Murray State Football Spring Report: Practice #10

Mike Cherry, who quarterbacked Murray State under Houston Nutt during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, stopped by the Murray State football locker room after practice today to talk about team togetherness, and what an honor it is to be a student-athlete at Murray State University.

Under Cherry, the Racers went 22-3 in two seasons, including a perfect 16-0 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. After Murray State, Cherry was the New York Giants sixth round pick (171st overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft, enjoying a four-year career with the Giants from 1997-2000.

Sporting a blue New York Giants hat, Cherry addressed the team for about 10 minutes after practice.

"It's a great honor to come back and have the opportunity to talk to you," the Texarkana, Ark. native said to the team. "Murray is a small town but the town has a big heart. When I walked down to the locker room and saw all these coaches and players together, it reminded me exactly of the spring of 1995."

"We were a family back then," Cherry said. "We had kids from California, a big young group from Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri, and we bonded together."

After a few minutes of speaking, Cherry commented on something that had changed since he left the facilities at Roy Stewart Stadium in 1996 - the newly renovated locker room.

"You guys have a country club in here," Cherry joked.

Cherry wrapped up his message by saying how much Murray State still means to him.

"In my football career and my outside career, I couldn't think of a place that has impacted my life more," Cherry said. "It is truly an honor to be a student-athlete at Murray State University."

During the 1995 season, Cherry anchored an offense that was first in the OVC in total offense (450.8 yards per game), and first in scoring offense (38.3 points per game). A junior, Cherry completed 60.0 percent of his passes (135-for-225), and threw for 2,084 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Racers ended the regular season undefeated, before losing on a last-second blocked PAT attempt in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs to Northern Iowa, 35-34. The Racers ended the season at an 11-1 clip (8-0 OVC) and for his efforts, Cherry was named First Team All-OVC at the quarterback position.

The 1996 season was just as impressive, breaking several school records en route to an 11-2 season. Murray State, with an 8-0 OVC record, won the league for a second consecutive season, which was just the second time that had ever happened at MSU. Murray State also captured their first ever NCAA Division I-AA playoff victory, when they downed Western Illinois 34-6. The Racers then traveled to Troy State and were defeated 31-3, ending a magical season in which Cherry was named First Team All-OVC quarterback for a second consecutive season. OVC coaches and sports information directors also recognized Cherry's efforts, as he was named 1996 OVC Player of the Year.

In 1996, Cherry led a Racer offense that ranked first in the OVC in total offense (437.9 ypg) and first in scoring offense (38.7 ppg). Individually, Cherry led the OVC in passing (218.7 ypg) and total offense (209.9 ypg), going 170-for-301 (56.5 percent) for 2,406 yards and 18 touchdowns.

For his career, Cherry finished with a 58 percent completion rate (305-for-526), throwing for 4,490 yards and 34 touchdowns in just two seasons. Cherry currently holds the Best Passing Efficiency rating of any other player to wear the Racer uniform (131.5 for his career).

The Racers' 11th spring practice will be Saturday morning at 8:45 a.m. Saturday's practice will include an extended scrimmage.

Murray

State will open its 2007 season on Aug. 30 when the team travels to Louisville, Ky., to face the University of Louisville at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Click Here for Murray State's spring practice headquarters.

Murray State University Athletics

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