Story by Matthew Giffin / Contributing Writer
MTSU Football head coach Rick Stockstill announced the hiring of a former Blue Raider player as the new wide receiver coach and made some changes to the coaching staff positions on Tuesday.
The new coach, Shane Tucker, played for Stockstill from 2013 to 2017 as a do-it-all offensive player, positioned at running back, wide receiver, tight end and kick returner.
“I am excited to have Shane as part of our staff,” said Stockstill. “He was an excellent player here and loves this program and university. Shane brings great energy and enthusiasm, and will do a tremendous job in recruiting.”
In 2021, Tucker coached the running backs at Florida A&M and the tight ends at Austin Peay during the spring season. Before that, he started as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Dodge City Community College and was the wide receivers coach in 2019. Tucker returned to Middle Tennessee in 2020 as a graduate assistant for Stockstill.
Stockstill has assigned some new duties to his coaching staff upon hiring Tucker and after reviewing how the NFL and other college teams structure their coaching faculty, Stockstill said.
For example, Brent Stockstill will now coach the quarterbacks and coordinate the passing game after being the wide receivers coach last season. Rick Mallory will now handle the tight ends and halfbacks while some coaches like Scott Shafer, the defensive coordinator and safeties coach, will see no changes to their duties. A full list of the staffing changes are detailed in a release.
On Monday, Stockstill hired former Samford offensive coordinator Mitch Stewart for the same position with the Blue Raiders to replace Brent Dearmon, who stepped down in January.
The Blue Raiders’ season opener will be a road game against James Madison University on Sep. 3.
