Click here to read about most of the football players Mississippi State is recruiting.
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Click here to read about most of the football players Mississippi State is recruiting.11/30/97 - Late breaking news: According to The (Tupelo, MS.) Daily Journal, Falkner High School running back Edward "Pig" Prather committed to Miss State Saturday. I cannot confirm this, but if this is true, then this should make the second Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen player, according to my sources, that has committed to Miss State. A third is very near to committing, or so I was told at the game Saturday. My source will not allow me to name the player at this time. Looks like Jackie Sherrill and his assistant coaches are doing a fabulous job recruiting. Just goes to show you, if everything I heard Saturday and read today is correct, the Egg Bowl game has very little impact on recruiting.
11/30/97 - In a brawl, literally, Ole Miss' Stewart Patridge and John Avery led the Rebels in a well-deserved victory over Miss State Saturday. Patridge, who at times reminded me of former quarterback Jay Barker, led Ole Miss to a magnificent game-ending crunch time drive and game winning two-point conversion. My Bulldog hat is off to the Ole Miss Rebel players and coaches.
I want to congratulate our Miss State's football team for an outstanding season, especially considering all that they have gone through this season. They played their hearts out and left everything on the field. Our beloved Bulldogs will be back next year stronger and, with the outstanding recruits Mississppi State will sign, more talented. The Ole Miss loss hurts right now, but come February Miss State's fans and coaches will be doing a lot of celebrating.
11/30/97 - Who started the Ole Miss - Miss State pre-game fight you ask? Who knows. I have heard Ole Miss football player Robert Reed did. Some Rebel fans say Miss State coaches did. Of course, that is ridiculous. Maybe someday someone will know, but it is of no concerned now.
The only part of the pre-game fight that should concern Ole Miss fans is this: Hind CC's offensive lineman, Wes Shivers (6-7, 315), a player coveted by Miss State, Ole Miss and about every other SEC school, was literally beaten to the ground and kicked by three Rebel football players. He suffered a couple of bad cuts to his face and had a couple of teeth knocked out. There was no permanent damage as far as I know. He laid on the field for several minutes until he was able to get up and be escorted, very slowly, to the Leo Seal Building. All this happened in front of the stands where all the other recruits were sitting. At this time, I don't know if he will press charges.
11/30/97 - I couldn't get names of many of the recruits that were at the game, but here are the ones I saw:
11/29/97 - Hopefully, the rainy weather is gone. It is 9:10 and cloudy but not rainy outside. Considering the number (75-100) of recruits who will be unofficially visiting MSU today, it would be great if the rain stays away. The recruits that will be at Miss State today are by invitation only and are the best in the state as well as out of state. Don't forget recruit walk begins at 12:40 - 12:45. Also the MSU football team arrives at 12:30 at the Seal Building. After you greet them, stay around and greet the recruits. Show them why Miss State is, hands down, the best place in Mississippi to play football. Email me names of any recruits you see at the game.
11/27/97 - Bits and pieces of info from several newspapers including The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS), The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), The Commercial Dispatch (Columbus, MS) and The Daily Journal (Tupelo, MS):
Ole Miss and Miss State players talking about the late Keffer McGee
Nakia Greer (Keffer's roommate): - His death "changed my whole outlook on life. Now I realize you probably won't grow old so you better live your life for now and put your trust in God and do the right things instead of the wrong things. It made me a little closer to God and realize the next day is not promised."
Nate Wayne (Ole Miss LB): "Keffer and I didn't grow up together. We met my sophomore year in high school (Noxubee County HS in Macon, Miss.) playing basketball. Keffer was a real special person....the type person you'd like to be around. You could look up to him on the field or in the classroom." Wayne on hearing of Keffer's death: "I got a phone call from a friend and it just tore me all to pieces. I was in disbelief. I thought maybe I was dreaming or something. I was numb. I couldn't think straight."
The Egg Bowl
The forecast is for rain Friday (50%) and Saturday.
Ole Miss will be working out in Tupelo Friday and stay at Tupelo Thursday and Friday night, busing into Miss State Saturday.
Miss State will go to a movie Friday night. No, I don't know which one. Sorry.
Matt Wyatt (MSU QB): When asked how the Arkansas game would affect the MSU players for the Egg Bowl. "When game time gets here, the emotions will be there. You don't have to worry about that."
Walker Jones (Ole Miss LB): "There is no better way to end a season than beating Mississippi State (Are you reading this Tommy Tuberville?). My father used to say that, and I got it from him. Then I found out myself. When we beat them in Starkville two years ago, it was one of the greatest feelings I've ever experienced. I want to have that feeling one more time."
Stewart Patridge (Ole Miss QB): "I'm glad to get another shot at Mississippi State. Hopefully, I can redeem myself for some of the mistakes I made against them last year."
