Simulation drives, warmup drills and competitions between young fans bookended the spring season for MTSU football as the team hosted alumni and fans for the Blue Raider Showcase on Saturday afternoon.
In lieu of a typical spring game, Middle Tennessee held an open practice in Floyd Stadium, offering a first look at the 2025 squad.
Here are three takeaways from MTSU’s final spring practice.
Vattiato’s top target
Starting quarterback Nick Vattiato’s lone drive of the day began on the 25-yard line and ended in the back middle of the end zone as the senior gunslinger hit Hunter Tipton for a touchdown pass.
While the tight end Tipton brought home six points for the Blue Raiders in the simulation period, redshirt senior Myles Butler led the way down the field with three catches.
A second-year wide receiver for Middle Tennessee, the Central Arkansas transfer has quickly bonded with his quarterback.
“I love number five, man,” Vattiato said. “He came in last summer with a chip on his shoulder. He’s probably the hardest worker you’ll ever meet, man. He’s a great kid, he does what he’s supposed to, on the field, off the field. Whatever it is.”
Butler emerged as a prominent target for Vattiato late last year, totaling a season high of 101 yards and a touchdown against UTEP on Nov. 2. With the loss of 1,740 total receiving yards between Omari Kelly and Holden Willis to the transfer portal and graduation, Butler will need to produce quickly when MTSU kicks off this fall.
But as Butler and his quarterback continue to build chemistry, it seems like production won’t be an issue.
“He and I, ever since the end of the [2024] season, throughout this season, have really grown,” Vattiato said. “Not even on the field, but like our friendship off the field has been great, and I kind of think that shows on the field. He’s one heck of our receiver along with the rest of our guys.”
Patching up the line
Last season, MTSU’s offensive struggles lied heavily on its offensive line. In 12 regular season games, the Blue Raiders led the nation with eight different starting combinations in the trenches.
Going into the offseason, shoring up the five-man front was a must — and Middle Tennessee brought in six transfers to plug the gaps and build depth. While head coach Derek Mason and his staff made strides in patching up the front, the team still needs a couple more guys in the spring transfer window, Mason said.
“I want a couple more tackles,” Mason said. “Solidifying depth, as well as the ability to compete, right. I think where we are now, we’ve got some young guys coming in. We’re still going to give those guys a chance, but I still believe college football is a junior, senior sport. So being able to get one or two more guys out there on the edge is going to be good.”
Mason knows that in order to compete next season, the Blue Raiders must fix the offensive line issues that plagued the team previously. So, the second-year head coach is prepared to continue to add depth in the spring window.
Backfield depth
Although he didn’t take the field during Saturday’s simulation drives, redshirt sophomore running back Jekail Middlebrook is “head and shoulders” ahead of the rest of the Blue Raider backfield, Mason said.
“I think Jekail’s the clear number one [running back],” Mason said. “Then we’ll see where everybody else goes.”
On Saturday, “everybody else” mostly consisted of redshirt freshman Austin Clemmons, who took most of the snaps in the simulation periods. While Mason is confident in Clemmons’ development, he believes the Blue Raiders need extra depth in the backfield.
“Austin Clemmons is going to be good, [he’s] just young,” Mason said. “That room is not complete yet, we’re not done and believe it.”
Middlebrook finished the 2024 campaign as Middle Tennessee’s second leading rusher with 270 rushing yards on 60 attempts with two touchdowns, but one solid back isn’t going to cut it, Mason said.
“It’s about your stable of running backs,” Mason said. “It’s not just how good your one is. Everybody’s got one, it’s about your two and three.”
With Middle Tennessee’s 15 spring practices in the books, the Blue Raiders will have some time off from the pads as they won’t begin fall camp until early August. MTSU kicks off Mason’s second year at the helm on Aug. 30 against Austin Peay at home.
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