That's all I can come up with after this game. This team certainly knows how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. There were a lot of good things that came out of this game today, but it is just so disappointing to have a chance to win this game at the end and to come away empty.
Football is a game of inches, and this game came down to four inches. When Mississippi State had the ball with four inches to go for a touchdown on third down, I was just hoping that they would not try to outsmart themselves. Then, they did just that. They tried to outsmart the defense and ultimately ended up outsmarting themselves. I know the pass to the tight end was open, but you are asking a 5'8" quarterback that is very prone to having his passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage to throw that pass. I wonder if Tyson knows how to put any touch on the ball? Anyway, what I cannot figure out is why they didn't give the ball to their bell cow in that situation. They have a 6'1", 235 lbs horse in the backfield, and he doesn't touch the ball on either play with four inches to go for a TD. It just disappoints me that they didn't get the ball into the hands of their best player with a chance to win the game. I hope Dan Mullen realizes his mistake, because it is obvious that you cannot count on Tyson Lee to win a game for you.
The good that came out of this game:
1. The defense played their guts out. They gave up some big plays in the passing game, but they have done a much better job of defending against the run since the Auburn game. I think LSU converted only 3 third down plays during the entire game.
2. The offensive line is getting better, and the running game is really picking up despite a non existent passing game. This group is young and will return essentially intact next year.
3. This team is very competitive. LSU has much more talent than MSU, but MSU did not let that get them down. To steal a phrase from Coach Mullen, this team plays with relentless effort on every snap.
The bad:
1. We might as well face the facts. With Tyler Russell not being ready to play, we have no quarterback. There's an old saying that is used in the pros: When you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one. I think that fits. Tyson Lee plays his heart out, but he's too small and makes too many mistakes when he's on the field. He would probably be an All American at the Divison 2 level, but there is a reason he was a walk on in the SEC. My personal opinion is that Chris Relf's running brings more to the game than Tyson Lee's passing, and at this point, I would be playing Relf as the starter or I would put Russell out there. We are not going to win many games with Tyson Lee at quarterback.
2. Our secondary stinks in coverage. When we play a team that has a legitimate passing game (and we have yet to play a legit passing team), we are going to be in trouble defensively. The team the frightens me the most right now is Houston. The way they throw the ball, they may get 400-500 passing yards on our defense unless we get some intense pressure on the quarterback.
Overall, despite my disappointment, I feel pretty good about the up coming game against Georgia Tech. If we play the run the way we played against LSU today, we have a legitimate chance of beating Georgia Tech. We will have to play assignment football on defense, which we didn't do a good job of against Auburn and their running attack, but Georgia Tech. is a beatable team.
The last thing I want to add here is this. The quarterback from Blinn JC Cameron Newton may be the most important recruit for Mississippi State in the history of this program. If we get him, combined with what we will have coming back, we will be in great shape for 2010.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
MSU 45, Jackson State 7
Dan Mullen opened his head coaching career in style with a 45-7 win over Jackson State. Many people will mock this win though saying that anyone would have beaten Jackson State like that. However, this is the type of game MSU has struggled to win like they are supposed to over the past 8 years. Remember the game against Maine in 2004? Or how about Troy State in 2003? Those are games that should have been won in commanding fashion that MSU lost. So, while the competition wasn't the best, the fact that MSU won this game in commanding fashion is a good sign.
With that said, there are clearly some things that need to be tightened up. It's hard to win in the SEC when you commit 12 penalties during the course of the game. The offensive line has not been tested, and I felt like we had too many negative rushing plays against a defensive front seven that we should have overwhelmed. Also, the kicking game continues to be an issue with Sean Brachule missing a 32 yard FG attempt and a 38 yard FG attempt. The first half started out very sloppy, and I have a feeling that Dan Mullen peeled some paint off the walls at half time. His team responded in the second half with 21 third quarter points.
The good is that MSU won the game in dominating fashion. Defensively, they got consistent pressure on the quarterback. Offensively, MSU ran the ball to the tune of 238 yards rushing without their top running back playing. Chris Relf looked solid playing in the dual quarterback role. He ran the ball well and was efficient with his passing. The guy looks like he could be a solid quarterback. I think they need to work on his accuracy some, but he's missing high and long when he misses. He didn't even come close to throwing an interception in this game. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. His running is what may ultimately make him the #1 guy before the year is over. He had 82 yards on 12 rushes in this game, leading the team.
Robert Elliot looked very good as well. MSU has a stable of running backs though, so expect a stark contrast to the way they have played in the past. Anthony Dixon, Christian Ducre, Arnil Stallworth, and Robert Elliot will all get carries this season, and you probably will not see any of them get more than 15 a game.
Two true freshmen really stood out. Chad Bumphis caught two passes in his first game, and both were touchdowns. Fletcher Cox looks like a beast out there and showed dominant ability against Jackson State's offensive line. Both of these guys are going to be special players. Brandon Heavens looks like he will be a very good player for this team as well.
KJ Wright and Charles Mitchell stepped up as well. KJ forced a fumble, which is something I feel he needs to continue doing. He's a star linebacker and needs to start making plays like that to validate his status. Charles Mitchell looks like a stud safety and a future NFL player at that position.
Overall, I feel good about the first game. Auburn will be a test next week. I was not that impressed with their offense last night, but their defense was fast. It will be a test, but I do feel MSU can come out on top. Let's get our dinged up guys healed and get ready to do something else we have struggled to do.....win an SEC game on the road.
With that said, there are clearly some things that need to be tightened up. It's hard to win in the SEC when you commit 12 penalties during the course of the game. The offensive line has not been tested, and I felt like we had too many negative rushing plays against a defensive front seven that we should have overwhelmed. Also, the kicking game continues to be an issue with Sean Brachule missing a 32 yard FG attempt and a 38 yard FG attempt. The first half started out very sloppy, and I have a feeling that Dan Mullen peeled some paint off the walls at half time. His team responded in the second half with 21 third quarter points.
The good is that MSU won the game in dominating fashion. Defensively, they got consistent pressure on the quarterback. Offensively, MSU ran the ball to the tune of 238 yards rushing without their top running back playing. Chris Relf looked solid playing in the dual quarterback role. He ran the ball well and was efficient with his passing. The guy looks like he could be a solid quarterback. I think they need to work on his accuracy some, but he's missing high and long when he misses. He didn't even come close to throwing an interception in this game. He threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. His running is what may ultimately make him the #1 guy before the year is over. He had 82 yards on 12 rushes in this game, leading the team.
Robert Elliot looked very good as well. MSU has a stable of running backs though, so expect a stark contrast to the way they have played in the past. Anthony Dixon, Christian Ducre, Arnil Stallworth, and Robert Elliot will all get carries this season, and you probably will not see any of them get more than 15 a game.
Two true freshmen really stood out. Chad Bumphis caught two passes in his first game, and both were touchdowns. Fletcher Cox looks like a beast out there and showed dominant ability against Jackson State's offensive line. Both of these guys are going to be special players. Brandon Heavens looks like he will be a very good player for this team as well.
KJ Wright and Charles Mitchell stepped up as well. KJ forced a fumble, which is something I feel he needs to continue doing. He's a star linebacker and needs to start making plays like that to validate his status. Charles Mitchell looks like a stud safety and a future NFL player at that position.
