Costumes and candy will be plentiful in Floyd Stadium’s concourse on Wednesday night as MTSU football (1-6, 0-3 CUSA) takes on Jacksonville State University (4-3, 3-0 CUSA) amidst early Halloween festivities. But between all the zombie, goblin and killer clown outfits, the scariest display might just be on the field.
Looking for their first home win in over a year, the Blue Raiders ride a four-game losing streak into the contest and rest on the brink of bowl ineligibility. To make matters worse for Middle Tennessee, the visiting team isn’t a pushover.
Jax State comes to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, undefeated in league play under first-year head coach Charles Kelly, and the key to the team’s success is no secret. The reigning Conference USA champion Gamecocks rely heavily on starting running back Cam Cook, the nation’s leader in total rushing yards.
Through seven games, Cook’s rushing total rests at 949 yards, 11 yards ahead of the University of Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy in second place and good for 135 yards per game, according to ESPN.
Cook’s accolades have been more than enough to draw the attention of the Blue Raiders, as the team’s head coach views him as one of the best running backs in the country.
“A running back this tightly into the midseason [being] close to 1,000 yards, that says something about who he is,” MTSU head coach Derek Mason said. “… He’s a patient runner, he’s physical. He runs behind his pads, but he’s got great contact balance. You don’t see him go down with first contact.”
Standing at 5-11 and weighing 200 pounds, Jax State’s lead back is far from Michael Myers’ stature, but slashes through unsuspecting defenses weekly, nonetheless.
Cook’s season-high 31 carries against Sam Houston State University netted a season-high 218 yards back on Oct. 9. In Jax State’s most recent game against the University of Delaware, the Round Rock, Texas, native scored a career best three touchdowns in a 38-25 win.
Even with the seemingly tall task of corralling Cook, MTSU nose tackle Damonte Smith said the Blue Raiders are up for the challenge.
“They’re a good running team,” Smith said. “Their running back, he’s the top running back in the country for total yards. … It’s just another day that we get the challenge to go play football and stop the run, how we taught [them] to do.”
Despite the team’s record, Smith and the rest of the Blue Raiders’ defensive line have been a bright spot this season. One of the anchors to MTSU’s defensive front, Smith earned second-team midseason All-American honors for his accolades thus far as the D-line continues to be Middle Tennessee’s greatest strength.
Smith said that he and the rest of the defense are focused on consistency and discipline while prepping to tee off against Cook and the Gamecocks on Wednesday.
“We’ve just got to stay in our gaps with leverage and tackle,” Smith said. “Don’t try to arm tackle because he’s going to run through it. He [Cook] runs hard, I’ll give him that.”
Mason knows what type of game lies ahead for MTSU against the frightening fowls from Jax State. The Gamecocks are a “physical bunch” and aren’t afraid to play keep away and drain the clock, while Cook averages 5.9 yards per carry, he said.
Limited possessions pose an immediate threat to a Middle Tennessee offense that favors passing. In addition to keeping Cook from carving up the MTSU defense, Mason said that the offense must capitalize on scoring chances, something the team has struggled with all season.
“This is going to be a contest of wills,” Mason said. “Their DNA and their identity versus ours. I think, as you’ve seen every week, we’re gaining momentum, we’re getting a little better. We’ve got to clean up some mistakes, but the reality is, this ball game is going to be a good one.”
Kickoff between MTSU and Jax State is set for Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with radio play-by-play available on WGNS.
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