MTSU football will retain head coach Derek Mason for the 2026 season, according to Cecil Joyce of the Daily News Journal. The news comes with just one game left in Middle Tennessee’s 2025 campaign. On Saturday against Sam Houston State University, the Blue Raiders snapped a seven-game losing streak and earned their first home win in over a calendar year. “When we hired Coach Mason, he outlined a plan for long-term success and acknowledged that there would be growing pains along the way,” MTSU athletic director Chris Massaro said in an exclusive interview with the DNJ. “He remains confident that this team is making meaningful progress and is close to translating that progress into better on-field results.” Since Mason took the MTSU job in December 2023, his Blue Raiders are 5-18 with no postseason appearances. While Middle Tennessee is retaining Mason, it remains unclear if the head coach will make any more staff changes, as he parted ways with wide receivers coach Cornelius Williams on Nov. 11. Middle Tennessee with travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico for its final game of the 2025 season, taking on New Mexico State University on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 2 p. m. CDT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with radio play-by-play available on WGNS Radio. To contact the sports editor, email [email protected].
https://mtsusidelines.com/2025/11/24/mtsu-football-to-retain-head-coach-derek-mason-for-2026-season/