| 1996 | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May |
06/30/97 - Miss State signee Dorsett Davis will be playing in the All-American Bowl this Saturday night. Other Mississippians that will be playing in the game are Ole Miss signees Romaro Miller and Terrence Metcalf and LSU signee Muskingum Barnes. The game will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on the below listed channels at the following times:
Tuesday (July 8th) - 6:00 pm (Sunshine Network - Satellite C1, Channel 24) & 11:00 pm (Fox/Sports South)
Wednesday (July 9th) - 12:00 pm (Fox/Sports South), 1:00 pm (FSM - Satellite C1, Channel 13)
Thursday (July 10th) - 6:00 pm (PASS Network - Satellite S3, Channel 21)
06/29/97 - While waiting from my contact to do his football player All-Star game evaluation, I thought I would give you a tidbit to munch on while waiting.
After noticing that MSU signee Dorsett Davis only had 1 tackle during the MS/ALA All-Star game, according to the official stats, I thought I would review the tape and see what he really did. Here's the real story as I saw it. Dorsett was in the game for 36 plays. Of those 36 plays, 9 were toward his side of the defensive line, 9 were pass plays, 2 were at the end of the half when the QB dropped to his knee, and 16 were toward the opposite side of the defensive line. He actually was in on 6 tackles, not 1 as reported in the official stats, and of those 6, 3 were unassisted tackles and 3 were assisted tackles. When the play came toward his direction (9 plays); he made 2 unassisted tackles, 2 assisted tackles, double-teamed twice, looked lost on one play (runner went right by him), and got beat by his man twice. Based on what I saw, he is very good against the run and only average against the pass. He has qood to very good quickness (sometimes he was very quick off the ball, sometimes not), very good strength (leg strength looks very good), great balance, and better than average speed for a man his size (he did make a couple of tackles on the opposite side of the field.). For the most part, he tries to beat his man on brute strength alone. Needs to learn better technique, which he will under the watchful eye of Joe Lee Dunn. Like the television announcers said, he is only a man-child. Who knows how good he can be with a year or two of SEC action and weight room work under his belt.
06/29/97 - Graduation rates of SEC Schools
School - Athletes - All Students
Vandy - 79 - 72
S. Caro - 73 - 63
Auburn - 59 - 66
Alabama - 59 - 57
Florida - 57 - 63
Georgia - 51 - 60
Miss St - 51 - 45
Ole Miss - 50 - 47
Kentucky - 48 - 50
Tenn - 44 - 55
Arkansas - 34 - 31
LSU - 31 - 47
LSU was second lowest in nation Div IA
06/27/97 - According to a source of mine who talked to one of MSU's football players, Kevin Prentiss is better than anyone could imagined. He said Kevin will be one of the special return men and, of course, a starter at receiver. He also said the offensive line practiced well together in the spring and will be very solid upfront.
My source, who has seen juco running back James Johnson play, feels he is not as good as former Bulldogs Michael Davis and Kevin Bouie. I've never seen Johnson play, so I don't have an opinion about his talent level, but his history of injuries does concern me. He was injured last year and then he was injured during spring practice. Maybe we need to have him talk to former basketball Bulldog Darryl Wilson about how you play with injuries.
06/23/97 - According to The Clarion-Ledger, MSU linebacker is suffering from polymyositis, a rare disease that weakens the immune system and muscles. Trainer Paul Mock said Garner is being treated medicinally but is unable to work out. His position coach, Jim Tompkins had this to say: "We're just hoping he gets his health back. We're not even concerned about football right now. It's just a matter of getting his health back; that's what we're talking to him about. And he is getting better." Tompkins also said it is too early to tell if Garner will be able to play this fall. If Garner can't play, look for one of the two Juco transfers, Edward Smith or Bert Keys to start in his place. Source: The Clarion-Ledger
06/23/97 - Here's the official word on a project I told you about many months ago. According to MSU Athletic Director Larry Templeton, Miss State will be installing a Soney Jumbotron scoreboard/video screen before this coming football season. The new scoreboard will cost $800,000/$1,000,000 but State is getting it free. The company installing the scoreboard, Gameday Sports Network, will retain advertising rights on scoreboard panels and on the video screen. The video screen will show highlights of MSU's game, plus highlights from other games across the country.
