2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
jimmy ray stephens A national championship winner, Jimmy Ray Stephens is in his fifth year as the offensive line coach on Rick Stockstill’s staff at Middle Tennessee. Stephens made his way to the Blue Raiders after four years with the University of Tennessee. Finally blessed with some experience after three years of injuries and youth, Stephens molded an offensive line in 2009 that was equally adept at blocking for the run and protecting the passer. The result was the most total yards of offense since 2001 and the best rushing total since 2002, including a stretch of four straight games where the Blue Raiders topped the 200-yard rushing mark. For their efforts, the offensive line had two players in Mark Thompson and Mark Fisher who earned all-conference honors. In 2008, Stephens had four linemen who started every game, and all five starters were underclassmen while two earned Sun Belt Conference All-Freshman honors. With another year filled with THE STEPHENS FILE yo u t h a n d MIDDLE TENNESSEE inexperience, Season at MT: 5th Stephens’ Date Hired: January 5, 2006 Recruiting Area: Middle Tennessee unit helped (Nashville), Central Florida, North Alabama Phillip Tanner to unleash a career season and Joe Craddock PERSONAL to pass for a senior record 2,677 yards. Birthdate: October 2, 1954 Hometown: Bradford, AR In 2007, Stephens molded a starting unit that included two freshmen, a sophomore, EDUCATION a junior, and a senior. But despite the youth High School: Eustis and inexperience, Stephens’ group helped College: Florida, B.S. Physical Education, 1977 produce the league’s top touchdown maker in DeMarco McNair and a top-10 rusher and PLAYING EXPERIENCE C/LB/TE at Florida (1973-76) passer in Dwight Dasher. Stephens did one of his better coach COACHING EXPERIENCE ing jobs in 2006 even though he went 1977-78: Florida (asst. offensive line coach) into the season with 1979: Vanguard HS (wide receivers) only five players who 1980: Union County HS (offensive coord.) 1981-83: Buchholz HS (offensive coord.) had seen meaningful 1984: Florida (graduate assistant) 1985-86: Gonzales Tate HS (offensive coord.) snaps the year before. 1987-89: Williston HS (head coach) The unit went on to 1990-92: Ft. Walton Beach HS (head coach) produce two all-con 1993-2001: Florida (offensive line) ference players and 2002-05: Tennessee (offensive line) 2006-: MT (offensive line) the league’s top scoring offense, allow BOWL EXPERIENCE ing MTSU to be the 1973: Tangerine Bowl (player) only school in the SBC 1974: Sugar Bowl (player) to have two players 1975: Gator Bowl (player) 1977: Sun Bowl (player) ranked in the top ten 1994: Sugar Bowl (coach) in rushing. 1995: Sugar Bowl (coach) As offensive line 1996: Fiesta Bowl (coach) 1997: Sugar Bowl (coach) coach of the Vols, Ste 1998: Citrus Bowl (coach) phens helped develop 1999: Orange Bowl (coach) 2000: Citrus Bowl (coach) one of the top lines 2001: Sugar Bowl (coach) in the SEC. During 2002: Orange Bowl (coach) his tenure, Stephens 2002: Peach Bowl (coach) 2004: Peach Bowl (coach) tutored Michael 2005: Cotton Bowl (coach) Munoz to consensus 2006: Motor City Bowl (coach) All-American status 2009: New Orleans Bowl (coach)
in 2004, after placing Scott Wells into a starting position with the Green Bay Packers in 2003. Stephens went to three bowls with the Vols and was part of the 2004 SEC Eastern Division Championship squad. Prior to arriving at UT, Stephens spent nine seasons coaching the Florida offensive line -part of a high-powered offense that led to five SEC championships for the Gators. At Florida, Stephens coached four Jacob’s Blocking Trophy winners (Best Offensive Lineman in SEC) and eight players who were drafted by the NFL. Stephens himself sparkled both on the offensive line and at tight end during his playing career at Florida. He was a second-team All-SEC performer at center under Gators head coach Doug Dickey before making the move to tight end and earning second-team all-league honors there as well. Stephens went on to be drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. His most recent responsibility at Florida was as offensive line coach and run-game coordinator in 2001. Prior to that, Stephens also coordinated the unit’s pass protection. The Eustis, Fla., native coached on the Gators’ 1996 national championship team and helped Florida to nine January bowl games. During that span, Florida’s offense was ranked among the nation’s top 15 six times and its passing offense among the top 10 seven times. Stephens rejoined the Gators staff in 1993 after a stellar high school coaching career that saw him compile a 63-7 head coaching mark. That record came during a pair of three-year coaching and athletics director stints from 1987 to 1992 at Williston and Fort Walton Beach. All told, Stephens spent 13 years in the Florida high school coaching ranks as either a head or assistant coach. His recruiting ties to the Sunshine State are strong and serve as a huge asset for the Blue Raiders. Stephens is married to the former Regina Gouge and has two sons, Chris -- who lettered two years in football at North Carolina -- and Timmy.
GoBlueRaiders.com | 113