| 1996 | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1998 | Jan | Feb |
03/29/98 - Southeastern Recruiting Alliance's recruiting recap magazine is out. There is a lot of great info in it. Here is a tidbit to whet your appetitie:
Here is how MSU was rated in the conference, position by position:
Quarterbacks - 6th
Running Backs - 2nd
Wide Receivers - 4th
Tight Ends - None signed
Offensive Linemen - 7th
Defensive Linemen - 4th
Linebackers - 11th
Defensive Backs - 5th
BTW, did you know quarterback Brandon Butler runs a 11.0 in the 100 meters, 22.8 in the 200 meters, has a triple jump of 46 feet, and has tossed the javelin 148 feet? It appears that this young man is a very special athlete, folks.
If you would like to subscribe to SRI online, click here.
03/28/98 - Coach Sherrill will be speaking at Duggar Hall. Here is more info:
MSU Head Coach Jackie Sherrill
Q & A Session
Tuesday, March 31
7:30 p.m.
Duggar Hall (on the MSU Campus)
E-mail Demi Brown at dlb1@ra.msstare.edu or dlbrown98@hotmail.com for more info!
03/26/98 - I was emailed the question as to who were some walk-ons this spring. Someone emailed me last night about walk-on Reuben Burch. Rueben is a 5-9, 200-lb freshman from Montevallo, Ala. who is an excellent student majoring in engineering. He squats 550, benches 300+ and runs a 4.75-forty. Reuben narrowly missed out on making Irondawg. I'm not saying Reuben is going to be a star. That isn't the point of this post. The point is here is a kid who is an excellent student who just happens to love the game of football enough to walk-on and live his dream of playing college football. You have to admire kids like this, and, in my opinion, he deserves to receive attention. Good luck, Rueben.
03/25/98 - Former Bulldog Scott Gumina has made the Amsterdam Admirals' football team.
03/25/98 - The football scrimmage this Saturday is closed to the general public. Only invited football coaches and players will be allowed in. There will be people at the gates checking to make sure each person is on the pass list. And to answer your question, nope I'm not on the pass list.
03/24/98 - If you would like to see a very early football preview of the SEC West, click here.
03/24/98 - Here is the SuperPrep Magazine's Miss State recruiting recap:
Armed with a new contract extension, Bulldogs coach Jackie Sherrill grabbed hold of the state of Mississippi. In the last few years, Ole Miss' Tommy Tuberville had gotten the majority of the Magnolia State's top talent. This year, however, the Bulldogs grabbed three of the South's top RBs and got one of the country's top juco DB prospects.
Impact Players: RB Edward Prather, RB Dicenzo Miller, DE Conner Stephens, RB Justin Griffith, DB Robert Bean.
The Jewel: DT Alvin McKinley.
The Sleeper: WR Harold Lindsey.
Schools They Hurt The Most: Ole Miss, LSU, Southern Miss.
If you want to subscribe to one of the absolutely best national recruiting publications around, click here to go to a SuperPrep Magazine subscription form. I like it so much, I signed up for five years.
03/23/98 - Here is the Pigskin Preps' Miss State recruiting recap:
The 1997 football season saw the Bulldogs from Starkville have one of its best seasons under Jackie Sherrill and the coaching effort did not stop there. Sherrill and his staff wasted little time in turning the success on the field into success off the field. The result was a group of 'new bullies' that is unmatched during the Sherrill era. This class is balanced on both sides of the ball and talented at all positions. The week before signing day was kind to State as the likes of Conner Stephens, Dicenzo Miller, Kenny Sears and Marco Minor all chose to play for the Bulldogs. This is one to remember for Mississippi State fans.
