Story by Matthew Giffin / Contributing Writer
The Middle Tennessee State University football team has hired Samford’s offensive coordinator to take the same position with the Blue Raiders. Mitch Stewart, former Murray State head coach in the Ohio Valley Conference, is replacing Brent Dearmon.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Mitch and his wife Rikki and daughters Stella and Emme to the Blue Raider family,” MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill said on Monday. “Mitch has been very successful offensively everywhere he’s coached. He is well respected in the coaching profession and I can’t wait for him to get started.”
After Middle Tennessee’s offensive improvement during his leadership this season, Dearmon left the Blue Raiders on Jan. 20 to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida Atlantic University.
Stewart’s offense at Murray State led the OVC in 2015 and 2016, making the top two in four out of his five seasons with the Racers. And during his first season at Samford in 2020 as a wide receivers coach, Stewart’s offense led the Southern Conference in scoring offense, total offense, passing offense and pass efficiency.
He has coached impressive passing quarterbacks like K.D. Humphries, Murray State’s all-time leading passer for yards and touchdowns, and Liam Welch, a 2020 All-American QB and Player of the Year.
“I have known a lot of guys on the staff for a long time and I can’t wait to get started working with them,” Stewart said in a release. “I have worked camps here in the past and I am super blessed to finally be here as a member of the staff. This is an exciting time and I am ready to get to work.”
He has coached under Chris Hatcher at Georgia Southern, Murray State and Samford after graduating from Valdosa State in 2005.
Stewart is Middle Tennessee’s third offensive coordinator in three years.
The Blue Raiders’ season opener will be a road game against James Madison University on Sep. 3.
