http://www.yardbarker.com/colleges/middle_tennessee_state_blue_raiders/570 Recent articles about Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders en-us Middle Tennessee quarterback Logan Kilgore returns for his senior season after leading the Blue Raiders to an impressive 8-4 record (6-2 Sun Belt Conference) in 2012. He became just the second signal-caller in school history with back-to-back 2,000-yard passing seasons, throwing for 2,571 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. But Kilgore had a lot of work to do this offseason in order to elevate his game and prepare for the program’s transition to a revamped Conference USA. “Logan has improved in all areas,” said coach Rick Stockstill during a phone interview. “He’s shown great toughness, his pocket presence has been outstanding, he’s been very accurate with his throws, and he’s improved his footwork—both mechanically and fundamentally.” Buster Faulkner’s arrival as offensive coordinator has made life much easier for Kilgore as a field general. He introduced a run-heavy scheme, which really set things up for the passing game and gave Kilgore plenty of opportunities... Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:09:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/middle_tennessee_football_blue_raiders_qb_kilgore_ready_to_take_next_step/13482184 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/middle_tennessee_football_blue_raiders_qb_kilgore_ready_to_take_next_step/13482184 Middle Tennessee Football: Blue Raiders QB Kilgore ready to take next step http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/middle_tennessee_football_blue_raiders_qb_kilgore_ready_to_take_next_step/13482184 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png If former Middle Tennessee State placekicker Alan Gendreau receives an invite to an NFL team’s OTAs... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:16:30 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/mtsu_alum_is_hopeful_1st_gay_nfl_player/13471516 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/mtsu_alum_is_hopeful_1st_gay_nfl_player/13471516 MTSU Alum is Hopeful 1st Gay NFL Player http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/mtsu_alum_is_hopeful_1st_gay_nfl_player/13471516 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Alan Gendreau was a standout kicker in college at Middle Tennessee State, and now he’s trying to make it in the NFL. Only Gendreau would be making history if he were able to catch on with a team. Gendreau was the subject of an excellent profile by Cyd Zeigler at OutSports.com. Gendreau played four seasons at Middle Tennessee State and was openly gay to his teammates and coaches. During his freshman season, Gentreau was the anonymous subject of a 2009 OutSports.com article in which he revealed he was gay. He said at the time that while he wasn’t advertising his sexuality, he had a boyfriend and his teammates could figure out his preference. He said then and still says that he never once had any problem with his college teammates about being gay. Gendreau came out to his family when he was 15. He has always been extremely religious, and his mother had him go through five church-based counseling sessions where they attempted to convince him that being gay is wrong and a choice. It did... Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:15:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gay_kicker_alan_gendreau_hoping_for_nfl_tryout/13469683 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/gay_kicker_alan_gendreau_hoping_for_nfl_tryout/13469683 Gay kicker Alan Gendreau hoping for NFL tryout http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/gay_kicker_alan_gendreau_hoping_for_nfl_tryout/13469683 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Alan Gendreau on paper, seems like a contradiction. All of his “check box” classifications defy stereotypes. Alan Gendreau is a hard-core Christian who grew up in the Bible Belt and played college football in the south. He’s a placekicker for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders; and he’s openly gay. Perhaps by the end of this weekend, when the NFL draft has completed; we’ll see an openly gay player in the National Football League (NFL). And maybe that will be Alan Gendreau. You almost never hear the names of kickers and punters called until rounds four of five in the NFL Draft. Many specialists sign on after the draft as free agents. So we might not hear about Alan Gendreau until Saturday or Sunday; if even then. Both the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers might draft a place kicker, and Alan Gendreau could be considered. However, he’s not the top kicker on anyone’s draft boards. “It’s totally legit that he can get into the league,” Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, a ... Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:11:50 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/we_could_have_an_openly_gay_nfl_kicker_alan_gendreau/13468873 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/we_could_have_an_openly_gay_nfl_kicker_alan_gendreau/13468873 We could have an openly gay NFL Kicker: Alan Gendreau http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/we_could_have_an_openly_gay_nfl_kicker_alan_gendreau/13468873 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png MURFREESBORO, Tenn. Rick Stockstill usually lets bygones be bygones. It's routine for a coach not to dwell too much on the past, good or bad. But rest assured, the Middle Tennessee football coach, his Blue Raiders and their fans still feel the sting of being snubbed for a bowl berth last season, despite having an 8-4 record that included a 21-point blowout of Georgia Tech, which played in the ACC championship. MTSU also beat and finished ahead of rival Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Conference standings, but WKU went bowling for the first time during its FBS era. Adding insult to injury was Georgia Tech receiving an exemption to play against USC in the Sun Bowl, despite a 6-7 record heading into that game. "It is still in our craw," Stockstill said Wednesday in the midst of spring practice. "Its still there. I dont know if it will go away until we play that first game this year." Like the song says, there is always something there to remind you. "There is always something Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:24:54 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/veteran_blue_raiders_still_peeved_at_bowl_snub/13307971 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/veteran_blue_raiders_still_peeved_at_bowl_snub/13307971 Veteran Blue Raiders still peeved at bowl snub http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/veteran_blue_raiders_still_peeved_at_bowl_snub/13307971 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Saint Mary’s (27-6) and Middle Tennessee State (28-5) play the second game of the evening, with the winner getting Memphis in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. Here’s some info on the game: Time: 9:10 p.m. Location: Dayton, Ohio Region: Midwest Channel: TruTV Watch Online: NCAA – March Madness Live Saint Mary’s is going to roll right through the state of TN #MiddleTennessee #Memphis — Brett Cresey (@bcresey6) March 19, 2013 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:08:13 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/saint_marys_vs_middle_tennessee_state_channel_time_how_to_watch_online/13182475 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/saint_marys_vs_middle_tennessee_state_channel_time_how_to_watch_online/13182475 