MSM JulyAugust 2009

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2 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

What a Debut...

LOS ANGELES - Brandon native Brent Leach throwing the final pitch for a strikeout on May 6 to complete the Dodgers’ 10-3 victory over the Nationals at Dodger Stadium. This win gave the Dodgers the modern-day Major League record of 13 home victories to start the season.  Photo by: Jon SooHoo Photography/Los Angeles Dodgers

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 3

Game. Set. Match.

OXFORD - With the Rebels up 3-2, freshman Devin Britton of Jackson, finished off a comeback win over LSU’s James Cluskey at No. 2 singles to clinch the win. Britton lost the first set 6-4, but came on strong in the second and third 6-1, 6-3 to clinch his second straight big match for the Rebels, after also clinching the SEC Tournament Championship. The win sent the Rebels to College Station, TX for the ‘Sweet 16’ of the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship.

Britton also became the first player in the history of the Ole Miss men’s tennis program to win an NCAA national championship in singles, coming back to beat Ohio State senior Steven Moneke 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 on May 25 at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center on the campus of Texas A&M. Photo by: Kevin Banes

4 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Blazing a trail...

JACKSON - Belhaven College pitcher and position player Craig Westcott took home the 2009 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy as the State’s best college baseball player. Westcott finished 2009 with an 11-4 record striking out 124 batters and allowing only 27 walks. He also was the Blazers’ leading batter hitting .343 with 65 RBI’s. Out of the 2009 Conerly, Howell and Ferris Awards, two of the winners were from Division 3 schools, showing that players from those schools can play with anyone.

Photo by: Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 5

Omaha Celebration!

HATTIESBURG - Over 1,000 fans showed up June 8 at Pete Taylor Park to welcome back the Southern Miss baseball team from their Gainsville Super Regional victory over the Florida Gators. This marked USM’s first Super Regional victory and first ever trip to Omaha and the College World Series. Players met with fans and signed autographs.

Photos by: Joe Bailey

Record Crowd...

OXFORD - Ole Miss’ College World Series dreams were dashed again, this time by the Virginia Cavaliers. On Saturday, June 6, the Rebels broke their single game attendance record with 10, 323 fans on hand for Game 2 of the Oxford Super Regional. James B. Justice of Oxford, kept the fans in left field happy with an assorted menu of great food from his grill. You can’t watch a game on an empty stomach.

Photo by: Greg Pevey - Mississippi Sports Magazine

MSM

FROM THE PUBLISHERS

Are you ready for some

football?

W Greg & Mendy Pevey Publishers

ith the temperatures rising and the days getting longer, that can only mean one thing here in Mississippi...IT’S GETTING CLOSER TO FOOTBALL SEASON! And man is there some excitement brewing for this one.

Ole Miss is coming off a six game winning streak including the dismantling of #8 Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl and is creating a huge buzz with the national media. Some experts think Jevan Snead will be better than some guy named Eli? In my opinion, I think that some of the praise for the Rebels is deserved, however being ranked as high as #5 (The Sporting News) in some pre-season polls may be stretching it a little too much. Sure they should be good, but I think they should be ranked somewhere between #12 and #15 to start the season. I’m sure that all the hype makes most Rebel fans nervous.

It’s a brand new day in Starkville as former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen replaces Sylvester Croom in hopes of pumping new life into a team who I think lost the “swagger” they once had under Jackie Sherrill. You hear all this talk about Mullen not having the talent he had at Florida, well if Mullen can make those players believe in themselves no telling what they can do. Their first challenge will come in week two when they travel down to the Plains of Alabama to meet another school with a new coach in Auburn. Can you imagine what a win there would do for the morale of the players and fans of MSU? Southern Miss will be coming off a win streak as well as they prepare for their 2009 campaign. With the return of All-Everything DeAndre Brown from a broken leg sustained in the New Orleans Bowl (yeah, I dare you to watch that video on YouTube) the sky is the limit for the Golden Eagles. We know they can score some points (they scored 70 on UAB in ‘09), but can the defense improve enough to stay out of a track meet in every game this season. USM also boasts a much improved home schedule this year which will include a first ever meeting against Alcorn and Virginia at “The Rock”.

Jackson State fans will be anticipating a faster start in ‘09 than the 2-6 run to start last season. Coach Comegy better the get the guys ready to play in September rather than mid-October. Nothing less than a SWAC championship on Lynch Street will be expected or the seat will start warming up a little for the 3rd year coach.

Speaking of the hot-seat, Willie Totten will be expected to turn things around this year as well. The Devils have not even sniffed a SWAC title since the days he was throwing passes to Jerry Rice.

Alcorn is bringing in a new coach with high expectations as well. Coach Earnest Collins, Jr. spent a few weeks in Minnesota this summer with the Vikings to try to pick up a few secrets from the NFL to throw at their opponents this season. Come on, the VIKINGS? Maybe he should have visited The Patriots or the Colts?

Millsaps looks to replace All-American QB Jaun Joseph (who is now in the CFL) in hopes to make another run at the D3 national title. Mike DuBose will get those kids ready to play. I will be curious to see if they light up the scoreboard in 2009 like they did last season.

MC also has plans of a D3 playoff run. Maybe they should just play touch during summer workouts to try and keep everyone healthy. The Choctaws lost several starters in the first two weeks of ‘08 to injury which pretty much dashed their conference title hopes. So far everyone should be 100% coming into August including QB Adam Shaffer.

Belhaven has introduced a new coach in former Blazer Joe Thrasher. Thrasher is glad to be back home at Belhaven and is looking to improve on the their 2-8 season from 2009.

There are many intriguing story lines for the upcoming season. We really just scratched the surface in this introduction. So flip through the pages of this special issue of MSM and get fired up about your team.

I hope everyone enjoys the ride!

Greg Pevey Publisher Philippians 4:13 12 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

CONTENTS

MSM

14 GODFREY’S TAKE The Godfrey Book Club - Summer 2009

16 YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? Chuck Stinson & Doug Colson give us their take on what is going on in the State of Mississippi

19 GUEST COMMENTARY Tailgating - Scott Jackson

20 Around the State News and notes of what’s happening in Mississippi

24 MC’s AL WINSLEY HURDLES TOWARD 2012 OLYMPICS Winsley’s injury kept him out of the 2008 Summer Olympic Trials, but he’s fighting back for his chance to perform in England.

26 BACK FOR MORE HCC’s Gene Murphy is back in charge of Eagle football.

30 FOOTBALL, FELLOWSHIP & FUN An inside look at the Jackson Touchdown Club

32 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? “Wonderful” Willie Richardson

35 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEWS 2009 looks to be one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory for many of Mississippi’s Colleges and Universities.

80 2009 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES & MORE 84 NOT A ONE MAN SHOW Inside the world of the NFL with Hattiesburgs’ James “Bus” Cook.

92 SPORTS BIZ:

CLARKSDALE’S SOUTHERN GAME CALLS Greg Hood is a master at his lathe and in the woods

94 MISSISSIPPI’S TOP 5 BASS FISHING SPOTS A look at Mississippi’s hot-beds for Bass

96 TIMEOUT WITH YOLANDA MOORE

90 Phillip

Wellman

Players will tell you that Phillip Wellman is as brutally honest as anyone. That is what they respect about him the most.

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

You will WIN if you don’t quit!

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 13

MSM

G O D F R E Y ’ S TA K E

Let your psycho fan out the wait is over It’s here, dear reader. Welcome to the 2009 college football season. © Imaging Services

By Steven Godfrey Featured Columnist

14 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

© MSU Media Realtions

T

hrough the wondrous technology of time travel, I’m speaking to you at this moment from exactly two months ago: the horrible month of June.

(Who says the print media isn’t advanced?).

June is the dreaded beginning of summer, the dog days, the bad days, the almost-therebut-not-yet days, when a college football fan finds himself parched in a seemingly endless desert of meaningless sports. While golf and the NBA saturate your airwaves the occasional mirage will appear – a replay of the 1998 Tennessee/Florida game on Fox Sports South – only to fade out of reality as cruelly as it first appeared in your pigskin-less Sahara of sport.

But alas! ‘Tis July! You’re no doubt fanning through these pages as a final refresher before the season kicks off in mere days! And this is the LAST season preview you’ll read, because after this there’s actual live football to played.

Besides, chances are you’re hard-core enough to already know every name at every position on your favorite team long before we MSM writers profiled your 2009 squad.

If you’re interested enough to read this, you already know everything we’re going to say That’s why I’m convinced that college football season previews are simultaneously the definition of frivolity but also a work of great importance.

How so? Because anyone willing to digest page after page of minutia about southern college football won’t learn a damn thing from this or any other publication. It’s the painful truth; We live in the instant information era, and the days of the offseason are spent with

© University of Southern Mississippi

online message board debates lasting hours and centering around the smallest details of our most favorite – and most loathed – schools. You knew who was starting, the toughest game on the schedule and the national consensus about your favorite team’s chances this fall long before you picked up our publication.

Hell, you could’ve written these articles!

The amazing (and occasionally alarming) thing about Mississippi college football fans is that everyone’s an expert. Chances are you’re preacher knows the three-deep at free safety and you’ve got a senile great aunt who can still differentiate man and zone coverage.

For a state that carries a national stereotype of ignorance and illiteracy, I’d pluck any average fan off the streets of Brandon, Biloxi or Byhalia with great confidence that they could pen their own team’s season preview and analysis with great insight.

Mississippi = stupid? Maybe, but not about the personnel needed to effectively run a 4-3, you stupid Yankee.

Maybe that kind of permeated mania is the exact reason why these season previews are so very wonderful and so very needed.

Face it – if you’ve read this far, you’re either a high school English teacher counting run-on sentences and splint infinitives or you’re one of my kind – the obsessive junkie.

There was a time earlier in my life when I was convinced that the annual glossy stock of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue was responsible for ushering me into manhood.

Many moons later I’m convinced that the journey wasn’t complete until I reserved the same kind of tingly anticipation for Phil

Steele’s telephone book-sized season preview every June. When a man locks himself in the guest bathroom in favor of 3,000 words about Ohio State’s performance in bowls over the wonders of Kathy Ireland’s two-piece, it’s a sad day.

Or a great one. Look, you don’t have to apologize to me or anyone else here, junkie.

We at MSM consider this 2009 preview issue a true labor of love because we couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Sure, you’ve spent seven hours a day planning your tailgate menu, scouring YouTube for montages of past highlights and calling strangers from other teams filthy names anonymously.

It’s ok – so have we.

Hi. My name’s Steven, and I’m a psychopathic college football fan: n I “caught a 24-hour flu” in the last week of May just to leave work early, go to Border’s and spend $32 on season preview magazines. n I once told my girlfriend that if Peria Jerry could stop LSU on a crucial third down play that I would offer her up to Mr. Jerry as a congratulatory gesture. (She laughed. I was not kidding.) n I have capitalized on a birth defect to smuggle airplane bottles of vodka into three different stadiums in the SEC. n I’ve spent four hours in the Mississippi sun to lay down 240 feet of extension cord for the sole purpose of watching sports on TV. In a tent. Outdoors. In September. On a college campus of which I am no longer enrolled in. n Six years ago I stole four “Property of Auburn University: DO NOT REMOVE” seat cushions from Jordan-Hare Stadium as a “payback” over what I interpreted to be poor officiating, despite my alma mater winning the game. (In retrospect, my logic still seems sound.) n I spend so much time critiquing the color scheme of athletic uniforms with strange men on the Internet that several family members have begun to question my sexuality. I don’t really care – shoulder half-stripes are still as slutty as polyester.

Do not take this magazine as a simple collage of facts or a guide to a subject so close to your soul that you could preach about. No – take this is a safe-haven, a place to spend your remaining offseason moments before the cacophony of shoulder pads, portable grills, fight songs and socializing overtake you well into the holiday season.

We’re not here to give you the news, we’re here to gather with you one last time, as we all review our notes, make our predictions and embrace the season. Savor every minute of it, football fan. Unfortunately, I’m still stuck in June. - MSM Steven Godfrey is a freelance writer and publicist based in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit him online at www.thegodfreyshow.com

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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 15

MSM

Y O U K N O W W H AT I ’ M S AY I N G ?

Will Dan be “The Man?”

Y

ou’ve seen the T-shirts. They say it all for the Maroon and White faithful.

Dan is the Man. State fans hope that Dan Mullen is just that. Well, he is THEIR man. But can he be THE man in

the SEC? That’s a question that we won’t know the answer to for at least a few months maybe even a couple of years.

Mullen’s task is daunting. The roster of SEC coaches reads like a Who’s Who of coaches. Future Hall of Fame coaches to be exact. Meyer (FL), Saban (AL), Miles (LSU), Spurrier (SC), Richt (GA), Petrino (AR).

These coaches are paid big money to trample your guts out every chance they get to do so.

By Chuck Stinson

Also in their favor, their budgets are larger than that of some small countries.

Co-Host of Mississippi Sports this Morning, 620AM Jackson

Even Houston Nutt at rival Ole Miss is causing a stir with a potentially loaded Rebel team this year.

Vanderbilt and Kentucky are no pushovers. Lane Kiffin, buffoon that he is, could even get Tennessee back into championship shape if he doesn’t trip over his own tongue first. Auburn, well....who knows about that situation just yet. Gene Chizik? Really?

So that brings us back to the daunting task. Down right scary if you ask most. Look at the week in and week out of the SEC. Imagine being on the other side of that all star line up of coaches and teams every week and some might not take the challenge of the MSU job. And if they did they would fail miserably.

But Mullen has strapped on his boots and he has gone to work. It’s clear he’s ready to scale Mount SEC. Or at least make the effort to. I’m not sure how high he will get in his first go round or during his tenure for that matter but he seems up to the challenge. Smiling and positive he’s talking the talk.

Now, most new coaches do talk the talk but in the SEC it’s hard to walk the walk. His ten years with Urban Meyer suggest he knows a lot about winning. In fact, I don’t know that he knows much about losing.

That said, Mississippi State is not Florida and he doesn’t have the pick of the litter when it comes to five star recruits. Nor does he have Superman Tim Tebow running his attack. But a high paced offense with multiple athletes scattered all over the field is the best way to level a playing field against juggernauts. Keep ‘em off balance and keep hittin’ ‘em in the mouth.

Mullen brings that style to Starkville.

That means excitement. Something that was missing the last few years. State fans will feel like they have a shot if the offense shows life. Something that was also missing over most of the past eight seasons.

Now losing 42-41 is still losing and eventually that would wear thin with the fans. So the question is, does he bring a defense to the field week in and week out that will be competitive? If he does and brings the type of offense to Scott Field he is expected to, that will be the key to his success in a place that is, truthfully, hard to be successful.

And if he does that, he will definitely be a man in a conference full of them. - MSM

16 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Y O U K N O W W H AT I ’ M S AY I N G ?

MSM

Dog Day Afternoon

A

By Doug Colson Co-Host of Mississippi Sports this Morning, 620AM Jackson

s I’m watching Corky Palmer and his Golden Eagles improbable College World Series run come to an end, I become panic stricken. Paralyzed with fear one thought fills my feeble mind. How do we fill the time? While most people enjoy the summer by spending lazy days at the beach or attending endless backyard BBQ’s, the sports talk show host is ruled by the profuse amounts of time he needs to fill660 minutes per week. You try to avoid the urge to jump headlong into college football, but soon you find out resistance is futile. I jump in feet first realizing as I’m writing this we have not even officially started summer yet, but I am attracted by early match-ups between two of Mississippi’s SWAC three and two of the Magnolia states big three.

When Alcorn State visits the Rock to take on Southern Miss and Jackson State sojourns their way to Starkville to take on Mississippi State September 5th, it will double the number of times Mississippi’s SWAC teams have faced off against two of the States D-1 teams. The two previous affairs featured Jackson State traveling to USM. The first game in 1987 was dubbed the Black and Blue Bowl and lived up to all of the pre-game hype. The game was scoreless until USM James Henry returned a punt 73 yards late in the 3rd quarter. USM would eventually win the game 17-7, but JSU which boasted the top defense in 1-AA shut down USM’s offense earning the respect of the Golden Eagles and fans alike. Many USM players said after the game that the Tigers D was the best they had seen all year. 15 years would pass before the two teams would meet again. JSU would enter the game possessing a potent passing attack, but QB Robert Kent was under heavy pressure from the Nasty Bunch and abysmal special teams led to a 55-7 drubbing. Standing on the sideline that day, it was apparent the talent level between these teams had widened greatly. In the 22 years that have passed since the Black and Blue Bowl, the landscape of college football has changed dramatically.

The emergence of cable and satellite television has led to monster television contracts. Expansion of the number of bowl games and payouts has also infused cash. Allowing FBS (D-1) schools to build facilities that rival NFL franchises. The Southwestern Athletic Conference has not helped its own cause either by the scheduling of the Bayou Classic allowing exclusion of conference member’s inclusion in the FCS (1-AA) playoffs. In years past the SWAC would get their fair share of recruits and a few top-notch players who would slip through the cracks, but today’s player wants to be on T.V. every week and play in the bowl game that will give him the best parting gifts. Leaving the SWAC to choose players who have already been picked over.

Moving to Mississippi 13 years ago, I am sometimes saddened that I missed the glory days of the SWAC. I love hearing stories of the great Walter Payton’s famed workouts at Memorial Stadium, how it was packed to the gills when Willie Totten and Jerry Rice were the stars of Archie Cooley’s passing attack, or the rare combination of power and grace displayed by Steve “Air” McNair down on the reservation. When the calendar rolls around to September 5th, there will be no losers that day. Southern Miss and Mississippi State will most likely cruise to easy victories and have their stadiums filled with many more fans than their typical games with a FCS opponent. Jackson State and Alcorn State will walk away with big fat checks and new fans of the “Sonic Boom of the South” and “Sounds of Dyno-mite” marching bands. Remember 40 years ago it was inconceivable these teams would ever meet on the field, and 22 years ago The Black and Blue Bowl was just as important off the field for what it meant for race relations in the state. We will all win in 2009 because these games will be viewed as just another FCS sacrifice at the alter of the almighty FBS… Progress has certainly been made. - MSM

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 17

Q&A MSM

Q & A

Jerious Norwood

Atlanta Falcons, Miss. State, Brandon High School The Brandon native and former Mississippi State All-SEC running back recently sat down for this up close 1-on-1 interview about the upcoming season and whether or not his Falcons are Super Bowl contenders.

Interview by James O. Covington

James Covington: Let’s see in a word how good was last year for you and the Dirty Birds?

Jerious Norwood: Great! But this year will be better.

JC: What are your goals this season?

JN: This is my contract year, so I’m going out there grinding every time I touch the ball, Ha. As a team, we want to make the playoffs, win the division, and go to the Super Bowl.

JC: You in the Super Bowl, now that would be a sight.

JN: Yes it would, James.

That’s my ultimate goal.

Gotta get there.

That’s the biggest stage of them all.

JC: Your football camp is coming up (July 11), it’s always one of the best in the Southeast.

JN: Every year we try to make it better than the last.

We have a golf tournament the day before and then the camp. Its free to the kids. Its at Brandon High School.

JC: Brandon High School, oh the memories you made there?

JN: (Laughing) Yeah I made some.

Some good ones! That’s why I love coming back home and giving back.

These kids mean a lot, and helping them learn more about the game of football is special to me.

JC: Some say you’re the best high school football player in Mississippi history. Your senior year you rushed for 2,152 yards and scored 35 touchdowns. And then you topped that off by rushing for 367 yards in a Class 5A playoff game. That’s pretty salty.

JN: Salty! Ha. Yeah I did what I had to do for us to win. It was good memories. I enjoyed high school.

JC: Have you met new Mississippi State coach 18 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Dan Mullen yet?

JN: Yeah I met him at a racing event at Talladega Speedway in April. He seemed like a good guy, we talked a bit. I know he’s eager to get started at Mississippi State.

JC: Yeah eager to get started might be an understatement, I know you’ve been busy this off season?

JN: Between Jackson and Atlanta I’m always doing something, whether its working out in Atlanta or being with family and friends back in Jackson.

JC: Your foundation, it takes children on outdoor adventures and such?

JN: Yeah its something I do for them. It’s a fun experience for everyone involved. I just got back from a fishing trip.

JC: You catch anything?

JN: Yeah I caught a few.

JC: Is there anything you can’t catch?

JN: (Laughing). You know I try. When the ball is thrown my way I do what I do.

JC: Okay lets clear the air about this 40-yard dash. What’s the fastest you’ve ever run it?

JN: I ran a 4.33 at the NFL combine in 2006. I’ve touched the 4.2’s before.

JC: That’s pretty quick, think you could take me head up?

JN: I don’t know, you might get me James (Laughing).

JC: I’m fast now. But I might need a head start.

JN: You just say go when you’re ready and I’ll catch up. - MSM

Volume 2, Issue 1 July/Agust 2009

Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC Publishers Greg & Mendy Pevey Layout Greg Pevey Columnists Doug Colson, Steven Godfrey, Scott Jackson, Yolanda Moore, Chuck Stinson, Contributing Writers William Bright, Jr., Chris Brooks, James O. Covington, Cary Estes, Steven Godfrey, Paul Jones, Andy Kanengiser, Kevin Maloney, Donel Maxie, Kirk McDonnell, Nash Nunnery, Wesley Peterson, John E. Phillips, Andy Ross, LaToya Shields Contributing Photographers Atlanta Falcons, Kevin Banes, Jams Cistrunk, Greg Pevey, John E. Phillips, Kevin Robinson, Jon Soohoo, Sports Information offices at: Ole Miss, Miss. State, Southern Miss, Jackson State, Alcorn State, Miss. Valley State, Mississippi College, Belhaven College, Elwin Williams Photography Advertising Sales Greg Pevey, Jay Pevey, Mendy Pevey Mississippi Sports Magazine is published bi-monthly

by Pevey Publishing, LLC to promote Mississippi’s sportsmen and women, colleges, universities, high schools, communities and citizens in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter.

Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited!

Return envelopes and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Mississippi Sports Magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Pevey Publishing, LLC is not affiliated with any institution, college, university, or other academic or athletic organization.

Subscriptions are $24 (1 year, 6 issues). Make checks payable to Pevey Publishing, LLC and mail to: 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, MS 39047 or subscribe online at www.mssportsmagazine.com.

PUBLISHING

Pevey Publishing, LLC Mississippi Sports Magazine 405 Knights Cove West • Brandon, MS 39047 PUBLISHING Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885 email: publisher@mssportsmagazine.com www.mssportsmagazine.com

TA I L G AT I N G

MSM

Tailgating tips that work with the Temps

W

By SCOTT JACKSON Managing Partner of Colony Wine Market, Madison, MS Scott Jackson is the only certified sommelier in the wine retail business in Mississippi.

Over the last fifteen years he has been a restaurant manager, casino wine buyer, a wine broker, and a wine educator. He has consulted with restaurants and resorts throughout the southeast and Carribean and has had the opportunity to work with celebrity chefs and wine makers on numerous occasions. He has been recognized by Wine Spectator magazine seven times for his wine programs. He and his family reside in Madison County.

ell folks, what is quite possibly the most anticipated college football season in quite some time is almost upon us! Down on Hardy Street the Golden Eagles look to follow up a successful 2008 with bigger and better things in year two of the Fedora era. Bulldog fans are surely trying to erase the memories of last year’s Egg Bowl debacle and are hoping Dan Mullen can bring some Gator magic to Starkville. And under the shady oaks of the Grove, I suspect Rebel fans will be dreaming of BCS scenarios while secretly praying the Rebels don’t buckle under the pressure of the highest expectations in forty years.

If rabid Magnolia state football fans expect the best from their teams, they better be well prepared to put on the best tailgate they can. After all, it’s the total experience that makes college football the most beloved of all sporting events in these parts. In Mississippi we are blessed with great weather (not counting September) and the most beautiful women in the world! All that’s left is for our teams and our fans to succeed at their roles.

So let’s get started by looking at some great tailgating food and drink ideas for this upcoming season!

For me, there might as well be two football seasons every year when it comes to what I will eat and drink at my tailgate. First, there’s the hot weekends of late August and September when it pays to keep the fare on the lighter side. I love chilled, fresh dips, cold beer, chilled cocktails and crisp white wine to beat the football heat.

Let’s start out like every Saturday should start out – with a Bloody Mary. Everyone knows how to make them, so I will just recommend a couple of my favorite mixers to make things easy. Zing Zang might be the perfect mixer because you really don’t have to add anything but vodka to get the classic Bloody Mary.

But, the Oxford Falls company, which ironically is in Starkville, makes three of the best Bloody Mary mixers you’ll ever try, York Harbor made with lobster and wasabi, Wake Up Crabby made with shrimp and crab, and their traditional mix called Bootleg. These mixers are hard to find, but well worth the search. Contact them at www.oxfordstuff.com.

Once you’re done with your bloody mary, a good hot weather spirit rouser I have enjoyed many times pre-game is the Yukka cocktail. Just take a gallon jug and squeeze in eight lemons, eight limes, a half gallon of good vodka, a cup of sugar, and ice to fill. The recipe says to shake it for twenty minutes and so it is that taking turns shaking the Yukka at the tailgate is a pre-game ritual. Warning: this stuff is dangerous as it tastes like lemon-lime aid with no alcohol in it.

One of my favorite hot-weather dishes is the Caribbean classic ceviche, a salsa made of fresh seafood, lemons, limes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro. The key to this dish is fresh ingredients. Simply

chop up all the ingredients except the lemon and lime and put them in a large bowl. Next, squeeze the lemons and limes over the salsa and add a pinch or two of salt. The seafood, which can be shrimp, scallops, lobster, conch, or fish goes into the salsa raw and with a few hours of marinating in the refrigerator, is cooked by the citric acid in the lemons and limes. Serve it with tortilla chips and a cold Pilsner, Hefeweisen, or Belgian ale if you want beer or with Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling if you are a wino. You can vary the recipe by adding mango or cucumber. Remember, however to keep the bowl of ceviche on ice for best results.

If you want to keep it light and still enjoy some grilled red meat you should try these steak soft tacos. Start with a flank steak. Season with sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder and grill about three or four minutes on each side making a quarter turn halfway through each time. Take it off before it gets too firm to the touch to ensure that it is a nice hot pink medium on the inside. Slice the steak into thin strips and put it aside. Grill your favorite peppers and onions, julienne them and toss them together with the steak. Serve on a flour tortilla with fresh guacamole, salsa, and cilantro.

Enjoy your steak tacos with your favorite ale, dry rosé or Pinot Noir.

When late October arrives, it brings with it speculation of championships, bowl games, and chilly weather. And my food and beverage choices tend to change with the temperatures. Of course, bourbon and football go together like Fred and Ginger here in the south and everyone has their preferred way to take it. I like mine with ice. But, on one particularly cold Saturday about 15 years ago, I took my bourbon with coffee, by necessity.

This fall I’m betting that you will see the return of one of the all-time great cocktails, the Manhattan. This drink is making a career comeback in a big way in 2009. To make a Manhattan, combine 2 ½ ounces of rye whiskey, ¾ ounce of sweet vermouth, and 2-3dashes of bitters. Stir gently over ice and garnish with a cherry and an orange twist. Rye whiskey is gaining in popularity these days and one of my favorites is Sazerac’s Straight Rye. If you must, you may substitute bourbon for a Bourbon Manhattan. For an easier way to make a Manhattan, try Stirrings’ Manhattan drink mixer.

And to heat up the cold Saturdays, try this spicy Jerk rub on some chicken wings. Combine one teaspoon each of dry mustard, paprika, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, and turmeric with two tablespoons of sea salt, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper, and a pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Grind some peppercorn over the top and grill for some tailgate heat. - MSM For more information on tailgating ideas, please contact me at colonywinemarket@gmail.com.

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 19

MSM

A R O U N D T H E S TAT E

Rise to the Majors A look at the time-table of Brent Leach and his journey to “the Show”

By James O. Covington Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

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n the March/April 2009 issue of MSM we ran a story about Brent and Brian Leach. Two brothers and Brandon High School graduates who had a dream to make the 40-man rosters for the L.A. Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Brent has reached his dream by being called up to “The Show” and has been a regular relief pitcher for the Dodgers this season. We broke down the past few months of Brents journey to look at what he did to make the team and what how the “ride of his life” has gone since.

November 2008 Brent Leach is notified that he will be placed on the Los Angeles Dodgers 40-man roster. He is also named one of the premier left-handed pitchers in the Dodgers Minor League organization by several web-sites.

February 2009 After going through weeks of training, Leach, a devout Christian, takes a break from his workout and spends a day at Franklin County High School in Meadville teaching kids the concepts of the game of baseball and life. He and his brother Brian (a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league farm system) hold the 1st annual Leach Brother’s Baseball Camp in Brookhaven a week later.

March 2009 Brent begins Spring Training in Vero Beach. The Dodgers like him but send him to minor league camp at the end of the month with his name high on their call list. Leach reports to Double-A Chattanooga of the Southern League.

April 2009 Making back to back appearances against the Mississippi Braves in Pearl, Leach records four strikeouts out of six batters faced in relief. His elusive fast ball tops off at 95mph on the radar screens of Trustmark Park. Leach strikes out Braves top prospect Gorkys Hernandez, who Atlanta later trades to Pittsburgh in a 4-player deal.

May 1, 2009 After a 3-strikeout performance to earn his second save of the season, Leach gets the call every baseball player dreams of. He’s off to L.A. and has finally become a member of the Dodgers.

May 6, 2009 Leach sees his first action as a major leaguer, working the top of the 9th inning in a 10-3 win over the Washington Nationals. He strikes out one, and retires the other batters on grounders. For his performance Dodgers teammates award Leach with a shaving cream pie in the face.

20 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Leach, left, congratulates catcher Russell Martin after the last out against the Washington Nationals in a baseball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, May 6, 2009. The Dodgers won 10-3. (AP Photo/Lori Shepler)

May 20, 2009 The biggest win of Leach’s life came at a SportsCenter moment. Before the game, Leach and a teammate are forced to wear butterfly wings as part of the Dodgers rookie hazing. Leach, always modest takes it all in stride and comes up big when his team needs him later on. Facing the New York Mets and working the top of the ninth with two men on, Leach gets out of a jam and makes ESPN’s SportsCenter with his first win as a professional.

June 1, 2009 Recording two strikeouts against three batters faced, Leach makes ESPN Baseball Tonight by making Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star outfielder Chris Young look silly with a slider that put a deer in the headlights look into Young’s eyes. The pitch is called wicked by many baseball writers and keeps Leach and the Dodgers in first place of the National League West.

June 16. 2009 Always smiling, Leach and his Dodgers remain in first place. The Dodgers will get the services of All-Star hitter Manny Ramirez back in July and will go into the All-Star break as one of the top teams in the Major Leagues.

The second half of the season should be fun for Leach, as the Dodgers make another World Series push.

June 17, 2009 Leach collects his second win of the season against the Oakland A’s. MSM

A R O U N D T H E S TAT E

Cellular South Gameplan scores touchdown for Mississippi’s Dandy Dozen Mississippi’s Top 12 Student Athletes Make History by Meeting NCAA Requirements; Dozen’s Success Attributed to Cellular South Gameplan Educational Program

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ellular South, a leader in wireless solutions and innovation and the nation’s largest privately held wireless communications provider, announced today that the Cellular South Gameplan program and the state of Mississippi has reached a historical milestone – all 12 of the state’s top football prospects met initial NCAA requirements for the first time and will be attending college next fall.

“This is a proud moment for Cellular South and the state of Mississippi,” said Orien Watson, sports marketing manager for Cellular South. “The success of the Dandy Dozen and the hundreds of junior high and high school student athletes benefiting from the Cellular South Gameplan proves that early intervention, academic collaboration, personal accountability and community dedication can improve lives and change the tide for academics in Mississippi.”

The Cellular South Gameplan has helped more than 35 of Mississippi’s most promising athletes of 2009 meet NCAA Division 1 core course requirements, which includes the 2009 Dandy Dozen, who all qualified and will begin collegiate training this summer. These promising young athletes include: Chad Bumphis, Tupelo High School (MSU); Tyler Russell, Meridian High School (MSU); Pat Patterson, Noxubee High School (Ole Miss); Fletcher Cox, Yazoo City High School (MSU); Josh Boyd, Philadelphia High School (MSU); Kendrick Hardy, Lawrence County High School (USM); Cameron Lawrence, Magnolia Heights School (MSU); David Conner, South Panola High School (UAB); Clayton Moore, Louisville High School (Ole Miss); Chris Garrett, Tupelo High School (LSU) State education and athletic association officials praised Cellular South for its trailblazing statewide education initiative.

“Mississippi loses millions of dollars each year because too few of our high school students graduate and go on to college,” said Dr. Hank Bounds, Mississippi State Superintendent of Education. “Cellular South’s Gameplan is not only educating high school student-athletes about the NCAA requirements, but also establishing a solid foundation for developing personal strength and character by encouraging students to continue their education.”

Before the Gameplan program was launched in 2007 in partnership with the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) and the Mississippi Department of Education, less than half of the Dandy Dozen football players qualified for admission to colleges, according to Dr. Ennis Proctor, executive director of the MHSAA. “Through the hard work of Cellular South and the cooperation of member schools of MHSAA, every member of the 2009 Dandy Dozen has met NCCA requirements for admission to a four-year college or university,” Proctor said, noting that thousands of other students also have benefitted from the program.

Procter said MHSAA and member schools expect to see more good results from the program in the near future. “This is a unique and comprehensive program because it helps build character and leadership as well as academic skills,” he added. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Cellular South in helping our students achieve their goals.”

For more information about the Cellular South Gameplan, call (601) 974-7706 or visit www.cellularsouthgameplan.com or www.cellularsouth. com. - MSM

MSM

Tennis Brings Tourists to State

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or the first time ever, Mississippi will host a United States Tennis Association (USTA) Sectional Championship. Mississippi’s selection as the host for the 2009 and 2010 championship tournaments has created lots of excitement within the state’s tennis and business communities. USTA league tennis is the world’s largest recreational tennis league with over 100,000 players in its Southern Section, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

After winning at the state level, players on teams representing each of those states advance to the annual sectional championship.

Approximately 1,000 players from these southern states compete each year in the Southern Section’s Mixed Doubles Championship.

The Tri-County Community Tennis Association (CTA), a nonprofit organization promoting tennis at the local level in Hinds, Madison and Rankin Counties, agreed to act as the local host organization for the championships. CTA President Teresa Tiller says “Our officers and board of directors are very excited about this great opportunity to promote our community, and we are looking forward to the positive economic impact that it will bring to Mississippi.”

In hosting the championship, the CTA has the full support of the leadership of USTA Mississippi, the statewide tennis association.

Current USTA Mississippi President Huey Townsend of Belzoni says “I am thrilled that some of the best tennis players in the south will be coming to Mississippi and will be able to see what Mississippi has to offer to tennis players, to businesses and to tourists.” Louis Peters of Ocean Springs, the association’s incoming president in January 2009, adds “It’s great that USTA Southern Section selected Mississippi to host the next two year’s sectionals. I am certain that the participants will enjoy quality tennis venues as well as great restaurants, shopping and entertainment that the Jackson area has to offer.” Both Townsend and Peters played important roles in securing the bid for this championship to be held in Mississippi.

The USTA Southern Section sent a delegation to Mississippi in August for a preliminary two-day site visit. Individual members of the local board entertained the delegation, making the USTA aware of Mississippi’s many assets as a venue for championship events. Board members were assisted by Christine Blackmon-McInnis and Floyd Williams of the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with Jim Petersen of the Ridgeland Tourism Commission. Both the bureau and the commission provided financial and other support during the site visit.

For the next two years, the championship is set for October 16-18, 2009, and October 15-17, 2010, with matches scheduled at Ridgeland Tennis Center, Parham Bridges Tennis Center, and River Hills Club.

The economic impact of hosting the championships will translate into nearly 1,500 players and guests visiting Mississippi for 4-6 days in each of those years. Local hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and other retail establishments will definitely benefit from this. Businesses and others interested in sponsorships and marketing opportunities associated with the tournaments may contact the CTA Marketing Coordinator, Gina Mashburn, at www.tri-countycta.com. - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 21

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2 0 0 9 C E L L U L A R S O U T H F E R R I S S AWA R D

Belhavens’ Craig Westcott Wins 2009 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy

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elhaven senior pitcher Craig Westcott was named the winner of 2009 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy awarded each year to Mississippi’s top college baseball player as determined by Major League scouts, college coaches and a media representative. Westcott was presented with the award on May 18 in a ceremony at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

Westcott, a native of Chalmette, LA, finished the 2009 season with an 11-4 record and an ERA of 3.29. Westcott struck out 124 batters, which is a new Belhaven record for most strikeouts in a season. He also has seven complete games, five shutouts, two no hitters and held opposing hitters to a .199 batting average. Westcott surrendered only 27 walks in 90.1 innings of work this season. Offensively, Westcott led the team with a .343 batting average and 65 RBI’s. Westcott was second on the team in home runs with 11 and paced the Blazers’ with a .618 slugging percentage.

The other two finalists were RHP Scott Bittle from Ole Miss and infielder Brian Dozier from Southern Mississippi. Bittle was the 2008 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy recipient and has a 5-2 record with three saves and a 2.17 ERA in 2009. Dozier is hitting .394 for the Golden Eagles with 13 doubles and 39 RBI’s.

The award is named after Boston Red Sox and Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer Dave “Boo” Ferriss. For information about the Hall of Fame, contact the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum at 1-800-280-FAME (3263).

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Left to Right: Nick Crutcher, President of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Craig Westcott, Coach David “Boo” Ferris, Jim RIchmond, Director of Corporate Communications Cellular South.

BELHAVEN COLLEGE

Our Standard for Victory is Christ THE 2009 GCAC CHAMPION BLAZERS know choosing a college is an important decision, especially to those of you looking for a place where each day strengthens more than just the mind; where winning is more than a game.

At Belhaven College, we have a high standard for victory – on the field and off – Our Standard is Christ!

CRAIG WESTCOTT, Pitcher/Infield Cellular South Ferriss Trophy Winner

Visit www.belhaven.edu Discover more. Call 1.800.960.5940 to experience the campus today.

O U R S TA N D A R D I S C H R I S T

Mississippi Mississippi Sports Sports Magazine Magazine -- 23 17

MSM

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Mississippi College track star Al Winsley jumping hurdles for 2012 Olympic Dream Photo Courtesy Mississippi College

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l Winsley’s dream of winning gold a journey the 23-year-old from Brandon

By Andy Kanengiser is It’s medals at the 2008 Olympics in China capable of making with his determination, University News Coordinator sadly got sidetracked due to a rigorous work ethic and, most of all, with God’s Mississippi College hamstring injury. Now the Mississippi help. Before every meet, Winsley turns off the College track star is healthy and focused on representing the United music on his headphones. He quietly prays and talks to the Lord before States in the London games in 2012. Bringing back the gold to his he jumps. native Mississippi is his mission.

The MC senior kinesiology major leaned on his strong faith after a With his determination to succeed on the world’s stage, expect shouts hamstring injury kept him away from competing at the U.S. Olympic of “Cmon Al!!’’ to be heard in England, as they are at the MC track in trials leading up to the 2008 games in Beijing, China. “Everything Clinton, Mississippi, in a few years. There will be 7.7 million tickets on happens for a reason,’’ Winsley said. “I like to compete - that was sale for the Olympic games starting in 2011. And there’s good reason disappointing,’’ he said of his setback in March 2008.The injury to believe the MC standout will have scores of supporters in the stands occurred just minutes after a performance at a meet at Sewanee was when the games begin. There are more than 1,100 days until the games good enough to ensure he was qualified for the long jump in the 2008 run from July 27- Aug. 12, 2012 at the Olympic Stadium.

Olympic trials. He qualified for the Olympic trials with a high jump of

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7’ 2.5 inches.

But he didn’t quit after that injury. He stayed in the gym, worked out, practiced with his teammates and swam laps to get ready to compete again. “The day I pulled the hamstring, I jumped the next weekend, but I was hurting so bas. I couldn’t jump like I wanted to.’’

Al Winsley isn’t used to being second best in anything, whether it is on the track or playing the piano at Mt. Helm Baptist Church at worship services in Flowood every Sunday. The Brandon High graduate and former Hinds Community College student gets his inspiration by reading Bible verses, listening to the televised sermons of pastor T.D. Jakes and always taking his grandfather’s sage advice.

He’s already accomplished much in his life.

In 2009, Winsley was the American Southwest Conference champion in the high jump, triple jump and 110 hurdles. He’s qualified for the 2009 U.S. Track and Field Championship at the University of Oregon. In 2008, he was the 2008 Division III National Field Athlete of the Year after winning the same honor in 2007. At Brandon High, he was the two-time state triple jump champion. He was a pretty good basketball player at Brandon High, a shooting guard who averaged ten points per game.

