Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Shoes Up - Hood & Racers Begin Game Week – MVSU Visits Sept. 2
8/26/2021 9:04:00 PM | Football
Murray State’s 97th season of collegiate football begins at home in Stewart Stadium against Mississippi Valley State
After a 2020 season that was played in the spring of 2021, the Murray State Football team is ready to open their 97th season collegiate football.
Thursday marked the final scrimmage of fall camp as the Racers head into game week and the season opener (Sept. 2) against Mississippi Valley State at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray, Kentucky.
The final scrimmage for Head Coach Dean Hood's Racers was meant to put the team into rare situations and to remain healthy.
"This final scrimmage film will be interesting to watch because it will tell us the tweaks we need to make on the special things," Hood said. "It's the special teams items that we worked on tonight and those game situations that you must be ready for. We were able to get some speed of the game things done tonight as well and we needed that. Saturday is like our usual Monday and everything from now on will be 100 percent opponent driven as we get to the opener."
With the Covid-19 experience of 2020 forcing the season into the spring behind them, Hood is happy that he and his staff know the players better and they know the staff better.
"That's the difference from the spring, because they didn't know us and we didn't know them," Hood stated. "We didn't know what plays went with their skill set and in a lot of ways we didn't know what position is their best position. I'm glad to have most of our team back for this fall because now we know each other very well."
Having been picked first in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll for the first time since Houston Nutt guided the Racers to back-to-back championships in 1995 and 1996, Hood knows it means nothing when the games start to be played.
The Racers return 63 letter winners and 26 starters combined from offense, defense and special teams.
"It's a good news, bad news thing," Hood cautioned. "But so does everyone else. For the most part, teams have come back together for a repeat season."
After the season opener with MVSU, the Racers hit the road for Cincinnati (Sept. 11) and Bowling Green (Sept. 18) before returning home for Murray State Family Weekend (Oct. 2) against Eastern Illinois.
The final scrimmage was preceded by the annual 50-Yard Line Dinner as fans enjoyed getting to know the Racer coaching staff and sharing a meal together. With more than 100 fans attending the dinner, they also had the chance to watch the scrimmage from field level.
With the 2021 season fast approaching, fans are reminded Racer Football season tickets can be purchased as well as single game tickets. The order form for season tickets can be found HERE. Please fill it out and either mail to the address on the form or turn it in in-person at the CFSB Center ticket office. Office hours of the ticket office at the arena are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 270-809-3000. The Racers open the season at home (Sept. 2) at Roy Stewart Stadium against Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m.
Thursday marked the final scrimmage of fall camp as the Racers head into game week and the season opener (Sept. 2) against Mississippi Valley State at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray, Kentucky.
The final scrimmage for Head Coach Dean Hood's Racers was meant to put the team into rare situations and to remain healthy.
"This final scrimmage film will be interesting to watch because it will tell us the tweaks we need to make on the special things," Hood said. "It's the special teams items that we worked on tonight and those game situations that you must be ready for. We were able to get some speed of the game things done tonight as well and we needed that. Saturday is like our usual Monday and everything from now on will be 100 percent opponent driven as we get to the opener."
With the Covid-19 experience of 2020 forcing the season into the spring behind them, Hood is happy that he and his staff know the players better and they know the staff better.
"That's the difference from the spring, because they didn't know us and we didn't know them," Hood stated. "We didn't know what plays went with their skill set and in a lot of ways we didn't know what position is their best position. I'm glad to have most of our team back for this fall because now we know each other very well."
Having been picked first in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll for the first time since Houston Nutt guided the Racers to back-to-back championships in 1995 and 1996, Hood knows it means nothing when the games start to be played.
The Racers return 63 letter winners and 26 starters combined from offense, defense and special teams.
"It's a good news, bad news thing," Hood cautioned. "But so does everyone else. For the most part, teams have come back together for a repeat season."
After the season opener with MVSU, the Racers hit the road for Cincinnati (Sept. 11) and Bowling Green (Sept. 18) before returning home for Murray State Family Weekend (Oct. 2) against Eastern Illinois.
The final scrimmage was preceded by the annual 50-Yard Line Dinner as fans enjoyed getting to know the Racer coaching staff and sharing a meal together. With more than 100 fans attending the dinner, they also had the chance to watch the scrimmage from field level.
Murray State Football TicketsIt's officially game week following @racersfootball final scrimmage. Coach Dean Hood talks about the night and looks forward to the season opener vs MVSU, Sept 2 at Roy Stewart Stadium. pic.twitter.com/78PYzZtfD0
— Murray State Sports (@MSURacers) August 27, 2021
With the 2021 season fast approaching, fans are reminded Racer Football season tickets can be purchased as well as single game tickets. The order form for season tickets can be found HERE. Please fill it out and either mail to the address on the form or turn it in in-person at the CFSB Center ticket office. Office hours of the ticket office at the arena are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 270-809-3000. The Racers open the season at home (Sept. 2) at Roy Stewart Stadium against Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m.
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