MISSISSIPPI SEEN
Hot (?) Chocolate 5k Run/Walk RESERVOIR - On January 30th over 400 runners braved the below freezing temperatures and winds coming off the Ross Barnett Reservoir to compete in the Hot Chocolate 5K Classic Run/Walk in Brandon. Proceeds benefited the Foundation for Rankin County Public Schools, Inc. Photo by Greg Pevey - Mississippi Sports Magazine
2 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
MISSISSIPPI SEEN
GOOOAAALLL... CLINTON - Callie Smith (3) and Haley Davidson (18) celebrate after the winning goal on February 6 as the Northeast Jones Tigers won their first 4A MSHAA State Soccer Championship. Northeast Jones beat Pontotoc 2-1 in sudden-death overtime at Arrow Field in Clinton. Photo by Todd Dalton, Action Sports Photography, Clinton
MISSISSIPPI SEEN
Keepin’ an eye on things... MSU’s Dee Bost stares down Ole Miss’ Chris Warren during the Bulldogs matchup against the Rebels on Feburary 11. Mississippi State swept the Rebels 71-63 in front of a season-high 9,401 fans at Humphrey Coliseum. MSU has now taken three in a row over Ole Miss in the big three sports including the Dawgs 41-27 win in the Egg Bowl. Ole Miss’ only hope now to break that streak will be on the baseball diamond on March 30 at Trustmark Park in Pearl or when the two meet up in Starkville for a three game series beginning April 30. Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
MSM
SPORTS BIZ
Velocity Sports Unlocking potential through World Class Training By JAMES O. COVINGTON Contributing Writer
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ocated in Ridgeland and Flowood, Velocity Sports Performance is a performance training franchise that specializes in training athletes in every sport, at all ages and skill levels, providing them the opportunity to improve speed, agility, mobility and flexibility, and energy systems, while reducing the risk of sports-related injuries. In and around Jackson, Velocity has served as a “hot spot” for today’s professional athletes from all walks of life. The Ridgeland location even hosted an NFL Scouting Pro Day for Seth Smith (Colorado Rockies), DeQuenicy Scott (Velocity Sports Performance Trainer), Brent Leach (L.A. Dodgers) Jackson State University last year in front of 25 NFL scouts, coaches, and general managers. “Our clients range from 8 year olds to professional athletes,” said Evans Allen, business director for Velocity Sports in Mississippi. “Velocity is a national partner with Nike SPARQ, providing certified SPARQ ratings.” The state of the art facility gives athletes every opportunity to better themselves with help from Sports Performance trainers Wes Carnegie, Barry Wesson and DeQunicy Scott. Sessions are for anyone interested, regardless of age. “Speed, Power, Velocity Sports offers state-of-the-art facilities to prepare your athlete for success. Agility” is the company’s motto. “Velocity is a great place for me to train and work out,” said Colorado Rockies outfielder Seth Smith, who trains at Velocity’s Ridgeland location in the off-season. “It really gives the professional athlete or any athlete all the benefits of training and getting the most out of you.” L.A. Dodgers pitcher Brent Leach also shares Smith views about the facility. “Velocity is wonderful,” adds Leach, a 6-5, left-handed pitcher. “It’s an awesome place with a great staff and good environment for you to train and work out.” Several Major league and Minor League baseball players train in Velocity in the off-season. Some also do their rehab at Velocity during the season including many former Mississippi Braves players. Several high school baseball and Dixie Youth baseball teams also train at Velocity both in and out of season. “We train everyone,” said Wes Carnegie. “Here at Velocity our goal is to get the best out of you. We also do camps throughout the state and such. During the summer time we’ve got kids in here left and right.” For more information call 601-899-1480. - MSM To Contact MSM > LETTERS • email MSM at publisher@mssportsmagazine.com or mail to Mississippi Sports Magazine, 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, Mississippi 39047. Letters should include writer’s full name, address and home phone number and may be edited for clarity and space. 8 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Volume 2, Issue 5 March/April 2010
Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC
Publishers Greg & Mendy Pevey
Featured Columnists Doug Colson, Steven Godfrey, Ben Ingram
Contributing Writers James O. Covington, John Davis, Steven Godfrey, Paul Jones, Lanny Mixon, Nash Nunnery, Chuck Stinson
Contributing Photographers Todd Dalton, Bobby McDuffie, Greg Pevey
Advertising Sales Greg Pevey, Jay Pevey Mississippi Sports Magazine™ is published bimonthly 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.
Pevey Publishing, LLC Mississippi Sports Magazine 405 Knights Cove West • Brandon, MS 39047 Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885 email: publisher@mssportsmagazine.com www.mssportsmagazine.com
CONTENTS
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10 Q&A - DEXTER McCLUSTER James Covington talks with the former Rebel at the 2010 Senior Bowl in Mobile
12 GODFREY’S TAKE Steven Godfrey - Why We Chant “SEC”?
13 YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING?
Doug Colson reviews Mississippi’s best in the upcoming NFL draft
14 FROM THE BLEACHERS 2010 Looks to be even better at Trustmark Park
16 Grab U One If it’s got fangs, slithers, swims and hisses, they’ll grab it with their bare hands
18 Iron Couple Charlie Murray and Melanie Harrell are reaching their goals together
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2010 COLLEGE SIGNING DAY RECAP Great recruiting is the life-blood of any successful football program. Our Big 3 beat writers Paul Jones (MSU), John Davis (Ole Miss) and Lanny Mixon (Southern Miss) take a look at each schools class and give you their opinions on how each class will benefit them in the seasons to come.
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THE “FABULOUS 15” FOR 2010 MSM joins up with national recruiting guru David Armstrong of SoutheastScout.com to give you our early picks for Mississippi’s best High School and JUCO prospects heading into the 2010 football season.
Cover Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine Mississippi Sports Magazine - 9
Q&A MSM
Q & A
Dexter McCluster
Ole Miss Rebels The back-to-back Cotton Bowl MVP recently sat down with MSM’s James O. Covington at the 2010 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Interview by James O. Covington
James O. Covington: Dexter first off congratulations on a great career at Ole Miss, but now comes the next step in the NFL. Are you ready for it? Dexter McCluster: Oh yes, I’ve been training hard since the Cotton Bowl everyday. I’m ready for the opportunity. JOC: You created quite a buzz at the Senior Bowl, how did being around an NFL coaching staff and having pro scouts watch your every move make you feel? DM: It felt good actually. The NFL atmosphere the Senior Bowl provides really gave me a chance to showcase my talents. Having the Miami Dolphins coaching staff work with me also helped. They told me that I play bigger than my size. JOC: Some notable NFL analyst’s like ESPN’s Todd McShay and NFL Network’s Mike Myock said you brought the wowfactor to this year’s game for scouts. How does that make you feel? DM: It makes me feel great. I know I can play at the next level. I’m just looking for an opportunity. JOC: At 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, you don’t have a definitive position at the next level. Where do you see yourself playing? DM: It really doesn’t matter to me; slot receiver, punt/kick returner, running back, wherever they need me I’ll be there 110-percent. I want to go out there everyday and show them that I’m tough and I can get the job done. JOC: What position do you want to play in the NFL? DM: Wherever they want me, I’ll be there. Like I said if it’s returning kicks I’ll do it, if it’s in the slot I’ll do it, if it’s running the ball I’ll do it. JOC: What about the Wildcat? DM: Oh yeah, that will work too. I know the Dolphins run a lot of it. I never shy away from contact no matter what package I’m in. JOC: You know that their are critics out there that say you are too little for the NFL, how do you handle that? DM: If anything, those critics fuel me to prove them wrong. There’s no doubt in my mind that I can have success at the next level, just as I did in college. I enjoy proving people wrong. JOC: Growing up did you have a favorite 10 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
NFL team? DM: No not really. I followed a lot of players on different teams. JOC: Who was your favorite player growing up? DM: Warrick Dunn. I loved watching him play. JOC: Coming out of Largo High School (5A) you were recruited by many schools for different positions. How did Florida let you slip away? DM: Florida, Florida State, and Rutgers recruited me as a defensive back. I wanted to stay on offense. That’s where I played all four years of high school at running back and some at receiver. JOC: Three schools offered you as an offensive player, right? DM: Yes West Virginia, South Florida, and Ole Miss said I would play offense. I was pretty much going to sign with South Florida because they were close to home and I liked them a lot. JOC: What changed your mind? DM: Coach O (Ed Orgeron) came into my living room and really made me feel like Ole Miss was the place I needed to be. I wasn’t going to take any visits, because I was leaning towards South Florida. But I went to Oxford and checked it out. It was a small town that loves its football. And that’s when I knew Ole Miss was for me. JOC: The Hotty Toddy chant at the Senior Bowl Press Conference was a nice touch. DM: (Smiling) Thanks James. You know I had to show my Ole Miss spirit in Alabama. JOC: Must be nice to have a day named after you back in your hometown. DM: Yeah it is. The folks back home in Largo call it ‘Dexter McCluster Day’. The town holds it every January 4th. It’s an honor indeed. JOC: You got any nicknames? DM: In high school they use to call me Mr. 2000 for the 2,490 yards I rushed for my senior year. I also scored 39 touchdowns that season. My teammates started calling me that and then my family and friends, and soon the fans too. JOC: Well Mr. 2000, you gave new meaning to that Wild Rebel offense this year. How was playing under coach Houston Nutt? DM: It was great. Coach Nutt is laid back. He’s a players coach that has a great relationship with everybody on and off the
field. Playing under him was the best two years of my career at Ole Miss. JOC: Your senior season at Ole Miss, you accomplished a lot. What’s the most memorable game? DM: I had a lot of them. The two Cotton Bowl games stand out, but really the Tennessee game was my favorite. JOC: It should be. You burned the Vols that game rushing for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns. The night before that game did you have a feeling that you were about to have one of the best days in College Football history? DM: Funny that you ask that. The night before that game I gave a speech before our team - that I was going to run so hard that they would have to carry me off the field. When I scored the first touchdown I knew I was going to have a good day. When I scored the second one I knew something special could happen. Than the third, the fourth, well you know. JOC: Speaking of special, I talked to a Houston Texans scout at the Senior Bowl that saw you play in the Cotton Bowl. He said you’re indeed a special player and a true talent, some scouts compare you to Chargers tailback Darren Sproles. Have you followed him any? DM: No I haven’t really followed him. I just go out and play my way. Compete that’s what I do best. Pretty cool that the scouts have been following me. JOC: ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt said recently on his show that he would like to see you race Tennessee Titans star Chris Johnson. Think you could take him? DM: Hey I’ll race him. Just give me a time and place. If the challenge presented itself I’d do it. JOC: What about Reggie Bush? DM: I’ll race him too. I’m up for it. JOC: Okay, Jerious Norwood, you know he’s a former Bulldog. DM: Oh yeah him too. We’re from rival schools so that would be fun too. JOC: You really think you could have been in the Heisman race if you would have gotten the ball more earlier in the season? DM: Yeah I do. It would have been interesting. But hey, that’s in the past now. I’m looking forward to the future. JOC: What’s your plans for Draft Day? DM: Just spend the day at home in Largo around family and friends. JOC: It’s looking pretty bright isn’t it? DM: You know more than me, you’re the one talking to the scouts. JOC: Trust me on this, you’re a can’t miss. DM: I’m ready. Oh yes, I’m ready. Whoever drafts me will see that. - MSM
Photo by Bobby McDuffie, Extreme Photo, Ocean Springs, MS
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 11
MSM
G O D F R E Y ’ S TA K E
Why We Chant “S-E-C”? By Steven Godfrey Featured Columnist
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ranted, some of us don’t. It’s still a debate among fans at Ole Miss, Mississippi State and the other 10 member institutions that particular conference as to whether or not it’s suitable to amalgamate 12 very combustible fan bases (some diametrically opposed) into a single “power” for the purposes of cheering, cross-country comparison and plain old bragging rights. Right up front I’ll tell you that most who do don’t live in the state to our east. If an Alabama fan is watching an Auburn basketball team in the Sweet Sixteen, or a lifelong Tiger sees Nick Saban coaching against Texas in the national title game, they don’t cheer, “because it’s an SEC team.” Steady as the steel of Birmingham, they’re wishing - as always - that a just and true God would send a bolt of righteous fire into that particular venue and broil every last one of those homosexual liberals alive, preferably in the most agonizing method possible. That’ll show those cheaters. So in a single regard (finally), Mississippi is a little bit more rational about something. The rest of us Southerners are more open to the idea of a collective. Quite often I find myself pulling for SEC teams, including schools that are my direct rivals, if the game’s outcome has no bearing on my team. It still makes no sense. Nowhere else in the world do you see sworn enemies suddenly join hands to celebrate a meaningless advancement of their neighbors, and purely out of a contracted agreement. If South Carolina went to the ACC tomorrow, I’d care less what happens to their football team during bowl season. Imagine this kind of adopted and temporary unity in any other facet of life. It’s as if the governments of Israel and Palestine issued a joint press release touting Dubai’s economic boom: “Sure, we’re still engaged in an endless, centuries-old blood war that’s destroyed our cultures and heritage, but it’s just great to see someone in the Middle East take home a big prize. That says a lot about how competitive we are here.” If the clearance rate for a particular court system is high, it’s not like prosecutors and defense attorneys suddenly clink pint glasses in celebration at the local bar. “THAT’S HOW THE U.S. FEDERAL COURTS SIXTH DIS-
12 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
TRICT HANDLES APPEALS, FOOL.” Yet when my Texas-fan best friend’s Longhorns went down in flames during the BCS National Championship in January, his first words to me (via email three days later, likely sent from some padded bunker in north Dallas outfitted with an IV of Xanax and Shiner Bock) “I don’t want to hear any of that ‘SEC’ crap.” Well, that’s editorial license. His exact first words to me were I don’t (EXPLETIVE) want to (EXPLETIVE) hear one (EXPLETIVE) chant of (EXPLETIVE EXPLETIVE) “SEC” or I will (EXPLETIVE) the (EXEPLETIVE) out of you until you (EXPLETIVE) like a (EXPLETIVE) (COMMONLY FOUND FARM ANIMAL). He knew. He knew my invisible, irrational loyalty to the conference. Here was the same Tide team I loathed all season, the one that didn’t just beat my Ole Miss Rebels, but blowout shower-shanked them like a mouthy cell block sissy, like they always do, playing my best friend’s team in the biggest game of the year, and I was more concerned with regionalism over friendship. 364 days this year I hated that Bama team. That Bama team, the one with the despot head coach and the unbearable sidewalk alumni who have no just claims to being a fan. Yet I cheered alongside the JUCO dropouts clad in NASCAR inspired Crimson Tide apparel. I celebrated with the crowing jackals my old man and I fantasize about running over in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I can’t justify my actions, and won’t attempt to do so here. It’s got to be maddening for fans outside of the SEC to see us suddenly close ranks and defend each other’s obnoxiousness. But the best reason for this madness I can offer is simple location. We live together. We work together. And as someone who’s scheduled to marry into a LSU family this October, we make families together. We’re neighbors in every way, most importantly in literal geography. Depending on your route, it’s roughly 160 miles from Auburn to Tuscaloosa, 98 miles from Starkville to Oxford, 170 miles from Knoxville to Lexington, and also 170 from Columbia to Athens. No other college sports conference is so tightly arranged. Expansion spurned by TV
revenues has created geographic super conferences. The ACC now reaches from Boston to Miami, which is essentially the entire Atlantic seaboard (hence the name, I guess), and that’s not the exception, that’s the rule. How the hell can a bunch of college kids pile in for a road trip for the Iowa / Penn State game? It’s 775 miles on I-80. Psyched about Oregon and USC fighting for a Rose Bowl berth? Check Orbitz, because it’s a scant 856 miles between quack attacks and Trojans. Hell, maybe Alabama is hated so much just purely out of geography. Tuscaloosa sits in the central-most part of the SEC territories, making it less than a half-day’s drive to any number of major rivals (LSU, Tennessee, UGA), and mere stone’s throw from hamlets where it finds some of its most vile disdain – Oxford, Starkville and Auburn. However, basic sports fan logic says that should make us hate each other more. While it certainly adds fuel to countless rivalries, it also creates a bizarre kinship. Partner that with a very strong case of preexisting Southern provincialism culled from social fibers way more important than sports and we’re all a victim of each other’s Stockholm Syndrome. Ever beat up your little brother (or in my case, sister) when you were five? Ever pull some foul prank on them in high school? Of course you did. Now, what if some snotty new kid from Los Angeles did that same thing to your sibling? You’d get your redneck on in overdrive and make the last 15 minutes of their life worse than the chorus of a Drive By Truckers song. I suppose it’s the same principle. Like any great dysfunctional family, we loathe each other’s existence, but often times because we see ourselves in the face of that hated relative. In no way can I stomach another Alabama national title as an Ole Miss fan, but faced with their success against an anonymous and possibly threatening outsider, suddenly it’s a bizarre kinship. Ask yourself, be you Bulldog or Rebel: Is Bama not at least your loathed sports sibling? I say yes, and even though she’s annoying as hell and really slutty, she’s family. - MSM Steven Godfrey is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit him at www.thegodfreyshow.com
Y O U K N O W W H AT I ’ M S AY I N G ?
MSM
Mississippi’s Top NFL Draft Prospects
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By Doug Colson Co-Host of Mississippi Sports this Morning 620AM - Jackson
ith the echo of “WHO DAT” still ringing in our ears, it’s hard to believe it’s time to start preparing for the 2010 NFL Draft, but the off season waits for no one. Looking back on the New Orleans Saints historic victory in Super Bowl XLIV, there are two plays that will be remembered more than the rest. Punter Thomas Morstead’s on-side kick to open the second half, and CB Tracy Porter’s 74-yard interception return to salt the game away. The Saints front office receives high praise for the moves they made in building the new “America’s Team”. Drew Brees is hands down the best free-agent signing of all time. The trade with the New York Giants for Jeremy Shockey gave them an important weapon, but as I mentioned earlier the two biggest plays in the Super Bowl were made by original Saints draft picks. Mickey Loomis raised quite a few eyebrows when he traded up for a punter. He also did not receive many pats on the back last year when he selected a cornerback from the Big-10, a conference not known for the vertical stretch. But this is what makes the draft so much fun, you never know when your favorite team is going to select the next Super Bowl MVP or a guy who is going to end up on one of those NFL Network NFL top ten bust lists. Going into the 2009 season, the Ole Miss Rebels were touting two potential first round draft picks, but after Jevan Snead and Greg Hardy had inconsistent seasons neither will carry a first round grade into April. They will both have to perform well at this year’s combine to solidify positions on the second day. Greg Hardy should test well, but I’m sure teams will have many questions when they see that his production does not equal his athletic ability. Hot and cold players have a tendency to slide. I think Hardy goes in the 4th round. Many people scratched their heads when they heard Jevan Snead was declaring for the NFL draft after such an inconsistent junior campaign, but looking at his situation he might have made a prudent choice. With the Rebels losing so many key components on offense and a looming rookie salary cap, the time seems right for him to throw his hat in the ring. Jevan has good size and a live arm if he flashes some accuracy in Indianapolis. He should hear his name called in round three, but the Rebel making the biggest draft season buzz is Dexter McCluster. “Run DMC” flashed his game breaking skills in Mobile putting himself on the map that has him flying up draft boards. If Dexter shows off his speed and shifty moves at the combine, I project him to be second round pick that might creep into the back end of the first round. Another Rebel making a name for himself at the Senior Bowl was OG John Jerry. Showing up twenty pounds lighter than expected and showing off quick feet moved him into the 3rd round range. Also invited to the combine were WR Shay Hodge and Kendrick Lewis carrying 5th round grades with CB Marshay Green carrying a late round grade. While Mississippi State is not offering up quantity to the NFL they sure are offering up quality. RB Anthony Dixon and LB Jamar Chaney are players who may not be household names outside of the state of Mississippi, but NFL coaches and scouts are well informed on the duo’s exploits. Anthony Dixon was called an “underrated back with big time potential” by NFL Draft Guru Mel Kiper Jr. Some team will select Anthony at a bargain point in the draft. What hurts Dixon’s chances of hearing his name called early is due to the popular trend of teams using a committee approach to the running back position. The trend also favors the speed back over the between the tackles rusher. Expect Anthony to get selected in round four and become a very solid NFL running back. Jamar Chaney’s combine stats my not jump off the page, but we have all seen what he has to offer a NFL team on the football field. At the Senior Bowl, I did not hear anybody mention his name all week, but on Saturday he walked off the field with defensive player of the game honors. Look for Chaney to be selected in the 5th or 6th round. While players with better computer numbers will be selected before him, I see him ending up playing in the league for the better part of a decade. For the Mississippi talent not invited to the combine, RB Damion Fletcher, WR Gerald Baptiste, K Joshua Sheene just to name a few, the dream is not over. They will still have a chance to catch a scout’s eye on their schools respective pro days. So bring on McShay, Kiper and Mayock, let’s start comparing forty times and analyzing Wonderlic scores. I can hardly wait for April 22nd when the three days of the 2010 NFL Draft coverage kicks off. - MSM
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MSM
FROM THE BLEACHERS
2010 looks to be even better at Trustmark Park
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n Thursday, April 8th, the Mississippi Braves will begin their sixth season here in the Magnolia State. In the past five years, we’ve seen it all. Record crowds, a Southern League Championship, future Major League AllStars, a no-hitter, a Southern League All-Star By BEN INGRAM Game, celebrities, great promotional nights Host of The Ben Ingram Show and much more has taken place at Trustmark 930AM - Jackson Park in Pearl, Mississippi. Thinking back on the first five years of the Mississippi Braves and the success that has taken place since the arrival of the franchise in 2005, it only becomes more evident how important the Braves are to central Mississippi. The stadium, the talent, the front office and everything involved is as good as it gets in minor league baseball. What central Mississippi has in the M-Braves is truly special and should never be taken for granted. Prior to the arrival of the M-Braves, Jackson had been deprived of affiliated baseball for five years and was showing no signs of improving. The Jackson Mets and Jackson Generals had been popular for baseball fans in central Mississippi, but an outdated stadium and dwindling support forced those franchises elsewhere. At that point, Jackson became a dying baseball town and was on life support. Independent baseball leagues did their best to keep baseball alive in Jackson after the departure of the Generals, but due to countless obstacles, failure became the ultimate result. For baseball fans throughout central Mississippi, the only baseball they had were the memories of yesteryear. Professional baseball was dead and there was no sign of that changing. There was no new stadium, not even any plans for one and there was no reason to think a team would uproot and come to Mississippi. All of that changed when the Greenville Braves decided to leave South Carolina and bring their product to Mississippi. When Trustmark Park was built, it immediately became one of the true gems of the Southern League and of minor league baseball. In traveling to over fifty minor league ballparks in my life, it easily ranks among the top 10 nationwide. But as if the ballpark itself wasn’t enough, what’s taken place inside of it’s structure has been even better. Sure, college football is great and basketball provides a lot of entertainment, but is there anything better than a summer night at the ballpark?! I think Humphrey Bogart said it best when he said, “a hotdog at the ball game beats roast beef at the Ritz.” And there aren’t too many places better than Trustmark Park to enjoy the ball game. With each passing year, the overall experience at Trustmark Park as gotten better and better. This season will see that trend continue. With 70 home dates scheduled for the upcoming season, there will be over 60 promotional nights. Also, the M-Braves are introducing Community Nights, where communities from all over the state will have their own nights. This will allow city chambers and civic groups 14 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
to enjoy the experience at the ballpark for discounted ticket packages, while promoting their town and community. Also, 2010 will see more pre-game entertainment at Trustmark Park. The stage on the concourse down the right field line will be the site for several musicians, magicians and other entertaining acts throughout the season. The entertainment value will also improve during the game with the addition of the Mississippi Braves Diamond Dancers. The Diamond Dancers are a team of very talented performers from all over the state who are coached by a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. The Mississippi Braves Diamond Dancers will perform in between innings, interact with the crowd and handle in-game promotions. With so many flexible and affordable ticket plans available to go along with all of the promotions and entertainment, it is clear that Trustmark Park will once again be the place to be this summer. With all of that said, I haven’t even gotten the chance to elaborate on what kind of talent will be on the field in 2010. The Atlanta Braves minor league system is loaded with talent, most of which will be spending time here in Mississippi. Names like Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Julio Teheran, Mike Minor and Randall Delgado are all big names in the Braves minor league system. Some of those guys are familiar names here in central Mississippi and others will become that way. The M-Braves are a Double-A minor league team and that’s usually the level of baseball that determines whether or not a player has what it takes to make it to the Major Leagues or not. Therefore, the level of talent that can be seen on any given night in a Double-A ballpark is outstanding. When you are watching baseball at Trustmark Park, you are watching the Major League talent of tomorrow. The Mississippi Braves have seen so many of their own players move on to become stars for the Atlanta Braves. For the baseball connoisseurs and autograph seekers, there isn’t a more convenient and intimate setting to get a glimpse of these future stars of the Major Leagues. Trustmark Park was once the minor league home for Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Tommy Hanson, Kris Medlen, Blaine Boyer and many other current big leaguers. In 2010, we’ll see another wave of future big leaguers pass through on their way to “The Show”. The start of the season is upon us. Winter has yielded to spring and the temperatures are getting warmer with each passing week. Another exciting year at Trustmark Park will soon commence and baseball fever will once again be as prevalent as the thick summer air in central Mississippi. I’m as ready as ever to be back in the radio booth each night bringing you all 140 Mississippi Braves games in 2010. This season will be better than ever and I look forward to seeing you at the ballpark all season long. PLAY BALL! - MSM
ne x t issue Here’s a peek at what to look for in the May/June 2010 Issue...
VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE
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e a m
s
p i r i t
JIMMY SMITH Former JSU standout and NFL All-Pro is doing wonders for inner-city youth in the Metro Area.
PAUL OTT When it comes to sports, We knoW hoW important it is to be part of a team. Athletics and healthy competition are important facets of everyday life – instilling in each of us the values of commitment, fair play and team spirit. That’s why Trustmark contributes to local sports teams, programs and events season after season. So whenever you see our name on a sponsorship banner or on the back of a jersey – or if you notice one of our volunteers working on or off the field – you see the true spirit of Trustmark.
Ott is not only Mississippi’s ambassador for conservation and wildlife but a historian of our great state as well.
HUGH GREEN
Natchez native was second in the Heisman voting in 1980 behind George Rogers and one of college football’s most dominating defensive players.
JIM GALLAGHER, JR. Member FDIC
trustmark.com
Growing up in a family of golfers, it is no surprise that Jim Gallagher, Jr. found a successful career on the PGA Tour. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 15
TNB 11520-1 MS Sports Magazine - Basketball Print Ad 4.5 x 7.125 __________Spell Check ________Prod. Artist
MSM
MISSISSIPPI OUTDOORS
Grab U One Outfitters
Standing: Joey Rigby, Joey Mayes, TImmie Nichols. Sitting: Brad Vincent and Shane Gibson.
If it’s got fangs, slithers, swims and hisses, they’ll grab it with their bare hands By JOSH EDWARDS Contributing Writer
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rab U One Outfitters really takes outdoorsmanship to the extreme as they wade though the swamps, lakes and rivers of Mississippi and Louisiana looking for snakes of all sizes to catch barehanded. And they capture it all on film with an added dash of Southern humor. It’s something most people cringe at and would never dream of doing, but Shane Gibson gets excited just thinking about it. “As soon as I found out about it, I said “Count me in; I’m on it,” says Gibson of how he joined Grab U One. It all started on a fishing trip in 1990 when Grab U One’s Jimmy Nichols saw a large diamondback water snake on a limb near his boat. Nichols’ fishing buddy thought the
snake was a poisonous cottonmouth. To prove it was harmless, Nichols reached out from the boat and snatched the serpent from the limb. The fisherman joked that Nichols should stop fishing and catch snakes, but Nichols took him seriously. “None of this should have ever happened. It was a straight up fluke,” Gibson says. Originally they grabbed snakes from a boat, but now wade though murky waters wearing only swim trunks to hunt for snakes, and they find lots of them. Gibson compiled video of the snake grabbing trips and began posting it on the popular video site YouTube. The videos quickly became an Internet hit, so he compiled Snake Hunt Mississippi Style, which has currently
MISSISSIPPI OUTDOORS sold over 5,000 copies and drawn national attention. “The first video we did was just footage that we had from years of doing it,” Gibson says. But soon Snake Hunt Vol. 2 came out, and other videos are currently in the works. It’s an odd and extreme hobby, but despite them all having day jobs, the guys have no plans on stopping their snake grabbing. “If [the videos] would have never happened, we’d still be doing it next week,” Gibson says. Most of the snakes the guys grab are nonpoisonous water snakes, but they still bite more often than not. “I can’t give you the number of times I’ve been bitten. You get bit just about every time you grab one. They hurt a lot,” Gibson says. Grab U One doesn’t shy away from the more venomous reptiles though. Both videos feature poisonous snakes, and one member was bitten while nabbing a copperhead two years ago. “If we can catch them, we’ll catch them, if we can’t we won’t. We have a lot of fun doing it,” Gibson says. None of the snakes are harmed during the intense hunting trips. Gibson said they try to grab the snake toward the middle of its body to reduce the risk of hurting it. The vast majority of the snakes are set loose in the same spot they were caught, but a few are given to museums that are in need of specimens. “We ain’t never killed a snake,” Gibson says. Despite their name, the group does not recommend actually going out and grabbing a snake on your own, although they have let curious amateurs catch snakes under their watchful guidance. “We don’t recommend it to just anybody,” Gibson says. “If you don’t know what you’re doing there are a lot of snakes out there that can kill you.” None of the guys are trained snake experts, but they are all avid outdoorsmen who have “hunted everything known to mankind,” Gibson says. He has been studying snakes since he was a child and was always fascinated with the creatures. Despite not having any formal training, he and the other guys have done a lot of homework on snakes. Their pervasive knowledge helps them identify what they capture in the wild and lets them know if they’re messing with a poisonous snake and need to use extra caution. “Mississippi is a great place to hunt snakes because of the wide variety of species,” Gibson says. “It’s one of the few and only states that’s got everything known in North America.”
Interest in snake grabbing isn’t just limited to their DVDs. When the guys go out to film, they usually draw a large crowd with their unusual antics and humor, but spectators are quick to question their sanity. “We get started in the morning, and probably about lunch time just about everybody that we’ve passed whose been fishing on the lake is following us around watching us do it,” Gibson says. This year the guys took their first foray into filming encounters with other dangerous wild animals. In February, they began filming a hog hunt in Leake County and plan to record alligator trapping later this year as well as a bow fishing trip to Louisiana. This footage will all appear on an upcoming DVD, which is set to hit stores by Thanksgiving. While gator trapping is new for the video, it’s something Jimmy Nichols often does for the state wildlife and fisheries department. Even with all the new adventures, fans of the old videos shouldn’t worry because there will still be plenty of slithering serpent action on the new film. It may even get nationwide distribution. “A big company that we’ve been talking to has said if we did a conglomeration like that they may put it in a big store,” Gibson says. Even though they’ve moved on to bigger, wilder, and arguably more dangerous beats, Grab U One plans to stay true to its roots and release another Mississippi style snake hunt DVD this summer. “Even if we go and do something else, we’ll always turn one out of snake grabbing,”
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Gibson says. “That ain’t never gonna stop because we’ll be doing that regardless.” Despite becoming a phenomenon, none at Grab U One has grabbed any cash from the videos. All the money is put back into the production budget for future filming. For the most recent shoot, the guys have hired a film crew with high definition equipment. Gibson hopes everything about the new videos is better and funnier. The second Snake Hunt video is his favorite work so far, but “everything from here on out is just going to be ridiculous,” he said. Grab U One is based in Mendenhall, but its members come from all over central Mississippi. Gibson lives in Puckett near the Simpson/Rankin county line. Joey Mays and Jimmy Nichols both live in Morton. Joey Rigby lives in Forest, and Brad Vincent lives in Carthage. - MSM Josh Edwards is an avid outdoorsman and freelance writer based in south central Mississippi. He is a Texas native and multiaward winning writer and editor. He currently lives in Collins and works in Magee. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 17
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A R O U N D T H E S TAT E
IRON COUPLE Charlie Murray and Melanie Harrell are reaching their goals together By Erik F. BARTLAM Contributing Writer
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n May 1st of this year athletes from all over the country will be in Utah to compete in the inaugural “Ironman St. George”. An Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride, and finishes with a 26.2 mile run. There’s a $50,000 purse for the first place finishers and 65 qualifying slots for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. It is a professional event, but alongside the professionals will be a hard core group of dedicated amateurs. They won’t be competing for anything other than the satisfaction and exhilaration that comes from accomplishing personal goals. Two of these dedicated amateurs are Melanie Harrell of Madison and Charlie Murray of Brandon. Melanie is a nurse practitioner with the Rankin County School District. Charlie is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a local business manager. They first met prior to completing a half ironman in New Orleans. The passion they share for competing is an important part of their relationship. Melanie started out running 5K’s. A coworker, who knew she was a runner, suggested she try a mini-triathlon called Soak up the Sun. She thought to herself, “I can swim and I know how to ride a bike, why not?” She was hooked immediately. Within six months she had a new road bike and was signed up for swimming lessons. Charlie says he was always running. He ran track in high school and during his time in the military. Before triathlons he was involved in off-road running, kayaking and mountain biking. His first event was the Delta State sprint triathlon. Less than a
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week later he had already signed up for another competition. They both agree that it would be very hard to maintain a relationship without their mutual involvement. Competing is a very personal thing though, and both of them take a very different approach to it. Melanie focuses on finishing while Charlie works on improving his times. She likes to go into a competition blind. It helps her maintain her enthusiasm. She doesn’t want to know ahead of time,
“about that hill that’s going to kill me.” She also likes the excitement of seeing the track for the first time. Charlie takes the opposite approach. Charlie tries to plan out every aspect of training and competition. For every race he plots out his course with target times to hit along the way. As with all good relationships their differences are complimentary and help to make both of them better competitors. Charlie has helped Melanie become more organized. Be-
around the state
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fore him, she used to forget things and show up to events at the last minute and in a frenzy. She’ll tell you that Charlie’s focus on improving his times has caused her to push herself. Charlie, by his own admission, gets wound a little tight, and Melanie has been a calming force in his life as a competitor. On those rare occasions when, despite Charlie’s best efforts, things don’t go to “plan,” Melanie’s comfort in chaos has kept him from “blowing a gasket.” Melanie feels one of her better strengths is swimming and Charlie feels his is on the bike. Their physical and mental abilities just seem to mesh very well. In training together they’ve been able to use their individual strengths to help both of them reach their goals like the Ironman St. George they will do together in May. That is a goal that they share, but one they both set before they ever met. They’re both very excited about the opportunity. One might ask why someone would be excited about the opportunity to swim, bike and run for a total of over 140 miles. The races are grueling enough, but they’re just the fulfillment of months and months of training. Leading up to a competition Charlie estimates that they spend a minimum of 8 hours a week, sometimes up to 12 hours in training. That’s a full day’s work on top of his and her day jobs. Then there’s the expense of travel and equipment. Why would someone put themselves through all this for something that is described by Melanie as a “mental grind”? Is it really worth the payment of literal blood, sweat and tears? The answer from both of them would be a resounding yes. Melanie and Charlie are both fervent advocates for the sport. Melanie is involved in organizing running events and she’s written training plans for friends that want to get involved. Charlie has a blog that tracks their training and various experiences with competing. It started out as way to keep curious friends updated on their activities, but Charlie says it’s evolved into a recruiting tool for the sport. They explain it’s only as expensive as you want to make it. Melanie used a mountain bike she had in her garage for her first triathlon. Charlie says it cost him about four hundred dollars to get started. That’s cheaper than a good set of golf clubs. Then there’s the camaraderie. Sacrifices and commitments like the ones the sport demands amount to a lifestyle (note to editor…it’s a lifestyle) and there is a subculture centered on these competitions. They’ve developed genuine friendships through competing. It’s certainly a healthy lifestyle. Charlie decided to take a few years off after the army and ended up putting on the pounds. It was a 215 lb reading on the scale that prompted him to sign up for the mini-sprint at Delta State. What really makes triathlons the passion that it is for people like Melanie and Charlie is the sense of achievement. Melanie describes it as addictive. Charlie said finishing his first half Ironman was an emotional experience. He had set a difficult goal for himself and accomplished it. Immediately his mind turned to bigger goals, weightier achievements and a bigger high. Which is exactly what the Ironman St. George is for both of them. The excitement in their voices is obvious as they talk about it. It’ll be their biggest challenge yet and it won’t be enough for them to just make it to the finish line. The cut off for completing the race is 17 hours. That’s all the time they’ll have to reach their goal. Neither one of them will sleep the night before. Part of it will be the anxiety over the immense physical and mental challenge they’re going to face. It’ll also be because of anticipation for the exhilaration they’ll experience if they finish. It’s a daunting task, but that’s exactly what they’re looking for and there’s no reason to doubt Charlie when he says, “We are going to finish this race.” - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 19
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2 0 0 9 M S S P O RT S H A L L O F FA M E I N D U C T E E S - PA RT 4
Tyrone
KEYS Jackson native worked hard to succeed on the field and off - to earn his Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame induction. By PAUL JONES Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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aving played high school and college football in the Magnolia State, Tyrone Keys definitely understands the value of his recent induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. And it’s an honor that the former Callaway High School standout does not take likely. After his prep career, Keys went on to star at Mississippi State and later in the NFL, a pro career that included a Super Bowl in 1985 as a member of the Chicago Bears. But as usual, the humble Keys credits those around him more so than his talents as a defensive lineman. “I treasure this honor because I know how much work went into it,” said Keys, who now resides in Tampa, Fla. “Not just from myself but other people that were in my life and are still in my life. My teammates, my coaches and my teachers all made this possible. And to get this honor, you have to be successful on the field. At Callaway, we won 22 straight games and I think that is still a city record today. I played with some great guys and we were all like brothers, and I remain close with a lot of those guys like Alan Massey today. “The greatest thing about the Hall of Fame is a picture I have on my web site. It is a picture of me and some of my high school and college teammates, and some of my teachers and coaches. It shows that there were a lot of people with me on this journey and I honor all of them with my induction. It shows the true friendship I have with them and their dedication they had with my life.” Keys is also proud just being in the same
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group as other Magnolia State legends, some of whom he had the opportunity to share the same locker room with at various levels of football. “To be in the Hall of Fame with the likes of Walter Payton and Johnie Cooks is simply amazing to me,” said Keys. “I know what kind of work ethic Walter Payton had and it was great being his teammate in Chicago. Then I got to play with Johnie Cooks at Mississippi State and he was the second player taken in the NFL Draft in 1981.” “To be in the same Hall of Fame with guys like that is a humbling experience. We all loved the sport of football and ate and drank football all year long. But like those guys, I have been blessed to use my love of the game to benefit others. To be recognized for that is a dream come true.” But ironically, Keys noted his football career came close to never getting off the ground. During his junior high days, the sport of basketball was more on his mind than the gridiron. “I tell you this, when I got to Callaway coming from junior high, I didn’t go out for that first spring football practice,” recalled Keys. “I had grown a lot height-wise and I didn’t go to spring training because I was thinking more about basketball. I didn’t think I was mentally ready to play football.” However, after talking with one of his neighbors, Keys was encouraged to give the sport a try. “My neighbor Justin Stegall told me I should give it a shot,” said Keys. “I was familiar with
Callaway’s football coaches - Hill Denson and Odell Jenkins and those guys - because they were once at my junior high school. So Coach Jenkins began telling me a lot of stories of guys he had coached that went on to play in college. I got to hear those stories in the 10th grade when I first started playing football. I was intrigued by those stories and how he told me about work ethic and that the sky was the limit for me.” And sure enough, college scouts began noticing Keys during his sophomore year at Callaway. The rest of the story, as they say, is history and definitely Hall of Fame worthy. “I will never forget my first ever game and holding my own against an 18-year old from Vicksburg,” said Keys. “Then I had college coaches talking to me when I was in the 10th grade. That started the process of me actually realizing what I could do in football. “So I continued to work at it and train every night. I would run every night with an eight-track playing and me holding that eight-track. I guess I could have been the first one ever to invent the I-pod (laughing). But my 10th grade year is when it really all started for me.” COLLEGE CAREER Keys started his football career in peewee leagues in the Jackson area, and by the time he was a senior at Callaway High School, he was one of the most coveted D-lineman in the country. But his attraction to MSU started well before his high school days. “As a youngster, I remember watching Mississippi State highlights late at night on TV,” recalled Keys. “I wanted to see quarterbacks Joe Reed and Rockey Felker. Then I would go to the games but would not have a ticket. So I watched from over the fence. I thought to myself then that I would like to attend a school like that.” “On my recruiting trip, I got to meet guys like Ray Costic and Stan Black. Then I started to realize I could help something special happen in my home state. I also remember smelling that good country air and knowing that is where I want to be.” And not long after that visit, Keys became a Bulldog for life. “My senior year, me and Hugh Green tied for the most valuable defensive player in the state,” said Keys. “So we were both recruited nationally. Hugh went to Pittsburgh and when he decided to go there, Jackie Sherrill called me and tried to get me to change my mind. “But I am glad I made the right decision. I wanted to build a winner in the state and be a part of something special and knew where I wanted to be. On Signing Day, I remember
Photo courtesy Mississippi State Sports Information
“As a youngster, I remember watching Mississippi State highlights late at night on TV,” recalled Keys. “I wanted to see quarterbacks Joe Reed and Rockey Felker. Then I would go to the games but would not have a ticket. So I watched from over the fence. I thought to myself then that I would like to attend a school like that.”
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were some powerful words.”
Keys was a star at Callaway High School.