But there’s much more the former YMCA lifeguard wants to do in life, including a coaching career when he gets too old to jump.

The former Brandon High track phenom is hoping to follow in the footsteps of 1979 Mississippi College graduate Larry Myricks, who competed for the U.S. Track & Field Team at the Olympics in 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988.

Myricks won the bronze for the long jump in the 1988 games. Myricks, who performed under track coach Joe Walker, earned a business degree at MC. To sum up Winsley’s life, he’s a very humble guy who loves the Lord just as much as he loves to compete on a track. The unassuming fellow from Rankin County turns into superman on the track with a competitive zeal that is amazing to see at meets from the Clinton campus to colleges all over the USA. No matter where he goes, the Magnolia State follows. “I’m proud to be from Mississippi,’’ Al says. “The Hospitality State is one big family.’’

While some of his hoops favorites like Kobie Bryant of the L.A. Lakers and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers are far better known, they all share Winsley’s intense desire to win and make fans, and track coaches like MC’s Butch Ard stand up and cheer.

Asked if he has advice for young people who want to emulate him on the track or in life, Winsley paraphrases one of his favorite quotes. He recalls the words of one English writer who tells readers to “start by doing what is necessary...then what is impossible,’’ and finally to “see yourself doing

the impossible.’’

With photo images of London and the Olympic emblem stuck on his computer, expect Al Winsley to accomplish what some believe is impossible - having a Division III college athlete represent the United States on the U.S. Olympic Track Team in 2012.

His grandfather, Johnny Winsley, 78, who was a top-notch athlete at Piney Woods School in Rankin County, believes his grandson will make folks proud of him when the games come to London. “If he pays attention to his coach’s lead and listens to the Lord, he should make it. If he doesn’t make it, I told him you give it your best shot.’’

A Brandon resident who plays piano at a church in Rankin County, he encouraged his grandson to get into sports and music.”

No matter what he does in life, the elder Winsley knows his grandson will do it with a Photo Courtesy Mississippi College

humble spirit. “ He’s a great role model for young people.’’

Al Winsley often gives pointers to youngsters how to improve their performance on the track.

Never into the track scene as a participant, Johnny Winsley played football and baseball at the Piney Woods Country Life School back in the late 1940s through 1951. Founded in 1909, Piney Woods remains one of the nation’s few boarding schools for AfricanAmerican students. Johnny Winsley joined the Army and served his nation during the Korean War. After the war, he returned to Mississippi and went to work for the city of Jackson for 38 years. He drove bulldozers for the city for decades before retiring. It’s easy to

see why Al Winsley admires his grandfather and draws strength from his lifetime of accomplishments.

Al Winsley is all about family at Baptistaffiliated MC. Al has a younger sister, Delangla Winsley, who used to run track at Brandon High and later was on the MC Lady Choctaws track team. She will be a senior at MC this fall. His cousin, Kathy Winsley, is an incoming Brandon High senior who excels in the triple jump.

MC is a perfect fit for Al, who likes its Christian environment, small classes and seeing so many encouraging and friendly faces. He came to 4,900-student MC after considering an offer to run track at the University of Alabama. “MC is a Christian college. It is an all-around great atmosphere.’’

Praying together at track meets, at the chapel, or in the school cafeteria, is a common occurrence at MC, he says.

Asked to name one of his favorite Bible verses, Al Winsley didn’t hesitate for a moment - Isaiah 40:31. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’’

Given his strength, his faith and persistence, look for Winsley to soar like an eagle in 2012 and bring back the Olympic gold to the USA in the land of Big Ben, the Queen of England, and the Beatles.

MC’s track team is delighted to have Al on their side as they compete in the American Southwest Conference and go up against other universities around the South and other parts of the nation.

Al’s got many people in and around Clinton rooting for him, including one of the MC track team’s energetic coaching volunteers, Mike McMillan, a 1966 MC graduate and longtime runner in Clinton. McMillan sums up the young man of few words. “He’s kind of laid back. But when he’s competing, he’s a warrior.’’

It all got started when Al Winsley used to race other kids on the playgrounds. He loved running back then and that passion hasn’t slowed down one bit.

Larry Myricks is enshrined in the Mississippi College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Al Winsley never met the man, but expect him to join Myricks in the MC hall in a few short years. It should be one of many honors to come for the modest Mississippian.

McMillan encourages Winsley to stay focused and seek excellence on and off the track. “God gave you this gift - it is for a reason,’’ he tells Winsley during a recent meeting at MC’s Nelson Hall. “It is not just for you to do well.’’

Winsley is not waiting on the Olympic games in 2012. He’s also busy preparing for track’s World Championships next summer. - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 25

MSM

JUCO SPOTLIGHT

Back for More Hinds Community College Coach Gene Murphy is back in charge in Raymond

By Nash Nunnery Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

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he voice is unmistakably straight-forward, even no-nonsense.

Gene Murphy is back in the football coaching business at Hinds Community College and his rich Southern bass will once again command respect, if not fear, from his players.

“Gene is intense – he’s like a Marine drill sergeant,” says Bill Buckner, his former boss. “He demands a lot but his players play hard for him.”

Memo to the 2009 Eagles – Murphy doesn’t just give away those distinctive white Eagles wings that adorn Hinds’ maroon helmets.

To quote the late 1960s television actor-pitchman John Housmann, Murphy’s players must ‘earrrrn’ them the old-fashioned way – hard work Hard but fair work, says Murphy.

“I’m a firm believer that from the bottom player to the best, everyone can give more than they think they can,” he says. “It’s the same way in life.”

Last January, the Noxubee County native and current HCC athletic director was named to replace former head coach J. Mike Smith, who took over from Murphy at the end of the 2003 season.

Why, after a six year absence, would he return to the pressure-cooker that is coaching?

“My energy for the game of football has not changed since I left,” Murphy said. “But the main reason is that I have a passion about working with the kids. I burned myself out of coaching when I left six years ago, but God has showed me that coaching is where I need to be. Not to win championships, but to work with young people.

“It took six years in the ‘wilderness’ to help me see that God is the head coach in this life, not me.”

Murphy’s wife Dot, who coached wide receivers at Hinds during his first tenure, supports her husband’s decision to return.

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“It’s what he wants to do and he’s rekindled the fires to coach again,” she says. “I’m glad he’s back out there, even though Gene and I were beginning to enjoy a little quieter life.”

Some equate Hinds Eagles football with Gene Murphy, who compiled a brilliant 13341-5 record in 16 years and took the program to new heights.

Ponder these accomplishments during Murphy’s first tour at Hinds: n Won six NJCAA Region XXIII championships n Won six Mississippi community college championships n Led Hinds to the state playoffs 12 times in 16 seasons

n Selected as NJCAA Region XXIII Coach of the Year six times n Coached the Eagles to four backto-back state and regional championships 1994-97 In addition, the Mississippi State graduate has produced 31 NJCAA AllAmericans, two NJCAA Players of the Year and averaged 16 players a year to sign scholarships with senior colleges.

Among them are two first-round NFL draft choices – Jerome McDougald (2003, Philadelphia Eagles) and John Copeland (1993, Cincinnati Bengals).

Off the field, the Murphy-led Hinds program won the prestigious Halbrook Academic Award nine times.

The award recognizes the Mississippi community college with the highest academic achievement.

Hired as defensive coordinator and strength coach on Buckner’s Eagles staff in 1983, Murphy credits Buckner for the program’s flight to excellence.

“Bill laid the foundation and provided the program with direction,” he says, “and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time” when he took over for Buckner in 1987.

Buckner, who also coached Murphy at East Mississippi Community College, chuckled at his former player’s assessment.

“I think Gene is just being kind,” said Buckner, now the regional director for the state chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “When I coached there, we just tried to build on the great Hinds tradition. Gene just took it to another level.”

HCC president Dr. Clyde Muse is ecstatic over Murphy’s decision to expand his current athletic director’s duties into becoming the school’s head football coach for the second time.

“We are fortunate that Gene Murphy has a desire to return to lead our program again (on the sideline),” Muse said in a statement. “He

GENE MURPHY - HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

knows exactly what we want our program to be, and he won’t waste any time in getting the program to that level.” n

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n

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Gene Murphy knows all too well the trials and tribulations of a high-profile football coach in the highly-competitive world of community college football in Mississippi, where fans treat the sport as a religion and coaches can be sacrificed at the whim of the college president or the boosters.

One constant remains, however, for Murphy – an unwavering and abounding faith in God. A devout Christian, the veteran coach blames no one but himself for his self-professed “burn out” period following the 2003 season.

“My expectations were too high and I was way too hard on myself,” he says emphatically.

“I took my eyes off of what’s important and it took six years to reconstruct myself, so to speak. God is at the centerpiece of that reconstruction and I am renewed and ready for this challenge again.”

Four or five months after he gave up the Hinds coaching reins, Murphy began to get the itch to coach again. But he knew it was too soon.

He entertained “several job offers” from various schools over the past few years, but couldn’t pull the trigger on any of them until Muse made him the offer to return to the sidelines.

“Last fall, it just felt right to come back,” he says. “It was a decision that Dot and I made, although there were some in my family that questioned the logic of me going back into coaching. They thought I’d lost my mind.

“But I kept going back to my passion to help kids find their way.”

Dot Murphy concurs with her husband.

“Helping student-athletes is what he wants to do.”

To some observers, leading a community college football program may be the most difficult assignment in coaching.

There are no redshirts. There are no seniors, no juniors. A community college coach has two years at the most with his players, most of whom are fresh out of high school.

Murphy is all too familiar with the chal-

MSM

lenges of molding a team made up of freshman and sophomores.

“It’s very challenging, especially taking kids directly out of a high school environment and putting them on the field,” he says. “The majority of kids that come to Hinds were a big fish in a little pond and suddenly they’re thrown into the ocean. And we have to constantly remind them that there are a lot of sharks that will devour them.”

Recruiting, even at the community college level, is name of the college football game.

With last December’s announcement that he was returning, Murphy hit the ground running, notching the signatures of 24 high school seniors for the 2009 Hinds signing class.

“I feel good about this class of incoming freshman,” he says. “We got a late start but we signed some quality student-athletes for our program.”

No matter the level, says Murphy, football is football. Despite being away from coaching for six seasons, Murphy instinctively believes the game still boils down to blocking and tackling, and not so much no-huddle offenses or fancy defensive schemes.

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 27

taken pride in at Hinds and that won’t change this fall.”

Murphy is aware of the pitfalls that await today’s student-athlete.

He knows his job doesn’t stop once the Eagles exit the sanctity of the locker room after games or practice.

“Our priority is to get young men ready for the next level and I don’t mean professional football or a four-year university,” he stresses.

“There is life after football and I want to make sure these kids know that.” n n n n

When it comes to the nuances of the game, he is a self-admitted perfectionist.

“Football is all about executing the fundamentals,” Murphy says.

“Whoever blocks and tackles the best is usually going to win. That part never changes.

“Doing the fundamentals correctly is something that we’ve always

Growing up in his rural east Mississippi environment, Murphy was ingrained with a commitment to hard work by his father.

“The closest thing to a town (Brooksville) was 12 miles away and my daddy always found us something to do,” he says.

Gene Murphy’s law associates success with hard work.. Sweat equity, according to the veteran coach, is the difference in excellence and mediocrity.

“Whatever legacy I leave, I hope that it will be that I encouraged someone to give more, achieve more, than they thought that could,” he says.

Author Thomas C. Wolfe once wrote that you can’t go home again – not ever.

Wolfe certainly never met Gene Murphy, who is home again in the coaching profession, and filled with a renewed desire to help the kids, his players, stay on the right course, one step ahead of the sharks in the waters of life. - MSM

Behind every Great Man is a Great Woman Former Hinds assistant coach Dot Murphy was not your ordinary coaches wife.

By Nash Nunnery Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

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orothy Faye Murphy knows football better than most, if not all, coaches’ wives.

She’s got the resume to prove it, too.

Better known as Dot, the Starkville native served on her husband Gene’s coaching staff at Hinds for 16 seasons. Dot Murphy was the Eagles’ wide receivers coach before hanging up her whistle and settling in as the school’s assistant athletic director in 2003.

“Gene and I did it for so long together, and my kids grew up with it,” she says. “It could get crazy at times and there was some fussing and arguing between us on the field, but that’s where it stayed.

“Some couples couldn’t pull it off, but it worked for us.”

Dot Murphy coached to rave reviews – a 1996 Sports Illustrated article featuring Murphy stated she was “a coach who eats, sleeps and dreams football” and a devoted mother of three children.

Dot Murphy was hired by then-Hinds coach Bill Buckner at the same time Gene was the Eagles defensive coordinator. According to Buckner, the hiring was neither a publicity ploy nor a favor to Gene, but an opportunity to obtain a quality coach.

“I just wanted to find the best (coaching) talent I could and Dot was the most qualified for the job,” Buckner told SI. 28 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Dot says Buckner hinted around for months about her joining the staff but she didn’t take him seriously.

“Bill used to pick at me, saying ‘you need to come out there,’ not knowing if he meant it or not,” she recalled. “Finally, Gene told me he was really serious and that I should take the job.”

Her football knowledge came easy, having grown up around the game. Father Thad was a high school football coach and Dot often played tackle football with her 10 male cousins.

Ironically, basketball was her bread-and-butter.

The former Dot Easterwood earned All-American honors in 1974 as a forward for the Mississippi University of Women and she starred on the U.S. team that won a silver medal at the 1973 World University Games.

She also served as head basketball coach at MUW from 1977 to ’82.

Coaching is still coaching, no matter the sport, says Murphy.

“Today’s players don’t care if you are a man or a woman but only if you care,” she says. “They respond to compassion and communication, and if you know what you’re doing.”

Her philosophy on coaching transferred easily from the court to the gridiron.

“Coaching is all about teaching the proper techniques – it doesn’t matter if it’s perfecting a jump shot or catching the football on an ‘out’ route,” Murphy says. “It’s about gaining knowledge, going through the drills over and over, and earning the respect of the players.”

So, is she planning a comeback to join her husband’s new staff?

Not likely, Dot says, but she’s not certain she won’t, either.

One thing’s certain – the new Hinds head coach won’t have to go far to find her. - MSM

Help Kick Blood Shortages!

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Thursday, July 23 for the “Back to School” Blood Drive 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

All donors will be registered for a chance to win back to school prizes Come in and donate blood during the 2nd Annual “Kick-Off Classic” Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday August 25, 26 and 27 All donors will be registered for a chance to win a big-screen TV Sixteen year olds now eligible to give blood with their parents permission!

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MSM

SPORTS EXTRA

Football, Fellowship, & Fun An inside look at the Jackson Touchdown Club

By Glen Waddle Secretary, Jackson Touchdown Club

Pictures courtesy of the Jackson Touchdown Club and Elwin Williams Photography

T

he scene was downtown Jackson, circa 1946, right after the men and women of the South returned home from World War II and started the Baby Boom. Babies, however, were not the only thing booming in the postwar era. Football was booming as well.

In Oxford, Harold “Red” Drew was leading the Ole Miss Rebels just prior to the 1947 arrival of the legendary Johnny Vaught. In Hattiesburg, Reed Green was guiding the Mississippi Southerners to small college prominence. In Starkville, Allyn McKeen was coaching the Mississippi State Maroons.

Meanwhile, back in Jackson, an enthusiastic doctor named Lacey Hughes began meeting with 15 other football fans. This small group gathered under the guise of “Football, fellowship, and fun.” They began recruiting new members to their ranks and the Jackson Touchdown Club was founded. By the end of 1946, the Club had almost tripled.

On May 26, 1949, the group received Articles of Incorporation from the State of Mississippi as an active non profit corporation. As the Club entered the 1950’s, the group established itself as one of the largest non profit sports clubs in the United States.

Now, 64 years later, the Jackson Touchdown Club still follows its mission of “football, fellowship, and fun” and still serves the community as an active non profit corporation. Meeting every Monday evening from Labor Day to December, the Club gathers at the River Hills Tennis Club off the intersection of Lakeland Drive and Ridgewood Road to enjoy speakers from across the nation whose main focus is on the gridiron. Former coaches and players, nationally known media members, and college and pro officials speak to the Jackson area Club members and regale them with information about the sport they love and entertain them with fabulous football tales fascinating to the young and old.

Traditionally, the “Big Three” head football coaches at Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Southern Mississippi make regular stops at the Club during their busy season to update the members on their current teams. Other coaches and former players from all across the nation join in with a mixture of special nights devoted to the female fan and the old-timers to serve up a meeting season full of fun. The final meeting of the season is devoted to the outstanding seniors of all Mississippi collegiate football programs as selected by their teams’ coaching staffs.

Club members jump to their feet during game reports to tell how their teams performed over the past weekend—good or bad. The Jackson Touchdown Club features fans of football teams from all across the South and the nation and is not restricted to Mississippi loyalties. Club membership is comprised of football fans representing many different colleges, universities, high schools, and professional affiliations. The Club members represent all ages, genders, and business backgrounds and is a great networking and social opportunity. The only requirement for joining besides paying the annual dues is that the member enjoys football!

The Club also honors a local area high school player of the week along with the player’s coach, family, and friends. Club members pit their prognostication skills against one another during the season with a weekly prize on the line. On occasion, the Club uses the meetings to raise funds for worthy causes such as the Gene May Scholarship fund

30 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

ESPN’S Mike Gotfried

New Orleans Saints Radio Announcers Hokie Gajan & Jim Henderson

or the Oaks Circle group at the Mississippi State Hospital. The Jackson area media attends regularly to interview the featured speaker and mix and mingle with Club members who also display that famed Southern hospitality.

The hospitality and generosity of the Jackson Touchdown Club is legendary. From 1952 to January, 1993, the Club operated the Mississippi High School All-Star Football game. Proceeds from this game were used for the Lacey Hughes Scholarship fund which was named in honor of the Doctor who started it all. The fund made scholarship awards of over $150,000 dollars through the years to assist young men and women who were not necessarily athletes to attend a Mississippi College or university of their choice.

In 1960-61, three Club members, namely, Jimmie “Mississippi Red” McDowell, the late “Farmer” Jim Neal, and the late “Pop” Allen combined forces to create the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. The Club hosted the annual MSHOF induction and awards banquet each spring and operated as administrator of the shrine until 2005.

In March, 1999, the Club created a new scholarship fund entitled the Gene May Scholarship Fund which was named in honor of the late Gene May, a local businessman who was a member for 50 years.

The Gene May Scholarship fund is now the main focus of the Club’s fund-raising activities and assists high school football players to attend a Mississippi college or university. In addition to the scholarship fund, the Club recently began providing assistance to the Oaks Circle kids at the Mississippi State hospital. The Club also becomes involved in football related community projects and hosts an annual golf tournament each spring.

From the humble beginnings in 1946 by Dr. Hughes and his 15 fellow football fans to rich history of creating the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, hosting the All-Star football game, and raising funds for college scholarship for needy high school students, the Jackson Touchdown Club has achieved a reputation as one of the oldest and best non-profit sports clubs in the South. “Football, fellowship, and fun” has been associated with the Jackson Touchdown Club for over 6 decades and continues to attract football fans of all kinds to the weekly River Hills Club meetings. The rites of fall in Jackson from 1946 to present date are not complete without a visit to the Jackson Touchdown Club. MSM

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PUBLISHING

Mississippi Sports Magazine • 405 Knights Cove West Brandon, MS 39047 • Phone: 601-503-7205 email: publisher@mssportsmagazine.com Visit us online at: www.mssportsmagazine.com Mississippi Sports Magazine - 27

MSM

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

“Wonderful” Willie Richardson Former JSU Tiger and NFL All-Pro

By Nash Nunnery Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

W

illie Richardson pondered the question with a pregnant pause.

What was his greatest thrill during a star-studded athletic career, asked an interviewer. Now, consider that the ultra-humble Richardson was: • An All-Pro NFL receiver with the Baltimore Colts and played in one of the game’s most memorable Super Bowls. Check.

• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Check • Inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. Check.

• A three-time All-SWAC flanker/safety and two-time NAIA AllAmerican performer at then-Jackson State College. Check.

All outstanding accomplishments but none of the above, he says.

No, Willie Richardson surmises that his greatest thrill occurred during the 1962 Blue-Gray College All-Star Game on Christmas Day in Montgomery.

He was selected as the first-ever African American player to perform with the South squad in the now-defunct game. Of course, it didn’t hurt any that the Mississippi Delta native was named the contest’s Most Valuable Player after snaring two TD passes, including the gamewinner late in the fourth quarter.

“That game was the first time that I played on a national stage and before a nation-wide television audience,” Richardson recalled. “Being from Jackson State, and competing against the best players in the nation from schools like Ohio State and Notre Dame was very special.

What a thrill for me.”

Born in Clarksdale but reared in Greenville, the affable Richardson gives props to his Baptist minister father and school teacher mother for his strict Delta upbringing.

“My dad was an old fashioned preacher - he preached on Sunday and was at home with his children during the week,” he said, chuckling.

“He made sure we got to school and my mother made sure we stayed there.”

There were six boys and one girl in the Richardson household. In addition to Willie, four of the brothers went on to play pro football – Tom (Patriots), Ernie (Browns), Gloster (Chiefs) and Charles (Canadian Football League).

Nicknamed “Wonderful Willie” in college, Richardson speaks matter-of-factly about his nine-year NFL career with the Baltimore Colts. Though his numbers weren’t eye-popping (195 career receptions, 2,950 yards, 25 TDs), the 69-year old Jackson resident had to share NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas’s pin-point passes with Hall of Fame receivers Raymond Berry and John Mackey, not to mention the underrated Jimmy Orr. “Playing for the Colts at that time was something special,” says Richardson. “It took me a while to break into the lineup because we had so many great players. My best season was in 1967, my fourth year, when I made All-Pro after Jimmy (Orr) got hurt.”

Richardson started his first game that year against the Philadelphia 32 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Eagles and proceeded to snag 11 passes for two touchdowns. He finished the season with 63 receptions and eight TDs while playing a then-mandated 14-game NFL schedule.

A seventh-round draft choice (89th overall) by the Colts in the 1963 NFL Draft, Richardson says he wasn’t intimidated being selected by one of the league’s glamour teams of the 1960s.

“I had played in several all-star games before and after I was drafted,” he says. “Before I reported to the Colts, I was on the ’63 College AllStar team that upset the (1962 NFL champion) Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

“I knew I could play and contribute to a pro team.”

Yesteryear’s NFL Draft doesn’t compare to the media frenzy and fan interest surrounding today’s selection process in the league. Getting drafted was an afterthought, Richardson remembers.

“I happened to be playing basketball one afternoon on campus at JSU,” he said. “One of our coaches wandered up and just kind of mentioned that the Colts took me in the seventh round.”

Ironically, the Colts of the early 1960s were popular with many pro football fans in the Deep South. Atlanta and New Orleans wouldn’t enter the NFL until 1965 and 1966, respectively, and the Jackson television market received Baltimore games from CBS almost exclusively each Sunday.

“I knew I was going to a great, great team with a lot of talent,” said Richardson. “And for my family to catch the Colts games on TV in those days of limited broadcasts was really special.”

Richardson played in perhaps pro football’s most shocking upset on its biggest stage in 1968 – Super Bowl III in Miami’s Orange Bowl. The Colts, a 22-point favorite, lost to the AFL-upstart New York Jets, which were led by Joe Namath.

The cocky Namath had ‘guaranteed’ a Jets victory five days earlier.

“We had probably our best team and one of the best the NFL had ever seen,” Richardson said, wistfully. “I remember early in the third quarter and us trailing 13-0, Jimmy Orr told me ‘we can lose this game.’

We did.”

Baltimore fell 16-7 but the Greenville Coleman High product shone brightly, grabbing six passes for 58 yards to lead all Colts receivers.

The 1971 season was Richardson’s last hurrah in pro football. Unlike many former NFL players, he escaped the game without a serious injury.

“I’m so blessed not to have had any (surgeries) and to lead a healthy life,” Richardson said. “My wife Earline, who I’ve known since our days at Jackson State, has played a huge role in keeping my mental and physical outlook positive through the years.”

Soon after retiring from the Colts, Richardson quickly jumped into sports broadcasting, serving as sports director for nine years at WBFFTV in Baltimore before returning home to his native Mississippi.

“I really enjoyed my time in broadcasting. Pro athletes in Baltimore were revered and had a lot of (job) opportunities,” he said. “Interacting with athletes and staying close to sports was important to me and I was fortunate to be able to do something I loved.”

Currently, the Mississippi gridiron legend is the director of golf operations for Brookwood/Byram Country Club in Jackson.

Richardson and co-owner Butch Dickson bought the struggling property in July 2008 and says the club is going strong.

“Butch has put together a great staff, inside and out, and the golf course is really taking shape,” said Richardson. “The club is catching on in the community and we’re really excited about the future of Brookwood/Byram and golf in south Jackson.”

And, who knows, that might be Willie Richardson’s greatest thrill yet. - MSM

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MSM

Profile: Born: November 17, 1939 Place of Birth: Clarksdale, MS Position: Wide Receiver College: Jackson State University NFL Draft: 1963 / Round 7 / 89th Pick 1963-69, 1971 Baltimore Colts 1970 Miami Dolphins Pro Bowls: 1967, 1968 Honors: AP 1st Team All-Pro 1967

Willie Richardson pictured here at JSU

Willie Richardson #87 Baltimore Colts

Willie Richardson today at Brookwood/Byram Country Club

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 33

MSM

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Ranking the Top Teams in each Class for 2009

By James O. Covington Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

Class 6A Top 5

South Panola – At Batesville you never rebuild, you reload. South Panola should again be the measuring stick in the state as ‘The Nick Parker Show’ goes into full effect on Friday nights.

Olive Branch – It took Madison Central three overtimes to derail this bunch last year.

Look for a more determined and gritty crew this season at the OB as a special blend of size and speed return.

Meridian – Gone is Mr. Football Tyler Russell, but back are a young and speedy group. Remember in order to be the champs you got to beat the champs!

Oak Grove – You have to have an advantage when Brett Favre works out with you in the summer right? Well Oak Grove just might, they return a lot of talent and a powerful offense paced by RB Jay Hughes, and WR’s Robert Johnson and Steve McNair Jr. Madison Central – Perhaps the surprise team in the whole field. The Jags could be ready for another magical run despite losing some key pieces off last year’s team.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Petal – The dark horse of the power rankings return a talented core. Petal could cause trouble in the south and that could be bad news for Oak Grove and state champion Meridian.

CLASS 5A Top 5

Wayne County – Call this season the WC revenge tour. After losing another heartbreaker to West Jones last year, a hungry and more talented bunch come calling.

West Jones – The thorn in Wayne County’s side will have a tested crew and playoff wisdom to boot this year.

Pearl – Pound for pound one of the toughest teams in the state. If they put it together, you could see some fireworks this fall.

D’Iberville – After making it to the Class 4A Championship game last year, this coastal crew looks to make a splash in the 5A ranks.

Oxford – Once again Oxford looks ready for another run at an elusive state championship. They return a solid mixture of size and speed, and will be tough to deal with up north.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Brookhaven – The Panthers will look to run and run some more this season. And if the 34 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

line jells, that could mean a run to Jackson in December.

CLASS 4A Top 5

Lawrence County – Gone is Kendrick Hardy but back is All-Everything back Matthew Wells, who quite possibly might be the best kept secret in the state. The high octane Cougars will be primed and ready.

Noxubee County – Life without Pat Patterson will be different for sure, but still Noxubee County still has talent galore. The burning question is can the youngsters carry the load for a repeat.

Louisville – The Wildcats tasted back to back titles during a brief stay in 3A. Now its back to the 4A ranks without the services of Dennis Thames and Clayton Moore. Things could get interesting here…

Lafayette County – The Dores will be in the thick of the 4A race yet again. If the defense stands pat, than Lafayette could be playing past Thanksgiving.

West Lauderdale – Once again a factor in 4A. The Knights return a crafty bunch of heavy hitters on defense.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Greene County – The quickness is back in Greene County football and that means trouble for the rest of the state, especially in South 4A.

CLASS 3A Top 5

Tylertown – Paced by the return of several starters, the Chiefs who were just seconds away from winning 3A last year look to be the team to beat this season.

Aberdeen – Many coaches call them the most dangerous team in the state. With firepower and desire, Aberdeen has a shot of reaching those State Championship ambitions.

Franklin County – There’s still some talent left in ‘Bulldog Land’ despite a 5-year span of Superstars. Paced by speedy running back DeHendret Collins and All-State seniors Bobby O’Quinn and Frank Hunt the Dawgs should bark loudly this year.

Velma Jackson – With nearly 20 starters returning, this could be the team that makes ripples in the 3A race.

Perry Central – Speed wise this bunch can fly, but can they maintain it all year long?

KEEP AN EYE ON: Hazlehurst – The Indians won the championship in 2005 and made a strong push at it again last year, before Franklin County upended them in the second round. With an assortment of size and speed returning, the Indians will no doubt be fun to watch.

CLASS 2A Top 5

Baldwyn - The defending state champs will look for another title this season. But it’s going to be hard.

Bassfield – Led by a strong defense and high octane offense, the Yellow Jackets look to put the sting on teams in 2A this year.

Taylorsville – Another raw class returns with a lot of potential. The Tarters will be a force as long as QB Dominique Sullivan stays healthy.

Eupora – If they can run the table and unseat Baldwyn, they could be Jackson bound.

Scott Central – In a class that’s as even as can be. Here’s your 2A surprise.

KEEP AN EYE ON : Hollandale-Simmons – Two-way All-State standout Carlos Thompson (6-5, 230) returns for his senior season to jump-start a unit filled with potential.

CLASS 1A Top 5

Ray Brooks – Mississippi State commit Cordell Giles (6-4, 218) should be a menace to say the least on the 1A circuit. Combine him with a hungry group, and Ray Brooks may rule 1A. Mt. Olive – Every year they get faster and faster at Mt. Olive, must be something in the water. Expect this bunch to fly high again.

Durant – They just know how to put points up in bunches, and this year should be no exception.

Smithville – Paced by a strong offense and a stout defense, this crew will sneak up on folks this fall.

Bogue Chitto – The Bobcats have some rebuilding to do but they have enough returning to cause some drama in South 1A. KEEP AN EYE ON : WEIR – No matter where you go, you can’t forget about them. Once again the road through 1A could find itself going through this tiny north-central Mississippi town.

2009

COLLEGE FOOTBALL Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

PREVIEW

CAN THE REBELS HANDLE THE HYPE? Photo by King Photography

EAGLES MAKE CASE FOR C-USA TITLE. Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

CAN DAWGS REGAIN THEIR SWAGGER?

T

here has never been this much excitement in Mississippi surrounding the college football season than there is right now! With Ole Miss coming off its Cotton Bowl victory, Southern Miss’ exciting overtime New Orleans Bowl win, and the hiring of former University of Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen as the new head coach at Mississippi State, the fans are about to explode with anticipation.

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 35

MSM

2 0 0 9 pre - season conerly trophy nominees

Mississippi Sports Magazine gives you our Top 5 nominees and a few sleepers for the 2009 Cellular South Conerly Trophy.

JEVAN SNEAD - Ole Miss

Returning from an impressive ‘09 campaign, Snead has become the topic of conversation not only in the SEC but across the nation as some scouts are predicting him to be the #1 QB in the 2010 NFL draft if he decides to come out after his Junior season. No player in the state can control a game like Snead did during the second half of 2008. Snead completed 184 passes out of 327 attempts for 2,762 yards, 26 TDs and 13 interceptions for a QB rating of 145.5 and led the Rebels to a 9-4 record and a convincing Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech.

DeANDRE BROWN - USM

Coming off a broken leg sustained in the New Orleans bowl, DeAndre Brown is expected to have a repeat performance of his record breaking Freshman campaign. In 2008 Brown had 66 receptions for 1,117 yards and 12 TDs. He was rewarded for that performance by being named CUSA’s Freshman of the Year and also named as a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. With his size, speed, and game changing ability, Brown will no doubt be a candidate for many more accolades in 2009.

DEXTER McCLUSTER - Ole Miss

As the “heart and soul” behind the “Wild Rebel” formation, McCluster can change the tone of a game on one single play.

There may not be a player that brings as much to the table for an offense than what McCluster brings to the Rebels. In 2008 he had 44 receptions for 625 yards and 1 TD and rushed 109 times for 655 yards and 6 TDs. With his elusive size and cat-like quickness McCluster can give any defense fits. Look for another outstanding year in 2009.

36 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

2 0 0 9 pre - season conerly trophy nominees

MSM

ANTHONY DIXON - Miss. State

Although his numbers dropped in 2008, Dixon is still one of the most exciting backs in the SEC. At 6-1, 238 lbs. Dixon has the ability to take it to the house on any given play. With Dan Mullen’s spread offense coming to Starkville, this should give Dixon more opportunities to get the ball and use his abilities to make something happen which will vastly improve his stats in 2009. In Croom’s offensive package, Dixon rarely got the opportunity to show off his abilities as he was mostly an inside runner although his offensive line did not give him too many holes to run through. In 2008 he still managed to rush for almost 700 yards and score 7 TDs on the ground.

ADAM SHAFFER Miss. College

The 6’2” Senior from Brandon, MS is also coming off an injury plagued 2008 season.

However with his size and ability the NFL scouts are taking a very close look at him. As a freshman, he threw three touchdowns or more in each of the last five games. In 2007 he threw 5 TD passes as a Sophomore in the opening game against Millsaps before an injury ended his season. In 2007 he broke single-season records for passing yards (3,497), pass attempts (379), pass completions (222), and touchdown passes (31), and total offense (3,356) If Shaffer can stay healthy in 2009 he will be a top prospect for Player of the Year honors in the SCAC.

Players to Watch DEFENSE Greg Hardy - Senior DE - Ole Miss Jamar Chaney - Senior LB - MSU Marshay Green - Senior DB - Ole Miss Kentrel Lockett - Junior DE - Ole Miss Malcolm Palmer - Senior DB - JSU Sam Washington - Senior DE - JSU OFFENSE Garrett DeWitt - Junior QB - Delta State Trevar Deed - Junior RB - Delta State Damion Fletcher - Senior RB - USM Trae Rutland - Senior QB - JSU Shane Bowser - Soph. RB - Millsaps Brandon Bolden - Soph. RB - Ole Miss Mississippi Sports Magazine - 37

5 MSM

2009 COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Keys to Ole Miss’ BCS hopes

S

ince their Cotton Bowl upset of Texas Tech, Ole Miss has catapulted to the top of the national college football rankings without playing a single game. Can the Rebels hang at the top? Is this team really talented enough to win the SEC and qualify for a BCS bowl? Steven Godfrey outlines 5 keys for Rebel football to make an offseason’s worth of dreams into an Autumn reality.

By STEVEN GODFREY

38 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

2009 COLLEGE FOOTBALL 1 - Manage The Scheduling Grind The good news for Rebel fans is that the non-conference schedule has all the suspense of a video game matchup against your grandpa. Apparently Northern Arizona is an actual institution with an actual football team. Who knew? The Rebels don’t have a single non-SEC BCS team slate for 2009 (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering they haven’t beaten one in the regular season in two decades).

The bad news is that the administration’s bungling of the football schedule creates 11 games in a row. Eleven. The Rebels start with Memphis then go right into a bye week before playing “heavyweight” Southeastern Louisiana on September 19, with a game every week until the Egg Bowl November 28.

Ask a FBS coach about the importance of a bye week, especially in the thick of conference play, and they’ll celebrate the opportunity to let kids decompress mentally, but more importantly heal physically. The Rebels will have to gamble with specific units (offensive line) and specific players (the explosive but undersized Dexter McCluster) early in the year. A key injury in September could be devastating with no break in sight.

2 - Beat Steve Spurrier on ESPN (Finally)

Everything about September 24 screams “trap game” for the Rebels. Of all the SEC road games on the slate (Auburn, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina), Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks are the most intimidating. Now that the game has been moved to a Thursday night national broadcast on ESPN, the stakes will be even higher for an Ole Miss team that will play only Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana before travelling to Columbia.

Not to mention that it’s The Steve Spurrier. Sure - you’re thinking the Old Ball Coach has lost a step in his second conference run, that he isn’t quite the calculating and cocky coach of old. Trouble is, he’s al-

ways had the Rebels’ number: Spurrier is a perfect 3-0 against Ole Miss spread over a decade at Florida and USC. It seems like Ole Miss shouldn’t have a problem here. The Rebels are 3-1 in their last four games against the Gators, but Urban Meyer and Ron Zook were across the sideline, not The O.B.C. And even though the Rebels took both the 2003 and 2004 games against the Cocks, those were Lou Holtz squads. Spurrier stands unvanquished still.

Last year the Cocks lucked out on three Rebel turnovers and racked up 31 points, a regular season high against the Rebel defense. Now Ole Miss will have to travel to Columbia on national television for its first real test as a “national power” in the polls.

Don’t think “Darth Visor” isn’t licking his chops.

3 - Lift the Alabama Curse The obvious “circle the calendar, grab the kids, call ‘ESPN Gameday’” Saturday will be October 10 against Nick Saban’s Tide, defending division champions and the big bad monster under every Rebel’s bed at night.

With an all-time record of 9-45-2 against the Tide, Ole Miss doesn’t really “lose” to Alabama: The Rebs either tear the stillbeating heart from the chest of its collective fans with a last-minute heartbreaker, or they’re simply blown clean off the face of Dixie in a landslide loss. If you’re an Ole Miss fan, take a minute to pay respect to your own particular Crimson horror moment. (You all have one.)

Bama will be loaded on defense but green behind center, and Nutt’s Rebels proved that they can at least hang with Saban’s teams (in the second half, at least). The last four games - all Bama wins - were decided by an average of three points. Not to mention that whole “Doyle” incident in 2007…

But you can throw out the stats. All bets are off with Bama – it’s Chinatown, Jake.

Such is the way of college football, as sometimes one program simply owns another, defying logic and talent. Ole Miss can’t afford an effort similar to 2008’s failed comeback from a 24-3 halftime deficit.

Both teams have early season tests: Alabama returns to Georgia Dome for its opener, this time against Virginia Tech, and the Rebels will have to survive South Carolina (see above), but there’s a strong likelihood both teams could be undefeated and

MSM

ranked in the Top 15, making this game as crucial as another Nick Saban battle with Ole Miss in 2003 with LSU. 4 - Win the Turnover Game Once the Rebels caught fire late last season, fan swagger was at an all-time high, and the phrase “Ole Miss didn’t lose in 2008, they just beat themselves,” became quite common.

That’s largely just bravado, but it’s got a little truth to it: In four losses the Rebels’ turnover margin was a ghastly -11, including a six-turnover embarrassment against Vanderbilt, (four INTS from Jevan Snead, by far his low point of 2008) capped by Dexter McCluster’s fumble inside the Vandy 5-yard line late in the fourth quarter.

Ball control is the lifeblood of a Houston Nutt team. Last season the Rebels were undefeated when they won time of possession and 4-4 when holding the ball under 30 minutes. If the Rebels are serious contenders for the SEC title they’ll have to grind it out eventually, and their 20 fumbles (10 lost) must be lowered dramatically. Ole Miss finished 2008 with a -2 turnover margin. Division winners Alabama and Florida? +6 and +22, respectively.

5 - Ignore the Hype (And the Fans) This one’s the toughest of all. Never before has the Ole Miss community entertained expectations as high as these without a psychiatric consultation attached.

No matter if its legitimate or not, Ole Miss football has evolved from an upstart team with four losses in a tough conference to a BCS Championship dark horse without playing a game. Fans surprised and elated about the Cotton Bowl are now talking Atlanta or bust, and some are convinced that 12-0 isn’t just attainable, it’s the standard to bear this season (Welcome to college football in the South).

Houston Nutt’s personal challenge will be to silence doubters who claim he can’t win when he’s supposed to, but his toughest task will be to keep 70 football players from reading their own press.

The 2009 team motto is “Unsatisfied,” an attempt to show everyone that the Rebels aren’t content with 2008 and are capable of handling national expectations. Whether or not that’s just another piece of preseason hype won’t be discovered until December.

- MSM

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 39

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

OLE MISS REBELS HEAD COACH: Houston Nutt - 2nd Season 2009 RECORD: 9-4 Overall, 5-3 SEC West, 2nd Place Season Opener: 2:30PM, Sunday, September 6th at Memphis - Liberty Bowl Stadium; TV – ESPN

Can Rebels live up to the Hype?