Overall, I feel good about the first game. Auburn will be a test next week. I was not that impressed with their offense last night, but their defense was fast. It will be a test, but I do feel MSU can come out on top. Let's get our dinged up guys healed and get ready to do something else we have struggled to do.....win an SEC game on the road.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Baseball Season Ends
John Cohen's first season as the head coach at Mississippi Stae was a disappointing season. His team finised the season 25-29 overall with a 9-20 record in the SEC. For the first time since the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Mississippi State is missing the SEC tournament for the second season in a row. John Cohen is a super competitive man, and it is very clear that he will be taking steps to correct the situation at Mississippi State. His goal is to have this baseball program back where it belongs - at the top of the SEC and among the top 10 programs in the country. I think Coach Cohen made some mistakes along the way with his coaching, one of which was leavng Tyler Whitney on the mound against Tennessee to throw 152 pitches. The risk for arm injury is too high with pitch counts that high, and I think Coach Cohen's competitiveness got the best of him in that instance. I also think Coach Cohen needs to think about what he says to the media. He's an emotional guy that will say things off the cuff, but too often, he came across in post game comments as if he was throwing his team under the bus. I did like his comments before the Ole Miss series when he stated that Ole Miss better get us now when we are down, because we aren't going to be down for long. Needless to say, Ole Miss didn't capitalize on MSU's down season as the Bulldogs took 2 out of 3 games from the hated Rebels. Overall, I do feel that this team was playing better baseball at the end of the season. They took 2 out of 3 from Ole Miss, and they put themselves into position to take 2 out of 3 from the #1 ranked LSU Tigers. They ultimately lost 2 out of 3 of those games, but I think it is a positive that they were in position to win the Friday night game before the bullpen blew a 4-1 lead late in the game.
I've always believed that to win baseball games you have to have good pitching, timely hitting, and play good defense behind your pitchers. In this blog entry, I will focus on Mississippi State's pitching staff and the outlook of this staff for the future. Needless to say, MSU's pitching staff really let this team down this season. It was a mixture of many things. The Bulldogs had pitchers that have performed well in the past that just couldn't get things going right this season. Combine that with a lack of depth overall and the use of a few freshmen pitchers, and you had a recipe for disaster. MSU was ranked dead last in most pitching categories in the SEC, and this was easily the worst pitching staff I have ever seen at Mississippi State. The silver lining to this dark cloud came in the form of true freshman lefty Nick Routt. Nick performed well beyond expectations this season. He was the only Bulldog pitcher that had an ERA in the SEC under 5.00 with a 4.92 ERA. He also averaged more than a strikeout per inning. Nick has a very good fastball that is consistently in the high 80s but can touch the low 90s at times. He also exhibited good control for the most part. His walks didn't start piling up till late in the season. I think Nick came in very prepared to pitch in college though because he played summer ball in a collegiate summer league before coming to MSU. I anticipate that he will get stronger as he fills out his frame and will end up consistently throwing his fastbal in the low 90s. He's the only starter from this past season that I feel will have a starting spot in the SEC rotation in 2010.
Tyler Whitney was the next best starting pitcher for MSU this season. He's a wiley junior lefty who does a very good job of mixing his speeds. Tyler had some outings where he had high pitch counts because he would get his fair share of walks and full counts. Tyler has a average fastbal that is in the mid 80s, and his out pitch was his change up. I think he will go into the fall as a starter, but he's a guy who could be a candidate to move to the bullpen if a freshman steps up and becomes a starter in the SEC rotation.
Devin Jones was a freshman righty who had a wrist issue during the middle part of the season. When he came back, he was throwing the ball very well. He got a couple of starts agains Ole Miss and LSU at the end of the season. He pitched well against Ole Miss and got roughed up against LSU. This guy has a high upside. He's a lanky built pitcher that can consistently throw the ball in the low 90s. As with most young pitchers, he has to work on his command. A strong summer could propel Devin into direct competition for a starting job in the rotation in 2010.
Paxton Pace was a redshirt freshman right handed pitcher who was one of the few on the staff that showed he could throw strikes consistently. He got roughed up in his first outing which blew his ERA out of the water, but he settled down and became a reliable relief pitcher for MSU down the stretch. He has the look of a guy that will be a very good middle relief guy that will pound the strike zone.
I don't know what happened to Ricky Bowen this season, but I do think it would be foolish to give up on this guy going into his senior season. Ricky is a righty who has shown dominant ability in the past. As a redshirt freshman, he was the main set up man to closer Mitch Moreland. Ricky has a very good fastball that can touch the mid 90s and in the past he has shown very good control and the ability to change speeds. This season, he lost all his confidence. I'm hoping Ricky can clear his head and come back strong in 2010. This staff needs a veteran leader. I think his best role will be as a set up guy or closer if he is at his best.
I have a feeling this staff will be dominated by true freshmen in 2010. The headliner is probably lefty Luke Bole from Alabama. Luke is a projectable guy who has a power arm. He has a lively fastball and a power breaking ball that the pro scouts love right now. He's a guy that has a chance to be drafted in the top 10 rounds of the baseball draft. Hopefully, signability will be an issue for him and he wil end up at Mississippi State. If he' at MSU, I think he's likely one of the starters in the SEC rotation.
The next headliner is probably Chris Stratton, a right handed pitcher from Tupelo. Chris is a very polished pitcher who is ultra competitive on the mound. He's been the top pitching prospect in Mississippi for the past two seasons. He has a solid fastball that has the potential to gain a few ticks on the radar gun. His change up is also a plus pitch. There is a good chance that Chris Stratton will be in the SEC rotation in 2010.
Ben Bracewell and CC Watson are two prep pitchers from Alabama that have a chance to make an immediate impact. Ben Bracewell was arguably the best starting pitcher in the prep ranks in Alabama. He had a 15-0 record with a 0.58 ERA and 156 strike outs, and he actually outdueled Luke Bole in the first game of the state championship. CC Watson is a lefty with a small build. He is a strike out pitcher even though his fastball is only in the 87-88 mph range consistently. Pro scouts have been looking at him, but the feeling is they won't take him high because he doesn't have that one standout trait. Ben Bracewell will compete for a starting job and at worst be a key contributer in the bullpen. CC Watson has a chance to come in and be a set up man or closer right off the bat.
Chad Girodo is another prep pitcher from Alabama. He's a lefty that was a teammate of Luke Bole in high school, and some actually think Girodo may be the better college pitcher in the long run. Girodo is another guy that pounds the strike zone. He's got a good fastball that can touch the low 90s. I can see this guy getting some mid week starts with a chance to compete for a bullpen spot.
Kendall Graveman is yet another prep pitcher from Alabama. He's a dual position guy that is a very good athlete. His fastball can touch 90 on the radar gun, and he's a guy with a great work ethic. He has a chance to be in the mix for a bullpen job in 2010.
Tim Statz is a JUCO pitcher that I don't know much about. He is a lefty, and being that he has two years of JUCO experience, he should be able to come in and contribute immediately.
Overall, if I had to guess what the staff will look like next season, I would guess:
SP - Luke Bole (FR)
SP - Nick Routt (SO)
SP - Chris Stratton (FR)
SP - Devin Jones (SO)
SP - Chad Girodo (FR)
RP - Ricky Bowen (SR)
RP - Tyler Whitney (SR)
RP - CC Watson (FR)
RP - Ben Bracewell (FR)
RP - Paxton Pace (SO)
RP - Kendall Graveman (FR)
RP - Tim Statz (JR)
In my next entry, I will discuss the hitters and the projected line up for MSU in 2010.
I've always believed that to win baseball games you have to have good pitching, timely hitting, and play good defense behind your pitchers. In this blog entry, I will focus on Mississippi State's pitching staff and the outlook of this staff for the future. Needless to say, MSU's pitching staff really let this team down this season. It was a mixture of many things. The Bulldogs had pitchers that have performed well in the past that just couldn't get things going right this season. Combine that with a lack of depth overall and the use of a few freshmen pitchers, and you had a recipe for disaster. MSU was ranked dead last in most pitching categories in the SEC, and this was easily the worst pitching staff I have ever seen at Mississippi State. The silver lining to this dark cloud came in the form of true freshman lefty Nick Routt. Nick performed well beyond expectations this season. He was the only Bulldog pitcher that had an ERA in the SEC under 5.00 with a 4.92 ERA. He also averaged more than a strikeout per inning. Nick has a very good fastball that is consistently in the high 80s but can touch the low 90s at times. He also exhibited good control for the most part. His walks didn't start piling up till late in the season. I think Nick came in very prepared to pitch in college though because he played summer ball in a collegiate summer league before coming to MSU. I anticipate that he will get stronger as he fills out his frame and will end up consistently throwing his fastbal in the low 90s. He's the only starter from this past season that I feel will have a starting spot in the SEC rotation in 2010.
