....... 
.......
....... .......| 1996 | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1998 | Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1999 | Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2000 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug |
....... 
.......
9/29/00 - The MSU football team walk-through starts at 12:30 p.m. Please get there early. There will be many primetime recruits (possibly, over half the Dandy Dozen) at the game, so make sure they see how loyal we are to our team.
9/28/00 - Mississippi State fans attending home games this season will encounter some changes in pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns and parking.
Construction to enlarge the east side of the university's Scott Field has eliminated Alumni Drive on the east side of the football stadium and the construction lay-down site has taken away three Bulldog Club parking areas in the immediate vicinity of the stadium.
Entrance to Scott Field also will be adjusted because of the construction. Access to the east side will be eliminated to gates on the north and south ends only, with no operative gates in the center of the east side.
Students should enter the stadium from the north side, while general public, faculty and staff may enter from either the north or south gates. Non-student tickets on the east side also will be honored on the west side. Those patrons can use the walkway around the north end zone to claim their east side seats.
Bulldog Club parking lots 2, 4, and 6 will be relocated to lot 24, which is directly across behind McArthur Hall, the former athletic residence hall just northwest of the stadium. The east side handicapped parking, which was located on Alumni Drive, will move to the Briscoe-Garner-Freeman Lot, just east of the stadium off Barr Avenue.
All other reserved parking lots, including the handicapped lot on the west side of the stadium, will remain in their customary locations. Open game-day parking also will be in the same locations, near the intramural tennis courts south of Scott Field and surrounding Humphrey Coliseum to the north.
A slight alteration in game-day traffic flow will result from closing Complex Road at Highway 82 coming onto the campus from the north. Complex Road is the former construction entrance to campus that winds past the softball field, Bryan Athletic Administration Building, and Shira Athletic Complex, terminating near Humphrey Coliseum.
All other routes into campus on football game days will remain the same.
Exit from campus following games will continue as in the past. Stone Boulevard south of the stadium will be two lanes going south to Blackjack Road, which will be two lanes headed west to Locksley Way. University Drive will be two lanes going west to Montgomery Street.
University officials also are reminding fans that Southeastern Conference rules prohibit artificial noisemakers, including cowbells, inside the football stadium.
"As an institution, we're committed to playing by the rules, and we are asking for the understanding and cooperation of Bulldog supporters in helping us stay within those rules," said Athletic Director Larry Templeton. As in prior years, fans carrying cowbells will not be admitted to the stadium.
That option means that the start time for the MSU-Auburn game in Starkville on that date will not be determined until this Sunday, Oct. 1. Three games on Oct. 7 will be affected by the CBS decision on Sunday: Auburn at MSU, LSU at Florida, and South Carolina at Kentucky.
Three networks will be involved in Sunday's decision: CBS, Jefferson Pilot and espn2, with the networks selecting in that order.
Therefore, the Bulldogs' contest with the Tigers will start at one of the following three times: 11:30 a.m. (JP-TV), 2:30 p.m. (CBS-TV) or 6:30 p.m. (espn2). All of those times are Central.
The MSU-Auburn affair will be State's 11th-straight televised game, the fifth in a row to start the 2000 season. That includes this Saturday's MSU-Florida game at Scott Field, which has been slated for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on CBS.
Reprinted at the request of the MSU Athletic Department
9/27/00 - Before I get to the press conference info, here is info on the Friday night Bulldog Bash party/pep rally prior to the Florida game.
Here are a couple player interviews from yesterday's press conference (the entire interviews with five players are on the premium site):
Defensive lineman Ellis Wyms:
GS: You don't appear to be too happy today?
Ellis Wyms: You can't be happy with a loss. We came back to practice after a loss. We haven't done that in a while, especially this early in the season. I think that it will help us get a lot more focused for this game.
We now know that we aren't as good on defense as we thought we were. We have a lot of work to do to get this defense back to where it was last year.
GS: What do you think the defense has to do to get back to the same level as last year?
Ellis Wyms: Just concentrate more on our assignments. During the games, we have been going the wrong way, getting mixed up on coverages. We just need to concentrate better in practice and work harder on the fundamentals.
GS: How do you think you played against South Carolina?
Ellis Wyms: I think I played Ok but I could have helped out a lot more with the pass rush but they cut block a lot.
GS: What is cut blocking?
Ellis Wyms: Cut blocking is when they block low on your legs. It makes you hesitate to go all out because you don't know when they may chop at your knees. They chopped a lot and threw the ball quick. We are really going to work on that this week.
GS: What can you do about cut blocking if Florida decides to do it?
Ellis Wyms: We are going to work on it this week in practice. We will work on playing off of it better. Keeping your hands down and get past the cut blocking.