Photo courtesy Tyrone Keys talking to Johnie Cooks on the phone and talking to Glen Collins. I also signed with my high school teammate Alan Massey that day, and we had known each other and been teammates since the seventh grade. I knew that our class was going to do something special.” And that they did. In Keys’ junior season, the Bulldogs finished 9-3 and were missed out on the SEC title thanks to Georgia’s lastminute win over Florida. As a senior, Keys and the Bulldogs won eight more games and captured the Hall of Fame bowl. Keys was not your average-sized lineman back then - 6-7 and 270 pounds. But he wasn’t the only solid frame on State’s defensive line. “We were not only huge but quick,” said Keys. “Our three guys all weighed over 260 pounds and over 6-4 and that was huge back then. Well, we were all that big except for Mike McEnany and Billy Jackson. And Johnie Cooks was a big middle linebacker and was quick. I think we were ahead of our time. We got after the passer and looking back, we were big even compared to guys today. “And once I got into the NFL, I would run into guys from Auburn and Alabama all the 22 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
time. They always told me that regardless of State’s record, they knew they were in for a physical war and that State would give them a run for their money.” Keys also spread the credit around to the coaching staff. “We had great defensive line coaches, too,” said Keys. “They were all no non-sense guys and helped you prepare for life as well. I remember Coach Bellard always saying either get in the boat or get out of the boat. And he meant that in academics, too. If you did not take your education serious then you would be gone under Coach Bellard.” Like most of his Bulldog teammates, the 6-3 win over Alabama sticks out vividly in Key’s list of favorite memories. But it was much more than just the final score, recalled Keys. “I remember the gameplan that went into that Alabama game,” said Keys. “Coach Bellard told us that if we did what he told us to do that not only would we win but they would not score. Those words still ring in my head today and still rings true. “Coach Bellard said he knew how to stop the wishbone because he invented it. Those
PRO CAREER Following his MSU career, Keys was drafted in the 1981 NFL Draft and headed to the New York Jets as a fifth-round selection. But his stay with the Jets would be brief due to a NFL players’ strike. So Keys headed to Canada and found a home in the CFL for two years. “It was a wonderful experience in British Columbia,” said Keys. “I was the 113th player selected by the Jets and the 213th player selected was J.C. Watts. And up until the last two years with our community service, I had not seen J.C. since the locker room in British Columbia. It is great to keep those relationships going and catch up with friends later in life. “But I left the Jets for B.C. because it was the strike season and I felt I had a better deal in the CFL.” But his next deal would be even sweeter, said Keys. Keys signed with the Chicago Bears in 1983 and remained with the program the next four seasons. “That is when I felt I hit gold,” said Keys of playing for the Bears. “I was always an avid fan of Walter Payton and grew up watching him play. To be on the same team as him was unreal. And at the time, I had no idea of the greats I was around. On that team, there would be eventually four Hall of Famers with Walter, coach Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton and also Richard Dent, who has been a finalist for the Hall of Fame several times.” Keys’ final season in Chicago was naturally his greatest year in the NFL. Keys, who had 9.5 career sacks and 18 career starts, played a major role on the Bear’s highly-touted defense. And they capped off a magical season with a Super Bowl victory in the New Orleans Superdome. However, the road to the Super Bowl did not come easy, normally the case for past NFL champions. “We went from 8-8 to 10-6 to the ultimate prize,” said Keys. “It was great to see us build something and then put the icing and candles on the cake, too. Plus, in that Super Bowl, we played it almost in my backyard being in New Orleans. It was just a dream that came true, I tell you. “The neat thing is that we won the Super Bowl exactly 10 years after I won the state championship with the Callaway Chargers. I have pictures of that state championship game and the Super Bowl win side by side.” The Bears were also remembered that season for their “Super Bowl Shuffle” video. While the video sold over a million copies, the Bears did not dance and rap to reap financial benefits. “And we did that video right after we had lost at Miami - our only loss of that season,”
Keys celebrating a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX in New Orleans in 1986.
said Keys. “We all got up around 6 or 7 in the morning and shot the video in about four or five hours. It was a big seller, too, and we sold over a million copies. I still have that tape and listened to it this morning when I was riding my bike. “And Walter’s line in the video said it best “The Bears are not doing it to be greedy, we’re doing it to feed the needy”. I keep that slogan in my head today. That video we did, all of that money went to needy people in Chicago and charities.” Also part of that video and title team was Keys’ D-line mate William ‘The Fridge’ Perry. And yes, he recalls all the short rushing touchdowns made famous by Perry, including his Super Bowl rumble for six points. “Yea, the Fridge scored in the Super Bowl but a lot of people were upset,” said Keys. “They were upset because Walter Payton had been there 11 years and didn’t have a previous chance to score in the Super Bowl. “But we all knew Walter was the reason we got to the Super Bowl and the reason we were the team we were back then. His team approach is as good as it gets. You would never know he was a superstar the way he was around the team. He was truly a special person, not just a great football player.” The Super Bowl was Keys’ last game as a Bear, and he headed off to Tampa Bay where he was on the other end of the spectrum. “Tampa Bay is where I learned how not to work hard,” said Keys. “That team was in such disarray and we learned habits of how not to be a champion. It was totally different from what it was like with the Bears.” After back injuries limited Keys in 1987 with Tampa, Keys played one more season. He recovered from previous injuries and
Photo courtesy Tyrone Keys
was having his best season. Keys started a career-high 11 games with the San Diego Chargers and had three and half sacks in the first 12 games. But in the 13th game of the 1988 season, Keys’ pro football career came to an end. “My last year was with the Chargers,” said Keys. “And it was my best individual season until I got hurt in the 13th game of the season. I had career-ending injuries - my back, shoulder and knee - and I knew that was the end of the road for me.” LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL Even after he hung up his helmet and pads, Keys is still giving back today. Keys founded All Sports Community Service Inc. in Tampa and is the executive director. As stated on the web site allsportscommunity.org, the purpose and mission of ASCS is to offer challenged youth the opportunity to determine their own destiny through academic achievement, community service and sports. “What I learned in football and life, I knew I could put it to good use,” said Keys. “I wanted to help young kids and let the children know that they need a gameplan. My mentor at Callaway poured that into us in high school, showed us how to lead kids into real life and growing up. And I have been doing that the last 16 years. “My message to young kids is to put energy into everything they do. I can show them my journey in life and help to relate to them and give them guidance. I feel it is an honor and duty to give back because of all the people in my life that helped me so much.” “Football, if it is kept in the proper perspective, can be life changing.”
In the last few weeks, Keys has been honored both for his play and his service. Before being honored at the White House for his community service, Keys was voted into the Miss. Hall of Fame for his efforts on the field. And that honor brought back a lot of memories. “That was just a great honor,” said Keys. “I sat back and realized how many people in my life played a part in that award. From my peewee coach to my neighbor getting me interested in football to going to Larry Friday’s house because they had a good field behind their house. It really took me back some years. “I remembered back when I started to play in the seventh grade with Alan Massey. Not much was expected from us then and we were very far from growing into our ability and our bodies. But it is amazing to see how our friendship remained close all those years - in middle school, in high school, at Mississippi State and with the Jets. I still remember him walking into that Jets’ locker room when he left and looked at me and said “It’s been quite a ride, my friend”. That was a very touching memory.” Keys was back on campus in January to (yes, you guessed it) to receive another award for his successful path in life. And the day he was in Starkville was a familiar date. “The last time I was at MSU was Jan. 26, 2008,” said Keys. “And it was kinda fitting because it was 22 years to the date that we won the Super Bowl. I was there to receive the SEC Story of Character award. Last year, the SEC celebrated its 75th year and picked 75 athletes that had represented on and off the field. “And it was fitting that it happened 22 years later on that date.” Keys obviously has had other reasons to revisit his old stomping grounds. His daughter Chyla graduated from Mississippi State in May and has been in Starkville the last five years. Keys has also kept up with some of his former ASCS pupils, including a former Bulldog that he helped to play football at Mississippi State. “My daughter just graduated from Mississippi State so I’ve had a chance to go back some,” said Keys. “But I keep up with MSU and some former students I had in our program. (Current Western Michigan strength coach) Nate Peoples was one of our former students in our program and I helped him put together a highlight tape to send out and he eventually walked on at Mississippi State. “And Nate is a perfect model of our program that we have today. Nate came back and worked with me for a year and then helped MSU recruit Fred Reid. Nate worked and helped to reach out to about 20 kids and then one of those kids came back to work with me recently.” - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 23
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HIGH SCHOOL - COVER STORY
YAZOO COUNTY’S HOMETOWN
HERO
Kaleb Eulls has made numerous game saving tackles during his high school football career - but the most important tackle he has made so far was nowhere near the playing field. By PAUL JONES Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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ith offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama, LSU and many others, Yazoo County senior Kaleb Eulls definitely received his share of recruiting attention. But the MSU signee received more pub for his efforts off the field, which served of a higher importance. Back on July the Fourth, the talented defensive lineman sent ripples through the recruiting scene when he committed to the Bulldogs. Eulls ended what could have been a long process when he decided to go the early route. But what happened a couple of months later drew more national exposure for Eulls and his family in Yazoo County. One early fall morning, Eulls got on the school bus along with his younger sisters. It was like any other typical school day, or so it seemed at the time. But that quickly changed as the bus carrying Eulls and dozens of other students made its way to Yazoo County High School. A disgruntled teenage girl pulled out a gun and started waving the firearm at students and threatening their lives. The girl claimed she was tired of being picked on and bullied by other students at the school and on that bus, as well. That’s when Eulls stepped in and took charge of a possible deadly situation. He asked the girl to just point the gun at him and not to endanger any other kid on that bus. Then, Eulls quickly saw his moment to defuse the situation. When the troubled girl was distracted for a moment, Eulls tackled the girl and disarmed her. “To me, that was one of the scariest and most shocking days I have been through, and probably will ever experience,” said Eulls. “It was definitely the most emotional day I’ve had, for sure. During the entire thing, I really can’t explain what happened. I just used quick reactions during that situation and that’s about all I could say.” And what followed was a media frenzy surrounding Eull’s heroic efforts. The Dandy Dozen (The Clarion Ledger) member appeared on early-morning shows on NBC and ABC, as well as Fox News and CNN. Once that media tour ended, ESPN’s ‘Outside the Lines’ made the trip to Yazoo City to interview Eulls. “Everything was great and it was all so surprising,” said Eulls. “We were thankful to God and knew we were blessed by God through the whole 26 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
year, whether it was my grades, my college offers or what happened that day. God was watching over my family and blessed us so much. “All of the media hype was a lot more than I expected. Basically, I did what I felt was the right thing to do. I didn’t know, though the media would expose it the way they did. I feel I just did what most people would do in that situation. But I did manage to get comfortable speaking in front of the cameras. When ESPN came and filmed us, at that point I had already done a lot of interviews. So I was not nervous at all.” On the field, Eulls also posted an impressive showing. Following his senior year, the 6-foot-4 and 270-pounder was rated among the Top 4 prospects in the state and rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com. And he performed well on both sides of the football, too. Despite his size, Eulls was his team’s starting quarterback along with his D-line duties. Eulls rushed for 942 yards and 11 touchdowns and also averaged 42 yards as Yazoo County’s starting punter. Defensively, Eulls collected 82 tackles with 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. “For him to be our starting quarterback and to be that big, well, that alone tells you what kind of quickness he has,” said Yazoo County head coach Matt Williams. “With his athleticism, Kaleb could be a starting defensive end, a starting defensive tackle or even a starting tight end at the college level. Players or people like Kaleb don’t come around that often in these parts. He is just a raw athlete that has yet to reach his potential or come close to his potential. “And of course, this year we also saw what kind of person he is, too. But none of that surprised those of us that have known him or been around him the past few years. That is just what Kaleb is about and how he lives his life. He was raised the right way and makes the right choices in life.” Back to his recruitment, Eulls said it wasn’t until his junior year that he realized he would have all of his collegiate options. He grew up watching a ton of SEC football on the tube but never thought that could be himself one day playing on the big screen. “Basically, I never thought about playing college football until my junior year and then really at the start of my senior year,” said Eulls. “I grew up watching games on television. I always thought it would be
“To me, that was one of the scariest and most shocking days I have been through, and probably will ever experience,” said Eulls. “It was definitely the most emotional day I’ve had, for sure. During the entire thing, I really can’t explain what happened. I just used quick reactions during that situation and that’s about all I could say.”
Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine Mississippi Sports Magazine - 27
Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine
“It’s been a crazy past few months,” admitted Eulls. “But God has a plan for everything and only gives you what you can handle. He had big plans for me this year and I am glad I didn’t let Him down. I am just excited for the next challenge God has for me at Mississippi State.”
more than I could handle. But my senior year, I really found out that I could handle it. Years ago I never thought it would be possible but I finally proved it to myself this year on the field. I had to play a lot of positions and be the leader on both sides. But I think those responsibilities will help prepare me for my future at Mississippi State and the Southeastern Conference.” However, don’t mistake Eull’s quiet confidence. He fully understands he has a lot of work to do between now and August. That’s why he’s already preparing for the next level. “I know everything will be bigger and faster,” said Eulls. “I know the athletes will be a lot better and there will be more of them in the SEC. But I am ready to face that challenge and I get excited just thinking about that opportunity.” As for what position awaits Eulls at Mississippi State is still in question, mainly due to his size. He was recruited as a defensive end and that’s where he made his mark the past two years at Yazoo County. But since last summer, Eulls has grown from 255 pounds to 270 pounds. His quickness may allow him to remain at defensive end but obviously, Eulls has yet to enter a college weight program either. A year ago, current MSU freshman Fletcher Cox was in a similar position. As a former Yazoo City defensive end, Cox added nearly 25 pounds after arriving in Starkville last summer 28 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
and moved inside to defensive tackle. “I know Fletcher well and I saw the weight he put on,” said Eulls. “But it didn’t affect his speed and he made the All-SEC freshmen team. I don’t think if I add more weight, too, that it will affect my speed or my first step. I am okay with wherever they want me to play. “But they’ve told me I will be at defensive end, and really, that is where I like playing. I believe I can impact the team better on the edge and that’s where I am most comfortable.” Although he ended his deciding process early, Eulls admitted it was tough telling other programs ‘no’. “It was rough sometimes telling other coaches where I stood and I had to do that a lot,” said Eulls. “But it wasn’t tough telling them that I was always sticking with Mississippi State.” After watching and observing the hectic pace of other prospects’ recruitments, Eulls was, however, actually relieved that he made such an early decision. “I still look back to the day I committed and that day still gets me excited,” said Eulls, who made his commitment official to MSU on February 3rd. “I thank God for that day and I thanked Him because I truly knew where I wanted to go to school. I know recruiting really speeds up those last couple of months. All of the coaches are going for that big bang and that strong finish. Coaches are trying their best
and going all out just to get a player to visit their school. I had a lot of that, too, but I only took my one visit and that was to Mississippi State.” But Eulls added he didn’t make a rash decision. For much of last summer, Eulls talked with various SEC coaches and heard their best sale pitches. In the end, albeit early, Eulls said all signs led back to Mississippi State. “I just looked at all my resources and sorta through everything,” Eulls noted. “I talked to my parents and realized I was ready to make a decision. Mississippi State treated me like family and that was big to me. They are focused on getting the top players in the state and keeping all the in-state guys at home for college. I knew I wanted to be among that particular group.” But as mentioned above, his collegiate decision wasn’t the last major decision Eulls had to make these past six months. Yet through it all, Eulls believes his recent path to attention - on and off the field - will only make him stronger in the future. “It’s been a crazy past few months,” admitted Eulls. “But God has a plan for everything and only gives you what you can handle. He had big plans for me this year and I am glad I didn’t let Him down. I am just excited for the next challenge God has for me at Mississippi State.” - MSM
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TED
All WWE trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. © 2010 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.”
DiBiase ‘God will take a mess and make it a message’
© 2010 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
With the Heart of David, this WWE superstar has swapped piledrivers for prayer and saving lost souls By NASH NUNNERY Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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t first glance, there would appear to be a huge dichotomy between the diverse worlds of professional wrestling and evangelism. After all, Figure Four Leg Locks and Pile Drivers don’t seem to be in harmony with prayer or saving lost souls. Right? Wrong, says Ted DiBiase, Sr. The long-time Clinton resident is qualified to speak on both subjects. He’s a former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar-turnedminister. “As Christians, we are directed by God to influence the lost,” he says, “and you can’t do it by sitting in church. You have to go out where the people are.” Known to legions of pro wrestling fans as The Million Dollar Man, the 6-foot-3 DiBiase toiled in the squared circle for almost 20 years and became a household name, both as a performer and a manager. Despite fame and celebrity, DiBiase remains genuine, says a friend. “Some people of his stature might expect special treatment,” said Ken Anderson, pastor of Clinton’s Parkway Baptist Church. “Not Ted. You’d never know he was somebody famous when you meet him.” DiBiase literally cut his teeth on a ring post. His mother Helen Hild, was an accomplished pro wrestler, as was stepfather “Iron” Mike DiBiase, who died of a heart attack in the ring when Ted was 15. He’s appeared in a movie (Paradise Alley, starring Sylvester Stallone), been interviewed on live television by Larry King and has even been mentioned in a rap song. Hip-hop artist Nick Cannon cited DiBiase’s name in his 2004 hit, “Feelin’ Freaky.” Even though he is retired from the ring, his Million Dollar Man character is still featured in a variety of video games, including all three WWE Legends of Wrestling videos. DiBiase’s accomplishments in professional wrestling haven’t gone 30 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
unnoticed by his peers. He will be inducted March 27 into the WWE Hall of Fame and join mat legends such as Gorilla Monsoon, Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Killer Kowalski and Jerry Lawler in the sport’s Valhalla. The Omaha native completed his second book, Ted DiBiase, The Million Dollar Man, a couple of years ago. Published by Simon & Schuster, the book is DiBiase’s candid account of his life inside and out of the squared circle. “This book is my story – I wrote Every Man Has His Price in 1997 about my Christian faith, but I focus more on my wrestling career in this one, although there is some crossover,” said DiBiase. “It’s a behind-the-scenes look at pro wrestling and gives people a glimpse into the sport and the people in the industry.” DiBiase pulls no punches in the 241-page volume. He says the nature of the wrestling industry, and the temptations on the road, almost ended his marriage, writing “I’d conducted myself in a very immoral manner.” Traveling the pro circuit in the early stages of his career, DiBiase said
he began doing things he normally wouldn’t, like drinking alcohol. “You go out with the guys on the road and you have a beer. Then it turns into two beers and then a six-pack,” he said. “You wake up with a hangover, you start missing church and pretty soon, you’re not going,” he once claimed in an interview. DiBiase says his fall from grace was the catalyst to turn his life around and earn wife Melanie’s trust again. “God will take a mess and make it a message,” he said. “With our sons grown now, Melanie and I have begun to do couples ministry together. God forgave me and so did Melanie. She gave me another chance and for that I am so grateful.” Melanie, who grew up in Atlanta, credits her friends in Clinton for embracing her family during good times and bad. “I can’t express my gratitude enough to the people of Clinton for always being there for us,” she said. “When I met Ted, I knew nothing about the business of wrestling and how hard it is on family life. But not for my extended family in this town, I don’t know if I would have made it.” WWE television announcer Jim Ross, who’s known the popular DiBiase since their affiliation with Mid-South Wrestling, says The Million Dollar Man’s story contains valuable life lessons for young and old alike. “Ted holds nothing back, and he’s upfront and honest about his life in the fast lane,” said Ross. “He did a great job and it is a body of work every member of the family will enjoy.” DiBiase says his focus now is on his Clinton-based Heart of David Ministry, which he named for the biblical David. “Heart of David refers to David’s cry for help in the fortieth Psalm,” he said. “David was totally committed to God, but he had his shortcomings. It is a reflection of my personal experience with God. “Ours is a ministry that is both evangelical and encouraging, and our mission is to be wherever and whenever God leads me to be,” said DiBiase. “I want to utilize my notoriety (as a wrestler) and the spirit of influence that he has given me to be a doer of the Word.” The former wrestling superstar has made three mission trips to China and most recently visited the Philippines. Despite not having wrestled since 1993, he was instantly recognized when he stepped off the plane. “Again, I haven’t actually been in the ring for 17 years but as I was going through customs in the Philippines, all four customs officers knew who I was,” he said, laughing. “I’ve got a whole new fan base of teenagers that know me through the WWE video games. It’s really amazing.” DiBiase says the “heart and soul” of his ministry is evangelism but that using his platform of celebrity helps draw the crowds. “One of my biggest influences is Dr. Edwin Louis Cole, who, in my opinion was way ahead of his time in seeing that the breakdown of our society starts with men,” he said. “His books and teaching had a major effect on my life.” He also visits prisons for the opportunity to witness to inmates. “Prisoners are big wrestling fans,” he said, laughing. Clinton resident Mike Jefcoat has known DiBiase for 16 years and says the former wrestler is passionate about his faith. “Ted was dedicated to the wrestling business for so many years,” said Jefcoat. “But he is even more dedicated to the cause of Christ. Before I met him, I knew he was a wrestling icon and lived in Clinton. “Now that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him, I am amazed what God has done in his life. He’s inspirational.” Anderson concurs. “Ted is a very effective evangelist,” he said. “People ask him back to speak to groups again and again. To me, that’s the greatest compliment a pubic speaker could have.” Not unlike the Flying Wallendas trapeze family, the stable of Wrestling DiBiases is growing. After considering a career in the ministry, Teddy DiBiase is now a pro wrestler and is the focus of frequent WWE storylines. Ted, Jr. made