Lynn Amedee (MSU OC): "This game you better have everything, you better bring all your marbles. We've still got to establish the run, but you've got to be prepared to throw, because they do the same things Arkansas did. We've got to be consistent and go out there and say, 'We can throw, and we will throw.'"
About Miss State's bowl chances
Larry Templeton (MSU AD): "I'm more confused now (Wednesday) that I was Monday. I've had intense conversations with the majority of the bowls with which the SEC has agreements and a number of other bowls. I've talked to five of my other AD colleagues and several bowl people. None of them have the answer either."
Jackie Sherrill (MSU Coach): "Our chances are great because of the number of people we take. We probably had 40,000 at Atlanta (in 1993 and 1995) and and had 40,00 to 50,000 at the Liberty Bowl (in 1991). They don't forget that and know they can sell it out. We will sell out any bowl game that our people get to."
Donald Zacharias commenting on Jackie Sherrill as Miss State's head football coach
"There were people who had their own favorites, but I still think Jackie was the right man and is the right man for the job. We checked everything out. We called people and said tell us what his situation is. Nobody named him as a direct figure (in the Texas A&M probation), and his record as a winning football coach overrode any criticism there was about what might have happened in the past."
11/27/97 - Hattiesburg running back Robert Gillespie visited Miss State in late October. He will also visit LSU (Dec 19), Florida (Jan 16) and Notre Dame (Jan 23). He's undecided about his fifth visit. What did he think about MSU: "It was nice at Mississippi State. It was my first visit and my first time up there. Right now, everybody's the same. I figure everybody is going to tell me the same thing, so they're equal in my eyes."
11/27/97 - MSU press conference facts:
11/26/97 - The latest word from the National Recruiting Advisor is Miss State is being looked at by two of the top 30 Juco players in the nation. Georgia Military's Dante Hickey (DB, 6-1, 175, 4.4) and Warren Lott (LB, 6-2, 227, 4.6) appear to be interested in Miss State, as well as several other top schools.
11/26/97 - Here is what The Clarion-Ledger had to say about MSU's most recent commitment, Ivan Billie:
Choctaw Central defensive end Ivan Billie has committed to Mississippi State. Billie (6 feet 3, 210 pounds) had 75 tackles, 7 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries for the Warriors, 8-2. Billie, who has met NCAA freshmen eligibility requirements, chose the Bulldogs over Ole Miss and Auburn. Alabama and Arkansas were also interested, "I think everybody is projecting Ivan as an outside linebacker," Choctaw Central coach Tommy McCool said. "He's got the speed and quickness for it. This was only his second year to play football, so I think he's just scratched the surface of his potential."
11/26/97 - How concerned is Ole Miss about Miss State's Greg Favors? According to Coach Tommy Tuberville, "Favors is a great player and you have to know where he is. If he's coming on the pass rush, you might have to commit two people to block him." Source: The Clarion-Ledger
11/25/97 - As promised, here is more info on MSU's 4th commitment Ivan Billie (6-3, 210, 4.6):
The other Miss State commitments are Simpson Academy offensive lineman Kyle Wallace (6-7, 295, very good student), DL/LB Jeremy Lawrence (6-2, 215, great student) of Ferriday, La., and Delta MS CC fullback Rod Gibson (5-11, 230).
11/25/97 - I also received additional info on MSU commitment Jeremy Lawrence. Jeremy benches 360 lbs and has an ACT score in the high 20's.
11/25/97 - East Miss CC's defensive lineman Todd Whitmore has committed to Alabama. Todd visited Auburn this past weekend but remains committed to Alabama. Todd also seriously considered Miss State. My source told me Todd, if he hadn't been offered by Alabama (childhood favorite), would have probably been a Bulldog.
11/25/97 - I noticed on the Bully Board there was a message that stated Ranchio Valdez, an offensive lineman from Del Rio, Texas, has committed to Miss State. There is nothing to this rumor. I'm not even sure if there is such a person. Guys, be wary of what you read on the message board if the person does not leave an email address. Remember a month or so ago when a player by the name of Derrick Shows supposedly committed to the Bulldogs? That was also a phantom player. Phantom commitments have also been posted to the Ole Miss message boards. Remember when Ole Miss, supposedly, received a commitment from a linebacker prospect from California who was supposed to be the nation's number one linebacker? There was no such player. There have also been other commitments posted to the Ole Miss message boards where the players didn't exist. A few fans are having fun making this stuff up for their own enjoyment.
11/24/97 - Choctaw Central's outstanding linebacker Ivan Billie has committed to the Bulldogs. Look for more info tomorrow morning.
