Gee shows impressive arm again

Middle Tennessee senior Desmond Gee has shown he can play wide receiver, running back, and return kicks throughout his standout career with the Blue Raiders.

Perhaps he could also add quarterback to the equation if push came to shove.

For the third time this season, Gee made a big play with his arm while helping MT dispose of visiting Florida International 48-21 on Saturday at Floyd Stadium.

Early in the second quarter with MT up 17-0, Gee took a handoff from Dwight Dasher as if the play would be a standard sweep to the right out of the shotgun.

But Gee stopped between the sideline and the hash mark and turned to uncork a long throw back across the field to Dasher, who was waiting with nothing but blockers and green turf in between him and the endzone.

Officially, the play went as a 67 yard Dasher run because Gee’s pass was ruled a lateral, but the throw was still quite a feat.

“I was kind of mad about (it not being ruled a pass), but it’s alright,” Gee said with a laugh. “The defense just over ran it. I guess they were looking for the stretch play because we ran it last week and ran it good. They just bit on it a little too much and didn’t account for the quarterback.”

A football field is 50 yards wide and Gee’s lateral to Dasher probably flew 30-35 yards in the air.

Earlier this year, he completed a halfback pass against Mississippi State for 29 yards on a throw that probably traveled 40 yards in the air into a stiff breeze. He also hit on a trick play pass in the Maryland game that went for 27 yards to Malcolm Beyah.

His throw against Mississippi State was arguably the most impressive throw of that entire game.

Gee’s success with his arm on trick plays begs the question of exactly how far can he throw the ball?

“I don’t really know,” he said. “I can probably throw it about 50 yards, although I’m not sure. Yeah, probably about 50.”

Gee is closing out his senior year with the same versatility he displayed when he first stepped foot on campus in 2006 and starred as a true freshman.

He’s accounted for a touchdown both rushing and receiving and has been a big factor returning kicks, with a long return of 74 yards.

He may not get credit for a passing touchdown for his cross field heave to Dasher against FIU, but there’s no doubt the play wouldn’t have happened without him.

INJURY UPDATES

Rick Stockstill touched on injuries to freshman Kenneth Gilstrap and quarterback Dwight Dasher after the game.