Blue Raider Spotlight: Anthony Amos, redshirt senior leads MT to victory

Football has always been the passion of wide receiver Anthony Amos.

He embodies what MT football is all about. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he draws comparisons to Torrey Smith, Desean Jackson, Wes Welker and even his idol Steve Smith.

Although not the biggest receiver, when Amos has the ball in his hands, he has managed to stretch the field and find the endzone. He leads the Blue Raiders in each of the three major receiving categories with 21 receptions, 300 yards and three touchdowns and also leads the Sun Belt in both receptions and yards.

In three games this season, the Fayettville, N.C. native and former walk-on transfer has been quarterback Logan Kilgore’s most reliable target and recently garnered national attention. Amos was named to the Fred Biletnikoff Award Watchlist, an award given annually to the nation’s top receiver.

Sidelines was able to catch up with MT’s star receiver to get some insight on his individual performance, what led him to choose MT and how he expects the team to perform this year.

SL: What helped you choose MTSU in the recruiting process?

AA: I had other schools looking at me, and I was supposed to sign with Wyoming, but they signed another player toward the end of signing day. Coach [Justin] Watts flew to my junior college and talked to my dad about walking-on at MTSU. My dad and I talked about it, and decided that MTSU was the college for me.

SL: Explain the transition from junior college to Division I football.

AA: It’s a better atmosphere, a faster pace, and it really involves learning more plays, as well as hand signals.

SL: What has MT Head Coach Rick Stockstill or MT Wide Receivers Coach Justin Watts done to help you improve your game?

AA: They’ve just helped me with route running and reading the defense; just little stuff to improve on.

SL: Explain what MTSU’s offense is trying to accomplish this year.

AA: We have an all-around game. Coach Stockstill said we’re going to spread the field out and throw it as much as we run. Our running game has been really good this year, and the linemen have really stepped up.

SL: Describe your leadership role on the team.

AA: I’m trying to step it up because I’m not a really talkative guy, but I just try to lead by example and just try to set the tone for the offense.

SL: How did it feel to be added to the Biletnikoff Watch List?

AA: It’s very exciting, I was surprised when my coach told me yesterday. I didn’t know anything about it before he told me, so I was very surprised, and it makes me want to work even harder.

SL: Describe the difference in playing with Logan Kilgore as opposed to Dwight Dasher or another quarterback you have played with.

AA: It’s really good that he came from [junior college] because we come from the same standpoint and learned the offense together.

SL: What NFL player would you compare your style of play to?

AA: Steve Smith because he’s not a big guy– he’s 5-foot-10 and like 195 pounds, and he plays the outside receiver spot and makes a lot of plays.

SL: How did it feel to receive Player of the Year at the 2012 Raiders Choice Awards?

AA: It was a great award to win because everyone can vote. It was a shock. I never thought I would win, so I didn’t even have a speech ready or anything. It made my stomach drop.

SL: Who was your football idol growing up?

AA: I had a lot of them I idolized, but mainly Steve Smith, Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.

SL: If you could describe MT football this year in one word, what would it be and why?

AA: Enthusiastic. Everybody is ready to make plays coming off a 2-10 season. Everyone is hungry and ready to win the Sun Belt Conference.

~ Photo Credit: Bradley Lambert