College football preview 2017

2G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 MISSISSIPPI STATE 2017 SCHEDULE CHARLESTON SOUTHERN Sept. 2 The season begins with what should be a sure-win for MSU. An opener against an FCS team is good for the Bulldogs because they will be showcasing a new defense and still need to figure out its place-kicker situation.

MSU’s schedule is one of the toughest in the country, advanced stats show, so a layup early on is much-needed.

AT LOUISIANA TECH Sept. 9 Louisiana Tech is expected to serve as a good tune-up for MSU before SEC play starts. La. Tech isn’t the worst non-conference opponent to schedule, but MSU is an overwhelming favorite here. Still, the expectation is that the loss to South Alabama last year will be fresh on the Bulldogs’ minds.

LSU Sept. 16 This game begins an early potential seasondefining swing for MSU. Things get real, real quick for the Bulldogs after their first two games. Beat LSU, which could still be figuring things out offensively at this point, and the Bulldogs are probably 3-0. Lose and it’s difficult for MSU to get to more than six wins. Nick Fitzgerald was ineffective against LSU last year.

AT GEORGIA Sept. 23 Things do not let up for MSU after hosting LSU. There is plenty to watch in this one. Todd Grantham returns to Athens where he used to be defensive coordinator. Nick Fitzgerald goes to his home state to play against a school that didn’t offer him a scholarship. Johnathan Abram and Chauncey Rivers are both former Georgia players who transferred to JUCOs.

AT AUBURN Sept. 30 Auburn presents MSU’s toughest test in the first half of the season. To compete for a SEC title, Auburn can't afford to lose to Mississippi State. From MSU’s perspective, a win would be a significant upset and the pressure of this game is dictated by how the Bulldogs fare in their first two SEC games.

JEFF SWINGER-USA TODAY SPORTS

Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (7) waits for the snap in overtime against BYU. Fitzgerald led the SEC in total yards last season.

QB SETS HIS OWN LEADERSHIP TONE MSU’s Fitzgerald emerges from Prescott’s shadow

BYU

WILL SAMMON

Oct. 14 Revenge should be on the mind here for MSU. The Bulldogs lost in double-overtime on the road to BYU last year. MSU struggled to stop BYU on third down and in the red zone. Fitzgerald did not have a strong game and threw two interceptions. In the ugly affair for MSU, one of the few bright spots was Aeris Williams’ breakout game.

THE CLARION-LEDGER

KENTUCKY Oct. 21 This is a winnable game for MSU despite the fact the Bulldogs saw their seven-game winning streak against Kentucky end last season.

The Wildcats held Fitzgerald to only 81 passing yards. That game was in Lexington, but the Bulldogs should have the edge in Starkville.

AT TEXAS A&M Oct. 28 You could make the argument that this is a game MSU has to win in order to produce a winning record. Winning a SEC game on the road is no easy feat, but if history is any indication, MSU is getting the Aggies at the right time. Texas A&M typically starts to fade in late October under Kevin Sumlin.

UMASS Nov. 4 This game serves as a break for MSU before it ends its season against three SEC West foes.

The Bulldogs’ defense looked bad early on against UMass last year and allowed 35 points.

That shouldn’t happen again, and with the game in Starkville, the margin of victory should be greater than 12 points this time.

ALABAMA Nov. 11 Dan Mullen has never beaten Alabama, but that hasn’t stopped many national analysts from picking the Bulldogs as one of this season’s biggest upsets. More realistically, look for Nick Saban’s defense to stop the run much like it did last year in this game and force one of MSU’s wide receivers to make a play.

AT ARKANSAS Nov. 18 Mullen lost to Bret Bielema for the first time last year after three straight wins. This game will indicate how improved the MSU defense is under Grantham. MSU allowed 58 points last year against Arkansas. The Mullen-Bielema showdowns are usually close so home field is a key. Regardless, this is one of the more winnable conference games for MSU.

OLE MISS Nov. 23 Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like playing your rival in a football game, right? After MSU beat Ole Miss 55-20 last year, there is pressure to avoid an embarrassing end-of-season loss to a team that cannot play for a bowl. With all the bad blood brewing over the last 8-12 months, anything is possible in this game.

STARKVILLE – Nick Fitzgerald is talking with a reporter on the second floor of the Seal Football Complex after a recent practice, but his eyes are occasionally wandering to the nearby ping-pong table.

That’s where a dozen of the Mississippi State quarterback’s teammates are.

While in the middle of fielding a question, Fitzgerald is struck by a crumpled white paper ball. Now, a t-shirt. The objects are coming from the first floor, directly below where Fitzgerald is standing. Then a rolled up white sock fresh from the laundry room hits Fitzgerald.

Linebacker Dez Harris is the main culprit, his laugh giving him away if he hadn't picked up a yellow caution sign from a wet area on the floor and threatened to toss that up next.

Fitzgerald responds by staring at Harris while still answering the reporter’s questions, only louder than he previously had. Harris’ playful shenanigans stop there. No matter; this kind of scene has been commonplace during Mississippi State’s training camp this month so Harris knows he won’t be waiting long for another opportunity.

The interruptions don’t end, though.

Another player walks by Fitzgerald and tugs at his shorts. Yet another teammate shouts a challenge to Fitzgerald from the ping-pong table.

“That’s the difference,” one observer close to the program said. “Last year, it wasn’t like this.”

For whatever reason – maybe it was that Fitzgerald was the guy who was replacing Dak Prescott or maybe some players preferred Damian Williams at quarterback – those close to the program insist that it took time for some on the team to warm up to Fitzgerald.

“Some people, probably not,” Fitzgerald said when asked if teammates would’ve been fondly goofing around with him as much as they are now.

“With more time here and kind of making plays and being looked at as someone who was a leader and did what we needed to do to lead the offense, you get a little more respect, people want to hang around you a little bit more and they accept you a little bit more.”

Fitzgerald is Mississippi State’s leader for 2017. He is the face of the team. No one is questioning that these days.

It took some time, though.

“I talked about it a lot with Coach (Dan) Mullen as I was coming up through the program,” Fitzgerald said.

“He would tell me, ‘You’re different

MATT BUSH-USA TODAY SPORTS

Mississippi State linebacker Dez Harris (46) and quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (7) celebrate after beating Ole Miss 55-20 last season.

than the guys on the team. You’re from Georgia and most of these guys are from Mississippi.’ There are differences and it’s going to take me going out of my comfort zone, sitting down with them, he said, and having a conversation with someone I’ve never had a conversation with.”

Quarterbacks coach Brett Elliott said he has been impressed with the way Fitzgerald has mentored true freshman Keytaon Thompson. Receiver Gabe Myles said Fitzgerald has friends from several different pockets of the campus. Slot receiver Keith Mixon added that Fitzgerald is great at sharing information during practice and is always accessible.

“If I can go on the field with them and work out with them, then I definitely go sit with them and have a conversation,” Fitzgerald said. “Not everyone is going to be your best friend on the team and you’re not going to be cool with everyone, but you definitely have to have a relationship with everyone and you definitely make sure you can relate to them.”

Making an effort to genuinely get to know teammates and improve the lines of communication helps. But that’s only part of the reason the buy-in factor for Fitzgerald is so high right now.

The major reason is this: Fitzgerald proved he was pretty good at being Mississippi State’s quarterback. He was tough, too. You can be a swell guy, but if you don’t win and produce at a high level, chances are you’re going to lose some support.

Fitzgerald earned the respect of his

teammates by leading the SEC in total offensive yards, breaking school records, absorbing hits from Alabama and blowing out Ole Miss by a 35-point win margin.

So what’s next?

“This is his first time as a starter in camp,” Mullen said. “I want to see how he takes the reins in each stage. This was his first offseason as a starter.

This time last year, he was competing for the job. He has improved on it but he is also going through a learning curve of how to lead. ... I expect his leadership to be much better this year than last year and I have seen that from him.”

Like most other breakout stars in the SEC, there are questions surrounding Fitzgerald, now a redshirt junior.

Can he repeat his success? Can he improve his numbers? Can he be a better passer? Leadership is not one of those topics for debate.

Not at this moment, anyway. With the way Fitzgerald has interacted with teammates and talked about putting team goals ahead of any individual ones during camp, it doesn’t figure to be one in the future, either.

“Hopefully, by the time I’m done I’m not remembered as just the guy who came after Dak Prescott,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t need to be known as the best and I don’t need to be known as anything other than someone who came in, loved Mississippi State, gave it his all and played well.”

Fitzgerald then looks over again at the ping-pong table.

“All right,” he shouts over. “I’m ready now.”

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 3G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017

EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT LEO LEWIS — ON AND OFF THE FIELD WILL SAMMON THE CLARION-LEDGER

STARKVILLE — It’s one of Mississippi State’s first practices at The Farm, a vacant field on campus away from the football facility without any shade. This is early August in Mississippi; the sun is unavoidable and unyielding. After a session ends and players retreat to a break area, a group of linebackers takes their helmets off.

There is one exception. Leo Lewis still has his helmet on. Lewis’ gray undershirt has taken on a darker shade because of his sweat, and his practice jersey is rolled up to his chest, making his number hard to decipher. The telling sign for his identity, on this day, is the sleeve-length tattoos that decorate the entirety of both his arms. That, and the unmatched physicality he displayed in prior drills.

Lewis doesn’t need to show his face — or talk at all — to be Mississippi State’s most recognizable defensive player these days – for several reasons.

Yes, he is tasked with leading Mississippi State’s defense after breaking out with 72 tackles in 2016, the most among SEC freshmen. But there is more to his story entering this season.

It would be difficult to find a player in the SEC who is more polarizing in his own state than Lewis.

Things would be normal if Ole Miss fans disliked him because of his football talent. But that’s not the case here.

Lewis is attached to the NCAA investigation into Ole Miss, was sued by an Ole Miss booster earlier this summer and, oh, by the way, is preparing for his sophomore season as one of the SEC’s elite defenders.

Yeah, none of this is normal.

Lewis’ attachment to Ole Miss dates back to his recruitment. In the Notice of Allegations, Lewis, who was granted limited immunity during the investigation, is tied to some of Ole Miss' Level I violations. He was reportedly requested to attend Ole Miss’ Committee on Infractions hearing, which starts Sept.

11 in Covington, Kentucky.

That date falls on a Monday, between MSU’s games against Louisiana Tech and LSU. Dan Mullen said he “absolutely” expects Lewis to be available every game this season.

AP

Mississippi State linebacker Leo Lewis (44) pushes BYU running back Jamaal Williams (21) out of bounds during a game last season.

There is more.

Ole Miss booster Rebel Rags sued Lewis in June. The Oxford-based retail store levied three charges: defamation, commercial disparagement and civil conspiracy. Lewis’ attorney John Wheeler said Lewis “did not did not knowingly provide false information to anyone in the investigative process.”

All of that is why MSU has not made Lewis available to the media during training camp to discuss football. Oh, right … football …

Lewis said in the spring that it isn’t difficult for him to block off distractions because he knows how much he means to the success of MSU. “Leo is a guy who has a lot of pride

in himself and his work and we are certainly glad that he is so focused,” defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said.

MSU players say that Grantham holds Lewis to a higher standard than most. Think of Lewis as the guy in your workplace who everyone knows has talent, but the boss pushes him because of the potential for more.

Grantham wants Lewis to be more of a “complete linebacker” this season.

“He is going to be the first guy you notice when you look at physical drills and being physical (against) the run,” Grantham said. “As a linebacker, you have to be able to have the total package from a coverage standpoint to un-

derstand drops and matches. Those things are somewhat new to him.”

Those close to Lewis say that the off-the-field stuff won’t make or break his season on the field.

“Leo doesn’t think about anything else outside this building when he is in this building,” linebacker Erroll Thompson said. “It’s all football and he just goes to work.”

If that is true, and Lewis’ approach is, indeed, that of a guy who has the kind of tunnel-vision to succeed this season despite the distractions, then perhaps one of his latest Tweets is fitting.

“Confidence is silent,” Lewis Tweeted on Aug. 3, “insecurities are loud.”

SIX WINS MAY BE THE FLOOR FOR THIS YEAR’S TEAM WILL SAMMON THE CLARION-LEDGER

STARKVILLE — Dan Mullen has welcomed reporters for each postpractice media session with a loud, “How’s everybody doing?” He has smiled and laughed when fielding questions. He has been demanding of his players, particularly newcomers, but he hasn’t been overly-critical when assessing strengths and weaknesses.

Mullen has been around long enough to know it is best not to talk up a team coming off a 6-7 season. But those close to the Mississippi State program believe Mullen’s body language and demeanor through the first weeks of training camp are the results of him being confident in what he has on his roster and coaching staff.

“We expect to have a really good year,” Mullen said. “I like the attitude that our team has had, that they've brought to the table, their work ethic, and their demeanor of this football team I'm excited about.”

Predictably, that’s about as far as Mullen will go in regards to questions about expectations this season.

Speaking of predictions, USA TODAY recently picked Mississippi State to finish 6-6, similar to several other outlets and national analysts. That’s fair, considering ESPN ranks the Bulldogs’ strength of schedule at No. 14 in the country. But there is a cautious optimism internally in Starkville that six wins are closer to the floor than the ceiling for this team.

Really, anywhere from five to eight wins wouldn’t surprise too much. As much as there are certainties within key spots on the team, there are question marks that loom just as large. For example, a mundane three-way competition for starting placekicker has been the most compelling position battle during camp, but MSU’s kicking struggles last year have been well-docu-

JOHN DAVID MERCER/USA TODAY SPORTS

Dan Mullen and his team are cautiously optimistic that six wins are closer to the floor than the ceiling for the Bulldogs.

mented.

Mississippi State is confident entering the season that it has one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC in Nick Fitzgerald with a workhouse running back

in Aeris Williams. There are trouble areas beyond that on offense. Receiver Donald Gray needs to be more consistent than less than three catches in each of seven games. Who catches

passes beyond Gray is anyone’s guess.

The offensive line isn’t a weakness with starters Elgton Jenkins, Martinas Rankin and Deion Calhoun back, but it’s not exactly a strength because it lacks depth.

Strangely enough, MSU, which ranked 109 in total defense last year, may have less question marks on the defensive side than the offensive side.

Conventional wisdom dictates that the Bulldogs should be better on defense because 1.) It couldn’t be much worse, 2.) They added JUCO additions Montez Sweat, Johnathan Abram and Chauncey Rivers who all have either Big 10 or SEC experience and 3.) They hired Todd Grantham, one of the top defensive minds in the game, to fix it.

“I say this season will be special because this is one of the best feelings I have had about a team since I have been here,” junior safety Brandon Bryant said.

MSU has to improve its pass defense, generate a rush and consistently tackle in space for many to believe Bryant. But there are notable pieces such as Jeffrey Simmons and Leo Lewis, who are looking to build off All-SEC freshmen seasons, in place here along with some depth and experience in the secondary.