Tyler Whitney was the next best starting pitcher for MSU this season. He's a wiley junior lefty who does a very good job of mixing his speeds. Tyler had some outings where he had high pitch counts because he would get his fair share of walks and full counts. Tyler has a average fastbal that is in the mid 80s, and his out pitch was his change up. I think he will go into the fall as a starter, but he's a guy who could be a candidate to move to the bullpen if a freshman steps up and becomes a starter in the SEC rotation.
Devin Jones was a freshman righty who had a wrist issue during the middle part of the season. When he came back, he was throwing the ball very well. He got a couple of starts agains Ole Miss and LSU at the end of the season. He pitched well against Ole Miss and got roughed up against LSU. This guy has a high upside. He's a lanky built pitcher that can consistently throw the ball in the low 90s. As with most young pitchers, he has to work on his command. A strong summer could propel Devin into direct competition for a starting job in the rotation in 2010.
Paxton Pace was a redshirt freshman right handed pitcher who was one of the few on the staff that showed he could throw strikes consistently. He got roughed up in his first outing which blew his ERA out of the water, but he settled down and became a reliable relief pitcher for MSU down the stretch. He has the look of a guy that will be a very good middle relief guy that will pound the strike zone.
I don't know what happened to Ricky Bowen this season, but I do think it would be foolish to give up on this guy going into his senior season. Ricky is a righty who has shown dominant ability in the past. As a redshirt freshman, he was the main set up man to closer Mitch Moreland. Ricky has a very good fastball that can touch the mid 90s and in the past he has shown very good control and the ability to change speeds. This season, he lost all his confidence. I'm hoping Ricky can clear his head and come back strong in 2010. This staff needs a veteran leader. I think his best role will be as a set up guy or closer if he is at his best.
I have a feeling this staff will be dominated by true freshmen in 2010. The headliner is probably lefty Luke Bole from Alabama. Luke is a projectable guy who has a power arm. He has a lively fastball and a power breaking ball that the pro scouts love right now. He's a guy that has a chance to be drafted in the top 10 rounds of the baseball draft. Hopefully, signability will be an issue for him and he wil end up at Mississippi State. If he' at MSU, I think he's likely one of the starters in the SEC rotation.
The next headliner is probably Chris Stratton, a right handed pitcher from Tupelo. Chris is a very polished pitcher who is ultra competitive on the mound. He's been the top pitching prospect in Mississippi for the past two seasons. He has a solid fastball that has the potential to gain a few ticks on the radar gun. His change up is also a plus pitch. There is a good chance that Chris Stratton will be in the SEC rotation in 2010.
Ben Bracewell and CC Watson are two prep pitchers from Alabama that have a chance to make an immediate impact. Ben Bracewell was arguably the best starting pitcher in the prep ranks in Alabama. He had a 15-0 record with a 0.58 ERA and 156 strike outs, and he actually outdueled Luke Bole in the first game of the state championship. CC Watson is a lefty with a small build. He is a strike out pitcher even though his fastball is only in the 87-88 mph range consistently. Pro scouts have been looking at him, but the feeling is they won't take him high because he doesn't have that one standout trait. Ben Bracewell will compete for a starting job and at worst be a key contributer in the bullpen. CC Watson has a chance to come in and be a set up man or closer right off the bat.
Chad Girodo is another prep pitcher from Alabama. He's a lefty that was a teammate of Luke Bole in high school, and some actually think Girodo may be the better college pitcher in the long run. Girodo is another guy that pounds the strike zone. He's got a good fastball that can touch the low 90s. I can see this guy getting some mid week starts with a chance to compete for a bullpen spot.
Kendall Graveman is yet another prep pitcher from Alabama. He's a dual position guy that is a very good athlete. His fastball can touch 90 on the radar gun, and he's a guy with a great work ethic. He has a chance to be in the mix for a bullpen job in 2010.
Tim Statz is a JUCO pitcher that I don't know much about. He is a lefty, and being that he has two years of JUCO experience, he should be able to come in and contribute immediately.
Overall, if I had to guess what the staff will look like next season, I would guess:
SP - Luke Bole (FR)
SP - Nick Routt (SO)
SP - Chris Stratton (FR)
SP - Devin Jones (SO)
SP - Chad Girodo (FR)
RP - Ricky Bowen (SR)
RP - Tyler Whitney (SR)
RP - CC Watson (FR)
RP - Ben Bracewell (FR)
RP - Paxton Pace (SO)
RP - Kendall Graveman (FR)
RP - Tim Statz (JR)
In my next entry, I will discuss the hitters and the projected line up for MSU in 2010.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thoughts on MSU Baseball
It has been a while since I have updated this blog. In this update, I will talk about the season MSU has had in baseball so far and the outlook this team has for the future.
The changes that were made after last season brought a lot of excitement to the program. Ron Polk was the long time coach at MSU, but there was a feeling that at the end, he didn't put all of his energy into MSU baseball. The new head coach is one of Coach Polk's former players, former Kentucky head coach John Cohen. Of course, the hiring of Coach Cohen sparked a statement made in anger by Ron Polk, who was upset that another one of his former players and assistants Tommy Raffo didn't get the job. Coach Polk has since then repaired his releationship with John Cohen, but I doubt you will ever see him be on good terms with athletic director Greg Byrne.
I think most fans realized that Coach Cohen's first season would likely be a struggle. One could make an argument that Coach Polk spent more time with his fight against the NCAA than he did with recruiting the best players for MSU baseball. Please note that I am not in any way criticizing Coach Polk. I'm probably the biggest Ron Polk fan there is, and he is the all time winningest coach in SEC history, in all sports. The general feeling when Coach Cohen took this job was that it was going to take a couple of recruiting classes to get the talent level at MSU back up to MSU standards. We are one of the more tradition rich programs in the SEC.
The season started out on a good note and may have given some fans false hope. MSU's early season schedule had a lot of cupcake teams on it. Things fell back down to earth when MSU went to Hawaii and dropped 3 out of 4 games to the Rainbow Warriors. The SEC season then started, and MSU took 2 out of 3 from traditional SEC power South Carolina. South Carolina is in the midst of a rare down year for that program though. Next up was Georgia, who was the #1 ranked team in the country (and is currently the #1 ranked team). Georgia swept MSU in Athens, putting MSU's record at 2-4 in the conference. MSU was hoping to bounce back at Arkansas, but pitching woes and the lack of timely hitting caused them to drop 2 out of 3 games against the Razorbacks.
As you can see, this season has been a struggle so far now that the Bulldogs have gotten into conference play. I had a feeling coming into the season that the team wouldn't have enough pitching to compete in the conference this year. Now that we are into the season, it is very clear that the Bulldogs lack the pitching depth to make a run this year. A lack of timely hitting is something that has plagued this team for a while now, and it is doing so once again. Coach Cohen is in the process of transforming this team into one that plays a National League style of baseball with more speed on the basepaths and additional power where needed. The team is attempting straight steals more and is doing more hit and run type situations than previously. They still have big innings at times, but they are trying to manufacture more runs in the long haul as well as do more to get on base. It is tough to score runs if you can't get on base. Despite this, the team still isn't getting that key hit with a runner on second with 1 out that scores that run.