his Monday Night RAW debut in 2008 by declaring his intent to become a champion like his father. Brett is signed to a developmental contract and oldest son Michael wrestles on the independent circuit in Texas. Ted, Jr. also made his debut as an actor recently in The Marine 2, a direct-to-DVD movie that was released in late 2009. “He was asked to read for the part, although he’s never had any acting experience,” said the elder DiBiase. “When he went to read, the producers stopped him in mid-sentence and asked if he’d ever had any acting experience. Teddy looked at his watch and told the guy, ‘yes, about 15 minutes.’ He seems to be a natural.” Brett is signed to a WWE developmental contract and appears in Florida Championship Wrestling as one-half of The Fortunate Sons tag team. “My understanding is that Brett is becoming a standout student already. All my wrestling friends tell me, ‘The kid’s got it’ so I may have two sons in the WWE soon,” said DiBiase. Ted, Jr., a 2001 graduate of Clinton High, first signed a developmental contract with the WWE in 2007. The Million Dollar Man gave his blessings. “Teddy is a great kid and I think he will do well in professional wrestling,” said Ted. “He’s got a degree from Mississippi College but he wanted to follow me in the business. To have your child tell you that you are their hero and want to be just like you…it’s very gratifying.” Melanie DiBiase supports her sons’ dreams. “I know my husband is proud and excited that Michael, Teddy and Brett are following their hearts,” she said. “Teddy’s married now and I’d tell (wife) Kristin to just go with the flow and always adjust to the circumstances presented.” Has Ted offered Teddy any advice, now that he is in the WWE? “I’ve instructed him to be a light in a dark place and have encouraged him to live out his faith in front of people.” According to the Nielson ratings, a lot of folks are watching. Teddy’s RAW debut drew a 3.1 rating, meaning that 3.1 percent of all U.S. households were viewing. Pro wrestling is big business, says father Ted. “The industry is so much more corporate than when I started in 1975,” he said. “It’s a business driven by (television) ratings and is a reflection of society today.” DiBiase, however, doesn’t always approve of what the reflection reveals. “The last few years, the story lines have been blurred between good guys and bad guys,” he said. “And I certainly don’t like the sexual innuendo featured on the broadcasts. “But I do think the business is getting back to the days of good versus evil and the good will always triumph in the end. (WWE owner) Vince McMahon is a genius at understanding the wrestling audience.” Pro wrestling is not as glamorous as it appears on television, DiBiase adds. “If people only knew how hard these guys work to be conditioned. Wrestling is 52 weeks a year and is every bit as physical as pro football,” he said. Though the matches are obviously scripted, you can’t fake falling eight feet off the top rope onto a concrete floor. “You don’t walk off the street and say you want to become a wrestler. These guys go to Marine boot camp extreme to be in the best condition possible,” said DiBiase. The Million Dollar Man persona made him famous all over the world. But Ted DiBiase would probably tell you that being a man of God, a loving husband and a proud father are priceless. - MSM For more information on Ted DiBiase or to arrange a personal appearance please contact: Willowcreek Marketing, 12-111 Fourth Ave. #373, St. Catherines, ON L2S3P5, Fax: 905-346-0219, email: william@milliondolarman.com. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 31
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Photo courtesy Willowcreek Marketing, St Catherines, Ontario
Melanie DiBiase: A Survivor By Nash Nunnery Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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o say that being married to a professional wrestling icon is challenging might qualify as an understatement. After all, the life of a pro wrestler is one that is spent on the road. And in most cases, it means a wrestler is on the road for 300 wrestling dates a year, from Portland to Pensacola to Peoria to Pomona and back again. Temptation beckons in arenas, hotels and bars. “When you get to the top, the road is the price you pay,” said Melanie DiBiase. “There were times when he’d be home only 3-5 days a month. It’s exhausting, not just for the person experiencing the fame, but also his family. If not for my family and friends in Clinton, I don’t know that I could have made it.” Most women would agree that it’s not the most ideal situation for the perfect marriage. Melanie DiBiase knows all about the trials and tribulations associated with a career in professional wrestling. She’s married to WWE legend Ted DiBiase aka The Million Dollar Man, who held several championship belts before retiring in 1993. Most women (and men) would also agree that Melanie deserves a championship belt of her own for keeping the home fires burning during those years her Million Dollar Man was making a living wooing audiences from coast-to-coast. But the story doesn’t end there. You see, she and Ted have three sons: Teddy, Brett and Michael. Today, her precious boys are all grown up, live away from home and earn their keep as…professional wrestlers. Like father, like son. Melanie never dreamed that her sons would make a living in the ring. She was hoping for a professional sports career for each of them but in another venue – a soccer pitch. “I was the typical soccer mom and I absolutely loved watching them play,” she said. “I figured that if they did anything in sports professionally, that they would be playing in the MLS.” With Ted on the road during much of her sons’ formative years, Melanie focused on keeping the DiBiase household running like clockwork. Football games, soccer matches, birthday parties, PTA and anything else associated with raising three boys fell mostly into her lap. She and Ted wouldn’t have had it any other way. Though they followed their dad’s ring exploits on television, Teddy, Brett and Michael didn’t see much of wrestling life on the road. “We dug ourselves deep into reality and my
32 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Ted and Melanie DiBiase
sons lived a normal existence here in Clinton,” Melanie said. “Ted and I knew of wrestlers that would bring their families on the road and it was sad. Many couples ended up divorcing and their kids would lose their identities. By the time all of our boys graduated from high school, they probably saw only five matches live. “Professional wrestling is a fantasy world.” Melanie DiBiase met her husband at an Atlanta apartment complex when visiting some friends at the pool. She was a 19-year old college student at Georgia State and he was 26. One of her friends talked Melanie into using her charm to coax an autograph out of Ted, who she thought was an Atlanta Falcon football player. She got the autograph, which today is framed in the DiBiase home. “He asked for my phone number and I reluctantly gave it to him,” Melanie said. “Although he was cute, he was a foot taller and I thought he was too big for me. But I gave it to him.” The day was April 26, 1981. The DiBiases have been together ever since. Despite her lack of knowledge about the wrestling business, Melanie says she was prepared for her life as a pro athlete’s wife. Growing up in the Atlanta suburb of Stone Mountain, she watched her strong and independent mother raise her family. “My dad was a traveling executive for Sears and he was gone Monday through Friday,” she said. “I got used to being raised by my mother and I think the lessons I learned from her have served me well being married to a professional wrestler.” Young Melanie played softball, ran track and was a cheerleader in high school. Her circle of friends were high achievers and she had goals. “I wanted to be a graphic artist and work for Atlanta Magazine,” she said. “I was so indepen-
dent, but when I met Ted, I knew he was the man I would marry. But he was unsure whether I could live through the business of wrestling.” In 1992, with her husband at the top of his game, Melanie DiBiase was devastated that her marriage might be over. Her husband called her in the wee hours after appearing in Wrestlemania VIII in Indianapolis. Melanie had heard rumors about Ted’s infidelity and confronted him on the phone. She told him not to come home that night. After a period of counseling, the couple reconciled. Melanie attributes her Christianity to saving her marriage. “I’m a Christian and my life as a Christian is the most important thing in my life,” she said. “We all need forgiveness. My obedience to the Lord was my desire. God took us through the rough times and thankfully, we got the restoration we received. “Our marriage and family is a blessing.” As a wife and mother raising three growing boys in Clinton, Melanie dabbled in real estate, home building, interior design and even opened a store. Today, with an empty nest, she plays an active role in Ted’s Heart of David Ministry, does some freelance commercial design work and has begun painting again. “I just painted a portrait of Teddy in his wrestling attire and he says he’s going to hang it in his media room,” Melanie said. “When I was in college, I used to paint 10 hours a day. It feels good to pick up my brushes again.” Participating in the ministry has been another opportunity. “It’s been such a wonderful blessing to be able to minister to couples and be a part of Heart of David,” she said. “I love doing this ministry with Ted – the people we meet just bless our socks off.” Ted’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame later this month also excites her. Teddy and Brett have been selected to introduce their father to the audience that evening in New York. “It is so awesome that my boys will induct him,” she said. “Ted could have gone in the Hall of Fame a lot sooner, but I am so glad the WWE waited until the boys were in the business and could introduce him What a moment that will be – I’m speechless.” When it’s all said and done, Melanie DiBiase has no regrets about her life. “What a ride it has been – I have absolutely no regrets,” she said. “My life has been wonderful and I wouldn’t change a thing, good or bad.” - MSM
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DIXIE CARTER: OLE MISS’ FIRST LADY OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT
Look out Vince McMahon! Ole Miss alum is making waves in the male dominated realm of professional wrestling
By LARRY CRONAN Special to Mississippi Sports Magazine
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rofessional wrestling has always been about the unbelievable and the amazing, but could anyone expect that the person swinging a steel chair of change through the industry would be a former Ole Miss sorority girl? She isn’t actually suplexing anyone, but Dixie Carter has been revolutionizing professional wrestling for almost a decade. Flip through the channels this Spring and you’ll witness what wrestling fans and journalists alike are calling “Monday Night Wars II,” pitting the industry standard “WWE Raw” against Carter’s upstart “TNA iMPACT!” at 8 p.m CT on Spike. In just eight years, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling has jumped from regional obscurity - as a weekly pay-per-view show airing from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds to worldwide prominence, airing in over 110 countries worldwide. Now legendary names like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair are calling Carter, an Ole Miss alumnus and member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma women’s sorority, “boss.” Fans simply refer to her as “The First Lady of Professional Wrestling.” “It was quite evident when Dixie was a student here that she would be successful at whatever she pursued,” University of Mississippi Dean of Students Thomas “Sparky” Reardon said. “I didn’t think it would be as a wrestling czarina, but I shouldn’t be surprised. There is only one Dixie. She has a magic touch. We are proud of her as one of our alumnae.” 34 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
“Going to Ole Miss is the absolute definition of the great American college experience,” Carter says. After a successful career in marketing and publicity, Carter took a chance meeting with TNA Founder and pro wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett in 2002. Jarrett’s brainchild, a rival company to the WWE, had been dreamed up by many but never actually executed. After WWE bought out rival WCW from AOL Time Warner in 2001, pro wrestling’s golden era faded. Once-record ratings between the two competing promotions in the first “Monday Night War” made stars of Hogan, Flair, Sting, Jarrett, Kevin Nash and countless others, but with no competition came no excitement, and fans fled wrestling. “When we first talked about TNA, it wasn’t just about pro wrestling. We saw an industry that at its height had upwards of a combined
12 million fans watching on basic cable every week. Competition and big ideas create success, and TNA had endless potential,” Carter said. Under Carter’s guidance as company president, TNA secured a national television deal, first with Fox Sports Net and then with Spike, where “TNA iMPACT!” grew from a onehour show airing late nights on Saturday to two-hour Thursday programming in primetime, to its ultimate destiny: a direct competitor against “WWE Raw” on Monday nights. As TNA helped to slowly grow back the wrestling audience of the 1990s, the company branched into licensing and worldwide distribution, as well as a live touring arm that brought TNA mania live and in person to arenas across the country. When the show hit the road, the Magnolia State was one of the first stops on the list. During TNA’s inaugural touring run in the spring of 2007, the company brought its live show to the Crossroads Arena in Corinth, a move spearheaded by Carter. Since then, TNA has toured through Mississippi five more times, including Biloxi and Tupelo. In 2008 brought its live worldwide pay-per-view event “Slammiversary” to the Desoto County Civic Center in Southaven. TNA is scheduled to hit Mississippi for four more dates in 2010 (See Sidebar). “Anytime we have an opportunity to do business in Mississippi, we’re going to jump at it. I’m not the only person in this company with Mississippi roots. Anytime there’s a
Photo courtesy of TNA Wrestling
Mississippi Sports Magazine - 35
chance to help drive that economy, we’ll find it.” Carter’s Mississippi credentials came by way of Ole Miss. After growing up in Dallas and attending the Hockaday School, she looked for a small town campus with a big collegiate feel, and landed in Oxford (“Going to Ole Miss is the absolute definition of the great American college experience,” she said.) During school Carter became heavily involved in campus activities, and actually booked her first wrestling marches as part of a campus event for the Student Programming Board. “I was creating events just like I do now in college. The university has so many great leadership roles for students who are willing to take advantage of them. I don’t think I could have received a better education to prepare me for this job than Ole Miss. Not only did they give me a great book education, but a great real world education, too,” Carter said. After graduation Carter joined Levenson & Hill, the largest independent advertising agency in Dallas, eventually becoming the company’s youngest Vice President in history. In 1993, Carter relocated to Nashville, Tennessee and opened her own company, Trifecta Entertainment as a full-service entertainment company specializing in management, marketing/promotions and publicity. Three years later, Trifecta was named “Small Business of the Year” in Nashville, and roughly a decade later TNA would come to be. Despite her advancement Carter retains a strong loyalty not only to Ole Miss, but the entire state. “As part of my job I do interviews around the world, and one of my favorite things about doing those interviews is to bring exposure to Ole Miss and the state. I love that, all over the US and different parts of the world, I can be an ambassador for Mississippi to other parts of the world.” As a publicist with decades of experience, Carter warns that the only way that the state and its potential can be noticed on a larger scale is by a unified effort from its own businesses, officials and residents.” “We have to be the driving force. I think it’s very important for anyone who currently lives or works in Mississippi, or has roots there, to stand up for a perception of how special our state is. Perception is nine tenths of reality, so are we going to allow misconceptions about this state to color peoples’ opinions?” Carter’s involvement in the “Monday Night Wars” is certain to heat up throughout the year, and as TNA continues to grow on a worldwide level, the passion and intensity of a growing number of fans becomes increasingly similar to the same of diehard college sports fans back on campus at Ole Miss. So who’s more fanatic, a college football fan or a TNA fan? “I’d have to say, it’s a dead heat.” - MSM 36 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo courtesy of TNA Wrestling
Carter with wrestling legend Hulk Hogan
“TNA LIVE!” IN MISSISSIPPI March 18 – HATTIESBURG Lake Terrace Convention Center Tickets are available at www. etix.com, the Lake Terrace Convention Center box office or charge by phone at 601-2683220.
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April 30 – VICKSBURG Vicksburg Convention Center Tickets are available at any Ticketmaster location or charge
PLUS – More “TNA LIVE!” events in Jackson and Biloxi in 2010. Check www. tnawrestling.com for updates!
May 1 – GREENWOOD Leflore County Civic Center Tickets are available at www. lefloreciviccenter.com, or charge by phone at 662-4534065
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2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
OLE MISS
By JOHN DAVIS The Oxford Eagle
REBELS Rebels excited about Top 20 class in 2010 National Class Rankings: Rivals.com #17 • Scout.com # 14
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strong close over the final few days of the recruiting season paid dividends for the Ole Miss Rebel football program and coach Houston Nutt. Ole Miss catapulted itself into the Top 25 of the national recruiting rankings in 2010 by closing strong with top-notch prospects from the state of Mississippi as well as other top players from around the Southeast. Not only were some of these standout players committed to other schools just before National Signing Day, every single late addition serves a need spot for Nutt and his staff. Overall, Ole Miss signed 22 players on Feb. 3 and with the addition of two standout junior college players in defensive end Wayne Dorsey and safety Damien Jackson this past December, the Rebels were able to land a consensus Top 25 class. “This class is one of the highest ranked that we have ever been associated with. It is early, and you won’t know for a couple of years what the results will be, but we are excited,” said Nutt, who has now landed a consensus Top 20 class two years in a row. “This group has great character and it gets me excited. There are always one or two you thought you had, but you go as hard as you can and compete as hard as you can. We show them everything we have to offer, starting with the atmosphere, education, and how safe it is here. All of that is very impressive, along with what we have done on the football field for the past two years. I am really happy with the way things worked out. This class is one of the highest ranked that we have ever been associated with.” Proving his critics wrong is something that Nutt has been able to accomplish over his first two years on the gridiron as he has led the Rebels to back-to-back appearances in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. Nutt said that it was easier to sell the program on the recruiting trail this year because of the success the team has had on the field and where many feel the program is headed in the coming years. That success didn’t mean that his staff didn’t work hard in the attempt to land such a stellar class that included several players who were individually ranked highly by the national recruiting pundits. “We have a good recruiting staff. We work very hard at it, and I appreciate the 38 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo by Rivals.com
VINCENT SANDERS Sanders should add some quality size and speed to the Rebel receiving corp as a Freshman. Inconsistent play at WR was a thorn in the side of the Rebs in 2009. organization starting with Chris Vaughn. Derrick Nix deserves to be the recruiter of the year in Mississippi. Terry Price needs to be in there too, along with Tyrone Nix and James Shibest,” Nutt said. “Ron Dickerson signed Wayne Dorsey who was highly recruited. We have a good group of recruiters who are passionate about it and who do it the right way.” Signing more kids from the state of Mississippi was emphasized by Nutt and his staff this year and the extra work paid off by the Rebels signing seven prospects from the Magnolia State, and three players who have spent at least two seasons in Mississippi’s junior college ranks. Hollandale-Simmons defensive end Carlos Thompson not only filled a need, but getting his signature, as well as a commitment from players like South Panola’s Nicholas Parker and Noxubee County’s Vincent Sanders, were
big gets for the Rebels on for several different reasons. “I thought we did our best recruiting in the state of Mississippi since we’ve been here. Carlos Thompson, Vincent Sanders, Randall Mackey, Carlton Martin, Bryon Bennett, Will Denny, these guys in state were solid as a rock. We met their families and got excited about the relationship that we will have with them forever,” Nutt said. “What really sticks out at me is Carlos Thompson’s mother and father, they’re just so awesome. “They had grandmothers from both sides of the family sitting in the living room, and the theme song that kept coming back at me is ‘it’s a family atmosphere, it’s a family atmosphere, an excellence place to get a great education.’ With our facilities and the brand of football that we’re playing, they were excited. You’ve got to give a lot of credit to Terry Price and Derrick Nix. Derrick was excellent in the state this year.” While Mississippi was a focal point, so was signing skill players from the talent-rich state of Florida. Vaughn, Ole Miss’ recruiting coordinator, is a native of Tallahassee, Fla., and he ended up landing seven players from Florida this year. The haul from Florida was heavy in the defensive backfield, another need area for the Rebels, who lost three starters from the secondary after the Cotton Bowl. “We signed seven players from Florida. All of them are very good athletes. We have a really good connection through Chris Vaughn right now. He is from Florida and has been recruiting Florida players for a long time. There is nothing like the relationship and trust factor with how we are committed to our players,” Nutt said. “It goes back to (Florida natives) Charles Sawyer and Frank Crawford who had direct relationships with the guys we brought to campus in the past. When recruits see other players from their home state and see how happy they are, they get excited about coming to Ole Miss. I was really excited about the young men we had from Florida. We go to Florida to get a lot of skill players.” Offensive players Sanders (6-foot-3, 180-pounds) is regarded as the most highly rated offensive
skill player the Rebels signed this year, but East Mississippi quarterback Randall Mackey is expected to come in and compete for the starting job once he arrives in the fall. The Bastrop, La., native was a two-time NJCAA Region 23 MVP and this past season he threw for 3,122 yards and 32 touchdowns while also rushing for 579 yards and five scores. He signed with Ole Miss out of high school and his desire to be at Ole Miss has never wavered through his two seasons at EMCC. Another player who was signed to fill a need at tight end that ended up being a steal on signing day was Ray Brooks’ Cordell Giles. Giles had been committed to Mississippi State during the majority of the season, but in the end, he chose the Rebels over the Bulldogs. “He is a tremendous athlete. I think what won him over was those relationships and our atmosphere that we have here. When you win back-to-back Cotton Bowls, a picture is worth a thousand words. It makes a difference when they get to see us playing on TV in the brand new Cowboys Stadium and they get to see us holding up the trophy. When they get on campus, they talk with players about the gifts they received from the bowl, and all the perks of playing in a bowl game. All of that goes a
long way,” Nutt said. “Your players are your best ambassadors. They tell your recruits about going to a bowl game. (Ole Miss Athletic Director) Pete Boone gives us the tools to be successful and keep our coaches. After having a good year, other schools attempt to take your coaches. For Tyrone Nix to turn down offers and stay with us says a lot to recruits and their parents. All of our recruits keep up with who is going to coach them.” DEFENSIVE PLAYERS Thompson (6-5, 223, 4.6 seconds in the 40yard dash) is a consensus four-star recruit at a need position. He played in the U.S. Army All-America game this year after recording 15 sacks and 71 tackles as a senior. Dorsey, a 6-8, 265-pound strongside end prospect originally from Baltimore, had a very good career at Gulf Coast Community College. Jackson, a rangy 6-4, 195-pounder, has great ball skills for a safety and has the ability to help at both free safety or as an extra cornerback in nickel or dime packages. Martin and Bennett are both in the 6-2, 6-3, 265-pound range and both tackle prospects were highly recruited in the state and nationally. Martin had 76 tackles and five