The influx of new and veteran talent on defense coupled with Fitzgerald’s breakout season led several national analysts to choose MSU as a team to take seriously in 2018. This season comes first, of course, and back to .500 would be a step in the right direction.

“Mississippi State has always been doubted as a program,” Fitzgerald said.

“We’ve always played with a chip on our shoulder. It always feels like we are picked last. I think we’ve kind of embraced that. We’ve used that to motivate us. It doesn’t matter what people outside these walls think because we know what we have is special. We know what we can do.”

4G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 OLE MISS 2017 SCHEDULE SOUTH ALABAMA Sept. 2 Matt Luke will be coaching his first game as Ole Miss’ interim coach and will face a South Alabama program which opened the season with a win at Mississippi State last year. The Jaguars shouldn’t be intimidated by SEC surroundings, so this could end up being a fight for the Rebels.

UT MARTIN Sept. 9 It’s UT Martin’s first trip to Oxford since the 2015 season opener, which turned out to be a 76-3 victory for Ole Miss. Ole Miss beat its lone FCS opponent, Wofford, 38-10, in 2016. After these two games is when the schedule becomes interesting. The program’s most important matter, the hearing with the Committee on Infractions, happens two days after this.

AT CAL Sept. 16 These two programs have never faced each other, so there will be plenty of unfamiliarity between them. Cal will still be in the early stages of life under Justin Wilcox, while Luke leads the program on the road for the first time. This is also a critical game for Ole Miss because its schedule gets much tougher moving forward.

AT ALABAMA Sept. 30 Ole Miss gave Alabama fits last season but blew a 21-point lead as the Crimson Tide snapped their two-game losing streak to the Rebels. Fortunately for Ole Miss, it has a bye week before this game, which should still come well before Alabama is truly hitting its stride as a team.

AT AUBURN Oct. 7 First-year defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff is returning to the place where he spent last season as the secondary coach.

McGriff will have to figure out a way to slow down Auburn’s rushing attack, which returns backs Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson.

VANDERBILT Oct. 14 The Commodores thoroughly dominated the Rebels last season and return 15 starters from that team. Running back Ralph Webb will be tough to handle and quarterback Kyle Shurmur should be another year better for Derek Mason’s crew, which appeared in the Independence Bowl last season.

LSU Oct. 21 Ed Orgeron has returned to Oxford before, but this will be his first time back as a head coach. It’s been 10 years since he was at Ole Miss. Orgeron’s bringing one of the best running backs, Derrius Guice, and pass rushers, Arden Key, in the country with him too.

ARKANSAS Oct. 28 Arkansas has had Ole Miss’ number as of late.

The Razorbacks have won the past three matchups against the Rebels with the last two games being decided by a few plays. Running back Rawleigh Williams retired after a neck injury, but Arkansas will welcome back quarterback Austin Allen, who threw for 229 yards and three scores against Ole Miss in 2016.

AT KENTUCKY Nov. 4 This will be the first time these conference foes have matched up since 2011. After a 2-3 start, the Wildcats won five of their final seven games to reach a bowl game last year. Both teams played subpar defense in ‘16, so this game will likely come down to which side could generate more stops.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE Nov. 11 The Ragin’ Cajuns will break the Rebels’ stretch of six conference games. By this time, ULL hopes it will have found suitable replacements at quarterback, running back and linebacker, which is where it has holes entering the season. This will be Ole Miss’ second game against a Sun Belt team this season.

TEXAS A&M Nov. 18 Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin enters the season squarely on the hot seat. Texas A&M was projected to finish fifth in the SEC West by the media, two spots ahead of projected last-place Ole Miss. But the Aggies have had a problem with fading down the stretch the past few seasons, so the Rebels might be playing them at the right time.

MISSISSIPPI STATE Nov. 23 The Egg Bowl returns to Thanksgiving for the first time in four years. Emotions will be high given everything that’s going on off the field between these two programs, and this is the season finale for Ole Miss, which is playing the season under a self-imposed postseason ban.

The Rebels would like nothing more than ending the season with a win over their instate rivals.

CHRISTOPHER HANEWINCKEL/USA TODAY SPORTS

Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson tries to elude a Vanderbilt defender last season in Nashville.

CAN PATTERSON SET REBELS STRAIGHT? ANTONIO MORALES THE CLARION-LEDGER

OXFORD — There was that one time he was sick during the Elite 11 competition and had to miss a practice.

He later responded by winning MVP honors.

There were, as a freshman and sophomore in high school, the quarterback competitions he had to win against entrenched starters.

There was the tussle over whether Shea Patterson would play or redshirt as a true freshman at Ole Miss.

But make no mistake …

“On the field, ” said his brother Sean Patterson Jr., a senior player personnel analyst at Ole Miss, “I wouldn’t say he’s faced anything like he’s faced in the past offseason or this year.”

As expected, Shea sits as the unquestioned face of the Rebels’ football program. But it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Shea, who was a five-star prospect and the top quarterback in the 2016 recruiting class, was supposed to pilot Ole Miss’ continued ascent.

The flight mission has been altered.

Now he’s trying to help the Rebels avoid a crash after the university selfimposed a one-year postseason ban, Hugh Freeze resigned in stunning fashion, and the football program continues to wait for its fate from the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions to be announced.

The questions have been asked.

What’s Shea think of all this? What’s his future with the program? Those will be answered in time.

The more important questions for the immediate future are how does he handle this adversity and what’s he have in store for this upcoming season?

“I think it’s a big load on a young player, I really do,” Archie Manning said before he briefly paused, “but it looks like to me, this is what he’s been trained to do.” *** Steve Clarkson’s list of quarterback proteges runs deep. The Los Angelesbased private quarterbacks coach’s roster of clients reads like a who’s who of quarterbacks.

Patterson has been an understudy of Clarkson’s for years.

“He does things you can’t teach. …

He has an understanding of what he’s doing and what defenses are trying to do to him,” Clarkson said of Patterson’s on-field mindset. “So, therefore, he’s always able to anticipate what’s going to be next.”

But there’s no way Patterson could see this unfolding. In February 2015, he committed to Ole Miss with Freeze as its coach and Dan Werner as its offen-

sive coordinator.

Werner was fired in December.

Freeze resigned in July. Matt Luke is the Rebels’ interim coach and Phil Longo is their offensive coordinator.

Not to mention amidst all those changes, the program has been levied with 21 allegations by the NCAA’s enforcement staff.

“Obviously not ideal,” Patterson said. “But I think as a team and as a coaching staff, we’re ready to run for it.”

A few words regularly come up when discussing Patterson with those who know him. Mature. Coachable.

Competitive.

It’s unlikely he’ll point fingers or throw anyone under the bus no matter what turns this saga takes.

“Everybody goes through wild swings of adversity, momentum changes and drama through the course of a season and the really good quarterbacks, the great leaders, commanders, they learn how to adjust and grow through that," said Trent Dilfer, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback who is in charge of the Elite 11 competition.

"One of the reasons I have a lot of confidence in Shea is because I think he’ll grow through that.” *** Scott Ford coached Patterson when he was a freshman at Hidalgo High School in Texas. On multiple occasions back then he said Patterson wasn’t a normal freshman.

“He was mature beyond his years,” Ford said. “He just had so many goals on his mind, so many bigger things than being a freshman playing high school football.”

That seems to be a theme. When Patterson made his debut against Texas A&M late last season and led Ole Miss to a stunning rally, Dilfer tweeted that Patterson wasn’t an average true freshman.

“I thought that when he was 17,” Dilfer said. “There’s very few of these kids that I will say, if I’m talking to a college coach or an evaluator, media person, are they ready to go in and play right away? I would say in my seven years, I’ve probably had 10 guys that would be able to go in there and handle it. Shea was definitely one at the top of my list.”

Clarkson said Patterson was ahead of “pretty much anybody” he’s ever worked with. It just took a while for Ole Miss fans to witness that last season. *** Eli Manning can relate to Patterson, who had to wait patiently to play, stuck behind all-SEC quarterback Chad Kelly.

“This was before he had taken over the starting role, I know he was prob-

ably frustrated whether he was going to redshirt or play,” said Manning, who waited behind Romaro Miller. “I just told him I was in the same situation. I redshirted, learned a bunch and learn from the guys in front of you and take advantage of that time to gain as much information so when you get in there, you’re ready to go.”

Up until this point in November, the redshirt-or-not debate was the most strife Patterson had been under with the Rebels. When Kelly, who claimed many Ole Miss records, went down with a season-ending injury with three games remaining, the redshirt was off.

Freeze started Patterson against Texas A&M and he shined with 338 passing yards, two touchdowns and 64 rushing yards.

It was a game that birthed a myriad of comparisons. Based on style of play, the Johnny Manziel one is natural.

Clarkson compared him to Archie Manning. Dilfer went with Brett Favre.

They’re something Patterson takes in stride, but also shields himself from.

“I want to be myself,” Patterson said. “I don’t want to be known in comparison to anybody else.”

Eli said if he played early on, he probably would have improvised a lot and hoped things went his way. Things went Patterson’s way in his first start, but his second and third (against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, respectively) resulted in blowout losses where the offense sputtered. *** Sean Sr. was inundated with phone calls from reporters after Freeze resigned, as they tried to gain some insight into Shea’s mindset.

Sean Sr. is put at ease a bit by the fact Sean Jr., who Shea has always looked up to and spends most of his time with, is in Oxford with his younger brother.

“I think Sean being there to mentor him makes Shea feel kind of comfortable,” Sean Sr. said. “If things were really bad, I’m sure Sean would tell me it’s time for Shea to go. But Sean still believes and they’ve got a great offense, so it gives a little peace of mind to my wife and I.” *** On the field, more will be expected from Patterson than ever this season, which probably seemed like it’d never come, but is now days away.

“What I love about him is what we classify as competitive temperament,” Dilfer said..“His whole competitive makeup, he’s a fighter, he’s a scrapper.

He’s going to do everything he can within his ability to give his team a chance to win.”

And at this time, Ole Miss can't ask for anything more.

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 5G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017

MEMORY OF FATHER MOTIVATES JONES TO DEFENSIVE STARDOM ANTONIO MORALES THE CLARION-LEDGER

OXFORD — Benito Jones still wears wristbands with his father’s initials on them on game day.

His mother, Juanita, said Benito’s dad, Billy Ray, was his idol.

“He did so much for him,” she said.

Juanita recalled Benito, an Ole Miss defensive tackle, standing in her kitchen, just days away from his collegiate debut against Florida State on 2016 Labor Day. “He was standing in the kitchen saying, ‘I wanted daddy to at least see me play in my first college game,’” she said. “He just broke down and I stood there for him and said he’s there in spirit to see you play.’”

Billy Ray died of congestive heart failure days earlier, and Benito is still playing while mindful of his memory to this day.

Benito, who was a five-star prospect and a Dandy Dozen selection at Wayne County, performed impressively as a true freshman. He recorded 39 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and was one of the brighter spots in a defense which struggled all season long.

In his first game after his father passed away, he recorded four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against the Seminoles. Even though it was an impressive debut, the weight of the situation still took its toll on Benito.

“Even though it made him stronger and gave him something to go on, to do what dad loves,” Juanita said. “It took a lot out of him because he wasn’t able to see his dad anymore and wasn’t able to see him play.”

But Benito said he feels the situation has prepared him to go through more.

“Losing my dad was tough, but I fought through it and that was (the toughest) adversity of my life,” Benito said. “(After) losing him I can go through anything. I just kept balling and kept playing. I know he was watching from a better place.”

As the season progressed, Jones elevated himself from a reserve role and became a starter. He admitted he didn’t know what he was doing at the beginning of the season, but he obviously picked up on things as the year went on.

TROY TAORMINA, TROY TAORMINA-USA TODAY SPORTS

Sophomore defensive tackle Benito Jones, a five-star prospect and a Dandy Dozen selection at Wayne County, had 39 tackles for Ole Miss last season.

Now he’s one of Ole Miss’ top players on defense and enters his sophomore year as an established starter.

“The guy has a great get-off,” fellow defensive lineman Breeland Speaks said. “He’s physical, he’s a freak. He’s young. He’s going to be a real big talent.”

Now Jones is trying to push through the outside noise and distractions that constantly seem to surround the program.

The school self-imposed a one-year postseason ban, Hugh Freeze resigned two weeks before camp started, and the

Committee on Infractions is still waiting to make its ruling later this year.

But Jones has his method for blocking all that out.

“I just stay off social media. That’s where most people see everything,” he said. “People just type up stuff and put it out there. I don’t really pay attention to it. If I don’t hear it out of my coach’s mouth, then I know it isn’t true.”

Juanita tried to poke and prod to see if her son was frustrated by anything that was going on but got nothing.

“No, never did show it, never did talk about it,” she said. “He’s a private,

little person, I’ll tell you that. He’s very private because I asked him about it, but he never spoke about it.”

In mid-August, the family avoided another scare. After a hard hit in Ole Miss’ first scrimmage of training camp, Jones was taken to the hospital for precautionary spinal X-rays.

Jones’ tests came back normal and his playing status was day-to-day.

“He’s doing fine,” Juanita said in a text that day. “The doctor confirmed he is OK.” After all the past year has entailed, that’s the best she can hope for.

REBELS MUST SHAKE OFF LAST SEASON TO SUCCEED ANTONIO MORALES THE CLARION-LEDGER

OXFORD — At this time a year ago, the heavy weight of expectations were thrust upon Ole Miss’ shoulders.

The Rebels were coming off their first Sugar Bowl win in decades and opened the season ranked in the top 15 of both major polls. But Ole Miss crumbled under those expectations, finished 5-7 and missed out on a bowl appearance.

After the announcement of a selfimposed postseason ban and the resignation of Hugh Freeze two weeks before camp, this upcoming 2017 season has taken on a much different outlook for the Rebels.

The expiration date for Ole Miss’ season has already been set, and outside expectations have decreased dramatically as the program tries to right the ship.

“We have to have a blue collar mentality. We earn everything we get.

There is not a lot of pressure on us.

People aren’t giving us much respect,” interim coach Matt Luke said. “We have to go out and play good, hard, sound football and be a blue collar team, no prima donnas. That’s the type of team I want to have.”

The direction of the season will be decided by how well the players handle adversity. They’ve already dealt with a plethora of off-field issues and there’s potential for more down the road depending on what the Committee on Infractions decides upon for penalties.

The truth of the matter is the team didn’t handle on-field adversity well at all last season. The Rebels jumped out to three-touchdown leads against Florida State and Alabama only to falter and lose once they were punched back.

At SEC Media Days, Freeze admitted those losses rattled the team’s

Ole Miss defensive end Marquis Haynes (10) recorded seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2016

FILE/THE CLARION-LEDGER

confidence and he was never able to recapture it. Obviously, this offseason has featured more problems than a pair of blown leads.

