Inside skinny on the Racers from Murray State's play-by-play announcer

Neal Bradley has been broadcasting Murray State games for several years, and has watched the team in pre-season workouts. Here's his no-B.S. look at the team that lines up against FSU on Saturday.

"They have all the elements they need to succeed at the FCS level. The receivers are there, good offensive line. But for this team to go to the next level against the FBS, they needed to improve defensively and that's something where I think they've made big strides. It's a good team, but you may not be able to notice that when they line up against the Seminoles on Saturday night."

On the offense:

"When they're playing a team at our level they use the run to set up the pass. That might be next to impossible to do Saturday night. But they do like to throw 35 to 45 passes per game. That's mostly short passes. But our short passes are like running plays, they're just done with receivers with little bubble screens and things of that sort. And you'll see that Saturday night with short passes to get the ball out of (QB) Casey's hands quickly and into somebody else's, especially early to try and get some confidence against that incredible front line of Florida State."

On veteran QB Casey Brockman:

"He's very poised in the pocket. He's really improved in his decision making about when to tuck and run. Because of his size (6-2, 220), he is capable of getting a few yards, even breaking off 10 to 15 yard runs from time to time. But he's a very smart kid. Just really seems to grasp what the offense is trying to do. He can throw the deep ball, hits well on the short ball and just really doesn't have any bad qualities about him whatsoever. And the team loves him. He's also a quarterback who's going to shatter every record pretty much held by a quarterback here."

On who to watch catching the ball:

"It's an impressive group of returnees. Walter Powell (no. 9) has probably been the most impressive. He's a kid that really came on toward the end of last year. He's very dangerous and has really great hands and a knack for getting open. Ja-Vonta Trotter (no. 7) has great speed, and Patrick Robertson (no. 5) is probably even a better speed guy. He's a little bigger than Trotter. Then a kid who walked on last year, Nevar Griffin (no. 85), 6-2, 205, he's become really good, too. And Dontel Watkins (no. 17), the transfer from Utah State, he'll get a lot of playing time. Also Anthony Hayes (no. 16) is another bowl division transfer. So it's not your typical receiving corps that was FCS all the way."

On Coach Hatcher calling any trick plays:

"He's not a guy that depends on gadgetry unless other things aren't working. He'll pull one out now and then. The year before last we were ahead at the half and he started the second half with an onside kick. You don't see that very often. But based upon what I know of Hatcher, you won't see any gadget plays unless it's late and they need to get a score. I think he's holding those plays close to the vest for games they have a very good chance of winning."

On how much Hatcher's defense has improved now that he's entering his third year as head coach:

"It's improved immensely. The first game he coached here, I believe when we opened at Kent State, and I've never heard a coach say this: He said it might have been the worst tackling game he's ever seen. And I believe they charted that the defense missed over 45 or 46 tackles. So they tackle better now, of course that comes from recruiting as well as coaching. And the size is better. But where I really notice the difference is the team speed. Now they have great team speed for the FCS level -- speed that can kind of make up for mistakes at times, and at least keep opponents from big plays and getting into the end zone. Plus they have better depth now on defense."

On what Hatcher has meant to football at Murray State:

"It's the most excitement I've heard for football around the city. We've had fantastic basketball teams and fans will usually talk about that up till football season. But I've lived here 20 years, and going around town I get more football questions than I can remember for a long time. I think they feel this team that's 26th in the FCS pre-season poll will be one that makes a run at the playoffs. And this isn't just a team that's starved for success, it's a league starved for success. The last OVC (Ohio Valley Conference) team to win in the playoffs was in 1996."

On Murray State's mascot -- like FSU's, a horse and rider:

"Yes, it's called Racer One that runs around the track or field after each score -- well, they limit it to six touchdown runs. But Racer One will not make the trip to Tallahassee. It's a thoroughbred and they don't usually like to put those horses in strange environments. Thoroughbreds like comfortable places and I'm not sure how he would react down there."