2010 OLE MISS FOOTBALL SIGNEES Bryon Bennett, DL, 6-2, 250, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) -- A SuperPrep All-American … Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-America teams … Earned first team AllMetro and All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger and was a first team Class 6A All-State pick by the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior … Rated the No. 38 defensive end in the nation by ESPN. com … Listed No. 9 on The Clarion-Ledger’s Top 10 Most Wanted list … Ranked the No. 11 player in Mississippi and the No. 33 defensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com … Rated the No. 5 player in the state and the No. 56 defensive lineman in the nation by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 9 player in Mississippi and the No. 37 defensive tackle in the country by Scout.com … Ranked the No. 9 player in Mississippi by The Sun Herald … Helped lead Madison Central to the 6A state semi-final game as a senior … Participated in the AlabamaMississippi All-Star Classic as a senior … Rated the No. 12 player in Mississippi by the Mississippi Press … Recorded 73 tackles and 10.5 QB sacks as a senior … Posted 72 tackles and 13 sacks as a junior … Coached in high school by Bobby Hall. Cliff Coleman, DB, 5-10, 170, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. (Boyd H. Anderson) -- Named to the PrepStar preseason All-Region team … Rated the No. 67 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 39 player in Florida by the Miami Herald and No. 43 player in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel … Listed as the No. 90 CB in the nation and the No. 96 player in Florida by Scout.com … Rated as the No. 43 CB in the country by ESPN.com … Earned third team All-Broward honors from the Miami Herald as a senior … Participated in the Broward vs. Dade All-Star Game … Coached in high school by Mark James. Will Denny, OL/LS, 6-0, 245, Jackson, Miss. (Jackson Academy) -- Earned first team All-State honors from the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools …. Helped lead Jackson Academy to a 12-1 record as a senior … Named one of the top 12 perform-
sacks a senior, while Bennett added 73 tackles and 10.5 sacks. Both played in the MississippiAlabama All Star game this past year as well. Needs for next season Nutt said that he and his staff would need to go heavy on linemen on both sides of the ball as well as sign a quarterback or two, and a couple more wide receivers. Mississippi has at least four wide receivers in the state that are being ranked highly for the 2011 class, while there always a few linemen on both sides of the ball that will find their name up high on the regional and national rankings. “We’re always going to try to sign four or five offensive linemen, and four to five defensive linemen every year. We are always going to try to do that. We are going to focus on receivers and running backs. We have to sign a quarterback or two,” Nutt said. “Right now we have just two scholarship quarterbacks on campus and a third coming with Randall Mackey. Most schools have four or five [quarterbacks] so that is a number that you are concerned with because of injury. You reload at different places, but that is the basis for our plan.” - MSM
ers at the Chris Sailor National Kicking and Snapping competition … Coached in high school by David Sykes. Jared Duke, OL, 6-6, 325, Cleveland, Tenn. (Walker Valley) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 11 player in Tennessee … Earned first team Class 5A All-State honors from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and Tennessee Varsity as a senior … Named to the PrepStar preseason All-Region team … Rated the No. 13 player in Tennessee and the No. 67 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 8 player in Tennessee and the No. 33 offensive guard in the country by Scout.com … Named to The Tennessean’s 2009 Dream Team … Coached in high school by Ted Lockerby. Martez Eastland, RB, 6-0, 235, Ringgold, Ga. (Ringgold) -- Rated the No. 4 fullback in the nation and the No. 59 player in Georgia by Rivals.com … Named the Chattanooga Times Free Press Player of the Year as a junior and senior … Earned 6-3A Offensive Player of the Year honors and first team All-Region honors from the league coaches as junior and senior … Named honorable mention Class 3A All-State by the Associated Press as a senior … Ranked the No. 11 fullback in the country by Scout.com and No. 15 by ESPN.com … Rushed for 1,561 and 30 TD’s as a senior … Ran for 1,531 yards and 19 TD’s as a junior … Coached in high school by Robert Atkins. Cordell Giles, TE, 6-3, 235, Benoit, Miss. (Ray Brooks) -Ranked the No. 17 player in the state and No. 20 TE in the nation by Rivals.com … Earned first team 1A All-State honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a junior … Named to The ClarionLedger’s Top 40 Recruits list … Ranked the No. 14 player in Mississippi by The Sun Herald … Posted 74 tackles and 14 QB sacks as a senior … Coached in high school by Jerry Walker. Tony Grimes, CB, 5-11, 165, Hollywood, Fla. (Hollywood Hills) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 110 player in Florida … Named to the PrepStar preseason All-America team and Mississippi Sports Magazine - 39
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
the SuperPrep preseason All-Region team … Earned second team All-Broward honors from the Miami Herald … Rated as the No. 16 CB in the country by ESPN.com.… Ranked the No. 43 player in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel … Listed as the No. 25 CB in the nation by Scout. com … Participated in the Team USA vs. The World All-Star Game and the Offense-Defense All-America Bowl … Ranked the No. 40 CB in the nation and No. 72 player in Florida by Rivals.com … Posted 64 tackles and five INT’s as a senior … Totaled 41 tackles and five INT’s as a junior … Coached in high school by Scott Barnwell. Terrence Hackney, OL, 6-4, 320, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Northwood/Hargrave) -- PREP SCHOOL: Rated the No. 32 prep school player in the nation by Rivals.com … Coached in prep school by Robert Prunty … HIGH SCHOOL: Named to Class 2A Mid-State team by league coaches as a senior … Only played two years of football in high school … Also played basketball in high school. Chase Hughes, OL, 6-3, 290, Springville, Ala. (Springville) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 24 player in Alabama… Ranked the No. 16 center in the nation and the No. 27 player in Alabama by Rivals.com … Rated the No. 20 senior in Alabama on The Birmingham News Super Senior list … Ranked the No. 42 offensive guard in the nation by ESPN.com … Listed as the No. 16 center in the country and the No. 21 player in Alabama by Scout.com … Rated the No. 42 offensive guard in the nation by ESPN.com … Participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic as a senior … Coached in high school by Keith Maple. Clarence Jackson, LB, 6-2, 218, Atlanta, Ga. (North Clayton) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 66 player in Georgia … Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-Region teams … Listed as the No. 16 athlete in the country by ESPN.com … Earned first team All-Region 4-4A and Player of the Year honors from the league’s coaches as a junior and senior … Named first team Class 4A All-State by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a senior and listed as the No. 50 player in Georgia by the paper … Rated the No. 73 player in Georgia and the No. 74 LB in the nation by Rivals.com … Ranked the No. 56 player in Georgia and the No. 85 LB in the country by Scout.com … Rushed for 1,954 yards and 31 TD’s as a senior … Ran for 1,800 yards and 32 TD’s as a junior … Posted 58 tackles and 15 QB sacks on defense during junior season … Also played basketball in high school … Coached in high school by Rodney Hackeney. Delvin Jones, DL, 6-3, 230, Miami, Fla. (Palmetto) -- Named to the PrepStar preseason All-America team … Earned SuperPrep AllRegion honors and was rated the No. 40 player in Florida … Rated as the No. 32 player in Florida and the No. 32 defensive end in the nation by Scout.com … Listed as the No. 25 defensive end in the country by ESPN.com … Earned second team All-Dade honors from the Miami Herald as a junior and senior … Participated in the Broward vs. Dade All-Star Game … Recorded 66 tackles and 16 QB sacks as a senior … Posted 68 tackles and 14 QB sacks as a junior … Coached in high school by Larry Coffey. Randall Mackey, QB, 6-0, 190, Bastrop, La. (Bastrop/East Miss. CC) -- JUNIOR COLLEGE: A 2009 first team and 2008 honorable mention All-American by the NJCAA … A two-time NJCAA Region 23 Offensive MVP selection and MACJC All-State selection … Led the nation with 3,122 yards passing and ranked third with 283.2 yard per game as a sophomore … Finished second in the nation with 32 passing TD’s and added 579 yards rushing and five TD’s … Also lead the country with a 69.5 percent completion percentage … Passed for 2,818 yards and 24 TD’s as a freshman … Added 486 yards rushing and four TD’s … Helped lead East Mississippi to an 11-1 record, the MACJC state championship and a No. 4 national ranking … Rated the No. 5 JUCO player in the nation by Rivals.com and the No. 14 player by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 1 JUCO player in Mississippi by The Clarion-Ledger … Coached in junior college by Buddy 40 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Stephens … HIGH SCHOOL: A 2008 Parade Magazine All-American … A three-time first team All-State selection by Louisiana Football Coaches Association and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association … Named the 4A Offensive MVP by the Louisiana Football Coaches Association and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association … Also named Mr. Football by Louisiana Sports Writers Association … Rated the No. 11 dual-threat QB in the nation and the No. 18 player in Louisiana by Rivals.com … Passed for 3,103 yards with 33 TDs and rushed for 1,087 yards rushing with 17 TDs as a senior … Helped lead his team to three-straight 4A state championships … Rated the No. 16 athlete in the nation by Max Emfinger … Named to The Times-Picayune Best of the Rest Preps team … Threw for 2,066 yards with 27 TDs as a junior and 1,528 yards with 23 TDs as a sophomore … Coached in high school by Brad Bradshaw. Carlton Martin, DT, 6-2, 268, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) -- A SuperPrep All-American … Named to the PrepStar preseason All-America team … Selected to the Orlando Sentinel AllSouthern team … Earned first team All-Metro and All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger and was a first team Class 6A All-State pick by the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior … Ranked the No. 6 player in Mississippi and the No 24 defensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com … Rated the No. 8 player in the state and the No. 40 DL in the nation by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 7 player in Mississippi and the No 22 defensive tackle in the country by Scout.com … Rated as the No. 29 defensive end in the country by ESPN.com … Helped lead Madison to the 6A state semi-final game as a senior … Totaled 76 tackles and five QB sacks as a senior … Posted 56 tackles and seven sacks as a junior … Coached in high school by Bobby Hall. Brishen Mathews, DB, 6-1, 190, Monticello, Ark. (Monticello) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 3 player in Arkansas … Selected to the Orlando Sentinel All-Southern team … Named to the SuperPrep preseason All-America team and the PrepStar preseason All-Region team … Named first team All-State and Arkansas Mr. Football by ArkansasVarsity.com … Earned Southeast Arkansas Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Pine Bluff Commercial as a senior … Helped lead Monticello to a state championship as a senior and was named the game’s MVP … Named the 2009 State Farm 5A Defensive Player of the Year for Arkansas … Ranked the No. 4 player in Arkansas and the No. 36 safety in the country by Rivals.com … Listed as the No. 7 player in Arkansas and the No. 65 safety in the nation by Scout.com … Posted 51 tackles and two INT’s as a senior … Recorded over 900 yards rushing, 120 tackles and five INT’s as a junior … Father, Gwaine Mathews, is the head football coach at ArkansasMonticello … Coached in high school by Van Pascal. Quadarias Mireles, WR, 5-11, 175, Delray Beach, Fla. (Atlantic) -- Rated the No. 85 WR in the nation by Scout.com … Ranked the No. 94 WR in the country by ESPN.com … Caught 26 passes for 426 yards and four TD’s as a senior … Also ran for 172 yards and one TD … Caught 17 passes for 341 yards and two TD’s as a junior … Coached in high school by Andre Thaddeus. Eric Mitchell, DB, 5-11, 170, Cape Coral, Fla. (Mariner) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 98 player in Florida … Named to the PrepStar preseason All-Region team … Rated as the No. 60 CB in the nation and the No. 74 player in Florida by Scout. com … Posted 34 tackles and 10 passes defended as a senior … Also rushed for 773 yards and four TD’s … Coached in high school by Chad O’Brien. Nicholas Parker, RB, 6-2, 210, Batesville, Miss. (South Panola) -- Named to the PrepStar preseason All-America team and the SuperPrep preseason All-Region team … Selected to the Orlando Sentinel All-Southern team … Earned first team All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger and was named to the paper’s Dandy Dozen team as a senior … Named first team All-State and the 6A Offensive
Player of the Year by Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior … Ranked the No. 18 player in Mississippi and the No. 43 RB in the country by Rivals.com … Rated the No. 9 player in the state by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 12 player in Mississippi and the No. 32 RB in the nation by Scout.com … Helped lead South to the 6A state championship as a senior … Also won state titles as a freshman and sophomore … Rated as the No. 28 RB in the country by ESPN.com … Ranked the No. 20 player in Mississippi by The Sun Herald … Ran for 1,679 yards and 22 TD’s as a senior … Rushed for over 2,500 yards and 26 TD’s as a junior … Coached in high school by Lance Pogue. Vincent Sanders, WR, 6-3, 180, Macon, Miss. (Noxubee County) -- A SuperPrep All-American … Rated the No. 1 player and the No. 14 WR in the nation by SuperPrep … Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-America teams … Earned second team All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger and second team Class 4A All-State honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior … Named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen team and rated No. 5 on the paper’s “Top 10 Most Wanted” list … Earned first team All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger as a junior … Ranked the No. 4 player in Mississippi by The Sun Herald … Scored 13 TD’s despite missing four games with injury as a senior … Passed for over 500 yards and 10 TD’s and caught four TD’s and had 300 receiving as a junior … Also picked off seven passes on defense as a junior … Coached in high school by M.C. Miller.
Cedric Smith, DB, 5-10, 170, Prattville, Ala. (Prattville) -- Ranked the No. 22 player in Alabama and the No. 61 CB in the nation by Rivals.com … Rated the N0. 81 CB in the nation by ESPN.com …. Earned first team All-Metro honors from the Montgomery Advertiser as a senior … Helped lead Prattville to the 6A state title game as a senior … Posted 38 tackles and two INT’s as a senior … Coached in high school by Bill Clark. Carlos Thompson, DL, 6-5, 220, Hollandale, Miss. (Simmons) -- A U.S. Army and SuperPrep All-American … Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-America teams … Earned first team All-State honors from The Clarion-Ledger and second team All-State honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches as a senior … Named to The Clarion-Ledger’s Dandy Dozen team and rated the No. 2 on its Top 10 Most Wanted list … Rated the No. 3 player in the state and the No. 32 DL in the nation by SuperPrep … Ranked the No. 4 player in Mississippi, the No. 9 defensive end and the No. 175 player overall in the nation by Rivals.com … Listed as the No. 4 player in Mississippi and the No. 17 defensive tackle and No. 137 player overall in the
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Ralph Williams, LB, 6-1, 220, Miami, Fla. (Southridge) -- A SuperPrep All-Region pick and rated the No. 60 player in Florida … Named to the PrepStar and SuperPrep preseason All-Region teams … Ranked the No. 66 player in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel … Listed as the No. 39 LB in the nation and the No. 92 player in Florida by Scout.com … Earned second team All-Dade honors from the Miami Herald as a senior … Named Class 2A first team All-State by the Florida Sports Writers Association as a junior … Recorded 89 tackles and 18 QB sacks as a senior … Posted 81 tackles and 18 QB sacks as a junior … Coached in high school by Pat Burrows.
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Photo Credit: Ed Gardner
Jeff Scott, RB, 5-8, 170, Miami, Fla. (Archbishop Carroll) -- Named to the PrepStar preseason All-Region team … Earned first team All-Dade honors from the Miami Herald as a junior and second team All-State honors from the Florida Sports Writers Association … Rated as the No. 53 RB in the nation by Scout.com … Ranked the No. 88 athlete in the country by ESPN.com … Rushed for 554 yards and 10 TD’s in only five games as a senior … Ran for 1,393 yards and 23 TD’s as a junior … Coached in high school by Jorge Zagales .
country by Scout.com … Ranked the No. 3 player in Mississippi by The Sun Herald … Rated as the No. 41 defensive end in the country by ESPN.com … Totaled 71 tackles and 15 QB sacks as a senior … Posted 115 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior … Coached in high school by his father, Carlos Thompson.
1 Braves Way • Pearl, MS • 39208 Mississippi Sports Magazine - 41
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
MISS. STATE
By PAUL JONES Contributing Writer
BULLDOGS Mullen’s goal to recruit in Mississippi pays off National Class Rankings: Rivals.com #38 • Scout.com # 38
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hen Dan Mullen took over the Mississippi State gridiron program, he vowed to making the Magnolia State a recruiting priority. Judging from his Class of 2009 and Class of 2010 members, Mullen has held true to his word. A year ago, the Bulldogs signed 27 total players and 19 were in-state prep products. This past National Signing Day (Feb. 3) Mullen and the Bulldogs announced 26 signees and 16 were from the state of Mississippi. The Bulldogs also had a trio of Class of 2010 signees enroll at mid-semester - Gulf Coast Community College duo James Carmon and Vick Ballard along with Mobile prep offensive lineman Blaine Clausell. “When I got hired here, I wanted to make a statement that we were gonna recruit the state of Mississippi hard,” said Mullen. “For the second year in a row, we signed at least 16 players from the state of Mississippi, which is more than Southern Miss and the university of the school up north combined this year. “The foundation of our program is recruiting high school players from the state of Mississippi. We had six Dandy Dozen members in this year’s signing class. Also, for the fourth straight year we signed the Gatorade state player of the year and for the second straight year, we signed a Parade All-American quarterback from the state of Mississippi (Dylan Favre). Over the last two years, we signed twice as many players from the state as Southern Mississippi and three times as many as the school up north.” Some of the top in-state talent reeled in by the Bulldogs included a half-dozen Dandy Dozen (the Clarion Ledger) members - Michael Carr, Kaleb Eulls, Nick Griffin, Robert Johnson, Damien Robinson and Matt Wells. The Bulldogs also inked Gatorade Player of the Year from Mississippi and Mr. Football (The Clarion Ledger) in Favre. “Per capita, there are more players in the NFL from Mississippi than every other state besides Louisiana,” said Mullen. “We have a tremendous amount of talent in our state. Our goal will always be to dominate the state and get the most players we can here. “I truly, truly believe like most states, if all the top players in the state of Mississippi all joined together like they’ve started to do the past two years and come to one school to
42 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo by Mississippi Sports Magazine
DYLAN FAVRE Will Favre bring a swagger to the QB position at MSU? If he’s anything like his uncle, State fans may be in for a surprise. represent the state of Mississippi, they will be holding up a crystal ball and the state of Mississippi will be able to call itself champions. That is an important thing.” BEST GRABS While numerous recruiting services will pick the best of various recruiting classes, Mullen noted some of his program’s best catches on Wednesday during his press conference. “I think we hit homeruns basically wherever we wanted to go,” said Mullen. “Curtis Virges and Kaleb Eulls, we got the two best defensive linemen in the state of Mississippi. Getting some depth on the offensive linemen and a guy I forgot to mention, Dillon Day who led his team to a state championship this year. So I think we added a lot of solid depth on the defensive and offensive lines.” Mullen also mentioned some of the top skill players brought in as well as some line-
backers. “We got some playmakers on offense with Malcolm Johnson and Robert Johnson, and then you add in the running backs we got,” said Mullen. “Michael Carr is probably the top receiver in the state of Mississippi this year. This recruiting season, Mullen also had a unique situation in the recruitment of an in-state prospect. Included in State’s in-state recruiting haul was Oak Grove standout Jay Hughes. His father is currently on the MSU coaching staff, Tony Hughes, who coaches the Bulldog safeties. During Jay’s recruiting process, Mullen said he wanted Coach Hughes out of the process. He wanted Jay’s father to be simply the father in the process and not the coach. “The fact that Tony, as a father, decided to have his son come play for our staff and our university, shows you the direction that he thinks,” said Mullen. “That is a football coach with a tremendous amount of football experience that wanted his son in this environment. “If that is not a stamp of what our program is about and the direction this is going in, I don’t know what is.” During Jay Hughes’ official visit, Mullen joked about getting yelled about by Coach Hughes’ wife. While Coach Hughes was busy with other recruits, Jay and his mother were busy involved with academic meetings. And Jay’s mother quickly called Mullen to tell him that Coach Hughes needed to be present and be the father at that time. OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL Of course, the position that likely received the most attention in this class was the offensive line. MSU closed late with the likes of Olive Branch duo Damien Robinson and Eric Lawson, as well as former Utah transfer Archie Muniz and West Monroe, La., product Dillon Day. “That was a priority for us,” said Mullen. “I think we were down five offensive linemen from what we want to carry right now with our two seniors from last year. We have four seniors next year and only four sophomore offensive linemen on scholarship. So it was a huge deal for us to go out and get the offen-
sive linemen. “Having Blaine Clausell come in mid-semester is a huge help for us. But to pick up Archie Muniz, who we think is a tremendous talent that can develop. Eric Lawson who is youngest and his great high school head coach, Samsell, thought he had the best potential of all his linemen up there.” Robinson, an Army All-American, chose MSU over offers from Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss and Oklahoma among others. “With Damien Robinson, I don’t think there was a higher recruited kid in the state than he was this year,” said Mullen. “For him to pick our program and the combination of those other young guys coming in, boosts us for the future. With an offensive line with four seniors, next year will be a priority for us as well.” While the Bulldogs return the bulk of their starting O-line for 2009, the same can not be said for the guys running through those holes and openings. This past season, the Bulldogs relied heavily on three senior tailbacks - Anthony Dixon, Christian Ducre and Arnil Stallworth. So naturally, signing tailbacks was a top priority this year. One signee is already on campus in juco transfer Vick Ballard. “To get a Vick Ballard, the top junior college running back in the nation, and get him in this semester brings some maturity to that group,” said Mullen. “We still have a young running back group with Vick Ballard and Robert Elliott as juniors and the old men of the group.” The Bulldogs also added all-state tailbacks Nick Griffin and Matt Wells to the Class of 2010 on Wednesday. “But when you go in and take a Nick Griffin, who led the state or his division in rushing and had over 2,000 yards, obviously that’s a huge addition for us,” said Mullen. “As well as Matt Wells, who is a young man that can do all different things on the field. I see him being a player we can put in the backfield, that we can put out in the slot at receiver. We can move him everywhere and hopefully cause some matchup issues. “They are going to have to come in and contribute right away.” Also in the offensive backfield, it was no secret the Bulldogs missed out on some bigname quarterbacks for 2010, including the likes of Cam Newton and Barry Brunetti. But Mullen said he was pleased with the one he got in Favre. “I am sure a lot of people look back at a guy with the same name we just got and say ‘I wish we would have signed him a long time ago’,” said Mullen of Favre. “When you look for a quarterback, you want to find a winner. It’s all about intangibles. Dylan Favre came to our camp, saw him and met him. Our coaching staff said if he was 6-3 he would be perfect.
