Episode 12 feat. Sam Doughton

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[00:00:50] Welcome into the Blue Raider Podcast. I'm your host, Jake Bolden, and it has been an absolutely exciting weekend in MTSU athletics. And today joining me as staff writer for TheGoBluerators.com. Sam Doughton, Sam, how's it going? Do you want Jake, how much yourself?

[00:01:09] Not too bad. I could say it was an exciting weekend. A lot of things happened. We had a program, Sweep 7-0 on Saturday all the way across from basketball to tennis.

[00:01:18] And there's just so many things we'd like to touch on. And I don't really necessarily know where to start, but I would say in the the universe of Blue Raider Podcast last week's episode was The Derek Mason interview and a lot of people were excited about that.

[00:01:31] So I just kind of want to hear from you. You know, you had the opportunity to sit down with Mason before myself and what are some things you've learned about him?

[00:01:40] Because after my 45 minutes with them, I absolutely love the guy. The only thing I keep telling myself and everyone is that God, I hope he wins because he's a hell of a guy.

[00:01:50] You know, I think one thing that stood out to me listening to your interview last week and having my own experiences report in a similar length interview with him. You know, it early in December really shortly after he was hired was just how good he is one-on-one.

[00:02:04] And how easy he is to relate to how much of a really a story teller he is. He told a lot of stories and sort of 45 minutes I had with them.

[00:02:13] But I can still remember details once later just from how impactful they were on me in that moment. He even tuned somewhere things with y'all.

[00:02:22] You know, I think for me, I'm someone that tends to be a little bit cynical. I guess it's about someone like the coach motivation and the type of stuff where he's a part of a big crowd trying to motivate people that just it doesn't fit with me personally. How do you eyes?

[00:02:36] I don't get into it as maybe some other people do. But him talking one-on-one just talking about his family talking about his vision talking about what he's learned and you really see how thoughtful he is, how intentional he is and everything he does.

[00:02:50] And that's something that his coaching staff keeps coming back to that they're what you see with him is really what he did. And I'm had a chance to interview seven of the ten full time assistants that he's hired got three more coming down the pike so far.

[00:03:02] And they're all universally saying that they basically all came here because Derek Masons had coach and the outside of who's past school, who's I'm seeing that go back to his alma mater.

[00:03:10] You know a lot of them are coming here because of Derek Masons and I think you know the quality of who they are, who these coaches are reflects quality of who Derek Masons is. And that's exciting to see so far.

[00:03:23] Yeah, the one thing that just really stood out was when he used the word CEO of the football program and I know a lot of people that have come up to me after that interview said that's an interesting outlook to have.

[00:03:32] And I think that's the way it should be. I know that when we talk about and I hate to go back on the past and talk about stocks still anymore than we need to but he was a guy that was more of a game manager himself. He wasn't necessarily the play caller.

[00:03:44] But the one thing that I think is different about Derek Masons approach not necessarily on the field because Mason is obviously not going to be the play caller as he said. He's going to leave he hired the right staff and he has quite the talented staff for a group of five school.

[00:03:55] But the one thing that just stood out to me was how he he wears that CEO hat off the field where he's the one that wants to shake hands he's the one there it's there all the games and I'm going to have to give him some grief because I didn't see him there Murphy Center last night in that pack that packed Jim.

[00:04:10] But I know he's a busy man and but he's doing everything he can to get the community to buy in that's another thing that he just kind of the harped on there was the one thing that's going to make this successful and get him to issue to winning football games.

[00:04:22] Hopefully winning championships is the community buy in and from what I can tell thus far he has really sold out for that all the way up to he's getting into spring.

[00:04:32] I'm not going to say that he's the one that he's got to see with the talent he has the roster that he's that he's put together.

[00:04:36] But he is doing above and beyond what's asked as far as getting the community to buy in and I guess that I can't say enough about how important that is to me and again, maybe I'm over viewing that or I'm maybe I'm buying too much into that myself but I'm certainly optimistic about it because it seems like a guy that loves him to issue and as he said him to issue seems to love him back and I hope the friends are able to reciprocate that same energy when it comes to season.

[00:05:01] And that's what I'm going to say. I think that's the first time I've seen the season tickets as well as attending a lot of these early season games.

[00:05:11] Jake and I completely agree, I thought the CEO comments that he made on your podcast was definitely the most interesting to me because it really wind up with what I'm experiencing inside the department with how he's really hands off in other areas and really wants to be hands on and others until you know certain groups are in that trust.

[00:05:28] One thing he talked about with you guys was the fashion with 30 maples getting certain things on things that he wants and Larry's a pro Larry was ahead of the game on that making sure that.

[00:05:38] You know coachman he sent head options and once he got the phrases coachman he wanted to give them options there, you know.

