Tony V. Troy: MTSU Blue Raiders Take on the Troy Trojans

Everybody loves a good homecoming story, the return of the local hero to where it all started.

Tony Franklin has no such story.

The current Offensive Coordinator of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders career can be summed up in one word: tumultuous.

Tony Frankin's college career began at the University of Kentucky in 1997 where he was hired as the running backs coach. Three years later Franklin would be promoted to offensive coordinator transforming Kentucky into the second best passing team in 1-A.

In 2001, Franklin wrote a book, First Down and Life to Go. This look at the insides of Kentucky Wildcat football put Franklin on the fast track to forgotten in all levels of college football. Strike One.

Six years after Franklin was thought to be done with college football forever, Larry Blakeney took a shot on him. Tony Franklin had fallen from SEC to SBC, the Sun Belt Conference.

All Franklin did for Troy was pull their offense from 109th overall to 16th. He also helped Troy win their first bowl game, a victory 41-17 over Rice. Tony Franklin had turned around his image, he was now a hot commodity in major college football.

Franklin returned to major college football as an offensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers. Having been hired during the Bowl season, Frankiln's offense was rushed onto the field against Virginia Tech.

The Tigers posted 423 yards of offense. The Tony Franklin system looked to have finally returned to the SEC.

It wouldn't last long.

The 2008 season saw Auburn rank 104th in total offense following a 4-2 start. Tony Franklin was immediately fired on October 8th 2008. Strike Two.

With the Tony Franklin experience seemingly dead, another Sun Belt school reached out to the offensive guru. Middle Tennessee had just lost their offensive coordinator G.A. Mangus.

Tony Franklin was a free agent, and the Blue Raiders were looking to create the basketball on grass attitude. Franklin promised that, and he has delivered.

Currently Middle Tennessee State is ranked 19th overall in passing, ranking 39th overall in total offense.

Tony Franklin has not struck out.

Now Franklin returns to Troy to take on his former squad for Sun Belt supremacy. Troy continues to throw the ball, after the tweaking of the Franklin system, averaging nearly 279 yards a game.

Can Tony Franklin and co. come home and get a win for the Blue Raiders and return the Palladium to Middle Tennessee?

We'll see LIVE on ESPN2, Tuesday, October 6th.