Rebels getting a lot of respect across the nation after ‘09 turnaround Quarterback Jevan Snead

By Steven Godfrey Contributing Writer

N

ow would be a good time to remind Ole Miss fans about perspective.

One year ago the Rebels were still in the warm-and-fuzzy phase with newly arrived head coach Houston Nutt, who landed in Oxford after an emotional resignation from Arkansas. The Rebel football team of a year ago was defined only by its potential, a group made up largely of blue chip recruits landed by previous head coach Ed Orgeron, whose recruiting acumen was as sharp as his game day coaching skills were dull.

Not a single player at Ole Miss had gone to a bowl game, and the expectations for Nutt inheriting a team that went 0-8 in the SEC was simply to the right ship first and worry about success second. Then suddenly the team of “would-be’s” became winners, and the embattled coach became Oxford’s version of Mr. November. A 3-4 Rebel team found its groove late in the year and rattled off six straight wins, including a season ending trifecta of thumping LSU 31-13 in Baton Rogue, dismantling Mississippi State 45-0 and shocking the college football world with a 47-34 come-from-behind win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

That late season run combined with the fortune of almost every key player returning 40 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

(despite sending two players to the NFL in the first round of the 2009 Draft) has the Rebel family poised to expect greatness in 2009, just a year after begging for salvation.

There are plenty of numbers against Ole Miss: Nutt has never coached a BCS team to more than 10 wins in a season. Ole Miss has never won more than 10 games in a season, ever. The Rebels have never been to Atlanta for the SEC Championship, nor have they been invited to a BCS bowl in the modern era.

The potential for a major breakthrough seems to be in place: The non-conference schedule is a joke (two FCS teams, Memphis and UAB), LSU, Alabama and Arkansas are at home and the Rebels dodge Florida and Georgia in favor of a rebuilding Tennessee and South Carolina. Ole Miss fans are already anticipating a trip to Atlanta to meet a Gator team they upset in the The Swamp last Fall.

Expectations have gone from simple to stunning in the course of year, but such is the price of success, and a look at the Rebels’ personnel certainly doesn’t discourage big dreams.

OFFENSE Remember last season when the biggest

question surrounding Nutt’s new Rebels was an unproven but highly sought-after transfer quarterback named Jevan Snead?

Uh… yeah, turns out he’s good. The Texas transfer quieted all doubters in his “debut” sophomore season, although it took him the better part of a year. Seven games into 2008 Snead had as many interceptions as he did touchdowns (10) and seemed mediocre at best, forcing passes and looking shaken.

Then the journeyman QB simply clicked.

The horror of a four INT game against Vandy and a dull outing at Bama seemed like another life. Snead hit 16 TDs and only three pics in the last six games of the season and his team didn’t lose another game.

So what does 26 TDs, a 56 percent completion rate and almost 2800 yards passing earn you? A massive amount of expectations for this season. Snead, second only to “Wild Rebel” McCluster, is the face of the Ole Miss Rebels and could be the best quarterback not named Manning to wear red and blue in almost 30 years. The people of north Mississippi are a Christian majority, but you can expect more than a few séances for the health and well-being of every ligament and joint on the former Longhorn’s body. As Snead goes, so do the Rebels, and

2008 TEAM STATS

Running Back Brandon Bolden Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

now that he’s shown he’s capable of Heismantype theatrics, fans are talking Atlanta… and beyond.

If Snead were to go down, candlelight vigils would be succeeded by either redshirt freshman Nathan Stanley or senior Billy Tapp. The offensive coaches are impressed by Stanley’s raw athleticism but Tapp is the likely nod at backup by sheer virtue of experience.

Ole Miss showed remarkable improvement on the ground last season, both in the traditional running game and Nutt’s “Wild Rebel” variation of the read-option. The new-look rushing offense carried the ball 141 more times than in 2007 and jumped from 11th to second in the conference with 186.5 yards a game. If not for Snead’s late-season improvement the focus would be solely on this, the deepest unit of the Rebel offense.

Every meaningful rusher on the team returns in 2009, meaning the competition for snaps will be even more intense.

Senior Cordera Eason was the workhorse in 2008 (140 carries for 647 yards, 3 TD) but figures to be the backup, as sophomore Brandon Bolden (542 yards on 98 carries, 5 TD) emerged from spring drills as the projected starter. The 5’11”, 220lb Baton Rogue native looks every bit the bruiser Ole Miss has lacked in previous years, but he’s deceptively fast and has seen time at “Wild Rebel,” hitting a 37 yard pass against Memphis.

A year ago Bolden was considered an average recruit overlooked by other SEC schools and overshadowed by his own teammates. 2009 could be a massive breakout year for the Rebels’ sleeper hit.

“Wild Rebel” made a star of Dexter McCluster, as the rising senior evolved from an undersized receiver to the team’s leading rusher, albeit with a bit of a fumbling problem. McCluster had seven touchdowns (six rushing) and averaged six yards a carry (primarily out of “Wild Rebel,” although he worked more as a traditional tailback in the Cotton Bowl) but fumbled in several key situations including a late-game turnover that cost Ole Miss a loss to Vanderbilt.

McCluster showed improvement in ball control as the season wore on, and while his 5’8” 165lb. frame leaves him vulnerable to injury if overused, his speed alone makes him an unbelievable offensive threat (ask Texas Tech or Florida.) Expect Offensive Coordinator Kent Austin and his staff to use McCluster judiciously to preserve his health.

A key battle to watch in fall practice will be the “Wild Rebel” backup... WR Markeith Summers? Freshman ATH Korvic Neat? It’s a wide-open race.

Behind Bolden and Eason are the Davis’ – Enrique and Derrick. Enrique was an early recruiting coup for Nutt, but the former blue chip and former Auburn signee has slipped

UM OPP SCORING.................................... 417 247 Points Per Game.......................32.1 19.0 FIRST DOWNS............................ 256 222 Rushing.................................... 122 86 Passing..................................... 124 117 Penalty...................................... 10 19 RUSHING YARDAGE.................. 2424 1112 Yards gained rushing............... 2668 1593 Yards lost rushing..................... 244 481 Rushing Attempts..................... 520 411 Average Per Rush......................4.7 2.7 Average Per Game..................186.5 85.5 TDs Rushing.............................. 21 9 PASSING YARDAGE................... 2875 2882 Att-Comp-Int...................... 340-190-15 437-257-16 Average Per Pass.......................8.5 6.6 Average Per Catch....................15.1 11.2 Average Per Game................. 221.2 221.7 TDs Passing............................... 27 18 TOTAL OFFENSE........................ 5299 3994 Total Plays................................ 860 848 Average Per Play.......................6.2 4.7 Average Per Game..................407.6 307.2 KICK RETURNS: #-Yards..........48-1056 63-1273 PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards..........36-380 15-89 INT RETURNS: #-Yards..............16-274 15-267 KICK RETURN AVERAGE.............22.0 20.2 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE...........10.6 5.9 INT RETURN AVERAGE...............17.1 17.8 FUMBLES-LOST........................ 20-10 21-7 PENALTIES-Yards......................66-624 79-596 Average Per Game....................48.0 45.8 PUNTS-Yards...........................54-2099 78-3056 Average Per Punt......................38.9 39.2 Net punt average.....................36.5 32.8 TIME OF POSSESSION/Game.... 30:14 29:37 3RD-DOWN Conversions..........75/173 60/187 3rd-Down Pct...........................43% 32% 4TH-DOWN Conversions............9/14 12/22 4th-Down Pct.......................... 64% 55% SACKS BY-Yards........................38-292 20-102 MISC YARDS................................. 0 0 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED.............. 52 30 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS...........17-21 13-16 ON-SIDE KICKS........................... 0-0 1-2 RED-ZONE SCORES................45-56 80% 27-32 84% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS....31-56 55% 19-32 59% PAT-ATTEMPTS.....................52-52 100% 28-29 97% ATTENDANCE.......................... 371036 381047 Games/Avg Per Game...........7/53005 5/76209 Neutral Site Games...............1/88175 SCORE BY QUARTERS....1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total Ole Miss...........................113 133 80 91 - 417 Opponents....................... 59 81 27 80 - 247 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 41

on the depth chart. Enrique’s production in 2008 was consistent (244 yards on 64 carries, 3 TD) but coaches have stated they want more. Derrick Davis (98 yards on 21 carries) moved to fullback in spring drills, but will backup senior Andy Hartmann, who attempts to replace the huge hole left by team leader Jason Cook.

Oh, what a difference a quarterback makes.

Snead’s first season provided a long hopedfor consistency behind center, which in turn gave the Rebel receiving corps a long overdue chance to show the depth of their skill. Mike Wallace is departed to the NFL, meaning Shay Hodge will become the default go-to receiver this season after leading the Rebels in yards per catch (16.5 with a team-high eight TDs) in 2008. McCluster will pull double duty as the starting flanker – he actually tied Hodge for most receptions last year with 44 – but juniors Lionel Breaux and Summers have a huge opportunity to step up as a reliable No. 3, but incoming freshman Pat Patterson (Noxubee County HS) figures to push for playing time right away. Senior tight end Gerald Harris returns to a position assumed to see more attention in 2009. Harris only caught seven passes last year but turned four into touchdowns, highlighted in short yardage situations.

Talk about the offensive frontline around Oxford these days and you’d think that entire line was a one-man job. That’s what happens when you lose a first-round draft pick (and media superstar) at left tackle, and the search for Michael Oher’s replacement is the single biggest position battle to watch come August. Sophomore Bradley Sowell (6’7” 310lbs) has been scrutinized since the spring as he attempts to whip himself into shape for the starter’s role, while fans and coaches anxiously watch Hargrave Academy signee Bobby Massie’s summer report card. Massie was stolen away from Alabama on signing day specifically to plug the rather large hole left by Oher but has to qualify first.

Oh yeah, there’s four other guys. Senior John Jerry will anchor the line at right tackle, a position he’ll likely play next year as a pro.

Sophomore Rishaw Johnson exited spring as the successor to Maurice Miller at right guard, senior Reid Neely will step in for Daryl Harris at left guard and center Daverin Geralds will return. This unit has talent at the top but is thin in depth. A single injury or Massie’s failure to qualify could be a huge blow.

DEFENSE Even with head fish Peria Jerry now patrolling the waters of Atlanta, there’s still plenty for opposing teams to fear about the Rebels’ “Landshark” defensive line. The Ole Miss line has been voted one of the nation’s best, and although Jerry’s superhuman numbers will be missed, a slew of talented linemen are vying to lead a defense that racked 42 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

Coach Houston Nutt

up 111 tackles for a loss and 38 sacks in 2008.

A year after finally qualifying, DT Jerrell Powe has slimmed down (to a svelte 330lbs… ish) to compete for a starting spot. Exiting the spring he’s still listed as a backup for junior Ted Laurent at the nose position, but the man-child will undoubtedly see his role enlarged this fall, possibly rotating with DTs Lawon Scott and LaMark Armour.

It’s now or never time for DE Greg Hardy.

The senior elected to come back to Ole Miss and opt out of the NFL Draft after two brilliant but injury prone seasons. He’ll look to improve on his 8.5 sacks in nine games last year, an impressive number for any defensive end nursing a broken foot, but decidedly subpar for Hardy, who could be one of the all-time defensive greats for Ole Miss and a Top 10 pick in 2010 if he can finally reach his potential.

Opposite Hardy will be some combination of seniors Marcus Tillman and Emmanuel Stephens, whose experience will likely keep blue-chip recruit Craig Drummond from seeing much time at all in 2009.

Unremarkable but steady since the departure of Patrick Willis three years ago, the Ole Miss linebackers will have to contend with the loss of leading tacklers Tony Fein and Ashlee Palmer to graduation. Senior Patrick Trahan will step in on the weak side, while strong side will go to either Allen Walker, who started nine games last season, or senior Lamar Brumfield. Jonathan Cornell

will return at middle linebacker, a position he started at for all but two games last season.

Cornell leads returning linebackers with 45 tackles and three sacks, and needs to emerge as the vocal leader of this group.

Kendrick Lewis figures to be a lock at free safety – the rising senior led the team in tackles last season with 85 in 13 starts – but after that, the depth chart is written in sand.

A year since moving from wide receiver, senior Marshay Green spent most of 2008 starting at left corner opposite rising senior Cassius Vaughn. Both will be challenged by JuCo transfer Jamar Hornsby, who spent the offseason battling legal issues but figures to be on campus come August. In addition former prep star Darius Barksdale will arrive to Ole Miss as a DB, figuring to add into the CB mix if either Green or Vaughn slips up at all. Johnny Brown is slated to take Jamarca Samford’s spot at strong safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS Senior placekicker Joshua Shene has come a long way since his spur-of-the-moment signing day decision to come to Oxford. The senior was perfect on PATs and 14 of 17 on FGs in 2008 to lead the SEC in completion percentage, improving greatly over a 11 of 17 2007 campaign. Former kicker Justin Sparks will handle punting and kickoff duties, while Marshay Green and McCluster will lead the return unit in the absence of Wallace. MSM

2009 RESULTS

2009 ROSTER

DATE OPPONENT W/L SCORE A TTEND Aug 30 MEMPHIS W 41-24 56,127 Sep 06 at #20 Wake Forest L 28-30 31,986 Sep 13 SAMFORD W 34-10 52,780 Sep 20 VANDERBILT L 17-23 51,281 Sep 27 at #4 Florida W 31-30 90,106 Oct 04 SOUTH CAROLINA L 24-31 54,628 Oct 18 at #2 Alabama L 20-24 92,138 Oct 25 at Arkansas W 23-21 74,168 Nov 01 AUBURN W 17-7 57,324 Nov 15 LA-MONROE W 59-0 43,665 Nov 22 at #18 LSU W 31-13 92,649 Nov 28 MISSISSIPPI STATE W 45-0 55,231 Jan 02 vs #8 Texas Tech W 47-34 88,175 + AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (Dallas, Texas)

2009 SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT Sept. 6 @ Memphis Sept. 12 Open Sept. 19 Southeastern Louisiana Sept. 24 @ South Carolina (ESPN) Oct. 3 @ Vanderbilt Oct. 10 Alabama Oct. 17 UAB (HC) Oct. 24 Arkansas Oct. 31 @ Auburn Nov. 7 Northern Arizona Nov. 14 Tennessee Nov. 21 LSU Nov. 28 @ Mississippi State HC -Homecoming

LOCATION Memphis Oxford Columbia, SC Nashville, TN Oxford Oxford Oxford Auburn, AL Oxford Oxford Oxford Starkville

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING J. Snead

ATT COMP PCT 327 184 56.3

YDS 2,762

TD INT 26 13

RUSHING ATT D. McCluster 109 C. Eason 140 B. Bolden 98 E. Davis 64

YDS 697 660 565 258

AVG 6.0 4.6 5.5 3.8

TD 6 3 5 3

RECEIVING S. Hodge D. McCluster L. Breaux

ATT 44 44 12

YDS 725 625 178

AVG 16.5 14.2 14.8

TD 8 1 0

KICKING J. Shene

FGM-FGA 17-21

PATs 52-52

PTS 103

LG 47

BLK 0

PUNTING R. Park

NO. 54

YDS 2,099

AVG 38.9

LG 58

BLK 0

TACKLES: K. Lewis, 85; J. Cornell, 50; C. Vaughn 43 SACKS: G. Hardy, 8.5; J. Cornell 3.0; K. Lockett, A. Walker 2.0 INT’s: K. Lewis, 4; C. Vaughn 3; M. Green 2

1 Kendrick Lewis S 5-11 3 Shay Hodge WR 6-1 4 Jevan Snead QB 6-3 5 Melvin Harris WR 6-6 6 Jeremy McGee CB 5-10 7 Patrick Trahan LB 6-3 8 Marshay Green CB 5-9 9 Allen Walker LB 6-1 11 Craig Drummond DE 6-5 12 Nathan Stanley QB 6-5 14 Clayton Moore QB 6-0 14 Brandon Sanders DB 6-0 15 Demareo Marr DB 6-2 16 Markeith Summers WR 6-2 17 Billy Tapp QB 6-4 19 Hubert Davis S 5-10 19 Andrew Harris WR 6-3 20 Johnny Brown S 5-11 21 Lionel Breaux WR 6-0 22 Kyle Horine CB 5-10 22 Dexter McCluster WR 5-8 23 George Helow CB 5-10 23 Brandon Johnson WR 6-1 24 Cassius Vaughn CB 5-10 25 Cordera Eason RB 5-10 27 Enrique Davis RB 6-0 28 Andre Sterling RB 5-9 28 Julian Whitehead CB 5-9 29 Devin Thomas RB 5-10 30 Derrick Davis RB 5-10 30 Jared Mitchell S 6-3 31 Ben Benedetto FB 6-1 31 Rudy Wilson DB 6-0 32 Case Cooper K 5-10 32 Reggie Hicks TE 6-1 33 E.J. Epperson TE 6-3 34 Brandon Bolden RB 5-11 35 Fon Ingram CB 5-11 36 Dan Hoffman FB 6-0 36 Nick Lanciault S 5-10 37 Lekenwic Haynes DB 6-3 39 Derrick Herman DB 5-11 39 Bryan Powers P 6-0 40 Zane Allcorn CB 5-10 40 Kentrell Lockett DE 6-5 41 Colby Landers FB 6-0 41 Marcus Temple CB 5-9 43 Andy Hartmann FB 5-10 43 Griffin Littlefield S 5-9 44 Trey Trip LB 6-1 45 H.R. Greer FB 6-0 45 Josh Lancaster LB 5-8 46 David Hankins K 6-3 46 Antonio Turner DL 6-2 48 Lamar Brumfield LB 6-0 50 Taylor Quick OL 6-4 51 Jonathan Cornell LB 6-1 52 Bruce Williams S 6-2 53 Jason Jones LB 6-2 54 Logan Clair OL 6-5 55 Don Hargroder LB 6-1 56 Gerald Rivers DE 6-5 57 Jerrell Powe DT 6-2 59 Marques Jenkins LB 6-1 60 Joshua Tatum OL 6-5 61 Zack Brent OL 5-11 62 Don Mosley OL 6-1 63 Brandon Green C 6-2 64 Mike Johnson LS 5-10 65 Mark Jean-Louis OL 6-2 68 Preston Powers LS 6-0 69 Wesley Phillips LS 5-11 71 Reid Neely OL 6-6 72 Daverin Geralds OL 6-2 73 Alex Washington OL 6-4 75 Rishaw Johnson OL 6-4 76 A.J. Hawkins OL 6-3 77 John Jerry OL 6-5 78 Bradley Sowell OL 6-7 80 Gerald Harris TE 6-5 81 William Cole WR 5-11 81 Bryson Rose K 6-0 82 Vincent Moss WR 5-11 82 Garrett Ryan DE 6-3 83 Ferbia Allen DE-TE 6-4 84 Richie Contartesi WR 5-7 85 Layton Jones TE 6-4 86 Greg Hardy DE 6-4 87 Jacarious Lucas WR 6-2 88 Artis Ford WR 6-2 88 J.D. Lawhorn WR 6-1 89 Justin Sparks K/P 6-2 92 Marcus Tillman DE 6-4 93 Joshua Shene K 5-8 93 Justin Smith DL 6-4 94 LaMark Armour DE 6-2 95 Emmanuel Stephens DE 6-3 96 Lawon Scott DT 6-1 97 Rodney Steen DE 6-2 99 Ted Laurent DT 6-0

192 207 215 185 178 225 170 215 260 200 205 190 180 197 230 200 200 207 191 185 165 180 184 185 224 220 206 190 200 224 180 240 200 167 234 230 220 190 222 209 205 185 217 198 240 243 181 243 185 230 225 197 213 240 224 309 225 182 220 305 200 230 340 238 315 245 300 300 211 355 240 208 310 312 337 295 315 350 310 250 190 182 185 234 225 163 215 265 188 180 180 187 260 170 280 260 235 322 230 303

Sr. Sr. Jr. RFr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Fr. RFr. Fr. RFr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. RFr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Fr. RFr. So. Jr. RFr. Jr. RFr. So. Jr. RFr. So. Jr. So. Fr. RFr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. RFr. So. RFr. RFr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. RFr. Jr. Sr. RFr. Jr. RFr. RFr. So. Jr. Sr. RFr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. RFr. So. Sr. RFr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr.

New Orleans, La. (O. Perry Walker) Morton, Miss. (Morton) Stephenville, Texas (University of Texas) (Stephenville) Buford, Ga. (Buford) New Orleans, La. (UCLA) (Edna Karr) Baton Rouge, La. (Northwest Mississippi C.C.; Auburn) Bastrop, La. (Bastrop) Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) Chicago, Ill. (Morgan Park) Tahlequah, Okla. (Sequoyah) Louisville, Miss. (Louisville) Suwanee, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge) Southaven, Miss. (Northwest Mississippi C.C.) Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg Catholic) Valdosta, Ga. (West Georgia) (Valdosta) St. Petersburg, Fla. (Hargrave) (St. Petersburg Catholic) Charleston, Miss. (Charleston) New Orleans, La. (McDonogh 35) Kingwood, Texas (Kingwood) Largo, Fla. (Largo) Jacksonville, Fla. (Bishop Kenny; Hargrave) Atlanta, Ga. (McNair) Memphis, Tenn. (East) Meridian, Miss. (Meridian) Lynn Haven, Fla. (Hargrave) (A. Crawford Mosley) Knoxville, Tenn. (Hargrave) (Farragut) Lilburn, Ga. (Hargrave) (Parkview) San Antonio, Texas (Madison) Meridian, Miss. (Meridian) Chesterfield, Mo. (Hargrave) (Parkway Central) Metairie, La. (Brother Martin) Port Orange, Fla. (Hargrave) (Mainland) Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. (Florida State) (Ft. Walton Beach) Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) Humboldt, Tenn. (Humboldt) Baton Rouge, La. (Scotlandville Magnet) Atlanta, Ga. (McNair) Miami, Fla. (LaSalle) Fredericksburg, Va. (Hargrave) (Colonial Forge) Rosenberg, Texas (B. F. Terry) Cleveland, Miss. (Cleveland) Pacifica, Calif. (College of San Mateo) (Terra Nova) McKinney, Texas (McKinney) Hahnville, La. (Hahnville) Bryant, Ark. (Central Arkansas) (Bryant) Manquin, Va. (Hargrave) (King William) Cooper City, Fla. (American Heritage) Pike Road, Ala. (Trinity Presbyterian) Buford, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge) Olive Branch, Miss. (Southern Baptist Education Center) Mobile, Ala. (St. Pauls Episcopal) Shreveport, La. (C.E. Byrd) Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater) Lynwood, Calif. (Compton C.C.) (Carson) Terry, Miss. (Hinds C.C.) (Terry) Azusa, Calif. (Bishop Amat) Ridgeland, Miss. (East Central C.C.) (Ridgeland) Albany, Ga. (Westover) Mustang, Okla. (Northeastern Oklahoma) (Mustang) Abbeville, La. (Louisiana-Lafayette) (St. Thomas More) Ellenwood, Ga. (Cedar Grove) Waynesboro, Miss. (Hargrave) (Wayne County) Stafford, Va. (Hargrave) (Colonial Forge) Marbury, Ala. (Marbury) Oxford, Miss. (Lafayette) Tampa, Fla. (Hillsborough) Southaven, Miss. (Northwest Mississippi C.C.) Little Rock, Ark. (Catholic) Palm Beach, Fla. (Cerritos C.C) (Palm Beach Gardens) Collierville, Tenn. (Briarcrest Christian) Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) Jackson, Miss. (Jackson Academy) Baton Rouge, La. (Scotlandville Magnet) Monroe, La. (Carroll) Hammond, La. (Hammond) Lithonia, Ga. (Martin Luther King) Batesville, Miss. (Hargrave) (South Panola) Hernando, Miss. (Hernando) Terrell, Texas (Navarro College) (Terrell) Oxford, Miss. (Oxford) Raleigh, N.C. (Wakefield) Munford, Ala. (Munford) Marietta, Ga. (Southeastern Louisiana) (Walton) Pine Bluff, Ark. (Dollarway) Lake Worth, Fla. (Jacksonville University) Greenville, Miss. (Northeast Mississippi C.C.) (St. Joseph) Millington, Tenn. (Briarcrest Christian) Cleveland, Miss. (Mississippi Delta C.C.) (East Side) Pahokee, Fla. (Alfred University) (Pahokee) Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis University School) Memphis, Tenn. (Briarcrest Christian) McCall Creek, Miss. (Franklin County) Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putman City North) Alpharetta, Ga. (Chattahoochee) Nashville, Tenn. (Hunters Lane) Houston, Texas (Blinn C.C.) (Waltrip) St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) Coffeeville, Miss. (Mississippi College) (Coffeeville) Powder Springs, Ga. (McEachern)

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 43

MSM

P L AY E R P R O F I L E : G R E G H A R D Y

Greg Hardy still has something to prove

By Steven Godfrey Contributing Writer

G

reg Hardy’s decision to forgo the NFL Draft and its potential million-dollar rewards for his senior season at Ole Miss could be considered the start of a chain reaction that sent the Rebels’ from an upstart to a predicted national powerhouse over the course of the offseason. But Hardy insists that clarifying his pro resume isn’t the reason he returned to Oxford.

“I had nine sacks with a broken foot, so I think my status as a player was proven. Coming back [to Ole Miss] was about talking to my mom and talking to Coach Nutt and the staff, not about the Draft.”

Rebel fans could likely care less about the reasoning and only that #86 will be back to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Hardy’s return reduced three major personnel losses (defensive tackle Peria Jerry and offensive lineman Michael Oher) into two, and solidified the Ole Miss defensive line as one of the best in the nation heading into 2009. His name is among the first cited when talking about the potential of the 2009 Rebels, but Hardy the senior team leader insists such praise will fall on deaf ears.

“We’ve heard [about rankings] a lot, but a year ago we were looking around at each other, at having an all-star team with three or four wins each years. We got to the Cotton Bowl, and people can change, but it’s real easy to stay hungry when you look back at those other seasons.”

Hardy was one of the few bright spots during the “other seasons,” posting 13 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss during 2006 and 2007, as well as catching three touchdowns as a receiver on offense. After a breakout 2007 campaign Hardy was poised to become a national breakout in 2008, but a broken foot suffered in preseason drills limited his appearance to nine games with no starts.

“It was tough because when Coach Nutt and his staff came in it was a clean slate for the team obviously, but me personally. That made the injury more frustrating,” he said.

Despite the injury Hardy still posted 8.5 sacks in limited play and the All-American defensive end was projected as a possible first round pick. However, his off-field character was described as everything from simply eccentric to bullish and stubborn, forming clouds around his sterling on-field ability. But already in 2009 Hardy’s demeanor has shifted more towards that of a team captain and less of a self-centered playmaker.

“My goal in 2009 isn’t a certain number or stat, it’s just to be one of the hardest working people on this team with the same kind of attitude and work ethic.”

That’s not to say Greg’s lost any of his eccentricity. If Hardy is anything but average on the field, he’s undoubtedly unlike any other defensive end off of it. Not content simply to live inside the “bubble” of being a star football player on a SEC campus, Hardy maintains outlets of expression outside of the game.

“I’m still working on my graphic design business, trying to get that up and going. To me that’s about creating a business opportunity for yourself after college. I’m working on business cards and book covers, trying to create my own unique style.”

44 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

When rumors swirled about Hardy’s apparent lack of respect for the previous coaching staff, fans were quick to criticize Hardy’s somewhat bizarre interests, such as graphic design, as ill-fitting of a prototypical SEC football player. Hardy bristles at the idea of being contained by the definition.

“I guess we’re all supposed to be that dumb football player stereotype. It’s funny though, because I know guys on this team that know about things and talk about topics and subjects most people wouldn’t believe.”

The printed image of a healthy and effective Greg Hardy, although infrequent in 2009, is etched in the minds of Ole Miss fans, thanks to his Sports Illustrated cover shot chasing Florida quarterback Tim Tebow during Ole Miss’ 31-30 upset of the eventual national champions.

While he may have graced the nation’s biggest sports magazine after helping the Rebels upset the nation’s biggest college football team, Hardy acknowledges the task ahead of him in 2009. He’ll have to buoy his prowess for pass rushing with work against the run, never his strong suit, to became a fully rounded pro prospect on the line. His health will be obsessively monitored in August as he’ll return to the field after missing the entire spring session to help heal his surgically repaired foot. With Jerry gone the Rebels can ill afford to have another small season from Hardy, whose total tackles dropped from a healthy 63 to 18 in one year. Of course, Hardy’s sack total dwindled only from 10 to 8.5 despite his only seeing a fraction of the time. Coaches are hoping that’s an indicator that in ’09 Hardy could set school and conference records with a clean bill of health.

Most challenging of all come September could Greg’s necessary evolution to a team leader. The SI cover became a visual staple of the Rebels’ resurgence in 2008, and Hardy one of the team’s poster boys, although Hardy has found a sense of humor about his fame, and brushes off the idea of gracing any other newsstand staples.

“G.Q. would be nice. I don’t care really care what the cover looks like, I’ll take what I can get,” he joked. - MSM

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 45

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

MISS. STATE BULLDOGS Photo courtesy Mississippi State University

HEAD COACH: Dan Mullen - 1st Season 2008 RECORD: 4-8 Overall 2-6 SEC West, 6th Place Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th vs. Jackson State Davis-Wade Stadium

It’s a brand new day in Starkville Dan Mullen brings new hope to team who had lost its way

By Paul Jones Contributing Writer

T

here’s new energy and new hope these days at Mississippi State. And it all centers around the hiring of Dan Mullen to direct the gridiron program and a new mindset to the Bulldogs’ offense.

Before the Bulldogs even put on the pads, however, Mullen wanted to see more of a mental effort.

“For us, we need champions and being a champion is not a sometimes deal,” said Mullen. “It’s an all-the-time deal. You need to be a champion in the class room, you need to be a champion in the weight room, you need to be a champion in the community and a champion with discipline.”

Being a champion is something Mullen has been familiar with the past two years. But that was an offensive coordinator at Florida.

Now he finds himself in charge of a program coming off a 4-8 campaign, and a program that has tasted one winning season in the last eight years.

“It’s just a lot more organizational,” said Mullen of his first head coaching gig. “Making sure everything is organized - offense, defense, practice schedules, meeting times, lifting times. All of those are different things instead of just worrying about what plays we are going to run and the offensive installation.

“It’s just the bigger picture of things and it takes a little bit more time.”

46 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Coach Dan Mullen

OFFENSE Before MSU fans entertain the thoughts of 40 points a game due to Mullen’s spreadoffense mentality, the former Florida offensive coordinator has offered words of caution.

Sure, the Bulldogs’ offense can expect a boost in production over the past four or five seasons. But it will be a process, Mullen notes, and one that will become better with better talent.

During the Sylvester Croom era, MSU continued to field a solid defense only to see an offense struggle to put a dent in the scoreboard.

In 2008, MSU ranked last in the SEC in points scored (15.2 per game) and total offense (276 yards a game).

While MSU fans expect the passing game to feature the biggest turnaround, expect the Bulldogs’ ground game to be the centerpiece of State’s offense.

Particularly senior tailback Anthony Dixon.

After rushing for over 1,000 yards scored 14 touchdowns in 2007, Dixon’s numbers dropped to just 867 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last season.

On several occasions, Dixon was even asked to pass the pigskin in goal-line situations, ala the ‘jump pass’ perfected by Mullen prize pupil at Florida - quarterback Tim Tebow.

“Coach threw a lot at us this spring,” said Dixon. “I’m not sure if it was everything but

if it was, then we got it all down.

“And this spring was different for our offense. Usually, the defense gets the better of us every day. But this year we were able to talk a little noise from time to time.”

While the spread offense usually features the ‘scatback’ type in the backfield, Dixon’s size can also be used effectively, said Mullen.

“Anthony Dixon just loves the game of football and that shows,” said Mullen. “People forget when I was (offensive coordinator) at Utah, we had two backs over 220 pounds and both rushed for more than 800 yards. And both are now in the NFL.” The Bulldogs also return experience under center in senior quarterback Tyson Lee. The senior and former walk-on showed glimpses of his abilities in 2008 - with his arm and his legs.

Lee completed 58 percent of his passes last season, and threw for 1,517 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

But more times than not, Lee was running for his life behind an inexperienced and injury-prone offensive line.

In the new system, however, 5-foot-10 and 200-pound Lee is expected to remain either in the shotgun or roll out more often to increase the chances of seeing all his options available.

With the transfer of former MSU starting quarterback Wesley Carroll, Lee and

2008 TEAM STATS

WR Brandon McRae Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

sophomore back-up Chris Relf were the lone two scholarship signal callers on campus this spring.

However, all eyes will be on former Meridian standout and Parade All-American Tyler Russell. Russell is thought to be the future for the Bulldogs and could get his first taste of the SEC this fall.

Regardless of who lines up under center, finding experienced targets could pose a problem.

With senior Brandon McRae rehabbing a broken leg suffered in the Egg Bowl, rising sophomore Delmon Robinson was the lone receiver in spring practice that had actually caught a pass in the Division 1 ranks.

In December, the Bulldogs inked Leon Berry and the JUCO All-American wasted little time shooting up the depth chart. Berry was State’s most consistent receiver in the spring session.

“He was the one who really caught my eye,” said MSU passing game coordinator Mark Hudspeth. “He runs good routes and has good hands. It is easy to tell he has gained good knowledge of the spread during his time in junior college.”

With McRae out for the spring, Robinson and former quarterback signee Terrance Davis took advantage of the extra playing time. Robinson enjoyed a solid start as a true freshman in 2008 (five catches for 61 yards in

season opener) but his production tailed off the remainder of the year.

Davis, a redshirt freshman, displayed his catch-after-the-run skills in the spring game and had a game-high five receptions.

Also stepping up this spring was track standout and redshirt freshman O’Neal Wilder. A year ago, Wilder was one of the top 400 meters performers in the country but missed the 2008 campaign due to a knee injury.

Almost fully recovered, Wilder displayed his skills and took advantage of his size (6-5, 195 pounds) this spring.

Depth is not a concern at tight end. MSU returns junior Brandon Henderson and sophomore Kendrick Cook, who exited the spring as the starter.

Also in the mix will be former Southern Miss transfer Thomas Webb and sophomore Marcus Green, who is recovering from offseason hip surgery.

Regardless of the new offense and talented skill players, State’s success on offense will still be determined by the big bodies up front.

Junior Derek Sherrod returns at left tackle while former tight end and sophomore Addison Lawrence earned first-team honors at right tackle this spring.

Junior J.C. Brignone returns to his starting center position and was one of State’s top performers in 2008.

..................................................MSU OPP SCORING.................................... 183 296 Points Per Game.......................15.2 24.7 FIRST DOWNS............................ 187 200 Rushing..................................... 69 95 Passing..................................... 108 89 Penalty...................................... 10 16 RUSHING YARDAGE.................. 1220 1811 Yards gained rushing............... 1645 2055 Yards lost rushing..................... 425 244 Rushing Attempts..................... 397 443 Average Per Rush......................3.1 4.1 Average Per Game..................101.7 150.9 TDs Rushing.............................. 13 19 PASSING YARDAGE................... 2092 2119 Att-Comp-Int...................... 385-210-12 324-169-8 Average Per Pass.......................5.4 6.5 Average Per Catch....................10.0 12.5 Average Per Game..................174.3 176.6 TDs Passing............................... 10 13 TOTAL OFFENSE........................ 3312 3930 Total Plays................................ 782 767 Average Per Play.......................4.2 5.1 Average Per Game...................276.0 327.5 KICK RETURNS: #-Yards..........53-1039 38-691 PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards..........32-173 37-431 INT RETURNS: #-Yards................8-86 12-177 KICK RETURN AVERAGE.............19.6 18.2 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE............5.4 11.6 INT RETURN AVERAGE...............10.8 14.8 FUMBLES-LOST..........................19-8 20-8 PENALTIES-Yards......................68-544 76-643 Average Per Game....................45.3 53.6 PUNTS-Yards...........................82-3099 66-2671 Average Per Punt......................37.8 40.5 Net punt average.....................31.8 36.0 TIME OF POSSESSION/Game.....30:15 29:45 3RD-DOWN Conversions..........58/178 59/168 3rd-Down Pct...........................33% 35% 4TH-DOWN Conversions............8/18 10/11 4th-Down Pct.......................... 44% 91% SACKS BY-Yards.......................19-117 36-261 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED............. 23 35 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS............7-13 17-25 ON-SIDE KICKS........................... 0-1 1-2 RED-ZONE SCORES...............23-33 70% 34-39 87% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS....19-33 58% 23-39 59% PAT-ATTEMPTS..........................22-23 33-34 ATTENDANCE.......................... 260716 411944 Games/Avg Per Game...........6/43453 6/68657 Neutral Site Games...................0/0 SCORE BY QUARTERS....1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total Mississippi State...............48 47 38 50 - 183 Opponents....................... 76 60 78 82 - 296 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 47

Sophomore Quinton Saulsberry returns to his starting role at left guard while redshirt freshman Tobias Smith gets his first taste at right guard. Smith was penciled in as a starter last season before a broken ankle forced the Columbus product to redshirt.

DEFENSE The Bulldogs’ strength lies in the middle of the defense, led by All-SEC middle linebacker and fifth-year senior Jamar Chaney. Chaney played just one game last year after suffering a broken leg in the ‘08 season-opener at Louisiana Tech. Now fully recovered, the 6-foot-1 and 240-pound Chaney is set on returning to his 2007 former when he led the Bulldogs with 89 tackles.

Despite the experience, it was still a learning process for first-year defensive coordinator Carl Torbush, Chaney and the rest of the defense.

“We were not exactly sure what we’ve got,” said Torbush this spring. “I do think we have some young guys that have a chance to play well. But the bellcow right now is Jamar Chaney. He definitely has NFL potential and is the leader of our group and sets the tone.”

Also back in the linebacker mix include junior outside linebacker K.J. Wright, who ranked second on the team in ‘08 with 72 tackles and had a team-best nine tackles for loss. In the offseason, MSU added junior college All-American Chris White and the weakside linebacker quickly earned a starting role during spring practice.

“K.J. is an outstanding young man,” said Torbush. “He is a big linebacker (6-4, 245) and I’m not sure he realizes yet just how good he can be.

Torbush, a veteran defensive coach in the BCS ranks, will also rely on senior tackles Kyle Love and Charles Burns. Leading the secondary is senior cornerback Marcus Washington and junior safety Zach Smith both returning starters.

MSU must, however, replace safeties Derek Pegues, Keith Fitzhugh and De’Mon Glanton.

That trio were staples in the secondary for the past three seasons.

Joining Smith at safety will be sophomores Charles Mitchell and Wade Bonner. Mitchell showed glimpses of his greatness as a true freshman in 2008 while Bonner moved back to safety after a year at running back.

Where the Bulldogs must increase their production is on the line of scrimmage. A year ago, MSU ranked last in the SEC with just 19 quarterback sacks.

With youth in the secondary, it is a must that State’s D-line put more pressure on opposing backfields.

Along with Love and Burns, junior tackle LaMarcus Williams has two years of SEC experience and will provide what little depth is available up front.

Expected to instantly increase those sack 48 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Running Back Anthony Dixon Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

opportunities is junior college transfer Pernell McPhee. The JUCO All-American and Pahokee, Fla., native led the JUCO ranks the past two years in sacks and tackles for loss.

McPhee (6-4, 275) has the speed to play at end and also the size to slide down in the middle.

More help could be on the way in August when highly-touted defensive tackle Josh Boyd arrives for his rookie campaign. But this is the SEC, where freshmen linemen usually take their lumps early and often.

“That is something we have to improve on,” said Love, a two-year starters at tackle.

“But with Pernell McPhee playing inside and outside and our young defensive ends, I believe we will have more pressure on the edge. That should free us up more in the middle of the line.”

Leading the charges at the end slots will be junior Brandon Cooper and sophomore Sean Ferguson. Cooper is the lone veteran of the group while Ferguson earned five starts as a true freshman.

Unlike the tackle slots, the Bulldogs do have the luxury of depth at defensive end. Albeit unproven, State features a bevy of redshirt freshmen in Nick Bell, Devin Jones, Shane McCardell and Trevor Stigers.

“We feel we have a solid rotation of six guys and there is no drop off 1 through 6,” said Bell. “It was very competitive this spring and in one day, you could find yourself starting or on the third team.”

“What we were really looking for was to find guys that played hard this spring, and guys that just gave great effort,” said Mullen. “That was the number one thing. If we have to only run three plays, we’ll only run three plays. But we’re going to play with great effort.

SPECIAL TEAMS While MSU will depend on new talent, offensively, and old talent, defensively, Mullen and his staff went for a quick fix on special teams.