So we went to see if we could find someone to match the criteria we wanted.” After Favre got through with his prep career, Mullen said there were plenty of reasons to offer Brett Favre’s nephew. “Then Dylan proceeded to go out and set every passing record, single-handily carried his team to a state championship and absolutely dominated an all-star game,” Mullen said. “He became a Parade All-American, the Gatorade state player of the year and basically took any doubt out of anybody’s mind of what kind of winner he is on the field. That is the kind of quarterback we looked for.” DEFENSIVE SIDE OF THE BALL With several upperclassmen in the middle of the defense, the Bulldogs made a point to ink a few linebackers that wouldn’t need much time to make an impact. State may have gotten just that with the likes of Memphis product Ferlando Bohanna, as well as possible future linebackers in Chris Hughes and Brandon Hill. “We think Ferlando Bohanna is a young man who could possibly contribute and get a signficant amount of playing time next year,” said Mullen. “He comes in with college size and college speed already. Christian Holmes, we think will grow into being a linebacker and a guy we got in on late. With Brandon Hill and Chris Hughes, you are taking two very big athletes that may grow into being linebackers at some point and give us a lot of speed at that position.” “Corvell Harrison-Gay is a young man who could do some swing things for us, and could grow into a defensive end at some point. He was a starting linebacker for Mississippi in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game.” And along with their physical play, Mullen applauded the athletic ability of some of his defensive signees. “Then the athleticism of defensive players is something I’m really excited about. When you look at the guys we recruited, Ferlando Bohanna, Christian Holmes, Chris Hughes, who has a tremendous amount of speed, and Brandon Hill, who can be a tremendous defensive player for us.” As he noted above, Mullen believes he signed the two best D-linemen in the state with Eulls and Virges. The Bulldogs also brought in 6-foot-7 and 360-pound Carmon in January. Concerning the secondary, MSU will have but one senior in 2010 in the defensive backfield - corner Maurice Langston. To help build depth for the future, MSU signed three cornerback prospects in Hughes, Jamerson Love and Jameon Lewis, with the latter two playing in state championship games this past season. FINDING THE SLEEPERS: Every year, the Magnolia State produces its
share of under-rated prospects and those fans call ‘sleepers’. Mullen believes the Bulldogs did that again, and singled out West Lowndes’ athlete Brandon Hill as an example. “Obviously, I don’t work for Scout, Rivals or whatever the inc’s are or the dot.commers are, so I don’t get to rate players,” said Mullen. “If I got to rate players, Brandon would be a much, much higher rated player than he is. I can’t imagine all the major corporations spent a lot of time at West Lowndes High School to see what type of player a Brandon Hill is. “When you take a young man who is 6-3 and 220 pounds on his visit and is an athlete, it is special. You combine that with the smalltown values he brings with being an excellant student and high-character young man. He didn’t get caught up in having at all the press conferences and did things, the way I look at it, the right way. I don’t care how many stars are guys come in with. Our job is to make sure they leave with many more stars after four years.” Mullen also noted of Puckett linebacker/ safety Christian Holmes, who was offered late in the recruiting period by MSU and USM, and was one of MSU’s last commitments for 2010. “You gotta be going to Puckett to watch kids at Puckett play,” said Mullen. “If you are not recruiting the state of Mississippi hard, you could easily just jump over Puckett High School and hit the big schools and move on. I think we are really excited about the steps he could take at linebacker.” And the goal is simple, said Mullen. He wants to make sure they hit every high school in the Magnolia State so they don’t overlook anybody. “We want to make sure we don’t miss the next Jerry Rice, or a John Banks or miss on a Kaleb Eulls or miss on a Christian Holmes that are at small schools,” said Mullen. “Those guys can have pride in that last game when they know what they are playing for, and that’s bragging rights for this state.” LOOKING AHEAD TO 2011: With the ink barely dry on the 2010 collection of signees, Mullen was already looking ahead to the Class of 2011. And he mentioned several priorities for the next recruiting class. “Obviously, next year we need to go get some tight ends,” said Mullen. “We will have a senior kicker and a senior punter so we’re looking for some specialists for us. Every year you have to recruit a quarterback and that will obviously be a major point of emphasis for us. “But really, it’s every year. If you get to that balance where you are signing 22 or 23 kids a year and you have a pretty balanced class of kids coming in here, that’s going to be critical. But I would also say defensive ends will be big for us, safeties, tight ends and offensive linemen.” - MSM Mississippi Sports Magazine - 43
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
2010 MISS. STATE FOOTBALL SIGNEES Vick Ballard, RB, 5-11, 210, Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula/ Miss. Gulf Coast CC) -- JUNIOR COLLEGE: Named first-team junior college all-America by National Junior College Athletic Association ... Rushed for 1,728 yards and 22 touchdowns during his sophomore season ... Finished season fourth nationally with 144.0 yard-per-game average ... Also named to the 2009 MACJC South All-State First Team Offense and named the 2009 MACJC Most Valuable back ... Helped lead Gulf Coast to a 9-3 record and a No. 8 national ranking in 2009 ... Played for head coach Steve Campbell ... Rushed 84 times for 555 yards (6.6 ypc) and 12 touchdowns as a freshman in 2008. HIGH SCHOOL: Posted 940 yards rushing and 522 receiving yards during his senior season at Pascagoula High School ... Also scored 17 touchdowns during senior campaign ... Named to G&W Recruiting Report Preseason Watch List prior to senior season ... Played in Max Emfinger All-American Game ... Signed with Jackson State and had an offer from Houston.PERSONAL: Born July 16, 1990 ... Son of Vick Terry and Katie Ballard ... Uncle Walter Ballard played football at UTEP. Ferlando Bohanna, LB, 6-0, 230, Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Rated the No. 7 prospect in the state of Tennessee regardless of position by Rivals.com ... Ranked the 15th best middle linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com ... Rated a three-star prospect ... Led Coach Rodney Saulsberry’s team to a 10-3 record and a trip to the third round of the state playoffs in 2009 ... Named the District 16-AAA defensive player of the year and made the Nashville Tennessean’s 2009 Dream Team of the state’s top 25 players ... He was credited with 85 total tackles as a senior ... Also had 13 hits for losses with three sacks and three forced fumbles ... Finished his junior season with 75 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three fumbles recovered, two sacks, one fumble caused and one interception ... Participated in the Junior U.S. Army All-American Combine in San Antonio ... Committed to Mississippi State in November over Clemson, Middle Tennessee, North Carolina and Southern Miss. PERSONAL: Born September 2, 1991 ... Son of Chris and Chaquana Bohanna. James Carmon, DL, 6-7, 360, Baltimore, Md. (Baltimore City College/Miss. Gulf Coast CC) -- JUNIOR COLLEGE: Rated nation’s top junior college defensive tackle prospect by Rivals.com ... Listed as the eighth best prospect in the country regardless of position ... Finished 2009 season with 32 tackles and three sacks ... Recorded three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over two seasons ... Played for head coach Steve Campbell and defensive line coach Dorsett Davis. HIGH SCHOOL: Named all-state, all-metro and all county following junior and senior seasons ... Named Metro Player of the Year in 2008 ... Helped lead City College to a 9-3 record during his senior season ... Played for head coach George Petrides ... Named to G&W Recruiting Report Preseason Watch List prior to senior season. PERSONAL: Born James Alvin Carmon, Jr. on February 21, 1989 in Baltimore, Md. ... Son of James Carmon Sr. and Angela Carmon. Michael Carr, ATH, 6-1, 195, West Point, Miss. (West Point) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Rated the No. 5 prospect in the state regardless of position by Rivals.com ... Ranked the 23rd best athlete in the nation by ESPN ... Received a four-star listing from both ESPN and Rivals ... Named the 8th most-wanted recruit in the Clarion-Ledger’s top 40 ... Named to the Clarion-Ledger’s first team offense at wide receiver ... Also named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches 5A All-State first team ... Led Coach Chris Chambliss’ Green Wave to a 14-1 record and 5A state championship ... In state championship game, Carr scored on a 64-yard reception and a 78-yard kickoff return ... He finished the contest with four catches for 128 yards ... Finished his senior campaign with 38 catches for 832 yards and 16 total touchdowns ... Defensively he intercepted one pass and had a 35 yard return ... Also returned 15 punts for 415 yards with a longest return of 84 yards ... Chosen to the Mississippi High School All-Star Game he caught four passes for 53 yards ... He was a preseason Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen selection ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi ... Committed in February of his junior year. PERSONAL: Born Michael Christopher Carr on October 29, 1990 ... Son of Fluid Carr, Jr. and Ferecia Carr. Blaine Clausell, OL, 6-7, 310, Mobile, Ala. (Baker) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Played for head coach Tim Massengale at Baker High School ... First player from his high school to play football in the Souteastern 44 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Conference ... Recipient of Sherryl Smith Scholarship Award ... First-team all-area ... Committed to Mississippi State in July prior to senior season ... Chose Bulldogs over Louisiana, Southern Mississippi and Troy. PERSONAL: Born Blaine Iman Clausell on January 31, 1992 in Mobile .... Son of Leon and Teraca Lang. Paul Crawford, DL, 6-8, 235, Lewisville, Texas (Hebron) -HIGH SCHOOL: Signed with Mississippi State out of the talent-rich prep ranks of Texas ... Finished his senior season with 72 tackles ... Named all-district following the 2009 season ... Posted 17 tackles from his outside linebacker position in the first game of the season ... Played for head coach Brian Brazil at Hebron High School ... Hebron missed the Class 5A Playoffs by one game ... Standout on the Hebron basketball team also had offers to play collegiately on the hardwood ... Chose Mississippi State over Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado State and UTEP among others. PERSONAL: Born June 18, 1992 ... Brother, David, is a wide receiver at Wagner College. Dillon Day, OL, 6-4, 260, West Monroe, La. (West Monroe) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Played offensive tackle for head coach Don Shows at West Monroe, helping lead the Rebels to a state championship appearance his junior year and the 5A state title his senior campaign ... West Monroe finished the 2009 season 15-0 and ranked No. 9 nationally, defeating Archbishop Rummel 30-0 in the title game in the Louisiana Superdome ... Rated a two-star prospect by Rivals.com ... Also held scholarship offers from Louisiana Tech and Louisana-Monroe PERSONAL: Born October 17, 1991 ... Son of Marc and Diane Day. Kaleb Eulls, DL, 6-4, 255, Yazoo City, Miss. (Yazoo County) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked the No. 4 player in the state of Mississippi regardless of position by SuperPrep ... Slotted at No. 5 regardless of position and the top defensive lineman by Scout.com ... A four-star rating by both Scout.com and Rivals.com ... A consensus all-state selection and a pick to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Named the 4A Defensive Player of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Named to the Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen along with being named the paper’s sixth most-wanted recruit ... As a defensive end he totaled 82 tackles with 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks ... Forced one fumble and recovered another ... Also handled quarterback on offense and finished his senior year with 721 passing yards ... Rushed for 942 yards with 11 touchdowns ... Also served as teams punter, averaging 42 yards per boot ... Played for head coach Matt Williams ... Received national headlines and television appearances after disarming a student on the bus on the way to school ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi ... Also had offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Southern Miss and Tennessee among others ... Committed to Mississippi State in July of 2009. PERSONAL: Born Kaleb Lashun Eulls on June 28, 1991 ... Son of Ora Eulls. Dylan Favre, QB, 5-11, 190, Bay St. Louis, Miss. (St. Stanislaus) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Named the 2009 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Mississippi ... Named to the prestigious Parade All-America Team ... Honored as Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year by Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Also named Mississippi Player of the Year and All-State quarterback by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Listed as one of Mississippi’s 40 Most Wanted by the Clarion-Ledger ... Named the 15th best prospect in the state by the Mississippi Press ... Rivals.com rated him as the No. 2 quarterback in the state ... Shattered most state passing records ... Completed 342 of 529 passes for 5,589 yards and 63 touchdowns as a senior ... Also rushed for 1,265 yards and 18 scores as he led coach Forrest Williams’ Rockachaws to a 14-1 record and the 4A state title ... Tabbed as the All-South offensive player of the year by the Biloxi Sun Herald each of the past two seasons ... As a junior, completed 225 of 370 passes for 3,805 yards and a then-state record 45 touchdown passes ... Named 2nd team All-State by the Clarion Ledger in 2008 ... During his sophomore season, Favre threw for 36 touchdowns 3,092 yards and completed 196 of 322 pass attempts ... Chose Mississippi State over Southern Mississippi and Tulane. PERSONAL: Born Dylan DeWayne Favre on March 19, 1992 ... Son of Jeffrey and Rhonda Favre ... Nephew of NFL quarterback Brett Favre. Nick Griffin, RB, 5-11, 195, New Augusta, Miss. (Perry Central) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Rated the No. 10 prospect in the state of Mississippi regardless of position by Rivals.com ... Earned a three-star rating from Rivals, Scout and ESPN ... Played in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star
Game ... Listed on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s 40 Most Wanted List and also a preseason Dandy Dozen Selection ... Named first team All-State by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Also named first-team All-State on the 3A level by Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Led class 3A in rushing with 2,080 yards on 234 carries for head coach Tim Barron in 2009 ... Scored 36 touchdowns during his senior season with 31 coming on the ground ... Also played defensively as a safety, and as a junior posted 82 tackles with a two sacks and four interceptions ... Averaged just under 30.0 yards punting ... As a junior, rushed for 720 yards with nine touchdowns on 120 carries ... In 2007 he had a breakout season with 1,371 rushing yards on 201 carries and 17 touchdowns ... Also posted 64 tackles with an interception on defense ... Played for the varsity as a ninth grader with 59 tackles and three sacks ... Plays for the PCHS basketball varsity and runs track ... Committed to Mississippi State in January with offers from Stanford, Southern Mississippi and Vanderbilt. PERSONAL: Born Nicholas Cameron Griffin on October 23, 1991 ... Son of Joseph and Mae Griffin. Corvell Harrison-Gay, LB/DE, 6-3, 220, Laurel, Miss. (Northeast Jones) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Listed as the top linebacker prospect in the state of Mississippi by Rivals.com and No. 2 linebacker by Scout. com ... Rated the No. 23 prospect regardless of position in Mississippi by Scout.com ... Selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game ... Listed on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s 40 Most Wanted List ... Earned all-state honors in Class 4A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Named second-team All-State regardless of classification by the Clarion-Ledger ... All-Jones County team pick of the Laurel Leader Call ... All-Area selection of WDAM-TV ... For the 2009 season he led NEJHS on defense with 85 tackles in ten games ... Playing tight end he caught eight passes for 82 yards with a pair of touchdown receptions, one each in games with Class 5A state finalists West Jones and Wayne County ... Played for head coach Robert Hathorn at Northeast Jones ... Committed to Mississippi State in December of 2009. PERSONAL: Born Corvell Vermaine Gay on March 22, 1991 ... Son of Ollie and Michelle Michelle Harrison. Brandon Hill, ATH, 6-2, 210, Crawford, Miss. (West Lowdnes) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Earned a four-star ranking by ESPN.com and listed as the No. 24 athlete in the nation by that recruiting service ... Listed by Scout.com as the No. 22 prospect in the state regardless of position ... Listed on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s 40 Most Wanted recruits ... Finished his senior season with 23 catches for 269 yards and two touchdowns on offense ... Defensively registered 64 tackles with one sack ... Also picked off three passes and returned one for a touchdown ... Recovered three fumbles, broke up three passes and tallied three tackles for loss ... Became one of the Bulldogs’ first commitments of the class as he committed in February of 2009 ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi ... Also considered by Arkansas and Southern Mississippi ... Also received baseball and track scholarship offers from several schools. PERSONAL: Born Brandon D. Hill on May 26, 1991 ... Son of Brandon Hill and LaTonya Bush. Christian Holmes, LB, 6-2, 235, Puckett, Miss. (Puckett) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Class 2A All-Metro selection by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Recorded 107 tackles during his senior season at Puckett Attendance Center ... Also tallied four sacks, intercepted two passes, forced four fumbles and recovered three of them ... A two-way player in high school, he added 388 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball ... Helped lead the Wolves to a 11-2 record in 2009 ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi ... Also had offers Southern Mississippi and Memphis ... Committed to Mississippi State in January. PERSONAL: Born Christian Joseph Holmes on June 16, 1992 ... Son of Kristi Holmes. Jeff Howie, OL/DL, 6-4, 330, Medina, Pa. (Itawamba CC / Fork Union Military Academy / Downingtown (Pa.) West) JUNIOR COLLEGE: Earned a three-star rating from both Scout.com and Rivals.com ... Earned all-state honors at Itawamba Community College as a freshman on the offensive line ... Moved to defensive tackle and earned first-team honors as a sophomore ... Due to a broken hand, played in just six games in 2009 but still managed 38 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and five sacks ... Committed to Mississippi State in January ... Also received scholarship offers from Kentucky, Louisiana-Monroe, Ohio, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Troy and Western Kentucky. HIGH SCHOOL: Made
32 solo tackles and three sacks in 2006 under head coach Mike Milano at Downingtown West High School to help team to a 10-2 record and a playoff berth ... Earned first-team All-Chesmont and all-area honors ... Played both offensive tackle and defensive tackle ... Selected to play in the 2007 PSFCA East-West All-Star Game and the 2007 Valor Bowl All-Star Game ... Signed with Temple after high school career before attending Fork Union Military Academy ... Was ranked in the Rivals.com prep school Top 50 following only season at the Virginia institution. PERSONAL: Born Jeffrey A. Howie on September 3, 1988...Son of George Howie. Chris Hughes, DB, 6-0, 215, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson) HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked four-star prospect by ESPN.com and listed as the No. 16 safety prospect in the nation by that service ... Ranked the 25th best prospect in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Suffered a leg injury prior to his senior season and saw limited playing time ... As a junior, recorded 118 tackles with 71 solo ... Also posted seven tackles for a loss with a sack ... Caused two fumbles, intercepted three passes and was credited with two pass breakups and four hurries ... Committed to Mississippi State in January of 2010 ... Played for head coach Fred Riley at Davidson High School ... Also held offers from Clemson, Arkansas, South Carolina, Louisville, Mississippi, Southern Miss and Kansas State. PERSONAL: Born Christopher Brian Hughes on August 11, 1991 ... Son of Chawnerick Winbush. Jay Hughes, ATH, 5-11, 175, Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove) HIGH SCHOOL: Listed as a top-100 national running back by Scout.com ... Ranked the 14th prospect regardless of position by Scout ... Earned a three-star ranking by Scout, Rivals.com and ESPN.com ... Named to the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s 40 Most Wanted Recruits list ... Selected to play running back in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Named to the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s second team all-state team comprised of all classifications ... Playing for Coach Nevil Barr he helped Oak Grove to an 11-3 record with championships of both Region 3 and South State to reach the Class 6A State Finals ... . WDAM-TV named him to their All-Area first team, and he was second-team All-Area by the Hattiesburg American newspaper ... During 2009 senior season, rushed 143 times for 856 yards ... Also recorded four rushing touchdowns ... Transferred to Oak Grove HS for his junior season in 2008 ... Made an immediate impact by rushing for 980 yards on 172 carries ... Scored 17 rushing touchdowns as the Warriors finished 12-2 and reached the South State title game ... Played in 2007 at Oxford (Miss.) High School ... Committed to Mississippi State in December of 2009 ... Also held offers from Auburn, Duke, Louisiana Tech, mississippi, Southern Miss, Tennessee, Tulsa, Vanderbilt and West Virginia. PERSONAL: Born Jay Khalil Hughes on November 21, 1991 ... Son of Tony and Marion Hughes ... Father is safeties coach and recruiting coordinator for Mississippi State. Malcolm Johnson, WR, 6-2, 205, Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Northridge) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals. com and ESPN.com ... ESPN.com lists him as the No. 75 wide receiver prospect in the nation ... Rivals.com has him as the No. 33 recruit in the state of Alabama regardless of position ... Most Valuable Player at Rivals Ultimate 100 Camps in both Birmingham and Atlanta ... During his senior season, Johnson caught 39 passes for 598 yards and scored eight touchdowns ... Played for head coach Michael Smith ... Also rushed for 137 yards on 30 carries and completed two of three pass attempts ... Hauled in 41 receptions for 492 yards and nine touchdowns during junior season ... Standout on the basketball court as well for the Jaguars ... Committed to Mississippi State in July of 2009. PERSONAL: Born Malcolm Jamaine Johnson on August 11, 1992 ... Son of James and Genesis Johnson. Robert Johnson, WR, 6-0, 195, Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked the fifth most-coveted player in the state of Mississippi in the Mississippi Press’ Fantastic 15 ... No. 9 prospect in the state of Mississippi regardless of position by Rivals.com ... No. 10 prospect according to SuperPrep Magazine ... No. 11 prospect in the state according to Scout.com ... A four-star recruit according to Rivals.com ... The consensus second-ranked wide receiver in the state of Mississippi in the 2010 class ... Member of the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger 40 Most Wanted Recruits ... Second-team All-State in all classifications according to the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... During senior season caught 28 passes for 529 yards with a long of 70 yards and a pair of scores ... Also had 167 carries for 798 yards and nine touchdowns ... Helped lead WarMississippi Sports Magazine - 35
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
riors to the Class 6A state title game ... Caught six passes for 78 yards in the state championship against South Panola ... Member of the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen ... Selected to play in the Mississippi High School All-Star Game ... As a junior caught 48 passes for 632 yards and four scores ... Also rushed for 276 yards and four TDs on 31 carries ... Committed to Mississippi State in December of 2009 .. Also held offers from Auburn, Kentucky, Louisville, mississippi, Southern Mississippi and West Virginia. PERSONAL: Born Robert Earl Johnson II on August 1, 1991 ... Son of Robert, Sr. and Joanne Johnson. Eric Lawson, OL, 6-6, 320, Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) -- HIGH SCHOOL: The No. 30 prospect in the state of Mississippi according to Rivals.com ... Named to the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger 40 Most Wanted List ... A three-star prospect according to ESPN.com ... Helped lead head coach Scott Samsel’s Conquistadors to the third round of the playoffs ... Named first team Mississippi High School Activities Association Region 1 Class 6A Team ... Earned Shelby Metro All-Suburban Team honors from the Memphis Commercial Appeal ... Played his junior season at Terry (Miss.) High School ... Committed to Texas Tech in October of 2009 before selecting Mississippi State in February ... Also had an offer from Memphis and considered Southern Mississippi. Jeremy Lee, ATH, 5-10, 170, Utica, Miss. (Hinds AHS) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Do-everything athlete at Hinds Agricultural High School ... Led the Bulldogs to berth in the Class 2A Playoffs ... Rushed 77 times for 558 yards and four touchdowns ... Pulled in 13 passes for 149 receiving yards ... Also completed two passes on the year ... Defensively, made 35 tackles and intercepted a pair of passes ... Also punted 12 times and returned three kickoffs for 41 yards for head coach Mike Fields’ squad ... Chose Mississippi State in January of 2010 ... Also held offers from Southeastern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi. PERSONAL: Born March 2, 1992 ... Son of Felicia Lee. Jameon Lewis, ATH, 5-9, 175, Tylertown, Miss. (Tylertown) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Named first-team all-classification All-State by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger on defense ... Also named the Mississippi Association of Coaches Offensive Player of the Year in 3A ... Rated the No. 24 prospect in the state of Mississippi regardless of position by Scout.com ... Rated No. 28 on the Rivals.com list of top prospects in the state ... Listed on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger’s 40 Most Wanted recruits ... A three-star recruit according to both Rivals.com and ESPN. com ... Led the undefeated Chiefs of Coach Walter Denton, who won 15 straight games en route to the school’s first Class 3A championship ... One of the two quarterbacks chosen for the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game roster ... In the 3A championship game against Aberdeen he had a hand in all five Chiefs touchdowns, rushing for two scores including the game-clincher on a fourth-down dash, and passing for three more ... During his senior season he was 75-of-137 passing for 1,161 yards with 13 touchdowns ... Rushed 200 times for 1,182 yards and 18 touchdowns ... As a junior he helped THS go 12-1 and capture its first-ever South State championship PERSONAL: Born Jameon Kalchevis Lewis on November 26, 1991 ... Son of Roy Walker and Tyrone Lewis ... His father played football at Louisiana State. Jamerson Love, DB, 5-11, 175, Aberdeen, Miss. (Aberdeen) HIGH SCHOOL: Rated the No. 22 prospect in the state regardless of position by Rivals.com ... A three-star athlete according to both Rivals. com and Scout.com ... Named first-team All-State all-classification by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger on defense ... Selected to participate in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game at safety ... Named first-team allstate by the Mississippi Association of Coaches at running back ... His senior season he led Aberdeen to a 13-3 record and the 3A championship game ... In the state title game against Tylertown he carried 13 times for 131 yards and scored on a 34-yard touchdown dash ... He was the thirdleading rusher in Class 3A as a senior, finishing the year with 1,773 yards on 195 carries ... He scored 21 rushing touchdowns in 2009 and added six receiving scores ... His 18 catches resulted in 434 yards ... As a junior he helped Aberdeen reach the 3A championship game ... Rushed for for 787 yards on 57 carries with 15 touchdowns in 2008 ... Also caught ten passes for 224 more yards and three scores. PERSONAL: Born Jamerson Valentino Love on November 6, 1990 ... Son of James Love and Maggie Walker. Archie Muniz, OL, 6-5, 255, Houston, Texas (Cypress Creek) 46 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
-- HIGH SCHOOL: Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and ESPN. com ... Listed as the No. 30 offensive tackle in the country according to ESPN ... Unanimous first-team All-District selection from District 15 in Class 5A for 2009 ... Helped lead Coach Greg McCaig’s Cypress Creek High School to consecutive District Championships ... Helped lead the Cougars to their latest District 15 championship with a 6-1 record, while his team posted an overall 9-1 mark for the regular season in Class 5A before a first-round loss in the playoffs ... For the 2009 season he was credited with a 90% blocking grade and over 50 pancake blocks in ten games ... As a junior in 2008 graded out at 84% on his blocks with 43 pancakes ... Earned second-team All-District 15-5A his junior season ... Chose Mississippi State in January with offers from across the nation including Arizona State, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Rice, Southern Methodist, Tulane, Utah, UTEP, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. PERSONAL: Born Ariel Ivan Muniz on May 12, 1992 ... Son of Ariel and Ana Muniz. Damien Robinson, OL, 6-8, 330, Olive Branch, Miss. (Olive Branch) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio ... Ranked No. 3 on the Jackson (Miss.) ClarionLedger 40 Most Wanted prospects ... Selected to represent Mississippi at the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Named first team all-state for all classifications by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Also named first-team all-state in 6A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and listed as that recruiting service’s No. 3 recruit in the state of Mississippi ... Member of the Rivals 250 ... Also rated by Rivals as the 21st offensive line prospect in the country ... Rated No. 9 offensive lineman in the nation and assigned four-stars by Scout. com and is that organization’s No. 2 prospect in the state of Mississippi ... Rated No. 2 prospect in the state by SuperPrep Magazine ... Helped lead head coach Scott Samsel’s Conquistadors to the third round of the playoffs ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and UAB. PERSONAL: Born May 22, 1991 ... Son of Alice Robinson. Curtis Virges, DL, 6-3, 290, West Point, Miss. (West Point) -HIGH SCHOOL: Rated a three-star prospect by Scout.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com ... Listed as the No. 14 prospect in the state of Mississippi by Rivals.com ... Scout.com ranks him as the No. 17 prospect in the state regardless of position ... Member of the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger 40 Most Wanted Recruits ... Selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Named first-team all-state for all classifications by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Named first-team all-state in Class 5A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Listed among state’s most wanted players by the Mississippi Press ... Helped lead head coach Chris Chambliss’ Green Wave to a Class 5A state championship ... Named the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal regional Defensive Player of the Year ... In the state championship game, tallied nine solo tackles with a quarterback sack ... On the season he posted 82 total tackles and 14 sacks ... Played both defensive tackle and offensive guard during sophomore and junior seasons ... Chose Mississippi State over Mississippi ... Committed to Mississippi State in July of 2009 ... Also received offers from Southern Mississippi and UAB. PERSONAL: Born Curtis Maurice Virges, Jr. on March 27, 1992 ... Son of Curtis Virges, Sr. and Carsandra Virges. Matthew Wells, ATH, 6-0, 190, Monticello, Miss. (Lawrence County) -- HIGH SCHOOL: Listed as the No. 4 Most Wanted Prospect in the state of Mississippi by the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger ... Selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... Listed as the No. 6 prospect in the state regardless of position by Scout.com ... A four-star prospect and the No. 17 running back in the nation according to Scout. com ... The No. 11 prospect in the state on the Mississippi Press Fantastic 15 ... Preseason member of the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen ... Named first-team all-state in Class 4A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Despite missing four games during senior season due to injury, finished with 1,050 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns ... Also credited with 36 tackles and four interceptions ... Rushed for 1,352 yards as a junior on 113 carries and scored 21 touchdowns ... Also starred on the Lawrence County High School basketball team ... Committed to Mississippi State over Mississippi in January of 2010 ... Had offers from Southern Mississippi, Tennessee and Stanford. PERSONAL: Born Matthew Sean Wells on November 26, 1990 ... Son of Perrin Wells and LaTriece Smith.
