Things didn’t go well for Middle Tennessee State University’s football program this past season. Coming off an 8-5 mark from last year, expectations were high. But instead the Blue Raiders finished 4-8, and more importantly to the athletic administration, attendance at home was dismal.
Still, few anticipated what happened on December 5. Longtime head coach Rick Stockstilll, an 18-year fixture, was fired.
Even fewer expected what came next. His replacement was former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason. Mason had spent the season as an analyst for the SEC network, but had previously indicated he wanted to return to coaching. Mason spent seven seasons as head coach at Vanderbilt, before being fired in 2020. Since then, he had been defensive coordinator for short stints at Auburn and Oklahoma State.
Stockstill had been a beloved figure at MTSU, and the termination was unexpected, especially considering he’d had two prior winning seasons that ended in bowl victories.
Also MTSU now must pay a $5 million buyout, as Stockstill’s contract ran through 2029.
“This is one of the most difficult days in my tenure, but one I feel is necessary in our aspiration to compete and win championships,” MTSU athletic director Chris Massaro told the Daily News Journal. Massaro praised Stockstilll and thanked him for his efforts and contributions.
The Mason hiring is a controversial one, though certainly the school should be applauded for giving a previously canned Black head coach a second chance. That doesn’t happen often in big time college football.
Mason did some good things at Vanderbilt despite the overall 27-55 record. He got them to two bowl games and three straight victories over Tennessee, accomplishments that haven’t been approached by his successor.
But the negative was the perception he was too much of a defensive minded coach, with little imagination on offense or desire to even pursue, let alone recruit, top tier offensive talent. He also got canned after his final squad became the first in school history to have a winless season during the COVID-shortened 2019-2020 season.
He can disprove that contention at MTSU. He won’t be facing SEC caliber opposition often, and he also won’t be handicapped by his scholarship having tougher entrance requirements for athletes than everyone else.
Hopefully Derek Mason succeeds at MTSU. He knows he’s going to be compared to a head coach who won 113 games, took his team to 10 bowls and was widely embraced by the fan base, many of whom felt Stockstilll should have been allowed to finish out his contract or resign.
It’s clearly going to a season to watch next year at MTSU.