The Bulldogs signed JUCO All-American kicker Sean Brauchle and JUCO All-American punter Heath Hutchins last December.

And it paid instant dividends this spring and should give MSU a dramatic boost on special teams.

During spring drills, Brauchle was consistent from 50 yards in and also displayed the strength to convert 50 yard-plus field goals. On two separate occasions this spring, including the spring game, Brauchle was successful on 57-yard field goal attempts.

A year ago, the Bulldogs dropped onepoint games to Auburn and Kentucky, games in which a trio of short field goals and two extra points were missed. - MSM Paul Jones is the Senior writer for ESPN’s BulldogJunction.com and is a freelance writer in the Starkville area.

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

W/L

Aug 30 Sep 06 Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 01 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 28

at Louisiana Tech Southeastern LA. #9 AUBURN at Georgia Tech at #5 LSU #13 VANDERBILT at Tennessee MIDDLE TENNESSEE KENTUCKY #1 Alabama ARKANSAS at Ole Miss

L W L L L W L W L L W L

2009 ROSTER

SCORE A TTEND 14-22 34-10 2-3 7-38 24-34 17-14 3-34 31-22 13-14 7-32 31-28 0-45

25,224 41,938 52,911 48,402 92,710 43,619 98,239 40,024 40,168 92,138 42,056 55,231

2009 SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT Sept. 5 Jackson State Sept. 12 @ Auburn Sept. 19 @ Vanderbilt Sept. 26 LSU Oct. 3 Georgia Tech Oct. 10 Houston (HC) Oct. 17 @ Middle Tennessee Oct. 24 Florida Oct. 31 @ Kentucky Nov. 7 OPEN Nov. 14 Alabama Nov. 21 @ Arkansas Nov. 28 Ole Miss HC -Homecoming

LOCATION Starkville Auburn, AL Nashville, TN Starkville Starkville Starkville Murfreesboro, TN Starkville Lexington, KY Starkville Fayetteville, AR Starkville

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING T. Lee W. Carroll

ATT COMP PCT 260 153 58.8 115 55 47.8

YDS 1,519 560

TD INT 7 5 3 7

RUSHING A Dixon C. Ducre

ATT 197 56

YDS 930 234

AVG 4.4 4.0

TD 7 2

RECEIVING B. McRae A. Stallworth

NO. 51 23

YDS 518 302

AVG 10.2 13.1

TD 3 1

KICKING A. Carlson

FGM-FGA 17-13

PATs 22-23

PTS 43

LG 43

BLK 1

PUNTING R. Park

NO. 79

YDS 3,049

AVG 38.6

LG 72

BLK 1

TACKLES: K.J. Wright, 72; M. Washington, 44; Z. Smith, 43 SACKS: K.J. Wright, 4; K. Love, 2 INT’s: K. Brown, 2

1 Maurice Langston ATH 2 Robert Elliott RB 4 Charles Mitchell DB 5 Delmon Robinson WR 6 Brandon McRae WR 7 Wade Bonner ATH 7 Todd Kilpatrick QB 8 Leon Berry WR 9 Arceto Clark ATH 10 Cameron Lawrence ATH 14 Chris Relf QB 16 Tyson Lee QB 17 Riley Saunders QB 18 Marcus Washington DB 19 Terrance Davis ATH 20 Louis Watson DB 22 Jamar Chaney LB 23 Joseph Gonzalez LB 23 Sylvester Hemphill FB 24 Anthony Dixon RB 25 Corey Broomfield DB 26 Damein Anderson DB 27 William Berg K 27 Stuart Gaddy DB 28 Tay Bowser WR 29 Christian Ducré RB 30 Arnil Stallworth RB 31 ToJo Patterson ATH 32 Marcus Green TE 33 Patrick Hanrahan FB 33 Jamie Jones LB 34 Ryan Lester FB 34 K.J. Wright LB 35 Chris Cameron DB 35 Derek DePasquale K 36 Nick Bell DL 37 Sean Brauchle K 38 Heath Hutchens P 39 Baker Swedenberg K 40 Andrew Shannon DB 40 Allen Tolbert FB 41 Marvin Bure DB 41 Eric Richards K/P 42 Zach Smith DB 43 Robert Gurley DB 43 Thomas Hardin FB 44 Bo Walters LB 45 Michael Hunt LB 46 Aaron Feld SN 47 Jarvis Williams DB 48 Emmanuel Gatling DB 49 Terrell Johnson LB 50 Chris White LB 51 Renaldo Buck DL 52 Karlin Brown LB 53 Mike Perry LB 54 Trevor Stigers DL 55 Quentin Saulsberry OL 56 Brandon Wilson LB 57 Tyler Gregory LB 59 Michael Bufkin OL 60 Devin Jones DL 62 Addison Lawrence OL 63 Chris Spencer OL 64 Mark Lynn LB 65 Joshua Jackson DL 66 D.J. Looney OL 67 Tobias Smith OL 68 Templeton Hardy OL 69 Reggie Odom DL 70 J.C. Brignone OL 71 Sam Watts OL 72 John McMillan OL 73 Dakota Merritt OL 74 Mark Melichar OL 75 Craig Jenkins OL 76 Phillip Freeman OL 77 Sam Latham OL 78 Douglas Gholston OL 79 Derek Sherrod OL 80 Andrew Ellard WR 81 O’Neal Wilder WR 82 Nelson Hurst TE 83 Charles Bailey WR 84 Austin Wilbanks TE 85 Brandon Henderson TE 86 Major Sosebee WR 87 Thomas Webb TE 88 Kendrick Cook TE 89 Blake Edwards WR 90 Pernell McPhee DL 91 Rodney Prince DL 92 Charles Burns DL 93 Brandon Cooper DL 95 Kyle Love DL 96 Shane McCardell DL 98 LaMarcus Williams DL 99 Sean Ferguson DL

5-10 180 6-0 195 5-11 205 5-9 180 6-4 205 5-9 200 6-2 205 6-0 190 5-10 180 6-2 210 6-3 235 5-10 200 6-0 180 5-10 190 5-11 185 5-10 180 6-1 245 6-1 210 5-9 230 6-1 235 5-10 165 5-11 195 5-9 190 5-9 185 6-3 200 6-0 220 5-9 205 5-11 190 6-1 235 5-11 225 6-0 235 6-0 240 6-4 245 5-10 180 5-8 180 6-3 250 5-10 180 6-1 215 6-0 175 6-0 205 5-11 225 5-8 190 6-4 220 5-11 200 5-8 190 6-0 240 6-0 240 6-3 240 6-1 225 5-9 185 6-0 210 6-2 205 6-3 245 5-11 240 5-8 200 5-10 190 6-4 255 6-2 300 6-0 240 5-10 210 6-4 280 6-0 260 6-4 295 6-3 310 6-0 225 6-2 300 6-1 300 6-3 310 6-3 300 6-0 295 6-1 300 6-4 290 6-1 285 6-5 300 6-4 300 6-5 315 6-6 300 6-1 275 6-1 280 6-6 310 5-10 175 6-5 210 6-2 250 6-1 180 6-2 245 6-2 255 6-1 185 6-5 255 6-1 250 5-10 170 6-3 275 6-0 265 6-1 275 6-1 255 6-1 310 6-5 240 6-0 270 6-3 245

Jr. So. So. So. Sr. So. RFr. Jr. So. Fr. So. Sr. Fr. Sr. RFr. RFr. Sr. Jr. RFr. Sr. RFr. So. RFr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. RFr. So. Jr. So. RFr. Jr. RFr. Jr. RFr. Jr. Jr. Fr. RFr. RFr. So. So. Jr. So. Jr. So. RFr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. RFr. Jr. RFr. RFr. So. RFr. RFr. Jr. RFr. So. Sr. Jr. So. So. RFr. RFr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. RFr. RFr. Jr. Sr. RFr. So. RFr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. RFr. Jr. So.

TR Meridian, Miss. (East Central [Miss.] CC 1L Okolona, Miss. (Okolona) 1L Clarksdale, Miss. (Clarksdale) 1L Vicksburg, Miss. (Vicksburg) 2L Chester, Va. (Morehead State) 1L Mason, Tenn. (Fayette Ware) RS Monroeville, Ala. (Monroe Academy) TR Griffin, Ga. (East Mississippi CC) 1L Verona, Miss. (Shannon) HS Coldwater, Miss. (Magnolia Heights) SQ Montgomery, Ala. (Carver) 1L Columbus, Miss. (Itawamba [Miss.] CC) HS Oxford, Miss. (Oxford) 3L Missouri City, Texas (Fort Bend Marshall) RS Conyers, Ga. (Salem) RS Mobile, Ala. (St. Paul’s Episcopal) 3L Fort Pierce, Fla. (St. Lucie West Centennial) RS Elizabeth, N.J. (Bakersfield CC) RS Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) 3L Jackson, Miss. (Terry) RS Palm Bay, Fla. (Bayside) 1L Hazlehurst, Miss. (Hazlehurst) RS Winfield, Ala. (Winfield City) TR Fayetteville, Ark. (Fayetteville) 3L Gilmer, Texas (Gilmer) 2L LaCombe, La. (Fontainebleau) 3L Daphne, Ala. (Daphne) RS Corinth, Miss. (Biggersville) 1L Scooba, Miss. (Kemper County) TR Springville, Ala. (Alabama) 1L Springdale, Ark. (Springdale) RS Inverness, Miss. (Indianola Academy) 2L Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) RS Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Dwyer) TR The Woodlands, Texas (Colorado School of Mines) RS Bessemer, Ala. (Jess Lanier) TR Biloxi, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) TR Saltillo, Miss. (Itawamba [Miss.] CC) HS Columbus, Miss. (Heritage Academy) RS Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville) RS Duluth, Ga. (Northview) SQ Vicksburg, Miss. (Vicksburg) SQ Vicksburg, Miss. (Warren Central) 2L Altoona, Ala. (Susan Moore) SQ Dothan, Ala. (Houston Academy) TR Houston, Miss. (Itawamba [Miss.] CC) 1L Wilsonville, Ala. (Briarwood Christian) RS Meadville, Miss. (Franklin County) 2L Homewood, Ala. (Homewood) SQ Jackson, Miss. (Provine) SQ McAllen, Texas (Rowe) 1L Cullomburg, Ala. (Southern Choctaw) TR Vancleave, Miss. (Miss. Gulf Coast CC) RS Sarah, Miss. (Coldwater) 2L Tallahassee, Fla. (Lincoln) RS Gainesville, Fla. (P.K. Yonge) RS Ridgeland, Miss. (Ridgeland) 1L Coldwater, Miss. (Independence) RS Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Northridge) RS Terry, Miss. (Jackson Prep) TR Clinton, Miss. (Pearl River [Miss.] CC) RS Olive Branch, Miss. (DeSoto Central) 1L Coldwater, Miss. (Magnolia Heights) SQ Meridian, Miss. (Meridian) SQ Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) 1L Canton, Miss. (Canton) 1L Birmingham, Ala. (Oak Mountain) RS Columbus, Miss. (Columbus) RS Como, Miss. (Lincoln) SQ Deland, Fla. (Deland) 2L Pass Christian, Miss. (St. Stanislaus) HS Conyers, Ga. (Salem) SQ Paragould, Ark. (Paragould) SQ Cantonment, Fla. (West Florida Tech) 2L Birmingham, Ala. (Oak Mountain) 3L Pearl, Miss. (Pearl) RS Wesson, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln [Miss.] CC) RS Cordova, Tenn. (Briarcrest) RS Baldwyn, Miss. (Baldwyn) 2L Columbus, Miss. (Caledonia) SQ Natchez, Miss. (Cathedral) RS Carthage, Miss. (Carthage) 1L Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield) RS St. Augustine, Fla. (Bartram Trail) 1L Forest, Miss. (Mississippi College) 1L Fayetteville, Ga. (Fayette County) SQ Warrior, Ala. (Sumiton Christian) RS Starkville, Miss. (Southern Mississippi) 1L Attalla, Ala. (Etowah) SQ Rome, Ga. (Rome) TR Pahokee, FL (Itawamba [Miss.] CC) 1L Irondale, Ala. (Shades Valley) 3L Hattiesburg, Miss. (Hattiesburg) 2L Missouri City, Texas (Fort Bend Marshall) 3L Fairburn, Ga. (North Clayton) RS Beaumont, Texas (West Brook) 2L Bastrop, La. (Bastrop) 1L Miami, Fla. (Norland)

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 49

MSM

P L AY E R P R O F I L E : J A M A R C H A N E Y

No Regrets...

JAMAR CHANEY

Photo courtesy Mississippi State Univeristy

By Paul Jones

Contributing Writer

D

uring his first three years on campus, Jamar Chaney did a lot of learning on the field. The MSU middle linebacker was immediately thrown into the mix as a true freshman, and quickly became a staple of the Bulldogs’ defense.

But Chaney admits he learned his biggest lesson in 2008, and it occurred when he was off the field. In State’s 2008 season opener, Chaney suffered a broken leg late in the fourth quarter and saw his season come to an abrupt halt.

He still had 12 tackles in that game but knew the rest of his season was lost. “I learned to not take for granted of all the little things,” said Chaney, who owns 208 career tackles and 13 tackles for loss in threeplus seasons. “I learned the hard way that it could be all over in a blink of an eye, just like it was last year. “I have learned to enjoy it while I can because you never know when it will end.”

Which makes Chaney even more excited about the 2009 season. Due to his injury, Chaney earned a medical redshirt and enters the fall fully recovered and as a fifth-year senior.

“He looks like he has returned extremely well from the injury,” said MSU first-year defensive coordinator Carl Torbush, also the linebackers coach. “He needs to be a good leader for us. He’s got a great motor. He is a little bit rusty in some of his techniques but he wants to do well. “And you know, some guys get to that point where they think they know it all.

He is not like that and he always wants to get better. There is no doubt he has NFL potential.”

But don’t expect it to take Chaney that long to shake off that “rust”.

“It won’t take too long,” said Chaney, who led MSU in 2007 with 89 tackles. “Because I’m not going to just let anybody hit me. If I don’t hit them first then I know they are going to hit me. And that’s not going to happen (laughing).”

Chaney returns to a squad deep at linebacker, including returning starter K.J. Wright and highly-touted junior college transfer Chris White. Also back with starting experience include linebackers Jamie Jones, Karlin Brown, Bo Walters and Terrell Johnson.

“There’s going to be a lot of competition and a lot of good linebackers,” said the 6-foot-1 and 245-pound Chaney. “Everybody is fighting to get their spot and their snaps. But it’s going to make for a lot of fun, and more competition makes for better practices.”

Despite the constant competition, his linebacker mates are also happy to see No. 22 back in the fold.

“Chaney is just a big help and a big plus for us being back,” said Wright. “He is the leader of our defense. Without him, we would not be the same and now we have him around for one more year. I know that makes me happy but probably not our offense in practice.”

Over four years ago, Chaney did not originally plan to be at Mississippi State but rather a Bulldog at the University of Georgia.

However, due to some academic issues, the Fort Pierce, Fla., native maintained the ‘Bulldogs’ title on his jersey but found a new home in Starkville.

Four years later, Chaney feels like a new kid on the block again. And that’s due to his extra year of eligibility and playing for a new coaching staff, including Torbush and head coach Dan Mullen.

“It was really a blessing in disguise,” said Chaney of the 2008 season.

50 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

“I get another chance and another year. I get to play for this new staff and that’s been a blessing to play under Coach Mullen.

“To have someone like Coach Torbush with his background with linebackers, it is really going to help me out. He is one of the best defensive coordinators around and has coached a lot of great linebackers.”

The Bulldogs’ first spring practice under head coach Dan Mullen naturally provided many challenges on the other side of the ball, too.

When Mullen arrived in Starkville, he brought with him a new concept on offense - a spread look.

Instead of practicing against a run-oriented offensive attack, Chaney and his defensive mates had everything but the kitchen sink thrown at them.

And it started from Day 1, he said.

“From the first day of spring practice it was hard,” said Chaney. “They came out there from the get-go and threw everything at us. In years past, it wasn’t like that until the last week of spring practice. You know, until they came at the defense with all formations. “But this year, we had all the formations thrown at us from the start.”

Also this spring, with offensive guys spread out more, Chaney saw MSU’s defense exhibit a higher intensity chasing the football.

As if they had any other choice against Mullen’s offensive schemes.

“I saw nothing but 100 percent effort every day, and guys just always running to the football,” noted Chaney. “That was the key part from when we all first got started with this new staff. Even when guys are way down field, the coaches want us hustling and running to the ball D-linemen, linebackers and everybody.

“That is where we made our biggest improvement, just going 100 percent all the time. Even if you are out there for just three plays, then go 100 percent on those three plays.”

Which is what Chaney has done the previous four years in Starkville, even if his original path wasn’t supposed to lead to Mississippi State.

“I am back in the Maroon and White, playing another year of college football,” said Chaney. “Like I said, it’s just a blessing in disguise.

“My time here has been so good. Sure, this wasn’t the place I first chose but I couldn’t be happier anywhere else. But with all I’ve been through, I believe it made me a better person, overall, and a better football player at Mississippi State.” - MSM

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OPENING SOON IN D’IBERVILLE, MS

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

SOUTHERN MISS. GOLDEN EAGLES Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

HEAD COACH: Larry Fedora - 2nd Season 2008 RECORD: 7-6 Overall 4-4 CUSA, 2nd East Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th vs. Alcorn State M.M. Roberts Stadium

Flying High Again After a 2-6 start to his head coaching career, Larry Fedora has Southern Miss soaring into 2009

By Cary Estes Contributing Writer

S

outhern Mississippi head coach Larry Fedora made a crucial decision midway through last season. The Golden Eagles were on a dispiriting five-game losing streak, and their string of 14 consecutive winning seasons was about to come to an end.

The team was 2-6 and fading fast, and more than a few voices were wondering aloud whether Fedora was indeed the right person to have replaced longtime head coach Jeff Bower.

In the midst of all this discontent, Fedora decided to do … nothing. No major personnel changes. No overhaul of the practice regimen.

No significant shifts in the game plan.

Instead, Fedora narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth and made sure everything remained the same. Except for the final results, that is. There was an obvious difference on the scoreboard, as the Golden Eagles followed up that five-game losing streak with a five-game winning streak that propelled them to a 7-6 record.

Along the way they snagged their 11th bowl berth in the past 12 years (a victory over Troy in the New Orleans Bowl), and extended their streak of winning seasons to 15, which is the fourth-longest in the nation (behind only Florida State, Florida and Virginia Tech).

52 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Coach Larry Fedora

“Probably the thing that turned it around for us was we didn’t change,” Fedora said. “It was rough during that five-game skid. But we just kept doing the things we believed in. We kept the players focused. We kept preaching to them that if they worked hard, good things were going to happen.

“Even when everybody on the outside was saying they couldn’t do it, they couldn’t get it done, those players stayed focused on the task at hand. They stayed together and they continued to believe in what the coaches were teaching them. And eventually the light came on and they grew up and started making plays.”

So with a total of 18 returning starters on this year’s team, don’t expect many changes from the Golden Eagles. After all, Fedora and USM proved last season that doing nothing can sometimes be exactly what a team needs.

OFFENSE Last season’s turnaround began when Southern Miss hung 70 points on the board against UAB in game No. 9. That outburst demonstrated to the extreme just what the offense was capable of doing, as USM rolled up 610 total yards and gained an average of 8.7 yard per play. The Golden Eagles ended

the season ranked 20th in the NCAA in total offense, their best finish in school history.

The three key ingredients to that offense – quarterback Austin Davis, running back Damion Fletcher and wide receiver DeAndre Brown – all return. But there are a few issues.

Fletcher was suspended for spring drills after he pled guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge and received six months probation. And Brown is attempting to bounce back from a gruesome injury in the New Orleans Bowl in which his left leg snapped halfway down his shin.

“If everybody comes back and performs like we hope they will,” Fedora said, “then overall offensively we have some pretty high expectations.”

Fletcher will be attempting to become only the eighth player in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

He gained 1,313 yards last year and scored 10 touchdowns, improving his career totals to 4,287 yards and 36 TDs. “If he rushes for over 1,000 again, that will be a tremendous accomplishment,” Fedora said.

Fletcher is a proven commodity who, despite his legal issues, will likely have another quality season. The key to the offense might

Photo by King Photography

Quarterback Austin Davis

be the performance of sophomores Davis and Brown, and whether they can continue the progress they demonstrated during their first season of playing time.

Davis started all 13 games at quarterback as a redshirt freshman, completing 57.5 percent of his passes for 3,128 yards, with 23 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. In addition, he was selected as one of the team’s permanent captains last year, despite his lack of experience.

“That says a lot about his leadership ability,” Fedora said. “He did some tremendous things for us in his first year with the offense. We’re really excited about what he brings to the table.”

When healthy, Brown is an even more impressive talent. As a true freshman he caught a school-record 67 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. The rest of the team combined to produce 11 TD receptions.

“It’s still up in the air how he’ll be when he comes back from the injury,” Fedora said in early June. “But he’s a very, very talented young man who can make a lot of plays for us if he’s healthy.”

While most of the offensive starters from last season are back, USM did lose two important players along the line in tight end Shawn Nelson (who was drafted in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills) and left tackle Ryan McKee. Junior Jonathan Massey is expected to take over as the starting tight end, while senior Kyle Burkhart is slated to

start at left tackle.

“We lost two extremely gifted players,” Fedora said. “But (Massey and Burkhart) made some plays for us last year as reserves, so now we’ll get to see what they do in a starter’s role. We feel like we’re solid up there, but we still have a little way to go.”

DEFENSE The biggest benefactor from USM’s staythe-course attitude last season was the defense.

During the team’s 2-6 start, the Golden Eagles allowed a total of 251 points, an average of 31.4 per game. During the season-ending five-game winning streak, however, that average plummeted to 12.4 points per game.

In back-to-back victories over UCF and East Carolina, the defense surrendered only nine points.

“We were playing hard (through the first eight games), but we weren’t playing smart.

We had to play smarter,” Fedora said. “They were doing what we’d asked them. But we weren’t making the one or two plays that needed to be made to win the game. That changed the last five games of the season.

They really started coming on.”

Much of the improvement came along the defensive line, with 300-pound nose tackle Anthony Gray leading the way. Gray had 29 tackles (7½ for a loss) and six sacks to earn a spot on the All-Conference USA secondteam.

Overall, the line solidified enough that

2008 TEAM STATS ................................................USM OPP SCORING.................................. 398 313 Points Per Game.....................30.6 24.1 FIRST DOWNS.......................... 287 266 Rushing.................................. 133 97 Passing................................... 137 145 Penalty.................................... 17 24 RUSHING YARDAGE................ 2502 1817 Yards gained rushing............. 2818 2158 Yards lost rushing................... 316 341 Rushing Attempts................... 531 428 Average Per Rush....................4.7 4.2 Average Per Game................192.5 139.8 TDs Rushing............................ 29 13 PASSING YARDAGE................. 3134 2942 Att-Comp-Int..................... 457-262-9 447-260-17 Average Per Pass.....................6.9 6.6 Average Per Catch..................12.0 11.3 Average Per Game................241.1 226.3 TDs Passing............................. 23 25 TOTAL OFFENSE...................... 5636 4759 Total Plays.............................. 988 875 Average Per Play.....................5.7 5.4 Average Per Game................433.5 366.1 KICK RETURNS: #-Yards........55-1093 56-1099 PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards........26-192 22-329 INT RETURNS: #-Yards.............17-98 9-74 KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........19.9 19.6 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE..........7.4 15.0 INT RETURN AVERAGE..............5.8 8.2 FUMBLES-LOST........................25-7 24-12 PENALTIES-Yards....................99-972 79-708 Average Per Game.................74.8 54.5 PUNTS-Yards.........................60-2391 64-2592 Average Per Punt....................39.8 40.5 Net punt average...................30.7 35.6 TIME OF POSSESSION/Game...30:41 30:28 3RD-DOWN Conversions........92/209 70/172 3rd-Down Pct.........................44% 41% 4TH-DOWN Conversions.........18/26 5/13 4th-Down Pct.........................69% 38% SACKS BY-Yards.....................20-163 29-185 MISC YARDS.............................. 10 0 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED........... 52 39 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS.........13-22 15-20 ON-SIDE KICKS..........................0-1 0-2 RED-ZONE SCORES............ 48-56 86% 38-50 76% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS. 39-56 70% 28-50 56% PAT-ATTEMPTS................... 47-49 96% 34-36 94% ATTENDANCE........................ 180475 203212 Games/Avg Per Game.........6/30079 6/33869 Neutral Site Games.............1/30197 SCORE BY QUARTERS...1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total Southern Miss............... 86 1 08 86 105 13 398 Opponents.................... 61 104 71 64 13 313 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 53

opponents managed an average of only 60 yards rushing per game during that five-game winning streak. And USM had four sacks in the bowl game against Troy after managing only 15 all season.

“The D-line really grew up as the season went along,” Fedora said.

This year’s primary concern is at linebacker, where the Golden Eagles lost their two leading tacklers from last season in Gerald McRath (who was drafted in the fourth round by the Tennessee Titans) and Tokumbo Abanikanda.

That duo combined for 221 tackles, meaning they were involved in 26.7 percent of the team’s tackles last season.

Corey Williams was the team’s third starting linebacker last season before breaking his jaw in the fifth game. He had 24 tackles at the time of his injury, which projects to 63 for a full season. That would have placed him fifth on the team last year.

Williams will be joined in the starting lineup this year by Martez Smith, who replaced Williams for the final eight games of last season and finished with 59 tackles, six for a loss. Ronnie Thornton, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore, is expected to be the third starting linebacker.

“We’ve lost some experience and leadership (at linebacker),” Fedora said, “but we have three quality players there that we feel very good about.”

It is the opposite situation in the secondary, where all eight members of last season’s twodeep depth chart return. The DBs are led by senior free safety Eddie Hicks, a second-team All-Conference USA selection who had 64 tackles and four interceptions.

The secondary is another group that improved dramatically as the season progressed. During one five-game stretch midway through the season, the Golden Eagles gave up 17 touchdown passes and made only three interceptions. But in the final four regular-season games, those numbers changed to six TDs and 10 picks.

“If we play like we did during the second half of the season,” Fedora said, “we can be very, very good on defense.”

SPECIAL TEAMS Fedora’s consensus about most areas of the team is that the Golden Eagles started off slowly but kept working hard and eventually got better. That is not the case, however, with the special teams. He has given the boot to all aspects of USM’s kicking game, and plans basically to start from scratch this season.

“We were very sub-par in our special teams last year. There was really nothing that I liked about it,” Fedora said. “We’re revamping the whole thing. We’re taking a whole different attitude towards it this year. It’s an area that we’ll spend a lot of time on. A lot of emphasis will be put on us being a much better football team in that area. And we will be.”

54 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Photo by King Photography

Running Back Damion Fletcher

Two areas in particular concerned Fedora.

The Golden Eagles made only 13-of-22 fieldgoal attempts (including three misses in a double-overtime loss to UTEP), and they averaged only 30.7 net yards per punt, thanks largely to their opponents averaging 15 yards per punt return.

Small items like that can make a big difference, especially for a team that lost four games by a touchdown or less.

Fedora said if not for the problems in the special teams, “We should have had at least two more wins last year. It was in all areas.

Our punt team, our kickoff-return team, everything. So we’ve revamped all those areas and put a tremendous amount of emphasis on them.”

Britt Barefoot, who was both the team’s starting placekicker and punter, is gone.

Sophomore Daniel Hrapmann enters preseason listed as the starting placekicker and redshirt freshman Bret Jefcoat is listed as the starting punter. But Fedora said, “That’s still up in the air for us right now. We’re not ready to name a starter in either one of those spots.”

OUTLOOK With 18 returning starters and the momentum from last year’s five-game winning streak, there is no doubt that Southern Miss enters the 2009 season as one of the favorites in Conference USA. Fedora said he and his players expect nothing less.

“There are high expectations, and there should be,” Fedora said. “When you come to

Southern Miss, you expect to win. That’s what this program is built on. That’s the tradition of this program. That’s the way we want it. We want players who expect to win. That’s why players come here.”

Most preseason prognosticators have USM contending for the C-USA title and possibly breaking into the national top-25.

The Sporting News predicted that the Golden Eagles will be one of the five most-improved teams from last season.

The one thing that could derail these lofty expectations is the schedule. USM has three non-conference games in a four-week span against Virginia (at home), Kansas and Louisville (on the road). The Golden Eagles play both Tulsa and Houston, who are possibly the two best teams in C-USA’s Western Division. And they close the season by playing three of their final four games on the road. In fact, because of a late-season bye week, USM has only one home game after Oct. 24.

“Our schedule will be tougher this year than it was last year. But when we step on that field, we’re still going to expect to win,” Fedora said. “We ended last season on a very strong note. That always helps going into the offseason. There’s a lot of excitement building around the program, both on the outside and the inside.

“All that matters is that our guys go out and play hard, play smart and play Southern Miss-style football. If they do that, we’ll be successful.” - MSM

2008 RESULTS DATE Aug 30 Sep 06 Sep 13 *Sep 20 *Oct 04 Oct 11 *Oct 18 *Oct 25 *Nov. 1 *Nov 08 *Nov 15 *Nov 29 Dec 21

OPPONENT LA-LAFAYETTE at Auburn at Arkansas State MARSHALL UTEP #15 BOISE STATE at Rice at MEMPHIS UAB at UCF EAST CAROLINA at SMU vs TROY

W/L W L W L L L L L W W W W W

2009 ROSTER

SCORE A TTEND 51-21 32,792 13-27 87,451 27-24 25,938 27-34 28,178 37-40 28,788 7-24 30,912 40-45 11,117 30-36 24,034 70-14 29,147 17-6 41,652 21-3 30,658 28-12 13,020 30-27 30,197

2009 SCHEDULE DATE Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 28

OPPONENT Alcorn State Central Florida Virginia @ Kansas @ UAB @ Louisville Memphis Tulane (HC) @ Houston OPEN @ Marshall Tulsa @ East Carolina

LOCATION Hattiesburg Hattiesburg Hattiesburg Lawrence, KS Birmingham, AL Louisville, KY Hattiesburg Hattiesburg Houston, TX Huntington, WV Hattiesburg Greenville, NC

HC -Homecoming

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING A. Davis M. Young

ATT COMP PCT 454 261 57.5 2 1 50.0

RUSHING D. Fletcher A. Davis T. Harrison

ATT 219 155 53

YDS 1,347 729 261

AVG 6.0 3.3 4.8

TD 10 9 7

RECEIVING D. Brown G. Baptiste D. Fletcher

NO. 67 35 33

YDS 1,117 460 246

AVG 16.7 13.1 7.5

TD 12 2 1

KICKING FGM-FGA B. Barefoot 9-15

PATs 38-40

PTS 65

LG 46

BLK 2

PUNTING B. Barefoot

YDS 1,987

AVG 40.6

LG 58

BLK 0

NO. 49

YDS 3,128 6

TD INT 23 8 0 1

TACKLES: C. Hunter, 68; E. Hicks, 64 SACKS: A. Gray, 6; C. Law, 5 INT’s: J. Wilson, 4; E. Hicks, 4; A. Watson, 3; C.J. Bailey, 3

2 2 3 3 5 6 7 8 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 37 38 39 40 42 43 45 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 59 60 61 62 63 64 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 79 80 80 81 82 83 84 85 85 86 87 87 88 89 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

V.J. Floyd Micah Pellerin Bret Jefcoat Cameron O’Neal DeAndre Brown Freddie Parham Desmond Johnson Justin Wilson Tory Harrison John Green Austin Davis Andre Watson Justin Estes Martevious Young Marcal Robinson Kevie Thompson Eddie Hicks Jonathan Massey C.J. Bailey Kameron Roan Brandon Davis Cladarrius Jefferson Troy Hulbert Hendrick Leverette Douglas Logan Damion Fletcher Kendrick Presley William Spight Michael McGee Terrance Conner Chico Hunter Martez Smith Kane Wommack Jeremy Snowden Ken Meeks Josh Hurd Korey Williams Tim Green Roshaad Byrd Cordarro Law Cody Tawater Darius Barnes Andy Hill Scottie Williams Alex Michael Ronnie Thornton Cameron Zipp R.J. Brown James Brady Austin Quattrochi Kyle Clark Josh Mauldin Dyron White Joe Duhon Micah Brown Brennan Houston Ryan Hebert Calvin Wilson Kyle Burkhart Trevor Newsom Ben Schoenberger Jacob Johnson Daniel Hrapmann David Rue Jamie Wheat Deon Hodges Johdrick Morris Leroy Banks Quentin Pierce Ross Smith Gerald Baptiste Dylan Lanphere Montrez Mosley Jordan McNair Joel Ross Terrance Pope Deddrick Jones Logan Hickman Andrew Burns Anthony Gray David Boyce Willie Packer De’Anthony Bandy Rolando Barragan

RB DB QB DB WR WR RB DB RB DB QB DB K QB DB DB DB TE DB RB LB DB DB LB DB RB DB WR DB DL DB LB TE LB RB RB LB LB DE DL LS DL LS LB OL LB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL PK TE TE WR WR TE WR TE WR PK WR WR DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL

5-10 186 6-1 183 6-1 200 6-0 206 6-6 228 6-0 172 5-11 188 5-11 187 6-1 188 6-0 222 6-2 206 5-10 180 5-9 151 6-1 188 6-0 175 6-0 189 6-2 183 6-3 251 5-10 189 5-8 160 6-1 200 6-1 180 6-0 166 5-10 221 6-0 203 5-10 177 6-2 188 5-10 167 5-10 181 6-3 234 6-0 195 6-0 211 6-0 223 6-3 197 5-6 185 6-0 220 6-2 228 6-3 200 6-3 247 6-2 243 6-3 232 6-4 260 6-2 221 6-3 222 6-2 310 6-3 230 6-1 297 6-3 301 6-4 253 6-3 270 6-0 265 6-3 223 6-5 309 6-2 308 6-2 287 6-4 314 6-5 310 6-6 353 6-5 275 6-8 276 6-5 293 6-1 290 5-9 152 6-5 253 6-2 219 6-2 204 6-3 206 6-3 230 5-11 163 6-3 225 6-0 182 6-3 193 5-9 178 6-3 172 6-1 300 6-3 275 6-3 242 6-3 245 6-4 248 6-0 301 6-6 248 6-1 275 5-10 238 6-3 295

Jr. r-So. r-Fr. r-So. So. Sr. r-Fr. r-Jr. Sr. r-Sr. r-So. Sr. Jr. r-Jr. r-Fr. r-Jr. r-Sr. Jr. r-Jr. r-Jr. Sr. r-Fr. Jr. Jr. r-Fr. Sr. So. r-So. Sr. Sr. Jr. r-Jr. r-Sr. r-So. So. r-Jr. r-So. r-So. r-Jr. r-So. r-Sr. r-Fr. r-Sr. r-So. r-Jr. r-So. r-Jr. Sr. r-So. r-Fr. r-So. r-Jr. r-Fr. r-Fr. r-Sr. r-Sr. r-Sr. r-Sr. Sr. Jr. So. r-Fr. r-So. Jr. r-Fr. r-Jr. r-Jr. Sr. r-Fr. r-So. r-Sr. r-Jr. Jr. r-Fr. r-Fr. So. r-So. r-So. r-So. r-Jr. r-Jr. r-Fr. r-So. Sr.

2vl 1vl SQ 1vl 1vl 1vl SQ 2vl 3vl SQ 1vl 1vl 1vl SQ SQ SQ 3vl 1vl 2vl SQ 2vl SQ TR JC HS 3vl 1vl SQ 3vl 1vl 2vl 2vl SQ 1vl SQ SQ 1vl SQ 2vl 1vl 2vl SQ 2vl TR 1vl SQ 2vl 1vl SQ SQ SQ JC SQ SQ 3vl 1vl 3vl 2vl 1vl JC JC SQ TR JC SQ SQ 2vl 1vl SQ SQ 2vl SQ TR SQ SQ 1vl 1vl 1vl SQ 2vl 1vl SQ SQ 1vl

Orlando, Fla./Bishop Moore HS New Orleans, La./St. Joseph HS Fulton, Miss./Itawamba AHS Citronelle, Ala./Citronelle HS Ocean Springs, Miss./Ocean Springs HS Margaret, Ala./East Central CC Yazoo City, Miss./Yazoo City HS Taylorsville, Miss./Taylorsville HS Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg HS New Orleans, La./St. Augustine HS Meridian, Miss./West Lauderdale HS Ocean Springs, Miss./Miss. Gulf Coast CC Marietta, Ohio/Marietta HS Alexander City, Ala./Ben Russell HS Richard, Ala./Vigor HS Raleigh, Miss./Jones County JC Clarksdale, Miss./Clarksdale HS Pascagoula, Miss./Copiah Lincoln CC Moss Point, Miss./Moss Point HS Biloxi, Miss./McRamar HS Meridian, Miss./Meridian HS Jayess, Miss./Tylertown HS Ridgeland, Miss./Pearl River CC Purvis, Miss./Pearl River CC Vidalia, La./Vidalia HS Biloxi, Miss./Biloxi HS Kosciusko, Miss./Kosciusko HS Montgomery, Ala./Jefferson Davis HS Magee, Miss./Magee HS Clarksdale, Miss./Coahoma CC Vicksburg, Miss./Warren Central HS Canton, Miss./Velma Jackson HS Atlanta, Ga./Arkansas Liberty, Miss./Amite County HS Greenville, Miss./Greenville-Weston HS Gulf Breeze, Fla./Gulf Breeze HS New Orleans, La./Edna Karr HS Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley HS Meridian, Miss./Meridian HS Whitfi eld, Ala./Sumter County HS Philadelphia, Miss./Philadelphia HS Memphis, Tenn./Westwood HS Spanish Fort, Ala./Daphne HS Decatur, Ga./Ole Miss Meridian, Miss./Southeast Lauderdale HS Miami, Fla./Miami Killian HS Mandeville, La./Fontainebleau HS McLain, Miss./Jones County JC Carriere, Miss./Picayune HS Marietta, Ga./George Walton HS Paulina, La./Lutcher HS Richton, Miss./Jones County Junior College Slidell, La./Slidell HS Lake Charles, La./Washington-Marion HS Troy, Ala./Charles Henderson HS Norwalk, Calif./Cerritos College Gray, La./H.L. Bourgeois HS Hattiesburg, Miss./Mississippi State Kinsley, Kan./Dodge City CC Starkville, Miss./Itawamba CC Pascagoula, Miss./Miss. Gulf Coast CC Brandon, Miss./McLaurin Attendance Center New Orleans, La./Southeastern Louisiana Monroe, La./East Miss. CC Moss Point, Miss./Moss Point HS Moss Point, Miss./Miss. Gulf Coast CC Baton Rouge, La./Central HS Memphis, Tenn./Coahoma CC Mobile, Ala./Davidson HS Purvis, Miss./Mississippi College New Orleans, La./Edna Karr HS Tupelo, Miss./Fort Dorchester HS Meridian, Miss./East Miss. CC Port St. Joe, Fla./Port St. Joe HS Houma, La./Vandebilt Catholic HS Batesville, Miss./South Panola HS Bastrop, La./Bastrop HS Gulf Shores, Ala./Gulf Shore HS Columbiana, Ala./Shelby County HS Philadelphia, Miss./Philadelphia HS Gonzales, La./St. Paul’s HS Moss Point, Miss./Moss Point HS Kansas City, Mo./Iowa Wesleyan Inglewood, Calif./El Camino CC

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 55

MSM

P L AY E R P R O F I L E : D e A N D R E B R O W N

Brown doesn’t want to put injury behind him

By Cary Estes Contributing Writer

T

ype “DeAndre Brown” and “Southern Miss” into an Internet search engine, and the first item that appears is not about the school-record number of catches he made as a freshman last

year.

Nor is it about the USM freshman records he set for receiving yards and touchdown catches. There is no mention of his numerous honors, including being the only freshman selected to the All-Conference USA first-team.

No, the first item that pops up is a You Tube video entitled, “DeAndre Brown – Southern Miss – breaks leg during bowl game (tibia and fibula).”

Unfortunately, that is the only thing many people nationwide know about Brown. He is the guy who crumbled untouched to the turf at the Louisiana Superdome during last year’s New Orleans Bowl against Troy, and then held up his left leg for all to see.

And what people saw, and have seen over and over and over again through the wonders of You Tube, is a leg that took an unnatural turn inward about halfway down his shin. His bone had simply snapped and was suddenly pointed in the wrong direction.

“Everything happened so fast, it was unbelievable,” Brown recalled. “There was no contact at all. By the time I hit the ground, I knew something was wrong. I just couldn’t figure out what it was. Until I held my leg up.”

