MTSU Announces Hiring Of Derek Mason As Head Football Coach

Middle Tennessee State University Director of Athletics Chris Massaro announced Wednesday, Dec. 6, that Derek Mason will take over the reins as head coach of the Blue Raider football program. Mason, who takes over for Rick Stockstill, becomes the third coach in the I-A era and the 15th overall in the program's history.

"We are ecstatic to welcome Coach Derek Mason to Middle Tennessee and the Blue Raider football program," Massaro said during a packed press conference inside the Student Union Building. "With his experience as a head coach, his reputation for coaching fast, aggressive defenses, his strong reputation as a recruiter, and deep connections in college football to formulate an outstanding staff, Coach Mason's vision for MTSU football fits exactly what we were looking for during our interview process.

"Coach Mason is no stranger to the Midstate community, and we expect his connections to allow him and his staff to hit the ground running as our 15th head football coach."

Mason signed a five-year contract to lead the Blue Raiders.

"I am excited to be the 15th head coach at MTSU," said Mason. "This is an emotional moment for me. This is the house that Rick Stockstill built and he left good bones and a strong foundation. He did a lot to raise and encourage these young men and help them take the journey. Now, that responsibility has been passed down to me. It's about winning and making sure we can do everything we can to resource our student athletes in a way to make them successful both on and off the field."

Mason, who spent the 2023 season working as an analyst for the SEC Network, has 29 years of collegiate coaching experience including seven years as a head coach. He most recently coached in 2022 at Oklahoma State as the defensive coordinator and helped the Cowboys to a spot in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

"We selected a coach who wants to be a Blue Raider, who wants to be part of elevating our football team to the top of our conference and win championships, and who wants to make MTSU and our Blue Raiders a nationally recognized brand," said President Sidney A. McPhee. "He has a great understanding of who we are and an exciting vision for what we can become."