Murray State Defensive Players to Watch vs. Red Raiders in Week 1
The Red Raiders are coming off their first winning season since 2015 and have one of the state's top recruiters as head coach. McGuire currently is building a steady class for the upcoming 2022 season.
The first challenge of 2022 will be a non-conference matchup against the Murray State Racers from the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Racers are coming off a 6-5 season that saw a conference mark of 3-3, and are prepped to make the move to the Missouri Valley Conference for 2023. But first things first, as they attempt to make a run through their existing league one last time.
In December 2019, Dean Hood was hired as the head coach of the Racers. Prior to his hiring, Hood was the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Kentucky.
Hood led the Racers to one of the best turnarounds in the nation in his very first season, ending their 2020 COVID-shortened season with a 5-2 record and narrowly missing out on an OVC championship.
Now, on to the Racers' defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 1.
LB Eric Samuta
Samuta led the Racers with 21 total tackles (eight solo) in 2021. The 5-10, 215-pound linebacker enters his senior season after registering two forced fumbles and a pass defended last year.
DL Austin Daulton
Daulton, a 6-3, 318-pound defensive lineman from Somerset, Kentucky, led the team with two sacks in 2021 and added four tackles (two solo) to his ledger.
Daulton enters his senior season with the Racers.
CB Marcis Floyd
Floyd tied for the team lead with two interceptions, returning one out of his own end zone 117 yards for a touchdown, and posted nine tackles (six solo) in 2021.
Floyd enters his junior season with the Racers.
CB Davontae McKee
The Dayton, Ohio native enters his junior season with the Racers and tied for the team lead with two interceptions in 2021. McKee also posted seven tackles, all solo.
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