In the video, Troy defensive back Tavares Williams can be seen walking over with his hand extended, as if to help Brown get back on his feet. When Williams spots Brown’s contorted leg, he recoils and spins away in obvious disgust.

It was a shudder-worthy moment, so Photo courtesy The University of Southern Mississippi much so that when ESPN began to show the replay, the announcer warned, “This is very difficult to watch. Feel free to look away for a moment.”

It is likely that quite a few squeamish people have looked away.

Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora said he has never seen a replay of the incident and doesn’t want to.

But one person who does watch that play, repeatedly, is none other than DeAndre Brown.

“I’ve watched it nearly every day for the past few months,” Brown said. “It keeps me motivated. It lets me know that it can all be taken away from you at anytime. So you have to give it your hardest every single play. I have no problem watching it.”

Really? Even though the bottom third of your leg is making a hard detour toward your back?

56 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

“At first, I’d look at it like, ‘I can’t believe that’s me. I can’t believe my leg is like that.’ I’d look at it in disbelief,” Brown said. “Then after seeing it a few times, I thought it was kind of cool looking.”

The only thing Fedora is going to find cool looking is the sight of the 6-foot-6 Brown once again sprinting past stunned defenders, as he did for much of his freshman season, when he caught a school-record 67 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“He’s so athletically gifted. You just saw the tip of the iceberg last year,” Fedora said. “He’s still learning. As the season was going on, we were seeing him getting better and better, more refined in certain areas that he really needed to improve.

“Unfortunately with the injury, he’s not going to have progressed in all those areas. So we understand that we may be starting over in some of those areas. But the sky’s the limit for this guy. He has a tremendous amount of talent. If we can keep him healthy and he continues to work hard, he can have another great year for us.”

Brown said in early June that his rehabilitation was ahead of schedule, and that some of his teammates are calling him “a beast” for how quickly he has recovered from the injury.

While Fedora is more cautious about Brown’s physical recovery, he said it is obvious the wide receiver already is well past any lingering mental issues caused by the injury.

“He has a great attitude about it,” Fedora said. “I’m not willing to look at (the replay), but I think it’s good for him. He sees that, and he knows at any point you’re one play away from being done. I think it’s a great motivating factor for him.

“He has put in a lot of work. He knows he has a lot more work to do. That’s a great thing to keep him driven and going in the right direction.”

Before the injury, the only direction Brown was going in was full speed ahead. He was highly recruited coming out of high school and chose Southern Miss over LSU and Ole Miss, among others.

Still, Brown said he was somewhat surprised at the success he had as a college freshman.

“Last year went better than I expected,” Brown said. “I didn’t expect to come in and be as big of a contributor as I was to the team and break the records that I did.

“It took a little while to get used to the speed of the college game, seeing how fast they’d fly to the ball. I learned to catch the ball and get up field and get what you can.

Just the small things that help build a great receiver.”

Brown certainly is not putting any limits on himself or the Golden Eagles this season. He said he wants to improve on his record-setting numbers from last season, and his goals for the team are “to win the conference championship and go to a BCS bowl.”

Of course, after the way last year’s trip to the New Orleans Bowl ended for Brown, he probably would be content to go to any bowl. As long as he can walk off the field at the end.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to a bowl game,” Brown said, “and actually being able to use my talents for more than five minutes this time.” - MSM

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

JACKSON STATE TIGERS Photo courtesy Jackson State University

HEAD COACH: Rick Comegy - 3rd Season 2008 RECORD: 7-5 Overall 6-2 SWAC, 1st East Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th at Mississippi State, Davis-Wade Stadium

Tigers Look to return to SWAC dominance Comegy wanting to win SWAC title in Birmingham

QB Trae Rutland

By Wesley Peterson Jackson State Sports Information

T

he Jackson State football team had an outstanding 2008 season, as head coach Rick Comegy led his Tigers to the program’s second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division title.

JSU finished with a 7-5 overall record and a 6-2 SWAC mark.

For the second straight season the Jackson State Tigers and the Grambling State Tigers, two of the SWAC’s most prestigious football programs, met for the conference crown at Birmingham’s historic Legion Field. In 2007 the two teams met in the conference championship game that ended with a JSU victory; however the roles would be reversed as the GSU Tigers won decisively, 41-9.

The 2008 Tigers proved to be a different team from the 2007 version. JSU went into the season with unproven signal caller Trae Rutland, as well as talented, but young wide receivers. The Tigers also went into the season without a clear choice at running back. Early in the season offensive line injuries and key injuries at wide receiver and running back kept the JSU offense grounded. As the season progressed and the O-line became more stable Rutland proved to be a competent field general. After the team’s big play making

58 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

wide receiver, Rodney Gray, went down with a knee injury, freshmen Keenan Tillman and Marcellos Wilder stepped up their productivity and made big plays for JSU. Freshmen Luther Edwards and Darius Bolela carried the load in the offensive back field for JSU after starter Bloi-Dei Dorzon went down with a broken leg. Heading into the 2009 season, JSU’s big losses on the offensive end include leading receiver Carlos Simpson (42 rec, 401 yds, 2 TD) and big play tight end Marcel Frost (14 rec, 257 yds, 2 TD).

The Tiger defense was the strength of the team for most of the season. JSU was led by senior linebacker Marcellus Speaks (122 tackles, 20.5-66 tackles/loss, 5.0 sacks). Senior defensive lineman Marcus Benard, JSU’s single season leader in sacks, was second on the team in tackles (84 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 15.0 sacks) and senior defensive back Domonique Johnson led the team in interceptions.

OFFENSE The Tiger offense, for the majority of the 2008 season, struggled to produce on a consistent basis. This was mainly due to injury after injury along the offensive line. But, half way through the season the Tigers ground game stabilized and the passing game became

much more efficient.

The Tigers offense ended the season ranked fourth in rushing offense (142.2 yards/ game) and third in third down conversions (converting at a 34% rate) in the SWAC. JSU was mediocre in scoring offense, total offense, pass offense and first downs. The Tigers were ranked No. 7 in scoring offense (21.1 points/ game) and total offense (297.8 yards/game), No. 8 in pass offense (155.7 yards/game) and No. 7 in first downs (15.5/game). With greater veteran leadership the Tigers offense looks to turn things around and help its rocksolid defense by putting more points on the scoreboard.

“We have a number of talented athletes coming back that have matured in the off season, so we are looking forward to see what happens with them. They have been working out together and things like that, so their bond is great and they are getting themselves in the right frame of mind.”

Senior signal caller Trae Rutland (6-2, 230) took over the reins last season, but because of the injuries along the o-line, he didn’t look comfortable until the second half of the season. Despite that he did turn in a solid season and led JSU to its second consecutive SWAC Eastern Division title. Rutland proved

to be more of a running threat than Tigers fans previously thought. He led JSU in rushing with 497 yards and was second on the team with four rushing touchdowns last season. In the passing game he completed 56.9 percent of his pass attempts (115-202) for 1,423 yards and seven touchdowns. However, he did throw 10 interceptions. In the 2009 JSU spring game he completed 50 percent of his passes (7-14) and passed for 157 yards and rushed for another 40 yards on five attempts.

“Trae is the starter heading into the season.

He has the most experience in our system and can make plays with his arm and legs.”

Red-shirt freshman Dedric McDonald (6-5, 200) and senior Michael Mosley (6-3, 225) will battle for the back-up quarterback position.

McDonald was good during spring practice and brought some excitement to the spring game with a vertical attack.

Mosley, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, played in eight games last season completed 27 of his 86 pass attempts for 442 yards. He had four touchdowns and three interceptions.

“You can never have enough good quarterbacks on your roster and I think we have two or three who can step in if it becomes necessary,” said Comegy.

JSU fans should be thrilled about the group of young wide receivers returning this season.

Sophomores Keenan Tillman (6-5, 220) and Marcellos Wilder (6-3, 195) should have breakout seasons. Tillman, who played in all 12 games, is the top returning pass catcher for JSU. He hauled in 23 passes for 300 yards.

Wilder caught 11 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. Wilder had one of the more impressive performances in JSU’s spring game he caught five passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

Also returning is senior Carlos Everette (62, 195) who caught 16 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Junior tight end Cedric Dixon (6-5, 212), senior Antoine Ott-Terrell (6-6, 230) and sophomore Joshua Tiller (6-3, 245) will look to see significant time with the loss of Marcel Frost.

Juniors Zarian Herring (5-10, 240) and Edward Lee (5-10, 235) return as JSU’s full backs. Herring had seven carries for 13 yards and Lee had four rushes for eight yards and a touchdown. But, their main job will be to clear the way for Tiger half backs. And JSU has two exciting young backs to carry the rock. Sophomores Luther Edwards (5-8, 225) and Darius Bolela (6-2, 225) were second and third on the team in rushing. Edwards had 111 carries and finished with 445 yards and seven touchdowns.

Bolela, probably one of the best athletes on the team, switched from the defensive side of the ball to running back half way through the season. He had 44 carries for 330 yards and two touchdowns. The two should make for a potent ground attack. Edwards has a compact, bruising running style and Bolela hits a hole

quickly and has the ability to take a run the distance on any play.

“In the running game we have several good backs, but I think the names that have become most recognizable are Luther Edwards and Darius Bolela. Each one has a style of play that compliments the other. Edwards can help us pick up the tough short yards that you need to convert first downs or to score. Bolela has the ability to pick up yardage in chunks and keep the chains moving.”

The offensive line will have five starters return for the upcoming season. Seniors Eric Jones (6-3, 300) and Mikael Harshaw (6-4, 310) will lead an O-line that allowed 29 sacks in 2008. Harshaw was an All-SWAC first team performer. Jones was named to the AllSWAC second team. Also returning for JSU, is sophomore Keyun Swinney (6-5, 315), junior Terrael Williams (6-8, 350), sophomore Rod Scott (6-3, 310) and senior Antonio Colston (6-1, 320). Barring another string of injuries the Tigers will have depth and talent. Because of the injuries last season several freshman saw significant playing time.

“I expect the offensive line play to be better this year. We were hit so hard by injuries that we had to put younger players into games before we really wanted to. Last year’s weakness will now be a strength, because the freshmen have experience of playing college football under their belts.”

DEFENSE Jackson State’s “Dark Side” defense will return seven starters from 2008. Last season the aggressive Tiger defense was ranked No. 1 in sacks (39) in the SWAC. The Tigers were also ranked second in the conference in total defense (238.5 yards/game), rush defense (76.5 yards/game) and pass defense (162 yards/game).

With the departure of Marcellus Speaks (SWAC Defensive Player of the Year), Marcus Benard (All-SWAC first team), and Domonique Johnson (All-SWAC first team) seniors Marcus Jamison (6-1, 235), Sam Washington (6-4, 265) and Malcolm Palmer (6-1, 200) will look to fill the vacant leadership roles.

“A strength of the defense will be the senior and upper classmen leadership. It feels pretty good to have maturity on the team, when you talk about the experience of the players who we have returning, such as Jamison, Washington, Palmer and the others that make up the defensive package.”

Jamison, who was third on the team in tackles with 61, will look to assume the role of on-the-field leader from his linebacker position. Washington, a defensive end, was ranked second in the SWAC in forced fumbles with six, sixth in sacks with 6.5 and seventh in tackles for a loss with 15.5 will anchor the defensive line. Palmer a versatile member of the defense (has played defensive back, safety

2008 TEAM STATS ................................................ JSU SCORING.................................. 253 Points Per Game.....................21.1 FIRST DOWNS.......................... 186 Rushing................................... 94 Passing.................................... 76 Penalty.................................... 16 RUSHING YARDAGE................ 1706 Yards gained rushing............. 2152 Yards lost rushing................... 446 Rushing Attempts................... 445 Average Per Rush....................3.8 Average Per Game................142.2 TDs Rushing............................ 16 PASSING YARDAGE................. 1868 Att-Comp-Int.................... 290-143-13 Average Per Pass.....................6.4 Average Per Catch..................13.1 Average Per Game................155.7 TDs Passing............................. 11 TOTAL OFFENSE...................... 3574 Total Plays.............................. 735 Average Per Play.....................4.9 Average Per Game................297.8 KICK RETURNS: #-YARDS...... 46-774 PUNT RETURNS: #-YARDS......26-144 INT RETURNS: #-YARDS.........11-177 KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........16.8 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE..........5.5 INT RETURN AVERAGE.............16.1 FUMBLES-LOST.......................26-16 PENALTIES-YARDS................129-1224 Average Per Game................102.0 PUNTS-YARDS.......................68-2548 Average Per Punt....................37.5 Net punt average...................30.5 TIME OF POSSESSION/GAME.. 31:08 3RD-DOWN CONVERSIONS...52/153 3rd-Down Pct.........................34% 4TH-DOWN CONVERSIONS......3/13 4th-Down Pct.........................23% SACKS BY-YARDS...................39-292 MISC YARDS.............................. 10 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED........... 30 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS.........13-16 ON-SIDE KICKS..........................1-1 RED-ZONE SCORES............ 32-41 78% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS. 21-41 51% PAT-ATTEMPTS................... 22-26 85% ATTENDANCE......................... 85051 Games/Avg Per Game.........4/21263 Neutral Site Games.............3/29130

OPP 248 20.7 176 63 89 24 918 1458 540 383 2.4 76.5 9 1944 360-187-11 5.4 10.4 162.0 17 2862 43 3.9 238.5 48-876 28-292 13-283 18.2 10.4 21.8 28-14 101-919 76.6 71-2422 34.1 31.0 28:51 54/167 32% 7/19 37% 30-227 13 32 8-12 0-0 25-37 68% 20-37 54% 30-32 94% 60820 5/12164

SCORE BY QUARTERS....1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total Jackson State....................62 66 56 6 9 - 253 Opponents........................47 68 71 62 - 248 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 59

and linebacker) will bring experience to the JSU secondary. He was ranked 13th in the conference in passes defended and was named to the All-SWAC second team.

Joining Washington on the defensive line will be sophomore Donovan Robinson (6-3, 250), who had a solid freshman year with 10 tackles.

Junior Neal Pogue (6-2, 280) who had 19 tackles and senior Terrance Oniuke (6-1, 290) 12 tackles should all be solid on the defensive line for JSU. Junior linebacker Ryan Rich (6-1, 215) should join Jamison in the starting lineup. Rich finished the 2008 season with 49 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions.

Senior Marcell Young (6-2, 200) proved to be an outstanding defensive back last season, as he played on the opposite side of AllSWAC performer Domonique Johnson. Jean Auguste (6-1, 185) also saw significant time as a backup, as he finished with four tackles and a pass breakup.

“We have the pieces to be a dominant defense in the conference again this season. We have solid contributors and pretty good depth. We had good players who were behind a Speaks, Johnson or Benard. Now they have the chance to step into those departing players role and make their own mark.”

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

W/L

Aug 31

@ Hampton

L

Sep 06

STILLMAN

W

17-7

7,950

Sep 13

TENNESSEE ST.

L

18-41

50,794

Sep 20

@ Grambling

L

5-14

12,702

Oct 04

SOUTHERN

L

28-35

42,513

Oct 11

@ UA-Pine Bluff

W

21-10

10,600

Oct 18

@ Texas Southern

W

30-14

4,513

Oct 25

MS VALLEY ST

W

29-27

25,542

Nov 08

@ Alabama State

W

20-0

N/A

Nov 15

ALABAMA A&M

W

37-21

9,046

Nov 22

@ Alcorn State

W

26-21

33,005

Dec 13

vs GRAMBLING ST.

L

9-41

25,873

THE SCHEDULE The Tigers will have another challenging schedule this season. JSU will play four road games and six contests at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

JSU will play two non-conference games this season. The Tigers will open the season on Sept. 5 with the historic matchup with the SEC’s Mississippi State. The first ever meeting between the two grid iron programs will be in Starkville. JSU will then travel to Memphis, TN to face Tennessee State for the 20th anniversary of the Southern Heritage Classic.

The Tigers will face Grambling State for the second annual W.C. Gorden Classic and the home opener on Sept. 19. JSU was supposed to open the month of October with an away game against Southern in Baton Rouge, LA on Oct. 3, but the game has been moved to Memorial Stadium – giving the Tigers an extra home game. On Oct. 10 JSU will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Tigers will remain in Jackson when Texas Southern comes calling on Oct. 17. JSU will end the month with a trip to Itta Bena, MS to face the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on Oct. 24.

On Nov. 7 Alabama State will visit Memorial Stadium. JSU will travel to Huntsville, AL to face the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Nov. 14.

Jackson State and Alcorn State will square off in the Capital City Classic on Nov. 21 for the season finale.

Coach Comegy believes that through hard work the Tigers will have a successful season.

“I don’t like to make predictions,” Comegy said. “But we will work hard in practice and we look forward to getting back to the SWAC Championship game this season. Not only getting there, but winning it this season.” - MSM 60 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

13-17

10,723

2009 SCHEDULE

SPECIAL TEAMS The Tigers will be solid on special teams. Seniors Eric Perri (5-8, 155) and Brett Bennett (6-0, 175) will return for JSU as the place kicker and punter respectively. Last season Perri, a second team All-SWAC member, was sixth in the conference in scoring (5.1 points/game) and second in field goals as he connected on 13 of 16 attempts (81.2 percent). He also made 22 of 26 extra point attempts.

Bennett was fourth in the SWAC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt. JSU will have to find someone to fill the shoes of Carlos Simpson in the punt return aspect of the game. Simpson was ranked eighth as he averaged 4.3 yards per punt return. Carlos Everette performed quite well as the kickoff return specialist. He returned 11 kicks for 237 yards.

His long of the season was 43 yards.

SCORE ATTEND

DATE

OPPONENT

Sept. 5

@ Mississippi State

LOCATION Starkville

Sept. 12

TENNESSEE STATE

Memphis

Sept. 19

GRAMBLING

Oct. 3

@ Southern

Oct. 10

ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF

Oct. 17

TEXAS SOUTHERN

Oct. 24

MS Valley State

Nov. 7

ALABAMA STATE

Jackson

Nov. 14

@ Alabama A&M

Huntsville

Nov. 21

ALCORN

Dec. 12

SWAC Championship

Jackson Baton Rouge Jackson Jackson Itta Bena

Jackson Birmingham

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING T. Rutland

ATT COMP PCT 202 115 56.9

RUSHING T. Rutland L. Edwards D. Bolela

ATT 127 111 44

YDS 497 445 308

AVG 3.9 4.0 7.0

TD 4 7 2

RECEIVING K. Tillman C. Everett

NO. 23 16

YDS 300 304

AVG 13.0 19.0

TD 0 2

KICKING E. Perry

FGM-FGA 13-16

PATs 22-26

PTS 61

LG 49

BLK 2

PUNTING B. Bennett

NO. 65

YDS 2,552

AVG 39.3

LG 71

BLK 2

TACKLES: M. Jamison 61 (28 solo) SACKS: S. Washington, 6.5 PASS B’UPS: M. Palmer 10

YDS 1,423

TD INT 7 10

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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 61

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

ALCORN STATE BRAVES Photo by James Cistrunk

HEAD COACH: Earnest Collins, Jr. - 1st Season 2008 RECORD: 2-10 Overall 1-6 SWAC, T4th East Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th vs. Southern Miss M.M. Roberts Stadium

New Coach bring new life to Braves Earnest Collins, Jr. begins his first season on the Reservation QB TIm Buckley

By LaToya Shields Alcorn Sports Information

I

n 2008, Alcorn State football experienced many positive experiences. From the addition of a twelfth game (New Mexico State) to three appearances on ESPN networks, the Braves showed signs of becoming a team of a different caliber. Braves fans were also excited about the arrival of Head Coach, Ernest T. Jones.

Although the 2-10 record may tell a different story, the Braves lost a few close games in the fourth quarter. Alcorn State’s opening game showed promise as they lost a close one to non-conference opponent, Southeastern Louisiana 34-28. The Braves’ primetime appearance on ESPN Classic against Grambling State was dismal as Alcorn experienced their first shut-out of the season with a score of 29-0. Alcorn State was handed their third lost by Troy, 65-0. In true fashion, the Braves’ won their first game in front of a nationally television audience against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 13-3. Alcorn State suffered two more losses before picking up their second win of the season against in-state 62 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

rival, Mississippi Valley 35-21. The Braves’ went into a snowball effect as they lost the last five games of the season. Another bright spot in the 2008 season was that nineteen (19) players ended their collegiate career as part of the Alcorn State University Football Program.

After one year on the job, Coach Jones was relieved of his coaching duties and Coach Earnest Collins, Jr., was named Interim Head Coach. After receiving an overwhelming amount of support from senior players, Collins was named Head Football Coach.

Collins will be assisted by Dino Dawson (Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers), Zach Shay (Defensive Coordinator), Mike Armour (Quarterbacks), Keith Majors (Defensive Line/Special Teams), Jack Phillips (Secondary), Quentin Qualls (Asst. Defensive Line/Football Ops), Terrance Robinson (Running Backs), and Willard Scissum (Offensive Line).

With a good spring practice under his belt, Coach Collins goal is to have the team to

compete for four quarters of the game. He pushes the offense to do small things right. He charges that the defense needs to understand assignments.

Names such as Tony Hobson, Jr., Emmanuel Arceneaux, Lee Robinson, Corey McLaurin, will no longer be part of the Braves scheme as the revitalization on Alcorn’s Glory Days is on the horizon.

The Braves return thirty-five lettermen that will play a critical role in returning Alcorn to the forefront of Black College Football. The 2009 football roster will feature players as close as Fayette, Mississippi and as far away as Kahuhu, Hawaii. Alcorn State will also have international ties in Sophomore Linebacker Herve Tonye-Tonye, who is a native of Montreal, Canada.

OFFENSE Tim Buckley (Madison, MS) returns as the starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

Buckley passed for 1, 956 yards and threw for ten (10) touchdowns. With his quick speed,

Photo by Kevin Robinson

2008 TEAM STATS

DB Roderick Williams

the incoming senior rushed for 456 yards and scored four (4) Braves touchdowns.

The senior will receive back-up from Aaron Shavers (Detroit, MI) and JUCO transfer, Terrance Barnes (Jackson, MS). Barnes split time with Buckley during spring practice.

The wide receiver corp will be filled with veterans with a few newcomers mixed in.

Edward Johnson (Natchez, MS), who led the 2008 receivers with 56 catches and 578 yards with three (3) touchdowns returns for his junior season. Antonio DeJarnett (Eclectic, AL) and Mike Simmons (Jackson, MS) will also be sure fire targets for the Braves. JUCO transfers who will also add depth in the wide receiver area are Haki Reed (Fayette, MS) and Wayne Cox (Nashville, TN). Reed and Cox pose a dangerous threat to team’s defense with their quick speed and playmaking abilities.

The back field will also feature veteran talent. Junior Josh Brumfield (Flowood, MS) who saw limited action last season will be the glue to holding the running back spot together. Brumfield totaled 59 carries for 201 yards.

Offensive Line seems to be headed in an upward direction. Coach Collins has noticed

that they are taking on the personality of their coach (Scissum). They have a different temperament. Seniors Matthew Maiden (Woodville, MS), Ramardo Thomas (Natchez, MS) must provide veteran leadership and experience to hold off opponents’ defensive schemes in order for the Braves to become a title contender for the SWAC Championship.

DEFENSE At the linebacker spot, Josh Cragin (Fort Walton Beach, FL) is coming back and that’s a big help. Herve Tonye Tonye (Montreal, Canada) has adjusted to the position of linebacker. Rico Hill is coming off an injury but will ready for action once the season begins.

On the secondary corp, Rod Williams (Monroe, LA) and Tomasi Fuller (Kahuhu, HI) are returning; Javoris Tribune (Rosedale, MS) and Jason Owens (Phoenix, AZ) are also contributing in that area. Williams totaled (36) thirty-six tackles with three tackles for loss for six yards. Coming off an exceptional performance, Fuller is expected to emerge as a leader of the secondary corp.

The defensive line will feature the likes of

................................................ASU OPP SCORING.................................. 181 349 Points Per Game.....................15.1 29.1 FIRST DOWNS.......................... 190 237 Rushing................................... 67 96 Passing................................... 100 124 Penalty.................................... 23 17 RUSHING YARDAGE................ 1192 1790 Yards gained rushing............. 1622 2232 Yards lost rushing................... 430 442 Rushing Attempts................... 355 438 Average Per Rush....................3.4 4.1 Average Per Game.................99.3 149.2 TDs Rushing............................. 9 18 PASSING YARDAGE................. 2243 2981 Att-Comp-Int.................... 408-200-18 418-256-10 Average Per Pass.....................5.5 7.1 Average Per Catch..................11.2 11.6 Average Per Game................186.9 248.4 TDs Passing............................. 10 22 TOTAL OFFENSE...................... 3435 4771 Total Plays.............................. 763 856 Average Per Play.....................4.5 5.6 Average Per Game................286.2 397.6 KICK RETURNS: #-Yards.........63-945 36-642 PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards........25-240 30-334 INT RETURNS: #-Yards............10-139 18-310 KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........15.0 17.8 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE..........9.6 11.1 INT RETURN AVERAGE.............13.9 17.2 FUMBLES-LOST.......................33-14 28-14 PENALTIES-Yards....................86-844 105-887 Average Per Game.................70.3 73.9 PUNTS-Yards.........................79-3005 68-2484 Average Per Punt....................38.0 36.5 Net punt average...................32.0 31.8 TIME OF POSSESSION/Game...28:06 31:57 3RD-DOWN Conversions........44/166 46/167 3rd-Down Pct.........................27% 28% 4TH-DOWN Conversions..........5/15 16/29 4th-Down Pct.........................27% 55% SACKS BY-Yards.....................33-207 33-236 MISC YARDS.............................. 13 49 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED........... 21 44 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS.........11-21 13-19 ON-SIDE KICKS..........................0-0 0-0 RED-ZONE SCORES............ 23-33 70% 35-47 74% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS. 13-33 39% 23-47 49% PAT-ATTEMPTS................... 20-21 95% 40-42 95% ATTENDANCE.........................73,505 55,825 Games/Avg Per Game........ 6/12,251 6/9,304 Neutral Site Games.................0/0 SCORE BY QUARTERS...1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total Alcorn State.................. 45 3 0 33 73 0 181 Opponents.................... 74 144 72 59 0 349 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 63

Caesar Cobb, II (Killeen, TX), Malcolm Taylor (Brooksville, MS) and Brandon Morris (Arlington, TX). Cobb was second on the in tackles for loss (9.5 for 68 yards) and sacks (4.5 for 29 yards). Taylor garnered 6.0 tackles for loss for 28 yards and 4.5 sacks for 23 yards. Morris was ranked third in tackles for loss (8.5 for 36 yards).

Collins, says “This is a great group of kids. They wanted to come to Alcorn and play.” Without the presence of Lee Robinson in the linebacker role, the Braves will look to signees Robert Gainwell, William Seliby and Darryl Ward to give the team what they need to create a defensive threat to opponents.

Sam Randall of Jackson, MS will bring tremendous speed to the team and will be used as a return specialist. Memphis, Tennessee native, Tavoris Doss, “will be able to do a lot for the Braves,” said Collins.

SPECIAL TEAMS For special teams, the Braves will rely on the leadership of Sophomore Taylor Richardson (Kokomo, IN). Richardson nailed eleven of twenty field goals in his first year with the Braves. Senior Roderick Williams will also play a leadership role on special teams. Last season, Williams had eight returns for seventy yards on punt returns and three returns for forty three yards on kick returns.

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

W/L

Aug. 30

SOUTHEASTERN LA.

SCORE ATTEND

L

28-34

N/A

Sept. 06 @ Grambling State

L

0-29

N/A

Sept. 13 @ Troy University

L

0-65

N/A

Sept. 18 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF W

13-3

N/A

Sept. 27 SOUTHERN UNIV.

L

12-15

Oct. 04

@ New Mexico St.

L

10-45

N/A

Oct. 11

@ MS Valley St.

W

35-21

N/A

Oct. 18

@ Alabama A&M

L

13-20

N/A

Oct. 25

TEXAS SOUTHERN

L

29-30

N/A

Nov. 1

ALABAMA STATE

L

17-24

N/A

Nov. 15

@ Prairie View

W

21-3

N/A

Nov. 22

Jackson State

L

21-26

N/A

2009 SCHEDULE DATE

OPPONENT

LOCATION

Sept. 5

@ Southern Miss

Hattiesburg

Sept. 19

@ Central Michigan

Sept. 26

@ Southern Univeristy

Oct. 3

@ Arkansas Pine Bluff

Oct. 10

MS VALLEY ST.

Alcorn State

Oct. 17

ALABAMA A&M

Alcorn State

Oct. 24

@ Alabama State

Montgomery

Oct. 31

@ Texas Southern

The Schedule

Nov. 14

PRAIRIE VIEW

Alcorn State features new rivalries as well as opponents that the Braves have not faced in over three decades. The 2009 schedule has a new twist to it with the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss as an opponent. This will be the first meeting between the two schools in football. The travel trek for Alcorn State will be heavy for this ten game slate. The Braves will have a three game road swing after opening up at the “Rock” in Hub City. Alcorn State will travel to the Midwest to face Central Michigan on September 19th before beginning conference play in Baton Rouge, Louisiana against Southern University. Pine Bluff, Arkansas will be the final stop on Alcorn State’s travel schedule for a while when they line up against the Golden Lions on October 1st. The matchup between the UAPB and the Braves will be featured before a live audience on ESPN-U. This marks the third straight season that Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff will be part of ESPN-U’s Thursday night broadcast.

The Braves will not see the field at Jack Spinks Stadium until October 10th when they face the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley.

Homecoming will feature division rival Alabama A&M. Alcorn State will go back on the road to play Southwestern Athletic opponents Texas Southern Tigers and Alabama State Hornets. The final home game of the season will be against Prairie View A&M University. The Braves will face arch-rival Jackson State University on November 21st in the Capital City Classic. - MSM

Nov. 21

@ Jackson State

RECRUITING Collins, says “This is a great group of kids. They wanted to come to Alcorn and play.” Without the presence of Lee Robinson in the linebacker role, the Braves will look to signees Robert Gainwell, William Seliby and Darryl Ward to give the team what they need to create a defensive threat to opponents.

Sam Randall of Jackson, MS will bring tremendous speed to the team and will be used as a return specialist. Memphis, Tennessee native, Tavoris Doss, “will be able to do a lot for the Braves,” said Collins.

64 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Mount Pleasant, MI Baton Rouge Pine Bluff

Houston Alcorn State Jackson

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING

ATT COMP PCT

YDS

TD INT

T. Buckley

339

1,956

10

RUSHING

ATT

YDS

AVG

TD

T. Buckley

145

723

3.1

4

D. Pilcher

94

483

4.8

4

J. Brumfield

59

212

3.4

0

RECEIVING

NO.

YDS

AVG

TD

E. Johnson

56

578

10.3

3

D. Pilcher

14

123

8.8

1

A. DeJarnett

7

37

5.3

1

168

49.6

TACKLES: J. Tribune, 47; T. Fuller, 39; R. Williams, 36 SACKS: J. Fields, 5.5; M. Taylor, 4.5; C. Cobbs, 4.5 INT’s: T. Fuller, 2; J. Tribune, 2

13

Expect more determination.

There’s no such thing as a small goal, in sports or anywhere else. For every athlete who sets a world record, there are millions of us with personal aspirations that feel just as important. That’s why Regions always starts by listening to you and learning what goals drive you each day. Then we work harder than anyone to help you get there. So whether you’re opening your first checking account or starting your first business, we’ll handle the heavy lifting and let you enjoy the thrill of victory.

1.800.regions | regions.com © 2009 Regions Bank.

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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 65

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

MISS. VALLEY STATE DELTA DEVILS Photo Courtesy Mississippi Valley State

HEAD COACH: Willie Totten 2008 RECORD: 3-8 Overall 1-6 SWAC, T-4th East Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th at Arakansas St., Jonesboro, AR

Delta Devils have a Goal and a Dream in ‘09 Consistency will go a long way to successful campaign

By William Bright, Jr. MS Valley State Sports Information

D

etermination. Desire. Discipline.

Delta Devils.

Five words paired down to four commitments translated into three personality traits. Two words which name one team.

The 2009 Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devil football team will enter the season with a dream and a goal in mind. The goal is to be a better team than they was on last season; the dream is to end the season with a conference championship.

Last season, the Delta Devils opened the season with a shut out win, a glimpse of the promise that the program hoped would be its future. However, inconsistency on offense and a lack of experience in all three phases of the game proved fatal as the Delta Devils fell to a 3-8 season record - the second in as many seasons. But with a new season comes new expectations, new aspirations and new ambitions.

The 2009 Devils come into the season after a productive spring camp that saw a number of positive influences on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. While the players have changed, the offensive mindset has not: spread the ball all over the field and move with intent. On defense, a core group 66 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

The Devils O-Line is looking for improvement in 2009

of attacking, ball-hawking athletes who look to emerge from the statistical cellar of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

OFFENSE The MVSU offense should again be one of the more potent units in the conference again this season. With experience in the skill positions and an offensive line hungry and physical, fans and opponents can expect to see the ball move both horizontally, and most important, vertically around the entire field.

Senior signal caller Paul Roberts enters his senior season looking to continue the momentum he built at the end of last season.

He passed for just over 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and looks to be among the conference’s leaders in 2009. Also a threat on the run, he rushed for 192 yards and two scores last season.

Slated at backup is Eddie Ivory, a sophomore who played sparingly in four contests last season. The agile, speedy athlete showed the ability to make the deep throw as well as be versatile with his feet during spring practice.

As the only two QBs in spring camp, the duo split time at the helm. However, several incoming players will look to break ranks and make their ladder.

Anthony Bowie (6-0, 180, Fr.), Gavin Crumpton (6-2, 185 Fr.,), and Marvin Pittman (6-1, 185, Fr.) come into the program looking to become the next signal caller for the Delta

Devils. All three were productive on the prep level and look to continue their success on the collegiate stage.

A variety of personnel will get their hands on the football in the offensive backfield for MVSU. Ranging from quick, scat-type backs to the power, bruising forces up the middle, the ground attack for the Delta Devils looks to be locked and loaded for 2009.

The MVSU backfield will be experienced and willing as they look to add dimension and balance to the offensive unit.

Stephen Robert, Chris Watkins and Milton Gaston all saw some time last season with each showing at one time or another why they would become key cogs in the Delta Devils’ offensive philosophy. Robert - the team’s third leading rusher behind RB Ronald Brewer and QB Paul Roberts - finished with 22 carries, 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Watkins contributed 40 carries, 103 yards and a score while Gaston had 22 carries for 85 yards. While the touches were limited last season, the running backs will be counted on more this season.

In addition to the previous named athletes, some new faces look to provide instant spark when they touch the field for MVSU. Chris Smith and Tristian Hudnall each had productive springs, showing the ability to run inside and outside the tackles. The addition of this duo along with Robert and Watkins gives MVSU a definite speed threat

2008 TEAM STATS

Michael Higgins (12) finished 2008 with 68 tackles and three INTs Photo Courtesy Mississippi Valley State

on the outside. Troy Fisher, Dontae Thomas and Jarrett Murry will be counted on to join Gaston as bruisers up the middle.

One name not to be overlooked is returning senior Johey Hargrett. Before an injury kept him sidelined, Hargrett emerged as one of the toughest to bring down (164 att., 698 yards, 5 TDs in 2006 & 63 att., 247 yards, 2 TDs in 2007) - a trait that should continue in 2009.

With its top two receivers gone, 983 (37 percent) of the team’s 2,682 yards passing, the Delta Devils will look to a group of young faces to pickup the slack. While limited experience was an unwelcome spot here last season, the receiver corps returns with a group of athletes who can make plays and keep opposing defenses guessing.

The team’s leading returnee at the position, Brandon Stargell will be counted on heavily during the season. He finished with 39 catches for 474 yards and three touchdowns.

Cameron Russ led the team in touchdowns with six along with 32 catches and 462 yards.

Paul Cox was productive with the catches he received: three of his 13 receptions were for touchdowns while averaging 19.6 yards per catch. Dennis Miller finished the season averaging 10.4 yards per catch (12 catches for 125 yards).

Looking to find action on the outside will be Donta Reed, Bobby Calvin and Adrain Martin. Reed - a pitcher on the baseball team – will be a quick target for the MVSU quarterbacks. Calvin has shown in spring practice that he will be a hard, tough receiver - with and without the ball. Martin, a transfer from Jacksonville (AL) State University, will

provide a big target at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds.

One major point of interest for the MVSU Delta Devil coaching staff will be the offensive line. Limited by number in spring practice, these guys must come together quickly if the offensive unit is to be productive early and often during the season.

Robert Ogletree and Johnvonta Brooks will be expected to provide senior leadership on an offensive line short on experience but big on size. Seven of the players are above 6-foot-3 and nine of the players weigh above 300 pounds. While the team only has two seniors, the six other linemen in camp got a lot of repetitions on the field and should be more than ready when the season opens.

DEFENSE Looking to not find themselves in the cellar of the conference statistics, the MVSU defensive unit looks to become one of the premier groups in the conference.

However, the unit will be tested as a number of key figures – both on the defensive line and in the linebacker corps – have finished their eligibility.

The defensive backfield will be tested as several players will be transitioning to this side of the ball and join another group of young, but eager athletes looking to do what it takes to find time on the field.

The interior of the Delta Devil defensive line, the defensive tackles will be called up to be stubborn in the middle and disrupt the initial attack of the opposing offenses.

Reginald Foster returns after finishing last season in the top five in the team in tackles

...............................................MVSU OPP SCORING...................................232 400 Points Per Game..................... 21.1 36.4 FIRST DOWNS...........................199 243 Rushing....................................57 110 Passing....................................115 116 Penalty.....................................27 17 RUSHING YARDAGE..................792 2032 Yards gained rushing..............1204 2357 Yards lost rushing....................412 325 Rushing Attempts....................295 430 Average Per Rush.................... 2.7 4.7 Average Per Game................. 72.0 184.7 TDs Rushing.............................10 25 PASSING YARDAGE..................2682 2762 Att-Comp-Int.....................449-215-16 333-207-10 Average Per Pass..................... 6.0 8.3 Average Per Catch.................. 12.5 13.3 Average Per Game................ 243.8 251.1 TDs Passing..............................19 27 TOTAL OFFENSE.......................3474 4794 Total Plays...............................744 763 Average Per Play..................... 4.7 6.3 Average Per Game................. 315.8 435.8 KICK RETURNS: #-YARDS...... 60-1115 38-847 PUNT RETURNS: #-YARDS....... 16-97 26-497 INT RETURNS: #-YARDS......... 10-307 16-185 KICK RETURN AVERAGE........... 18.6 22.3 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE.......... 6.1 19.1 INT RETURN AVERAGE............. 30.7 11.6 FUMBLES-LOST....................... 19-13 19-14 PENALTIES-YARDS.................. 89-819 120-1171 Average Per Game................. 74.5 106.5 PUNTS-YARDS....................... 53-1862 33-1149 Average Per Punt.................... 35.1 34.8 Net punt average................... 25.8 30.7 TIME OF POSSESSION/GAME.. 29:33 31:02 3RD-DOWN CONVERSIONS... 46/146 63/146 3rd-Down Pct......................... 32% 43% 4TH-DOWN CONVERSIONS...... 9/27 9/23 4th-Down Pct......................... 33% 39% SACKS BY-YARDS................... 22-115 35-194 MISC YARDS............................... -8 0 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED............31 53 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS.......... 5-13 11-18 ON-SIDE KICKS.......................... 0-0 1-1 RED-ZONE SCORES.............27-39 69% 5 0-59 85% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS..22-39 56% 40-59 68% PAT-ATTEMPTS....................27-29 93% 47-52 90% ATTENDANCE..........................31107 57997 Games/Avg Per Game.......... 6/5184 5/11599 Neutral Site Games................. 0/0 SCORE BY QUARTERS....1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total MS Valley State.................43 72 37 8 0 - 232 Opponents.......................110 119 56 115 - 400 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 67

with 38. He also had five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He is joined by Jared Green (33 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), a player who has improved in the spring and has a knack for getting into the backfield. Kyle Hurt finished with 11 tackles (eight solo) in limited action.

The outside of the MVSU defensive line, the defensive ends proved in the spring to be quick off the ball and active in their pass rushes.

Chris Ivy enters his senior campaign looking to make an even bigger impact. He had 34 tackles (20 solo) along with a sack and three pass breakups. Keldrick Hooks added 17 stops and a sack.

Joining the group are Bruce Nix and Javaris Fritz. Both are active on the line and will look to be major factors on the defensive line.