Saint Mary’s vs. Middle Tennessee State: Channel, Time, How To Watch Online http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/saint_marys_vs_middle_tennessee_state_channel_time_how_to_watch_online/13182475 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png An extra trip to start the NCAA tournament? Not a problem. Middle Tennessee rarely loses its way when it leaves its Murphy Center home. In a way, it's fitting that the Blue Raiders had to pack for a couple extra days. Their prowess on the road was the overriding quality that landed them in the field of 68 as part of the First Four in Dayton. Louisiana in Lafayette? Vanderbilt in Tennessee? Been there, won that. And, ultimately, it won them a place on the tournament's opening night, matched against Saint Mary's (27-6), another team that needed an at-large bid after failing to knock off its biggest nemesis in the West Coast Conference tournament. The Blue Raiders (28-5) were a bubble team after suffering an upset in the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament, leading to a long and uneasy wait in Murfreesboro for that NCAA selection show. The committee looked them over, measured them against the other candidates for the final spots, and honed in on how they did when they were staying at a hotel. Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:59:12 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/saint_marys_cal_middle_tennessee_preview/13175584 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/saint_marys_cal_middle_tennessee_preview/13175584 Saint Mary's (Cal)-Middle Tennessee Preview http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/saint_marys_cal_middle_tennessee_preview/13175584 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It's fitting that Middle Tennessee has to make an early trip to play in the NCAA tournament. The Blue Raiders' prowess on the road got them in the field of 68. Middle Tennessee (28-5) was a bubble team after suffering an upset in the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament. But the Blue Raiders landed in the NCAA field anyway. They'll play Saint Mary's (27-6) on Tuesday night in the First Four. Xavier athletic director Mike Bobinski, who chaired the NCAA selection committee, says Middle Tennessee's strong road record set it apart. Middle Tennessee went 11-3 on the road and 1-2 at neutral sites, along with a perfect record at home. Half of Saint Mary's six losses this season came against West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga. Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:49:56 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/road_wins_pushed_middle_tennessee_to_ncaa_tourney/13173118 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/road_wins_pushed_middle_tennessee_to_ncaa_tourney/13173118 Road wins pushed Middle Tennessee to NCAA tourney http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/road_wins_pushed_middle_tennessee_to_ncaa_tourney/13173118 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Flickr/Tennessee Journalist The Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders received their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1989 on Selection Sunday. The Blue Raiders (28-5 overall, 19-1 in the Sun Belt) were among the first four in predicted by ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi before the official bracket was released. Though MTSU has an excellent record of 28 wins overall and only one conference loss, the Blue Raiders play in the Sun Belt – a conference not known for basketball. With a league record of 19-1, it was predicted that MTSU would win the Sun Belt and get the automatic NCAA Tournament bid. However, MTSU lost in the Sun Belt Tournament semifinal to an 18-14 Florida International team, and Western Kentucky was given the automatic NCAA Tournament bid after winning the conference tournament. When Selection Sunday finally arrived, Middle Tennessee was considered a bubble team along with other schools, including Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and Southern Mi... Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:06:30 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/did_middle_tennessee_state_deserve_an_ncaa_tournament_bid/13172398 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/did_middle_tennessee_state_deserve_an_ncaa_tournament_bid/13172398 Did Middle Tennessee State Deserve An NCAA Tournament Bid? http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/did_middle_tennessee_state_deserve_an_ncaa_tournament_bid/13172398 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The NCAA basketball tournament is about as close to the perfect sporting event there is. There have been 11 different formats played over the years, but the tourney found it's sweet spot from 1985-2000 when it embraced the 64 team format. But then, inexplicably, it went with 65 teams beginning in 2001. The stated reason was the inclusion of the Mountain West in the automatic bid category, but the real reason was obviously money. A play-in game generated an extra days revenue. Naturally, in 2011, the number of teams was increased to 68, and there's no doubting further expansion of the bracket. What this does is create 16-seed on 16-seed matchups where two teams who won "bids" have to compete to see which one actually gets to participate in the field of 64. This doesn't happen for the 11-13 seed game, as automatic qualifiers are exempt from having to play a play-in game. Got it? It's ridiculous. The NCAA needs to grow a sack and have a true 64 team to... Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:40:35 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/2013_first_four_preview_middle_tennessee_state_vs_st_marys/13167799 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/2013_first_four_preview_middle_tennessee_state_vs_st_marys/13167799 2013 First Four Preview: Middle Tennessee State vs St. Mary's http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/2013_first_four_preview_middle_tennessee_state_vs_st_marys/13167799 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Middle Tennessee is heading into the NCAA tournament expecting a much different outcome than a year ago. Last year the grief-stricken Blue Raiders mourned the stabbing death of teammate Tina Stewart and huddled at their coach's house to hear of an at-large berth that turned into a first-round loss. Monday night they danced and celebrated with about 350 fans at their second straight at-large berth, capping a Sun Belt season dedicated to Stewart. No. 10 seed Middle Tennessee will play Sunday at seventh-seeded Vanderbilt in the Fresno region. These teams are separated by about 45 miles but haven't played since 1992. ''It's been tough all year,'' coach Rick Insell said. ''No one really knows what these young ladies have come through. A lot of it's been behind the scenes, but there's been a lot of weeping and there's been a lot of hugging and there's been a lot of camaraderie. This team is very close, very close from what they've been through.'' Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:15:39 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/blue_raiders_land_2nd_straight_ncaa_at_large_berth/10296106 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/blue_raiders_land_2nd_straight_ncaa_at_large_berth/10296106 Blue Raiders land 2nd straight NCAA at-large berth http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/blue_raiders_land_2nd_straight_ncaa_at_large_berth/10296106 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png