11/24/97 - This Saturday, the MSU football team will arrive at the stadium at approximately 12:30. The seniors will also be recognized prior to the game. Be at the south end of Scott Field near the Seal Building and greet the players.
11/24/97 - Recruit Walk will begin at approximately 12:40 - 12:45 this Saturday. After you greet the Miss State football players, stay around and greet the visiting recruits. Let's show them some hospitality, Miss State-style.
11/24/97 - What are the Rebels and Bulldogs saying about the upcoming Miss State-Ole Miss game (Source: The Clarion-Ledger):
11/24/97 - Ole Miss- Miss State game info found in the Miss State Media Guide:
11/23/97 - Arkansas played a great game yesterday and deserved the victory. This Miss State team came very close to having a chance to play in the SEC Championship game. With a few more good players they will do that in the very near future. With that in mind, please read the next paragraph.
11/23/97 - Look for the MSU-Ole Miss game weekend to be a very special football recruiting weekend for the Bulldogs. Miss State will have 9 very important official visitors as well as approximately 75 to 100 invitation only unofficial visitors. Considering this is an invitation only weekend, I would have to say there is a good chance that among the recruits you will see at the MSU-Ole Miss game will be the ones Miss State will sign in December and February. Let's show them why Miss State is the school for them. Let's have a packed house. I will find out later if there will be a Recruit Walk and let you know.
Remember, you can say hello to the recruits but do not give them anything, not even a piece of gum. It is against NCAA rules to give a prospective recruit anything while he is visiting our university. Don't forget to tell him thank you for visiting our campus. Show the recruits why Miss State is the nicest and friendliest university in the state of Mississippi.
Be nice when you see any Ole Miss fans on our campus. Although they are our main sports rivals, they are our guests and should be treated as such.
11/23/97 - According to The Clarion-Ledger, Ferriday, La. outside linebacker/defensive end (not offensive lineman as I was told) Jeremy Lawrence (6-2, 215) has committed to Miss State. Jeremy received interest from LSU, Louisiana Tech and Northeast Louisiana.
11/22/97 - According to the Georgia website, these three players are interested in Miss State:
11/21/97 - I realize there are a lot of fans of the so-called "Big 3" schools in Mississippi that couldn't pull for either of the other two schools if their life depended on it, but you have to admit it is nice to finally see the vast majority of the top players in Mississippi narrowing their final choice of schools to Miss State, Ole Miss or Southern Miss. I now believe only 2, maybe 3, of The Clarion-Ledger's Dandy Dozen will go out of state.
This year, I believe MSU, Ole Miss and USM have finally laid to rest the opinion that all three schools can't have great seasons at the same time. And isn't it nice to see the Egg Bowl actually may have an impact on the SEC Championship?
11/21/97 - From the practice field: The Bulldogs are totally focused on this weekend's game. There is no talk of the Ole Miss or possible SEC Championship games by the coaches or players. The only thing on their minds is the upcoming game with Arkansas. The cliche is "take one game at a time" and that is exactly what the players and coaches are doing. Right now, the Arkansas game is the most important game of the season and the Bulldogs know that.
11/21/97 - The creme rises to the top. As most of you know by now, our own Jackie Sherrill is one of twelve finalists for the Sporting News' National Coach of the Year award. He is the only SEC coach among the finalists.
11/21/97 - According to a source close to the situation, Hinds CC outstanding offensive lineman Wes Shivers (6-7, 305) may be leaning to Miss State. My source told me Wes is a really nice guy. Wes was recently selected 1st Team MACJC All-State.
11/21/97 - I continue to hear that Miss State is doing very well in south Mississippi. The latest word is Miss State continues to improve their chances with Reggie Myles (Pascagoula, MS) and Robert Gillespie (Hattiesburg, MS). Don't be surprised if Miss State starts signing top-notch players from the Gulf Coast once again.
11/21/97 - According to the Vicksburg, Miss., newspaper, James Williams (6-1, 171, 4.45), the very talented wide receiver from Hinds CC, will join his former teammate Kevin Prentiss at MSU next year.
11/21/97 - DeLaSalle HS (New Orleans, La) wide receiver James Washington (6-2, 190, 4.5) is being recruited by Miss State, along with his teammate quarterback Brandon Butler
11/20/97 - Here is a little Miss State press conference info I believe you guys will enjoy.
Here's additional info all you true Bulldog fans traveling to Fayetteville might like to know:
--The team will be staying at the Fayetteville Hilton Inn.
--TE Terrance McCaskey is questionable due to an ankle injury.
11/20/97 - According to the latest rumor, Miss State has received another commitment from a big-time sleeper out of Louisiana. I'm not sure about this, but I believe his name is Jeremy Lawrence. According to my Louisiana source, this is a player who has a lot of potential but has been overlooked by most schools. Any of you guys remember former Miss State linebacker Billy Jackson, a player who was overlooked by most schools but wound up being an All-American before he was through at State? Jeremy fits into this category.