[00:05:44] So that was you know a small thing but you know he's interacting with us and I feel like the occasion is about who we put on graphics you know which players you put on graphics he wants to make sure it's players that have earned his trust already obviously we don't.

[00:05:57] We would usually have you know content from returning players and there's certain returning players that he wants us to highlight and certain other returning players that maybe have a bit more work to do.

[00:06:06] During the highlight and he's let us know that as far as putting him on graphics in the future and he really wants to.

[00:06:13] Oh, and the brand in middle Tennessee football you know part of that was I think one reason maybe you didn't see him had the hundred miles of hate game last night was he there was a football alumni event.

[00:06:22] That evening right before the game so I suspect if he was there which I think he was he was probably wherever they were seated.

[00:06:28] And I would say something somewhere different in the arena where he usually is which is usually pretty close to court side as you well know Jay.

[00:06:35] But yeah, I think it's it's the CEO thing really winds up to what he's doing with us and it's really what he's doing with his staff and you obviously Brian Stewart is exceptionally well qualified and somebody that it's pushed me since known for a long time and they played together in Northern Arizona.

[00:06:51] But but it has has a reputation and knows what he's doing and bo de reader similarly has been in a lot different places and work for a lot different types of coaches and can execute with what coach me since once his offensive philosophy to be.

[00:07:04] And so I think he's cool with what and them do what they need to and that's why he's hired them and that will give him time to give more attention to other places until those places are in their trust.

[00:07:14] And then that gives him even more time to sort of dive into it. But you know the university certainly given him a lot more resources than the previous staff had as far as personnel that they ground more GAs and they have ever had before.

[00:07:26] To my knowledge on the recruiting staff is significantly larger and it's been in the past they actually have opened up a separate office in the Murphy Center for the recruiting staff itself. That's more actually because the circumstances of.

[00:07:39] The tennis center opening on campus because the the new recruiting staff is the old one is 10th locker room so that but still just a dedicated space with you know three or four more people that did not have a dedicated space before.

[00:07:51] And so I'm very curious how it's going to work out long term for say. And see if we're going to see the effects. We've already seen the recruiting trail how that plays out in the field and you know.

[00:08:08] Less than a month away from spring ball I think we'll start some answers to the rather than later. Yeah like I said I just hope that it all translates to wins at some point in time and I think he's the right guy.

[00:08:19] And he sat down there on the on the front row with my grandmother and and talk to your offer 10 15 minutes and she went you know she's in another world she told Missara that she was extremely excited about the higher because he's such a nice man and I.

[00:08:32] And you know for her she's got a big football fan but you know seeing a person out like that who's willing to sit down and talk to my little old 80 year old grandmother and talk tell her you know she's he's glad that she's here she's glad that she's an empty as she fans she's glad that she's a donor all that good stuff so.

[00:08:46] And I think that's a lot of that gets me excited just as the person he is and I just hope that all translates to wins. But we'll turn our attention now to that 100 mile of hate game we've been alluding to this far.

[00:08:56] You know we have a sweep on Saturday the ladies handle their business in bowling green and I applaud all the blue radar fans that were down there I was one of the.

[00:09:03] So I think it was reported there was 2,000 and attendance and if you were there you would know that him to issue was at least half and again that's even on the safe side it was quite an impressive showing from the contingency of the radar fans and I hope.

[00:09:15] And it translates into huntsville in the coming weeks but again I applaud them what a great win for them Savannah Wheeler 18 points nothing really necessarily special from her but you know she handles the game well it's a game where you're on the road regardless of the opponent.

[00:09:29] But it was your Kentucky especially they're kind of handed with injuries right now, but they handled their business.

[00:09:34] They got to control early and they maintain that deficit through the entire game so again real proud of them and again I can't say enough about the blue radar fans and I know the insults would say the exact same it was it's real promising to see stuff like that and then on the men side.

[00:09:49] Gosh, I thought throughout that entirety of that game that is some point and my wife turned to me and she said that you know we're playing really well we got a big lead she felt really good about nice well basketballs a game of runs.

[00:10:01] It's not a matter of if but when and Western did it twice and they really put us you know back in our seat there right before halftime and they surveyed things interesting.

[00:10:10] They were about two minutes left and I didn't think it was 70 a piece I didn't think we'd be able to score at all for the remaining two minutes a distancing are often set afloat but they got the shot they were looking for I think we were on the fort the better fortune of a referee call their late in the game.

[00:10:24] But as I always say it's better to be lucky than it is to be good and this this Saturday was was no exception to that. I think we got lucky

[00:10:31] but we won we won six of our last nine were in fifth place and we have quite the schedule upcoming and we'll talk about that but Sam what are kind of your reactions after a wild weekend, especially that one here in Murphy Center on Saturday.

