The 2011 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Rick Stockstill, the Blue Raiders compiled an overall record of 2–10 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, placing eighth in the Sun Belt. The team played home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Coaching changes On January 13, 2011, it was announced that both coordinators, Mike Schultz (Offensive) and Randall McCray (Defensive), would not return for the 2011 football season. After a very successful 2009 season, when the team went 10–3 and won the New Orleans Bowl, during the 2010 season the team fell in several statistical categories. The team's turnover margin went from being ranked 8th in the nation to being 120th in the nation. Middle Tennessee's total offense fell from 27th in the nation to 69th in the nation, while their total defense fell from 50th in the nation to 72nd in the nation. Both coordinators only served for one season at Middle Tennessee.Football loses two coordinators MTSUSidelines.com, January 13, 2011.

On January 24, 2011, Rick Stockstill announced that he promoted cornerbacks coach Steve Ellis to defensive coordinator and running backs coach Willie Simmons to offensive coordinator.Stockstill elevates Ellis, Simmons GoBlueRaiders.com, January 24, 2011. Two days later, Coach Stockstill completed his staff by hiring Joe Cauthen to coach the linebackers and serve as the special team's coordinator, and Buster Faulkner to coach the quarterbacks and be the passing game coordinator.Stockstill completes staff with Cauthen, Faulkner GoBlueRaiders.com, January 26, 2011.

During the season, on October 14, 2011, Willie Simmons abruptly resigned from his job as offensive coordinator following his arrest on aggravated assault charges. On October 17, Buster Faulkner was named MTSU's offensive coordinator.Faulkner named new MTSU play caller DNJ.com, October 17, 2011

Schedule

2011 Schedule GoBlueRaiders.com, June 12, 2011.

Roster Quarterbacks 6 Timmy Byerly (Fr.) 10 Logan Kilgore (r-So.) 11 Shaun White (Fr.) 12 Jeff Murphy (r-Jr.) 19 Andrew Banks (r-Sr.) Luke Hayes Spencer Wise (r-So.)

Running backs 2 Benny Cunningham (Jr.) 21 Drayton Allen-Calhoun (r-So.) 23 D. D. Kyles (r-Sr.) 25 Reggie Whatley (r-Fr.) 29 William Pratcher (r-So.) 34 Marquise Branton (r-Sr.) Jeremiah Bryson (Fr.) Kennedy McGruder (r-Jr.) Kevin Mix (Jr.) Chase Pennycuff (Fr.) Tony Rowland Evan Ward (Fr.)

Wide receivers 3 Tavarres Jefferson (Jr.) 4 Malcolm Beyah (Sr.) 9 Kyle Griswould (r-So.) 13 Tyler Mason (Sr.) 15 Sancho McDonald (Sr.) 16 Shane Blissard (r-Sr.) 17 Jamar Brown (Sr.) 37 Harold Turner Jr. (r-Jr.) 80 Jamal Gray (Jr.) 81 Christian Collis (Fr.) 82 Arthur Williams (r-So.) 84 Richard Drake (r-So.) 86 Anthony Amos (r-Jr.) 87 Vincent Van Horne (Sr.) 88 Marcus Thurmond (r-Jr.) Chris Lampkins (Fr.)

Tight ends 83 Jared Bamber (Sr.) Offensive linemen 50 Colin Boss (r-Sr.) 57 Judd Hunt (r-Fr.) 58 Jesse Grisham (r-So.) 60 Brandon McLeroy (Sr.) 61 Jadareius Hamlin (r-So.) 63 Quinton Groves (r-Sr.) 65 Alex Stuart (r-Jr.) 66 Micah James (Jr.) 70 Roberto Loya (Fr.) 73 Isaiah Anderson (r-Fr.) 74 Jason Rexroad (Fr.) 75 Darius Johnson (Fr.) 76 Jordon Johnson (r-So.) 77 Josh Walker (r-So.) 78 Mike Williams (r-Sr.) 79 Preston Bailey (r-Jr.) Lance Campbell (r-Fr.) Matt Sprouse (r-Jr.)

Defensive linemen 43 Gorby Loreus, DE (Sr.) 45 Alexandro Antoine, DE (Fr.) 46 Max Ugboaja, DE (r-Fr.) 51 SaCoby Carter, DT (r-Sr.) 55 Shubert Bastien, DE (Fr.) 72 Jesse Kirkland, DL (r-Jr.) 85 Omar McLendon, DE (Jr.) 89 Dearco Nolan, DE (r-So.) 90 Jimmy Staten, DE (r-So.) 91 J.D. Jones, DT (Fr.) 92 Patrick McNeil, DT (r-Fr.) 93 Marcus Robinson, DT (Fr.) 94 O'Shae Bridges, DE (Fr.) 95 Kevin Pope, DE (Jr.) 96 Kendall Dangerfield, DT (r-Jr.) 97 Jiajuan Fennell, DE (r-Fr.) 98 Morris Moore, DE (r-Fr.) 99 Jerrold Frazier, DT (Fr.) Linebackers 22 David Jones (r-So.) 28 Christian Henry (r-Fr.) 30 Stephen Roberts (r-So.) 32 Justin Jones (Jr.) 33 Roderic Blunt (r-So.) 35 Craig Allen (r-So.) 40 Leighton Gasque (r-Fr.) 48 Jonathan Brooks (r-Fr.) 56 Norman Washington (r-Sr.) 59 Darin Davis (Sr.)

Defensive backs 1 Eric Russell, S (Sr.) 5 Arness Ikner, CB (Sr.) 6 T.L. Edwards, CB (Sr.) 7 Khari Burke, CB (r-Fr.) 8 Sammy Seamster, S (r-So.) 18 Kenneth Gilstrap, CB (r-So.) 20 Kevin Byard, S (Fr.) 24 Derrick Crumpton, S (Sr.) 26 Marquise Dixon, CB (r-So.) 27 Chris Sharpe, CB (r-Fr.) 31 Denzell Guerra, S (r-Jr.) 36 Jajuan Harley, CB (Jr.) 39 James Roberson, S (Fr.) 42 Juno Prudhomm, S (Jr.) 47 Rodney O'Neal, CB (Fr.) 54 Zeke Anderson, DS (r.Sr) 67 Blaine Sidders, DS (Fr.) Bryan Armstrong, CB (r-Jr.) Brandon Grady, CB (r-So.) Robert Hogg, CB (r-Jr.) Greg Rein, DS (r-Fr.) Lee Woods, S (r-Jr.)

Special teams 36 Josh Davis, P (r-So.) 38 Alan Gendreau, PK (Sr.) 39 Zachary Lopez, P (r-Fr.) 49 Nathaniel Toulson, P (r-Sr.) Michael Kee, P (Fr.) Zack Martin, LS (r-Fr.) Tyler Presley, LS (r-Fr.) Head coach Rick Stockstill

Assistant coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/passing game coordinator: Buster Faulkner Defensive coordinator/Cornerbacks: Steve Ellis Offensive line: Jimmy Ray Stephens Safeties: David Bibee Defensive Line: John Palermo Wide receivers/recruiting coordinator: Justin Watts Inside Receivers: Brent Brock Linebackers/special teams coordinator: Joe Cauthen LAST UPDATED 9/1/2011

References