11/20/97 - Here is what The Clarion-Ledger had to say about the commitment by Miss Delta CC fullback Rod Gibson to Miss State:
Mississippi Delta CC running back Rod Gibson (5-10, 215-lbs) plans to sign with the Bulldogs in December and enroll in January.
"Mississippi State has always wanted Rod back and there has never been any question about him going anywhere else," MDCC coach Jim Southward said.
"He's well put together and he does a great job both blocking and running. I think what makes him a little better than people's first impression is his speed. Not only can he run through tacklers, but he's got enough speed to get gone with it."
Gibson rushed for 926 yards and five touchdowns this season and earned second-team All-North Divsion honors for the state runner-up and 12-th ranked Trojans, 9-2. (End of article)
The info I hear about Rod is he is now 5-11, 230 pounds and is a outstanding blocker. Hey, what else is new? Mississippi State has a well-known reputation of signing some of the best combo (blocking/running) fullbacks in the SEC.
11/20/97 - Here's another good Clarion-Ledger article written by Rusty Hampton. It was also in the Wednesday's edition:
STARKVILLE --- Jackie Sherrill said Tuesday his new contract means the competition will have one less thing to use against Mississippi State this winter in football recruiting.
"We were doing well in recruiting before this, but this puts to bed any negative talk out there," Sherrill said. "That's no longer an issue to the recruits."
Athletic Director Larry Templeton announced last Friday that Sherrill, in the third year of a four year contract, has been offered a new four-year contract through 2001. The state College Board is expected to approve the contract this week.
Sherrill's total compensation under his current contract is about $350,000 a year. Terms of his new deal were not announced.
Sherrill, in his seventh season at State, has coached the Bulldogs to a 7-2 record and a No. 15 ranking. State won its fourth consecutive game last Saturday, beating Alabama 32-20 in Tuscaloosa. Sherrill said his new contract should help State keep winning.
"It definitely has given this program the stamp of stability and given the stamp of what's going to happen and where we're going," Sherrill said. "I said in 1991 it takes seven things to have a good program and the most important thing is the administration. Most programs, all the programs that are successful and compete, those administrations are the reason."
Sherrill wouldn't say which schools had been using his contract status to recruit against State.
"It's a moot issue right now," Sherrill said.
"Whatever they were saying they can't say it anymore."
11/19/97 - Here is some info for all of you heading to Fayetteville this weekend.
To reach Razorback Stadium, turn north on Razorback Road from Sixth Street in Fayetteville. From the U.S. 71 Bypass, take either the Cato Springs Road or Sixth Street exit.
The Bulldogs will get off the team bus and enter Razorback Stadium at Gate 1 between 10:45 and 11:00 am Saturday morning. This is in the south end zone -- west side of the field near the stadium scoreboard.
According to both the Weather Channel and USA Today, the forecast is for partly cloudy skies with periods of sunshine. The high temperature will be 61°.
11/18/97 - Check out this great article by The Clarion-Ledger's Rick Cleveland.
11/18/97 - Maybe this little story will make all of you realize how important the fans can be at a game. This was told to me by someone who was on the sidelines at the MSU-Bama game.
MSU's Eric Dotson looked up at the MSU crowd and said "isn't this great. The crowd is really going wild. I am really pumped. I'm going to get a sack." Guess what he did when he went out the next series? Yes, he got a sack. This ought to tell all of you how important each one of you can be to our program. From now on, when you are at a game show your enthusiasm. It does make a difference. Just ask Eric Dotson.
11/17/97 - I was emailed several great pictures from this weekend's game. Check them out: The MSU Crowd; Jackie Sherrill getting a ride; The scoreboard.
11/14/97 - A source of mine talked to Edward "Pig" Prather last night and Pig told him he unofficially (my word) visited Miss State Tuesday night (basketball game?) and came away very impressed. He specially mentioned Miss State running back James Johnson as one player he was impressed with. Pig also told my source what team he is leaning to at the moment. Drum roll please. He is leaning to Miss State. He also said he would be officially visiting Miss State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Tennessee and LSU. Also look for his brother linebacker Bradley Prather of Northeast MS CC to possibly sign with Miss State.
11/14/97 - Thought you might be curious as to what a couple of the Alabama players are saying about their upcoming game with our Bulldogs. Source: The Tuscaloosa News.
Michael "Bubba" Ray (Offensive Tackle) - (About Joe Lee Dunn's defense) - "I guess we've gone up against his defenses the last four years. He'll show all kinds of stuff. It may be one defensive lineman and six linebackers. Against Kentucky they had seven linebackers and no defensive linemen. We have to be ready for everything." (About last year's loss to MSU) - It's payback. We owe them. It was real embarrassing. It's something I'll never forget, trying to get off the field through that crowd of students."
