By Sylvester “Sly”
McCaulley, III
Motlow Buzz
Reporter
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| MTSU's Steven Rhodes |
MURFREESBORO,
Tenn. – Steven Rhodes, a junior year defensive end on Middle Tennessee State
University’s football team, made key defensive plays at the team scrimmage on
April 16.
Rhodes,
who is no stranger to overcoming life’s hurdles and achieving success,
continues to make great strides both mentally and physically in improving his
on-field play.
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| Rhodes with USMC Commandant Gen. James Amos |
Rhodes’s
success in overcoming adversity goes back to his years in serving in the United
States Marine Corps, as it is known for being the toughest out of all the
military branches. He served five years of active duty while stationed at
Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, N.C., and Marine Corps Air
Station Miramar in San Diego. His experience with the Marines taught him
discipline, a good work ethic and humility.
“I feel it gave me a lot
of grounding and foundation for what I do out here on the field,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes made national
headlines in 2013 when the NCAA denied him eligibility due to his 2012
participation in the MCAS Miramar football recreational league that was held on
the base. The NCAA originally considered it an organized competition. The
school immediately launched an appeal in favor of Rhodes.
When the story broke onto
social media, it immediately gained national attention, which helped gain
plenty of support for Rhodes. MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill was one of those
supporters.
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| Rhodes |
“I’m always going to battle
for our players,” he said. “For the NCAA to say that Steven wasn’t eligible to
compete his first year because of what he did in the service, I didn’t think it
was fair. I didn’t think it was right, so we stood up for him.”
This caused the NCAA to
look further into the case, and once it realized the on-base league was only
recreational, it changed the ruling to allow Rhodes to play immediately.
“It was a challenge,”
Rhodes said with a laugh as he reflected back on the incident. He also felt
that the incident made him the “lead blocker” for future veterans coming out of
the military and want to play collegiate sports, so they won’t have to face the
same struggle. His advice to those veterans who hope to achieve the same goal
as he did: “To come out and work, don’t be outworked by anybody, and do the
things that the next man won’t do. Stay extra, do extra things to get better,
and focus on good work ethic.”
Coach Stockstill believes
Rhodes is having his best spring practice since he arrived on campus in 2013,
and is playing at a high level.
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| MTSU Head Coach Rick Stockstill |
“He’s got great energy,
great intensity, a great focus,” Stockstill added. “He comes out here with a
good attitude to get better every day, so I think he is really playing well
right now through the spring practice.”
The coach also believes
Rhodes has a good chance to be a starter this upcoming season if he keeps up
his work ethic and maintaining his humbleness.
Rhodes
has big goals for this upcoming season that will be a challenge to accomplish,
but he is ready to take it on.
“Goal
number one is to get a championship, go to a bowl game and win,” he said,
adding that he wants “to be the best player I can be.”
MTSU
will have a tough schedule this season, facing Alabama, Vanderbilt and
Illinois. However, Rhodes is still maintaining his extreme confidence.
“I
never strap on my helmet to go lose, so I plan on winning and dominating at my
position," Rhodes continued. "I feel that we will come out
victorious.”
Coach
Stockstill also commented on the upcoming season, as well as his current team.
“I like the team," Stockstill said." I like our attitude right now.
Our schedule is going to be incredibly tough with who we play. But I think
we’re improving fundamentally this spring to give us an opportunity to be
successful."
For more information about the MTSU Blue Raiders
football team and their up upcoming season, visit http://goblueraiders.com/index.aspx?path=football and
http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-15/conf-usa/2015-middle-tennessee-blue-raiders-football-schedule.php.
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