for hard-working and talented high school players largely overlooked by the recruiting process.

"A guy from West Tennessee or Middle Tennessee or anywhere else who wants a chance to play I-A college football, they've got a chance here like none other," Stockstill said. "A lot of times, (walk-ons) will be guys who were planning on going somewhere else or even here (at MTSU) just for school, but they were a good high school player. Well, they can come out and help us and actually get a chance to earn a spot on the field."

Stockstill's positive pitch to potential walk-ons is likely due to perhaps the thinnest depth chart in I-A football.

The Blue Raiders currently have less than 70 scholarship players on their roster, including 14 incoming signees which Stockstill would like to mostly redshirt.

The combination of previous academic penalties, another previous NCAA violation and early departure of student-athletes before their graduation has left MTSU football with a scholarship allotment much closer to the Division I-AA maximum of 63 than the I-A cap of 85.

Entering fall camp, MTSU will have only nine returning offensive linemen under scholarship.

"The hardest guys to find are big guys, but that's where you have the best chance to play sooner than later for us," Stockstill said. "We could use more offensive and defensive linemen and maybe some more wide receivers."

That's where Gantt - who was also recruited by East Carolina, William and Mary, Richmond, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina - may find playing time at the I-A level.

"I'm going (to MTSU) to try to play quarterback, but if receiver is the quickest route to the field and to making plays, I see no problem in trying that," Gantt said.

A dual-threat quarterback at Heatherwood Hall (S.C.) High, Gantt passed for more than 2,200 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 950 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior last season. He led his team to a 24-1 record over the last two seasons and a 2004 state championship before earning MVP honors at the North Carolina-South Carolina All-Star game - passing for 215 yards, rushing for 40 yards and scoring four total touchdowns.

Originally published June 28, 2006