“After all the adversity we have a chance to be the most mentally tough team in the country,” Luke said.

“They’ve been through so much and that’s going to bring them together.

That is your motivation. You’re playing for the guy next to you. You’re playing for the guy that is wearing the same jersey and helmet as you.”

As a player, Luke was on a team that went through a bowl ban, so he has some experience in this situation.

The players on this team contend they’re better prepared for adversity

this season, but it’s impossible to know until they actually face some on the field or in a game.

“It’s not bad at all. We keep getting hit with stones, but we’re going to keep getting up,” offensive lineman Javon Patterson said. “Like one of my teammates said, ‘Somebody is going to have to feel this frustration’. We’re going to go out there and play 12 games and get after it.”

Patterson is a part of an explosive offense, led by quarterback Shea Patterson and a deep crew of receivers, which includes A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and Van Jefferson, who should be able to give this team a puncher’s chance in most games.

The offense is talented but young.

Ultimately, this season will be decided by how well the defense plays.

Last year was abysmal for that side of the ball and there appears to be even less depth this season. Marquis Haynes is a standout at defensive end, but they’ll need more playmakers to emerge on that side of the ball in order to avoid a repeat of 2016.

If things stay the same and the players don’t respond well to adversity, another losing season could be coming.

If the players handle it better as they say they will, the offense plays to its potential, and the defense is decent, then it could exceed most people’s expectations.

6G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

MATT BUSH/USA TODAY SPORTS

AUBURN TIGERS

MATT BUSH/USA TODAY SPORTS

JUSTIN FORD/USA TODAY SPORTS

Nick Saban says he’s determined to learn from last year’s loss in the national championship game.

Running back Devwah Whaley had 600 yards on the ground as a freshman, and could pop with an increased load.

Kerryon Johnson is part of a formidable backfield for the Auburn Tigers.

ALABAMA WANTS TO GET BACK AND WIN IT THIS TIME

IS BREAKTHROUGH SEASON FINALLY GOING TO COME?

QUARTERBACK PLAY KEY TO RUN FOR SEC TITLE

ANTONIO MORALES

HUGH KELLENBERGER

WILL SAMMON

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The Crimson Tide have won three consecutive SEC championships and are an overwhelming favorite to win a fourth.

They’ll enter this season with the bitter taste of just missing out on the chance to claim back-to-back national championships with its last-second loss to Clemson.

If not then, then when? Arkansas looked primed for a breakout season in 2016, only to stumble to a 6-7 record, including losses to Missouri and Virginia Tech (in the Belk Bowl) to close the year out. There’s again reason for optimism in Fayetteville, mostly built around a returning quarterback (Austin Allen) and coach Bret Bielema’s ability to convince you everything is going to be great. But will it be?

Auburn is coming off an 8-5 season and an appearance in the Sugar Bowl, but Gus Malzahn wants more heading into his fifth year — and the expectations surrounding this program command better results.

What to expect on offense Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year, put them in a position to win the national title last season and he’ll back to lead the offense.

Hurts will be working with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Daboll will have plenty of weapons at his disposal with running backs Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris. Calvin Ridley will also be back at receiver.

What to expect on defense Alabama has plenty to replace with its front seven defensively, but linemen Da’Ron Payne and Da’Shawn Hand have the potential to clear those worries. The front seven will be key to the defense’s success. In the back end, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is a star.

What they’re saying about Alabama “I think when you lose, everybody’s much more — the mindset is much more I’m willing to change,” Nick Saban told reporters at SEC Media Days. “I want to learn. I don’t want to waste a failure.”

Best-case scenario If everything breaks right for the Crimson Tide, Hurts develops as a passer, which gives Alabama the offensive balance it needs, the front seven acclimates quickly and fares well against Florida State in a season-opening win and it navigates through the SEC schedule unscathed before claiming it second national title in three seasons.

Worst-case scenario

What to expect on offense This is a Bielema team, so Arkansas is going to run the ball and control the clock. But it lost its best running back, Rawleigh Williams III, and offensive lineman, left tackle Dan Skipper. New running back Devwah Whaley had 600 yards on the ground as a freshman, and could pop with an increased load. But the path to progress is through Allen cutting down on his interceptions and finding a consistent passing game.

What to expect on defense New defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads is switching Arkansas from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base look, primarily because of the belief it’ll inherently make the team more athletic. It comes at a good time, with most of the defensive linemen from last year’s middling overall defense gone and most of the linebackers returning. Play to your strengths.

What they’re saying about Arkansas “Our kids have been great,” coach Bret Bielema said.

“They’ve owned and embraced what we didn’t do well at the end of the year. Focused on what we can do well. We’re going to focus on winning games in the second half, not losing them.”

Best-case scenario The running game is dominant, Allen makes the right throws, the defense improves just enough and Arkansas has a nine-win season and finishes second in the SEC West.

What to expect on offense Another year, another new quarterback for Auburn. The Tigers are hoping for big things from JUCO transfer and former Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who had 12 touchdowns and two interceptions at Baylor in 2015. If Stidham can open up the offense on a consistent basis with his arm, the Tigers should achieve have more balance and become an offensive power. Auburn’s rushing attack features a formidable pair in Kamryn Pettway, who led the SEC in rushing yards per game, and the versatile Kerryon Johnson.

What to expect on defense Auburn’s defense has the potential to be one of the best groups in the SEC, but it needs some young players to step up in larger roles. The defensive front is loaded with Marlon Davidson, Derrick Brown and Byron Cowart.

What they’re saying about Auburn “Probably the thing that I'm most excited about is we have quality depth and our quarterback position. And that's been our Achilles' heel the last two years. That gives me, I know our coaches and our players, comfort.” — Auburn coach Gus Malzahn

Best-case scenario There are far more unrealistic expectations than this floating around in the SEC: Stidham is the real deal, the Tigers knock off Alabama, win the SEC and make the College Football Playoff.

Worst-case scenario

If not, then Hurts doesn’t develop, the offense relies heavily on the run game, the front seven struggles, which means a season-opening loss to FSU and a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

The Hogs lose to Texas A&M and TCU in September, and stumble the rest of the way, having to beat Missouri in the regular season finale just to go to a bowl game.

Auburn loses to Clemson, LSU, Georgia and Alabama so Malzahn gets fired. Malzahn needs to beat at least Georgia or Alabama after losing to both each of the last three years.

If there isn’t improvement from last year’s 8-5 mark, it wouldn’t be surprising if Malzahn’s seat gets hot.

LSU TIGERS

MISSOURI TIGERS

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

LSU EXPECTATIONS: WIN 10 GAMES, BEAT ALABAMA

DEFENSE KEY TO MAKING RUN AT A BOWL GAME

CAN SUMLIN WIN ENOUGH GAMES TO SAVE HIS JOB?

Worst-case scenario

WILL SAMMON

HUGH KELLENBERGER

WILL SAMMON

THE CLARION-LEDGER

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LSU won at least eight games for the 17th straight season despite firing its coach after four games. Ed Orgeron took over for Les Miles and won six games.

Expectations for LSU are again high this season and it was ranked No. 12 in the preseason poll. Orgeron hired Matt Canada from Pittsburgh to be LSU’s new offensive coordinator in a clear sign that the Tigers have moved away from their old identity of Power-I principles.

Can you get to a bowl game by just trying to outscore everyone?

Missouri sure looks like it’s going to try.

The Tigers had little problem scoring points in 2016 — the 31.4 per game were fifth in the Southeastern Conference. But when your defense is so bad you score 45 and 37 points in two games and lose both? Yikes.

For the third straight year, a strong start from Texas A&M gave way to a late-season fade and now the pressure is on Kevin Sumlin to improve from a string of 8-5 seasons.

Texas A&M will need to do so without its starting quarterback from last year and without Myles Garrett, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Aggies are 3-9 against SEC teams in November since 2013 and that is a trend that must end in order for Sumlin to keep his job, judging from comments athletic director Scott Woodward made in May.

What to expect on offense Senior quarterback Danny Etling isn’t flashy, but he’s a capable starter; he threw for 2,123 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. The offense will still depend heavily on a quality running game. Despite losing Leonard Fournette, the Tigers have a legitimate preseason Heisman Trophy candidate in junior Derrius Guice. He rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns.

What to expect on defense Linebacker Arden Key, one of the country’s best passrushers, is still working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. If Key is healthy, then the defense should be fine.

LSU also returns No. 2 tackler linebacker Donnie Alexander, but the Tigers have some turnover in the secondary.

What they’re saying about LSU “(Derrius Guice) runs the ball like Warren Sapp played defensive line for me at Miami.” — LSU coach Ed Orgeron

Best-case scenario The Tigers win the SEC West, capture the SEC and make it to the College Football Playoff. LSU no longer struggles to find the balance between run and pass with Canada leading the way. Arden Key dominates defensively again with even better pass-rushing totals than last year while Guice proves he can handle the workload.

Worst-case scenario The offense doesn’t improve under Canada, Guice can’t handle the workload and injuries to Key and others on defense lead LSU to seven or eight wins and a third or fourth place finish in the SEC West.

What to expect on offense Ten starters are back, probably most notably quarterback Drew Lock (3,399 yards and 23 touchdowns) and running back Damarea Crockett (1,062 yards as a freshman). Everything is good here, and the players are still young enough to expect growth.

What to expect on defense OK, so this is a different story. Head coach Barry Odom, a defensive man himself, will have to figure out what went wrong, and how to fix it. Defensive end Marcell Frazier was good in November with 6.5 sacks in three games, and tackle Terry Beckner Jr. is a former blue-chip prospect that has struggled to stay healthy.

What they’re saying about Missouri “We did a very, very thorough self-evaluation throughout the year and then when the season was over on who we were and why we didn’t achieve the things we wanted to,” Missouri coach Barry Odom said. “I didn’t do a good enough job as the head coach getting us ready to go win games.”

Best-case scenario The Tigers win all four non-conference games, which are all very get-able, and then squeeze out two more wins within the SEC and head to a bowl game.

Worst-case scenario It turns out the defense isn’t any better, the offense stagnates and a three-game losing streak to South Carolina, Purdue and Auburn in September portend a season that is actually a step-back.

What to expect on offense Junior receiver Christian Kirk and sophomore running back Trayveon Williams are big-time playmakers, but the Aggies are facing significant question marks elsewhere. Chief among them is who the starting quarterback will be.

What to expect on defense Texas A&M needs to be better up the middle and at stopping the run. For that to happen, the Aggies need better play from their linebackers. Look for true freshman Anthony Hines to make an immediate impact. Texas A&M could be strong in the interior line with defensive tackle Kingsley Keke expected to take the next step. Safety Armani Watts is one of the best in the SEC, but he needs help in the secondary.

What they’re saying about Texas A&M “Whatever’s said, whatever the conversation, whatever’s written, it’s not going to affect how I do my job and it’s not going to affect my day-to-day operation. I’ve been doing this almost 30 years.” — Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin

Best-case scenario The Aggies’ freshmen dazzle, help capture at least nine wins, the quarterback position is solidified for the foreseeable future and Sumlin’s job security is never threatened at any point during the regular season.

Worst-case scenario The Aggies again crumble, fall apart and disappoint in November. Sumlin is fired immediately after the season, if not before. Hines doesn’t live up to the hype of linebacker of the future and the quarterback carousel continues.

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 7G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 GEORGIA BULLDOGS

FLORIDA GATORS

LOGAN BOWLES-USA TODAY SPORTS

KENTUCKY WILDCATS

MARK ZEROF-USA TODAY SPORTS

DALE ZANINE/USA TODAY SPORTS

Cece Jefferson will need to help lead a defense that’s trying to overcome the setback of losing eight starters.

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) passes during the Georgia spring game at Sanford Stadium.

Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson (15) jumps over Mississippi State defensive back Cedric Jiles.

FLORIDA LOOKING FOR ELUSIVE MISSING ELEMENT

GEORGIA CAN WIN SEC EAST AND BE A PLAYOFF TEAM

KENTUCKY WANTS WINS EARLY IN THE SEASON

ANTONIO MORALES

HUGH KELLENBERGER

ANTONIO MORALES

THE CLARION-LEDGER

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There’s been two trips to the SEC Championship Game in Jim McElwain’s two seasons as coach. The Gators will have to power through some self-inflicted wounds early as seven players were suspended for the reported misuse of schoolissued funds. Despite winning the SEC East the past two seasons, the Gators were slotted behind Georgia in the division in the preseason polls.

Georgia prides itself on being an elite team within the Southeastern Conference, the sole reason it ran off coach Mark Richt. So, of course, his successor, Georgia man Kirby Smart, led the team to a 7-5 regular season record in year 1 as head coach. But was that a result of Richt’s recruiting misses in his final years, or a problem with Smart, a first-time head coach? We’ll start to find out in 2017.

A 2-3 start, which included a season-opening home loss to Southern Miss, wasn’t the best way for Kentucky to get out of the gates last season. But it closed the regular season with a 5-2 record, including a win over rival Louisville, to finish 7-5 and earn a trip to the TaxSlayer Bowl.

What to expect on offense

What to expect on offense

The Gators fielded a top-5 defense last season, but still lost four games because it ranked 116th in total offense and 107th in scoring. Offensive success will come down to quarterback and that position will be decided with a training camp battle between Feleipe Franks and Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire.

Jacob Eason got handed the keys to the offense as a true freshman and the former five-star recruit did some good (two 300-yard passing games) and some bad (less than 200 yards in the last three games). Eason will be helped by the best running back combo in the SEC, Nick Chubb (1,130 yards, 8 TDs) and Sony Michel (840, 4).

What to expect on defense

What to expect on offense Sophomore running back Benny Snell Jr., who rushed for 1,091 yards and 13 scores as a freshman, will be the focal point of the offense, which ranked 20th in the country in rushing last season. Stephen Johnson figures to be the starting quarterback all season long after stepping in for an injured Drew Barker, who is also back, in 2016.

What to expect on defense

All four starting linebackers are back from last season, including leading tackler Roquan Smith, as three players who shared for the team lead with five sacks each. This was a top-5 defense in the SEC, including the passing game (which intercepted more passes than touchdowns allowed).

Defensive lineman Denzil Ware, safety Mike Edwards and linebacker Jordan Jones, who recorded 109 tackles last season, are preseason All-SEC selections. So there’s talent there, but there needs to be an improvement from a defense which ranked 86th in scoring and 85th in total defense a year ago.

The rush defense was particularly bad and checked in at 110th in the country.

What they’re saying about Florida

What they’re saying about Georgia

What they’re saying about Kentucky

“I think we’ve done a pretty darn good job of understanding the why we’ve been successful at times and understanding the why we haven’t been successful,” McElwain said.

