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Mississippi State Bulldogs (2000: 8-4) The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I-A teams, be sure to order the 2001 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and programIn a volatile division, Mississippi State has become Mr. Steady. The Bulldogs have averaged better than eight victories per season for the last four years and played in four consecutive bowl games. Winning is nothing new for coach Jackie Sherrill, who won 50 games in five years at Pittsburgh and coached Texas A&M to three consecutive conference championships. But his work at Mississippi State qualifies as his greatest accomplishment. "When I was at Pittsburgh, we were winning a lot of games, but I wasn't a good coach," Sherrill said. "I got lucky at Pittsburgh and recruited some good players. “Here [at Mississippi State], I've been able to do something that hadn't been done." Example: Mississippi State has had seven winning seasons in 10 years under Sherrill; it also had seven winning seasons in the previous 33 seasons. Don't expect the Bulldogs to drop off this season. Never mind that they have lost more of their defense. They have reloaded by recruiting a number of junior college standouts. That's hardly a shocker. No other coach in the SEC has capitalized on junior college recruits like Sherrill. Junior college recruits don't just sign with Mississippi State; they graduate, which Sherrill obviously uses as a selling point in recruiting. "There are two schools in the country with the ability to make [junior college recruiting] work," Sherrill said. "Mississippi State and Kansas State. The difference is the ability to graduate them." The Bulldogs' success on the field and in the draft backs Sherrill up. In the last three years 12 Mississippi State players have been drafted into the NFL.
OffenseSherrill has had outstanding players at almost every position in his 10 years at Mississippi State, but quarterback is one glaring exception. Wayne Madkin is trying to change that.Madkin, a 6-4, 216-pound senior, returns for his fourth year as a starter. He improved significantly between his sophomore and junior seasons but still has a ways to go in the opinion of offensive coordinator Sparky Woods. "If he continues to work, he has the potential to be an all-conference player," Woods said. "I still think he misses some opportunities that are there." His interception-touchdown pass ratio (eight of each) reflects that shortcoming. But as much as Madkin has already improved, who's to say he won't be even better as a senior? Senior Dicenzo Miller (5-10, 202) emerged as one of the best running backs in the SEC last season as a junior, averaging 6.3 yards per carry while gaining 1,005 yards. And he was the team's second-leading pass receiver with 24 catches for 344 yards. Based on the Bulldogs' success last year, Miller will continue splitting time with Dontae Walker, a 5-10, 221-pound junior who began living up to his pre-college expectations last year after a somewhat disappointing freshman season. Rated as the No. 1 high school running back in the country by several recruiting services, Walker averaged 5.4 yards per carry and rushed for 795 yards last season. He led the Bulldogs with a 26.7-yard average on 11 kickoff returns. The Bulldogs have room for improvement at receiver. Junior Terrell Grindle (5-10, 177) had a team-leading 31 catches for 436 yards, an average of only 14.3 yards per reception; Larry Huntington, the team's next best wide receiver, has graduated. "We've got about eight good athletes who can all run," Woods said. "Hopefully out of that group, a couple of them will emerge."
Defense and special teamsTwo years ago, when Mississippi State led the nation in defense, coordinator Joe Lee Dunn rotated eight to 10 linemen with little drop off in quality. Those days are long gone.When the Bulldogs began spring practice, Dunn said, "Most of the guys we've got are not big enough to play and win in the SEC. I'd just play one defensive line if we started tomorrow." Tackle Dorsett Davis, a 6-6, 314-pound senior, is the only sure thing on the defensive front. Davis figured prominently in the Bulldogs’ No. 1-ranked defense in 1999 and continued to improve last season. All-SEC middle linebacker Mario Haggan, a 6-3, 243-pound junior, and senior Conner Stephens (6-4, 250) make this the strength of the Bulldogs' defense. Haggan, who moved from the outside to inside last year, made 132 tackles, the most by a Bulldog in four years. He led the SEC in tackles with an average of 12 per game and made second-team All-American. The Bulldogs lost three of their five starters in the backfield, including All-America cornerback Fred Smoot and underrated safety Eugene Clinton. That doesn't mean they won't field another strong secondary. All-SEC senior safety Pig Prather (6-3, 191) already has established himself as a playmaker. And Demetric Wright (6-0, 180) of Northwest Mississippi Community College was one of MSU's most celebrated signees, partially because of his position and partially because of his personality. That combination has fostered comparisons to All-America cornerback Smoot. Mississippi State will miss kicker Scott Westerfield. Its return game might not be much different from its running game: It's Miller and Walker.
Bottom lineThe Bulldogs suffer key losses, yet continue winning. For example, take last year. The Bulldogs returned only three starters on defense and five on offense from a 10-win team. They responded by winning eight games, despite losing key players to injury.They will continue that success, especially if their junior college recruits come through on defense. After all, the Bulldogs already have a great defensive nucleus with Haggan, Stephens, Prather, Davis and Morgan. Keeping those guys healthy will be crucial. |
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