The heart of the Delta Devil defense for a number of seasons, the 2009 linebacking corps looks to be no different. Several athletes will be interchangeable as the team progress throughout the season.

Leading the group will be Rory Malone. The team’s second-leading tackler in 2008, he finished with 72 stops, six tackles for loss and three sacks. Also returning is the team’s fourth-leading defender from last season in DeKcoven Burrell. He had 59 tackles (28 solo) along with an interception and three tackles for loss.

Also expected to do well in the middle of the defense are Zack Gilarski, Sam Malone and Antonio James. Gilarski, the team’s primary kicker of the past two seasons, had a terrific spring and has a nose for finding the football. Malone packs a lot of speed and power in his 5-foot-9 frame while James is a run stopper. A group of freshman will also be in the mix looking to become big hitters for the team An area that was tested often last season, the secondary improved over the spring. The question is how they will handle opposing receivers in the pass-happy SWAC. Michael Higgins - the third-leading tackler last season - returns for his senior season. He finished 2008 with 68 tackles and three interceptions. J.R. Purnell was a tough defender with six pass deflections and 29 tackles.

Finding play time for the defensive back field was essential with the young players last season. Kealon Kellybrew had 22 stops with five deflections (2 interceptions and 3 breakups) while DeShaun Thomas had 21 tackles (15 solo) and a breakup.

Raymond Berry in limited action (five games) finished with 20 tackles and an interception. Desmond Spivey and Michael Wilson finished with 19 and 16 tackles, respectively.

Quarterback-turned-safety Ryan Burciaga will look to be a productive member in the defensive backfield.

SPECIAL TEAMS For the past two seasons, Zack Gilarski has handled the kicking duties for the Delta Devils. This season, with the former all-SWAC performer having a good spring at linebacker, Carlos Sanchez will be the primary while Gilarski moves to backup. Ryan Burciaga should return as the holder while Greg Dees should take care of the snapping duties.

As far as kick returners, the race is wide open as team standout and all-conference performer Clarence Cotten finished his eligibility.

Stephen Robert, Cameron Russ and Chris Watkins each had limited returns last season and all will be looking to make their claim at the position.

THE SCHEDULE The 2009 schedule will be a tough one for the Delta Devils. The season opens with Sun Belt member Arkansas State (Sept. 5). September closes with rivals Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Sept. 19) and Alabama State (Sept. 26) in the Chicago Football Classic.

October has three key matchups: in-state rival Alcorn State (Oct. 10), 2007 SWAC champion Jackson State (Oct. 24) and 2008 SWAC champion Grambling State (Oct. 31).

November has two intriguing contests with Texas Southern (Nov. 7) and the season-ending matchup at Alabama A&M on November 21. MSM 68 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

W/L

Aug. 30

TEXAS COLLEGE

SCORE ATTEND

W

38-0

5,349

Sept. 13 @ Southern Univ.

L

7-49

14,317

Sept. 20 PRAIRIE VIEW

L

15-49

5,987

Sept. 25 @ Alabama State

L

7-47

7,782

Oct. 11

ALCORN STATE

L

21-35

7,852

Oct. 18

SAVANNAH ST.

W

22-20

7,654

Oct .25

@ Jackson State

L

27-29

25,542

Nov. 1

GRAMBLING ST.

L

14-35

3,476

Nov. 8

@ Texas Southern

W

58-44

5,794

Nov. 15

@ UA-Pine Bluff

L

0-34

4,562

Nov. 22

ALABAMA A&M

L

23-58

789

2009 SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT Sept. 5 Arkansas State Sept. 19 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Sept. 26 ALABAMA STATE Oct. 3 TEXAS COLLEGE (HC) Oct. 10 @ Alcorn State Oct. 17 @ Prairie View Oct. 24 JACKSON STATE Oct. 31 @ Grambling State Nov. 7 TEXAS SOUTHERN Nov. 14 LINCOLN UNIV. Nov. 21 @ Alabama A&M HC -Homecoming

LOCATION Jonesboro, AR Chicago, IL Itta Bena Itta Bena Alcorn State Prairie View, TX Itta Bena Grambling, LA Itta Bena Itta Bena Huntsville, AL

RETURNING LEADERS PASSING P. Roberts

ATT COMP PCT 304 162 53.3

YDS 2,039

TD INT 14 12

RUSHING P. Roberts C. Watkins S. Robert

ATT 89 40 22

YDS 359 125 124

AVG 2.2 2.6 4.8

TD 2 1 2

RECEIVING B. Stargell C. Russ P. Cox, Jr.

NO. 39 32 13

YDS 474 462 255

AVG 12.2 14.4 19.6

TD 3 6 3

KICKING Z. Gilarski

FGM-FGA 5-10

PATs 27-29

PTS 42

LG 39

BLK 2

PUNTING Z. Gilarski

NO 48

YDS 1,743

AVG 36.3

LG 70

BLK 2

TACKLES: R. Malone, 72; M. Higgins, 68; D. Burrell, 59 SACKS: R. Malone, 3; R. Foster, 2.5 INT’s: M. Higgins, 3; B. Holder, 2; K. Kellybrew, 2

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2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

DELTA STATE FIGHTIN’ OKRA HEAD COACH: Ron Roberts - 3rd Season 2008 RECORD: 10-2 Overall 8-0 Gulf South Conference Season Opener: Saturday, August 29 at Texas A&M Kingsville

Statesmen are looking to finish out 2009 with National Title Coach Roberts won’t settle for less

By Donel Maxie Contributing Writer

T

his season the Delta State University Statesmen and head coach Ron Roberts will hope the third time is the charm as they march toward defending their Gulf South Conference Title and try to win an NCAA Division II Championship in the process.

Entering his third season, Roberts is poised and ready to finally get over the second round hump with a Statesmen team returning a core group of starters on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

In 2008 Delta State became the first backback GSC Champion since Valdosta State did it in 2001-02. The teams 8-0 league finish increased its conference winning streak to 19 games dating back to 2006.

In addition to a great finish in league play, the Statesmen also performed well on the tube, beating both North Alabama (34-28) and Valdosta State (27-24 in OT) in GSCTV Live games of the week on CSS and Cox Sports.

The Statesmen also ended the year racking up several conference accolades, including Roberts’ second consecutive GSC Coach of the Year honor. Linebacker Lardester GreenHicks won the Defensive Player of the Year, and Dominique Davenport was selected as

70 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Landester Hicks Photo courtesy The Bolivar Commercial

the GSC-defensive Freshman of the Year.

Delta State also placed several guys on the All-GSC team. Leading the way was running back Trevar Deed and offensive tackle Mark Ellis. On the defensive side it was defensive lineman Justin Halas, line backers Anthony King and Green-Hicks as well as defensive back Dominic Spinks. Kyle Van Ness (6-0, 215, Jr.) made the special teams first team as a blocker.

The Statesmen also placed guys on the conference second team list which included: Chad Schroeder as a receiver and again as a return specialist and Pete Vaesau as a center.

To reload for the 2009 season, Roberts and the DSU football program signed 21 players to letters of intent. The 21 future Statesmen joined 14 mid-year transfers to make-up the 2009 Statesmen signing class.

Lindy’s Sports has the Statesmen ranked fourth in its current pre-season predictions ahead of Gulf South Conference foes Valdosta State (10th) and North Alabama (14). GreenHicks has been named first team at linebacker on the All-Division II Team while running back Trevar Deed made the second team as an all-purpose player.

Roberts will enter the 2009 season with his coaching staff from last season pretty much

intact. Darrin Hicks will continue to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, but Dr. Randy Grierson will now be the offensive line coach as Steve Smith as moved on to be the offensive Coordinator at Albany State. Chet Pobolish (wide receiver, special teams coach), Clint Roundtree (defensive backs), Ryan Barker (defensive line), Bryan Brown (GA-cornerbacks) and Tyler Hennes (GA-offense) will round out the 2009 Statesmen coaching staff.

Offense The Delta State offense should be a picture of consistency as they will return seven starters who had solid seasons in 2008.

Leading the Statesmen on offense will be senior quarterback Garrett DeWitt (6-1, 200). The Destin, Fla. native finished the 2008 season completing 276-of-445 passes for 3,277 yards (273 yards per game) with 28 touchdowns to just 16 interceptions.

When it came to the Gulf South Conference, DeWitt ranked third in passing with a 62.0 completion percentage.

With DeWitt back for his senior season, the Statesmen will look to build on a passing offense that finished fourth (328.33) in the nation yards per game. The Statesmen were

2008 TEAM STATS

Trevar Deed

Photo courtesy The Bolivar Commercial

also 16th in scoring offense (36.25) and sixth in total offense (471.08).

In the school’s spring competition, DeWitt looked impressive.

Roberts felt DeWitt was throwing the ball with confidence during the team’s spring workouts.

As the team wrapped up spring football, Roberts felt the Statesmen had made great progress.

“These guys came in with a good work ethic and have shown a workman’s mentality. We have guys out there fighting for jobs and we are very pleased at where we are at,” Roberts said.

Another important part of the Statesmen’s offensive attack returning in 2009 is running back Trevar Deed (5-11, 205).

The All-American all-purpose back gained 1,487 combined rushing and receiving yards while scoring 15 touchdowns in his sophomore campaign for the Statesmen.

He ranked 12th in the nation in all-purpose running yards with 147.92 per contest.

Senior fullback Ben Stallings (6-1, 245) will also be expected to be a huge contributor for Delta State’s offense this season. Stallings proved to be a threat receiving and rushing the football when he wasn’t blocking for Deed or protecting the Statesmen quarterbacks.

Coming out of spring practices Roberts

felt good about his returning starters, and was also very high on some newcomers who showed great signs during spring.

Roberts felt receiver/running back Rafael Mitchell (5-8, 170, So.) and running back Darnell Taylor (5-10, 190, Fr.) looked good.

The Statesmen will have four returning offensive line starters in 09. In addition, Roberts felt really good about sophomore lineman Kendall Hunter who saw some action off the bench in 2008 as a freshman.

The wide receiver corps will see the emergence of several players who were contributors in ‘08, and some who stepped up during the spring.

Junior Todd Bradford made some nice catches and sophomore Damoyn Carroll, who moved back to wide receiver from defense, looked good during the spring at wide-out. Christian Graham (6-3, 195, Jr.) had a nice 2008 campaign in limited action.

The Indianapolis, Ind. product caught 13 balls for 146 yards with two touchdowns.

Defense Over the last three seasons with Ron Roberts serving as defensive coordinator and head coach (last 2 seasons), Delta State has become known for having a pretty stingy defense. In fact, the last three GSC Defensive Players of the Year have been Statesmen with

................................................DSU OPP SCORING.................................. 435 316 Points Per Game.....................36.2 26.3 FIRST DOWNS.......................... 306 224 Rushing.................................. 110 65 Passing................................... 168 125 Penalty.................................... 28 34 RUSHING YARDAGE................ 1713 998 Yards gained rushing............. 2123 1429 Yards lost rushing................... 410 431 Rushing Attempts................... 426 362 Average Per Rush....................4.0 2.8 Average Per Game................142.8 83.2 TDs Rushing............................ 26 7 PASSING YARDAGE................. 3940 2822 Att-Comp-Int.................... 548-333-19 473-247-12 Average Per Pass.....................7.2 6.0 Average Per Catch..................11.8 11.4 Average Per Game................328.3 235.2 TDs Passing............................. 32 27 TOTAL OFFENSE...................... 5653 3820 Total Plays.............................. 974 835 Average Per Play.....................5.8 4.6 Average Per Game................471.1 318.3 KICK RETURNS: #-Yards.........49-848 64-1025 PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards........31-496 14-536 INT RETURNS: #-Yards.............12-90 19-89 KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........17.3 16.0 PUNT RETURN AVERAGE.........16.0 6.4 INT RETURN AVERAGE..............7.5 28.2 FUMBLES-LOST.......................29-16 26-14 PENALTIES-Yards..................126-1172 95-828 Average Per Game.................97.7 69.0 PUNTS-Yards.........................56-1981 84-3299 Average Per Punt....................35.4 39.3 Net punt average...................32.7 31.9 TIME OF POSSESSION/Game...32:09 29:02 3RD-DOWN Conversions........74/185 58/181 3rd-Down Pct.........................40% 32% 4TH-DOWN Conversions.........18/30 6/16 4th-Down Pct.........................60% 38% SACKS BY-Yards.....................38-278 32-179 MISC YARDS............................... 0 -9 TOUCHDOWNS SCORED........... 61 42 FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS..........5-12 8-17 ON-SIDE KICKS..........................0-0 1-2 RED-ZONE SCORES............ 51-64 80% 30-36 83% RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS. 46-64 72% 22-36 61% PAT-ATTEMPTS................... 54-60 90% 38-41 93% ATTENDANCE.........................38,977 32,065 Games/Avg Per Game..........7/5568 5/6413 Neutral Site Games.................0/0 SCORE BY QUARTERS...1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total Delta State................... 105 121 91 108 10 435 Opponents.................... 52 119 69 76 0 316 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 71

Michael Eubanks winning the award in 2006 and 07 and returning All-American linebacker Lardester Green-Hicks (6-1, 235) winning the honor in 2008.

Green-Hicks proved to be the team leader Roberts expected in 2008 as he led the team with 100 tackles with 15.5 of those coming for a loss. The Chicago native combines great speed and size to make him a dominant force on the gridiron. He helped lead a defense that ranked No. 1 against the run in the GSC, giving up 82.3 yards per game Statesmen were also No. 4 in scoring defense allowing 26.3 points per game. The Statesmen’s pass defense was fifth in the conference ranking them second overall in total team defense allowing 318.3 yards per game.

In the nation, the Statesmen didn’t fair too bad finishing sixth in rushing defense, 11th in tackles-for-loss (8.83 per game) and 17th in sacks (3.17 per game) Leading the defensive secondary in 2009 will be last year’s, GSC Defensive Freshman Player of the Year Dominique Davenport (So.).

In 2008, Davenport started in all 12 games for DSU and recorded 48 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and led the team with three interceptions.

He also broke up 11 passes and defended 14 total passes.

Other players joining Davenport in the defensive backfield and expected to be contributors are Troy Whittley, Justin Edwards, Garrett Williams and Jay Arcilla.

Arcilla compiled 23 tackles with two tackles-for-loss. Williams recorded 22 tackles with 1 tackle-for-loss and added two pass breakups to his stat line, and Whittley had 19 tackles in 2008 to go along with one pass break-up and one forced fumble.

Linebacker Jacob Murphy (6-3, 225) had a good spring, and Roberts expects that effort to translate to 2009 action. In 2008, Murphy recorded 19 tackles, one half of a sack, one force fumble and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.

Defensive tackle Matt Melton (6-2, 265) should also prove to be a big time player on the Statesmen defensive front. In 2008, Melton had 20 tackles, two interceptions and one half of a sack.

Other defensive players Roberts feels really good about coming out of spring football include Mark Hoskins (6-2, 280), James Smith and new comer Elgae Faoagali (6-3, 260).

Special Teams The kicking game was inconsistent at best for the Statesmen in 2008, especially when it came to field goals.

Last season, Tom Santos struggled in his field goal duties making 5-of-12 on the season. Santos was 2-of-2 from 20-29 yards but from 3050 yards out he was 3-of-10. His longest field goal on the season was 37 yards. In the spring, the Statesmen had sophomore kicker Matt Dean on the field, and the Cleveland native looked good in the team’s final scrimmage connecting on field goals from 21 and 24 yards outs and two extra points. Dean is a graduate of Cleveland High School where he lettered four years for Coach Greg Robinson and the Wildcats. As a senior, Dean was named All-District and connected on 33-of-35 PAT’s and 3-of-5 FG’s. He sat out the 2007 season as a redshirt.

“Right now, it looks like Santos will handle our kickoff duties and Matt will be our field goal guy,” said Roberts.

Deed, Graham and Mitchell will handle kickoff and punt return responsibilities.

Garrett DeWitt

2008 RESULTS DATE OPPONENT W/L SCORE ATTEND Sept. 06 @ McNeese State L 27-52 N/A Sept. 13 ARK-MONTICELLO W 37-31 N/A Sept. 20 @ Harding Univ.

W 56-49(OT) N/A Sept. 27 OUACHITA BAPTIST W 35-17 N/A Oct. 02 @ Valdosta State W 27-24(2OT) N/A Oct. 11 WEST ALABAMA W 21-14 N/A Oct. 16 NORTH ALABAMA W 34-28 N/A Oct. 25 @ Southern Arkansas W 21-3 N/A Nov. 1 ARKANSAS TECH W 48-14 N/A Nov. 08 @ West Georgia W 68-10 N/A Nov. 22 TUSCULUM COLLEGE W 27-19 N/A Nov. 29 NORTH ALABAMA* L 34-55 N/A *NCAA Quarterfinals

2009 SCHEDULE DATE

OPPONENT

Aug. 29

@ Texas A&M-Kingsville

Sept. 12

@ Arkansas-Monticello

the SCHEDULE

Sept. 19

HARDING

The Statesmen will kick off the season traveling to play Texas A&M University- Kingsville (8-29). Thursday, Oct. 1, will be a huge night for the Statesmen as they host Valdosta State. Last season, the two teams battled in what could be described as one of the Statesmen’s greatest games of the season. Delta State defeated Valdosta 27-24 in OT in GSC-TV Live game of the week in Georgia. Delta will follow Valdosta by hitting the road to play West Alabama (10-10) and North Alabama (10-15). Despite having only four home games, Roberts and the Statesmen are excited about the opportunity to compete in the GSC in 2009. - MSM

Sept. 26

@ Ouachita Baptist

Oct. 1

VALDOSTA STATE

Oct. 10

@ West Alabama

Oct. 15

@ North Alabama

Oct. 22

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

Oct. 31

@ Arkansas Tech

Russellville, AR

Nov. 7

WEST GEORGIA

Cleveland

72 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 73

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

MISS. COLLEGE CHOCTAWS Photo courtesy Mississippi College

HEAD COACH: Norman Joseph - 3rd Season 2008 RECORD: 5-5 Overall 5-3 American Southwest Conference Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th vs. Millsaps College, Robinson-Hale Stadium

MC will be fully loaded for 2009 campaign Injury plagued ‘08 season dampened Choctaws spirit

By Chris Brooks Miss. College Sports Information

L

ast season was supposed to be the season when the Choctaws would challenge for a conference championship for the first time since winning the American Southwest Conference in 1998. Never-mind the fact the Choctaws play in arguably the toughest Division III conference in the country, but a preseason national ranking and return of a record-setting quarterback had Mississippi College fans expecting a huge season.

Those lofty expectations quickly disappeared as injuries ravaged the Choctaw roster, including the loss of quarterback Adam Shaffer (6-2, 215) in the second game of the season. A championship season would have to wait another year as MC finished 5-5, 5-3 in the American Southwest Conference.

It’s been four years since Norman Joseph (5th year, 20-20) took over a Choctaw program that was buried at the bottom of the ASC with three straight losing seasons, including a 1-9 mark in 2004. The change in leadership paid quick dividends as the Choctaws experienced a steady rise in the conference with marks of 2-8, 5-5 and 8-2 in three successive seasons.

Last season’s 5-5 record didn’t pan out as envisioned, but coaches are hopeful it was a step backward before two steps ahead.

74 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Adam Shafer

Quartez Ashmore

Photo courtesy Mississippi College

OFFENSE The loss of Shaffer was especially devastating to the Choctaws a year ago. The previous year, the former Jackson Academy standout teamed up with now Green Bay Packer wide receiver Jake Allen and AFL receiver Marcus Terry to set new school records for passing yards (3,497) and touchdowns (31), which led to ASC Preseason Player of the Year honors.

Shaffer never had a chance to live up to the preseason hype as he suffered the second major knee injury of his career, this time on the second snap of the Choctaws’ second game of the season. Shaffer would throw a career high seven interceptions in that game playing on a torn ACL. His return, combined with 15 other starters, has many fans believing the championship season that was supposed to happen in 2008 has been delayed a year.

Mission #1 for the offense will be to keep the senior quarterback upright and healthy.

As long as the signal-caller is on the field, the Choctaws have a chance to be successful.

In what has amounted to just two healthy seasons, Shaffer has cemented his legacy as one of the best players in school history with his name prominent in the record books. He has already thrown for 6,400 yards and 58 touchdowns in those two years, and has one

more shot at a title.

One positive did result from Shaffer’s injury, the emergence of quarterback Tommy Reyer (6-0, 185) who would go on to earn ASC Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors. Reyer led the Choctaws to a 5-3 record in his eight starts as he rushed for 394 yards and passed for another 1,116 yards. Reyer’s dual-threat ability is a great complement to Shaffer and adds another dimension to the MC offense.

Both quarterbacks will perform behind an offensive line that returns four starters. Josh Lankford (6-2, 270), Stephen Andero (6-1, 240), Cory York (5-10, 280) and Jonathan Shaw (6-1, 275) helped pave the way for 2,356 rushing yards and a 5.6 yards per carry average in 2008, both ranking second in the ASC. Lankford is the anchor after starting each of the last two seasons. The senior offensive tackle is versatile having started at four different positions.

Shaw and York teamed up to form one of the best offensive guard duos in the ASC last year and both should be primed for big seasons. Shaw joined the team last year after transferring from Southwest Baptist University, and quickly shot up the depth chart. He will be making a position change

with the loss of starting center Nelson Craddock, but his move to center during spring practice was seamless and gives new offensive line coach Corky Houghton more options. York is expected to remain in the same guard position he has manned the last two years.

Andero has travelled a long road at MC, missing a couple seasons after starting as a true freshman. His return last year bolstered an already deep position and gives the Choctaws a solid nucleus up front.

Senior Renard Ellis (6-1, 225) returns for his senior season as a three-year starter at tight end. The Winter Haven, FL native posted the best numbers in the ASC last year for a tight end, finishing with 23 receptions for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Ellis is an excellent blocker but also will split out wide as a receiver several times a game.

The loss of all-american wide receiver Jake Allen to the National Football league two seasons ago left a void not yet filled. The leading returning wide receiver is Brian Richardson (5-10, 180) who hauled in 32 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman last season.

In the backfield the Choctaws will have to replace last season’s ASC rushing champion in Desmond Mays. The Normangee, TX native rushed for 1,137 yards and 13 touchdowns, but transferred closer to home for his senior season. A host of running backs will compete for the starting position led by Gerald Brown (5-10, 185). Brown rushed for 213 yards a year ago after a 257-yard season as a freshman.

DEFENSE On the defensive side of the ball, the Choctaws return six starters from a unit that ranked 4th in the ASC in total defense a year ago allowing 341 yards per game. More importantly, the entire coaching staff returns on the defensive side of the ball under defensive coordinator Brian Young. Since taking over two years ago, Young has built an attacking defense that has twice finished 2nd in the ASC in tackles for loss and sacks and should be ready for another solid season.

The defense is built around All-ASC middle linebacker Quartez Ashmore (6-2, 225). The senior linebacker was one of the more dominating defensive players in the ASC a year ago when he led the team with 69 tackles and added ten tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Ashmore is joined by returning linebackers Maurice Cowan (510, 200) and Dale Meitzler (6-0, 200). Cowan finished 6th on the team with 37 stops in 2008, is a three-year starter and a proven ASC linebacker. Meitzler worked his way into a starting position late in the season finishing with 23 total tackles.

Up front, defensive end Nolan Willisson (6-0, 250) is the only returning starter. Willisson is one of the best defensive ends in the ASC after a season in which he totaled 34 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He is a great complement to Ashmore, giving MC two of the best defensive players in the ASC. The opposite defensive end position will be manned by Bradley Holt (6-1, 240) who served in a reserve role last year as a freshman but has tremendous potential.

Starting nose guard Carlos Brister has graduated and a new interior lineman must emerge. Kelvin Hilton (6-0, 275) was the backup a year ago and has the early lead for a starting spot, but he will be pushed by several incoming transfers.

The Choctaws return one of two starting strong safeties in rising senior Jimmy Sampson (5-10, 200) who finished second on the team with 55 tackles. Sampson has moved back and forth between cornerback and safety, but found a home last year as a “dog” safety in Coach Young’s system where his athleticism is utilized. The opposite safety position will be up for grabs when fall practices get underway.

In the defensive backfield, four-year starting free safety Ryne Davison must be replaced after a stellar career. The position is wide open, but Ryan McNair (6-2, 185) has the advantage after a solid spring of practices. McNair started the final game of last season and has the athleticism necessary.

Cornerback should be a team strength with the return of last year’s

top corner Emel Dorleans (5-10, 175), and the addition of transfer Jason Grigsby (5-10, 185). Dorleans had a solid season with 22 tackles and two interceptions, and is an excellent cover corner that allows an aggressive approach up front.

Grigsby joined the program last year but had to sit out the season after transferring from Hinds Community College. He is one of the most gifted athletes on the team and is expected to have a solid first campaign.

A new punter and placekicker must be found with the loss of kicker Kyle Kruse and punter Chris Lovvorn. Brannon Walls (5-9, 180) should ably handle the kicking duties. The baseball standout handled kickoffs last year and was the long field goal specialist where he nailed a school record 57 yard field goal. He has one of the strongest legs in the ASC. The punting job will be open to a host of newcomers but traditionally the Choctaw program has attracted solid punters with two All-Americans in the last seven years.

OVERVIEW The Choctaw football program has steadied under Head Coach Norman Joseph and has been picked to finish third in the ASC this year by several preseason publications. Expectations have surpassed just winning seasons, with the new expectations created by Coach Joseph being championship banners.

The program has seen vast improvement under Joseph with the final hurdle being wins over nationally-ranked programs Mary HardinBaylor and Hardin-Simmons. The schedule is favorable with six home games out of ten total contests, including home dates against the three toughest opponents. With a talented returning roster and a host of newcomers, the 2009 season could be the year the Choctaws make a move and reach the postseason. - MSM

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

W/L

SCORE ATTEND

Sept. 06 @ Millsaps

L

6-42

N/A

Sept. 13 @ Cumberlands

L

28-49

N/A

Sept. 20 McMURRY

W

44-7

N/A

Sept. 27 @ Hardin-Simmons

L

27-35

N/A

Oct 04

LOUISIANA COLLEGE W

37-40

N/A

Oct 18

@ Mary-Hardin-Baylor L

14-26

N/A

Oct 25

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST

L

21-24

N/A

Nov. 1

@ Howard Payne

W

30-14

N/A

Nov 08

SUL ROSS ST.

W

41-10

N/A

Nov 15

@ Texas Lutheran

W

52-7

N/A

2009 SCHEDULE DATE

OPPONENT

LOCATION

Sept. 5

MILLSAPS

Clinton

Sept. 12

CUMBERLANDS, Ky.

Clinton

Sept. 19

@ McMurray

Sept. 26

HARDIN-SIMMONS

Clinton

Oct. 3

@ Louisiana College

Pineville, LA

Oct. 17

MARY-HARDIN BAYLOR

Oct. 24

@ East Texas Baptist

Oct. 31

HOWARD-PAYNE

Nov. 7

@ Sul-Ross State

Nov. 14

TEXAS-LUTHERAN

Abilene, TX

Clinton Marshall, TX Clinton Alpine, TX Clinton Mississippi Sports Magazine - 75

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

MILLSAPS MAJORS HEAD COACH: Mike DuBose - 4th Season 2008 RECORD: 11-1 Overall 7-0 SCAC Champions Season Opener: Saturday, September 5th at Mississippi College, Robinson-Hale Stadium

Majors still hunger for National Championship Players not satisfied with just making playoffs

By Kevin Maloney Millsaps Sports Information

W

hile the excitement of a schoolrecord best 11-1 season, No. 12 final ranking by D3football.com and NCAA Second Round playoff appearance have come and gone, Millsaps will look to ride the wave of three-straight conference championships and the leadership of fourth-year head coach Mike DuBose to continue its improvement in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference as of late.

With a handful of offseason changes, including the loss of 20 seniors -- 12 of them starters -- and three assistant coaches, the Majors will have a different look on the field but with the same common goal, winning a fourth consecutive SCAC Championship and getting back to the playoffs for a second straight year.

Gone from last year’s coaching staff are assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Aaron Pelch (Oakland Raiders), defensive backs coach Marcus Woodson (Charleston Southern) and wide receivers coach David Johnson (St. Augustine HS). The trio was instrumental in helping the Majors to three straight winning seasons for the first time since the 1991-93 seasons, coaching a combined 33 All-SCAC selections -- 15 first teamers -- during their stay.

Joining the staff in the offseason to replace 76 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

RB Shane Bowser

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

the trio who left was receivers coach Adam Nelson from Southern University and defensive backs coach Bobby Willcox from New Mexico State University.

For the first time in the DuBose era, every spot is up for grabs. In years past, it was competition for playing time, now it is a competition for a starting spot. The Majors lose a total of 12 starters -- 6 apiece on offense and defense -- and 23 letterwinners but also return 39 letterwinners from last year’s breakout season.

OFFENSE The Majors led the league and were fourth in the nation in scoring offense (42.8 ppg) a year ago, including 10th in passing offense (309.8 ypg), 11th in total offense (453.6 ypg) and 13th in passing efficiency (154.92).

Millsaps will return five starters on offense, including three on the offensive line, in addition to 2008 Newcomer of the Year Shane Bowser at the running back slot and Special Teams Player of the Year Michael Galatas at wide receiver.

Hands down the biggest loss on the field, the Majors will be without three-time SCAC Offensive Player of the Year and All-American QB Juan Joseph who sported a 26-7 overall record as a starter in three seasons. The Edgard, La., native graduated in May with an impressive 14 school records and five conference re-

cords, capping off his stellar career as the 2008 Cellular South Conerly Trophy recipient for the state’s top player.

Senior QB Chris Graves, who has completed just 19-of-36 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown over his three-year career as a backup, is slated to take the snaps behind center. The spot is his to lose, as he’s scheduled to make his first collegiate start at Mississippi College on Sept. 5. He will have the luxury of three returning offensive lineman who allowed a conference best 14 sacks in 12 games, including junior Adam Williams, sophomore Oliver Galicki and senior All-American John Shivers.

At the running back spot, the Majors return sophomore Shane Bowser who combined for 11 touchdowns (second on the team in scoring), including six rushing and five receiving. Bowser averaged 6.1 yards-per-carry and ran for 389 yards and also caught 29 balls out of the backfield for 314 yards. Senior Kenny Metzger, who has rushed for 813 career yards (5.0 ypc) and 10 touchdowns, and junior Chris Skinner who rushed for 290 yards (5.8 ypc) and five scores, will provide a triple attack in the backfield for second-year offensive coordinator John David Caffey.

The wide receiver corps will be without its top four targets from the past three seasons, in three-time All-SCAC selection Eric McCarty (2,279 yards, 20 TDs) and two-time All-SCAC nods Raymece Savage (1,085 yards, five TDs),

Donnie Epps (794 yards, 11 TDs) and Burt Pereira (979 yards, six TDs), however, they return three very talented receivers in seniors Tye Menist and John Milazzo and junior Michael Galatas.

DEFENSE The Majors led the league and were 25th in the nation in scoring defense (16.1 ppg) a year ago, giving up two touchdowns or less in 9 of 12 games, including a season-best two points to Rhodes in a 49-2 win in Memphis on Sept. 27. In all, Millsaps forced 42 total turnovers, including picking off 16 passes (three returned for TD), recovering 18 fumbles and forcing eight turnovers-on-downs.

The secondary took the biggest hit in the offseason, not only from a coaching standpoint, but from a player standpoint as well. In addition to the loss of coach Woodson, starting defensive backs Marcus Harris, Jonathan Brooks, Michael Sims and Jacob Hanberry were all lost to graduation. Between the foursome in their careers, they combined to pick off 32 passes and broke up 91 more. Mike Moore, another everyday performer in the secondary, added 60 tackles, six breakups and a pick.

Senior linebackers Lee Klein, Sam Herman, Jaren Bowser and Miles Sager are all back to lead the outside linebacker corps after the loss of the team’s second-leading tackler a year ago and inside linebacker, Cap White. Klein had a team and career-high 89 tackles (40 solo), 11.0 tackles-for-loss and a 15-yard fumble recovery for a score, while Herman had both a 64-yard interception for a score and a 17-yard blocked punt for a score. A year removed from a season-ending knee injury, inside linebacker Colby Langston started in all 12 games and had 43 tackles in 2008 and will be joined by fellow inside linebacker Nick Dubuisson.

Up-and-coming junior inside linebacker Will Hawkins will also be a player to watch in 2009. The two-sport athlete is coming off All-American honors, team-leading .406 average and 11 home runs with the Majors’ NCAA Tournament baseball team and also has 81 tackles (40 solo) in two seasons with the football team.

In the trenches, Denarold Anderson will no doubt be the biggest loss.

Anderson racked up 157 tackles, 32.0 tackles-for-loss, 18.0 sacks (sixth all-time at Millsaps) and forced a pair of fumbles in 39 career games played, earning First Team All-SCAC honors twice and D3football.com All-South Region recognition as a senior. Returning up front will be seniors David Dale and Mason Burrell and junior Kyle Hughes. The trio combined for 64 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2008.

Special Teams In the kicking game, Millsaps returns a pair of All-SCAC First Team selections in junior kicker Taylor Russolino and senior punter William Lawrimore who each had breakout seasons in 2008. Russolino led the SCAC in scoring with 97 points, connecting on a school record 64 of 69 PATs and 11 of 13 field goals (second in a single season).

Lawrimore averaged a career and league-best 39.5 yards-per-punt, including a game-changing and school record 77-yard boot against Belhaven. The senior from Tampa, Fla., also netted 36.2 yards-per-punt (sixth in the nation), landed 16 punts inside the 20 and had four punts of 50 plus yards.

For a third-straight season, Millsaps returns the SCAC Special Teams Player of the Year. This time it’s Galatas, as the junior averaged 23.6 yards per kick return (17th in Division III) and 15.2 yards per punt return. The speedster returned both a kick and punt for a score on the season and had two punt returns called back (vs. Colorado, vs. Trinity) on block in the back penalties. Milazzo, the 2007 Special Teams Player of the Year, will also likely return kicks (23.8 avg) and punts (5.0 avg) alongside Galatas despite having troubles late in the year.

The Schedule Rated the 13th toughest schedule in all of Division III last season with a combined opponents win percentage of .604 (58-38), the 2009 schedule doesn’t get any easier.

Millsaps will play five home and five away contests, beginning on the

road with cross-town rival Mississippi College on Sept. 5 in the annual “Backyard Brawl.” The Choctaws will welcome back All-American QB Adam Schaffer after a second season-ending injury and will no doubt be a contender again for the American Southwest Conference title. This year’s meeting will mark the 48th all-time between the two schools, with MS College owning a 28-13-6 series lead.

Belhaven will make the short trip across Riverside Drive to Harper Davis Field on Sept. 12 for the Majors’ home-opener, as the teams will square off for the fifth time. Millsaps knocked off Belhaven for the first time last season, 34-14, thanks in large part to Lawrimore’s 77-yard punt that completely changed momentum in the game.

The conference slate opens the following week at Austin College on Sept. 19, as DuBose will try and stay perfect on the road in SCAC play during his career.

A rare early season matchup with Trinity on Sept. 26, thanks to a scheduling change around the SCAC, opens SCAC play at Harper Davis Field. The Tigers will look to avenge an embarrassing 56-27 loss to Millsaps last year in San Antonio and trail the all-time series 17-15.

Back-to-back road games at DePauw (Oct. 3) and Huntingdon College (Oct. 10) will provide a tough mid-season test, before the Majors have the luxury of closing the year with three home games out of their last four. Millsaps is 0-2 all-time vs Huntingdon, picking up the Hawks on the schedule after the sudden announcement that Colorado College was dropping its football program.

Homecoming will be on Oct. 24 against Centre College, with the season finale against Birmingham-Southern on Nov. 14 after a two-week break. - MSM

2008 RESULTS DATE OPPONENT W/L Sept. 06 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE W Sept. 13 BELHAVEN COLLEGE W Sept. 20 AUSTIN COLLEGE W Sept. 27 @ Rhodes College W Oct. 04 DePAUW UNIV. W Oct. 11 @ Centre College W Oct. 18 SEWANEE W Nov. 1 @ Trinity College W Nov. 08 COLORADO COLLEGE W Nov. 15 @ Birmingham So. W Nov. 22 LaGRANGE COLLEGE* W Nov. 29 WASH. & JEFFERSON** L * - D3 Playoffs Rd. 1; **D3 Playoffs Rd. 2

SCORE ATTEND 42-6 N/A 34-14 N/A 41-7 N/A 49-2 N/A 55-13 N/A 46-26 N/A 38-17 N/A 56-27 N/A 50-6 N/A 31-14 N/A 51-26 N/A 20-35 N/A

2009 SCHEDULE DATE

OPPONENT

Sept. 5

@ Mississippi College

LOCATION Clinton

Sept. 12

Belhaven College

Jackson

Sept. 19

@ Austin College

Sept. 26

TRINITY COLLEGE

Sherman, TX Jackson

Oct. 3

@ DePauw University

Oct. 10

@ Huntingdon College

Greencastle, IN

Oct. 17

RHODES COLLEGE

Oct. 24

CENTRE COLLEGE

Oct. 31

@ Sewanee University

Nov. 14

BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN

Montgomery, AL Jackson Jackson Sewanee, TN Jackson

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 77

2009 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

BELHAVEN BLAZERS Photo Courtesy Belhaven College

HEAD COACH: Joe Thrasher - 1st Season 2008 RECORD: 2-9 Overall 1-4 Mid-South Conference, 3rd - MSC West Season Opener: Saturday, August 27, vs. West Alabama, Newell Field

Blazers look to Rebuid in ‘09 New Coach Joe Thrasher honored to return home

All-MSC LB Reginald Lumpkin

By Kirk McDonnell Belhaven Sports Information

T

he 2009 season will begin a new era for the Belhaven College football program as Joe Thrasher takes the reins as the Blazers new Head Coach. Thrasher succeeds Don Lee who accepted the Head Coaching position at Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois. Thrasher spent the past three seasons at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma after having been a Blazer assistant coach during the 2005 season, and a Belhaven player from 1998 through the 2000 season.

During his three seasons at Bacone, Thrasher rebuilt the program into a contender as the Warriors went from 3-7 in 2006 to 7-4 during the 2008 campaign. Under Thrasher’s direction, his high powered offense has been one of the best in the NAIA in multiple categories over the last three seasons. “I am excited to be back leading the Blazer Football Program,” says Coach Thrasher. “As an alumni and part of the first team, I feel it an honor to serve this institution and football team. I look forward to this season and have confidence in my coaching staff and players to be successful both on and off the field.”

Thrasher inherits a Belhaven team that went just 2-9 overall and 1-4 in the Mid-South Conference in 2008. Belhaven struggled to stop opposing offenses allowing an average of

78 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

37 points per game. The offense couldn’t seem to find a rhythm in 2008 and were unable to match their opponents offensive output. The Blazer coaches and players have been working hard during the offseason in order to make 2009 an exciting season.

OFFENSE The Belhaven “Air Invasion” offense will look to regain its confidence in 2009 after a disappointing 2008 campaign. After years of being feared, defenses took advantage of undisciplined play which included fumbles, interceptions, sacks, and penalties. The Blazers have been accustomed to being near the top of the NAIA in passing offense, but dropped to 15th in the nation in 2008 after having been ranked 2nd in the NAIA in 2007. Belhaven’s 21.8 points per game average last season was 12 points lower than in 2007.

“We seemed to be our own worst enemy last season,” says Offensive Coordinator Ray Caldwell. “We have to put the struggles of 2008 out of our minds, get back to having fun, and have renewed optimism for attacking opposing defenses all over the field. Our pre season camp will be critical for the players to get the timing and execution of the offense in sync.”

One bright spot from 2008 was wide receiver Anthony Embry who was an All-Mid South Conference Western Division selection in his senior season. Embry had a team high of 63 receptions for 646 yards. He also averaged 58.7 yards per game and 10.3 yards per catch.

Embry grabbed three touchdown passes and was second on the team in all purpose yards at 95 yards per game. Belhaven will also have to replace center Tyler McNeil who joined Embry on the MSC All-Conference following a stellar senior season.

The good news is that the Blazers will bring back a solid core of talented players for the 2009 season. Quarterback Jarred Wallace will return and compete for the starting job after leading the team in passing a year ago with 1,789 yards and 14 touchdowns. Wallace averaged just under 200 yards per game through the air last season. Junior college transfer QB Perry Trammel will also compete for the starting position in 2009.

Senior running back Ricardo Bolton will anchor the ground game and be called upon to carry even more of the offensive load in 2009.