“For me it’s important that you understand as the head coach of the University of Georgia, I’m proud to be there, but we embrace those as the coaching staff, we embrace those as our players, when you come to the University of Georgia, the expectation is to win championships,” coach Kirby Smart said. “That’s what we expect to do at the University of Georgia, and that’s the standard we’ll be held to.”

“I think that’s the biggest thing with our program is consistency, our attention to detail,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “Our players are doing that. And we’re ready to take it to the next level. Again, each and every year I’ve been here, we talked about build, select, develop.”

The offense will need to be better because the defense lost eight starters. Some talented defensive backs went off to the NFL, but Duke Dawson is a preseason All-SEC player at corner. The secondary took a blow when Marcell Harris was ruled out with a torn Achilles. Jabari Zuniga and Cece Jefferson could be dangerous edge rushers.

Best-case scenario Should the ball bounce the right way for Florida this season, the Gators will reload, not rebuild, on defense, while the offense finds a steady quarterback who can raise the performance of the unit and lead them to another SEC East title, which would be the third for McElwain.

What to expect on defense

Best-case scenario

Georgia’s offense clicks, the defense improves just a bit and a win against Auburn in Week 12 clinches the SEC East title and sets up a shot at the College Football Playoff.

Experience pays off for the Wildcats’ defense, which returns eight starters. That side of the ball improves, while the running game, led by Snell, keeps the defense off the field and Johnson progresses as a second-year starter and leads Kentucky to eight wins and another bowl game.

Worst-case scenario

Worst-case scenario

Eason’s progress stagnates, a QB controversy develops and it results in Georgia losing all the 50/50 games. It ends the season with seven wins, and disappointment.

In its worst-case scenario, Kentucky’s defense is still subpar and its offense can’t keep up in some of the shootouts in one last season, which turns a 7-5 record into a 5-7 team in 2017.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

VANDERBILT COMMODORES

SOPHOMORE BENTLEY THE NEW FACE OF THE PROGRAM

CAN NEW-LOOK TENNESSEE DO BETTER THIS SEASON?

CAN VANDERBILT CONTINUE MOMENTUM FROM 2016?

Worst-case scenario On the opposite end of the spectrum, the defense could undergo a natural regression after losing eight starters, while nobody grabs firm control of the quarterback position and the offense is still bad, which leads to Florida losing its spot atop the SEC East.

Best-case scenario

ANTONIO MORALES

HUGH KELLENBERGER

WILL SAMMON

THE CLARION-LEDGER

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South Carolina returns plenty of experience in Will Muschamp’s second season leading the program. The Gamecocks bring back 16 starters this season, led by sophomore quarterback Jake Bentley, who is the new face of the program.

Tennessee was supposed to be back in 2016. Instead the Vols stumbled to a fringe-top 25 rating, and then lost its quarterback, running back, leading receiver, tight end and most of the defensive line.

So, what now?

Coach Butch Jones is dealing with a decently warm seat at the moment, but with fewer expectations maybe Tennessee finds a way to satisfy its fanbase this fall?

Vanderbilt made it to a bowl game for the first time in three seasons and now the challenge is to sustain that success and not to take a step backward. It would be surprising to see Vanderbilt contend as a legitimate threat in the SEC East, but the Commodores winning more than three conference games would put them on the path towards relevancy.

What to expect on offense Bentley threw for 1,420 yards and nine touchdowns while helping lead the Gamecocks to a bowl game a year ago. He’ll be joined on offense by nine returning starters, which includes receiver Deebo Samuel, who caught 59 passes for 783 yards. Tight end Hayden Hurst was a preseason All-SEC second-team selection.

What to expect on defense The defense ranked about middle of the pack at 51st in scoring defense and 66th in total defense. The unit returns six starters, including linebacker Skai Moore, who led the team in tackles in as a freshman, sophomore and junior. He missed last season with a herniated disc in his neck, but he’s back this season. Safety D.J. Smith is the returning leading tackler with 80 tackles last season.

What they’re saying about South Carolina “Year two at South Carolina. We're still a very young football team,” Muschamp said. “We had 70 percent of our roster still freshmen and sophomores. We only have 11 seniors. 19 first-time starters last year on last year's team and seven true freshmen, which those two stats tie for the most in the country.”

Best-case scenario Bentley needs to continue to develop, which doesn’t seem implausible, in order for the offense to improve this season.

If that happens and the defense is steady, then the Gamecocks’ best-case scenario, a winning season and another bowl trip should be in play.

Worst-case scenario If things go the wrong way, then Muschamp will deal with the same offensive struggles he went through at Florida and the defense won’t be able to save South Carolina, which turns in another losing season.

What to expect on offense Either Quinten Dormady or Jarrett Guarantano will replace Josh Dobbs at quarterback. Neither one has much experience, so it feels like a situation where both end up playing until one basically forces the other off the field.

Running back John Kelly, who gained more than 600 yards as Alvin Kamara’s backup in 2016, stands to prosper from this with a focus on the run game.

What to expect on defense The strength of this group is at linebacker, where the top four tacklers all return. But the Vols are really green up front, and while the safeties are fine the cornerbacks can be a little too boom or bust.

What they’re saying about Tennessee “We have to replace some very, very good football players,” coach Butch Jones said. “We had six drafted players in the first four rounds of the National Football League draft this past year. That hasn’t been done in Tennessee in 15 years.”

Best-case scenario A quarterback emerges by mid-October, and a 4-3 team wins four out of five down the stretch to go to a good bowl game and feel good about what’s coming back for 2018.

Worst-case scenario Injuries continue to ravage the Vols, neither of the quarterbacks is ready to be the guy and amid a four-win season Tennessee decides to move on from Jones.

What to expect on offense Running back Ralph Webb returns for his senior season after rushing for a school-record 1,283 yards. Kyle Shurmur is the unquestioned starter at quarterback. He improved his completion percentage late in the season and some of that can be attributed to better play from wide receivers. Caleb Scott and Trent Sherfield comprise a nice 1-2 punch at receiver.

What to expect on defense Vanderbilt’s defense excelled in red zone defense and in preventing big plays. Vanderbilt could be someone near the top-6 again in yards and points allowed per game. The secondary is expected to be the strength because Vanderbilt has five senior defensive backs as contributors.

What they’re saying about Vanderbilt “Vanderbilt football is on the rise. As I look at our program and where we’re at and what we’ve done, I thought in 2016, we took several steps forward to be a better program.

You looked at how we finished the season, 4-2, got us to a Bowl game for the first time in my tenure. And that was an exciting time for us. Definitely not satisfied.” — Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason

Best-case scenario Vanderbilt wins seven or eight games behind an improved offense and consistent defense with an upset over Florida or Georgia and a win at South Carolina.

Worst-case scenario Middle Tennessee State beats Vanderbilt in the opener.

Then Vanderbilt can’t pull off an upset in any of the next five games against K-State, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss. Vanderbilt finishes 3-9.

8G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 INSIDE THE SEC

INSIDE CONFERENCE-USA

COACH WITH THE TOUGHEST JOB

David Bailiff, Rice

MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER FILE

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban, right, are expected to have their teams at the top of the SEC when the Iron Bowl is played Nov. 25.

The Owls have fallen on some pretty hard times after back-to-back losing seasons.

Bailiff is entering his 11th season as Rice’s head coach. His seat is undoubtedly the hottest.

KYLE TERADA/USA TODAY SPORTS

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JASON MUNZ HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH

BIGGEST SHOES TO FILL

Alabama RB Najee Harris

East

North Texas WR Jalen Guyton

J’Mar Smith, QB, Louisiana Tech

He’s part of a crowded backfield but he was the No. 3 recruit nationally and ran for 70 yards in the spring game. That may be enough to earn carries.

1. Georgia 2. Florida 3. Tennessee 4. South Carolina 5. Kentucky 6. Vanderbilt 7. Missouri

A Notre Dame signee out of high school, Guyton was rated the third-best junior college receiver in the country by 247 Sports. The Mean Green will likely utilize him early and often.

Here we have a redshirt sophomore who will be tasked with replacing Ryan Higgins, the league’s reigning most valuable player. Higgins threw for 4,617 yards and 41 touchdowns (to just eight interceptions) last season. Oh, and Smith (from Meridian) won’t have allconference receivers Trent Taylor nor Carlos Henderson to help. Good luck.

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH

Kentucky WR Lynn Bowden At a position of need the Wildcats add the 6-foot-1 Bowden, who showed up in August and immediately got coach Mark Stoops raving about his potential.

Tennessee OG Trey Smith The top-ranked tackle prospect in the country showed up in spring and will move inside to start his career. Teammates rave about running behind him.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE

Florida Because of last year’s hurricane scheduling mess, Florida actually has a fifth SEC home game this fall, against LSU. But the Gators starts the season with No. 9 Michigan and end it with No. 3 Florida State. Brutal.

West 1. Alabama 2. Auburn 3. LSU 4. Arkansas 5. Texas A&M 6. Mississippi State 7. Ole Miss

TOP CONFERENCE GAMES TO WATCH

Alabama at Auburn, Nov. 25 The Iron Bowl is probably going to determine the SEC West champion, assuming Alabama reloads on defense (a safe bet) and Auburn has a quarterback (a pretty decent bet).

LSU at Alabama, Nov. 4

It’s Missouri State, Purdue, UConn and Idaho in the nonconference, the very definition of a low-stress schedule. The Tigers also will not go on the road until October, and South Carolina, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee all go to Mizzou.

Can Ed Orgeron do what Les Miles struggled to do and match up with Nick Saban? There’s a direct line between losing this game and Miles’ demise, so Orgeron’s job security depends on it.

Vanderbilt The Commodores rallied to beat Ole Miss and Tennessee to end the 2016 season, and advance to a bowl game. With running back Ralph Webb, quarterback Kyle Shurmur and more back, and a schedule that is at least manageable, Vanderbilt certainly can get back to six wins, if not more, this season.

Your favorite coach’s job security A list of who comes into 2017 with at least some question about their longterm job prospects: Bret Bielema, Kevin Sumlin, Gus Malzahn and Butch Jones. This is not to mention Matt Luke, or anyone whose team stumbles this fall.

Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick As a sophomore Fitzpatrick recorded six interceptions, and two of them were picksixes. He’s now the leader on the Tide defense, and if you dare throw it at him he’ll probably make you pay.

Outside of back-to-back non-conference battles against North Carolina and Virginia Tech, the Monarchs’ toughest games are a home date versus Western Kentucky and a road game at Middle Tennessee. Bobby Wilder’s team could not play well this season and achieve bowl eligibility.

UAB This one’s easy. The Blazers have not played a game in almost two years, since the program was shuttered following the 2014 season.

UAB returns to the land of the living in 2017, but to say Bill Clark’s squad isn’t the clear-cut answer here would be silly.

UTSA Frank Wilson’s second season in San Antonio is shaping up to be a special one. His starting quarterback is back. He’s got a returning running back who rushed for more than 800 yards in 2016. His top four receivers are back.

And arguably the best linebacker in the conference (Josiah Tauaefa) is a Roadrunner – and only a sophomore.

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

East 1. Western Kentucky 2. Middle Tennessee 3. Old Dominion 4. Marshall 5. Florida Atlantic 6. FIU 7. Charlotte

Matt Luke, Ole Miss You’re the interim coach, getting the job in mid-July. There’s a bowl ban. The NCAA case will be decided mid-season. The defense was terrible a year ago, and you’re relying on a quarterback with three games of experience to his name. Things could be better.

West

BIGGEST SHOES TO FILL He’s now a Heisman Trophy contender in his own right, but let’s not forget Guice is having to replace Leonard Fournette, one of the singularly most dominating players of the last decade.

Old Dominion

TEAM ON THE RISE PROJECTED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

COACH WITH THE TOUGHEST JOB

Derrius Guice, LSU

UTEP

TEAM UNDER CONSTRUCTION BETTER KEEP AN EYE ON

TEAM ON THE RISE

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE

EASIEST SCHEDULE

Missouri

The Tigers showed they can put up points — QB Drew Lock threw for 3,399 yards and the team was fifth in the SEC at 31.4 points per game. But the defense was miserable, and until second-year coach Barry Odom (a former defensive coordinator) can figure out how to fix that things will be a struggle.

The fourth-rated junior college tight end in the country (per 247 Sports), Deane is expected to be the starter on day one for the Hilltoppers. That, and having Mike White at quarterback, bodes well for him.

LSU at Florida, Oct. 7

EASIEST SCHEDULE

Missouri

Western Kentucky TE Mik’Quan Deane

The SEC East’s preseason top two teams meet in the annual neutral site rivalry game. UGA’s Jacob Eason is a rising QB in the SEC, and he has two excellent backs in Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to rely on.

After last year’s hurricane-related fiasco, this turned into a chippy rivalry series. Plus both teams are pretty good.

TEAM UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The 6-foot-7, 300-pound junior college transfer spent the spring with the Roadrunners and impressed right away. So much so that he’ll likely be penciled in as the starter at left tackle for a pretty good offense.

First off, Sean Kugler’s bunch gets only five home games in 2017. Secondly, UTEP has tough non-conference dates with Oklahoma and Arizona. Not to mention the Miners have to deal with two-time defending C-USA champion Western Kentucky as well as Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee and UTSA.

Georgia vs. Florida, Oct. 28

Jim McElwain’s Gators face an uphill battle for another SEC East title.

UTSA OT Josh Dunlop

Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick

1. Louisiana Tech 2. UTSA 3. Southern Miss 4. North Texas 5. Rice 6. UTEP 7. UAB

Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill

TOP CONFERENCE GAMES TO WATCH

Louisiana Tech at WKU, Sept. 16 A rematch of last year’s C-USA championship game. This contest could very well turn out to be a preview of 2017’s league title game.

Southern Miss at UTSA, Oct. 7 If the Golden Eagles are to make a serious run at the West Division crown, this road date with the Roadrunners might just be the most pivotal game of their season. Same goes for Frank Wilson’s team.

Middle Tennessee at WKU, Nov. 17 This late-season, East Division showdown stands to have a lot on the line when it comes to pass. Will the Blue Raiders get over the hump? Or, will the Hilltoppers maintain their stronghold over the East?

Old Dominion at Middle Tennessee, Nov. 25 The Monarchs have a chance to make some serious noise in 2017, and this road game against the Blue Raiders may end up being the de facto East Division championship game.

BETTER KEEP AN EYE ON

Western Kentucky QB Mike White There’s no Taywan Taylor, Nicholas Norris nor Anthony Wales (the team’s top three receivers from 2016) this season. But the reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year is good enough to compensate for those losses.

PROJECTED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Middle Tennessee QB Brent Stockstill The son of Blue Raiders head coach Rick Stockstill, the junior lefty has what it takes to lead his team to an East Division title. An elite passer with above average mobility, he could dwarf the already gaudy stats he has put up in his first two seasons at MTSU.