Offensively, State signed a quarterback I think was born to play for Sherrill in Brandon Butler. Butler is not only a fine passer but has excellent running ability and 4.43 speed. Kelvin Love is another that may be more ready for this level now but make no mistake Butler is State's futrue. I think the one that surprised everyone was Dicenzo Miller. I felt he was as close to a lock for Ole Miss as you get but I was wrong. This totally shocked the Oxford staff and gave State a terrific tailback prospect. Juco Rod Gibson is resigned after two years at Mississippi Delta and will see a lot of time in the backfield next fall. State got a potential superstar in fullback Justin Griffith. He is a very strong runner who has piled up some very impressive prep numbers. Sherrill continued his trend of signing tall, speedy receivers with good hands with four very solid prospects. The best of the bunch is Marco Minor of Natchez. Visions of Eric Moulds appear when you watch Minor play. James White will be a familiar target for Butler once they team up and Harold Lindsey is a burner who needs to qualify. Darius Tubbs is a sleeper from a team that lost in the (Alabama) 6A finals. Up front Wes Shivers and Carl Hutchins are the star attractions. Center Kevin Sijansky comes from a good Texas program who has put some kids in division I and Wallace has the tools. C. J. Sirmones can really run for his size.
Defensively, the talent brought in on the defensive line and in the secondary is super. None is better than defensive end Conner Stephens of Ackerman. This kid's potential is scary and Sherrill won a tough recruiting battle over Alabama to get him. Juco Alvin McKinley will likely start from day one. He's that good. And State got a good one out of Montgomery in Kenny Sears. Kenny is a tackle prospect from one of the state's top 6A programs and has great potential. Mario Haggan is quite a player if he qualifies. Darius Brown and Nathan Jackson have their work cut out for them but don't count either of these guys out. Juco all-america corner Robert Bean leads an exceptional set of DB's. He liked Charlie Harbison a lot and was set to sign with Clemson but never got the offer from Alabama after Harbison's move. Free safety Pig Prather is blessed with ability and even could figure into the runningback picture if Dicenzo Miller wasn't part of this class. Those two guys make this class much better. Juco strong safety Ashley Cooper can play for about anyone and Shawn Byrdsong is a kid I like out of Texas. Ivan Billie and Bobby Pressley are very solid backers with speed who can help in Joe Lee's blitz package.
In case you can't tell, I like this class a lot. I think there are only a handful of players here who will not contribute fairly early. Not only is there talent in this class, but there's also some character. Hats off to Sherrill and his staff for a job very well done.
If you are interested in subscribing to Pigskin Preps, you can contact them at (256) 386-0460 or (256) 351-1500. The cost is $40 per year. You get an outstanding pre-season southern prospect reference guide, seven newsletters and a recruiting recap issue. I subscribe and highly recommend it.
03/22/98 - Here are a few observations from yesterday's practice/scrimmage:
03/21/98 - Don't forget to go to the football practice/scrimmage today (11:00 a.m. at Scott Field).
03/20/98 - According to Thursday's edition of The Clarion-Ledger, Miss State President Mack Portera was quoted as saying, "We've looked at it (playing USM) and talked to a substantial number of MSU supporters. We have a heated rivalry with Ole Miss and one with the University of Alabama. We don't need another one. I don't see how it adds to the relationship among the institutions." Portera went on to say Mississippi State is locked into eight SEC football games every year and has "very little flexibility" in its schedule.
Sure doesn't look like MSU and USM will be playing football against each other in the near future.
03/20/98 - Former Bulldog great John Bond will be the new football graduate assistant beginning in August. He will help Coach Amedee with the coaching of the quarterbacks.
03/19/98 - For all of you who will be attending the MSU football practice/scrimmage this Saturday, make it a point to watch the new guys: offensive lineman Wes Shivers, fullback Rod Gibson and defensive back Ashley Cooper. BTW, I heard at the baseball game that there was a lot of enthusiasm during yesterday's initial spring football practice. If you haven't made your plans on being at MSU this Saturday, get on the ball. Just consider this upcoming Saturday a mini-Super Bulldog Weekend.
03/18/98 - Did anybody else notice that The Clarion-Ledger's Top performers for the week of March 9-15 (boys category) was none other than MSU football signees Ivan Billie (2 tournament games: 49 pts, 32 rebs) and Edward Prather (31 pts in a win over Ingomar)? As they say, the cream rises to the top.
03/18/98 - Here is the schedule for the open-to-the-public Saturday practice/scrimmage which will be on Scott Field:
Not sure how to explain what the 15 drills are other than to say they will be more individual type things, i.e., defensive line against the offensive line, QBs and WRs against the LBs and DBs, etc. Should be a great chance to see individual players. Remember, the football team starts practice today, so they will be a little rusty this Saturday. Don't expect a lot of seasoned play from them; just enjoy getting the chance to see them play.