GS: How do you prepare for a team like Florida? They love to pass the ball which will cause the defensive linemen to have to rush the quarterback a lot.
Ellis Wyms: Pass rushing will probably be the main focus in practice this week. We know in order for us to have any kind of success against their offense, we have to get to their quarterback. We need to make him aware of the rush so that he can't pick up apart.
GS: You have played three away games. You are finally playing at home. There should be a record crowd on hand. What do this mean to you as a senior?
Ellis Wyms: It is a great feeling. We know that there is going to be a great atmosphere. It is good to finally be at home and around our fans for a game.
GS: Tell me what was going through your mind from the beginning of the last touchdown play to the end of it when he caught the actual pass?
Kendall Roberson: When I saw the receiver at the line of scrimmage, I knew it was number 84, their go-to man. We had cover five. We were blitzing a man on fourth and ten. I knew that he was going to run a fade because he was playing the numbers. When a new quarterback comes in the best play is to throw a fade. I cut him off and thought I had him covered but I never had an idea that he threw the ball over there. I heard someone yell ball but by the time that I looked back to take a peak, I heard the crowd start hollering and I knew that it was too late. I figured that he had already caught the ball.
GS: What do you do in a situation like that?
Kendall Roberson: You figure that a lot of folks are probably mad at you but the only thing that you can do is suck it up and go back to the sidelines. Hopefully, the offense can come back and score some points to help us win the game.
GS: Looking back on it, do you feel that you did all that you could do at the time?
Kendall Roberson: Something that I usually do that I didn't do on the play is if I don't know the ball is coming, I usually watch the receiver and if I see his hands go up I will try to slap the ball out of his hands. It was just a great throw by the quarterback and a great catch by the receiver.
GS: It was really a miracle finish. We had four of those last year.
Kendall Roberson: Yes, when you allow any team to hang around, they have a chance to come back. That is what South Carolina did. They made the plays down the stretch and we have to give them credit.
GS: Fred Smoot said the crowd noise bothered the defense in the fourth quarter. Did you have problems with the crowd noise?
Kendall Roberson: I don't ever have a problem with the crowd noise. With Coach Dunn, he signals the calls in. When you get the signal, you know whether you are in man or zone. I don't think that the crowd played a factor in the game.
GS: You are about to face a pass-happy Florida team. What will you do in practice to prepare for a team like this that will put a lot of pressure on you, Fred and the rest of the defensive backs?
Kendall Roberson: In practice, the coaches will throw a lot of passes at us. We'll probably go one on one in passing drills. We are just going to have to be focused and be prepared.
GS: Does a loss like you had against South Carolina help get your attention for a team like Florida?
Kendall Roberson: When you are undefeated and doing good, you tend to think that you can't get any better. After you lose a game, it makes you work harder and realize what you have to do to correct things. I think that we are going to go out and work hard and get prepared for Florida.
9/26/00 - Defensive lineman Toby Golliday and quarterback Wayne Madkin, both of whom suffered minor injuries during the South Carolina game, practiced yesterday.
If you are a Bulldog Club member, you are cordially invited to attended Mississippi State's most exciting pregame celebration......Bully's Clubhouse.....before each Bulldog home football game in 2000. The party will feature food, music by disc jockeys, appearances by MSU celebrities and much more. Admission is free and a catered meal is just $8.00. Be sure to have your membership card for admittance. The Bully's Clubhouse party is located in the Bost Auditorium, which is directly west of Davis Wade Stadium. The festivities begin three hours before kickoff and end 15 minutes prior to kickoff. You are welcome to bring up to five guests.
There will also be a first of its kind huge pep rally/party the Friday night prior to the Florida game. I will post all the info about it Wednesday morning.
The MSU baseball team may also have a short scrimmage (6 innings) Friday afternoon. If they do, it will be a great chance to see the outstanding newcomers in action. I'll find out for sure if they are going to scrimmage and let you know later this week.
If my endzone bleachers estimate is correct, MSU should have a new record crowd of over 43,000 folks in attendance this coming Saturday. Knowing how loud we MSU fans are at our home games, we can be a huge benefit to our team.
Click here to view the endzone bleachers and a view from the top row of the bleachers.
P. S. The rumor is there will be many outstanding recruits attending the game. We can make a difference with them by showing how loyal we are to our team throughout the game.
9/25/00 - MSU moved down to 36th and 29th in the latest polls.
9/24/00 - MSU at USC game writeup:
9/22/00 - According to a source of mine who attended this past weekend's Alabama/Southern Miss game in Birmingham, the Meridian trio of defensive end Jeremy Ruffin, tight end/defensive end Tyler Richardson and wide receiver Mario Hill were seen at the game.
