Middle Tennessee hires Derek Mason as head coach

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsFor the first time in 18 seasons, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders held an introductory press conference for a head coach.

Middle Tennessee parted ways with longtime head coach Rick Stockstill on Nov. 27, who manned the sidelines for nearly two decades in Murfreesboro, TN, compiling a 113-111 record with four bowl wins.

Stockstill’s successor was officially named Wednesday. Middle Tennessee hired Derek Mason, who most notably served as Vanderbilt’s head coach from 2014-20 and held defensive coordinator gigs at Auburn and Oklahoma State across the past three seasons. He agreed to a 5-year deal with the Blue Raiders, per The Action Network’s Brett…