There are some great signs for the future of this program. I am a big believer in pitching. If you don't have pitching, you will not win, IMO. MSU hasn't had a legitimate ace pitcher since Paul Maholm in the early 2000's. This season though, a trio of young pitchers have stepped up and given me some hope that this team has some young arms they can build around.
The first pitcher I am going to mention is true freshman Nick Routt. Nick is a lefty out of Washington DC. His fastball is sneaky fast. It tops out at around 85-87 mph, but it looks a lot faster with the way he changes speeds. He throws a good change up and has a good breaking ball. Nick has done exceptionally well this season as a true freshman. He has started in every SEC series this season. In the past 20 years, four pitchers have done that at MSU - Carlton Loewer, Kyle Kennedy, Eric DuBose, and Paul Maholm. All four of them won 20+ games in their careers at MSU, and three of them went on to be 1st round MLB draft picks. Nick Routt just through his third straight complete game against Auburn last night, striking out 12 while only walking one batter. Nick looks like he will be the future stud of the pitching staff.
The second pitcher is sophomore Forrest Moore. Forrest was a highly rated recruit out of Louisiana last year that turned down offers from MLB to play at MSU, where his father Dana Moore was a place kicker on the football team back in the early '80s. Forrest had an up and down freshman season, and coming into the fall, he was considered to be a pitcher with great stuff that didn't trust his stuff. Forrest has started to harness his potential, and I believe the sky is the limit for this young lefty.
The third pitcher is true freshman Devin Jones. Devin is a right handed pitcher from Eupora. He's got a very good fastball that touches 94 mph on the radar gun. His other pitchers are lagging behind at this point, but he impressed enough that he got a couple of starts during the SEC weekends. While Devin has been banged around some by SEC hitters, the signs of him being a top notch starter are certainly there. Due to his struggles in conference play this season though, it is likely that Devin will start more in mid week games from this point on with Forrest Moore likely taking his spot in the SEC rotation. I think a strong summer will spring board Devin into position to be a strong SEC starter as a sophomore.
These three, along with junior Tyler Whitney, are a good reason to think that 2010 will be a better year than 2009.
As far as the hitting goes, it will probably take more time to get this team where Coach Cohen wants it. Right now, MSU has good power on the corners of the infield with Connor Powers and Russ Sneed. Connor is a draft eligible junior though, and it is possible that he will be gone in 2010. His back up, Jarrod Parks, was a highly recruited player out of Meridian CC who initially signed with Tulane before getting released from his LOI so he could play for Coach Cohen at MSU. He's got power potential, but so far, he has struggled this season. He can also play third base. MSU will be getting the best high school power prospect in Mississippi next season in Ethan Bright from South Panola, who projects as a left handed power hitting first baseman.
On the middle infield, Jet Butler has been exceptional and Ryan Powers has been solid. True frosh Frankie Rawdow has done well when asked to play. These guys will get competition next year with some JUCO transfers who will be coming in with Nick Vickerson and Jonathan Ogden.
The outfield is the area that may see the most change. Grant Hogue has done well and has good on base skills, but he is a singles hitter. Luke Adkins is a local guy from Nettleton who can flat out hit the ball. I think he's going to be a fixture in left field. Ryan Collins and Jason Nappi have regressed this season, and Mark Goforth never really got on track. Brent Brownlee has been getting some playing time, but he profiles as more of a back up than starter. MSU should be getting some help in the outfield with JUCO transfers Runey Davis and Jaron Shepherd. Both are considered to be top outfield recruits from the JUCO ranks and are MLB prospects. If they get to campus, they should add speed as well as some pop to the line up.
At catcher, MSU is very solid with Cody Freeman, Ryan Duffy, and Scott DeLoach. They will get a boost next year though with Meridian CC's Wesley Thigpen, a power hitting catching prospect with good pop times to second.
I hope MSU can beat Auburn today to win this series. Things will set up well with Tennessee next week. MSU's record could be around .500 in time for SUPER BULLDAWG WEEKEND!!! GO DAWGS!!
The changes that were made after last season brought a lot of excitement to the program. Ron Polk was the long time coach at MSU, but there was a feeling that at the end, he didn't put all of his energy into MSU baseball. The new head coach is one of Coach Polk's former players, former Kentucky head coach John Cohen. Of course, the hiring of Coach Cohen sparked a statement made in anger by Ron Polk, who was upset that another one of his former players and assistants Tommy Raffo didn't get the job. Coach Polk has since then repaired his releationship with John Cohen, but I doubt you will ever see him be on good terms with athletic director Greg Byrne.
I think most fans realized that Coach Cohen's first season would likely be a struggle. One could make an argument that Coach Polk spent more time with his fight against the NCAA than he did with recruiting the best players for MSU baseball. Please note that I am not in any way criticizing Coach Polk. I'm probably the biggest Ron Polk fan there is, and he is the all time winningest coach in SEC history, in all sports. The general feeling when Coach Cohen took this job was that it was going to take a couple of recruiting classes to get the talent level at MSU back up to MSU standards. We are one of the more tradition rich programs in the SEC.
The season started out on a good note and may have given some fans false hope. MSU's early season schedule had a lot of cupcake teams on it. Things fell back down to earth when MSU went to Hawaii and dropped 3 out of 4 games to the Rainbow Warriors. The SEC season then started, and MSU took 2 out of 3 from traditional SEC power South Carolina. South Carolina is in the midst of a rare down year for that program though. Next up was Georgia, who was the #1 ranked team in the country (and is currently the #1 ranked team). Georgia swept MSU in Athens, putting MSU's record at 2-4 in the conference. MSU was hoping to bounce back at Arkansas, but pitching woes and the lack of timely hitting caused them to drop 2 out of 3 games against the Razorbacks.
As you can see, this season has been a struggle so far now that the Bulldogs have gotten into conference play. I had a feeling coming into the season that the team wouldn't have enough pitching to compete in the conference this year. Now that we are into the season, it is very clear that the Bulldogs lack the pitching depth to make a run this year. A lack of timely hitting is something that has plagued this team for a while now, and it is doing so once again. Coach Cohen is in the process of transforming this team into one that plays a National League style of baseball with more speed on the basepaths and additional power where needed. The team is attempting straight steals more and is doing more hit and run type situations than previously. They still have big innings at times, but they are trying to manufacture more runs in the long haul as well as do more to get on base. It is tough to score runs if you can't get on base. Despite this, the team still isn't getting that key hit with a runner on second with 1 out that scores that run.
There are some great signs for the future of this program. I am a big believer in pitching. If you don't have pitching, you will not win, IMO. MSU hasn't had a legitimate ace pitcher since Paul Maholm in the early 2000's. This season though, a trio of young pitchers have stepped up and given me some hope that this team has some young arms they can build around.
The first pitcher I am going to mention is true freshman Nick Routt. Nick is a lefty out of Washington DC. His fastball is sneaky fast. It tops out at around 85-87 mph, but it looks a lot faster with the way he changes speeds. He throws a good change up and has a good breaking ball. Nick has done exceptionally well this season as a true freshman. He has started in every SEC series this season. In the past 20 years, four pitchers have done that at MSU - Carlton Loewer, Kyle Kennedy, Eric DuBose, and Paul Maholm. All four of them won 20+ games in their careers at MSU, and three of them went on to be 1st round MLB draft picks. Nick Routt just through his third straight complete game against Auburn last night, striking out 12 while only walking one batter. Nick looks like he will be the future stud of the pitching staff.
The second pitcher is sophomore Forrest Moore. Forrest was a highly rated recruit out of Louisiana last year that turned down offers from MLB to play at MSU, where his father Dana Moore was a place kicker on the football team back in the early '80s. Forrest had an up and down freshman season, and coming into the fall, he was considered to be a pitcher with great stuff that didn't trust his stuff. Forrest has started to harness his potential, and I believe the sky is the limit for this young lefty.
