With Middle Tennessee State already losing Ed’Marques Batties’ 82 receptions, 1,048 yards and 13 receiving touchdowns, the Blue Raiders were looking at Shane Tucker and Terry Pettis as the two most likely candidates to replace the lost production.
Last month, Tucker was lost to a season-ending leg injury. This week, Pettis suffered a similar fate.
Describing it as “a huge, huge loss,” head coach Rick Stockstill has confirmed that Pettis will be sidelined for the entire 2016 season. The receiver sustained an unspecified injury to his right leg during practice last week.
Last season, Pettis was third on the team with 29 receptions for 612 yards and four touchdowns. His 21.1 yards per catch was tops on the team.
The good news for the Blue Raiders is that their leading receiver from last season returns and, most importantly, is healthy. A consensus Freshman All-American last season, Richie James caught 108 passes for 1,346 yards, both of which were freshman single-season records for both the school and Conference USA.
His receptions per game (8.3) were third nationally, while the yards per game (103.5) were 12th.