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 9G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 JUNIOR COLLEGES AT A GLANCE

TOP 10 MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR COLLEGE PROSPECTS ANNIE COSTABILE THE CLARION-LEDGER

The 2018 JUCO class is another group of talented athletes looking for their next opportunity. Many in this class are still uncommitted with Mississippi State and Ole Miss amongst the offers. These 10 have separated themselves as 10 of the best for the 2017 season.

1. STEPHEN GUIDRY WR, Hinds The 6-foot-4, 190-pound wideout is the No. 1 juco player in the country and for good reason: he had 547 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 30 receptions last season and has catching ability that makes him a corner’s nightmare. Guidry decommitted from the LSU for the second time in April. He holds offers from 15 Division I programs including Mississippi State.

2. SCOTT PHILLIPS RB, Jones County This Ole Miss commit led his team last season in rushing yards with 1,112, was named an NJCAA All-American and finished third in the country in yards per game with 123.6. On top of all that he had 14 rushing touchdowns.

Described as a complete back, Phillips has speed that makes defenders miss. Back for his final season before heading to Oxford, Phillips is primed for another breakout season.

STEVE DIETL/NETFLIX

East Mississippi Community College coach Buddy Stephens was again the main subject of season 2 of Netflix’s “Last Chance U.”

3. TEAIR TART-SPENCER

EAST, NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI TOP JUCO CONTENDERS IN 2017

DT, East Mississippi Tart-Spencer is the No. 2 overall junior college player in the 2018 class. The 6-foot-4, 295pound defensive tackle is a four-star prospect with offers from eight Division I programs including Alabama and Ole Miss. His speed and size make him a top prospect. He has no problem breaking through the line and getting to the quarterback. This is his first season at East Mississippi but there’s no question he will leave his mark in 2017.

ANNIE COSTABILE THE CLARION-LEDGER

NORTH DIVISION

SOUTH DIVISION

Coahoma

Copiah-Lincoln

Coach: Steven Miller Last year: 1-8 (1-8) Miller is heading into his second season after snapping Coahoma’s 28-game losing streak with the Tigers’ season-ending win over Mississippi Delta. In the offseason Coahoma signed 20 new high school players that include 15 on the offensive side of the ball. Most notable is quarterback Dewayne Betts from KIPP Academy in Memphis. On top of the 20 high school players were three mid-year signings: former Mississippi State commit defensive end Drelan Porter, and brothers Damien (offensive lineman) and Demone Kemp (defensive tackle) from Troy.

Coach: Glenn Davis Last year: 6-3 (5-2) Co-Lin lost a lot of star power in defensive tackle Deion Pope and offensive tackle Tommy Champion. Along with both of those dynamic players the Wolves said goodbye to Montez Sweat, Ladarius Galloway and Alexander Hollins, just to name a few. They have a strong nucleus coming back, most notably receiver Nero Nelson. That group was made stronger with additions like Auburn quarterback transfer Woody Barrett. Davis believes his team filled all the right holes in the offseason.

East Mississippi Coach: Buddy Stephens Last year: 11-1 (6-0) Undoubtedly the team that sets the bar in junior college football, East Mississippi will be back dominating yet again in 2017. Buddy Stephen's squad came in at No. 2 in the NJCAA preseason rankings behind Arizona Western. EMCC sent a total of 25 players to four-year universities after the 2016 season, a season that ended in its fifth MACJC state championship. The Lions said goodbye to starting QB De’Andre Johnson but stepping into that starting role will be sophomore Timorrius Conner who is poised to lead EMCC to another successful season.

Holmes Coach: Jeff Koonz Last year: 7-3 (4-2) The Bulldogs had seven players sign with four-year schools following the 2016 season. Defensive back Sean Harper may be the biggest loss for Koonz' squad. Holmes is bringing in 29 new players to fill some of the voids those seven left. The Bulldogs finished 2016 at No. 7 in the NJCAA and come into the 2017 season at No. 11. Expect Holmes to take another step forward this season.

Itawamba

East Central Coach: Ken Karcher Last year: 5-5 (5-1) The Warriors are looking to accomplish a first in program history in 2017 with their third-straight state playoff appearance. Karcher is in his fifth season leading the Knights and in 2017 has to replace a hole left by nine defensive starters. ECCC returns six key offensive starters, most notably wide receiver Antonio Gibson. The Warriors are looking to build on their program's recent success and if they’re able to fill those holes another state playoff appearance will be no problem.

Hinds Coach: Gene Murphy Last year: 2-7 (2-4) The Eagles said goodbye to five key players on their 2016 squad after they signed to four-year colleges. Dailyn Patton, Desmond Hawkins, Kevin Ratliff, Ty Harris and Donovan Carter all made the jump to the next level. Coming back though is the No. 1 player in the 2018 JUCO class, wide receiver Stephen Guidry. Guidry finished the 2016 season with 547 receiving yards for five touchdowns and is set for another breakout year.

Jones County

Coach: Sean Cannon Last year: 5-4 (2-4) The biggest loss for Cannon’s squad may be quarterback Peyton Bender who threw for 2,733 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Along with Bender Itawamba said goodbye to 21 sophomore players. Its defense, which gave up 28 points a game last season, brings back a year's worth of experience. If they can fill the void Bender left Itawamba should have another winning season in 2017.

Coach: Steve Buckley Last year: 6-3 (5-3) Coming into his second season as head coach of JCJC Steve Buckley says his team already has a better feel for success in 2017. Last season they brought in 44 new players so there was a lot of rookie talent both on the field and the sidelines. This season Buckley is excited to have experience coming back. The Bobcats have a lot of keys returning offensively and Buckley said they have the talent to take things go from good to great in 2017.

Mississippi Delta

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Coach: Jeff Tatum Last year: 1-8 (0-8) Mississippi Delta allowed 41 points and gave up 454 yards a game in 2016. This year they are looking to improve upon that with a more experienced team coming back. A huge addition to the program is former Texas tight end Peyton Aucoin. A three-star prospect out of Louisiana, he transferred after just one season with the Longhorns.

Coach: Chad Huff Last year: 5-5 (5-2) Gulf Coast welcomed 38 new members to the Bulldogs family. The team had high expectations in 2016 but had a slightly underwhelming finish. In 2017 they have holes to fill but with some big additions that include high school standouts like Clinton’s Jacobi Hearn and Stone’s Terrion Avery, the Bulldogs will be competitive in 2017.

Northeast Mississippi

Pearl River

Coach: Greg Davis Last year: 6-3 (3-3) Northeast Mississippi has a lot of rebuilding to do in 2017. Davis’ team lost over 27 sophomores and freshmen who moved on to other schools. Coming into the season it is still ranked No. 9 in the NJCAA preseason poll but they’ll have some work to do to maintain that level of success. It is young in key areas but has the talent to compete in 2017.

Coach: Ted Egger Last year: 2-7 (2-4) Ted Egger will be stepping in as interim head coach after David Saunders' departure. Egger served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2016. The Wildcats said goodbye to just 14 players following the 2016 season to graduation, eight of which signed scholarship offers. The Wildcats return experience but with the coaching change there is still a level of uncertainty as to what they’ll accomplish in 2017.

Northwest Mississippi Coach: Benjy Parker Last year: 9-3 (5-1) Coming into the season Northwest Mississippi is ranked at No. 6 in NJCAA’s preseason poll, the second-highest JUCO team out of Mississippi. Parker says his team still has a long way to go but is pleased with the team competition he’s seen in practice thus far. With just one returning starter back it will definitely be a different Northwest team in 2017.

Southwest Mississippi Coach: Tucker Peavey Last Year: 2-7 (2-5) Peavey enters his fourth season as head coach and is working with a very young squad in 2017. One key player they lost was tight end Ravian Pierce who signed with Syracuse in January. The Bears signed 24 new players of their own for the 2017 season. After allowing 32 points and 438 yards a game defense is where the Bears will look to improve this season.

4. MARLON CHARACTER JR. S, Northwest Mississippi Character Jr. will spend one season with Northwest Mississippi before enrolling at South Carolina in January. The four-star safety transferred from Auburn after redshirting last season. Described as a lockdown defender, Character Jr. totaled 57 tackles and five interceptions in his senior season at Grady High School in Atlanta.

5. TRAVEZ MOORE DE, Copiah-Lin Moore left Bastrop (Louisiana) High School as the 34th ranked defensive end in the country.

In his freshman season with Co-Lin he registered 14 total tackles, three sacks and seven TFLs. This will be his final season with Co-Lin before he registers at LSU in January.

6. NERO NELSON WR, Copiah-Lin Nelson is entering his final season at Co-Lin. Last season he had 326 receiving yards on 22 receptions for three touchdowns. The 6-foot, 180-pound wideout is a three-star prospect according to 247Sports and will graduate and register at Mississippi State in January. Dynamic with the football in his hands Nelson will undoubtedly be an explosive offensive weapon for Co-Lin this season.

7. DAQUAN NEWKIRK DE, Mississippi Gulf Coast Newkirk is the No. 2 defensive end in Mississippi’s 2018 junior college class. The 6-foot-3, 282-pound three-star prospect is committed to Auburn. His versatility, speed and size separate him from other defensive ends in the class and make him a tough matchup on the line.

8. DEONTAI WILLIAMS S, Jones County Williams committed to Florida for the second time in three years in June. The 6-foot, 175pound safety tore his ACL in the East Mississippi game last season and coach Steve Buckley says he’s now back as strong as ever. In camp so far he’s shown why he’s a SEC-caliber safety and someone to fear on the field this season.

9. ANTONIO NELSON CB, Coahoma Nelson earned NJCAA first-team All-American honors after his first season with Coahoma, a season in which he totaled 41 tackles, eight interceptions and recovered two fumbles. The three-star prospect has seven Division I offers including Southern Miss and Mississippi State.

A long versatile defender, Nelson can play any position in the secondary and is a true threat to receivers.

10. TREYVION SHANNON OT, Mississippi Gulf Coast The 6-foot-6, 295-pound offensive tackle has six Division I offers including Memphis and Southern Miss. From Clarksdale, Shannon had 35 tackles, three sacks and 18 quarterback hurries as a senior in high school. Shannon was part of an offensive line last season that blocked for 1,941 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Back for his final season he will be a key piece again to a strong Gulf Coast run game.

10G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 SOUTHERN MISS 2017 SCHEDULE KENTUCKY Sept. 2 The Golden Eagles snuck up on the Wildcats in the 2016 opener. Jay Hopson’s team won’t have the same luxury this season. It might be a wash, however, since Southern Miss hosts Kentucky this time around. The Golden Eagles’ victory at Commonwealth Stadium didn’t turn out to be a statement win. But beating the Wildcats again might just do the trick.

SOUTHERN Sept. 9 The Jaguars put together a fine season a year ago. But this still falls into the category of tune-up/recovery game for the Golden Eagles.

Most of the starters will likely be pulled at halftime or shortly afterward, but Southern Miss will also sharpen the areas that need sharpened headed into Week 3.

AT LOUISIANA-MONROE Sept. 16 The Golden Eagles’ first road date of the year won’t be a long trip but would feel much further on the way back if they lose focus against the Warhawks.

NORTH TEXAS (5-8) Sept. 30 No matter what happens prior to this one, this is as close to a preseason must-win as there is on Southern Miss’ schedule. The Mean Green, which will come to Hattiesburg after the Golden Eagles’ only bye week, made big strides in 2016 under first-year coach Seth Littrell. Expect his team to take even more positive steps forward this season.

AT UTSA (6-7) Oct. 7 The Roadrunners embarrassed the Golden Eagles at the Alamodome last season, 55-32.

Southern Miss will return there in 2017, and the sledding won’t be any easier. UTSA returns almost all of its skill-position starters and boasts possibly the most talented, dominant linebacker in Conference USA, Josiah Tauafea.

ADRIANA GARCIA, FOR THE HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

Southern Miss running back to Smith is ready for this upcoming football season.

ITO READY TO CARRY GOLDEN EAGLES

UTEP (4-8) Oct. 14 Southern Miss’ homecoming game. This contest comes the week after Southern Miss’ game at UTSA and the week before its road game at Louisiana Tech. UTEP won’t be a pushover but the only thing that made Sean Kugler’s team a threat in 2016 – running back Aaron Jones – is now a Green Bay Packer.

AT LOUISIANA TECH (9-5) Oct. 21 This one will potentially have major C-USA West Division implications. The Bulldogs have solidified themselves as a perennial contender under Skip Holtz, while the Golden Eagles also have enough talent to possibly stake a claim in 2017. This game has been reserved for late November in recent seasons, so moving it up on the calendar could make things interesting.

UAB Oct. 28 The Blazers haven’t played a game since November 2014. Just so happens, their last game was a win over the Golden Eagles at M.M. Roberts Stadium. UAB does not have the talent the 2014 squad had, but there’s a sizable portion of the Southern Miss roster that hasn’t forgotten that loss.

AT TENNESSEE (9-4) Nov. 4 The Volunteers probably don’t belong in the upper-most echelon of the SEC, but they’re not far off either. Tennessee will have a new face at quarterback as well as a number of other positions, but all indications are Butch Jones’ team will take care of business with relative ease against the Golden Eagles.

AT RICE (3-9) Nov. 11 The Owls will carry momentum into the 2017 season after winning three of their final six games last year. But Rice still has major issues across the board. Zero skill position starters return, while almost the entire defense is back.

But that’s the same defense that gave up 702 yards to Southern Miss last season.

CHARLOTTE (4-8) Nov. 18 Everything that could’ve gone wrong for the Golden Eagles against the 49ers last season did. Charlotte returns Hassan Klugh at quarterback. He enjoyed a good season as a true dual-threat guy as a sophomore. But the team’s biggest weapons (running back Kalif Phillips and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi) aren’t around anymore. If Southern Miss is to get back to a bowl game, this is a must-win.

AT MARSHALL (3-9) Nov. 25 The Golden Eagles haven’t won at Huntington, West Virginia, since 2009, and is 1-5 against the Thundering Herd in the last six meetings. That one victory came last season, and despite the fact that Marshall returns talented quarterback Chase Litton, Southern Miss should have enough firepower to overwhelm Doc Holliday’s defense.

JASON MUNZ HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

It was December 17, 2016, and Southern Miss had just won the New Orleans Bowl.

Nick Mullens, the face of the Golden Eagles since 2013, polished off his decorated career in the Black and Gold in vintage fashion. The quarterback threw for 346 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.

Mullens’ Southern Miss career was over. Former stars and longtime leaders Cameron Tom and Dylan Bradley’s were too.

As Mullens and the rest of the Golden Eagles celebrated on the playing surface inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome – posing for photos, hugging teammates and hoisting trophies – the changing of the guard was palpable.

