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The Insider Column   The Racer Insider's Lindy Suiter

(August 22, 2007)

On the Gridiron

As Matt Griffin prepares the Racers for the 2007 football season there’s no overlooking the fact that this is a very young team. But I know that Griffin and his players expect to win anyway.

And it’s obvious that significant strides have been made over the last 12 months. Last year’s freshmen have matured physically and look stronger and faster as sophomores. And several incoming players figure to make an immediate impact.

Much of the preseason speculation has centered on who the starting quarterback is going to be but that mystery was put rest last Friday when Griffin announced that redshirt freshman Jeff Ehrhardt had won the job.

This wasn’t a surprise to anyone who had watched practice. Ehrhardt makes good decisions and is a commanding presence on the field. He also has the ability to pull the ball down and run with it if he has an opening.

Of course we have to keep in mind that he’s just a freshman and will likely have to grow into the job.

Ehrhardt will have lots of help though because the Racers have plenty of playmakers.

Sophomore running back Charlie Jordan is quick and explosive and has popped several long runs during fall camp. And junior wide receiver Rod Harper demonstrated last season that he’s difficult for opposing defenses to handle.

Freshman wideout Antoinne Lightfoot has also been impressive. He’s only 5-7 but he’s sturdily built and is an exceptional athlete.

With his speed he is a threat to take it all the way every time he touches the ball. Look for him to be a deep threat on offense and an electrifying presence on kick return teams.

Of course the offensive line will have to step up and play well. They’ve been shaky at times in practice but they have the size to get the job done.

The defense should be significantly improved.

The young defensive line is a year older and there is no denying the athleticism of guys like Austen Lane, Blake Booth and Will Roach.

Linebacker may be the strongest position on the team with preseason all-conference selection Nathan Williams back for his senior year alongside one of the best young linebackers in the league, sophomore Tamar Butler.

The secondary is strong too with Derrick Parrott back for his senior season along with fellow senior Koji Farrington and newcomer John Jean-Baptiste who has been very impressive in practice.

The schedule is tough early on with trips to Louisville and Illinois State.

The Cardinals are ranked in the top 10 of Division IA and are a trendy pick to win the national championship. For the last several years they have been one of the highest scoring teams in the country.

While Murray State has played tough teams before - Brigham Young, Mississippi and Wisconsin come to mind - they haven’t played anyone like this Louisville team.

Illinois State is the seventh ranked IAA team in the nation according to Sports Network and former MSU head coach Denver Johnson will undoubtedly have them ready to play.

The home opener will be against Lambuth on September 15 and it will give everyone an opportunity to see the new turf and watch the Racers show what they can do. But the real season starts the next week when MSU faces Tennessee Tech in Cookeville because the OVC games are what matter the most.

And with three of the top four teams in the league coming to Stewart Stadium the conference schedule is tilted in the Racers’ favor. If everything comes together it could be a special year.

On the Hardwood

It was certainly nice to have the entire basketball team on campus this summer as it gave them a chance to get to know each other and learn to play together.

Last year at this time head coach Billy Kennedy wasn’t even certain who was going to be on the team.

Even the new recruits and transfer Isacc Miles were here.

Having seen several pickup games so far I’m encouraged about the upcoming season. I was particularly impressed by everyone’s competitiveness and athleticism.

Miles can’t play until next year but he is going to be special. He’s extremely strong and plays a lot like former MSU star Chad Townsend.

But even without him, I’m not sure Murray State has ever had a team this deep at the 1, 2 and 3 positions. With Kevin Thomas, Ray George, Tyler Holloway, Bruce Carter, Danero Thomas, Jewuan Long and Matt Fraliex, that’s about as deep as you can get.

Thomas has been especially impressive. His knee didn’t seem to be bothering him at all and his team won most of the time. He is extremely quick and makes good decisions with the ball.

Carter is playing with a lot of confidence, and he should as he is the only all-conference player the Racers have returning.

Long has the body to play at this level and he finishes really well around the basket. He probably needs to improve his outside shot but he is working on that.

Thomas has played well and at times has been the best shooter on the floor.
Holloway was shooting the ball well until he had a minor injury.

Fraliex has been hampered by a shoulder injury so far, but we know from what he did in high school that he can shoot the ball well from the perimeter.

And Ray George has been outstanding. Indeed, at time he has looked like a Player of the Year candidate. It will be interesting to see how much his play improves after a year of practice and games.

So, it’s easy to see why Kennedy is talking about playing four guards. I’m sure there will be times this year when he just puts his best five players on the floor regardless of position.

Of course the guys at the 4 and 5 spots are young but they’ve made great strides.

Marvin Williams was in Murray all summer and he has improved significantly. He just has to play with confidence because he has the ability.

Tony Easley has made great strides. He hasn’t put on much weight but he’s developed some offensive moves in the low post and he is blocking a lot of shots.

George Fotso is as physical as anyone who has played here in a long time. He is getting better and if he can contribute this year that will be a big plus.

Ivan Evans is very explosive, a great leaper who can play inside or outside. He’s already thrown down some thunderous dunks in the RSEC.

And junior college transfer Tarod Sanders is a big strong guy and is more than capable of battling any post player in the OVC.

If this team can develop some leadership and chemistry they are talented enough to win a championship.

I’m very impressed with Isaac Chew and Jamal Walker, Kennedy’s new assistant coaches. They certainly expand the staff’s recruiting area as is shown by the signing of Miles.

Speaking of recruiting… The Racers are being mentioned with several high profile recruits. Among them are Dominique Morrison and Justin Brownlee.
MSU is joined by several Missouri Valley schools in the pursuit of Morrison. And Brownlee lists Murray State, LSU and Arizona among the schools he is considering.

This year’s schedule was released about a month ago and although some people have complained it looks fine to me.

One criticism has been that there is no high profile opponent but Mississippi State is every bit as high profile as Cincinnati or Tennessee was when the Racers played them.

And the tournament at Chattanooga is a very nice addition.

Belmont and Wright State both played in the postseason last year and are among the best teams in the Atlantic Sun and the Horizon League. And although Chattanooga was down last year they are traditionally one of the elite teams in the Southern Conference.

Plus it’s close enough that it’s not a hard trip for fans to make.

Of course it’s disappointing that Southern Illinois had to be replaced by Arkansas State. But it just wasn’t possible to find a date that worked for both schools.

And who knows, perhaps they will still wind up coming to Murray for the Bracket Buster.

Kudos In Order

I would like to applaud the work athletic director Allen Ward has done as he continues to improve the facilities at Murray State.

The football field has new turf and will soon get a new scoreboard. The weight room is being improved, as is the Weaver Center. And tennis and soccer are getting a new locker room complex.

Racer athletics are on the move and Ward’s vision and passion are the primary reason for that.

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