Warren Foust (Quarterback) - (Comparing last year's MSU lost to some of this year's losses) - "It was similar, because it was one of those games where we never panicked. We kept believing that we would do something to win, that it would happen because we were Alabama. But it didn't happen. It's been similar in some of the games this year."
11/13/97 - Here’s the complete story behind the alleged "minor" recruiting violation that has been talked about recently. The story is Mississippi State is been looked at by the NCAA because Miss State head football coach Jackie Sherrill may have committed a minor NCAA recruiting rule violation at the Falkner-Smithville game when Falkner running back Edward "Pig" Prather yelled to Coach Sherrill "watch me because I’m going to put on a show for you tonight." As some of you may know, a coach cannot initiate a face-to-face contact with a player during the months of October and November since it is a quiet period (not a dead period as some have called it), although college coaches can evaluate (go to games and practices) players nine days during this period. If Coach Sherrill initiated this conversation, he did indeed commit a violation. Now, with that said, here are the facts as I know them.
I was at the Falkner-Smithville game and saw Coach Sherrill there also. The first time I saw him was when I noticed him in the pressbox. I was on the backrow near the pressbox. He was standing up in the back right corner of the pressbox. He was wearing a businessman’s coat, no Mississippi State maroon colors or anything that would identify him as someone from Mississippi State. In my opinion, he was being as inconspicuous as possible. That is all I know from a personal account. Since I knew this wouldn’t carry much weight in regards to the rumor going around, I decided to contact various people who could give me some insight into this matter. Without mentioning who I talked to, I will now tell you what really happened.
The Falkner-Smithville game started at 7:00 p.m. Thursday night. Coach Sherrill, because he has his call-in show on Thursday night, was in his car until right before the game answering questions on his cellular phone. Just prior to game time, he proceeded to get out of his car and walk into the stadium where Prather saw him (you have to walk between the football field and fieldhouse after entering the gate so it is very easy for anyone to see you walk in. And remember, we are talking about Jackie Sherrill. Who doesn’t know what he looks like?) and yelled out the above comments to him as he passed by. According to everyone I talked to, Coach Sherrill made no comments to Prather before or after Prather yelled out his comments to Coach Sherrill. That is all that happened. Kind of bland, isn’t it? Now to answer the rumors.
First the rumor that NCAA compliance people contacted the people at Falkner HS: I was told the only compliance people involved in this incident are the ones from Mississippi State. As soon as they saw the article in the newspaper, they contacted Falkner High School’s principal and head coach and The Clarion-Ledger to find out the facts. I can only assume this is where the NCAA compliance investigator part of the rumor came from. It was just a mix-up.
The second rumor is Jackie Sherrill had to write a report and send it to the NCAA. What really happened is he wrote a report for internal purposes only. It's standard procedure. I assume all colleges do this even when something is as minor as this.
The Mississippi State athletic department and football office have not been contacted by anyone from the NCAA.
The Clarion-Ledger, as of two days ago, had not been contacted by the NCAA.
The Falkner HS principal or football coach had not been contacted by the NCAA as of the day after the incident.
So basically, this is a non-issue. What the heck, when I read the article, I was more interested in the part of the article that stated Edward Prather was leaning to Ole Miss.
11/12/97 - According to the LSU website (by way of Southeastern Recruiting Alliance and the National Recruiting Advisor), the outstanding cornerback that is leaning to Miss State is Pascagoula's Reggie Myles and no, his brother Jimmy has not been pressuring Reggie to come to Miss State. The LSU folks may want to believe that, but it's just not correct.
While I'm at it, it looks like Miss State is really making some headway with most (9 in fact) of The Clarion Ledger's Dandy Dozen. The only ones I feel we have no shot at are Will Overstreet, Eddie Strong and Conner Stephens. The others we continue to make up ground on. Just goes to show you what hard work on the recruiting front and success on the football field will do for you. I know we have a lot of fans from the other schools worried.
BTW, don't expect anything to come of the alleged "minor" recruiting violation involving Jackie Sherrill and Edward "Pig" Prather. If what I've been told is correct, it's just not significant enough to warrant the NCAA telling Miss State to stop their recruitment of Prather. I'll post the facts, as I know them, on tomorrow's page. BTW, I was at that game and saw Coach Sherrill. When I saw him, I can promise you, he was not trying to attract attention to himself.
11/12/97 - Here are tidbits of info from the sports info guides for the upcoming game between MSU and Alabama:
*MSU-Alabama series is the longest running series in UA history, dating back to 1896.
*This will be the 82nd MSU-UA meeting.