Ito Smith, who had just rattled off 144 yards of total offense and scored three of the team’s four touchdowns, was in the midst of it all. Once the dust settled, the questions soon followed. Is Smith ready to carry the torch? Does he feel any stress associated with being the primary focal point of the team?

Never one to seek the limelight, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound sparkplug has no qualms taking the reins as the Golden Eagles’ unquestioned leader.

“No pressure at all,” Smith said. “I love doing this. This is all I’ve ever wanted.”

It makes sense, considering the shifty athlete’s track record since arriving in Hattiesburg. After rushing for more than 500 yards as a freshman in 2014, Smith enjoyed a breakout 2015 campaign with 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He continued to blossom after that, piling up 1,459 yards (third-most in single-season history at Southern Miss) as a junior last season.

With such prolific numbers also comes a brighter spotlight. During the offseason, Smith was named to both the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award watch lists. It’s the second year in a row he’s been nominated for the Maxwell Award.

“I remember when I was a kid, playing (the NCAA football video game series) and they had the Maxwell Award on there,” said Smith, who was heavily recruited by Duke and Georgia Tech, among others, in high school. “My guy would always win it.

So it feels good. But it’s just a nomination. I’ve still got to go out on the field and compete.”

That humility, second-year Golden Eagle head coach Jay Hopson said, is a big part of what makes Smith so special. In addition to the watch list recognition he’s received, Smith has

SUSAN BROADBRIDGE / HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

Smith enjoyed a breakout 2015 campaign with 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He continued to blossom after that, piling up 1,459 yards as a junior last season.

generated considerable social media buzz as the season opener (3 p.m. Sept.

3 at home versus Kentucky) approaches. In July, several popular Twitter accounts, including @Football_Tweets (which sports more than 300,000 followers), posted Smith’s highlight film and compared him to NFL star running LeSean McCoy. It generated more than 2,000 retweets.

Smith, who led Conference USA by forcing 61 missed tackles (fourth-most among all FBS running backs) in 2016, also recently landed at No. 113 on 247Sports’ list of the top 247 players in college football. He was the 10thranked running back on the list and the only Group of 5 back in the top 20.

Even six-time NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and fourtime Pro Bowl defensive back Merton Hanks (currently the senior associate commissioner for C-USA) are fans. In July, Ochocinco sent a message to Smith on Twitter that read, “You special you hear me, I’ll see you on Sunday’s.”

“It’s all well-deserved,” Hopson said. “The thing I love about Ito, he’s a humble guy. He knows nobody’s going to give him (anything). Of course, I’m partial. But not only is he a great athlete. He’s a great character guy. A hard worker. A leader.

“He’s our bell cow. He’s the guy we’re going to look to not only to make plays but also to lead our football team. There aren’t many guys that have the intangibles Ito Smith has.”

The tangibles are there, too, though. Only 10.6 percent of Smith’s 572 career carries have resulted in lost yardage. Linebacker Jeremy Sangster, one of Smith’s teammates since 2015, who sees the dynamic run-

ning back in practice throughout the season, said the list of attributes is long.

“He’s fast, quick, agile, intelligent,” Sangster said. “I remember one play (during a recent practice). It was a blitz and we were coming off the edge.

The line blocked down and he saw me coming. He made one step and cut up through the A gap. I was like, ‘Wow.’ His IQ is on point and he has excellent vision.”

While Smith has already assembled one of the most productive careers (3,123 career rushing yards, fourthmost in Southern Miss history) at a school that’s also boasted the likes of Sammy Winder, Harold Shaw, Derrick Nix and Damion Fletcher, he will need to continue his upward trajectory if the Golden Eagles want to improve.

Last season, Southern Miss finished 7-6 but the offense will feature a decidedly different look. With Mullens gone, Kwadra Griggs or Keon Howard is in line to take over at quarterback.

The offensive line is also a concern given its shortage of experienced depth.

But Smith is confident everything will work out.

“We’ve got depth at running back,” he said. “We’ve got the pass game (that will be helped by receivers Allenzae Staggers), Jordan Mitchell, Trevor (Terry), Isaiah (Jones). That’ll help open the run game up.”

No matter how it looks or how it gets done, Smith just wants to win.

“I want to win a conference championship,” he said. “That’s our goal.

And if we take care of the small things, we’ll win games. And the more we win, the stats will pile up for everybody across the board.”

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 11G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017

THIGPEN IS SOUTHERN MISS’ NEXT GREAT PASS-RUSHER JASON MUNZ USA TODAY SPORTS NETWORK — MISSISSIPPI

Xavier Thigpen’s talent is getting to the quarterback.

It’s no secret.

The Southern Miss senior has registered 9 1⁄2 sacks over the past two seasons. But he’s always been second — or even third — fiddle among his peers.

Former Golden Eagle star defensive lineman Dylan Bradley has ruled the roost in recent years as the team’s resident terror on opposing quarterbacks.

Before Bradley, now a Minnesota Viking, it was Rakeem Nunez-Roches who has spent the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to him, it was Khyri Thornton and before that, it was Jamie Collins — with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns respectively.

Now, it’s Thigpen’s turn and he’s anxious to add his name to the recent run of standout Southern Miss pass rushers. He even helped spearhead a preseason initiative with a nod to those that came before him.

“I just want to carry on the tradition so I’ve tried to get as many people as I can on defense to come in clean-cut,” he said. “We call it ‘the nasty cut’ and we call (ourselves) the ‘bald-headed bandits.’ Some of the older guys, like Khyri and (Dasman McCullum), they told me that’s what they used to do back in the day. So I’m trying to bring it back so we can play nasty like they did.”

Thigpen, affectionately known as “PawPaw,” emerged in 2015 as a weapon. His 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame, along with his speed, strength and vast wing span, made him a valuable complementary weapon during his sophomore and junior seasons.

His senior season will be special, though. On top of taking over the mantle of king disruptor, Thigpen will take the field each week this year with added motivation.

“I’ve just been going through a lot of things in my personal life,” he said. “So I’ve just tried to focus and get better.

And tried to bring guys with me.”

Thigpen missed much of spring training, including the spring game.

Neither he nor the coaching staff has discussed the specifics surrounding his absence, but the former West Jones star was never too far from the team,

FILE PHOTO/HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

Southern Miss defensive lineman Xavier Thigpen (32) celebrates with teammate Dylan Bradley, right, and coach Jay Hopson after the team's New Orleans Bowl victory last season.

keeping up his conditioning and weight lifting regimen.

Then, on June 29, tragedy struck.

His father, Terry, passed away shortly after open heart surgery.

“I’m playing for my parents (this season),” Thigpen said. “My mom and dad are my biggest supporters. They never changed on me for no reason. So I just want to come out here and give my all for them.

“Missing one part of your backbone, it’s just hard. But I try to take it day by day and make sure I’m there for my mom.”

Second-year coach Jay Hopson said he’s kept a close eye on Thigpen since the spring.

“I love him to death,” Hopson said.

“Hopefully he can keep battling hard and has a really great year. That’s what I’m hoping for and secretly counting on. But he has all our prayers and the whole Southern Miss family is pulling for him.”

Sophomore teammate Demarrio Smith calls Thigpen an inspiration.

“He had a lot of stuff going on, but he bounced back,” Smith said. “He doesn’t just talk, he goes out and does it

on the field. It’s amazing to me all the stuff he went through and the way he’s bounced back. He’s a real good leader.”

Southern Miss’ defensive line features some of the most depth of any position group on the team. Expected to line up alongside Thigpen in the starting lineup are senior Draper Riley, junior LaDarius Harris and sophomore Paxton Schrimsher at the wolf position.

A beefed up linebacker corps and a veteran-laden, dynamic secondary should also help make Thigpen and his defensive linemen teammates more effective.

TO WIN C-USA, USM NEEDS A QB, YOUTH TO PLAY WELL JASON MUNZ USA TODAY SPORTS NETWORK — MISSISSIPPI

Southern Miss had a rare opportunity last season.

Having weathered a late coaching change in early 2016, the Golden Eagles came out strong with a win at Kentucky in the season opener, kicking off the Jay Hopson era with an exclamation point.

In doing so, the program put itself in position — with a senior star at quarterback, a returning dynamo at running back (Ito Smith, who returns for his senior season in 2017) and a defense with plenty of playmakers — to take a step forward after a 2015 season that saw the team win the Conference USA West Division title and finish with a 9-5 record.

Instead, injuries took a strong toll and an unenviable turnover margin left the team skidding at the wrong time.

Southern Miss salvaged its season with wins over Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette (in the New Orleans Bowl) to finish 7-6.

It would be reasonable to assume expectations around the Black and Gold will be tempered in 2017. Southern Miss will be breaking in a new quarterback —likely either Kwadra Griggs or Keon Howard. The offensive line is a question mark having lost three starters to graduation. And the coaching staff has been outspoken regarding the amount of newcomers and freshmen they expect will have to play this season.

“We’ve got to play some freshmen this year,” Hopson said. “A lot of our (backups) are freshmen. That’s just where we are right now.”

Griggs and Howard each feature a strong throwing arm, as well as the ability to pick up positive yardage with their legs. Hopson has not ruled out the possibility of both players contributing to the cause if it helps the team win.

SUSAN BROADBRIDGE/HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

Southern Miss head coach Jay Hopson interacts with players during the second practice of fall camp.

“You hope one guy is so gangbusters that he just separates himself from the other guy,” he said. “But, you know, if

they both are playing well and deserve to play, I think it’s always good to have two guys. I’m not that guy that says,

‘Oh, you’ve got to have one guy.’ If we have two quarterbacks that deserve to play, we need to play them.

“One thing it gives you is if one guy’s hot, he can keep playing. But if all the sudden, he’s not hot, you can bring a guy in off the sideline and see if he can spark the team.”

While uncertainty surrounds some aspects of the team, others have been bolstered during the offseason. A year ago, Southern Miss finished 15th in the country in total defense. But an inability to create turnovers mixed with problems preventing explosive plays threw things out of whack.

The Golden Eagles have beefed up across its defensive front and increased its overall speed on that side of the ball. Hopson is confident those two things, in addition to a better understanding of the system, will pay big dividends in 2017.

“This is a fun bunch to coach, I know that,” Hopson said. “They come to work good. They’re a tough bunch. I think they’ve got goals and they know what it takes to achieve those goals. I’ve been impressed with their progress so far, they’ve just got to keep coming.”

Southern Miss opens the season against Kentucky at 3 p.m. Saturday at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg.

After hosting Southern University then traveling to Louisiana-Monroe, the Golden Eagles open the Conference USA portion of its schedule at 6 p.m.

Sept. 30 at home.

Hopson's club appears to have been smiled upon by the scheduling gods this year. Its C-USA stretch could end up being highly favorable.

Picked to finish in third place in C-USA West, Southern Miss will face only one league team (Louisiana Tech) that ended the 2016 season with a winning overall record. The Golden Eagles are the only C-USA team to carry that distinction this year.

12G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 JACKSON STATE 2017 SCHEDULE AT TCU Sept. 2 The Tigers would love to get a win, but this game is more about bringing home the bacon for an athletic program facing budget cuts across the board. It should give Tony Hughes a chance to see which quarterback will respond well under pressure, at least.

TENNESSEE STATE (MEMPHIS) Sept. 9 This is one the Tigers feel like they should have won last year. They had TSU on the ropes, up by a touchdown in the third quarter of last year’s Southern Heritage Classic. This is a game they’d like to flip, and getting revenge could indicate they are on the right track for a winning season.

AT GRAMBLING Sept. 16 Just how good is that Jackson State defense?

We’ll find out in Week 3 when the Tigers travel just west of Ruston, Louisiana for a matchup with the reigning SWAC champs in both teams’ conference opener. Grambling quarterback Devante Kincade lit the Tigers up last year in a 35-16 win in Jackson.

ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF Sept. 23 After a grueling first three games, the Tigers return home for a winnable game against a conference foe that won just one game last year and has shown little signs of improvement. This game should give JSU a chance to get a conference win in front of its home crowd for the first time in 2017.

AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M Sept. 30 After a brief reprieve, it’s right back into the meat of the schedule with a trip to Texas to take on a Prairie View A&M team that was probably the third-best team in the league last year. JSU needs this game to get a leg up in the East, and it’s a must-win for PVAMU if they are going to challenge Southern and Grambling in the West.

TUSKEGEE (MOBILE, ALABAMA) Oct. 14 The midway point in the season presents the final non-conference foe of the season. The Division II Tuskegee Golden Tigers shouldn’t give the Tigers too much trouble, but it’s another opportunity to make some money with a showcase game against a traditional HBCU rival.

SOUTHERN Oct. 21 Three of the Tigers’ first four SWAC games are probably the toughest three teams in the league, and the Jaguars are certainly in that group. Southern should provide a great challenge for the JSU defense, which will have to find a way to shut down the Jags’ explosive running game.

AT MISS. VALLEY STATE Oct. 28 This game was a lot closer last year than Jackson State fans care to remember. The Tigers got the 16-14 win over their in-state rival, but they trailed the Delta Devils 14-3 early and had to score back-to-back touchdowns and shut out MVSU in the second half to get it. The Tigers can make a statement by making sure they have more breathing room this year.

ALABAMA STATE Nov. 4 JSU players and fans should have this game circled on the schedule. The Tigers basically handed the Hornets the win last year when poor special teams, penalties and ineffective offense spoiled an impressive defensive showing. If the Tigers want to put together a winning season, this is one they have to have.

AT ALABAMA A&M Nov. 11 Yet another game in which the Tigers will be looking for revenge after coming up just short in 2016. They lost 27-20 after fumbling the ball away going in for the tying score as time expired, and you could tell it might have been the hardest pill of the 2016 season to swallow.

The Bulldogs are going to be a player in the East again this year.

ALCORN STATE Nov. 18 What needs to be said? This is the biggest game of the year against a bitter rival and the three-time SWAC East reigning champs. The Braves blew out the Tigers in Lorman last year, but this year’s game in Jackson should provide a chance to make amends. Alcorn has won the past two meetings, but the Tigers still own the series with a 44-35-2 advantage.

FILE PHOTO/THE CLARION-LEDGER

Anderson made 25 1⁄2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including nine sacks, in 11 games as a junior last season. He’s the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year

DREAMS COMING TRUE FOR ANDERSON TYLER CLEVELAND THE CLARION-LEDGER

Keontre Anderson was five years old when he played his first pee-wee football game in Jackson. Anderson, a Canton native, was lined up at tailback.

He returned to the sidelines after his first carry, an 82-yard touchdown run, turned to his mother and held up a single finger, mouthing the words, “That’s one.”

His next touchdown was just 75 yards, and this time he held up two fingers.

“That’s two.”

He finished that day with four scores, and his success that day helped fuel a love for the game that still dominates the life of the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year.

“I turned to his mother that day and gave her a look,” Keontre’s father, Koche Anderson said. “I said, ‘I think he’s got it.’”

