Comments About the 2002 Class - GoBlueRaiders.com

ANDY MCCOLLUM
"It seems like every year it grows and grows and grows and I hope we have to build another building to keep it growing to get the Middle Tennessee people involved. I couldn't be more proud. There are so many people that I'm going to go through. First off, I'd like to start off with our president, Dr. McPhee. I don't know if he was able to make it our not. I couldn't be more proud of his time and effort and what recruiting meant to him. Coach Donnelly, I'm very, very, very proud to say he's my boss again. I couldn't be more proud of his efforts during our recruiting.

"It doesn't start anywhere until it starts with my staff. I've got the best staff in America. We believe in Middle Tennessee. We said this when we took this job here that the number one thing is recruiting. If we have good players, we become good coaches. If we have bad players, we're bad coaches. My staff has put a lot of hours in. We hired a staff that I said from the beginning that's going to love Middle Tennessee. The staff we have now does.

Kevin Fouquier is our recruiting coordinator. I've had a lot of recruiting coordinators in the past. This was his first year doing it, and I can honestly say he's the best I've ever been around. They tried to kill me. I think one of them was trying to get my job. They had me worn out. He kept everything on track. Being a recruiting coordinator is very hard because everybody wants something. Everybody wants this and they're always on him.

I always said I wanted to hire the best in America. My new hire, Steve Campbell, is our new offensive line coach. It was amazing three years ago. Nobody was calling really to want to work here at Middle Tennessee. And now the people involved have really been something. To get someone the calibre of Steve Campbell is amazing. He was the head coach at Delta State and two years ago won a national championship. I've known Steve for seven or eight years, watched him. I always knew if I had the opportunity to hire him, I wanted to hire him. He gives up the head coaching job at Delta State to come and be part of the Middle Tennessee family. That makes a great statement, not only for Steve but for where this program is and what Middle Tennessee stands for.

I am very proud of the players we have here. We don't talk to our kids about lying to anybody to come here, pretending we want them here at Middle Tennessee. We want guys to be at Middle Tennessee because they want to be here, they want to represent. We probably had two or three kids visit his year that came here and our kids came to me and said that we don't need them here. We don't need him. He doesn't fit in. He doesn't represent Middle Tennessee. When you start getting a family, start getting close and everybody believes in the same goals and principles, it's really something when your kids grow up and they are the ones showing recruits around and they come back and tell you, -Coach, I don't know how good he is, but we don't need him at Middle Tennessee.' And we don't take him.

I think any class that you have, there are a lot of individuals who made commitments to be here. I couldn't be more proud of some things that happened last night with some guys on the staff. There is no individual who's going to make a difference in the program. It's going to be a bunch of team guys. We felt like we reached a lot of needs. We've got a lot of speed in this class, a lot of size in this class. Make sure you understand, I know we couldn't sign but 27 this year and I do know my numbers and I can count. We do have a plan. There's always a plan.

Every one of them, some very highly recruited, some made a commitment to be a part of something special. Is it the best recruiting class? I'd like to think so because I hope next year I'm going to say the same thing and the next year I'm going to say the same thing if we can continue doing things right and continue having success that we started. Hopefully the recruiting classes are going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. I think if you look at the last few days with Bobby Payne from Arkansas, a kid in the state of Arkansas that was committed to Arkansas and chose Middle Tennessee, makes a great statement. John Henry, choosing last night to be a Blue Raider.

Josh Harris, a quarterback out of South Carolina, that had opportunities, a great student and a great person. We got a great player out of Birmingham, where we're trying to go into Alabama further and further and further. We've gotten into South Carolina a little more. Georgia was still very good to us. Tennessee was very good to us. Sean Waller, who will probably win the 100, 200 and 400 in the state of Tennessee this year, is a great addition for us.

I could go on and on. I don't think anyone ever stood up and said that we got one that we really didn't want but we had to take him. We're proud of all of them. I'm proud of the administration and proud to be working for Coach Donnelly again, proud of what Dr. McPhee and this administration believes in the program here.

On ratio of high school to junior college signees
"It's a real good sign. We came in here early and had to get immediate help. Now we'll sign a junior college player for need, someone we think right now can come in and make an impact for us. I think that will change every year. Where we've gone in three years, I think we'll continue with more high school and only recruit junior college where we think they can come in and help us immediately.

Assistant Head Coach Kacy Rodgers:

"I think several of the guys we signed are going to make an impact this year. This class reflects the kind of season we had last year, and how we, Middle Tennessee, is becoming a highly visible program."

Running Backs Coach Darin Hinshaw:

"The type of recruits we got today that are 6-4 and 6-5 shows the level of players we are getting here at Middle Tennessee. We are recruiting, and signing, players that can get it done on the field."

"Coach (Andy) McCollum has a vision for this program, and big time players are coming here on campus and understanding that vision. John Henry saw it and wanted to be a part of it, that is why he signed."

Offensive Line Coach Steve Campbell:

"Great players make great teams and I think we got some great ones today. I came into the program late in the recruiting progress, and I am truly impressed with the hard work and efforts the coaches made to put this class together. Coach McCollum has a reputation for being a great recruiter and I think he proved it today with the caliber of players we signed."

Brent Poff, Blue Raider Fan:

"I believe several of the recruits will be able to start next year right off the bat. It's good to see we recruited some guys with a lot of meat, guys over 300 pounds."

Scott Adcock, Blue Raider Fan:

"Picking up a big time recruit like John Henry is typical of Andy McCollum. Andy has proven he is a winner and that is evident by the recruiting class this year. I think John Henry is the best recruit in the nation, and we have him."

Don Wright, Blue Raider Fan:

"I am really excited about this recruiting class. I think this is a big step forward for the program and I think the football staff has done a great job."

"I can remember a time in Blue Raider football when only 15 people would show up on signing day. This is a great crowd here today, and a testament to the growth at Middle Tennessee. I can't wait for kick-off this fall. I wish it was today."