03/18/98 - WR Harold Lindsey has made a qualifying score and only needs to do well in several classes to be a fully qualified Bulldog next season. My source said Harold's chances are very good.
QB Brandon Butler and WR James White are within a whisker of qualifying. At this time, I am not sure about Justin Griffith. I have heard he has made the necessary ACT score and I have heard he hasn't. I'm checking on it and will let you know when I know the facts.
Other players in question are:
03/17/98 - There will be a tree memorial service on MSU's campus this Sunday for the late Keffer McGee:
Here are the details:
03/16/98 - According to a source of mine, Pascagoula HS senior-to-be defensive tackle Casey Gilbert (the 6th best player on my Top 30 Miss HS list) has a tentative list of five colleges he considers his favorites, although he hasn't ruled out any other colleges at this point: Florida State, Alabama, Miss State, LSU and Ole Miss. (Not sure of the order of preference, if any at this point).
03/15/98 - Led by MSU signees, Choctaw Central (Ivan Billie) and Falkner (Edward Prather) won the Mississippi HS basketball championships in their classifications.
03/12/98 - If you have ever wanted a chance to say thank you to a MSU football player for giving his all each game, here is your chance. Click here to say thank you to Bulldog great Wayne Jones, one of Miss State's all-time greatest running backs.
03/10/98 - Oops, my mistake. MSU football player Kevin Sluder runs a 4.65 forty, not a 4.75 as I said in yesterday's post.
03/10/98 - Bet you didn't know that MSU football signee Kevin Sijansky can bench press 450 pounds?
03/10/98 - Someone who knows MSU signee Ivan Billie said he is not only a great athlete, but is a bright and hardworking young man who is also a good kid. It is always nice to post this kind of info about a Bulldog when it is received from someone who actually knows the kid.
03/09/98 - David Wilson's email address is up and running once again. If you have info, please email it to him at his email address which is listed above.
03/09/98 - Did you know that defensive lineman Kevin Sluder, who weighs 275-lbs, runs a 4.75 forty yard dash?
03/09/98 - Just thought you guys would enjoy reading an email I received about MSU football signee Ivan Billie and his performance during a recent basketball game:
"Ivan Billie is one of the most dominating athletes I have seen. He is intense and concentrates on getting the job done. He appears very intelligent and scored 26 points. He not only out-rebounded everyone, he also had several dunks. He is a spectacular athlete and when he puts on 15 or 20 pounds may be an impact football player."
03/08/98 - Last spring, MSU strength coach Mike Grant started an athletic competition called the Irondawg. It consists of several events: Bench Press, Squat, Clean, Dips, Pull Ups, Vertical Jump and the 40-yard dash. Last spring there were 17 players who made Irondawg. This year, 39 players made Irondawg. This shows the determination our players are showing in an effort to improve individually and as a team. Improving your strength and athleticism will translate into improved play on the field and, hopefully, into victories.
Here is how the players did in several categories:
Bench Press (weight lifted - number of players who lifted this weight):
400+ Pounds - 9
350+ Pounds - 17
Squat:
500+ Pounds - 24
Vertical Jump:
30+ Inches - 40
This year, Mike added a special recognition (the Elite Irondawg) for individuals who achieved 100% on their lifts. Last year there was 1 player who achieved this; this year there were 7.
Here is the names of the players who achieved Irondawg this year:
Lorenzo Armstead
Taylor Bunch
Larry Campbell
Eugene Clinton
Ashley Cooper
Kevin Cooper
Eric Daniel
Anthony Derricks
Jamaal Dinkins
Gabe George
Rod Gibson
Lahita Grant
John Hatcher
Omar Henderson
John Hillard
Paul Hunter
Julio Izquirdo
John Jennings
James Johnson
Reggie Kelly
Rob Knight
Brian McDonald
Terrance McCaskey
Dennis McKinnley
Tim Nelson
Kevin Prentiss
Chris Rainey
Kendall Roberson
Barrin Simpson
Kevin Sluder
Ed Smith
Kenwoynne Smith
Lee Sykes
Shaon Taylor
Randy Thomas
Jonathan Towens
Jeff Walker
George White
Edward Yeates
03/07/98 - Get ready for a fun-filled day on March 21st when Miss State plays the Ole Miss Rebels in the second game of their 3-game SEC baseball series. Now, I'm sure you are asking what does this have to do with MSU baseball, Gene? My answer is it doesn't, but the 11:00 a.m. open-to-the-public football scrimmage/practice does. Get to MSU Friday night, go out and have some fun with your friends, then get up the next morning, go out and eat breakfast with other Bulldog fans, go to the football scrimmage/practice, then head on over to Polk-DeMent Stadium/Dudy Nobel Field and watch the Bulldogs rock the Rebels. I mean are we talking about a great day or what? Mark it down, folks, because this is like a Super Bulldog Saturday.