At the time, Koche didn’t know how right he was.

Anderson went on to have a stellar high school career at Canton. He started at linebacker as a freshman and ended up with nine tackles and a couple of sacks against Madison Central.

The next year, he completed a transition to defensive end and racked up 15 sacks. By the end of his junior year, he had recorded 30 sacks and was getting attention from most every college in the Southeast.

Koche played his college ball at Mississippi State, playing defensive tackle for Jackie Sherrill from 1992 to 1996 and helping the Bulldogs to two Peach Bowl appearances.

And although it was always Anderson’s decision to make on where to go to school, he had Koche to go to for advice.

Anderson committed to Ole Miss before his senior year, but it was never considered a hard commitment.

He was rated as a three-star recruit, and performed well at camps all over the state and at Auburn. By the time he backed off his commitment to Ole Miss, he was still getting recruited hard by Tennessee, Mississippi State, Jackson State and Alcorn State, among others.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen and defensive coordinator Geoff Collins wanted him to play linebacker, while then-JSU coach Rick Comegy was telling Anderson he could play defensive end, and right away.

He ended up becoming a Tiger for a couple of reasons.

CHARLES A. SMITH/JSU COMMUNICATIONS

JSU DE Keontre Anderson celebrates after sacking MVSU quarterback Austin Bray.

Anderson’s mother, two sisters and grandparents and aunts and uncles all went to Jackson State. Even Koche, the principal at the Canton Educational Services Center, had his master’s degree from JSU. But there was more to it than family ties.

“I ended up choosing Jackson State because I wanted to set an example to other kids from my community,” Anderson said. “I wanted to show them that you can still go to a Historically Black College and achieve anything and everything you want to achieve.”

So far, he’s following through.

Anderson has a cumulative 3.2 GPA headed into his senior year and has grown into an outspoken leader for his team, especially off the field.

He lets his play do the talking on the gridiron.

Anderson made 25 1⁄2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including nine sacks, in 11 games as a junior last season. He’s the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year, and is doing everything NFL scouts tell him he needs to do to get ready for a run at an NFL career.

He played last season at 250 pounds, but despite missing the spring with a shoulder injury, he’ll start the 2017 season around 265 pounds with less body fat than he carried last fall.

He’s switched from the strong side to the blind side, and the transfer of

Mississippi State defensive tackle Deion Pope into the program represents the addition of an interior lineman who can eat up a couple of blockers and allow Anderson to run free on the outside.

“It changes everything for us,” Anderson said. “He commands those double teams, and that allows either an outside linebacker or one of us defensive ends to get a lane to the backfield.”

He’s also surrounded by other senior defensive leaders. His two roommates, Shawn Bishop and Andre Lloyd, are the heart and soul of the defense and Malik Hamner has made a successful transition to the other defensive end spot.

And while defensive line coach Dwayne Curry is working with Anderson on a daily basis, he’s got another mentor he can go to at any time for advice on football or life.

“We text back and forth every day,” Koche said. “Sometimes I’ll send him a text during the first half of the game, and he’ll answer me at halftime with a message, ‘Okay, I got it Pop.’” And when you see Anderson burst through the line and make a big stop or bring down an opposing quarterback, you might see him point or salute his parents in the north end zone.

Sixteen years since that first peewee game, he’s still making them proud.

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 13G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017

JORDAN JOHNSON HAS A GOAL: TOP PAYTON’S RUSHING RECORD TYLER CLEVELAND THE CLARION-LEDGER

When he got to campus, his goal was to work his way into the starting lineup.

Now that he’s there, he’s got his sights set a little higher – he wants to break Walter Payton’s career rushing record.

Jordan Johnson is behind Payton’s pace right now. He rushed for 477 yards on 75 attempts last year. Payton made it to 651 as a freshman, but had 19 more carries than Johnson did. But Johnson, a Terry native, aims to make up some ground on the legendary back with a big sophomore season.

He would have to average 1,041 yards over the next three years, and he wants to rush for 1,000 yards this year.

Don’t worry, he’s already done the math on how he’s going to do it.

“I looked at the numbers and I told our offensive coordinator (Chad Germany),” Johnson said. “I said, ‘With the yards per carry I had last year, if I get 20 carries a game I’ll have 1,400 yards.’

He said I would have to work for it, so that’s what I’m doing.”

That’s why when you come out to a Jackson State practice, it’s not uncommon to see Johnson be the first one on the field at the beginning and the last one off of it at the end, running extra sprints after everyone else has gone.

He’s going to have to be that much better to get the playing time he wants in a crowded backfield. His classmate Terrell Kennedy and freshmen Josh Littles, Keyshawn Harper and Deandre Williams are all hungry for carries as well.

But Johnson was in their position last year, waiting on the sidelines for his number to be called. Josh Bates got the lion’s share of the carries, despite averaging more than two fewer yards per attempt. Johnson doesn’t aim to be in that position again.

It’s just not in his nature. He’s used to being “the guy.”

As a senior at Terry, he was basically his team’s entire offense, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the Bulldogs’ total offensive yards. He was the guy that put the team on his back, whether it was 3rd-and-3 or 3rd-and-19.

At least that’s what JSU running backs coach Sleepy Robinson saw when he went to Terry to recruit him.

“He was just a natural leader,” Rob-

CHRIS TODD/FOR THE CLARION-LEDGER

Jordan Johnson (17) runs away from two White team defenders on Saturday, April 8, 2017, in the Jackson State University Blue and White Spring Game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

inson said. “They ran their entire offense through him and he toted the load, and he had those leadership abilities you look for. You just can’t coach that.”

Robinson said he believes Johnson can be that kind of back for Jackson State in his sophomore season.

He showed flashes of his ability last year, with a 53-yard run against South-

ern and a 100-yard game against Mississippi Valley State.

“I’ve been around some great players like Dak Prescott at Mississippi State, whose dedication was legendary,” Robinson said. “Jordan works as hard as anyone I’ve ever seen, and his knowledge of the game is just as impressive.”

Listening to Johnson talk about the

JSU offense, it’s easy to see what Robinson is talking about. He doesn’t sound like a sophomore.

“Our offense is built on double teams and perimeter blocking,” Johnson said.

“We’ve gotten a lot better at both of those things since last year, and it’s basically just knowledge of assignment.

It’s a lot easier to block people when you know who to block.”

WILL IMPROVEMENT TRANSLATE INTO MORE WINS? TYLER CLEVELAND THE CLARION-LEDGER

Jackson State has the talent in place to be a much-improved team in 2017, but whether or not that translates into more wins on the football field remains to be seen.

The Tigers will be young — there are 42 new faces, and 27 of those are freshmen — but they also have senior leadership at key positions.

Second-year head coach Tony Hughes is determined to build his program from the ground-up. That means he’s going to recruit high school players like a mad man and only take what he calls the “right” transfers.

He’s also committed to a run-oriented, ball-control offense that did not produce the results JSU fans wanted to see last season. The Tigers ranked eighth out 10 SWAC teams in average yards per carry (3.5) and turned the ball over 21 times in 11 games.

In an effort to revamp that offense, Hughes has doubled down on developing his team’s ability to move the ball on the ground.

He brought in a new offensive line coach, Carl Roberts, who is determined to make the Tigers more aggressive.

The experienced offensive line averages 6-foot-4 and 335 pounds across the line, led by left tackle Donnell Paster, who may be the most improved player on the team.

“I think I’ve got the body types,” Roberts said. “They are working hard and they are making the transition from last year to my style. We have a lot of work to do, but I have everything I need.”

The other big emphasis during the off-season was improving overall team speed. Hughes thinks he’s done that with the addition of four young running backs to complement sophomore sensation Jordan Johnson and emerging star

CHRIS TODD/FOR THE CLARION-LEDGER

Linebacker Andre Lloyd fires up the Tigers for the Jackson State University Blue and White Spring Game.

Terrell Kennedy.

The plan to replace leading receiver Dan Williams by committee is on track, thanks to the return of Carle Ollie, who

missed all of last season after breaking his hand in the season opener against UNLV, and Richard Floyd, who averaged 10 yards per catch on 28 recep-

tions last year.

“All of those guys can really move with the ball in their hands,” Hughes said. “So we have weapons.”

The key to making it all work could be the quarterback, and the competition to win the starting job remains ongoing. Brent Lyles is the leader in the clubhouse, having thrown for 280 yards and five touchdowns in the spring game, but the fleet-footed Jordan Williams and newcomers Jarrad Hayes and Tavis Williams are still vying for a starting spot.

On defense, the Tigers have a chance to be solid.

The defensive line is led by SWAC preseason player of the year Keontre Anderson, but also features experienced players like DeShawn Tillman, Charles Anderson and Malik Hamner.

The big addition up front is Deion Pope, the four-star juco defensive tackle who signed with Mississippi State and participated in the Bulldogs’ spring game before transferring to JSU in July.

“It’s a good group of guys that work tremendously hard,” Hughes said. “If Deion can play like he did at Mississippi State, at a SEC level, we have a chance to be very, very good.”

Linebacker shouldn’t be a problem, with seniors Shawn Bishop and Andre Lloyd manning the two starting spots.

Dario Robinson and Ryan Theyard are one of the best combinations of starting cornerbacks in the league.

The schedule is brutal. The Tigers will be tested right off the bat with three road games — to FBS powerhouse TCU in Week 1, to Memphis to face Tennessee State in Week 2 and to Grambling to face the reigning SWAC champ Grambling in Week 3.

The Tigers’ performance in those three games will show just how far along Hughes’ plan to rebuild the JSU program is.

14G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 ALCORN STATE BRAVES

INSIDE THE SWAC

BRAVES AGAIN FAVORITE TO WIN THE SWAC EAST TYLER CLEVELAND

CAN’T MISS GAME

THE CLARION-LEDGER

Alcorn State at Jackson State, Nov. 18 The SWAC East title might well come down to Alcorn’s ability to pull out a win in its annual rivalry game with Jackson State. The Braves have won two in a row, and beat the Tigers 35-14 in Lorman last year.

Alcorn State is the favorite to win the SWAC East for a fourth-straight year, but that doesn’t mean second-year coach Fred McNair doesn’t have his work cut out for him. After a tumultuous off-season full of off-the-field distractions, the Braves are anxious to get back on the field and get back to winning.

They return two capable quarterbacks, firstteam All-SWAC guard Timothy Gardner and second-team All-SWAC tailback De’Lance Turner. First-team All-SWAC selection Michael Brooks leads a solid defensive line and O.J. O’Neal anchors a secondary that was second in the league in stopping the pass last year.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Lenorris Footman, QB Sophomore Noah Johnson may be the future, but senior Lenorris Footman is the present at Alcorn. The fleet-footed quarterback threw for a team-high 1,134 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 378 and seven more scores last season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH THREE QUESTIONS WITH FRED MCNAIR YI-CHIN LEE/AP

Alcorn State quarterback Lenorris Footman (17) carries the ball against Grambling State last season.

TYLER CLEVELAND THE CLARION-LEDGER

NEWCOMERS TO WATCH

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

Jackson State DT Deion Pope

East

Tiger coach Tony Hughes is determined to build his team from the ground-up, but that doesn’t mean he’s willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. Pope is a four-star transfer from Mississippi State.

Prairie View A&M WR Kaleb O’Byrant The Panthers’ biggest acquisition on signing day was the three-star wide receiver from Houston who claimed offers from Army, UNLV and Illinois, among other FBS schools.

Grambling DB Kendall Hill Grambling is going to roll out a defensive backfield that includes three FBS transfers thanks to Hill, who transferred from Oregon State for his final year of eligibility.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE

Southern The Jaguars get Grambling and Prairie View A&M at home, but travel to Jackson State and Alcorn and play non-conference games against Southern Miss and UT-San Antonio early in the year.

EASIEST SCHEDULE

Alabama State The Hornets get both reigning division champs, Grambling and Alcorn, at home and play Troy, Kennesaw State and two Division II teams in non-conference play.

1. Alcorn State 2. Alabama State 3. Jackson State 4. Alabama A&M 5. Mississippi Valley State

West 1. Grambling State 2. Southern 3. Prairie View A&M 4. Texas Southern 5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

TOP CONFERENCE GAMES TO WATCH

Jackson State at Grambling, Sept.

16 Jackson State will travel to Grambling for the first time since the boycott in 2013. Grambling players refused to play JSU in 2013 after Doug Williams was fired as head coach.

Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M, Oct. 28 The Bulldogs beat the Hornets 42-41 in overtime in last year’s Magic City Classic, repaying ASU for a 37-36 loss in 2014. It’s always a tight rivalry game.

Alcorn State at Jackson State, Nov. 18 One of the best rivalries in the league renews at Memorial Stadium in a game that many believe will decide the SWAC East champion.

Grambling State vs. Southern, Nov. 25 The Bayou Classic is always the event of the year, and this year is no different. This game will likely decide which of these teams represents the West in the final SWAC title game.

BETTER KEEP AN EYE ON TEAM UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Jackson State

The SWAC Championship Game

The Tigers have 42 new players in the second year of the Tony Hughes era. They signed 34 student athletes in the last recruiting class and have added several transfers.

This is it, at least for the foreseeable future.

With the league’s decision to cancel the championship game after the 2017 season, this will be the last year the division champs play head-to-head for the SWAC title.

TEAM ON THE RISE

PROJECTED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Alabama A&M

Devante Kincade, Grambling

Alabama A&M improved their win total and finished second in the SWAC East in 2016.

Now, the Bulldogs return their entire starting offensive line along with one of the best running backs in the conference.

There is no player who has had the impact on the SWAC race that Kincade had last year. The Ole Miss transfer threw for 3,022 yards, 31 touchdowns and just four interceptions last year in leading Grambling to the SWAC title as a junior.

COACH WITH THE TOUGHEST JOB

Alcorn State quarterback Noah Johnson

NEWCOMER TO WATCH Marquise Forman, RB One of the brightest spots in Alcorn’s 2017 signing class is the Cedar Hill, Texas tailback who rushed for 873 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior in high school. Eight different Braves carried the ball at one point or another last season, so Forman could be in line for some playing time early.

THE “BUZZ” McNair surprised everyone at SWAC Media Day when he said none of the seven players convicted of assault in connection with an on-campus brawl in April would miss playing time. The players all paid fines, plus restitution, and were subject to the school’s disciplinary board.

“We’re ready to move on from it,” McNair said. “I feel like the university did things the right way, and those guys have done everything they’ve been asked to do, been compliant and handled it the way they should have handled it.”

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE DELTA DEVILS

DELTA DEVILS TRYING TO FIND MISSING LINK TYLER CLEVELAND

CAN’T MISS GAME

THE CLARION-LEDGER

Jackson State at Miss. Valley State, Oct. 28 This game feels like a trap for the Delta Devils’ in-state rival. The Tigers play Southern the week before and Alabama State the week after, while Valley will be coming off a nonconference game against Lynchburg.