The third pitcher is true freshman Devin Jones. Devin is a right handed pitcher from Eupora. He's got a very good fastball that touches 94 mph on the radar gun. His other pitchers are lagging behind at this point, but he impressed enough that he got a couple of starts during the SEC weekends. While Devin has been banged around some by SEC hitters, the signs of him being a top notch starter are certainly there. Due to his struggles in conference play this season though, it is likely that Devin will start more in mid week games from this point on with Forrest Moore likely taking his spot in the SEC rotation. I think a strong summer will spring board Devin into position to be a strong SEC starter as a sophomore.
These three, along with junior Tyler Whitney, are a good reason to think that 2010 will be a better year than 2009.
As far as the hitting goes, it will probably take more time to get this team where Coach Cohen wants it. Right now, MSU has good power on the corners of the infield with Connor Powers and Russ Sneed. Connor is a draft eligible junior though, and it is possible that he will be gone in 2010. His back up, Jarrod Parks, was a highly recruited player out of Meridian CC who initially signed with Tulane before getting released from his LOI so he could play for Coach Cohen at MSU. He's got power potential, but so far, he has struggled this season. He can also play third base. MSU will be getting the best high school power prospect in Mississippi next season in Ethan Bright from South Panola, who projects as a left handed power hitting first baseman.
On the middle infield, Jet Butler has been exceptional and Ryan Powers has been solid. True frosh Frankie Rawdow has done well when asked to play. These guys will get competition next year with some JUCO transfers who will be coming in with Nick Vickerson and Jonathan Ogden.
The outfield is the area that may see the most change. Grant Hogue has done well and has good on base skills, but he is a singles hitter. Luke Adkins is a local guy from Nettleton who can flat out hit the ball. I think he's going to be a fixture in left field. Ryan Collins and Jason Nappi have regressed this season, and Mark Goforth never really got on track. Brent Brownlee has been getting some playing time, but he profiles as more of a back up than starter. MSU should be getting some help in the outfield with JUCO transfers Runey Davis and Jaron Shepherd. Both are considered to be top outfield recruits from the JUCO ranks and are MLB prospects. If they get to campus, they should add speed as well as some pop to the line up.
At catcher, MSU is very solid with Cody Freeman, Ryan Duffy, and Scott DeLoach. They will get a boost next year though with Meridian CC's Wesley Thigpen, a power hitting catching prospect with good pop times to second.
I hope MSU can beat Auburn today to win this series. Things will set up well with Tennessee next week. MSU's record could be around .500 in time for SUPER BULLDAWG WEEKEND!!! GO DAWGS!!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
MSU Football Signs 27!
It has been a while since I've been able to post on here. I've been very busy at work and haven't had much available time to do so. This week presented a great opportunity to talk about the Dawgs. February 4th was signing day for college football, and Mississippi State pulled in a very solid recruiting class. This class is long on athleticism and skill positions, but if there is a negative to this class, it is the lack of the meat and potatoes guys in the trenches. Here is a run down of the MSU Football Signees:
1. Tyler Russell, QB, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS - I heard Coach Mullen talking about Tyler on the radio the other day. He stated that the characteristics he looks for in a quarterback are leadership ability, mental toughness, and poise. Tyler Russell brings all of those characteristics to the table. Mechanically, he has some issues that will need to be ironed out. Coach Mullen stated on the radio show that Tyler reminds him of a quarterback he had at Utah named Alex Smith. Both are long, lanky built quarterbacks with strong, accurate arms, leadership skills, and mental toughness. I think Alex Smith was a better runner, but it will be interesting to see how Tyler is incorporated into the offense. The only question is how soon will he start? He could very well be the guy before the year is over.
2. Pernell McPhee, DE, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS - Pernell actually signed in December, but he may be just as big of a recruit as Tyler Russell, at least in the short term. Last season, Mississippi State's defense played well, but they really missed the presence that Titus Brown gave them as a pass rusher. Pernell McPhee was the top defensive end, if not defensive player, in the junior college ranks this year. In two years at Itawamba, he posted 33 sacks and had several tackles for loss. He's a beast on the edge, and I am expecting an immediate contribution and possible double digit sack numbers from him in his first season. Carl Torbush is known for producing pass rushers with his defense, and I believe he will come up with a scheme that will accentuate McPhee's pass rushing ability.
3. Chad Bumphis, WR, Tupelo HS, Tupelo, MS - To many that watched most of the players in Mississippi play this year, Chad Bumphis was the best prospect in the state. Chad is a great athlete who can do multiple things on the field. He has great hands and acceleration as a wide receiver, can run with the football in his hands, and can even throw the football well. This past season, he played wide receiver, running back, quarterback, and return specialist for the Golden Wave. Obviously, everyone is expecting Bumphis to play the Percy Harvin role in Coach Mullen's offense. While Coach Mullen didn't draw the comparision, he did state that Chad's versatility offers a lot to the offense, and that he will be used in different ways. Honestly, I'm expecting this guy to start as a true freshman. He doesn't have much in front of him, and he's simply too good of an athlete to sit.
4. Fletcher Cox, DE, Yazoo City HS, Yazoo City, MS - This class was short on linemen, but the linemen the Dawgs picked up are good ones. Fletcher Cox was the top high school defensive prospect in the state this year. He's a long, angular fellow who has great speed, great athleticism, and a great burst off the edge. I was really concerned that Alabama was going to come in and sway him to play their jack linebacker spot in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense, but MSU's coaches did a great job of keeping him in the fold. I think he will play as a true freshman and will probably start by his sophomore year.
5. Josh Boyd, DT, Philadelphia HS, Philadelphia, MS - Josh was the top interior defensive line prospect in the state. He really jumped onto the scene as a junior when he had something like 125 tackles and 17 sacks as a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid player. He followed his strong junior season up with a strong senior season, and he was selected to play in the Army All American game. Josh stepped up and impressed many with his strength and explosion as a defensive tackle during the week of practice and had four tackles during the game. He's another guy I am expecting to play early, and MSU has a nice core of interior defensive line prospects to build their defense around in the future with Josh Boyd and last year's signees Josh Jackson and Templeton Hardy.
6. Chris Smith, WR, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS - I don't pay much attention to the recruiting rankings, but if you go to rivals.com and look at their positional rankings relative to who recruited the best players, they rate Mississippi State as having the 3rd best wide receiver class in the nation. Chris Smith and Chad Bumphis are the biggest reasons for that ranking. Chris was the go to guy for Tyler Russell at Meridian, and that combination lead Meridian to an upset over South Panola that ended their 89 game winning streak. Chris Smith is a bigger receiver who is more of a possession type that can run after the catch. He has long arms and great hands. Like Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith should play very early in his career at MSU.
7. Leon Berry, WR, East Mississippi Community College, Scooba, MS - With Brandon McRae coming off an injury and the loss of three senior wide receivers, MSU needed to land someone that will make an immediate impact at this position. Leon Berry is that guy. He was the 3rd rated wide receiver in the JUCO ranks this season and was a second team JUCO All American. He also doubles as a kick return specialist. Leon Berry has good size and good speed. He should start at one of the outside receiver positions this season for MSU, and I expect he will also be their kick return specialist.
8. Montrell Conner, RB, Ouachita Parish HS, Monroe, LA - When the coaching change was made and MSU hired a spread offense guru as the head coach, I was concerned that it would cause Montrell Conner to look around. This staff did a great job of convincing him that he would be the primary focal point of the running game in the near future. Montrell initially committed to Coach Croom because of the run oriented offense he was running. He's a true power back with size and good straight line speed. I feel he's probably the guy who will start at tailback in the future. He has a year to sit behind Anthony Dixon and learn about the speed of the SEC before really being tested. Being able to keep him in the fold was a big coup, and hopefully MSU will open some more doors for recruiting in Louisiana in the future.