MSU is also planning on adding additional restrooms on the west side of Scott Field. Also, look for tennis and softball dressing rooms and offices to be built under the A. J. Pitts Tennis Center grandstand very soon. Source: The Clarion-Ledger
06/21/97 - Just thought some of you might be interested in this little bit of info. about Natchez's Marco Minor.. During a recent workout at the Southwest Officials and Coaches Clinic, which is held in Natchez, there were several coaches there and Marco appeared to be the top recruit. There was an assistant coach from the University of Florida who was particularly interested. Of course, Jackie Sherrill was the keynote speaker at the event, so I am sure he took note of Marco too.
Look for State to be heavily involved in the recruitment of Marco.
06/20/97 - Does anyone know how good Kevin Prentiss really is? Read this. A source of mine talked to a person who saw every game MSU Juco signee Kevin Prentiss played in and this guy said even with all the hype about Kevin, most people still don't realize how good this guy really is. According to this guy, when defenses were foolish enough to line up man-to-man on Prentiss, the automatic play Hinds CC ran was for the quarterback to drop back five steps and throw the ball beyond the defender. I didn't say throw the ball to Prentiss, but beyond the defender; they knew Prentiss would get to the ball. This guy also said Prentiss is incredibly elusive. Once he caught a ball as four men were bearing down on him and not a one touched him. Not a one! From how this sounds, watching Prentiss will be worth the price of a ticket. Think about this: Kevin Prentiss is 5-9 and 150-lbs. and he was selected a consensus 1st Team All-American. To be this small and to be that highly thought of must mean this guy is absolutely fabulous.
06/20/97 - Received this bit of info. from a Mobile, Alabama source of mine. According to the Mobile Register, which printed a collage of stories on Saturday night's All-Star game, of all the players on both teams, the two players who "looked like athletes" were 6-6, 280-lb. Dorsett Davis and 6-2, 220-lb. Jamaal Dinkins, both MSU signees. They went on to say they both looked like they could "walk into an NFL camp today". They also mentioned Dinkins could always be a body builder if football didn't work out.
06/18/97 - The Eric Moulds story has finally come to an end. A source of mine found this on ESPNET.
06/17/97 - Time to start talking a little football. This is for all of you that can't buy Lindy's Southeaster Football magazine. Lindy's has several MSU players ranked in the top 25 in their position category. Gregory Favors is ranked the 6th best DE in the country. Eric Dotson is ranked the 14th best DT and James Grier is ranked the 24th best DT. Miss State's defensive line is ranked the 6th best in the country. They say "the depth might not be outstanding, but the threesome of active end Greg Favors and huge tackles Eric Dotson and James Grier certainly is."
Lindy's has two of MSU's Juco transfers among their top twelve Juco transfers. The two are RB James Johnson (the only RB in the group) and mighty mite WR Kevin Prentiss (the top WR in the group).
06/17/97 - Just recently I received word about a player who may be walking on at MSU this coming season. Cory Armstrong, a kicker from Pontotoc HS, has a very strong leg and is a natural athlete who loves the game. Let's keep an eye out for this guy.
06/14/97 - Sorry, but I've got bad news on Juco wide receiver signee Kevin Cooper. It looks like he will not be ready for the beginning of fall practice. His knee, which was injured last year, still has a ways to go before he will be ready to play. According to my source, he should be ready to play sometime during the upcoming season, although, at this time, no one knows for sure. I guess it depends on how hard he works and how quick of a healer he is. I'll post more info. as it comes in.
06/11/97 - According to a source of mine, Jackie was on 56 whbq radio late monday afternoon. He said Earnest Garner has a blood disease. He also said he told Garner if he wasn't ready this year he would be ready next year. My source couldn't remember what the name of the disease is.
06/09/97 - MSU linebacker Earnest Garner has been released from the Tupelo hospital. No word on his condition or what his ailment is.
06/09/97 - The latest word on Keffer McGee is he is 85% and should be a 100% by the time fall practices come around.
06/09/97 - Found this in Sunday's edition of The Clarion-Ledger, Robert Wilson is the writer:
MSU quarterback Matt Wyatt, along with about 20 other MSU Bulldogs, will spend part of their summer helping less fortunate youth chose the right path in life by spending time with teenagers at the Starkville Community Counseling Center.
06/07/97 - According to The Clarion-Ledger, MSU Athletic Director Larry Templeton told Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Rusty Hampton, Bulldog football player Earnest Garner has spent the week in a Tupelo hospital undergoing tests for an undisclosed ailment. He is expected to be released Friday or Saturday. Templeton was quoted as saying "our medical staff has a concern about his stamina. It has not been like it should be the last two or three months, and they're trying to find out what the problem is."