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Mississippi Sports Magazine - 47
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
SOUTHERN MISS
By LANNY MIXON Contributing Writer
GOLDEN EAGLES Fedora fills needs with strong class for Golden Eagles National Class Rankings: Rivals.com #53 • Scout.com # 59
J
ust over three years ago Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora and his staff had to hit the ground running when it came to recruiting. In a precarious position they had a lot of slots to fill and had major issues when it came do depth and scholarship numbers. In year one the staff signed what many considered at the time the most highly touted signing class in school history, but two years later we see that the staff took some chances on top ranked recruits that either didn’t make it into school or didn’t last when they did get to campus. A year ago the staff had the opportunity to put in the extra home work and had improved on existing relationships around the state and signed what may have been a more sound class. The academic problems were not as prevalent as in year one and the vast majority of top players made it into school, and have preformed well in the class room. “Probably the first class obviously had more headliners in it, but it wasn’t a class that we go to truly evaluate for a long period of time,” Fedora said. “We just went after the list of the guys that were the best players. The last two classes, we’ve really been able to look at over a period of time and really delve into their character, look at their grades, and all those things. This class is very comparative to last year’s class as being very solid from top to bottom. It’s a class that’s going to fill some holes for us.” With much of the depth problem and scholarship numbers solved, the staff was able to focus more on specific needs with this class than in the previous two years where numbers and best available athlete took precedence. Including three mid-semester transfers the Eagles welcomed 26 new players to the family on national signing day. There is the possibility that the staff will have to place a couple of prospects in junior college. If that happens they could add a late signee if a top quality player (likely a defensive back) is available. Southern Miss signed ten prospects from the Magnolia State, nine signees hail from Alabama, three from Tennessee, two from Georgia and one each from Florida and Louisiana. 48 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo by Rivals.com
STEVE McNAIR, Jr. If McNair can live up to his potential, he and fellow teammate DeAndre Brown could be an unstoppable tandem in CUSA. THE EAGLES KEPT FIGHTING One of the most intriguing aspects of the 2010 class was the high number of early signees. The majority of Southern Miss signees made verbal commits before Christmas. “A lot of these guys were committed for over half the year, and if you’re not careful, what happens is you take those kids for granted. You may not recruit them as hard as if you were still trying to recruit them or if they weren’t committed to you. Our staff did a great job of building those relationships with those guys and working with those guys through the year. This last week has been just a barrage of schools coming back and trying to get them to flip their commitments to them and even [the] last night.” A prime example is the case of Daphne (Ala.) High running back Jamal Woodyard. Heading into his senior year Woodyard was
one of the most highly recruited players in the South. He suffered an ankle injury early in the fifty game of senior campaign. “I think he played in four games before he broke his ankle and had 1,500 yards,” Fedora said of Woodyard. “People slowed down on him. Now, they didn’t slow down on him the last week. They were all over him. We had to fight like all get out to hang onto him and even though there might have been some schools he had dreamed about playing at, he stuck with his commitment.” And it was not an isolated incident with Woodyard, with Auburn making a late push. Fedora talked about another incident where Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.) place kicker Corey Acosta held solid late in the process when Tennessee came calling. “We found out the morning of signing day that our kicker was offered by a school right there in the state that he had always wanted to go to, but he just decided that, `You know what, I made a commitment to Southern Miss and this is where I’m going to be and I’m part of that family.’ We’re awful proud of him for doing that.” Maintaining those commitments when programs make a late push is a statement not only about the hard work by the staff but about the character of the prospects that the Eagles are recruiting. “I think these guys have great character,” Fedora said. “We’ve got great relationships with them. They are extremely excited about Southern Miss. We had the majority of them up in one weekend so they got to know each other. Their families got to know each other which if you think about it is a neat experience because they are already building relationships with other parents. Parents that they’ll be able to tailgate with, carpool with for the next 4-5 years, sit in the stands with. So it’s a nice thing for them also.” HAVE CAMP WILL TRAVEL On the recruiting trail Southern Miss has one big advantage over the other major football programs in the state. Fedora instituted a traveling camp where the Eagles pack up all needed equipment and personnel and hold football camps all across the state. In recent years they have held events in every region of
the state – The Gulf Coast, Southwest Mississippi, Central Mississippi, the Delta as well as in the Northeast and Northwest corners. Those traveling camps are paying big dividends for the Eagles. Just how effective have the travel camps been for Southern Miss? “It’s hard to say because if we had just had our camps here in Hattiesburg, I don’t know how many would have made it. We’re averaging somewhere between 700-800 kids just in the summer so that’s big, Fedora commented. “When I say that 90 percent of (the signing class) have been in our camps, that’s huge to us. We’re not just evaluating them on film. We’re able to work with them and really see what kind of skills they have and actually work with the kid and find out a little bit about the kid’s demeanor. I think those camps have been huge for us.” The travel camps are held on high school and junior college campuses and are strategically placed where they attract not only prospects from Mississippi but also from surrounding areas like Mobile, Memphis, New Orleans and Tuscaloosa. HOME GROWN TALENT Once again Fedora and the Southern Miss staff went head to head against in-state and out of state competition for the top players in Mississippi and came away with some clear victories. “I wish it was getting easier but it’s getting harder,” Fedora said. “We’re not sneaking up on anybody. Everyone knows how we recruit now and they know our philosophy. They know we’re going to go after the best player and they know that they can’t take Southern Miss lightly.” The Eagles stayed close to home to sign one of the class’s most sought after prospects in Steve McNair, Jr. McNair may be the state’s most versatile player and Fedora got to see that first hand. “Because of my son (Dillon) going to school at Oak Grove, I was able to see three or four games there,” Fedora said.. “What amazed me about Steve was that he started at wide receiver and then moved to running back and then to quarterback. He moved to free safety. He moved to corner. He was the punt returner. He was the kickoff returner. We’re going to start him off as a slot receiver and see where it goes from there, but I just think he makes our football team that much better just being on our team because of his will to succeed.” In addition to McNair the Eagles stayed in the Pine Belt and picked up what may be the biggest sleeper in the state Dasman McCullum. “About three weeks before signing day, Rivals didn’t have him ranked because they didn’t have any tape on the kid and they called me asking me for some,” Fedora said. “So I sent it and the guy calls me back and he says `Hey, this kid should be a 4-star.’ I said
`Well, don’t worry about it. I don’t need any added attention to the kid.’ We felt like the kid has flown under the radar but we had him in camp so we got to see what the kid could do. He’s every bit of 6-5, whose 220 lbs. and he’s skinny. When he fills out, he’ll be a 250-lb. defensive end who can run and make plays. We’re excited about him.” The Eagles went heavily on defensive players in state this year inking Harrison Central defensive back Furious Bradley, Ocean Springs linebacker Allen Howze, and Bassfield defender Justin Penn in addition to McCullum. On the offensive side of the ball the Eagles signed Mississippi’s top ranked quarterback in Taylorsville’s Dominique Sullivan. One of his biggest potential targets will be 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver Markese Triplett from Louisville. The Eagles also signed a trio of Mississippi JUCO prospects including Itawamba CC offensive tackle Lamar Holmes, Co-Lin CC defensive back Reggie Hunt and Gulf Coast CC receiver Kelvin Bolden. Bolden was a longtime commitment to Mississippi State before switching to the Eagles on signing day. When asked about Bolden’s change of heart Fedora had these comments. “Peanut? Well, we got Peanut on campus quite a few times.,” he said. “Obviously, it was close and he was able to get up here and watch some practices what Peanut did was that he made a commitment to somebody early in the season before it started. Then, as the season went on, he started really looking at the offenses. There’s nobody catching balls like our receivers are. Nobody else in the state. I think, obviously, he knows he’s got a couple years left and catching the football is important to him and that’s the way he can contribute. I think that was probably one of the most enticing
things to him.” TEARING DOWN FENCES Over the years it’s not been uncommon for Southern Miss to venture into surrounding states to pull quality prospects to the program. For the first time in memory the Eagles made effective in-roads into Memphis. They were able to sign three top quality prospects from the Bluff City including the class’ top ranked player – four star offensive line prospect O.C. Brown from Manassas High. They also managed to sign Acosta who is rated as one of the nation’s best place kicker prospects and Trevazant High defender Cortez Bowen. Where the Eagles made their biggest out of state pull was in Alabama. Historically the Eagles have recruited very well in the Capstone, but recently they had been less successful recruiting the state. All that changed this year when the Eagles pulled nine quality prospects from the state including Stanhope-Elmore (Millbrook, Ala.) quarterback Arsenio Favor. Favor is consider by many to be Alabama’s top signal caller in the 2010 recruiting class. The staff signed three of Alabama’s best offensive line prospects in David Fowler (Daphne, Ala.), Taylor Peterson (Auburn, Ala.) and Seth Reedy (Piedmont, Ala.). On the offensive side of the ball the Eagles also signed WR Josh Magee (Hoover, Ala.), TE Zeke Walters (Birmingham, Ala.) and Woodyard. On defense they signed Alexander Walters (Tuscaloosa County) at corner-back and Homewood (Ala.) defensive end Anthony Wilson. Rounding out the signing class are DB Jacorius Cotton (Lagrange, Ga.), RB Jeremy Hester (Panama City, Fla.), Brandon Smith (Columbus, Ga.) and OT Jason Weaver (New Orleans, Lou.) - MSM
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2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
2010 SOUTHERN MISS FOOTBALL SIGNEES Corey Acosta 5-10, 182, PK Memphis, Tenn. (Christian Brothers HS) -- Converted 12-of-17 field goals and connected on 29-of-30 extra points during his senior campaign for coach Kevin Locastro at Christian Brothers HS … A two-star athlete by Scout.com and was ranked the No. 14 kicker in the country at his position … Rated the 17th-best kicker by Rivals.com and a two-star prospect … Hit a 49-yard field goal during the year … Was 3-of-5 from 40-yards and beyond … Earned First Honors for a 3.80 grade point average or better for the first two quarters of his senior year … A member of the blue squad for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl All Star game. Kelvin Bolden 6-0, 165, WR Ocean Springs, Miss. (Gulf Coast CC) -- Attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and finished the year with 1,337 yards receiving on 53 catches and 17 touchdown receptions … An All-Region 23 selection and first team MACJC pick tallied 236 yards receiving in the state championship game with three touchdown receptions … Added a 194-yard receiving game on four catches against Hinds, a 172yard contest against Southwest Mississippi CC on 13 catches and three touchdowns and a 112-yard tilt against East Mississippi with three touchdowns during the year … Attended Ocean Springs High School. Cortez Bowen 6-2, 218, LB Memphis, Tenn. (Trezevant HS) -- Prepped at Trezevant High School for coach Teli White … Tallied 74 tackles to go along with nine sacks and four fumble recoveries during his senior campaign … Added 102 stops, 18 sacks and two fumble recoveries as a junior during his first season of playing organized football … A three-star linebacker by Rivals.com and was projected as the No. 22 player in the state following his senior campaign ... A two-star athlete by Scout.com … A three-star athlete by ESPN.com … A 4A Tennessee Sportswriters Association All-State pick … A member of the blue squad for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl All Star game. Furious Bradley 5-8, 158, ATH Gulfport, Miss. (Harrison Central HS) -- Played running back and defensive back last season for coach Ronnie Cuevas at Harrison Central High School … Rushed for 937 yards on 132 carries with 12 touchdowns, to go along with 19 catches for 211 yards … Added 47 tackles, including 31 solos, to go along with three interceptions … A first team AllState pick by the Clarion Ledger … A Biloxi Sun-Herald Top 30 selection … Played in the Mississippi/Alabama All Star game where he made six tackles and tallied an interception … Voted three-stars by Rivals.com and is the No. 29 athlete from the state of Mississippi … Notched two stars by Scout.com. O.C. Brown 6-2, 319, OL Memphis, Tenn. (Manassas HS) -- A member of the offensive line at Manassas High in Memphis … A 3A All-State selection by the Tennessee Football Coach Association … Voted by Memphis Commercial Appeal as one of the ‘Most Wanted’ football players in area in 2009 … Played on blue squad in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl … Subject of film documentary profiling his recruiting process and was also featured in segment on ABC’s 20-20 … A four-star player by Rivals.com and was voted by the website as the No. 6 rated player in the state of Tennessee and No. 11 in the country at offensive guard … A three-star performer by Scout.com and No. 34 nationally among offensive guards. Jacorius Cotton 5-11, 179, ATH LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County HS) -- Played on both sides of the football for Bubba Jeter at Troup County High, concentrating mostly in the secondary during his senior campaign … A three-star athlete by Rivals.com and earned two stars from Scout.com … Named team’s offensive most valuable player at the inaugural Columbus Valley High School Awards luncheon. 50 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Arsenio Favor 6-2, 226, QB Montgomery, Ala. (Stanhope Elmore HS) -- Played for coach Jeff Foshee at Stanhope Elmore High … Garnered WSFA-TV and Montgomery Quarterback Club Player of the Week honors once each … An all-county performer … A two-star athlete by both Rivals.com and Scout.com … Junior stats included 87 completions for 175 attempts for 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns … Also scored six rushing touchdowns that season. David Fowler 6-3, 289, OL Daphne, Ala. (Daphne HS) -Prepped Daphne High for Coach Glenn Vickery in which the school reached the state playoff quarterfinals … An Alabama Sportswriters Association Class 6A All-State selection … A three-star rated prospect by Rivals.com … A two-star prospect and the No. 91 rated offensive guard by Scout.com … Participated in the MississippiAlabama All-Star Classic last December in a 21-13 win for his home state. Jeremy Hester 5-7, 172, RB Panama City, Fla. (Arnold HS) -- Attends Arnold High and plays for Coach James Hale … Rushed for 1,497 yards on 164 carries with 17 rushing touchdowns … Returned one kickoff for 94 yards and a touchdown to earn AllBay County honors … Garnered FSWA 3A First Team All-State in 2008 n the strength of 2,305 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns … A three-star rated prospect by Rivals.com and No. 27 All-Purpose Back nationally…A three-star prospect by Scouts Inc. and No. 97 running back nationally … One of 30 finalists for the inaugural Rudy Award. Lamar Holmes 6-6, 335, OL Gastonia, N.C. (Itawamba CC) -- A December signee from Itawamba CC where he played the last two seasons for Jeff Terrill… NJCAA Pre-Season All-American first team prior to 2009 campaign … Was a first team MACJC North pick during his freshman campaign … A three-star performer by Scout.com and a four-star pick by Rivals.com and No. 18 junior college player nationally … Prepped at Huss High School in North Carolina. Alan Howze 6-1, 209, RB Ocean Springs, Miss. (Ocean Springs HS) -- Used at running back for coach Todd Mangum at Ocean Springs High … Rushed for 868 yards on 158 carries with a pair of touchdowns … A Biloxi Sun-Herald Top 30 pick … An AllSouth Mississippi Honorable Mention by the Sun Herald in 2008 … A three-star prospect by Rivals.com and rated two stars by Scout. com. Reggie Hunt 5-9, 175, ATH Robertsdale, Ala. (CopiahLincoln CC) -- A three-star athlete by Scout.com and Rivals.com from Copiah-Lincoln Community College … Recorded 18 tackles, including eight solos, to go along with 16 pass breakups and one interception in which he returned for a touchdown at defensive back in 2009 … Prepped at Daphne (Ala.) High School, where he was one of the top 20 prospects in the state of Alabama … Participated in the 2007 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game in which he rushed for 15 yards and caught two passes for 32 … Played cornerback as a sophomore at Daphne before switching to offense as a junior and rushing for 1,009 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 72 carries … A nagging ankle injury limited him to just over 800 yards rushing as a senior, though he added about 500 yards receiving. Josh Magee 5-10, 170, WR Hoover, Ala. (Hoover HS) -- A first-team 6A Alabama All-State selection who helped Hoover High School (Hoover, Ala,) to a 14-1 record and a state championship in 2009 … A two-star prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com that participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Birmingham News 2009 Hoover/South Player of the Year … A dualsport athlete that is expected to play infield for the Golden Eagle baseball team as well as wide receiver for coach Larry Fedora on the gridiron … A top baseball prospect in Alabama and will likely be drafted in this June’s major league baseball amateur draft …
Son of former major league outfield Wendell Magee, who spent seven seasons in the major leagues with Philadelphia and Detroit from 1996-2002. Dasman McCullum 6-5, 230, DE Taylorsville, Miss. (West Jones HS) -- A first-team 5A all-state selection as a defensive end from West Jones HS (Laurel, Miss.) by the Mississippi Association of Coaches … A second team selection all-state by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger … Tallied 45 tackles to go along with three sacks, while adding an interception, four fumble recoveries and one forced fumble … Played in the 61st Bernard Blackwell All Star Football Classic last December … A two-star defensive end by Scout.com and Rivals.com … Named one of the Sun Herald’s top 30 prospects and the Clarion Ledger’s top 40 prospects for the state of Mississippi … Selected to the WDAM All-Area Team. Steve McNair, Jr. 6-1, 195, WR Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS) -- Member of the Clarion Ledger’s Dandy Dozen team as wide receiver from Oak Grove High for coach Nevil Barr … Caught 61 passes for 709 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 311 yards on 66 careers with four touchdowns … Named the 12th best player in the state by Scout.com … A three-star receiver by both Scout.com and Rivals.com … Helped lead his team to an 11-3 record and to the class 6A state championship game as a senior … Participant in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game in which he caught two passes … Selected as the Area Player of the Year by WDAM television … Son of the late Steve McNair Sr., a former NFL MVP who spent 13 seasons in the NFL. Justin Penn 6-1, 193, LB Bassfield, Miss. (Bassfield HS) -A 3A first-team all-state selection from Bassfield High for coach Lance Mancuso … Tallied 74 tackles, four sacks, 4 interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries … A three-star linebacker by both Scout.com and Rivals.com, … Helped lead his team to the class 2A State Championship … Named one of the top 40 prospects in the state of Mississippi by Sscout.com and the Clarion Ledger … Selected to the WDAM All-Area Team … Participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and registered one tackle … A Biloxi Sun-Herald Top 30 pick. Taylor Peterson 6-4, 296, OL Auburn, Ala. (Auburn HS) -- Prepped at Auburn High for Tim Carter for a squad that went 13-1 his senior campaign … A two-star athlete by both Rivals.com and Scout.com … Started as a sophomore and junior at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, Ga., before transferring to Auburn High in 2009 … Was an honorable mention region 5-AAAA while at McIntosh High in 2008. Seth Reedy 6-3, 264, OL Piedmont, Ala. (Piedmont HS) -- A Class 3A All-State pick by the Alabama Sports Writers Association for coach Steve Smith at Piedmont High … Ranked a three-star rated player by Rivals.com and a two-star by Scout.com … Participated in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic … As a junior he was named ASWA 3A first-team All-State as well as allregion and all-county … Graded out at 92 percent that year and helped team to a 10-3 record … Recorded 52 pancake blocks and only one sack allowed. Brandon Smith 6-2, 247, DE Columbus, Ga. (Carver HS) -- Played at Carver High for coach Dell McGee … A three-star rated player by Rivals.com in which he was also rated as the #29 defensive end in the nation by and No. 43 overall in Georgia by the website … Played in Georgia North-South All-Star Game on Dec. 29 in Columbus … A Top 50 player from state of Georgia by Macon.com. Dominque Sullivan 6-3, 189, QB Taylorsville, Miss. (Taylorsville HS) -- Played for coach Bud Blackledge at Taylorsville HS … Compiled 1,997 yards passing and 16 TDs to go along with 386 rushing yards and 5 TDs … The Class 2A Offensive
Player of the Year in Mississippi … Named 2nd team All-State by the Clarion Ledger … A Biloxi Sun-Herald Top 30 selection … A three-star rated player by Rivals.com…Rated as the No. 40 prostyle QB nationally by Rivals.com and No. 23 overall in Mississippi … Participated in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic … Threw for 50 yards in the contest ... A WDAM All-Area selection as a junior and senior. Markese Triplett 6-4, 199, WR Louisville, Miss. (Louisville HS) -- Prepped at Louisville High for coach Brad Peterson … A Class 4A second-team All-State selection by the Mississippi Association of Coaches … Named first-team All-State by Clarion Ledger … A Top 30 selection by the Biloxi Sun-Herald … Registered 37 receptions for 633 yards and seven TDs … Added 55 tackles, four sacks and three interceptions … Rated the No. 57 wide receiver nationally by Rivals.com and No. 12 player in Mississippi … Participated in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic, where he caught one pass for 38 yards and a touchdown from Dominque Sullivan. Alexander Walters, Jr. 5-10, 163, DB Northport, Ala. (Tuscaloosa County HS) -- Played for Coach Lee Gibson at Tuscaloosa County HS in which they finished 7-4 during his senior season … Recorded 34 tackles to go along with three pass breakups and an interception … A two-star rated player by Rivals. com and Scout.com … Prepped at Park Hill South in suburb of Kansas City for his freshman and sophomore seasons and lived in Birmingham during his junior campaign before transferring to Tuscaloosa County. Zeke Walters 6-2, 217, TE Birmingham, Ala. (Briarwood Christian HS) -- Prepped for coach Fred Yancey at Briarwood Christian HS … Totaled 76 tackles at linebacker, 25 solo, along with one sack, two pressures, two tackles for a loss and one fumble recovery … Added 12 rushes for 18 yards and six TDs on the ground … Star of the week with 16 tackles against John Carroll … A team co-captain as well as an all-county as a senior and all-Over The Mountain his final two campaigns … Rated the No. 56 tight end prospect by Scouts.com and a two-star player … A three-star rated player by Rivals.com … Brother Bo plays linebacker at Mississippi State. Jason Weaver 6-5, 320, OL New Orleans, La. (Arizona Western CC) -- Signed in December 2009 as a transfer player from Arizona Western Community College … Enrolled in January for spring semester … Spent the last two seasons there, where his team finished 9-2 this past season and earned a trip to the 2009 Mississippi Bowl … A NJCAA All-American on the offensive line … A three-star rated player by Rivals.com and Scout.com. Anthony Wilson 6-3, 215, DE Midfield, Ala. (Midfield HS) -- Transferred to Midfield High after playing at Homewood High in Vestavia Hills, Ala. … Ranked as the No. 26 defensive end prospect nationally and No. 21 player in the state … Tallied eight tackles for Homewood … Moved to state of Alabama following Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans. Jamal Woodyard 5-8, 200, ATH Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope HS) -- Played for coach David Faulkner at Fairhope High … A honorable mention 6A all-state selection by the Alabama Sportswriters Association … Star of Alabama when he rushed for 384 yards with six touchdowns on 32 carries against Foley … A threestar prospect by Rivals.com and a two-star performer by Scout.com … Participated in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic … An ASWA All-State 6A first-team selection in 2008 as a junior after he rushed for 1,442 yards.