[00:10:46] Well I mean I'll start briefly with one's basketball which which I was watching often on prepare for the baseball game that Saturday we had our as you might see on my feet on the website form we know is twitter.com

[00:10:59] We had our sports information right to for baseball leave to actually go work at the US military academy in West Point just before the season started so a lot of us are helping out with baseball right now myself included.

[00:11:10] I'm actually recording this from the baseball press box today so I was having the watch the leaders often on while I was doing some game prep for that and you know they're just really impressive defensively this year they always have been impressive defensively under Rick and so to the ledge for the most part and they just I mean it's just a tough team to be.

[00:11:29] I mean we were so quick that she can stay with any primary ball fan learn in Comfort USA that jailing Gregory answering me a Scott guarding wing scores of the level they're at right now means the most teams primary scoring options.

[00:11:41] I mean we're going to be below their averages every time they play us and then you have a six six center that's a ripper detector that you know most teams don't deal with even in power conferences on a regular basis.

[00:11:51] So they really have figured out the defensive thing and as the offense is sort of you know waxed and Wayne a little bit late in the season that's paid dividends so far you know I think either game this week either the jackstate game on Wednesday nor the the western game on Saturday.

[00:12:07] The leader has been played particularly often so we need a game but they were good enough defensively that it didn't matter they're still able to control the game from step and really just impose their well on the other team and.

[00:12:18] The good news of that is that he can's travels like that that's not going to go away and on so it's not going to go away you know they're fortunate enough to make the insidious tournament this year.

[00:12:27] Wherever they and that we all in there you know that's something they can take with them wherever they go and that's going to keep them in games you know the rest of the way.

[00:12:35] The hope is that they can keep building on it you know some of the players that are there maybe.

[00:12:39] And some offensive slums right now can get a little bit more consistent but you know what they were against them each after Wednesday's games is that all these team and come to say had a lot of room for growth after the first cycle playing them and the lady writers really we're already at their peak.

[00:12:53] And I mean team that be you know through this you know over halfway through the second half of the conference schedule so. We more games left really big opportunity to finish on the feeding conference play and build up the massive one street heading in the conference tournament.

[00:13:06] But already a bunch of conference title and can't be upset with that. You know mids basketball last night is everything I love about college basketball Jake it was you know.

[00:13:16] A western team that has done an exceptional job and the first year in the Steve Woods of Jell and together with a lot of parts from all over the place some people are about finds people that.

[00:13:27] And he came in transfer to freshman and have really jell while together and really athletic really good length for conference USA and they you know a middle to the city that obviously struggled this year but came out on senior night hungry and came out with the time of effort and came out with a good game plan.

[00:13:45] And I played to their expectations and greater I think in a lot of part of that game you mentioned they were a little lucky on the end and I was sitting right in front of the controversial no call right at the end and I think they're pretty lucky too but.

[00:13:58] You know effort makes your own block sometimes and there was so much effort so many faces of that game.

[00:14:03] That you know I think even western observers last night were talking about how how middle out played the hilltop or drilling for 38 of those 40 minutes really for most of the game and you know they're able to run to make it close to the aid but you know sometimes when you put in that much effort you get rewarded for it.

[00:14:19] And I think that was certainly the case last night in Jericho and Jones you know 20 points 11 rebounds handful assists again. The level that he's been playing at has been the catalyst for why they're playing so much better.

[00:14:31] The second half that's conference USA schedule you know is one thing. Nick McDead had talked about post game last night was that you know Chris Lou if you had some big blocks at three big blocks in that game last night.

[00:14:42] But you know he hasn't played a whole lot of minutes and Nick's like well, I think Chris is playing worse.

[00:14:47] It's because Jared's playing so well that I can't take him off the court and you know just a porter is the biggest stars you can get at the guard spot right now. Obviously had a little off night you know injects him on Wednesday but.

[00:14:59] Game right back drop 19 last night and they've got the pieces that they're not going to be fun to play for whoever they play at Huntsville and they've played himself into a position that they've been string you know a couple of upsets in the weeks ahead.

[00:15:12] I'm particularly if they can win this this liberty game at home coming up soon. And they've got a good shot to you know getting good enough see whether or not going to be way behind the ball playing you know watch secretary Sam Houston early.

[00:15:24] You know they're going to be playing somebody that I feel like him beat early and if I can get that game off then you know really it's just you got to win twice in two days and you know that's.

[00:15:34] Easier said than down in the tournament setting but all the challenges you have in the tournament setting.

[00:15:38] Those other teams are having as well and they've been right on the door the past couple years I don't see any reason why they can't do that again if a couple things break their way.

[00:15:48] Yeah moving palm back and forth here about that I mean on the women side.