9. Dennis Thames, DB, Louisville HS, Louisville, MS - This guy was probably the second best high school all around athlete in the state this year. He's a very versatile player who could play safety, wide receiver, and running back all very well at the college level. It looks like MSU will give him a first look at the safety position. I saw him play against Ripley in the 2007 3A playoffs, and he dominated that game as a runner and receiver. It will not surprise me to see him on offense at some point in his career.
10. Maurice Langston, DB, East Central Community College, Decatur, MS - Maurice is another top notch JUCO athlete MSU signed in December. He initially signed with Arkansas State out of high school but transferred out to East Central after his first year. He played WR and punt return specialist at East Central. MSU is moving him to cornerback, and I imagine he will get first crack at being the punt return specialist.
11. Chris White, LB, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, MS - Jamar Chaney's injury last season left MSU scrambling to find a third linebacker to play in their defense. Dominic Douglas eventually moved inside and did a great job. Jamar Chaney will be back this year, but Chris White is a player that will allow Jamar to move back to his more natural position of weakside linebacker. Chris White was a first team JUCO All American as a middle linebacker this year for Coach Campbell's team down in Perkinston. He's a big, physical player that can blitz from his linebacker position. I think the additions of White, McPhee, and Langston will be an immediate boost to the defense.
12. Sean Brauchle, PK, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, MS - I've been saying for a while now that the kicking game was the difference between 4 wins and 7 wins this past season. Sean Brauchle is a two time JUCO All American place kicker who also has a strong leg for kick offs. He was 1st team All American this past season. He should give MSU an immediate upgrade in the place kicking department.
13. Heath Hutchins, P, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS - Much like Sean Brauchle, the addition of Heath Hutchins may have the most immediate impact on this team. Heath is a heck of a punter who was a 1st team JUCO All-American this past year. He had a 44 yard average on his punts during his two years in Fulton. He has a big time leg and gets great hang time on his punts.
14. Jonathan Banks, DB, East Webster HS, Maben, MS - Jonathan is a three sport athlete that projects by most of the experts as a defensive back in college. He played safety, quarterback, and running back for East Webster, and he lead them to State Championships in football and baseball. He has great range and should make a fine free safety in time.
15. Billy Hamilton, WR, Taylorsville, HS, Taylorsville, MS - Billy was one of the more versatile players in Mississippi this past season. He's a terrific athlete that is a three sport star. He could be a very good receiver or defensive back in the SEC. He's a great baseball player who plans to play both sports at MSU, but he will likely be a high draft pick in the baseball draft. He may never make it to campus because of that.
16. Brandon Heavens, WR, Jess Lanier HS, Bessemer, AL - Brandon Heavens was an early commitment to Auburn that Coach Mullen was able to turn to MSU down the stretch. He's a smaller guy, but he has speed and athleticism to burn. He is a versatile performer that is a big play threat.
17. Madrecas Hood, WR, Pickens County HS, Reform, AL - MSU really added the wide receivers this year. Madrecas is one of the bigger receivers they added and is a developmental prospect according to what I've read. He's a good athlete who may be a bit of a late bloomer.
18. Gabriel Jackson, OL, Amite County HS, Liberty, MS - Gabriel is one of the two offensive linemen Mississippi State signed in this class. He's a big fella with good feet. He will probably redshirt a year and spend some worthwhile time in the weight room.
19. Cameron Lawrence, DB, Magnolia Heights, Coldwater, MS - Cameron is a December graduate that is already on campus and will be able to go through spring practice. He's generally considered the best private school prospect in the state. He was the quarterback for Magnolia Heights the past two seasons and had a 22-2 record. He also played defensive back, which is the position he projects to in college. He's got a big frame though, so it wouldn't surprise me to see him grow into the linebacker position. His brother, Addison Lawrence, is an offensive lineman on the Mississippi State team.
20. Jonathan McKenzie, DE, Starkville Academy, Starkville, MS - Jonathan is a defensive end/tight end prospect from the Academy level that projects as a defensive end in college. He has the frame that he may eventually grow into the defensive tackle position. His father, Duncan McKenzie, played football at Mississippi State. Jonathan is a fundamentally sound player who knows how to use his hands to get off blocks. He's a developmental prospect.
21. LaDarius Perkins, RB, St. Joseph HS, Greenville, MS - I mentioned this guy in an early blog post, and if you haven't seen his youtube highlights, you need to watch them. This guy is electric with the ball in his hands. He's a smaller scat back type that will be a multi purpose player at Mississippi State. His straight line speed will make him a great compliment to Montrell Conner in the future. Perkins originally committed to Auburn after he blew the previous coaching staff away at their football camp. A coaching change at both schools caused Perkins to switch his commitment to Mississippi State.
22. Rico Sanders, WR, Byrnes HS, Duncan, SC - Rico is a speedy wide receiver from South Carolina. He was considered to be one of the top 20 prospects in South Carolina and the second best receiver prospect in the state. He helped lead his Byrnes team to the state championship this season. He's yet another receiver who is a great athlete that can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands.
23. William Shumpert, RB, Itawamba AHS, Fulton, MS - William is one of the better fullback prospects nationally. His fit in Dan Mullen's offense is yet to be determined. William is also a terrific defensive prospect, and he could very well move to linebacker at some point in the future.
24. Deonte Skinner, LB, Noxube County HS, Macon, MS - Deonte is an athletic pass rusher who is a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker type of player. He was a key memeber of the 4A state championship team this season. He's got good potential, but he may have to spend a couple of years in JUCO ball before coming to MSU.
25. Darius Slay, DB, Brunswick HS, Brunswick, GA - This guy is a great athlete. At the start of the season, he was considered one of the top 25 players in Georgia. Due to academic issues, his rating dropped. He had many schools looking at him early on but most pulled out when it looked like he wouldn't qualify. He may not qualify at MSU, but he's a terrific prospect who could play either cornerback or safety at MSU in the future. I anticipate that he will be in the JUCO ranks over the next two years.
26. Sam Watts, OL, Salem HS, Conyers, GA - A teammate of MSU freshman Terrence Davis, Watts is a December graduate that is already on campus. He projects as a center at the college level. He was one of MSU's earliest commitments and is considered one of the better offensive line prospects in Georgia.
27. Nickoe Whitley, DB, Provine HS, Jackson, MS - Nickoe is a very good athlete that had an injury during his senior season. MSU offered him early and honored his commitment. He will probably redshirt, but he has the athleticism and instincts to make an impact as a safety for MSU.
1. Tyler Russell, QB, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS - I heard Coach Mullen talking about Tyler on the radio the other day. He stated that the characteristics he looks for in a quarterback are leadership ability, mental toughness, and poise. Tyler Russell brings all of those characteristics to the table. Mechanically, he has some issues that will need to be ironed out. Coach Mullen stated on the radio show that Tyler reminds him of a quarterback he had at Utah named Alex Smith. Both are long, lanky built quarterbacks with strong, accurate arms, leadership skills, and mental toughness. I think Alex Smith was a better runner, but it will be interesting to see how Tyler is incorporated into the offense. The only question is how soon will he start? He could very well be the guy before the year is over.
2. Pernell McPhee, DE, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS - Pernell actually signed in December, but he may be just as big of a recruit as Tyler Russell, at least in the short term. Last season, Mississippi State's defense played well, but they really missed the presence that Titus Brown gave them as a pass rusher. Pernell McPhee was the top defensive end, if not defensive player, in the junior college ranks this year. In two years at Itawamba, he posted 33 sacks and had several tackles for loss. He's a beast on the edge, and I am expecting an immediate contribution and possible double digit sack numbers from him in his first season. Carl Torbush is known for producing pass rushers with his defense, and I believe he will come up with a scheme that will accentuate McPhee's pass rushing ability.