www.mssportsmagazine.com Mississippi Sports Magazine - 51
2010 SIGNING DAY RECAP
JACKSON STATE
TIGERS
OG Jonathan Smith (6-2, 290), Pensacola HS (FL): An undersized lineman that relies on quickness to get to linebackers... was a major factor in the offensive success that Pensacola had. LB Connor Thompson (6-1, 230) New Mexico Militay Inst (JUCO): Recorded 55 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and a sack as a sophomore in 2009 ... was second on the team with 44 tackles and three tackles for loss as a freshman in 2008. LB Carlos Williams (5-11, 235), American Heritage HS (FL), from Vicksburg, MS: Helped his Heritage team to a 9-3 record during his senior season. RB Rakeem Sims (5-10, 225), Richton HS (MS): Named to the 2009 2009 WDAM/Hair World of Laurel All-Area Football Team as a fullback... has a 32 inch vertical jump... was also a basketball standout for Richton. LB Turice King (6-2, 230), Yazoo City HS (MS): Rated a three star recruit by Rivals.com, had a strong showing at the Mississippi -Alabama All-Star Classic where he led the Mississippi squad in tackles... rated as the nation No. 25 inside linebacker coming into his senior season... three star prospect by ESPN... he has the size and playing speed for the inside linebacker position at the major level of competition. He is an active, productive player vs. both the run and pass... recorded 111 tackles, three fumbles recovered and two sacks as a senior... finished his junior season with 111 tackles and seven sacks... can bench press 315-pounds, squat 500 and has a 32-inch vertical jump. LB Ariane McCree (6-1, 220), Chester High School (SC): Named to the High School Sports Report All-State team.. as a senior...finished his junior season as one of the top tacklers on the Chetster Cyclones team... finished the season with more than 10 teackles. TE/OL Jordan Arthur (6-4, 260), Carroll HS (LA): Named a two time All-District team member, a two time All-Northeast team member and an All-State team member... can bench press 325 pounds, squat 500 pounds and clean 300 pounds... as an offensive lineman he had 23 pancakes last season... as a defensive end he had 21 tackles and four sacks. DE Kadeem Taylor (6-4, 270) Carroll HS (LA): Two-year letterman at Carroll High for coach Jackie Hamilton...earned firstteam All-District 2-4A honors both seasons, and was named honorable-mention All-Northeast Louisiana as a senior...as a senior, posted seven sacks, forced fumble, fumble recovery...also earned two varsity letters in track and field, where he advanced to the regionals in the discus. QB Te’Shon Burton (6-3, 190) Leuzinger HS (CA): A dualthreat quarterback... a two star prospect according to Rivals.com and Scout.com... during his senior season he passed for 2607 yds, 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions... he also rushed for a team high 442 yards and seven touchdowns... as a junior he threw for 1,546 yds and 11 touchdowns for the Olympians. QB Tevin Chapman (5-11, 180), Hattiesburg HS (MS): A duel-threat quarterback... rated a one star prospect by Scout.com... as a senior he threw for 1,008 yds and five touchdowns and ran for 1,097 yds and 15 TDs... as a junior passed for 1,614 yds and 17 TDs and rushed for 926 yds and nine touchdowns... he is described as a 52 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
pure athlete who can do several things on the collegiate level. QB Torrey Harkness (5-11, 175) Los Angeles Southwest College (CA): Played in 10 games... passed for 969 yards, had five TDs... completed 85 of 188 pass attempts as a sophomore (2008)... played in eight games as a freshman (2007) ... passed for 1161 yards and eight TDs... completed 93 of 150 pass attempts. WR Williams Golston (6-2, 185), Murphy HS (AL): Caught 45 passes for 622 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. QB Mark Thigpen (6-3, 200), Callaway HS (MS): Rated as a one-star prospect by Scout.com... as a junior he tallied 1,228 passing yds and 11 TDs and rushed for 709 yds and eight TDs... as a sophomore he recorded 1,165 passing yds and three TDs and rushed for 255 yds and six TDs... named All-Metro second team. Ath. Michael Perkins (6-0, 180), Valparaiso HS (IN): A two year starter for the Vikings... VHS record holder for yards per carry and for season punting average... named VHS MVP, Most Valuable Offensive Player, 1st Team Duneland Conference, 1st Team All-Area punter (Post Tribune), 1st Team All-Area punter (Times), Honorable Mention AP All-State running back and punter, 1st Team IFCA AllState running back, Top 50 IFCA All-State running back, Indiana Red Zone Player of the Year finalist, Region One IFCA North-South All-Star running back. TE Renty Rollins (6-3, 245), Scottsdale CC RB Tommy Gooden (5-11, 205) Douglas HS (GA)
ALCORN STATE
BRAVES
Fred Avery - DL, 6’1”, 278, Mobile Christian School -2009 stats: 22 solo tackles, 33 assist= 55 total tackles, Best Defensive Lineman Award 2007/08/09 Terrence Barnes- DT, 6’0”, 295, Mize Attendance Center (MS) -- Won State Championship in Power lifting, Won State Championship in Spot Put Brandon Bridge- QB, 6’5”, 195, St. Marcellinus High School (ONT): 2008 MVP 2009 MVP of St. Marcellunus Football, 2008 OVFL MVP on Mississauga Warriors, Jr. Year stats: 16 TDs 1200 yards passing, Sr. Year stats: 17 TDs 1600 yards passing Derwin Brown - DB, 6’1”, Stranahan High School (FL) Jeremy Collins - QB, 6’2”, 210, Greenwood High School (MS) -- 2009 All Region QB, 2008 MVP of National Underclassmen Combine, 2009 Team Captain, MVP of Team, Career stats: 4,000 yards passing with over 20 TDs, Jr. Year 6 INT’s Josh Dotson - ATH, Port Gibson High School (MS) Joshua Dupre - OL, 6’4”, 285, Captain Shreveport High School (LA) -- 2009 All District Honors Stephen Fields - DB, Cedar Hill High School (TX) Derrick Henderson- OL, 6’4” 310, Brookhaven High School (MS) -- 2009 All State Selection, 3 Time All Region Selection, 2009 All Region 5A MVP First Team Jamison Knox - DB, 5’9”, 185, East High School (TN) -2009 All District Team, Best of Preps Award, 2009 stats: 42 tackles,
1170 yards rushing, 7 INTs, 10 PBUs, 600 kickoff return yards Thomas Lacy - OL, Robert Lee High School (TX) Chris Perkins - WR, 6’6”, 205, Hazlehurst High School (MS) -- Jr. Year 25 receptions 498 yards 7 TDs, Sr. Year 23 receptions 296 yards 7 TDs, 2009 Clarion Ledger top 25 prospect Maurice Redick - OL, 6’3”, 298, East High School (TN) -- 2009 All Region Jacody Rose- OL, 6’3”, 209, O.P. Walker High School (LA) -- 2008 All District 1st Team Orlando Stringer - LB, 6’0”, 195, Carver High School (AL) -- 2009 All District Team, 2009 Team Captain, 60 tackles and 6 sacks LaRon Trigg - LS, 6’2”, 205, Hinds Community College (MS) -- Jr. Year All District Long Snapper, Sr. Year All District Long Snapper Rodney Whitmore - WR, 6’1”, 175, Mansfield High School (TX) -- 2008 All District 2nd Team, 2009 All District 1st Team, 2008 Offensive Player of the Year (team) Michael Young - QB, 6’2”, 207, McLaurin High School (MS) -- 2007 All District, 2008 All District, 2009 All District, 2008 District 2A MVP, South All Star in Football and Basketball Clarion Ledger
DELTA STATE
STATESMEN OL - Travis Williams (6-2, 260) - Jackson Academy - Jackson, Miss. LB - Giraud Hawkins (6-1, 210) - Edna Karr HS - New Orleans, La. DB - Kelvin Boston (5-10, 175) - Warren Easton HS - New Orleans, La. DB - Kenny Barnes (5-10, 185) - Madison Central HS - Madison, Miss. RB - Domonique Carothers (5-9, 205) - South Panola HS - Batesville, Miss. DL - Evan Dossous (6-0, 280) - Fort Peirce HS - Westwood, Fla. WR - Terrance Taylor (6-2, 195) - Morton HS - Morton, Miss. DL - Anthony Daniels (6-3, 280) - Victory Valley (Calif.) CC - Anaheim, Calif. DL - Don Steib (6-3, 265) - Stone Mountain HS - Stone Mountain, Ga. DL - David Williams (6-4, 310) - Chaffey (Calif.) JC - Fontana, Cailf. RB - Robert Bass (5-9, 188) - Elkins HS - Missouri City, Texas DB - Seth Kuhlmann (5-11, 185) - Valley Forge Prep (Va.) - Live Oak, La. DB - Robert Cherry (6-0, 210) - Feather River JC - Columbia, SC LB - Bradley Augustin (6-2, 220) - Bayside HS - Palm Bay, Fla. DB - Lakarius Cattlidge (6-0, 175) - Gentry HS - Indianola, Miss. DL - Carl Brown (6-4, 275) - Mississippi Delta CC - Shelby, Miss. RB - Brandon Robertson (5-10, 185) - St. Thomas Aquinas HS Hammond, La. DL - Terry Vaughan (6-1, 285) - Garden City (Kan.) CC - New Bern, N.C. WR - Jeremy Shaw (5-10, 177) - Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) CC - Magee, Miss.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College (3) LB - Greg Norwood ............................................................. (5-11, 220) OL - Reed Maddox ................................................................ (6-6, 305) WR - Carlton Ollie ................................................................. (5-9, 172) DeAnza (Calif.) Community College DB - Jerry Barnes ................................................................. (5-10, 180) East Central Community College (2) DB - Ken Griffin (...................................................................... 6-1, 185) DB - Preston Felder (5-11, 165) East Mississippi Community College (1) WR - Bill Franks ...................................................................... (5-8, 175) Hinds Community College (2) LB - Bill Hawkins . ................................................................... (6-1, 217) FB - Chance Starkweather.................................................... (6-2, 238) Holmes Community College (4) DE - Jeremy Henderson . ...................................................... (6-1, 215) DL - Paul Middleton.............................................................. (6-0, 265) LB - Melvin Griffin (................................................................ 5-10, 213) QB - Dex Hopkins . ................................................................ (6-2, 225) Jones County Junior College (5) DL - Robbie Mayers . ............................................................. (6-2, 294) OL - Preston Cochran . .......................................................... (6-2, 294) OL - Evan Shaw ...................................................................... (6-0, 292) OL - Darrell Leopold ............................................................. (6-0, 337) OL - Chase Sherman ............................................................. (6-4, 272) Mississippi Delta Community College (1) DB - Travis Shoddie ............................................................. (5-11, 200) Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (1) FB - Justin Calomese ............................................................ (6-0, 240) New Mexico Military Institute (1) DB - Ledarrius Cage (.............................................................. 5-7, 152) Yuma Community College (1) DB - Justin Whitley ................................................................ (6-0, 215)
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2010 DSU MID-YEAR TRANSFERS (By Community/Junior College) Mississippi Sports Magazine - 53
MSM
COLLEGE RECRUITING
MISSISSIPPI’S “FABULOUS 15”
Mississippi Sports Magazine and David Armstrong of SoutheastScout.com give you our list of the Top 15 High School and Junior College players to keep an eye on during the 2010 season.
HIGH SCHOOL TOP 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
DARION ARRINGTON
Stone County - RB - Strong RB with excellent speed. Has SEC offers.
NICHOLAS BRASSELL
South Panola - WR - Explosive Athlete, big target with great speed and hands.
DANIEL KNOX
West Lauderdale - TE - Big TE with athleticism. Has D1 offers.
MAIKHAIL MILLER
Ittawamba Agricultural HS - QB - Big strong accurate pocket passer. Has good feet as well.
MALCOLMB FACIANE
13 14 15
JERMAINE WHITEHEAD
Amanda Elzy - CB - Great athleticism.
THOMPSON AKIKO
Clinton HS - RB - Explosive speed. A threat every time he has the ball.
ZAC JACKSON
Heidelberg HS - ATH - Receiving D1 offers. Can play both sides of the ball.
BEST OF THE REST CHELARVEZ BROWN
- Winona HS - RB - Runs 4.4 in 40.
Picayune HS - TE/DE - Runs 4.6 40. Can play both sides of the ball.
- Gulfport HS - OL - Athletic lineman DEONTE MONCRIEF - Raleigh HS - WR - Tall athletic
JOSH PINKSTON
receiver.
CORTEZ HARTZOG
Forest HS - WR - Lean athletic WR. Great Hands and speed.
BEN STEVENS
C.J. JOHNSON
C.J. RAMERIZ
- West Jones - QB - Expecting another great
season in 2010.
- Ittwamba AHS - OL - Has good feet and size.
Philadelphia, HS - LB - Great nose for the ball. Runs sideline to sideline well.
Comes out of a great program.
CORTEZ FRIZELL
make up one of the best backfields in the state.
Durant HS - RB - 2400 yds, 33 TDs in 2009. Led Mississippi in rushing.
DEVONTAY BARNETTE CULLEN BURNETTE
- Meridian HS - DL - Very active DL. Great
JACOBY EASON
Madsion Central HS - WR - Big play maker for MC. Great speed and explosiveness.
motor.
AARON MORRIS
lete. Has D1 offers.
P.J. JONES
SENQUEZ GOLSON
- Pascagoula HS - ATH - Versatile ath-
KENDRICK MARKET JUSTIN BELL
- Callaway HS - OT - Anchors the other side of
Tupelo HS - DL - Receiving D1 offers. Can dominate his side of the LOS.
DOMINIQUE HARRIS
nosed player. Physical.
54 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
- South Panola HS - DB - Plays QB in
the Wildcat formation. Versatile athlete. the line with Morris.
Southaven HS - QB - Good size and strong arm.
- NW Rankin HS - DL - Good motor. Big
frame.
TOBIAS SINGLETON
Callaway HS - OL - Receiving D1 offers. Good feet for his size.
- West Jones - RB - He and Stevens
QUIN GRIFFIN
- South Panola HS - RB - Plays OLB/RB. hard
JAVON WASHINGTON
- Natchez HS - QB - Athletic QB.
Expecting a great year in 2010.
COLLEGE RECRUITING
MSM
JUCO TOP 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
MARTEZ THOMPSON
Gulf Coast CC - CB - 4.5 in the 40. Great make up of speed and cover skills.
JONATHAN JENKINS
Gulf Coast CC - DT - The next in line of great DTs at GCCC.
GARRICK JONES
Coahoma CC - QB - Good size and poise in teh pocket. December graduate.
JOMANTAY PILSON
Northwest CC - DE - Several SEC schools already in hot pursuit.
J.D. Ratliff
Southwest CC - CB - Led nation in INTs in 2009 with 10. 1st team All-American.
OSCAR GOLDEN
Delta CC - SS - Runs the alley well. Tackles well in space. Demeber graduate.
MARK SPAIGHT
Delta CC - LB - May be the best player in JUCO this year.
DARIUS SLAY
Itawamba CC - CB - All-State as a Freshman. Signed and place by Miss. State out of HS.
BUBBA BROWN
Jones CC - RB - Kasnas St. signee in HS. Strong runner with good speed.
RYAN ROBINSON
Jones CC - DE - Placed by Oklahoma St. Good size and speed.
IZAUEA LANIER
East MS CC - SS - Signed with Auburn out of HS. Great WR as well.
DANIEL HAYDEN
Pearl River CC - DE - Very athletic. Good size and quickness. Aggressive.
13 14 15
OTHA FOSTER
Pearl River CC - SS - 4.4 in teh 40. Major D1 prospect.
BO TILLMAN
Co-Lin CC - DE - Top D1 prospect. Runs well. Can dominate.
LEON LCAKEY
Hinds CC - DE - Va. Tech signee out of HS. Runs well. Can dominate.
BEST OF THE REST WILLIE BURROWS - Gulf Coast CC - CB - Big physical DB. May play safety in 2010.
HOLLIS MOORE - Coahoma CC - WR - D1 athlete. Expecting a great year in 2010. ROBERT McCOY - Coahoma CC - DT - Big presence in the middle. Good quickness. Gets to the ball. JO’NAL WHITE - Jones CC - DT - Strong presence in the middle. Quick and strong.
KESHUN COWAN - Northwest CC - CB - Ran 4.2 in the 40. Great athlete. Cover corner.
JOSH SHIPP siveness.
- Northwest CC - LB - Good speed and aggres-
MARTY STADOM ball. Makes plays.
- Southwest CC - DE - Always around the
- Delta CC - SS - Very aggressive safety. HOUSTON LANTRIP - Itawamba CC - OL - had most votes as
TAVARES WHITE
OL for All-State last season. MARCUS McQUARLEY Caught 7 TDs in 2009. KY’VARI BOLDEN 2009. 5 for loss.
- East MS CC - WR - Very fast.
- Northeast CC - DT - Had 84 tackles in
LEDARREN COOK - Pearl River CC - DT - D1 talent. Good size, strenght and quickness.
SCOTTIE WOODSON - Pearl River CC - CB - Great cover CB In-state player from Columbia, MS.
KHALID WILSON - East Central CC - DT - Great motor. Top 10 in state in tackles in 2009. TERRACNE COLEMAN - Co-Lin CC - DE - Signed with Auburn out of HS. Expecting a great year. JORDAN HUNT Makes plays.
- Co-Lin CC - LB - Always around the ball.
SoutheastScout.com is owned and operated by David Armstrong of Clinton, MS. David provides information, hilites and film packages of Mississippi prospects for colleges and Universities all across the country. David has 18 years experience in college coaching including position, offensive coordinator, as well as recruiting coordinator at multiple schools. David is also a former four year letterman as a quarterback at Western Kentucky University and quarterbacked the 1988 team to 9-4 and the quarterfinals of NCAA I-AA Championship in the playoffs. David comes from a coaching background as his father, Wayne Armstrong, coached at Southern Miss back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. David is a member of the American Football Coaches Association and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. David can be contacted by email at SoutheastScout@ yahoo.com. Mississippi Sports Magazine - 55
MSM
MISSISSIPPI RADIO
Recipients of the All-American Football Foundation’s Lindsey Nelson Sportscasting Award
Still Going Strong Chuck Stinson (L) and Doug Colson are celebrating 10 years as hosts of Mississippi Sports this Morning on The Score 620AM in March. We asked Chuck what the key to their success has been, “Our consistency has been the key to our longevity. We have been together for ten years and people know that when they tune in that we will be there. Another thing that has kept us on the air for a decade is the fact that we have differing views on issues and that the views are honest. We don’t take sides for the sake of argument.” Chuck and Doug have also been a valuable part of Mississippi Sports Magazine for the past year and a half contributing insightful columns and as contributing writers for some great features in each publication. Photo by Greg Pevey - Mississippi Sports Magazine 56 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
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