Bolton carried the ball 118 times for 526 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also the team’s second leading receiver in total receptions with 43 and came up with three touchdown

catches. Bolton averaged 4.5 yards per carry, 10.7 yards per catch, and paced the team in scoring with 62 total points and 10 touchdowns.

Belhaven welcomes back senior wide receiver Shaun Ector and junior wide out Barry Johnson. The Blazers look for them to step up and fill the void left by Embry. Ector hauled in 35 receptions for 580 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 16.6 yards per catch. Ector was also tops on the team in receiving at 82.9 yards per contest. Johnson caught 31 passes for 363 yards and three scores and had an 11.7 yards per catch average in 2008.

The Blazers will look to returners Jacob Phillips and Sarron Anderson to be the stalwarts on the offensive line. Belhaven will also lean on junior college transfer Zack Miller to help Phillips and Anderson.

Football games are won and lost in the trenches and it will be up to the offensive line to open running lanes for Bolton and provide protection for the quarterback.

DEFENSE Belhaven hopes to turn around a defense this season that had trouble slowing down opposing offenses in 2008. The Blazers surrendered an average of 410.5 yards per game in total offense last season while giving up 6.1 yards per play. Coach Danny White will take over the duties of Defensive Coordinator for the upcoming season. White has been an assistant coach with the Belhaven football program for the last six years.

“Coach White is well deserving of this title and I have full confidence in his abilities to lead our defense,” says Coach Thrasher.

White will have the luxury of leading a defense that is returning 10 starters including All-MSC linebacker Reginald Lumpkin and MSC Honorable Mention defensive lineman Melvin Dyson. Belhaven will draw upon their senior leadership in 2009 as eight of their ten returners will be seniors, which include Lumpkin and Dyson.

Lumpkin led Belhaven in total tackles last year with 97 including 14 for a loss, and had 3.5 sacks. Dyson recorded 48 total tackles with 10.5 for a loss and seven sacks. Dyson’s seven sacks were second best on the team behind only Eric Ortiz who had 8.5. As a team, the Blazers were ninth in the NAIA a year ago with an average of 3.1 sacks per game.

In the defensive backfield Cameron Achord will be back in a Blazer uniform in 2009 after coming up with three interceptions and 54 tackles last year. Johnathan Reed will be alongside Achord after notching a team high four interceptions in 2008. Junior college transfers Chaddwick Smith (DL) and Harvey Brown (LB) will also be in the mix for the Blazers adding more depth to an already impressive defense.

“We are committed to being a disciplined defense that focuses on the little things,” says Coach White. “The offense has always been a strong point for the Blazer program so look for the defense to match that this coming year.”

SPECIAL TEAMS The Blazers will be experienced in the special teams department as place kicker Justin Miller and punter Michael Wilson will both be back for the 2009 campaign. Miller connected on five field goals including a 44 yard game winner against West Virginia Tech in 2008. Wilson punted the ball 55 times and had an average of 36.4 yards per punt. Wilson pinned opponents inside the 20 yard line eight times and forced returners to call for five fair catches.

Ricardo Bolton will be back deep again on kickoffs and will pose a threat to take it all the way to the house. Bolton brought back 22 kickoffs for a total of 477 yards which equated to a 21.7 yard per return average. When factoring in Bolton’s return yards, rushing yards, and receiving yards, he ranked 19th in the NAIA a year ago with an average of 133.1 all purpose yards per contest. Octavius Truman, a transfer from East Central Community College could be looked upon in the punt return game to replace Embry who filled that role last year.

THE SCHEDULE Belhaven kicks off the 2009 season on Thursday night at home against NCAA Division II University of West Alabama beginning at

7:30. It will be the first of six home games that the Blazers will play at H.T. Newell field this season. The Blazers lost at West Alabama to open the 2008 campaign 49-12. Belhaven will continue its rivalry with Millsaps College in the “Riverside Rumble” on Saturday September 12th.

The Blazers will look for some revenge in year’s edition after the Majors handed Belhaven a 34-14 setback a year ago. The contest will be played at Millsaps with the kickoff slated for 1 PM. Following Belhaven’s showdown with the Majors, the Blazers jump right into Mid-South Conference play as they entertain Kentucky Christian University September 19th beginning at 1:30 PM. Belhaven is back at H.T. Newell field for the third time in the first four games of the season as they play host to Bethel College (TN) on the 26th of September at 6:30 PM. The Blazers then hit the road for their next two games beginning with a matchup against Faulkner University on October 3rd and then the following week it’s off to West Virginia Tech University for a battle with the Golden Bears October 10th.

Belhaven will come back to the friendly confines of H.T. Newell field on October 17th to face off against Shorter College at 1:30 PM. However, the home stand will be short lived with two more road games over the next two weeks. The Blazers head to Cumberland University in Tennessee October 24th and follow that up with a trip to Lambuth University on the 31st.

Belhaven closes the regular season at home during the last two weeks of the 2009 schedule. The Blazers will play their annual Homecoming game on November 7th as they entertain Campbellsville University beginning at 1:30 PM and then Union College comes to town on the 14th of November in the season finale which will also be a 1:30 PM kickoff.

- MSM

2008 RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

Aug. 30

@ West Alabama

W/L

SCORE ATTEND

L

12-49

N/A

Sept. 06 @ Concrdia

L

19-27

N/A

Sept. 13 MILLSAPS

L

14-34

N/A

Sept. 27 @ Bethal College

L

21-31

N/A

Oct. 04

FAULKNER COLLEGE

W

49-24

N/A

Oct. 11

W. Viriginia Institute

W

29-27

N/A

Oct. 18

@ Campbellsville U.

L

33-35

N/A

Oct. 25

CUMBERLAND

L

43-46

N/A

Nov. 1

Lambuth Univ.

L

13-63

N/A

Nov. 08

@ Shorter College

L

0-35

N/A

Nov. 15

@ Union College

L

7-36

N/A

2009 SCHEDULE DATE

OPPONENT

LOCATION

Aug. 27

WEST ALABAMA

Newell Field

Sept. 12

@ Millsaps College

Sept. 19

KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN

Sept. 26

BETHEL COLLEGE

Oct. 3

@ Faulkner Univ.

Oct. 10

@ WVa Inst. of Tech.

Jackson Newell Field Newell Field Montgomery, AL Montogmery, WV

Oct. 17

SHORTER COLLEGE

Newell Field

Oct. 24

@ Cumberland Univ.

Lebanon, TN

Oct. 31

@ lambuth Univ.

Jackson, TN

Nov. 7

CAMPBELLSVILEE (HC)

Newell Field

Nov. 14

UNION COLLEGE

Newell Field Mississippi Sports Magazine - 79

MSM

2009 SEC/C-USA SCHEDULES

SEC WEST

SEC EAST

C-USA WEST

C-USA EAST

Alabama Crimson Tide

Florida Gators

Houston Cougars

East Carolina Pirates

Sept. 5......................... @ Virginia Tech # Sept. 12....................... FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL Sept. 19....................... NORTH TEXAS Sept. 26....................... ARKANSAS Oct. 3.......................... @ Kentucky Oct. 10........................ @ Ole Miss Oct. 17........................ SOUTH CAROLINA Oct. 24........................ TENNESSEE Nov. 7.......................... LSU Nov. 14........................ @ Miss. State Nov. 21........................ CHATTANOOGA Nov. 28........................ @ Auburn

Sept. 5......................... CHARLESTON SOUTHERN Sept. 12....................... TROY Sept. 19....................... TENNESSEE Sept. 26....................... @ Kentucky Oct. 10........................ @ LSU Oct. 17........................ ARKANSAS Oct. 24........................ @ Miss. State Oct. 31........................ @ Georgia (Jacksonville) Nov. 7.......................... VANDERBILT Nov. 14........................ @ South Carolina Nov. 21........................ FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL Nov. 28........................ FLORIDA STATE

Sept. 5......................... NORTHWESTERN STATE Sept. 12....................... @ Oklahoma State Sept. 26....................... TEXAS TECH Oct. 3.......................... @ UTEP Oct. 10........................ @ Mississippi State Oct. 17........................ @ Tulane Oct. 24........................ SMU Oct. 31........................ SOUTHERN MISS Nov. 7.......................... @ Tulsa Nov. 14........................ @ CENTRAL FLORIDA Nov. 21........................ MEMPHIS Nov. 28........................ RICE

Sept. 5......................... APPALACHIAN STATE Sept. 12....................... @ West Virginia Sept. 19....................... @ North Carolina Sept. 26....................... CENTRAL FLORIDA Oct. 3.......................... @ Marshall Oct. 10........................ @ SMU Oct. 17........................ RICE Oct. 27........................ @ Memphis Nov. 5.......................... VIRGINIA TECH Nov. 15........................ @ Tulsa Nov. 21........................ UAB Nov. 28........................ SOUTHERN MISS

Arkansas Razorbacks

Georgia Bulldogs

Rice Owls

Marshall Thundering Herd

Sept. 5......................... MISSOURI STATE (Little Rock) Sept. 19....................... GEORGIA Sept. 26....................... @ Alabama Oct. 3.......................... @ Texas A&M (Arlington) Oct. 10........................ AUBURN Oct. 17........................ @ Florida Oct. 24........................ @ Ole Miss Oct. 31........................ EASTERN MICHIGAN Nov. 7.......................... SOUTH CAROLINA Nov. 14........................ TROY Nov. 21........................ MISS. STATE (Little Rock) Nov. 28........................ @ LSU

Sept. 5......................... @ Oklahoma State Sept. 12....................... SOUTH CAROLINA Sept. 19....................... @ Arkansas Sept. 26....................... ARIZONA STATE Oct. 3.......................... LSU Oct. 10........................ @ Tennessee Oct. 17........................ @ Vanderbilt Oct. 31........................ FLORIDA (Jacksonville) Nov. 7.......................... TENNESSEE TECH Nov. 14........................ AUBURN Nov. 21........................ KENTUCKY Nov. 28........................ @ Georgia Tech

Sept. 5......................... @ UAB Sept. 12....................... @ Texas Tech Sept. 19....................... @ Oklahoma State Sept. 26....................... VANDERBILT Oct. 3.......................... TULSA Oct. 10........................ NAVY Oct. 17........................ @ East Carolina Oct. 24........................ CENTRAL FLORIDA Nov. 7.......................... @ SMU Nov. 14........................ TULANE Nov. 21........................ UTEP Nov. 28........................ @ Houston

Sept. 5......................... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Sept. 12....................... @ Virginia Tech Sept. 19....................... BOWLING GREEN Sept. 26....................... @ Memphis Oct. 3.......................... EAST CAROLINA Oct. 10........................ @ Tulane Oct. 17........................ @ West Virginia Oct. 24........................ UAB Nov. 1.......................... @ Central Florida Nov. 14........................ SOUTHERN MISS Nov. 21........................ SMU Nov. 28........................ @ UTEP

Auburn Tigers

Kentucky Wildcats

SMU Mustangs

Memphis Tigers

Sept. 5......................... LOUISIANA TECH Sept. 12....................... MISS. STATE Sept. 19....................... WEST VIRGINIA Sept. 26....................... BALL STATE Oct. 3.......................... @ Tennessee Oct. 10........................ @ Arkansas Oct. 17........................ KENTUCKY Oct. 24........................ @ LSU Oct. 31........................ OLE MISS Nov. 7.......................... FURMAN Nov. 14........................ @ Georgia Nov. 28........................ ALABAMA

Sept. 5......................... @ Miami (Ohio) (Cincinnati) Sept. 19....................... LOUISVILLE Sept. 26....................... FLORIDA Oct. 3.......................... ALABAMA Oct. 10........................ @ South Carolina Oct. 17........................ @ Auburn Oct. 24........................ LOUISIANA-MONROE Oct. 31........................ MISS. STATE Nov. 7.......................... EASTERN KENTUCKY Nov. 14........................ @ Vanderbilt Nov. 21........................ @ Georgia Nov. 28........................ TENNESSEE

Sept. 5......................... STEPHEN F. AUSTIN Sept. 12....................... @ UAB Sept. 19....................... @ Washington State Oct. 3.......................... @ TCU Oct. 10........................ EAST CAROLINA Oct. 17........................ NAVY Oct. 24........................ @ Houston Oct. 31........................ @ Tulsa Nov. 7.......................... RICE Nov. 14........................ UTEP Nov. 21........................ @ Marshall Nov. 28........................ TULANE

Sept. 6......................... OLE MISS (ESPN) Sept. 12....................... @ Middle Tennessee St. Sept. 19....................... TENNESSEE-MARTIN Sept. 26....................... MARSHALL Oct. 3.......................... @ Central Florida Oct. 10........................ UTEP Oct. 17........................ @ Southern Miss Oct. 27........................ EAST CAROLINA Nov. 7.......................... @ Tennessee Nov. 14........................ UAB Nov. 21........................ @ Houston Nov. 28........................ @ Tulsa

LSU Tigers

South Carolina Gamecocks

Tulane Green Wave

Southern Miss

Sept. 5......................... @ Washington Sept. 12....................... VANDERBILT Sept. 19....................... LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE Sept. 26....................... @ Miss. State Oct. 3.......................... @ Georgia Oct. 10........................ FLORIDA Oct. 24........................ AUBURN Oct. 31........................ @ Tulane Nov. 7.......................... @ Alabama Nov. 14........................ LOUISIANA TECH Nov. 21........................ @ Ole Miss Nov. 28........................ ARKANSAS

Sept. 5......................... @ N.C. State Sept. 12....................... @ Georgia Sept. 19....................... FLORIDA ATLANTIC Sept. 24....................... OLE MISS (ESPN) Oct. 3.......................... SOUTH CAROLINA ST. Oct. 10........................ KENTUCKY Oct. 17........................ @ Alabama Oct. 24........................ VANDERBILT Oct. 31........................ @ Tennessee Nov. 7.......................... @ Arkansas Nov. 14........................ FLORIDA Nov. 28........................ CLEMSON

Sept. 5......................... TULSA Sept. 12....................... BYU Sept. 26....................... McNEESE STATE Oct. 3.......................... @ Army Oct. 10........................ MARSHALL Oct. 17........................ HOUSTON Oct. 24........................ @ Southern Miss Oct. 31........................ @ LSU Nov. 7.......................... UTEP Nov. 14........................ @ Rice Nov. 21........................ @ Central Florida Nov. 28........................ @ SMU

Sept. 5......................... ALCORN STATE Sept. 12....................... CENTRAL FLORIDA Sept. 19....................... VIRGINIA Sept. 26....................... @ Kansas Oct. 1.......................... @ UAB Oct. 10........................ @ Louisville Oct. 17........................ MEMPHIS Oct. 24........................ TULANE Oct. 31........................ @ Houston Nov. 14........................ @ Marshall Nov. 21........................ TULSA Nov. 28........................ @ East Carolina

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Tennessee Volunteers

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes

UAB Blazers

Sept. 5......................... JACKSON STATE Sept. 12....................... @ Auburn Sept. 19....................... @ Vanderbilt Sept. 26....................... LSU Oct. 3.......................... GEORGIA TECH Oct. 10........................ HOUSTON Oct. 17........................ @ Middle Tennessee Oct. 24........................ FLORIDA Oct. 31........................ @ Kentucky Nov. 14........................ ALABAMA Nov. 21........................ @ Arkansas (Little Rock) Nov. 28........................ OLE MISS

Sept. 5......................... WESTERN KENTUCKY Sept. 12....................... UCLA Sept. 19....................... @ Florida Sept. 26....................... OHIO Oct. 3.......................... AUBURN Oct. 10........................ GEORGIA Oct. 24........................ @ Alabama Oct. 31........................ SOUTH CAROLINA Nov. 7.......................... MEMPHIS Nov. 14........................ @ Ole Miss Nov. 21........................ VANDERBILT Nov. 28........................ @ Kentucky

Sept. 4......................... @ Tulane Sept. 12....................... @ New Mexico Sept. 19....................... @ Oklahoma Sept. 26....................... SAM HOUSTON STATE Oct. 3.......................... @ Rice Oct. 14........................ BOISE STATE Oct. 21........................ @ UTEP Oct. 31........................ SMU Nov. 7.......................... HOUSTON Nov. 15........................ EAST CAROLINA Nov. 21........................ @ Southern Miss Nov. 28........................ MEMPHIS

Sept. 5......................... RICE Sept. 12....................... SMU Sept. 19....................... @ Troy Sept. 26....................... @ Texas A&M Oct. 1.......................... SOUTHERN MISS Oct. 17........................ @ Ole Miss Oct. 24........................ @ Marshall Oct. 31........................ @ UTEP Nov. 7.......................... FLORIDA ATLANTIC Nov. 14........................ @ Memphis Nov. 21........................ @ East Carolina Nov. 28........................ CENTRAL FLORIDA

Ole Miss Rebels

Vanderbilt Commodores

UTEP Miners

Central Florida Knights

Sept. 6......................... @ Memphis Sept. 19....................... SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA Sept. 24....................... @ South Carolina (ESPN) Oct. 3.......................... @ Vanderbilt Oct. 10........................ ALABAMA Oct. 17........................ UAB Oct. 24........................ ARKANSAS Oct. 31........................ @ Auburn Nov. 7.......................... NORTHERN ARIZONA Nov. 14........................ TENNESSEE Nov. 21........................ LSU Nov. 28........................ @ Miss. State 80 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

Sept. 5......................... WESTERN CAROLINA Sept. 12....................... @ LSU Sept. 19....................... OLE MISS Sept. 26....................... @ Rice Oct. 3.......................... MISS. STATE Oct. 10........................ @ Army Oct. 17........................ GEORGIA Oct. 24........................ @ South Carolina Oct. 31........................ GEORGIA TECH Nov. 7.......................... @ Florida Nov. 14........................ KENTUCKY Nov. 21........................ @ Tennessee

Sept. 5......................... BUFFALO Sept. 12....................... KANSAS Sept. 19....................... @ New Mexico State Sept. 26....................... @ Texas Oct. 3.......................... HOUSTON Oct. 10........................ @ Memphis Oct. 21........................ TULSA Oct. 31........................ UAB Nov. 7.......................... @ Tulane Nov. 14........................ @ SMU Nov. 21........................ @ Rice Nov. 28........................ MARSHALL

Sept. 5......................... SAMFORD Sept. 12....................... @ Southern Miss Sept. 19....................... Buffalo Sept. 26....................... @ East Carolina Oct. 3.......................... MEMPHIS Oct. 17........................ MIAMI, FL Oct. 24........................ @ Rice Nov. 1.......................... MARSHALL Nov. 7.......................... @ Texas Nov. 14........................ HOUSTON Nov. 21........................ TULANE Nov. 28........................ @ UAB

2009 SEC/C-USA WEEK BY WEEK SCHEDULES

SEC - Week by Week

CUSA - Week by Week

Houston at Mississippi State Vanderbilt at Army

Sept. 3 South Carolina at N.C. State Sept. 5 Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta) Missouri State at Arkansas (Little Rock) Louisiana Tech at Auburn Charleston Southern at Florida Georgia at Oklahoma State LSU at Washington Jackson State at Mississippi State Western Kentucky at Tennessee Western Carolina at Vanderbilt Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) (Cincinnati) Sept. 6 Ole Miss at Memphis Sept. 12 Florida International at Alabama Mississippi State at Auburn Troy at Florida South Carolina at Georgia Vanderbilt at LSU UCLA at Tennessee OPEN: Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss Sept. 19 North Texas at Alabama Georgia at Arkansas West Virginia at Auburn Tennessee at Florida Louisville at Kentucky Louisiana Lafayette at LSU Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss Mississippi State at Vanderbilt Florida Atlantic at South Carolina Sept. 24 Ole Miss at South Carolina Sept. 26 Arkansas at Alabama Ball State at Auburn Florida at Kentucky Arizona State at Georgia LSU at Mississippi State Ohio at Tennessee Vanderbilt at Rice Oct. 3 Alabama at Kentucky Auburn at Tennessee LSU at Georgia Georgia Tech at Mississippi State South Carolina State at South Carolina Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Arlington, Texas) Ole Miss at Vanderbilt OPEN: Ole Miss Oct. 10 Alabama at Ole Miss Auburn at Arkansas Florida at LSU Georgia at Tennessee Kentucky at South Carolina

Oct. 17 South Carolina at Alabama Arkansas at Florida Kentucky at Auburn Georgia at Vanderbilt UAB at Ole Miss Mississippi State at Middle Tennessee OPEN: LSU, Tennessee Oct. 24 Tennessee at Alabama Arkansas at Ole Miss Auburn at LSU Florida at Mississippi State Louisiana Monroe at Kentucky Vanderbilt at South Carolina OPEN: Georgia Oct. 31 Eastern Michigan at Arkansas Ole Miss at Auburn Florida vs. Georgia (Jacksonville, Fla.) Mississippi State at Kentucky LSU at Tulane South Carolina at Tennessee Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt OPEN: Alabama Nov. 7 LSU at Alabama South Carolina at Arkansas Furman at Auburn Vanderbilt at Florida Tennessee Tech at Georgia Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky Memphis at Tennessee Northern Arizona at Ole Miss OPEN: Mississippi State Nov. 14 Alabama at Mississippi State Troy at Arkansas Auburn at Georgia Florida at South Carolina Kentucky at Vanderbilt Louisiana Tech at LSU Tennessee at Ole Miss Nov. 21 Chattanooga at Alabama Mississippi State at Arkansas (Little Rock) Florida International at Florida Kentucky at Georgia LSU at Ole Miss Vanderbilt at Tennessee OPEN: Auburn, South Carolina Nov. 28 Arkansas at LSU Ole Miss at Mississippi State Alabama at Auburn Florida State at Florida Georgia at Georgia Tech Tennessee at Kentucky Clemson at South Carolina OPEN: Vanderbilt Dec. 5 SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)

MSM

Oct. 14 Boise State at Tulsa

Sept. 4 Tulsa at Tulane Sept. 5 Appalachian State at East Carolina Northwestern State at Houston Southern Illinois at Marshall Rice at UAB Stephen F. Austin at SMU Alcorn State at Southern Miss Samford at UCF Buffalo at UTEP Sept. 6 Mississippi at Memphis Sept. 12 East Carolina at West Virginia Houston at Oklahoma State Marshall at Virginia Tech Memphis at Middle Tennessee Rice at Texas Tech SMU at UAB UCF at Southern Miss BYU at Tulane Tulsa at New Mexico Kansas at UTEP Sept. 19 East Carolina at North Carolina Bowling Green at Marshall UT-Martin at Memphis Rice at Oklahoma State SMU at Washington State Virginia at Southern Miss Tulsa at Oklahoma UAB at Troy Buffalo at UCF UTEP at New Mexico State Sept. 26 UCF at East Carolina Texas Tech at Houston Marshall at Memphis Vanderbilt at Rice Southern Miss at Kansas McNeese State at Tulane Sam Houston State at Tulsa UAB at Texas A&M UTEP at Texas Oct. 1 Southern Miss at UAB Oct. 3 East Carolina at Marshall Houston at UTEP Memphis at UCF Tulsa at Rice SMU at TCU Tulane at Army Oct. 10 East Carolina at SMU Houston at Mississippi State Marshall at Tulane UTEP at Memphis Navy at Rice Southern Miss at Louisville

Oct. 17 Rice at East Carolina Houston at Tulane Marshall at West Virginia Memphis at Southern Miss Navy at SMU UAB at Mississippi Miami (Fla.) at UCF Oct. 21 Tulsa at UTEP Oct. 24 SMU at Houston UAB at Marshall UCF at Rice Tulane at Southern Miss Oct. 27 East Carolina at Memphis Oct. 31 Southern Miss at Houston SMU at Tulsa Tulane at LSU UAB at UTEP Nov. 1 Marshall at UCF Nov. 5 Virginia Tech at East Carolina Nov. 7 Houston at Tulsa Memphis at Tennessee Rice at SMU UTEP at Tulane Florida Atlantic at UAB UCF at Texas Nov. 14 Houston at UCF Southern Miss at Marshall UAB at Memphis Tulane at Rice UTEP at SMU Nov. 15 East Carolina at Tulsa Nov. 21 UAB at East Carolina Memphis at Houston SMU at Marshall UTEP at Rice Tulsa at Southern Miss Tulane at UCF Nov. 27 Memphis at Tulsa Nov. 28 Southern Miss at East Carolina Rice at Houston Marshall at UTEP Tulane at SMU UCF at UAB Dec. 5 C-USA Championship Game

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 81

MSM

2 0 0 9 S WA C S C H E D U L E S

SWAC EAST

SWAC WEST

Alabama A&M Bulldogs

Ark.-Pine Bluff Tigers

Sept. 5......................... @ Tennessee State Sept. 12....................... HAMPTON Sept. 19....................... JACKSONVILLE STATE Sept. 26....................... ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF Oct. 3.......................... Tuskegee (Indianapolis, IN) Oct. 10........................ @ Grambling Oct. 17........................ @ Alcorn State Oct. 31........................ Alabama State (Birmingham) Nov. 7.......................... @ Prairie View Nov. 14........................ JACKSON STATE Nov. 21........................ MS VALLEY STATE

Sept. 5......................... UA-MONTICELLO Sept. 12....................... LANGSTON UNIV. Sept. 19....................... MS Valley St. (Chicago) Sept. 26....................... @ Alabama A&M Oct. 3.......................... ALCORN STATE Oct. 10........................ @ Jackson State Oct. 24........................ EDWARD WATERS Oct. 31........................ SOUTHERN UNIV. Nov. 7.......................... @ Grambling Nov. 28........................ TEXAS SOUTHERN

Alabama State Hornets

Grambling State Tigers

Sept. 5......................... CONCORDIA COLLEGE Sept. 12....................... @ Savannah State Sept. 19....................... EDWARD WATERS (Fla.) Sept. 26....................... @ MS Valley State Oct. 10........................ PRAIRIE VIEW Oct. 17........................ GRAMBLING Oct. 24........................ ALCORN STATE Oct. 31........................ Alabama A&M (Birmingham) Nov. 7.......................... @ Jackson State Nov. 14........................ SOUTHERN UNIV. (Moblie) Nov. 26........................ TUSKEGEE

Sept. 6......................... S. Carolina St. (Orlando) Sept. 12....................... NORTHWESTERN STATE Sept. 19....................... @ Jackson State Sept. 26....................... @ Oklahoma State Oct. 3.......................... @ Prairie View Oct. 10........................ ALABAMA A&M Oct. 27........................ @ Alabama State Oct. 31........................ @ MS VALLEY ST. Nov. 7.......................... @ Arkansas Pine-Bluff Nov. 12........................ TEXAS SOUTHERN Nov. 28........................ Southern (New Orleans)

Alcorn State Braves

Prairie View Panthers

Sept. 5......................... @ Southern Miss Sept. 19....................... @ Central Michigan Sept. 26....................... @ Southern University Oct. 3.......................... @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff Oct. 10........................ MS VALLEY STATE Oct. 17........................ ALABAMA A&M Oct. 24........................ @ Alabama State Oct. 31........................ @ Texas Southern Nov. 14........................ PRAIRIE VIEW Nov. 28........................ @ Jackson State

Sept. 5......................... @ Texas Southern Sept. 12....................... @ New Mexico State Oct. 3.......................... Grambling (Dallas) Oct. 10........................ @ Alabama State Oct. 17........................ MS VALLEY STATE Oct. 22........................ @ Southern University Nov. 7.......................... ALABAMA A&M Nov. 14........................ @ Alcorn State Nov. 21........................ ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF Nov. 28........................ FLORIDA STATE

Jackson State Tigers

Southern Univ. Jaguars

Sept. 5......................... @ Mississippi State Sept. 12....................... TENNESSEE ST. (Memphis) Sept. 19....................... GRAMBLING STATE Oct. 3.......................... SOUTHERN UNIV. Oct. 10........................ ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF Oct. 17........................ TEXAS SOUTHERN Oct. 24........................ @ MS Valley St. Nov. 7.......................... ALABAMA STATE Nov. 14........................ @ Alabama A&M Nov. 21........................ ALCORN STATE

Sept. 5......................... @ Louisiana-Lafayette Sept. 12....................... CENTRAL STATE UNIV. Sept. 19....................... TENNESSEE STATE Sept. 26....................... ALCORN STATE Oct. 3.......................... JACKSON STATE Oct. 10........................ @ Texas Southern Oct. 17........................ FORT VALLEY STATE Oct. 22........................ PRAIRIE VIEW Oct. 31........................ @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff Nov. 14........................ ALABAMA STATE Nov. 28........................ GRAMBLING (New Orleans)

MS Valley Delta Devils

Texas Southern Tigers

Sept. 5......................... @ Arkansas State Sept. 19....................... ARK.-PINE BLUFF (Chicago) Sept. 26....................... ALABAMA STATE Oct. 3.......................... TEXAS COLLEGE Oct. 10........................ @ Alcorn State Oct. 17........................ @ Prairie View Oct. 24........................ JACKSON STATE Oct. 31........................ @ Grambling Nov. 7.......................... TEXAS SOUTHERN Nov. 14........................ LINCOLN UNIVERSITY Nov. 21........................ @ Alabama A&M

Sept. 5......................... @ Prairie View Sept. 12....................... @ Louisiana-Monroe Sept. 19....................... TEXAS COLLEGE Sept. 26....................... @ Texas State Oct. 3.......................... @ Rutgers Oct. 10........................ SOUTHERN UNIV. Oct. 17........................ @ Jackson State Oct. 31........................ ALCORN STATE Nov. 7.......................... @ MS Valley State Nov. 12........................ @ Grambling (ESPNU) Nov. 28........................ ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF

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2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 0 college bowl schedule

MSM

NEW MEXICO BOWL Dec. 19 (Albuquerque, NM) MWC vs. MAC 4:30 pm on ESPN

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL Dec. 29 (Orlando, FL) ACC vs. Big 10 8:00 pm on ESPN

COTTON BOWL Jan. 2 (Arlington, TX) Big 12 vs. SEC 2:00 pm on ESPN

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL Dec. 19 (St. Petersburg, FL) Big East vs. CUSA 8:15 pm on ESPN

HUMANITARIAN BOWL Dec. 29 (Boise, ID) WAC vs. MAC 4:30 pm on ESPN

PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL Jan. 2 (Birmingham, AL) Big East vs. SEC 2:00 pm on TBA

NEW ORLEANS BOWL Dec. 20 (New Orleans, LA) Sun Belt vs. CUSA 8:15 pm on ESPN

HOLIDAY BOWL Dec. 30 (San Diego, CA) Pac-10 vs. Big 12 8:30 pm on ESPN

LIBERTY BOWL Jan. 2 (Memphis, TN) SEC vs. CUSA 4:30 pm on ESPN

MAACO BOWL Dec. 22 (Las Vegas, NV) MWC vs. Pac-10 8:00 pm on ESPN

TEXAS BOWL Dec. 30 (Houston, TX) Big 12 vs. Navy or CUSA TBA

ALAMO BOWL Jan. 2 (San Antonio, TX) Big 12 vs. Big 10 9:00 pm on ESPN

POINSETTA BOWL Dec. 23 (San Diego, CA) MWC vs. Pac-10 8:00 pm on ESPN

BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL Dec. 31 (Fort Worth, TX) MWC vs. CUSA TBA on ESPN

GMAC BOWL Jan. 6 (Mobile, AL) CUSA vs. MAC 6:00 pm on ESPN

SHERATON HAWAII BOWL Dec. 24 (Honolulu) WAC vs. Pac-10 8:00 pm on ESPN MOTOR CITY BOWL Dec. 26 (Detroit, MI) MAC vs. Big 10 1:00 pm on ESPN MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL Dec. 26 (Charlotte, NC) ACC vs. Big East 4:30 pm on ESPN EMERALD BOWL Dec. 26 (San Francisco, CA) Pac-10 vs. ACC 8:00 pm on ESPN MUSIC CITY BOWL Dec. 27 (Nashville, TN) ACC vs. SEC 8:15 pm on ESPN INDEPENDENCE BOWL Dec. 28 (Shreveport, LA) Big 12 vs. SEC 5:00 pm on ESPN EAGLEBANK BOWL Dec. 29 (Washington, D.C.) ACC vs, Army or CUSA 4:30 pm on ESPN

SUN BOWL Dec. 31 (El Paso, TX) Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame 2:00 pm on CBS INSIGHT BOWL Dec. 31 (Tempe, AZ) Big 10 vs. Big 12 6:00 pm on NFL Network CHICK-FIL-A BOWL Dec. 31 (Atlanta, GA) ACC vs. SEC 7:30 on ESPN OUTBACK BOWL Jan. 1 (Tampa, FL) SEC vs. Big 10 11:00 am on ESPN GATOR BOWL Jan. 1 (Jacksonville, FL) ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame 1:00 am on CBS CAPITOL ONE BOWL Jan. 1 (Orlando, FL) SEC vs. Big 10 1:00 am on ABC INTERNATIONAL BOWL Jan. 2 (Toronta, Canada) Big East/Notre Dame vs. MAC Noon on ESPN

BCS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ROSE BOWL Jan. 1 (Pasadena, CA) BCS vs. BCS 5:10 pm on ABC SUGAR BOWL Jan. 1 (New Orleans, LA) BCS vs. BCS 8:00 pm on FOX FIESTA BOWL Jan. 4 (Glendale, AZ) BCS vs. BCS 8:00 pm on FOX ORANGE BOWL Jan. 5 (Miami, FL) BCS vs. BCS 8:00 pm on FOX BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Jan. 7 (Pasadena, CA) BCS vs. BCS 8:00 pm on FOX *All times Eastern Mississippi Sports Magazine - 83

MSM

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

He’s more than a “One Man Show!”

A chance meeting on a Hattiesburg golf course changed the life of attorney James “Bus” Cook

By CARY ESTES Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

I

t was, without question, the greatest round of golf in James “Bus” Cook’s life. And he has no idea what he shot. That’s because his golf score that day doesn’t matter. All that matters is he scored one of greatest NFL players of all time, and in the process changed the direction of his life.

The year was 1989, and Cook was into the second decade of running a successful law practice located in Hattiesburg. He received a call one morning from a friend asking whether he would be willing to take a couple of local college students out for an afternoon of golf.

One of those students was a young quarterback at Southern Mississippi named Brett Favre.

While they were playing, Favre said to Cook, “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, and I wanted to know if you might be interested in helping me.”

To which Cook replied, “What kind of trouble are you in?”

Favre chuckled. “No, I’m not in any trouble. I might get a chance to play pro football, and I’ll need somebody to represent me.”

Cook shook his head. “Son, I don’t know anything about that business.”

“Well, I don’t know anything about playing pro football,” Favre responded. “But I’d love for you to talk to my parents and help me.”

Twenty years later, while recounting this story, Cook said, “I guess if you’re going to start in this business (as a sports agent), then Brett Favre was a pretty good one to start with.”

Was he ever. Cook’s career change from a fulltime lawyer to a fulltime 84 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

sports agent basically happened by accident. And it took off largely because his initial client became a three-time league MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

To this day, even though Cook has represented numerous NFL players over the years – including Steve McNair, Randy Moss and Jay Cutler – he is still primarily associated with Favre.

“For awhile, I didn’t know if I even had a name anymore. I was just Brett Favre’s agent,” Cook said. “And that’s fine. But I’m also all these other guys’ agent, too. I try to treat them all equally. But I realize that Brett gets a lot of attention.”

All that attention has complicated Cook’s life in recent years, as the drama surrounding Favre’s fluctuating retirement plans has captivated members of the media from Green Bay to New York to Minnesota to Bristol, Conn. (home of ESPN). On days when the rumor mill is churning at full speed, Cook said his cell phone rarely stops ringing.

“It’s nuts. If I talked with everybody who called, I’d be on the telephone all day long,” Cook said. “These reporters are like kids with their daddy at the park wanting to ride the slide. ‘Me first, daddy. Me first.’ They all want to get the story first.

“And one day before I die, I want to meet this guy named The Source.

Bus Cook (Center) along with Leonard Van Slyke (Left) and Chip Newman (Right) of the Jackson Touchdown Club. Pictures courtesy of the Jackson Touchdown Club and Elwin Williams Photography He’s like Santa Clause. He is everywhere. This guy named The Source, he knows more about everything than anybody I’ve met.”

Cook laughs as he says this. That’s because no matter how frustrating his job can become at times, he knows it is a much better life than what awaited him had he never left the coal mines of his home state of West Virginia.

Cook’s father spent 50 years working in those mines in order to support the raising of his six children. Cook seemed destined to follow in those dark, dusty footsteps, and had already begun making trips into the mines while still in high school.

But Cook also was a solid high-school basketball player, and his ticket out of the mines came in the form of a scholarship to American University in Washington D.C. The head coach at that time, Al Kyber, made the trip to tiny Man, W.V., to meet with Cook’s father and offer Cook the scholarship. When Kyber arrived, Cook had to be summoned from the mines, where he had already started working for the day.

“I never went back in them after that,” Cook said.

Instead, after graduating from American in 1970, Cook enrolled in law school at the University of Mississippi. He received his law degree in 1974 and began working as an attorney for Fairchild Construction Company in Hattiesburg, a job he held until he saved up enough money to open his own private practice in 1976.

“I had never been to Hattiesburg, and I instantly liked it,” Cook said.

“I loved West Virginia. It’s a great place. I still love to go back to visit. But the weather is kind of tough. It’s cold. And I just really liked Mississippi.

One thing led to another, and I just ended up staying here, working and building a practice.”

For more than 10 years, Cook was content simply to maintain a traditional law practice. He briefly looked into the possibility of representing NBA players, but that didn’t work out and Cook had no further plans of venturing into the world of sports agency.

Until he was introduced to Favre, that is. Then shortly afterward, he 86 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

began following the exploits of a thrilling young quarterback at Alcorn State named Steve McNair.

“I had done a little work for his mom with a mortgage situation on her home, so I knew he was a pretty good player,” Cook said. “And then all of a sudden you started hearing about this guy every week.”

“So I went to his games. It was exciting football to watch. It was some of the best times I’ve ever had. We’d meet with the family and let them know that, at the right time, we’d be interested in talking to them about representing Steve. And fortunately we were able to do that.”

With Favre and McNair as his foundation, Cook’s new career was off to a stellar start. A flurry of players soon followed, including Ken Lucas, Fred Smoot, Adalius Thomas and Jeremy Bridges. Through his connections in West Virginia, he was able to sign Randy Moss out of Marshall.

“I just had a lot of good fortune starting out,” Cook said. “Once we had names like Brett Favre and Steve McNair, it just evolved from there.

I’ve had a lot of really, really good players from Mississippi. I’ve been very lucky.”

Though Cook definitely has had fun being involved with the game of football, he says the business itself is not all fun and games. For every Favre and McNair who signs a multi-million dollar contract, Cooks said there are two or three players whose careers never pan out as expected and who end up costing Cook more money than he is able to make for them.

“In the NFL, the maximum percentage (for an agent) is a 3-percent fee,” Cook said. “Let’s say a guy gets drafted in the fifth round and gets a $200,000 signing bonus. So you make $6,000. Then he gets a $300,000 salary. That’s another $9,000. So you make $15,000.

“Well, you’ve probably spent $20,000 getting this kid ready with training, transportation, housing, loans, whatever. You have an office, secretaries, travel expenses, recruiting expenses. So if a player doesn’t get drafted very high, it’s not as lucrative as people think it is.”

A SAMPLE OF BUS COOK’S CLIENTS > > >

Brett Favre

Jay Cutler

Jerious Norwood

Fred Smoot

Steve McNair

Randy Moss

Adalius Thomas

Ken Lucas

And then there is the hassle of juggling dozens of athletes who can have fragile egos, as well as family members who are counting on the athlete receiving a big payday. When things do not go as planned, Cook often is the one who receives much of the blame, and the verbal criticism.

“A mother got very upset with my office recently and said she was disappointed at the way we had handled her son,” Cook said. “I took offense at that, because I know we had tried our best. At some point you just have to say he’s not going to make it.

“A lot of times guys will say, ‘You spend too much time on Brett Favre.

You don’t have time for me.’ I talk with other players all the time. All they know is what they see in the paper and on TV. There’s a jealousy factor involved.”

Plus, Cook said there is much more to being a sports agent than simply

“There are a lot of good people in this business who are representing their clients to the best of their abilities,” Cook said. “They’re hired to do a job. They’re expected to represent their client’s interest, because the teams have somebody in the same position representing the team’s interest.

By and large the players don’t know or have any experience to deal with these things. An agent’s job is to help negotiate those deals.

“It’s not that agents are greedy or bad. It’s a very tough, competitive business. And there are those who stray across the lines and do whatever they have to do to sign players. But there are also a lot of very good individuals in this business. It’s like any profession. It’s just that this is such a high-profile profession.”

