Raiders don 278th insignia starting with La-Lafayette on The Murfreesboro Post

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Raiders don 278th insignia starting with La-Lafayette

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Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:50 pm

On a day when MTSU will dedicate a Veterans Memorial on campus and observe Armed Services/Veterans Day, the Blue Raider football team will make a statement of its own in observance of the holiday.

Coach Rick Stockstill opened Tuesday's weekly press conference by announcing the team will wear insignia of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment on its helmets starting Saturday and until the unit returns from a scheduled second tour in Iraq.

The 278ths is set for deployment again in Iraq in February. It is the largest National Guard unit in Tennessee.

The Raiders will carry a three-game Sun Belt Conference win streak into Saturday's 3:15 p.m. kickoff against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Middle became bowl eligible with a 48-21 win over Florida International here Saturday, lifting the Raiders to 6-3 on the year.

Lafayette is 5-4 overall and coming off a 21-18 win over Arkansas State on the road.

Highlights of Tuesday's press conference included:

Opening Comments
In honor of the Salute to Armed Services/Veterans Day, we will be honoring the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Knoxville by wearing their insignia to show respect for everything they do for this country. We will leave this insignia on our helmets until they return home from Iraq, so they will know our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families. I hope everyone will come to this game, not only to support Middle Tennessee and our football team, but to come out and support the 278th.

We had a great win last week. I was really proud of the way we played. The team dominated in all three phases of the game. I'm really proud of the way we played the game and the toughness we brought to the field. We started fast with a great mental approach, which we wanted to do from the start.

We have a really good Louisiana-Lafayette team coming in here Saturday. They are coming off a good win at Arkansas State which is a very difficult place to win. They beat Kansas State earlier in the year. Kansas State is leading their side of the conference in the Big 12.

On the increased opportunities with seven wins
I think it is nice that we are bowl eligible. That is good publicity, but it is like I told the team yesterday, if we end with a 6-6 record it is very unlikely we will be playing a 13th game. We are not focused on a bowl, our focus is on Louisiana-Lafayette and getting to seven wins. The more games you win, the more opportunities you have. We do not want to stop at six wins. We are focusing on what we can control which is Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. We do not have control of the bowls.

On offensive strengths
I do not care which offense works best for us. If we have to run it every down to win or if we have to pass it every down to win, I do not care. We are going to do whatever it takes to win. We are missing some pretty good skill guys due to injury so we can't afford any mistakes. We are trying to do whatever it takes to win. I am not interested in leading the conference in passing or rushing, I just want to win.

On strategical preferences towards running or passing
We have have had a good offensive game plan going into every game this year. I give our offensive coaches a lot of credit. You want to counter what they are doing. You may go in thinking they are going to be running all man coverage, but they come out and play zone. Each game is different. You have to make adjustments and you cannot come in with a preconceived notion that you are going to do this or do that.

On Middle Tennessee's defensive success on third and fourth down plays
Our goal on defense is to stop the other team from scoring and get off the field. I think our defense has really played well and they are doing a good job of not giving up big plays. They are keeping the ball in front of them and they are getting off the field. This is critical in the success we have had in the last few weeks.

On Dwight Dasher's three interceptions against FIU
There is 70 to 85 plays in a game and he made three poor decisions. There are highs and lows. Everything is not going to be 30 to 40 points per half. How you respond to adversity is what is important. I am not going to think he will complete every pass or never throw an interception. That is going to happen. You just try to eliminate them as much as you can. He had a good game other than those three plays.

On Louisiana's Chris Masson
He is a good player. He has done a great job of leading their offense. He is a tough, competitive guy who understands what they want to do and has led them to some good wins this season.

On the team's success running the football the last three games
It has been critical. It is a direct reflection on our offensive line. They have played their three best games of the season. D.D. (Kyles) has run better because he has had more opportunities. He has improved setting up his blocks and reacting to the defense. Dwight (Dasher) has had some dynamic runs as well. Late in the year, late in games, you want to be able to run the ball. It gives you another dimension where you can utilize the clock and not rely so much on the passing game.

On trying to win conference title
We have no control over what happens with Troy. We have a chance, but we need help. The only thing we can control is how we play against Louisiana-Lafayette. It has no bearing on what happens. We have to handle our business one game at a time.

Player Quotes

Offensive Lineman Mark Fisher
On strengths of the offense week-to-week
"It's just week-to-week. Whatever gets the job done and helps us get the win."

On strengths of the offensive line
"We are doing good things on pass protection and running the ball."

On value of seventh win
"We understand the more games we win will open more doors, but we don't worry about that. We take care of the details and what we have to do."

On the key to great performances from the offensive line
"It's about experience, paying attention to details and just going out there and playing."

Defensive Tackle Brandon Perry
On the team being educated over the bowl eligibility
"We knew we had a chance. This team has a lot of heart and is concentrating on a lot more than just a bowl game."

On Louisiana-Lafayette as a running team
"They're still a great running team. They're a different team this year too. Running the ball is one of their main goals and something they always want to do. It will be a very tough game this week."

On the issues of injuries
"If you start taking care of your body earlier, you won't have that problem later on in the season. We stay on each other about taking care of our bodies and eating right."

On coaching younger players about the length of the season
"The younger guys feed off of the older guys. I think they are handling it well to this point."

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Member Opinions:

By: whizkid on 11/11/09
Coach Stock has done an excellent job of coaching. He has done a better job of instilling moral principals and discipline into his players. Actions speak louder than words. We do not read every day that players have been arrested for this crime or violation, much different from the SEC.

I appreciate his talent and his dedication to teaching these young men truly what life is about. The coaching staff and players are a credit to our University and our community.