Murray State Offensive 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' offensive players to keep an eye on in Week 1.
QB D.J. Williams
The 6-2, 202-pounder enters his sophomore season with the Racers. Williams completed 83 out of 151 passes in 2021 (55 percent) for 1,002 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions.
After turning in big passing and rushing performances against Southeast Missouri last season and being named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week following, Williams was named the Stats Perform National Freshman of the Week in mid-November.
RB Damonta Witherspoon
Witherspoon enters his sophomore year as the starting running back after an impressive freshman campaign. The 5-10, 206-pound East St. Louis native saw 212 carries for 912 yards (4.3 yards per carry average) and eight touchdowns.
In a November game last season against Southeast Missouri State, Witherspoon rushed for 113 yards, scored a touchdown, and threw a touchdown pass, showing off his versatility on the field.
WR LaMartez Brooks
Brooks, a native of Milan, Tennessee, led the Racers in receiving last season with 447 yards on 33 catches with one touchdown, averaging 13.5 yards per catch on the year.
Brooks enters his senior season at Murray State and will fight for the starting role against an impressive wave of young receivers joining the program.
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