*Deshea Townsend is listed as UA's starting right corner. He sat out last week's game with a pulled hamstring.
*Kicker Brian Hazlewood needs just 2 more points to be in MSU's all-time top 10 scorers.
*RB Robert Isaac needs just 39 all-purpose yards to reach MSU's all-time top-10 listing in that category.
*Greg Favors extended his school record sack total to 18.5 for his career.
*Jackie Sherrill is 11-4 at MSU following an open date.
*MSU safety Eric Daniel played with UA LB Paul Pickett and DB Andre Short at LaGrange (Ga.) High School.
*MSU tackle Robert Hicks played with UA WR Shamari Buchanan at Douglass High School in Atlanta.
*MSU RB James Johnson and UA WR Quincy Jackson played together at EMCC.
*MSU lineman Sam Baker played high school ball with UA TE Rod Rutledge at Erwin in Birmingham.
*MSU RB James Johnson ranks 5th in the SEC in rushing with 87.1 ypg.
*MSU's Brian Hazlewood ranks 3rd in the SEC in field goals per game.
*MSU's Jeff Walker ranks 2nd in the SEC in punting average at 45.6 per kick, this also puts him at 9th in the nation.
*MSU's Robert Isaac ranks 5th in the SEC in all-purpose ypg with 119.9.
11/12/97 - For any MSU fans wanting to greet the Bulldogs upon their arrival at BDS this Saturday, they need to at gate 7 by 9:15AM. The team will arrive between 9:15 and 9:30. This is going to be a huge game from MSU. The Bulldogs need (and deserve) all the last minute support we can give them.
11/11/97 - The latest from Southeastern Recruiting Alliance is that Miss State is in the lead for one of the nation's top cornerbacks. Anybody know who this might be?
11/11/97 - And what have you been up to lately Robert Hicks (the outstanding offensive lineman from Miss State)? Well, Gene, as you may or may not know, this month is National Home Health Care month and yesterday, David Wilson and I visited several of the very nice folks who Alexander Home Health provides in-house health care services to.
Just thought you guys would like to know what a couple of our Bulldogs were up to yesterday while you were working and going to school. It doesn't get much press, but our beloved Bulldogs do this kind of thing quite often.
11/11/97 - Latest QB info: The outstanding QB (7th best in the country according to SuperPrep's Pre-Season issue) from New Caney, Texas, Adam Dunn (6-5, 235, 4.7), still has the Bulldogs under consideration. I was told he is also a great baseball player and likes our baseball program. My source also said that Adam led the Houston Metro area in home runs and stolen bases last year. Remember, this info says he is considering MSU. There are a lot of recruting days ahead, so who knows what Adam will do.
11/08/97 - I thought you guys would enjoy this little humorous story, although as every true Bulldog fan knows the last part is very true:
At their annual meeting before the beginning of the season, all the Top Division I football coaches decided on having golden phones installed in all their respective offices.
One day, a recruit named Joe walked into Steve Spurrier's office and saw his golden phone sitting there. "Wow," Joe exclaimed, "What's that?" Steve responded, "Well, my son, that there is a golden phone. It's a direct line to Heaven." "Wow, that's pretty neat," Joe responded. "Do you think I could make a phone call on that phone?" "Well, it's gonna cost you about $100. And the check needs to be payable to the University of Florida Foundation," replied Steve. "That's a lot of money, I don't think it would be worth it to spend that much money. Thanks though," Joe replied as he walked out of Steve's office.
A few weeks later, Joe took a campus visit to Stanford and went to Tyrone Willingham's office. Again, he noticed the golden phone sitting on the coach's desk. "What exactly is that phone for, Coach" he asked? "Well, son, that there is a direct line to heaven," Willingham replied. "That's pretty neat," Joe replied. "Do you think I could make a phone call on that phone? "Well sure, but its gonna cost you about $50 payable to The Stanford University Foundation." replied the coach. "Oh, never mind, I don't have that kind of money. Thanks anyway." And Joe walked out of the office.
The next weekend, Joe visited Starkville, MS, home of the Bulldogs. Being as he was a recruit, the first place he was directed was Coach Jackie Sherrill's office. Again, he saw the golden phone sitting there and asked if it was the golden phone to heaven. Coach Sherrill nodded, and Joe asked if he could make a call on it. Coach Sherrill replied, "Well, sure you can, but it will cost you a quarter." Upon hearing this Joe's eyes got real big and he said, "Really? Then why did Coach Spurrier and Coach Willingham tell me it would cost so much more?"
Coach Sherrill looked up from behind his desk and smiled, saying, "Because, my boy, here in Starkville, IT's A LOCAL CALL!"
11/07/97 - David Wilson will be the guest speaker at the Meridian Exchange Club's Tuesday (November 11th) noon meeting. If you are an Exchange Club member, help David spread the word about Miss State by bringing a guest with you.