3. Chad Bumphis, WR, Tupelo HS, Tupelo, MS - To many that watched most of the players in Mississippi play this year, Chad Bumphis was the best prospect in the state. Chad is a great athlete who can do multiple things on the field. He has great hands and acceleration as a wide receiver, can run with the football in his hands, and can even throw the football well. This past season, he played wide receiver, running back, quarterback, and return specialist for the Golden Wave. Obviously, everyone is expecting Bumphis to play the Percy Harvin role in Coach Mullen's offense. While Coach Mullen didn't draw the comparision, he did state that Chad's versatility offers a lot to the offense, and that he will be used in different ways. Honestly, I'm expecting this guy to start as a true freshman. He doesn't have much in front of him, and he's simply too good of an athlete to sit.
4. Fletcher Cox, DE, Yazoo City HS, Yazoo City, MS - This class was short on linemen, but the linemen the Dawgs picked up are good ones. Fletcher Cox was the top high school defensive prospect in the state this year. He's a long, angular fellow who has great speed, great athleticism, and a great burst off the edge. I was really concerned that Alabama was going to come in and sway him to play their jack linebacker spot in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense, but MSU's coaches did a great job of keeping him in the fold. I think he will play as a true freshman and will probably start by his sophomore year.
5. Josh Boyd, DT, Philadelphia HS, Philadelphia, MS - Josh was the top interior defensive line prospect in the state. He really jumped onto the scene as a junior when he had something like 125 tackles and 17 sacks as a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid player. He followed his strong junior season up with a strong senior season, and he was selected to play in the Army All American game. Josh stepped up and impressed many with his strength and explosion as a defensive tackle during the week of practice and had four tackles during the game. He's another guy I am expecting to play early, and MSU has a nice core of interior defensive line prospects to build their defense around in the future with Josh Boyd and last year's signees Josh Jackson and Templeton Hardy.
6. Chris Smith, WR, Meridian HS, Meridian, MS - I don't pay much attention to the recruiting rankings, but if you go to rivals.com and look at their positional rankings relative to who recruited the best players, they rate Mississippi State as having the 3rd best wide receiver class in the nation. Chris Smith and Chad Bumphis are the biggest reasons for that ranking. Chris was the go to guy for Tyler Russell at Meridian, and that combination lead Meridian to an upset over South Panola that ended their 89 game winning streak. Chris Smith is a bigger receiver who is more of a possession type that can run after the catch. He has long arms and great hands. Like Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith should play very early in his career at MSU.
7. Leon Berry, WR, East Mississippi Community College, Scooba, MS - With Brandon McRae coming off an injury and the loss of three senior wide receivers, MSU needed to land someone that will make an immediate impact at this position. Leon Berry is that guy. He was the 3rd rated wide receiver in the JUCO ranks this season and was a second team JUCO All American. He also doubles as a kick return specialist. Leon Berry has good size and good speed. He should start at one of the outside receiver positions this season for MSU, and I expect he will also be their kick return specialist.
8. Montrell Conner, RB, Ouachita Parish HS, Monroe, LA - When the coaching change was made and MSU hired a spread offense guru as the head coach, I was concerned that it would cause Montrell Conner to look around. This staff did a great job of convincing him that he would be the primary focal point of the running game in the near future. Montrell initially committed to Coach Croom because of the run oriented offense he was running. He's a true power back with size and good straight line speed. I feel he's probably the guy who will start at tailback in the future. He has a year to sit behind Anthony Dixon and learn about the speed of the SEC before really being tested. Being able to keep him in the fold was a big coup, and hopefully MSU will open some more doors for recruiting in Louisiana in the future.
9. Dennis Thames, DB, Louisville HS, Louisville, MS - This guy was probably the second best high school all around athlete in the state this year. He's a very versatile player who could play safety, wide receiver, and running back all very well at the college level. It looks like MSU will give him a first look at the safety position. I saw him play against Ripley in the 2007 3A playoffs, and he dominated that game as a runner and receiver. It will not surprise me to see him on offense at some point in his career.
10. Maurice Langston, DB, East Central Community College, Decatur, MS - Maurice is another top notch JUCO athlete MSU signed in December. He initially signed with Arkansas State out of high school but transferred out to East Central after his first year. He played WR and punt return specialist at East Central. MSU is moving him to cornerback, and I imagine he will get first crack at being the punt return specialist.
11. Chris White, LB, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, MS - Jamar Chaney's injury last season left MSU scrambling to find a third linebacker to play in their defense. Dominic Douglas eventually moved inside and did a great job. Jamar Chaney will be back this year, but Chris White is a player that will allow Jamar to move back to his more natural position of weakside linebacker. Chris White was a first team JUCO All American as a middle linebacker this year for Coach Campbell's team down in Perkinston. He's a big, physical player that can blitz from his linebacker position. I think the additions of White, McPhee, and Langston will be an immediate boost to the defense.
12. Sean Brauchle, PK, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, MS - I've been saying for a while now that the kicking game was the difference between 4 wins and 7 wins this past season. Sean Brauchle is a two time JUCO All American place kicker who also has a strong leg for kick offs. He was 1st team All American this past season. He should give MSU an immediate upgrade in the place kicking department.
13. Heath Hutchins, P, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, MS - Much like Sean Brauchle, the addition of Heath Hutchins may have the most immediate impact on this team. Heath is a heck of a punter who was a 1st team JUCO All-American this past year. He had a 44 yard average on his punts during his two years in Fulton. He has a big time leg and gets great hang time on his punts.
14. Jonathan Banks, DB, East Webster HS, Maben, MS - Jonathan is a three sport athlete that projects by most of the experts as a defensive back in college. He played safety, quarterback, and running back for East Webster, and he lead them to State Championships in football and baseball. He has great range and should make a fine free safety in time.
15. Billy Hamilton, WR, Taylorsville, HS, Taylorsville, MS - Billy was one of the more versatile players in Mississippi this past season. He's a terrific athlete that is a three sport star. He could be a very good receiver or defensive back in the SEC. He's a great baseball player who plans to play both sports at MSU, but he will likely be a high draft pick in the baseball draft. He may never make it to campus because of that.
16. Brandon Heavens, WR, Jess Lanier HS, Bessemer, AL - Brandon Heavens was an early commitment to Auburn that Coach Mullen was able to turn to MSU down the stretch. He's a smaller guy, but he has speed and athleticism to burn. He is a versatile performer that is a big play threat.
17. Madrecas Hood, WR, Pickens County HS, Reform, AL - MSU really added the wide receivers this year. Madrecas is one of the bigger receivers they added and is a developmental prospect according to what I've read. He's a good athlete who may be a bit of a late bloomer.
18. Gabriel Jackson, OL, Amite County HS, Liberty, MS - Gabriel is one of the two offensive linemen Mississippi State signed in this class. He's a big fella with good feet. He will probably redshirt a year and spend some worthwhile time in the weight room.
19. Cameron Lawrence, DB, Magnolia Heights, Coldwater, MS - Cameron is a December graduate that is already on campus and will be able to go through spring practice. He's generally considered the best private school prospect in the state. He was the quarterback for Magnolia Heights the past two seasons and had a 22-2 record. He also played defensive back, which is the position he projects to in college. He's got a big frame though, so it wouldn't surprise me to see him grow into the linebacker position. His brother, Addison Lawrence, is an offensive lineman on the Mississippi State team.
20. Jonathan McKenzie, DE, Starkville Academy, Starkville, MS - Jonathan is a defensive end/tight end prospect from the Academy level that projects as a defensive end in college. He has the frame that he may eventually grow into the defensive tackle position. His father, Duncan McKenzie, played football at Mississippi State. Jonathan is a fundamentally sound player who knows how to use his hands to get off blocks. He's a developmental prospect.
