Muts Lose Two More - Nine Players Lost This Week

[MeanGreen61]

What's happenin' in the 'Boro ?

MTSU football dismisses Robinson, Anderson

MTSU sophomore receiver Jay Robinson and senior defensive lineman Chris Anderson have been dismissed from the football team.

Anderson did not meet NCAA academic requirements. Robinson repeatedly violated team rules.

“Chris Anderson will not play his final year after failing to meet NCAA academic requirements,” MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. “Chris has really done well academically the past year, but he got so far behind his first three years that he simply could not make it all up. I wish Chris the best in his future endeavors.”

Anderson was one of the most notable recruits in program history, but he never panned out on the field. A Jacksonville, Fla. native, Anderson originally signed with Florida State in 2002, but did not qualify academically. Anderson finally enrolled at MTSU in spring 2004, but played only two career games (both last season).

Athlon Sports’ 2007 college football preview magazine revisited the 2002 signing class, where it had ranked Anderson the 37th-rated recruit in the country.

A Wetumpka, Ala. native, Robinson was a talented and athletic wideout, who was converted from a high school quarterback. He enrolled early at MTSU in January 2004, but was criticized by coaches for a lack of maturity.

Robinson was suspended by former MTSU coach Andy McCollum for the final three games of the 2005 season and then suspended by Stockstill for last year’s regular-season finale against Troy for violation of team rules.

Robinson played in six games last season. He had two receptions, including an 11-yard touchdown grab.

“We have high standards at Middle Tennessee and expect all our players to abide by our rules,” Stockstill said.

MTSU has now lost as many as nine players this week — including as much as five to injury, three to dismissal and one quit.

[Censored by Laurie]

I may be the only person on this board who sees this as a bad thing...MTSU was helping bring some football respectability to the SBC by being the first conference team to get an at-large bowl bid and it will be tough with the loss of so many key players to maintain that level. I want to beat MTSU and Troy and anyone else we face because our best beat their best...not because someone wasn't at full strength.

For the long term...I think its probably good that Stockstill is implimenting higher standards, I would just have prefered these nine players could've lived up to those standards rather than walking

[UNTflyer]

This sucks. I wanted the MUTS to be at full strength when we kicked their asses.

[TheTastyGreek]

I may be the only person on this board who sees this as a bad thing...MTSU was helping bring some football respectability to the SBC by being the first conference team to get an at-large bowl bid and it will be tough with the loss of so many key players to maintain that level. I want to beat MTSU and Troy and anyone else we face because our best beat their best...not because someone wasn't at full strength.

For the long term...I think its probably good that Stockstill is implimenting higher standards, I would just have prefered these nine players could've lived up to those standards rather than walking

Troy did it the year before with (I believe) the Silicon Valley Bowl.

[MeanGreen61]

I may be the only person on this board who sees this as a bad thing...MTSU was helping bring some football respectability to the SBC by being the first conference team to get an at-large bowl bid and it will be tough with the loss of so many key players to maintain that level. I want to beat MTSU and Troy and anyone else we face because our best beat their best...not because someone wasn't at full strength.

For the long term...I think its probably good that Stockstill is implimenting higher standards, I would just have prefered these nine players could've lived up to those standards rather than walking

Troy got the first at large bid (2004), playing NIU in the Silicon Valley Bowl.

Edited August 16, 2007 by MeanGreen61

[chrisfisher]

I looked forward to a very strong North Texas, Troy and MTSU... and possibly Monroe or Florida Atlantic... to battle it out hard in conference games, and to even win some tough OOC games... this degradation of MTSU is a bad news for the SBC and North Texas.