By the way, if you miss this football practice, there will be another open-to-the-public practice (no scrimmage) on April 2nd beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Check out my MSU Football Skuttle-Butt section tomorrow for the results of the IronDawg competition that ended Friday. You are going to be astonished at the improvement our football team has shown since strength coach Mike Grant has had them for a year now. BTW, if you see Mike at the baseball games, let him know how much you appreciate the work he has done for our football team. I'm sure he won't take much of the credit, but it would still be nice to show your appreciation.
03/06/98 - This weekend, I will be providing info on: the days spring football practice will be open to the public, the MSU Coaches Clinic, the MSU football camps and MSU events our football coaches will be at the next few days. Football season and recruiting may be over, but there is still a lot going on so stay tuned.
03/06/98 - Here is a list of MSU's high school football signees and their academic status:
Made a qualifying ACT score and will be eligible:
Dicenzo Miller
Edward Prather
Darius Tubbs
Carl Hutchins
Kevin Sijansky
Kyle Wallace
Nathan Jackson
Kenny Sears
Ivan Billie
Nick Floyd
Conner Stephens
Shawn Byrdsong
Very close on the necessary ACT score and should make it:
Brandon Butler
Justin Griffith (already a partial qualifier if he doesn't make his ACT)
James White
Made a qualifying ACT score, but still working on the necessary core GPA:
Mario Haggan
Have worked to do to qualify:
Harold Lindsey (has the necessary core but needs to work on his ACT score)
C. J. Sirmones
Julius Griffith
Marco Minor
As far as the Jucos are concerned, with the exception of Juco Robert Bean, all of them are fine. Robert has a lot of classwork to do, but will probably qualify.
03/04/98 - Here is what Southeastern Recruiting Alliance had to say about Miss State's recruiting class:
"Two years ago, we thought Mississippi State's class was not up to par with the SEC West. We were worried about their program and their probationary status. My how things have changed in the past years. We loved the Bulldogs class last season. We thought the Bulldogs had a chance to get back on track with stronger classes like last year. The MSU staff out-did themselves with this outstanding class. We were shocked at the success the Bulldogs had with this most recent class. It helps when you are winning on the field like the Bulldogs did in 1997, but this class was one of the best we have seen from the school in recent years."
If you are interested in subscribing to Southeastern Recruiting Alliance, you can contact them at 1-888-822-4772. They put out 10 big issues, 28 pages per issue. Absolutely great publication, folks. I subscribe to it.
03/03/98 - Former Bulldog Scott Gumina is reporting to Atlanta, Georgia this week for training camp. He will be playing for Amsterdam of the World Football League.
03/02/98 Thought all of you would be interested in the average weight of the scholarship players that are presently on the MSU football team:
03/02/98 - According to someone who talked to MSU signee Marco Minor recently, Marco said he will be attending MSU next year even if he doesn't qualify academically.
03/01/98 - What is maroon and white and weighs 22,836 pounds?
If you said the total weight of the Miss State football players that will be participating in spring drills, you were right.
Did you also know that while you were in the bed asleep at 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning, quite a few of the MSU football team members were participating in agility drills preparing for next year's football season. This is part of their off-season workout routine. Bet you didn't know that either.
03/01/98 - Two Miss State football signees continue to show what kind of athletes they are by doing well in basketball. Edward "Pig" Prather and Ivan Billie scored 29 points and 28 points for their repsective clubs Friday night. Both of their teams won by the way.