What can you say? It’s been a long three years in Itta Bena – the Delta Devils have only won one game in the last 1,000 days and change. But all that could change in 2017, thanks to a defense that may be better than you think and an offense that has matured over the off-season.

Coach Rick Comegy’s squad underwent a youth movement last season, with 26 sophomores and 29 freshmen. Those players are a year older and ready to change the culture at Valley. The Delta Devils return a capable quarterback in Austin Bray, and Comegy hopes to kick start the running game behind the blocking of second-team All-SWAC offensive lineman Alvin Solomon. All-SWAC defensive back Everett Nicholas is the lone bright spot on a defense that gave up more than 45 points a game last season.

The schedule is brutal early, but features four winnable games against Pine Bluff, Alabama A&M, Virginia-Lynchburg and Jackson State in the middle of the schedule, with the last two at home.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Joshua Banks, WR One of the reasons Bray was as effective as he was last year despite the Delta Devils having practically no running game was Banks, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound junior from Irvington, Alabama. The big guy was fourth in the league with 84.6 receiving yards a game last year.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Everett Nicholas, DB Only one player in the league had more interceptions last year than the four Atlanta native Everett Nicholas pulled in last season.

He was also credited with seven passes defended and 23 tackles.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Rick Comegy, Miss. Valley State

THREE QUESTIONS WITH RICK COMEGY

Could it be anyone else? The Delta Devils are 4-29 in their last 33 games going back to 2014, the facilities are out-of-date and the school’s athletic budget is dead last in Division 1.

BIGGEST SHOES TO FILL

Herbert Edwards, Southern Lenard Tillery graduated after rushing for a conference-best 1,665 yards and 13 touchdowns. No other Southern back accumulated more than 200 rushing yards last year. Edwards is a senior.

Do you think the guys coming back will use the motivation from losing the SWAC Championship game?

“No doubt. You look at the guys the way they’ve approached the offseason — it’s been great. I think just knowing what you left out there, it motivates you to think you were that close. You have a lot of guys that are excited about the season coming up and ready to take another shot.”

Where is the strength of this team?

“We put up good numbers on offense last year, but basically, if there’s one thing I would look at, it’s the defensive side of the ball.

We’re coming back strong. We played some freshmen last year, and that gave them a chance to get some of those early mistakes out of the way.”

Will you play two quarterbacks?

“Well, I certainly don’t want to get into a situation where we don’t. We’ve got a great 1-2 punch, as good as anyone in the league. I’ve played in a twoquarterback system, and we saw it work last year. I know we’ve got two guys we can go to if we need to in any situation.”

Michael Brooks, DL The first-team All-SWAC defensive end causes a lot of problems for opposing teams with his size. He’s 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds and can run like a deer. He made 31 stops last year, including six behind the line of scrimmage, four sacks and batted down five passes at the line of scrimmage.

Grambling State quarterback Devante Kincade

What is the strength of this team?

“Our defensive line is going to be strong, and our secondary is going to be good. We’ve got good leadership in both of those spots.

What we need to fill in a couple of spots on the offensive line.”

What improvements have you seen over the offseason?

“I think our guys are getting the concept we are trying to get across. From offensive line to defensive line, once that concept is in, we can move forward from there. Because when you understand, you can play fast. We didn’t have that last year because we were still teaching.”

What’s it like working with such a young team?

“It comes along with the game. I think every coach in America starts out with a lot of freshman in trying to build a program, and that’s what we’re doing now. Working with young guys, you’re going to get young mistakes, but as we moved through spring ball, I saw our guys improving.”

DeWayne Betts, QB Probably the highlight of the MVSU signing class is this signal caller from Kipp High School in Memphis, Tennessee. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound dual-threat quarterback threw for 3,100 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushed for 702 yards and 12 more scores in his junior and senior seasons combined. He might not play right away, but he’s definitely the future.

THE “BUZZ” The MVSU defense was abysmal last year, but it wasn’t entirely its fault. The main culprit was a stagnant running game that produced just 25 yards a game and averaged less than one yard per carry.

That compounded the problem the Delta Devils had with moving the chains on third down – they converted a league-worst 29.7 percent of them into first downs. It also forced them into bad situations that led to 31 turnovers in 11 games.

But Comegy has four of his five starters on the line back, and one of them is one of the best linemen in the league in Solomon, the strongest player on the roster.

The Clarion-Ledger Sunday, August 27, 2017 15G

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2017 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE CHOCTAWS

DELTA STATE STATESMEN

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE

BELHAVEN BLAZERS

DELTA STATE

CHRIS TODD/FOR THE CLARION-LEDGER

MILLSAPS MAJORS

CHRIS TODD/FOR THE CLARION-LEDGER

Mississippi College defensive back Chris Manning is expected to be a team leader this season.

Delta State running back Chris Robinson is expected to be a huge part of the Statesmen’s offense in 2017.

Belhaven quarterback Hunter McEachern struggled with interceptions but is expected to have fewer this season.

Millsaps running back Andrew Warren is poised for a good season this year, as he’s expected to step into a bigger role.

MISS. COLLEGE EXPECTS GREATER DEPTH THIS YEAR

DELTA STATE SEES SPEED, PRIDE BOLSTERING TEAM

HEALTHIER BELHAVEN LOOKS TO SENIORS FOR LEADERSHIP

MILLSAPS HOPES YOUNG TALENT CAN LEAD OFFENSE

Coach: John Bland (4th season at Mississippi College, 81-50 record overall)

Coach: Todd Cooley (5th season at Delta State, 26-16 record overall)

Coach: Hal Mumme (4th season at Belhaven, 141-144-1 overall record)

Coach: Aaron Pelch (8th season at Millsaps, 36-33 record overall)

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?

In year 3 as a Division II program in the Gulf South Conference, Mississippi College continued to struggle in 2016 as it transitions to a higher level. The Choctaws went 3-7 on the season, but they did earn their first conference victory by defeating Shorter, 32-0. Senior receiver Marcel Newson compiled 53 catches for 853 yards and five touchdowns.

After a solid 4-3 start to the season, the Statesmen ended the season with a difficult three game stretch against Valdosta State, North Alabama and Florida Tech. They lost all three games by at least 20 points to end up 4-6 on the year.

Seven defensive starters went down in the first three games of the 2016 season, and the Blazers failed to recover. Despite an offense that averaged over 500 yards per game, Belhaven finished 2-8, opening and ending the season with single-score victories against Millsaps and Howard Payne, respectively.

It was a season of close calls in 2016, with four of Millsaps’ seven losses coming within six points or less. The offense failed to ever take off, and the Majors fell to 3-7 for the third straight losing season after an impressive first four seasons under Pelch.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR COACH HAL MUMME

Where do you hope to see offensive improvement in 2017?

“I really think the strength is, hopefully, going to be in our run game. We have quite a few running backs that are going to be very capable. I think we’re going to be healthy. We haven’t had a healthy running back core in about three or four years.”

How is the defense looking going into camp?

“We’re going to be young on defense.

We’re going to have a lot of youth. We’re going to have a ton of guys that have not a played a ton of football starting for us week one. Whether they’re freshman or they’re sophomores or even some juniors. We graduated 21 seniors last year, and a lot of them on defense.”

Losing so many seniors last season, where is an area of experience to rely on?

“We’ve got some experience on the offensive line. We’ve got a lot of guys back that have played a lot of football for us.”

THREE QUESTIONS FOR COACH JOHN BLAND Where do you see improvement in the team from last year?

“We are just deeper in a lot of areas as far as talent goes. This will be the first year we are almost fully funded as far as, we’ve been fully funded, but we haven’t used all our scholarships just due to the transition and the building process.”

How is the team planning on replacing Newson’s production at receiver?

“We are probably deeper at receiver than we’ve ever been. Not probably, we are deeper and more talented from top to bottom there than we’ve been.”

What do you see being the strength of the defense?

“The few seniors we’ve got on the defense are in that secondary, which is good to have because of their experience. That’s an important role, especially at the safety spot.”

THREE QUESTIONS FOR COACH TODD COOLEY What change do you see the most from last season?

“We have a saying around here, ‘Our logo never comes off.’ How much pride these guys take in playing for Delta State University, I think we’ve gotten back to that. It’s a close knit group.”

What does having star running back Chris Robinson return mean?

“I know he’s going to have a target on his back, but having him around, he’s a great teammate. He’s a very hard worker. He’s a 3.0 student in the classroom. He’s just a fine young man.”

Where do you see the team standing out this year?

“I think we’re a lot faster than we were a year ago. Our overall team speed is a lot better. I think we’ve got great leadership.

We’ve got an upper class that’s practicing and playing with a chip on their shoulder because of last year.”

DON’T MISS DON’T MISS The Mississippi College home opener on Sept. 23 against Florida Tech is a big one for the Choctaws. Florida Tech beat Mississippi College 41-0 last season. The Panthers are ranked No. 24 in the country by College Football America.

Last year’s homecoming game against West Florida was a classic 55-51 comeback victory for Delta State thanks to a Robinson touchdown with 1:35 remaining. This year, the West Florida game is on Oct. 14 in Pensacola, and one could imagine the Argonauts expect revenge.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

Alizee Chubbs, RB, Jr. In limited carries last season, Chubbs ran for 341 yards on 76 carries, good enough for 4.5 yards per carry. Bland named him as somebody who could grow into a larger role with the offense. When Chubbs received the chance for 18 carries last year against West Florida, he ran for 75 yards and a touchdown in addition to three catches for 45 yards.

Chris Robinson, RB, Sr. After transferring in from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Robinson broke out for 1,544 all-purpose yards last season on his way to being named first team All-Gulf South Conference. He rushed for 1,007 yards on only 186 carries and scored 19 rushing touchdowns on top of 551 yards and five touchdowns on 37 receptions.

What do you see as the strength of the team?

“The best thing we’ve got going for us is we’ve got a good nucleus of seniors. We’ve got about 17 or 18 of them. This is our fourth year, and they’re all guys that we recruited.”

What do you expect from the defense that struggled last season?

“This year we’re optimistic because we’ve got most of the starters back from injury and we’ve got the freshmen who had to play last season, so we’re gonna be stouter on defense.”

How will having the newly renovated Belhaven Bowl Stadium help?

“This is the first year that’s lined up where we’ll be able to play in our stadium for every practice and every game. Last year at this time, we were still fighting the rain and the mud over trying to get this thing fixed and we ended up moving the first game over to Millsaps.”

DON’T MISS DON’T MISS Mumme said it’s easy to decide the biggest game — the season opener against rival Millsaps on Aug. 31 at Belhaven Athletic Bowl. Before the injuries took a toll on the Blazers’ season, they edged out Millsaps 28-25 in last year’s season opener.

The same for Millsaps as it is for Belhaven, the Riverside Rumble at Belhaven is the game to watch for two programs looking to bounce back from recent struggles. As both teams look to prove this will be a turnaround year, the season opener is when we will see them for the first time.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

Hunter McEachern, QB, So. In his first season with Belhaven, McEachern threw for 3,722 yards in 10 games. He threw 31 touchdowns, but the problem was his 22 interceptions. Mumme said the big focus this season is McEachern making better decisions, but overall he is excited about how McEachern moves the ball.

Austin Harris, OL, Sr. It can be hard to label an offensive lineman as a player to watch, but Harris has been All-SAA all three years at Millsaps and earned first team in 2016. In a year down on experience, Harris is one of the anchors of a veteran offensive line.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Chris Manning, DB, Sr. Manning has played in 29 of 30 games at Mississippi College while starting 23 of them. He was named preseason all-conference and led the team in both tackles and interceptions last season. He had at least seven tackles in six games last season and returned three interceptions for 44 yards.

Landry Tullo, LB, Sr. It is truly splitting hairs between Tullo and junior linebacker Chandler Ecto, but Tullo gets it purely out of seniority and consistency. Tullo had 68 tackles last year, Ecto has 71, and they both had nine tackles for loss.

Tullo has been putting up this production in all three seasons with 151 career tackles and 26 tackles for loss.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Ty Jobe, QB, Jr. Jobe transferred this spring to Mississippi College from Tennessee Tech. Bland said Jobe has all the skills to be the main guy at quarterback this fall once he gets the offense down. He is 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, has a strong arm and can run the football.

Kam Myers, WR, Sr. Myers went from East Mississippi CC to Georgia State to Delta State only to medical redshirt the 2016 season with the Statesmen. At East Mississippi, Myers caught 51 passes for 836 yards in his two years. In the one full game he played last year, he returned six kicks for 123 yards and caught four passes for 34 yards.

THE BUZZ There’s no doubt playing in the Gulf South Conference will still be a challenge this year, but Bland is mainly excited the gap is closing between the Choctaws and opponents. No longer do they look on in awe when opponents get off the bus. He said they were close last year and thinks they are ready to win this year.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Len Fairley, DB, So. Fairley is an example of one of the freshmen who was forced to play earlier than expected last year. Mumme said he came in and did a good job, compiled 18 tackles and 13 solo. Now Fairley is still a young player, but with a year of experience.

Jacob Kendall, DE, Sr. Kendall has made it on the field all three years and was All-SAA honorable mention in 2016, but Pelch expects him to take a step forward in his senior year. Pelch said he is having a very good camp right now, and Kendall looks to build on his three sacks last year.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Marquis Hedge, RB, Jr. Hedge is an interesting case. After two years at East Central CC and not recording a statistic, he spent the 2015 year with Belhaven, running for 306 yards on 81 carries.

In 2016, he dropped out and didn’t attend school. He’s back this fall, and Mumme mentioned him as somebody who had a great spring and could break out.

Andrew Warren, RB, Jr. Not as much a newcomer as somebody Pelch expects to step into a bigger role in 2017, Warren improved his numbers last fall and Pelch said he’s poised for a good year behind this offensive line this fall.

THE BUZZ THE BUZZ The main thing Cooley talks about with this year’s team is that he feels good about the mentality of the team. He said they are closer this year, and he used the example of every player on the team wanting to go out for the first practice of camp despite a downpour. Combined with that speed, he expects them to be fun to watch.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR COACH AARON PELCH

Belhaven is a team difficult to judge at all from 2016 due to a large number of injuries on the defense. With many of those injured starters returning plus the youth that earned experience in their stead, Belhaven could see improvement in the first full season in a new stadium, especially combined with a productive offense under an offensive visionary in Mumme.

THE BUZZ After going 27-13 in his first four seasons, Pelch has gone 9-20 since. Last season was supposed to be an experienced team bouncing back but failed to do so. Now, with much of that experience gone, Pelch will be relying on young talent to get back to the run-oriented success he desires.

— Brody Miller The Clarion-Ledger

16G Sunday, August 27, 2017 The Clarion-Ledger