MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Top recruiter Rick Stockstill was hired Monday as head football coach at Middle Tennessee.
He won't find recruiting as easy as it was at the bigger
schools, but Stockstill is ready to try his luck.
"I have a plan for success and am well prepared for this job,"
he said after being introduced as coach of the Division I-A Blue
Raiders. "I understand the challenges that await and I am ready to
roll up my sleeves and get to work."
Over the past six years, Stockstill has recruited 16 players
later drafted or signed as free agents in the NFL. He was at South
Carolina the last two years, helped sign a top-20 recruiting class
and was recognized among the top-25 recruiters in the country by
Rivals.com.
He also coached receivers in 2004, and spent this season
coaching tight ends for Steve Spurrier. Stockstill was at Clemson
between 1989 and 2002, and was offensive coordinator for East
Carolina in 2003. He also was at Central Florida from 1985 to 1988.
Stockstill replaces Andy McCollum, fired Nov. 21 near the end of his seventh season. McCollum went 34-45 and oversaw the Blue
Raiders' move to Division I-A.