11/07/97 - I finally got to see Edward "Pig" Prather play last night. He is everything I have heard he is. Although he didn't run much, there were a couple of runs when he showed the tremendous talent he has. Considering he is only 6-1, 185-lbs, what really surprised me was how strong of a runner he is. I knew he was supposed to be fast and quick, which he was, but I didn't know he was also a strong runner. On a couple of plays it took three or four Smithville players to bring him down. He just would not quit. This guy plays both offense and defense and plays both with a lot of effort. He is most definitely one of the top two or three players I have seen this year. I know quite a few people have told me he should play defensive back in college. If he does, it will be a waste. He has the potential to be a great running back in college and I can understand why Miss State is recruiting him as a running back. BTW, I wasn't the only Bulldog there. None other than Coach Jackie Sherrill was at the game as well.
I'll post some info on several other players from Falkner (Toussainte Gaillard, Shino Edgeston) and Smithville (Willie Lopez, Matt Grier) tomorrow.
I'll be traveling to Philadelphia tonight to see the game between Philadelphia and Choctaw Central. Look for info on Philadelphia's Joe Rush and Choctaw Central's Ivan Billie.
11/06/97 - Here's the latest word on Luke Tucker (QB, 6-1, 185, 4.6, Fayette, Ala.). Luke, supposedly, is leaning to Miss State over Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss. He was 24 for 37 with 397 yards and 5 TD's against Pleasant Grove last Friday night. He has passed for over 1,900 yards with 19 TD's this year. His teammate, WR Sam Collins, also likes State but has not heard from them, according to my source.
My source also mentioned another Fayette, Ala., player that should be drawing more recruiting interest than he has so far: Bo Hughes a 6-4, 265, 5.0 DL/OL. My source wrote that Bo spends more time in the opposing team's backfield than their own players do. He compares Bo to U. of Alabama's Michael Moore.
11/06/97 - Here's what my Kansas source found in regard to El Dorado, Ks. Butler County CC, which is located in El Dorado, has several D-I prospects (the stats are through 9 games):
11/06/97 - John Pruett, Sports Editor for the HUNTSVILLE TIMES, wrote the following article which was the headlines for the sportspage on November 5. Thanks to one of my friends from Huntsville for sending this article.
On the other hand, you can't exactly ignore what happened. Sometimes, there's nothing more to do than admit the obvious.
"Their team and their coaches did a great job, and we got beat by some athletes that weren't as good as us," Bowden said. "I know it and their coaches know it, and that doesn't make me feel good."
Bowden said Mississippi State defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn was the clear winner in a game of one-upmanship.
"Joe Lee is elated right now," Bowden said. "For four years, he suffered at our hands at three different schools - Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State. But he beat us. He whipped us. He did some things I didn't think he'd ever do."
Such as?
"He made some dynamic decisions against us, things that were against his philosophy," Bowden said. "He played man coverage without a free safety, which allowed him to blitz one more person than he'd ever blitzed, which I couldn't block.
"And also, he'd drop a guy off into the crossing routes, so every pass route I had called, because it was a blitz, converted by slight adjustment to a takeoff, and my receivers were exhausted by the second quarter. It was a sad lesson for us. Unfortunately, it was a lesson I learned at Auburn's expense."
It was a lesson that dropped Auburn to 7-2 and into a three-way tie with Mississippi State and LSU in the race for the Southeastern Conference's West division title.
Mississippi State's defense not only blitzed Dameyune Craig to distraction but also suffocated Auburn's feeble attemps to run the football.
The Tigers finished with minus 3 yards on 20 rushing attempts.
11/05/97 - Miss State's David Wilson will be visiting Huntsville, Ala., Thursday night. The alumni meeting is at the Greenbriar restaurant beginning at 6 PM. Contact your local alumni association for additional info. Bulldog fans, go see this guy. He is a tremendous ambassador for Miss State.
11/04/97 - A reader from Indonesia read these headlines in the college football section of Singapore's International Herald Tribune: "Two Underdog Bulldogs Show Teeth - Georgia Chews up the Gators While Mississippi State Mauls Tigers." Too bad we aren't recruiting any players from that area. (:
11/04/97 - I have a friend who has been a Bulldog fan for over 50 years who would like a copy of the Miss State - Auburn game. Anybody able to help him out? Email me if you think you can. He is willing to pay for any expenses you might incur.
11/04/97 - 19th ranked Miss State will be playing Alabama at 11:30 on Jefferson Pilot.
11/04/97 - Miss State is primarily looking at players in Mississippi, Memphis, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and Alabama.