These days, it seems nobody is more high-profile than Favre. And

“It’s not a bad business, but it’s not all glitz and glamour either There’s a lot of hard work involved,” Cook said. “You don’t just negotiate the contract and then say, ‘Send me a check.’ That’s just the beginning of the stuff that you do as an agent.” signing players to lucrative contracts. That simply is the only part of the business that is ever talked about publicly.

“It’s not a bad business, but it’s not all glitz and glamour either There’s a lot of hard work involved,” Cook said. “You don’t just negotiate the contract and then say, ‘Send me a check.’ That’s just the beginning of the stuff that you do as an agent.

“We handle all of our players’ marketing. We help monitor financial advisors. We get monthly reports to see what they’re doing with our players’ money. We talk to them if we need to. We’ll help a player find a home. If a player asks me to come, I’ll sit down and meet with a realtor and see what kind of offer to make on a house.

“I’ll talk with a guy about a situation involving a girlfriend or buying a car or a family matter or whatever. There’s a broad spectrum of things that we do.”

That is the side of the business Cook said is rarely seen by the general public. He understands that sports agents do not have the best reputation, and he acknowledges there are a few “bad apples” in the profession. But for the most part, he said, agents truly care about their players’ wellbeing.

though Cook is quick to praise Favre and acknowledge how much the quarterback has meant to his career, it also is obvious he would like to be known as being more than a one-player agent.

“Everybody keeps asking me, ‘What’s Brett going to do?’ Well you know, I have other players who I wish you’d ask me about,” Cook said.

“That can be frustrating. Because I love them all. I really do. And you hurt for them. The thing I hate the most is when a kid doesn’t get drafted, or when he gets cut. Sometimes I take it too personally when a guy gets cut.

“Certainly this job pays well if you have the right players. But more than anything, I really want to help these guys. I enjoy watching them grow and mature. The Brett Favres and the guys who have been in the league awhile, they’re fine. It’s the new kids coming along who you want to try to get them started out on the right path and try to get them through the first few years in the league.

“Then when you do that, you can turn around and say maybe you had a small part to do with these guys being the people they are. I want to think that we’ve done a good job for our guys. All of them.” - MSM

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 87

MSM

2009 NFL SCHEDULES All Times Eastern

AFC East Buffalo Sept. 14 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 29 Dec. 3 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Dec. 27 Jan. 3

Bills @ New England TAMPA BAY NEW ORLEANS @ Miami CLEVELAND @ New York Jets @ Carolina HOUSTON BYE @ Tennessee @ Jacksonville MIAMI NEW YORK JETS (Toronto) @ Kansas City NEW ENGLAND at Atlanta INDIANAPOLIS

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Cleveland Browns Sept. 13 MINNESOTA Sept. 20 @ Denver Sept. 27 @ Baltimore Oct. 4 CINCINNATI Oct. 11 @ Buffalo Oct. 18 @ Pittsburgh Oct. 25 GREEN BAY Nov. 1 @ Chicago Nov. 8 BYE Nov. 16 BALTIMORE Nov. 22 @ Detroit Nov. 29 @ Cincinnati Dec. 6 SAN DIEGO Dec. 10 PITTSBURGH Dec. 20 @ Kansas City Dec. 27 OAKLAND Jan. 3 JACKSONVILLE

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AFC South Houston Texans Sept. 13 NEW YORK JETS Sept. 20 @ Tennessee Sept. 27 JACKSONVILLE Oct. 4 OAKLAND Oct. 11 @ Arizona Oct. 18 @ Cincinnati Oct. 25 SAN FRANCISCO Nov. 1 @ Buffalo Nov. 8 @ Indianapolis Nov. 16 BYE Nov. 23 TENNESSEE Nov. 29 INDIANAPOLIS Dec. 6 @ Jacksonville Dec. 13 SEATTLE Dec. 20 @ St. Louis Dec. 27 @ Miami Jan. 3 NEW ENGLAND

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Broncos @ Cincinnati CLEVELAND @ Oakland DALLAS NEW ENGLAND @ San Diego BYE @ Baltimore PITTSBURGH @ Washington SAN DIEGO NEW YORK @ Kansas City @ Indianapolis OAKLAND @ Philadelphia KANSAS CITY

88 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

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City Chiefs @ Baltimore OAKLAND RAIDERS @ Philadelphia NEW YORK GIANTS DALLAS @ Washington SAN DIEGO BYE @ Jacksonville @ Oakland PITTSBURGH @ San Diego DENVER BUFFALO CLEVELAND @ Cincinnati @ Denver

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Oakland Raiders Sept. 14 SAN DIEGO Sept. 20 @ Kansas City Sept. 27 DENVER Oct. 4 @ Houston Oct. 11 @ New York Giants Oct. 18 PHILADELPHIA Oct. 25 NEW YORK JETS Nov. 1 @ San Diego Nov. 8 BYE Nov. 15 KANSAS CITY Nov. 22 CINCINNATI Nov. 26 @ Dallas Dec. 6 @ Pittsburgh Dec. 13 WASHINGTON Dec. 20 @ Denver Dec. 27 @ Cleveland Jan. 3 BALTIMORE

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San Diego Chargers Sept. 14 @ Raiders Sept. 20 BALTIMORE Sept. 27 MIAMI Oct. 4 @ Steelers Oct. 11 BYE Oct. 19 BRONCOS Oct. 25 @ Kansas City Nov. 1 OAKLAND Nov. 8 @ New York Giants Nov. 15 PHILADELPHIA Nov. 22 @ Denver Nov. 29 KANSAS CITY Dec. 6 @ Cleveland Dec. 13 @ Dallas Dec. 20 CINCINNATI Dec. 25 @ Tennessee Jan. 3 WASHINGTON

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2009 NFL SCHEDULES

MSM All Times Eastern

NFC East Dallas Cowboys Sept. 13 @ Tampa Bay Sept. 20 NEW YORK GIANTS Sept. 28 CAROLINA Oct. 4 @ Denver Oct. 12 @ Kansas City Oct. 18 BYE Oct. 25 ATLANTA Nov. 1 SEATTLE Nov. 8 @ Philadelphia Nov. 15 @ Green Bay Nov. 22 WASHINGTON Nov. 26 OAKLAND Dec. 6 @ New York Giants Dec. 13 SAN DIEGO Dec. 19 @ New Orleans Dec. 27 @ Washingon Jan. 3 PHILADELPHIA

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New York Giants Sept. 13 WASHINGTON Sept. 20 @ Dallas Sept. 27 @ Tampa Bay Oct. 4 @ Kansas City Oct. 11 OAKLAND Oct. 18 @ New Orleans Oct. 25 ARIZONA Nov. 1 @ Philadelphia Nov. 8 SAN DIEGO Nov. 15 BYE Nov. 22 ATLANTA Nov. 26 @ Denver Dec. 6 DALLAS Dec. 13 PHILADELPHIA Dec. 21 @ Washington Dec. 27 CAROLINA Jan. 3 @ Minnesota

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Philadelphia Eagles Sept. 13 @ Carolina Sept. 20 NEW ORLEANS Sept. 27 KANSAS CITY Oct. 4 BYE Oct. 11 TAMPA BAY Oct. 18 @ Oakland Oct. 26 @ Washington Nov. 1 NEW YORK GIANTS Nov. 8 DALLAS Nov. 15 @ San Diego Nov. 22 @ Chicago Nov. 29 WASHINGTON Dec. 6 @ Atlanta Dec. 13 @ New York Giants Dec. 20 SAN FRANCISCO Dec. 27 DENVER Jan. 3 @ Dallas

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Washington Redskins Sept. 13 @ Giants Sept. 20 ST. LOUIS Sept. 27 @ Detroit Oct. 4 TAMPA BAY Oct. 11 @ Carolina Oct. 18 KANSAS CITY Oct. 26 PHILADELPHIA Nov. 1 BYE Nov. 8 @ Atlanta Nov. 15 DENVER Nov. 22 @ Dallas Nov. 29 @ Philadelphia Dec. 6 NEW ORLEANS Dec. 13 @ Oakland Dec. 21 NEW YORK GIANTS Dec. 27 DALLAS Jan. 3 @ San Diego

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NFC North Chicago Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 12 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 12 Nov. 22 Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Dec. 28 Jan. 3

Bears @ Greeen Bay PITTSBURGH @ Seatle DETROIT BYE @ Atlanta @ Cincinnati CLEVELAND ARIZONA @ San Franxisco PHILADELPHIA @ Minnesota ST. LOUIS GREEN BAY @ Baltimore MINNESOTA @ Detroit

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Lions @ New Orleans MINNESOTA WASHINGTON @ Chicago PITTSBURGH @ Atlanta BYE ST. LOUIS @ Seattle @ Minnesota CLEVELAND GREEN BAY @ Cincinnati @ Baltimore ARIZONA @ San Francisco CHICAGO

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Green Bay Packers Sept. 13 CHICAGO Sept. 20 CINCINNATI Sept. 27 @ St. Louis Oct. 5 @ Minnesota Oct. 11 BYE Oct. 18 DETROIT Oct. 25 @ Cleveland Nov. 1 MINNESOTA Nov. 8 @ Tampa Bay Nov. 15 DALLAS Nov. 22 SAN FRANCISCO Nov. 26 @ Detroit Dec. 7 BALTIMORE Dec. 13 @ Chicago Dec. 20 @ Pittsburgh Dec. 27 SEATTLE Jan. 3 @ Arizona

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Minnesota Vikings Sept. 13 @ Cleveland Sept. 20 @ Detroit Sept. 27 SAN FRANCISCO Oct. 5 GREEN BAY Oct. 11 @ St. Louis Oct. 18 BALTIMORE Oct. 25 @ Pittsburgh Nov. 1 @ Green Bay Nov. 8 BYE Nov. 15 DETROIT Nov. 22 SEATTLE Nov. 29 CHICAGO Dec. 6 @ Arizona Dec. 13 CINCINNATI Dec. 20 @ Carolina Dec. 27 @ Chicago Jan. 3 NEW YORK GIANTS

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NFC South Atlanta Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 2 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Dec. 28 Jan. 3

Falcons MIAMI CAROLINA @ New England BYE @ San Francisco CHICAGO @ Dallas @ New Orleans WASHINGTON @ Carolina @ New York Giants TAMPA BAY PHILADELPHIA NEW ORLEANS @ New York Jets BUFFALO @ Tampa Bay

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Carolina Panthers Sept. 13 PHILADELPHIA Sept. 20 @ Atlanta Sept. 28 @ Dallas Oct. 4 BYE Oct. 11 WASHINGTON Oct. 18 @ Tampa Bay Oct. 25 BUFFALO Nov. 1 @ Arizona Nov. 8 @ New Orleans Nov. 15 ATLANTA Nov. 22 MIAMI Nov. 29 @ New York Jets Dec. 6 TAMPA BAY Dec. 13 @ New England Dec. 20 MINNESOTA Dec. 27 @ New York Jets Jan. 3 NEW ORLEANS

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New Orleans Saints Sept. 13 DETROIT Sept. 20 @ Philadelphia Sept. 28 @ Buffalo Oct. 4 NEW YORK JETS Oct. 11 BYE Oct. 18 NEW YORK GIANTS Oct. 25 @ Miami Nov. 2 ATLANTA Nov. 8 CAROLINA Nov. 15 @ St. Louis Nov. 22 @ Tampa Bay Nov. 30 NEW ENGLAND Dec. 6 @ Washington Dec. 13 @ Atlanta Dec. 19 DALLAS Dec. 27 TAMPA BAY Jan. 3 @ Carolina

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sept. 13 DALLAS Sept. 20 @ Buffalo Sept. 28 NEW YORK GIANTS Oct. 4 @ Washington Oct. 11 @ Philadelphia Oct. 18 CAROLINA Oct. 25 NEW ENGLAND Nov. 4 BYE Nov. 8 GREEN BAY Nov. 15 @ Miami Nov. 22 NEW ORLEANS Nov. 29 @ Atlanta Dec. 6 @ Carolina Dec. 13 NEW YORK JETS Dec. 20 @ Seattle Dec. 27 @ New Orleans Jan. 3 ATLANTA

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NFC West Arizona Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 14 Dec. 20 Dec. 27 Jan. 3

Cardinals SAN FRANCISCO @ Jacksonville INDIANAPOLIS BYE HOUSTON @ Seattle @ New York Giants CAROLINA @ Chicago SEATTLE @ St. Louis @ Tennessee MINNESOTA @ San Francisco @ Detroit ST. LOUIS GREEN BAY

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San Francisco 49ers Sept. 13 @ Arizona Sept. 20 SEATTLE Sept. 27 @ Minnesota Oct. 4 ST. LOUIS Oct. 11 ATLANTA Oct. 18 BYE Oct. 25 @ Houston Nov. 1 @ Indianapolis Nov. 8 TENNESSEE Nov. 12 CHICAGO Nov. 22 @ Green Bay Nov. 29 JACKSONVILLE Dec. 6 @ Seattle Dec. 14 ARIZONA Dec. 20 @ Philadelphia Dec. 27 DETROIT Jan. 3 @ St. Louis

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Seahawks ST. LOUIS @ San Francisco CHICAGO @ Indianapolis JACKSONVILLE ARIZONA BYE @ Dallas DETROIT @ Arizona @ Minnesota @ St. Louis SAN FRANCISCO @ Houston TAMPA BAY @ Green Bay TENNESSEE

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St. Louis Rams Sept. 13 @ Seattle Sept. 20 @ Washington Sept. 27 GREEN BAY Oct. 4 @ San Franciscon Oct. 11 MINNESOTA Oct. 18 @ Jacksonville Oct. 25 INDIANAPOLIS Nov. 1 @ Detroit Nov. 8 BYE Nov. 15 NEW ORLEANS Nov. 22 ARIZONA Nov. 29 SEATTLE Dec. 6 @ Chicago Dec. 13 @ Tennessee Dec. 20 HOUSTON Dec. 27 @ Arizona Jan. 3 SAN FRANCISCO

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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 89

MSM

S P E C I A L TO M S M

Phillip Wellman Coaching his players by not going “by the book”

By Chuck Stinson

Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine

Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

T

he 2008 Southern League Championship was a moment of clarity for manager Phillip Wellman.

“All the clichés I heard as a kid from my dad and my coaches, they all came true that one night. I couldn’t stop thinking about my dad that night. Some of the crazy stuff he used to tell me and I’d make that sarcastic face at him.

It all made sense September 13th.”

It all made sense for Wellman because he learned a lot about how determination can win out over talent. “Those kids made me a believer. Just the way they went about their business. Carolina should have killed us. They had better pitching than we had, better hitting, but they didn’t have the hearts we had. That says a lot for those kids and they came out and took it to them. It was a special season and a special night. One I will never forget.”

The championship run of 2008 was not just about the players. Wellman’s efforts did not go unnoticed in the front office of the Atlanta organization. “If you go out and work at it every day, which is what Phillip got those kids to do, that’s a real challenge for a manager to do be able to do that. To be able to keep them together and keep pushing them to improve every day,” says Kurt Kemp the Director of Player Development for the Braves.

Wellman and his Braves were determined; something the Texas native already knew a lot about. It’s why he has been coaching professionally for 26 years. The last three as the MBraves skipper. A graduate of Sam Houston State, he was a minor league player that was good at a lot but great at nothing. Spending time in the Braves, Twins and Pirates organizations, Wellman used to carry a bag with gloves for just about every position, looking for an opportunity.

His reality came in the form of three all stars shagging fly balls with him during spring training with the Pirates. “I remember the day it hit me in the face. I was standing in the outfield in spring training and I’m looking around me in the outfield during batting practice and (Barry) Bonds is left, (Andy) Van Slyke is in center and (Bobby) Bonilla is in right and I’m out there shagging with them. The self realization just hits you like a frying pan.”

Soon after he was coaching for the Braves

90 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

organization. He firmly believes that his limited talent as a player might have benefited his coaching career. “Guys that maybe weren’t great players end up being pretty good teachers because they had to learn to force themselves to compete”, Wellman said. “That (the heavy bag) ended up paying off for me. Back then it was a lot to be toting around but now it’s great because I feel I can help catchers, I can help outfielders, I can help first and third basemen.”

Outfielder Matt Young is a believer in Wellman. “He is the best guy I’ve ever played for.

He’s a guy that doesn’t go by the book. He says he doesn’t know who wrote the book but he doesn’t like to go by it.” Young says that the skipper always lets you know what he is thinking. “He’s gonna give it to you straight. If you screw up he’s gonna let you know. There is nothing he’ll say to the front office that he

won’t say to your face.” He knows the game.

I think I’ve learned more in the last two years than I think I knew.” First baseman Greg Creek agrees. “”If he’s mad at you he’ll tell you. He’s not afraid to tell anyone whether he’s our top prospect or the last guy on the bench. He’ll tell you how he feels all the time and if you do something well he’s gonna tell you that too. He’s not gonna mess around with that either.”

Young’s affection for the coach was strengthened when he was messed up by a numbers game in the Atlanta system that returned him to AA ball after being projected into AAA this year. Young says that Wellman challenged him by saying, “You can do one of two things. He said you can either tuck tail or pout and woe is me and say I’m too good for this league or you can man up and do what you did last year and be a leader for the guys

easiest thing to keep in mind is that you never forsake the development of a player to win a game”, says Wellman.

Mississippi general manager Steve Desalvo is happy to have Wellman in his dugout for other reasons. His willingness to promote the ballclub, which is vital to the survival of a AA franchise. “It’s really important that he is supportive from that aspect of what we do in that respect.”

“It’s the cooperation which is refreshing that we get. When we go to him and say we have to do an autograph session for our season ticket holders or our kids club, you want to have a manger that requires the players to be there. It’s always good to have the support of the manager for that,” Desalvo added.

He’s also good with the media, which is also a big help with promotion of the team. “His office door is always open, win or lose, good game or bad game which is not always the case with a lot of managers.”

Wellman would eventually like to make it to the major leagues as a coach and see where he can take it from there. But for now he’s content at AA Mississippi. “If somebody told me 30 years ago I’d get in 25 or 30 years of doing professional baseball as a living, I would be ecstatic and I try to not forget that and count every day as a blessing and be grateful for the opportunity. I hope I can look back and see I’ve impacted a lot of kid’s lives as they have impacted my life.” - MSM

Mini Ticket Plans Have Arrived!

For the first time ever, the Mississippi Braves are offering Mini Ticket Plans for the 2009 season.

Visit or call the M-Braves ticket office to purchase your tickets today at 601-932-8788 or 888-Braves4

Photo Credit: Rick Guy/Clarion Ledger

that are new here.” Young heeded his advice.

Kemp trusts his Mississippi manager. “He is a good judge. He does a very good job of letting us know where the players are. The types of things they need to work on. What their strengths and weaknesses are and are very much on the same page with what we believe as well. We rely a lot on the eye of our coaches and managers at the different levels.”

His straightforwardness has made him a hit with the players. He has their respect and he has their best interest at heart. “My dad told me this a long time ago that when you are dealing with these kids remember that they don’t belong to you. Treat them the way you’d want your own son to be treated. I try to care about them and their families and what’s going on with them outside of the game.”

As a father of two, Britnee (19) and Brett (16) this has stuck with Wellman. He tries to remember that he is, after all, working with kids. “You’re dealing with young men that are away from home, their wives their girlfriends or children or whatever. Sometimes you think you’re part time father, psychologist, and mentor. Those are just some of the other things that go along with the managing part,” Wellman said.

He added, “You have to take time out in your day and look at these kids in the eye and see if something is bothering them. Because sometimes it’s some strange stuff that bothers them that because of their age that we forgot is important to them.”

Still when it boils down to it, this is still a business and Wellman is not fond of the cruelest part of the business. “The absolute toughest part is releasing players. It’s something I don’t enjoy doing it’s something I don’t look forward to doing because you are basically telling somebody you don’t believe in them anymore.”

It’s much more fun for Wellman to let a player know he believes in him, “You have a prospect in your order and he’s struck out his first three at bats and the scores 2 to 1 and he is coming up for his fourth time. In the big leagues you’re probably gonna pinch hit for him. But you’re not going to pinch hit for him here. That one at bat, the risk reward factor is in place. He might end up going 1 for 4 with two RBI’s and it’s a game winner that gets him over the hump mentally and he takes off from there. You have to take that risk. You pinch hit for him you crush him mentally. You never want to do that.”

He loves giving kids the opportunity to succeed. “I want to give him a chance to be the hero. I think it’s good for their confidence.

Good for their head”, he said. “That prospect may remember after punching out three times I let him hit and he hit a double to win a game.

It turns a bad into a great day in his mind and it has carry over.”

And giving players a chance to succeed is, at this level, more important than wins. “The

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 91

MSM

MS OUTDOORS - SPORTS BIZ

Clarksdale’s master gamecall maker Greg Hood

By ANDY ROSS Clarksdale Press Register Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine Photos by Andy Ross

J

udging by the outside appearance of its headquarters, there is nothing special about Clarksdale based-Southern Game Calls. Owned by master call maker Greg Hood, the company makes its home within a plain metal building perched anonymously to the side of a rural four-way intersection just west of town. If it wasn’t for Slim and Tom - the two wild turkeys/unofficial pets who roam the grounds like a pair of watchdogs - the place would look like any of the other equipment sheds dotting the Delta’s stretching landscape.

This is no ordinary shed, however. Inside, a genuine American folk art tradition is flourishing as Hood continues to turn out his renowned line of handmade duck, turkey, deer and goose calls. Although a large portion of sales come from SGC’s molded line produced in Batesville, Hood still remains true to the task of painstakingly creating calls by hand for many of his customers.

“I guess I am the dumb one,” he says facetiously after describing the rarity of call makers like himself who resist moving to total mass production. “I am the one still sitting here building them by hand like they did 100 years ago. I am the one still hand cutting them, 92 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

still hand turning them, still hand blowing and hand tuning them.”

For the past two decades, Hood’s products – not to mention his own skills as a competitive caller – have been earning him some serious credibility within the often hyper-competitive

world of hunting and calling. On a rating list of the nation’s top call making companies compiled by Callingducks.com, SGC is currently listed as number four. His call known as the original Little Joel has been used to win three world championship calling titles and another deemed the Nasty Boy has taken more than one hundred state and regional titles. In terms of sales, major stores such as Bass Pro, Gander Mountain, Walmart and Sportsmans Warehouse carry the line. If that’s not enough, Hood’s own list of competition victories speaks for itself. He is the winner of 16 world sanctioned event titles, and is reportedly the only person ever to hold major titles in duck, goose, turkey and deer calling contests. Here on his home turf, Hood has also claimed a record five Mississippi State Duck Calling Championships. Asked his feelings about such accomplishments, he is quick to credit passion over talent.

“I’m no better in my abilities than other guys but my personal drive for my passion is what makes the difference. We have got great duck callers around here but why have they never been able to do this? It’s because they lack that ability to stand up on the stage against all odds and go for what they don’t think is attainable. They take it so personally that they won’t stand up in front of people and be judged by their peers.”

During the past two years Hood has slowed down with competition events to focus on taking SGC into uncharted waters. Plans are in the work to completely revamp the company’s website with informational updates and live video links to field agents working for SGC around the country. Most importantly, he recently developed and patented a human scent control chemical known as Activator which is now being marketed as both a spray and clothing line. Hood admits it has sometimes been difficult keeping a homegrown business model, and he is hoping such changes bring a new edge to SGC. Regardless of what takes place, he says the handmade portion of his business will remain a top priority.

“When you create a work of art, whether it is a painting or a hand-made duck call, you’ve got something that someone created with passion. You have got a piece of them and that makes it more special.”

The inspiration behind SGC was initially born in Nashville, Tenn. The year was 1983 and a 24-year-old Hood was living in Music City working full time managing a string of hair cutting shops. Whenever hunting season came around, however, he could be found in the woods. As a hunter who had always been interested in mimicking animal sounds, it was only natural he would eventually begin designing his own calls and that’s exactly

MS OUTDOORS - SPORTS BIZ what he did. For the next five or six years SGC would consist of a kitchen table operation strictly making turkey calls; more of a hobby for Hood than any real business venture. It was not until he moved back to Clarksdale in 1991 that he began experimenting with building duck calls from discarded furniture.

“I had a little bitty shed behind my uncle’s house where he built me a handmade lathe with a washing-machine motor. I used to drive up and down the alleys around Clarksdale picking up pieces of furniture that were already round and people had thrown out. I would go in and cut and turn them and I would sell them for $20 apiece. Those were my first duck calls.”

Hood continued to fine tune his designs and by the mid-1990’s SGC was on its way towards success. As the business grew along with a series of hunting video’s he produced, so too did Hood’s opportunities to travel the country hunting, competing and promoting his products. Hood has been living the life of a professional caller and hunter ever since.

Regardless of his travels and accomplishments, he says he will always remain a devout son of the Magnolia State where he was born and raised. It was after all, amidst the enchanted swamps and river bottoms of the Delta where he grew up cutting his teeth in the ways of the woods. Now, as a 51-year-old man, Hood says he looks back upon his early childhood days with a mixture of fond memories and sadness. He says he was fortunate enough to grow up in a time when hunting and fishing opportunities were readily accessible to any kid with an itch for adventure. In regards to deer hunting, it was also an era which valued more than always looking for the trophy buck. According to Hood’s account, this has all changed.

“When I was young it was a dream to have anything on my wall. It wasn’t the size of the horns that were brought in it was just bringing a deer in. Today the focus is all on horn size.

I hear kids all the time say they didn’t shoot a deer because it wasn’t big enough. If you live around here today and you want to go deer hunting, you better be in a hunting club or have a good friend that owns a share in a camp somewhere.”

Hood grows quiet for a long few seconds after the comment, seemingly lost in deep thought. Before continuing on, he reclines his creaking chair against a work desk littered with call parts and tools, then points a finger towards nothing in particular except the back of the shop.

“Me, when I was a kid, these woods right here are where I would go deer hunting. I could go squirrel hunting in these woods. I could go duck hunting and frog gigging in

MSM

(Top) Ross makes most styles of his game calls by hand. (Bottom) Southern Game Calls top-of-the-line custom Game Calls these woods. I fished all through there and it cost me nothing. It was what we did. We were successful at it and it was what we loved.

Today, what kid can do that? What we have done is restrict them from the places they can go and from the limits they can take.”

Just as I am beginning to wonder if Hood has become jaded with age or if he is all gloom and doom about the future, his cell phone suddenly lights up with the ringtone of Warrant’s “She’s My Cherry Pie.” I am a bit relieved to hear the song, considering the serious tone his talks have taken, and have to

smile at the thought of him happily barreling down some gravel road at dawn while jamming out to Janey Lane and company. I then look about the shop and eye the various trophies, mounted heads, and pictures showing the hunter with his various kills over the years. In every photograph he is flashing a wide grin of genuine, fun-loving joy. It is the look of a country boy from Mississippi who fully realizes how lucky he is to be carving out a living while following his passion. It is hard to imagine that will ever get old. - MSM

Mississippi Sports Magazine - 93

MSM

MS OUTDOORS

Mississippi’s Five-Best Bass Lakes

By John Phillips Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine

Photo by John Phillips

Y

ou need to know the locations of Mississippi’s five best bass lakes to achieve bass-fishing success, but you also must understand how to catch the bass in those lakes. We’ve asked Jeff Roberts of Brandon, Mississippi, a tournament fisherman for 20 years, to pick the five-best bass lakes in the state and to tell us how and where to catch bass in these lakes.

Number One: Pickwick Lake Pickwick Lake in northeast Mississippi spills over into Tennessee and Alabama. Located on the Tennessee River, it’s one of the best largemouth and smallmouth lakes in the state. “I like Pickwick Lake because the hydroelectric plants upstream and downstream generate a lot of current in the lake,” Roberts says. “Around State Line Island, you’ll find quite a bit of grass. I prefer to fish the Mann’s HardNose Frog on top of the grass. Too, the Mann’s Weasel swims just underneath the surface and is a productive grass bait, especially in the early-morning hours.”

Roberts reports that he catches the most bass using the swimmingjig technique at Seven Mile Island near Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Seven Mile Island receives a lot of current, so anglers can catch really-nice-sized bass swimming jigs around rocks on the downcurrent side of the island.

“My favorite lure to use on Koger Island is the Mann’s Depth Plus 15+ crankbait in the pearl/blue back Crystaglow color,” Roberts mentions.

“A Mann’s HardNose Jerkbait can be highly productive anywhere you find grass. I’ll fish the pearl or the Arkansas Shiner-colored jerkbait with a No. 4/0 hook on 20-pound-test Seaguar fluorocarbon line. I like this line because it’s invisible in the water, you can cast it a long way, and it’s really strong. Too, the Mann’s HardNose Jerkbait has a place where you can nestle the hook, which enables you to get a really-good hook set.”

Roberts says Pickwick homes some of the biggest smallmouth in the nation, and it’s an excellent largemouth fishery as well. Because of its heavy shad population and the amount of current coming through the lake, you can catch bass at any time of year at Pickwick.

Number Two: Ross Barnett Reservoir Ross Barnett Reservoir, located north of Jackson, covers 33,000 acres. “The bass fishing at Ross Barnett is good because you can catch bass using a wide variety of techniques,” Roberts explains.

Lowhead Dam lies as far upriver as you can go and still fish in Ross Barnett. This section of the lake doesn’t receive much fishing pressure and has a lot of current – ideal habitat for spotted bass.

“I prefer to fish the shaky-head jig with a Mann’s HardNose Finesse Worm in this section of the lake to catch spotted bass,” Roberts comments.

If you’re looking for the best bass-fishing spot, wear polarized sunglasses, and search for largemouth bass schooling on the surface.

94 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

At this time of year, you’ll often see bass busting-up through schools of shad, swimming out in open water. That’s when you can move in and have some really-fast bass fishing.

“When you have a calm day with no wind, the bass will be exploding on shad on the main part of the lake,” Roberts reports. “There are several ways to catch these bass. I like to fish the Mann’s Little George, a lead-headed tail spinner, because you can cast it a long way. I let this bait drop through a school of shad, and as the Little George falls, the tail end of the bait spins. Because this is a heavy-lead bait, it falls quickly, triggering a reaction strike from the bass, regardless of the depth at which the bass holding. Too, you can cast crankbaits to schooling bass when they stop breaking the surface. I’ll use a Carolina-rig with a Mann’s HardNose Worm and fish for the bass that may still be holding in the area but that are holding closer to the bottom.”

Fishing at Ross Barnett oftentimes picks-up during the Dog Days of summer. If you tire of fishing the lower lake, fish the points with lily pads on them in the upper section of the lake.

“I prefer to fish Mann’s frogs on these lilypad points on braided line,” Roberts says.

“Braided line doesn’t stretch, it allows me to get a faster hook set on the bass, and it will cut through the lily pads better than monofilament line will. Too, this line helps me get bass out of the grass easier once I’ve got the bass hooked on the line.”

Roberts likes to fish above Lowhead Dam because most anglers don’t fish there. “There are a number of spotted bass and largemouth bass in this section of the river,” Roberts reveals. “I like to either pitch or flip plastic worms or flip the Mann’s Stone Jig. This area homes plenty of laydowns, and the water’s pretty treacherous. Because this region’s difficult to reach, it receives very-little fishing pressure, resulting in a number of largemouth and spotted bass being concentrated there.”

Number Three: Lake Lincoln Lake Lincoln, a state-owned lake located near Brookhaven, Mississippi, just off I-55S, has a really-good shad base, which means there’s plenty of forage for the bass to eat.

Anglers will find really-nice-sized largemouth bass concentrated at this well-managed lake.

“The best place to fish at Lake Lincoln is down by the dam,” Roberts reports. “I prefer to fish really-big worms, like the Mann’s 9-inch HardNose Worm in the red shad or the blackneon color. I’ll fish the worm on a Carolina rig right on the bottom. This area of the lake also is good for deep-diving crankbaits, like the Mann’s 20+. Fish the crankbait and the Carolina-rigged worm where the bass will be staging on the underwater creek channel there. With your depth finder, locate humps out in the middle of the lake where bass will be holding. You’ll have a good chance of catching trophy-size bass at Lake Lincoln.”

Number Four: The River-Run Lakes – Bee Lake, Wolf Lake and Lake Ferguson When the weather gets really hot, fish Bee Lake and Wolf Lake, two river-run lakes off the Mississippi River. At Bee Lake, you’ll find some of the best fishing at the mouths of the culverts. Usually current’s running through these culverts, and the bass will hold either in the current or just off the current. This lake also has quite a bit of grass, and Roberts prefers to fish the Mann’s The Classic spinner bait around that grass.

“At Wolf Lake, you’ll find a number of cypress tress, and the bass tend to live in and around these trees,” Roberts reports. “I like to fish for these bass with Mann’s HardNose Wonder Worm, but you also can flip jigs and other soft-plastic lures to the bass holding under the cypress trees.”

Even during the hottest part of the summer, the bass holding in the shade in the cypress trees will feed on bream and minnows – often no more than 1 or 2 feet under the surface.

Shallow-running crankbaits and soft-plastic jerkbaits can pay bass dividends. Too, don’t forget the spinner bait when fishing these lakes.

Waking a spinner bait under the cypress trees can keep your rod bent, your drag squealing and your blood pressure boiling.

“If the Mississippi River is at 30 feet or less, head to Lake Ferguson first, the third lake in this river-lake series,” Roberts says. “July is an ideal time and water level to fish the shakyhead worm on the hard side of the lake, which is the levee side of the lake. There’s a lot of structure and cover in this area. In clear water, I’ll fish the shaky-head jig on 8-poundtest Seaguar fluorocarbon line with a Mann’s Finesse Worm in the watermelon-red color. In stained water, I prefer a smoke/purple, a greenpumpkin or a June bug-colored worm. You should catch plenty of bass in Lake Ferguson.”

Fish the barge tie-ups too for the opportunity to catch nice-sized bass. “I fish deep crankbaits around the barge tie-ups, and if there are any barges at the tie-ups, I fish the deep crankbaits down to the edges of the barges,” Roberts says.

Number Five: Natchez State Park This state-managed lake, which homes a number of Florida-strain black bass, held the state-record bass. According to Roberts, the best time to fish this lake is late in the evening or at night for the best bass results.

“I prefer to fish the dam area with a 9-inch black-colored Mann’s Jelly Worm,” Roberts advises. “You can fish deep-diving crankbaits.

However, since the lake has a lot of structure in it, if you’ll be fishing deep-diving crankbaits, be sure to take a plug knocker to retrieve your crankbaits if they get hung-up. Quality bass can be caught on the laydowns in the lake, if you’re willing to fish the crankbait. I like the Mann’s 20+ crankbait and the pearl/blue back Crystaglow, the green-shad chartreuse or the Tennessee-shad colors. I’ll be casting these crankbaits on 10-pound-test line to get them down deep.”

Because this lake receives so much daytime fishing pressure, Roberts recommends the nighttime hours for the best chance to catch big bass without having to compete with other anglers. He also fishes crankbaits in the late afternoon when he can see the structure, and when the light finally fades, he’ll switch to the 9-inch Mann’s Jelly Worm. Besides Texasrigging the worm, Roberts also swims the big worm on a Carolina rig right on the bottom, using a short leader about 12- to 19-inches long. He fishes the Carolina- and the Texasrigged worm on 20-pound-test line.

“I prefer 20-pound-test line because it adds buoyancy to the Carolina rig and allows me to swim the worm along the bottom without getting hung-up, like I will with a smaller line,” Roberts explains.

Don’t expect to load your boat with bass

when you fish Natchez Lake. However, Roberts plans to catch six to eight quality bass on each trip there, and sometimes a trophy bass.

Natchez Lake, much like Lake Lincoln, won’t produce large numbers of bass, but it does yield quality-sized bass.

Follow Roberts’ advice for his best picks for July, August and the first half of September, and use these techniques to catch bass on each of these lakes at this time of year. You may enjoy the bass-fishing trip of a lifetime. MSM John E. Phillips is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily Internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors. Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27-radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote a weekly syndicated column, “Alabama Outdoors,” for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years.

Phillips was the Outdoor Editor for the “Birmingham Post-Herald” for 20 years.

A Look Ahead

Here’s a peek at what to look for in the September/ October Issue of MSM. MSU Broadcasting Legend

Jack Cristil Mississippi’s BIGGEST Fan...

Shepard Smith What Now? An interview with

Steve “Air” McNair Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum Executive Director

Michael Rubenstein and MORE! Mississippi Sports Magazine - 95

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TIME OUT WITH YOLANDA MOORE

You will WIN if you don’t Quit

I

Yolanda Moore Columnist

love to read stories of how entertainers and sports celebrities picked themselves up out of poverty through determination, hard work, and an unwavering belief in themselves. There was an inward motivating factor that just wouldn’t let anything or anyone get in the way of their destiny. We hear stories all of the time about ordinary everyday people who came up with ideas that turned into million-dollar businesses or changed the course of the world. I sometimes wonder what was the turning point in their careers or in their lives that gave them the push they needed to succeed.

There are countless stories of people who overcame insurmountable odds in order to achieve their goals. We all know the story about Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore. Instead of giving up, Jordan was determined to make his dream come true. He practiced relentlessly hour after hour on the court. He was quoted as saying, “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it and that usually got me going again.” Of course we all know how that turned out. The famous #23 went on to win a national college championship at the University of North Carolina and six (yes, six) NBA championships as a member of the Chicago bulls.

I Love Lucy is one of my favorite shows. It stars one of Hollywood’s most successful actresses, Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz. Lucille Ball was the first woman to run a multimillion dollar entertainment corporation but when “Lucy” decided she wanted to be an actress, she was repeatedly told that she wasn’t good enough.

Setting her mind Lucille Ball left high school at age 15, and with her mother’s blessing, enrolled in John Murray Anderson Drama School in New York City. Though she auditioned repeatedly, Ball was told she had no talent, and was never accepted to the school. That was in 1926.

Fast forward twenty-five years later Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz pitched an idea to CBS that would involve the unlikely marriage of a wild red head to a Cuban band leader. At first, CBS officials turned down the idea, stating that the American public would never accept such a couple. So, the husband and wife team formed their own production company called “Desilu”, and hit the road, taking their show idea and turning it into a popular and highly praised vaudeville act. When CBS still refused to consider the show, Ball and Arnaz used their own money to film the pilot episode of the show. “I Love Lucy” premiered in October of 1951, and instantly became the most popular television show in America. CBS picked it up before the show’s thirty minute episode was over. I Love Lucy went on to win over 200 awards including five Emmys.

I heard a story about actor Jim Carrey that describes an event that took place in his life that changed him forever. Before he became the million dollar movie man, Jim Carrey was a struggling comedian trying to make it in Hollywood. Carrey had been working really hard trying to make a name for himself but wasn’t having very much luck. One night after he had just bombed at an open mic session at a Los Angeles night club, Carrey drove to the top of the famous Mulholland Drive and looked out at the awesome view of the city. He took out his checkbook and wrote himself a check for $20 million dollars.

He post dated the check for Thanksgiving 1995 and in the memo section of the check, he wrote: “for acting services rendered”. From that day forward, he carried that check with him in his wallet everywhere he went.

By 1995, after the success of his movies Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask, Jim Carrey’s asking price per movie was at $20 million dollars.

What do Michael Jordan, Lucille Ball, and Jim Carrey all have in common? They were all ordinary everyday people who had a dream and an unwavering determination to make that dream come true. Every person in this world was born with at least one Godgiven talent that is unique to them and a strong desire to use it (that would be that lifelong dream to be a singer or a professional writer or entrepreneur). Whatever the dream, most people are afraid to take a chance to pursue. Maybe they tried it before and it didn’t workout or maybe they have close friends and family members telling them that their idea will never work. No matter your circumstances, you have a right to dream and more than that, you have a right to pursue that dream no matter how big or small. Adversities in life are inevitable.

It is how you respond to those adversities that determine whether or not you will lead a happy and successful life or if you will live a life full of regret.

I could have easily given up on my basketball career after I became pregnant as a freshman in college. I could have given up after the three knee surgeries and the birth of my second daughter at the end of my senior year at Ole Miss. But, I didn’t. I didn’t give up on my dream of playing professional basketball and I am so glad that I didn’t because if I had, I would not have gotten to travel around the world and live in three different countries.

I would not have won two WNBA championships and played with some of the greatest women basketball players in the world. Because I chose not to allow obstacles to keep me from achieving my goals, I can live my life with no regrets and I encourage you to do the same. - MSM

Yolanda Moore is a Port Gibson, Mississippi native, a two-time WNBA Champion, author, speaker, and former Ole Miss Lady Rebel. Contact her at timeoutwithyolanda@gmail.com.

96 - Mississippi Sports Magazine

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