21. LaDarius Perkins, RB, St. Joseph HS, Greenville, MS - I mentioned this guy in an early blog post, and if you haven't seen his youtube highlights, you need to watch them. This guy is electric with the ball in his hands. He's a smaller scat back type that will be a multi purpose player at Mississippi State. His straight line speed will make him a great compliment to Montrell Conner in the future. Perkins originally committed to Auburn after he blew the previous coaching staff away at their football camp. A coaching change at both schools caused Perkins to switch his commitment to Mississippi State.
22. Rico Sanders, WR, Byrnes HS, Duncan, SC - Rico is a speedy wide receiver from South Carolina. He was considered to be one of the top 20 prospects in South Carolina and the second best receiver prospect in the state. He helped lead his Byrnes team to the state championship this season. He's yet another receiver who is a great athlete that can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands.
23. William Shumpert, RB, Itawamba AHS, Fulton, MS - William is one of the better fullback prospects nationally. His fit in Dan Mullen's offense is yet to be determined. William is also a terrific defensive prospect, and he could very well move to linebacker at some point in the future.
24. Deonte Skinner, LB, Noxube County HS, Macon, MS - Deonte is an athletic pass rusher who is a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker type of player. He was a key memeber of the 4A state championship team this season. He's got good potential, but he may have to spend a couple of years in JUCO ball before coming to MSU.
25. Darius Slay, DB, Brunswick HS, Brunswick, GA - This guy is a great athlete. At the start of the season, he was considered one of the top 25 players in Georgia. Due to academic issues, his rating dropped. He had many schools looking at him early on but most pulled out when it looked like he wouldn't qualify. He may not qualify at MSU, but he's a terrific prospect who could play either cornerback or safety at MSU in the future. I anticipate that he will be in the JUCO ranks over the next two years.
26. Sam Watts, OL, Salem HS, Conyers, GA - A teammate of MSU freshman Terrence Davis, Watts is a December graduate that is already on campus. He projects as a center at the college level. He was one of MSU's earliest commitments and is considered one of the better offensive line prospects in Georgia.
27. Nickoe Whitley, DB, Provine HS, Jackson, MS - Nickoe is a very good athlete that had an injury during his senior season. MSU offered him early and honored his commitment. He will probably redshirt, but he has the athleticism and instincts to make an impact as a safety for MSU.
Monday, January 19, 2009
MSU Football gets another commitment!
Over the past 15-20 years, the Mississippi State has done a very good job of recruiting in the State of Georgia for football players. Former linebackers coach Jim Tompkins opened up the pipeline to Georgia when he was hired by Coach Rocky Felker back in 1989. That pipeline remains open these days, as Mississippi State picked up a commitment from Brunswick, GA, athlete Darius Slay this past weekend. This was a big recruiting weekend for MSU, and Darius Slay is the fourth player that committed to MSU during the weekend. I talked about the other three in a previous post.
Based on what I've ready about Darius Slay, he appears to be a guy that has flown under the radar. I don't really pay much attention to the recruiting ratings the so called experts have. They are wrong on recruits just as often as they are right. With that said, sites like scout.com and rivals.com are a tool for the fans to use to learn some things about a player. In rivals.com's initial rankings of the top high school players in the State of Georgia, Darius Slay was rated 26th on the list. Georgia is a state that is stocked with talent, and being rated that high would be equivalent to being rated in the top 10 in Mississippi. Scout.com has him rated as a 2 star, and Scout's Inc. give him a grade of 77, which would put him in the top 10-12 in Mississippi based on their rankings.
There is a good article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about Darius Slay.
A 4.37 forty yard dash time along with a 39 inch vertical is very impressive. Darius has played running back and wide receiver in the spread offense as well as safety defense. He also returns kicks and punts for his high school team. At Mississippi State, it appears that he is being looked at to play in the secondary, perhaps at safety. I believe the new coaching staff at MSU probably likes his size (6'0", 190 lbs), athleticism, ball skills, and range at the safety position.
Darius has chosen Mississippi State over offers from South Carolina, Kentucky, and Troy. According to the article I posted above, he apparently had a conditional offer from Clemson as well.
Based on what I've ready about Darius Slay, he appears to be a guy that has flown under the radar. I don't really pay much attention to the recruiting ratings the so called experts have. They are wrong on recruits just as often as they are right. With that said, sites like scout.com and rivals.com are a tool for the fans to use to learn some things about a player. In rivals.com's initial rankings of the top high school players in the State of Georgia, Darius Slay was rated 26th on the list. Georgia is a state that is stocked with talent, and being rated that high would be equivalent to being rated in the top 10 in Mississippi. Scout.com has him rated as a 2 star, and Scout's Inc. give him a grade of 77, which would put him in the top 10-12 in Mississippi based on their rankings.
There is a good article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about Darius Slay.
A 4.37 forty yard dash time along with a 39 inch vertical is very impressive. Darius has played running back and wide receiver in the spread offense as well as safety defense. He also returns kicks and punts for his high school team. At Mississippi State, it appears that he is being looked at to play in the secondary, perhaps at safety. I believe the new coaching staff at MSU probably likes his size (6'0", 190 lbs), athleticism, ball skills, and range at the safety position.
Darius has chosen Mississippi State over offers from South Carolina, Kentucky, and Troy. According to the article I posted above, he apparently had a conditional offer from Clemson as well.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
MSU Football picks up three commitments!
Coach Mullen picked up verbal commitments today from three players that should help his spread offense take flight at Mississippi State. Tupelo athlete Chad Bumphis, Louisville athlete Dennis Thames, and Greenville running back LaDarius Perkins verbally pledged to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs today.
Chad Bumphis is a very versatile athlete that has great speed, catches the ball extremely well, and is also a dangerous runner with the ball in his hands. He's the perfect fit to fill the h receiver role that Percy Harvin has played so well in this offense. I believe Chad will do a little bit of everything as a receiver, runner, and even passer at times. I believe Chad will play as a true freshman.
Dennis Thames is another versatile athlete that is very gifted with the ball in his hands. He's one of the few athletes that I believe would be equally as good as a running back, wide receiver, and as a safety. What position he plays has not been determined yet, but my guess is, we will see him on offense.
LaDarius Perkins comes from a small school, but he is every bit as good of an athlete as the two mentioned above. If you haven't seen the youtube highlight video on him, you need to check it out. He's a smaller running back, but he's got great straight line speed and lateral agility. He will remind some folks of a smaller Jerious Norwood. He was previously committed to Auburn, but he reopened his recruitment when they made the coaching change.
Coach Mullen added some serious athleticism and playmaking ability with the three commitments today. It will be fun to watch these players grow along with Meridian quarterback Tyler Russell at Mississippi State over the next four years.
Chad Bumphis is a very versatile athlete that has great speed, catches the ball extremely well, and is also a dangerous runner with the ball in his hands. He's the perfect fit to fill the h receiver role that Percy Harvin has played so well in this offense. I believe Chad will do a little bit of everything as a receiver, runner, and even passer at times. I believe Chad will play as a true freshman.
Dennis Thames is another versatile athlete that is very gifted with the ball in his hands. He's one of the few athletes that I believe would be equally as good as a running back, wide receiver, and as a safety. What position he plays has not been determined yet, but my guess is, we will see him on offense.
LaDarius Perkins comes from a small school, but he is every bit as good of an athlete as the two mentioned above. If you haven't seen the youtube highlight video on him, you need to check it out. He's a smaller running back, but he's got great straight line speed and lateral agility. He will remind some folks of a smaller Jerious Norwood. He was previously committed to Auburn, but he reopened his recruitment when they made the coaching change.
Coach Mullen added some serious athleticism and playmaking ability with the three commitments today. It will be fun to watch these players grow along with Meridian quarterback Tyler Russell at Mississippi State over the next four years.
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