11/04/97 - According to one of the Texas A&M websites, Brian Gamble, a 6-4, 215-lb LB from Alto, Texas and a Texas A&M commitment, says he is still committed to TX A&M but he wants to check out Baylor, Oklahoma and Miss State. Bryan is considered one of the top 3 linebackers in Texas and has 4.55 speed.
11/04/97 - I noticed someone posted on one of the message boards that Derrick Shows, a running back from Little Rock, AR., may have committed to Miss State. According to my sources this isn't correct. The message also said Derrick is a SuperPrep bluechip player. I checked for his name in my pre-season SuperPrep magazine and there is no mention of a Derrick Shows. In fact, I looked in every recruiting publication I have and there is no mention of a Derrick Shows in any of them.
11/04/97 - Just received the latest newsletter from Pigskin Preps yesterday. Thought you would be interested in who they have leaning to Miss State:
Not sure how accurate this info is, but it's always fun to read recruiting newsletters. BTW, if you are interested in subscribing to Pigskin Preps, you can contact them at (205) 386-0460 or (205) 351-1500. This is one of the publications I subscribe to.
11/03/97 - For all of you who have emailed me asking how you determine who is declared the winner of a division if more than one team have the same records, click here.
11/03/97 - I read this Rick Cleveland article in Sunday's edition of The Clarion-Ledger's. Click here to go to it.
11/02/97 - Miss State is strongly looking at Aberdeen's very talented running back Billy Blanchard. Ole Miss and Alabama are two other teams that have shown interest. This guy is my number 1 sleeper prospect in Mississippi. He has size (6-1 1/2, 210) and speed (4.5 range).
11/01/97 - It has been confirmed: Kyle Wallace has committed to the Bulldogs. Congrats to our coaches on an outstanding job! Don't be surprised if another outstanding player commits soon. Haven't I been telling you guys that MSU was doing just fine recruiting-wise. Forget two years ago when Coach Sherrill was having to contend with the competition telling everyone that MSU was about to get hit hard by the NCAA. Coach Sherrill has proven it in the past and he is about to prove it again: He is one of the best when it comes to recruiting as well as one of the best on-the-field coaches in the country. I mean look at the man's record. So, Bulldog fans, enjoy the ride because MSU is about to have one bang-up great recruiting year.
11/01/97 - As I posted on the Bully Board, there is a very strong rumor that Simpson Academy's outstanding offensive lineman Kyle Wallace (6-7, 295) has committed to Miss State. If true, Miss State beat out Ole Miss (tried to convince him to commit to them right up to the last minute is what I hear), Southern Miss, LSU and Clemson. This is a big-time commitment for Miss State. The other schools, especially Ole Miss, desperately wanted Kyle.
Here are comments that I have read about Kyle.
11/01/97 - Yesterday I posted info about Dicenzo Miller, Robert Gillespie, and Reggie Myles. Well, it appears I had a bad day because I was completely wrong.
According to a source of mine, Dicenzo Miller has been to every one of Miss State's football games, along with his mother, and has the Bulldogs at the top of his list. The rumor that he wanted to commit to Ole Miss last Friday was just that, a rumor. There appears to be someone in Weir spreading this rumor and people are actual believing it, including my source. When I was given this info, it really didn't make sense (no one in their right mind would turn this kid down), but, because I felt my source knew what he was talking about, I trusted his info.
Robert Gillespie, contrary to what I posted yesterday (same source), very definitely has the Bulldogs high on his list. Think about it; he could have been at Ole Miss (biggest game in Tuberville's career at Ole Miss) or Southern Miss this past Saturday, but, instead, he chose to be at MSU. He is not enamored with LSU as I previously posted. He does know how much young running back talent they have at LSU and he does not want to sit on the bench for three years. A source of mine talked to him last weekend and found out quite a bit. Gillespie had been told Mississippi State was located in a "hick town," among other things, but once he visited, he found out it is a great place and he really enjoyed his visit. In fact, he said he loved it.
Reggie Myles is also very interested in MSU and may now be leaning their way, according to my source (he also talked to Reggie last Saturday).
I apology for posting incorrect info yesterday. I knew it was second-hand, but I felt it was correct.
11/01/97 - Here are other Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen players Miss State is doing well with:
11/01/97 - Other players MSU is leading on are Marco Minor, the outstanding Natchez HS WR, Choctaw Central HS's LB deluxe Ivan Billie and Alvin McKinley, the outstanding defensive lineman from Holmes CC.
11/01/97 - East MS CC's defensive lineman Todd Whitmore has been offered by Miss State, Baylor, Arkansas and Jacksonville State. Why Jacksonville State you ask? When he was a senior in high school that was where he wanted to go. They didn't offer. Now, since he has growned and made himself into such an outstanding player, they want him. There is a very good chance he will be a Bulldog come December.