[00:15:53] You know I just when you talk about this team I look I've looking at it here as far as that defense traveling I mean we've gone two straight weeks now where we haven't allowed a point opponents to score over 41 points.

[00:16:05] Even on nights where we don't necessarily score the ball particularly well like I would even consider.

[00:16:10] The Saturday against Western and last Saturday against UTP is offense would be would be very slow by our standards but when you hold a team to 41 points I mean that's 10 that's 10 a quarter I mean when you do when you play defense that well it's going to be really tough to stop them and I feel really good about them and.

[00:16:25] The latest records all GDSP and plus has them as a 10 seed which would mean to be an out large even if you were somehow slip up there in the conference tournament I don't hope that happens but I'm always one that I remember a current Davis team.

[00:16:36] That was poised to make the the NCAA tournaments barring they just get past their first round matchup and everyone thought even with them losing that first round matchup I believe that was back in 2016 27 no 2016 was a Michigan state run so I believe it was.

[00:16:49] 2515 they were team that missed their opportunity because they lost that first round matchup in the conference USA tournament so you don't want to slip up but I don't think this team is too good to do that I think the.

[00:17:00] Liberty matchup coming up on the road next Tuesday on the six is going to be a tough one form we saw Liberty put out a really good first half against a lady Raiders here and Murphy's Barrow Liberty's buying a lot better since their slow starts the conference schedules that could definitely be a tough one Liberty's also very tough place to play just because of.

[00:17:16] I think that's a very rare fans and it's a very small arena for thousands of capacity but they normally bring a good crowd even for women's basketball so that could be a tough one absolutely but I always think with the lady Raiders then get out hot like they did.

[00:17:27] And bowling green they're just kind of you can't it's a train that's hard to stop so.

[00:17:31] I think is inevitable to finish out the year for them I do think that they will find it mean even at a bar minimum you slide somewhere in the conference tournament I think they're going to get in that large on the given it be concerned about that I wouldn't even be concerned about them losing in the tournament I think they're that dominant when your average.

[00:17:46] When your average deficit or margin of victory is over 20 I there's not much more dominating than that but on the men side it is interesting because you're going to get a match up and the conference you said did a really weird thing with the schedules this year where you started your conferences with Louisiana tech and Sam Houston and now you're finishing two of your last three games with Sam Houston and Louisiana tech and.

[00:18:07] At that time I think we all thought Louisiana tech was a top three team in the conference Sam Houston by no means that I think that they would be in first place or sitting at first place right now on a tiebreaker because they have the lone win over Louisiana tech.

[00:18:19] You're going to play the first place team this coming Saturday on the road and then you'll find a week you'll have liberty at home who again has kind of been a real head scratcher they've have big wins in the conference but I'll have a bad losses and they're actually in the standings right now half game behind us.

[00:18:34] But they they absolutely destroyed us there in Virginia so when they come here I'd love to get revenge on them and then you get Louisiana tech to finish the year up but I call back to those same Houston state and Louisiana tech games because one that was an omits of our of a really bad slide.

[00:18:50] For the men I don't I don't not sure I don't quite remember how long that losing streak went but I like to kind of keep those things out of my mind I like to focus on.

[00:18:58] The good things to keep in my head, but that was a part of our slide we kind of thought well this team's never going to win a conference game and now.

[00:19:04] I said we won six of our last nine you go to Sam Houston we're not necessarily a good road team but I mean the way this team is play they certainly surprise you.

[00:19:13] I don't know that they're going to win those games in Sam Houston Louisiana tech but I think it'll be enough to scare them and I say that because if we finish out one and two we get a win over liberty we drop to Sam Houston Louisiana tech which I do think is going to happen.

[00:19:25] I do think that's going to put us somewhere in that six that six we might creep into the five depending on other things but that puts you in a game with Louisiana tech or Sam Houston in Huntsville and all that accumulates because you're in Huntsville it's going to be a home court advantage for us and Jacksonville state maybe Western or travel pretty well to there but it's a it's a home arena for him to issue.

[00:19:46] I think the lady writer fans are going to travel really well it's going to be a home game for the ladies all weekend but I hope those blue radar fans that we saw them bowing green that were willing to make that short trip make the same short trip to Huntsville.

[00:19:57] I think that's going to be a big part of the game and we're going to have to go back to the other side of the game and we're going to have to get out for a day and we're able to support their men's program just like they are their women's program because if we are able to make a home court atmosphere.

[00:20:05] One thing that Nick McDevit does really well is he's really good in tournaments and he's really good at home and if we can do both of those for him at once in Huntsville.

[00:20:12] I'm not going to say you're the reason we win or lose these games that's going to be the action on the court but I have to call the blue radar fans to show up for their team there in Huntsville because I think that contingency of fans is going to be huge for Nick and the guys.

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