Here is the latest on these three youngsters:
Jeremy Ruffin continues to like several teams including Alabama, MSU and others. He has no favorite at the moment.
Tyler Richardson is getting solid interest from Rice and Auburn.
Mario Hill has heard from several colleges, including Ole Miss.
9/21/00 - Practice notes:
9/20/00 (2:30 p.m.) - Player comments from the 9-19-00 football press conference (Complete quotes on the premium site).
Offensive center Michael Fair:
GS: Have you watched any film of South Carolina?
Michael Fair: Yes, we watched film yesterday and I watched it at home last night.
GS: Do they compare to anyone else that you have played this year?
Michael Fair: We faced a good noseguard at Memphis, number 54. Their guy compares to him. Pickney's feet might be a little better and he may be little bit stronger. It is going to be a good challenge.
GS: How does South Carolina's defense compare to Memphis' defense?
Michael Fair: They are both very aggressive. They both want to stop the run at the line of scrimmage and they both blitz. They'll give up the big plays but they are going to shut you down a lot. BYU was more we are going to beat you man on man. With the South Carolina scheme, they are going to blitz you from every angle and put people where you haven't seen them. It is a real challenge going in but we have watched them for three games, which is a big advantage for us.
GS: Coach Sherrill said they patterned themselves after our defense. That should help you out a lot since you see our defense so much in practice?
Michael Fair: Right, we have seen our defense a lot in the spring and in two-a-days when we scrimmaged against them. That is a big advantage that most schools don't have.
GS: Tommy Watson said that he and Courtney Lee will not have a certain person to block each down because of the type offense South Carolina plays. He mentioned that he and Courtney would be able to help you out some.
Michael Fair: Yes, that's true. They play a three-down front which means that I will be covered about every play. Yes, they will be able to help whoever needs help in pass coverage unless the linebackers blitz.
GS: What was the reason for the big improvement in the offense from game one to game two?
Michael Fair: A lot of things. I think that our confidence was better and our intensity level was higher. The two new guys, by just being in there for one game already and knowing what it was going to be like helped out a lot. We made a lot of progress up front.
GS: What did you think about the BYU defensive front?
Michael Fair: They were probably the strongest men that I have ever had to block. They were older and bigger. They had two guys who were bigger than me. It was a real challenge but I think that we did pretty good.
GS: Is there any other running back in the SEC that you compare USC's Derek Watson to?
Kendall Roberson: I compare him to Arkansas running back Cobb. They are both hard runners who are pretty quick.
GS: Did you play every down of the BYU game?
Kendall Roberson: I believe Fred Smoot, Josh Morgan and I played the entire game.
GS: Did you guys get tired during the latter part of the game?
Kendall Roberson: Fatigue was a big factor because we played almost all of the third quarter. We made silly mistakes because of the fatigue.
GS: Talking about silly mistakes, what was the BYU quarterback doing that caused the defensive linemen to jump offsides so much during one series?
Kendall Roberson: I asked Toby (Golliday) what he was doing. Toby said that he was changing up the snap count and raising his voice. He continued doing that the rest of the game but we adjusted to it. Coach Dunn told them to watch the football and not move until it moved.
9/20/00 - Some of you have asked for pictures of the club level seats and club level seats' lounge. Click here to view them.
Click here to check out the latest football stadium expansion pictures. I've also included the endzone bleachers in this update.
9/19/00 - The Florida at MSU game has been selected by CBS. Gametime is set for 2:30 CDT.
9/18/00 - MSU is now 25th in both the AP and ESPN polls. Football Polls...
The MSU offense moved from 113th in the nation to 104th while the defense moved from 4th to 13th in the nation. NCAA stats....
9/17/00 - Taking out the two MSU victories against Memphis and BYU, MSU's opponents are 22-9 overall during the young season. MSU's next three opponents (South Carolina, Florida and Auburn) are all 3-0 on the season.
9/16/00 - Click here to check out the latest football stadium expansion pictures. I've also included the endzone bleachers in this update.
9/15/00 - MSU 44 - BYU 28.
MSU vs BYU post-game tidbits:
9/14/00 - What was MSU preseason All-American Fred Smoot saying about this year's MSU defense in July. Here is excerpts from an exclusive Gene's Page premium article written by Bo Bounds.
He's got the swagger and he loves to talk trash. And what makes opposing players and coaches sick is he backs it up. He's a Playboy All-American. Introducing the best cover corner in the country, Fred Smoot.
"I'm ready to mix it up baby. When you watch our defense this year the interlude should be welcome to Prime Time. We're loaded," Smoot says without a hint of doubt.
Smoot thrives on separating himself from the rest of the pack. Last year during the Auburn game I was on the sideline. As you know we trailed 99% of the game. Smoot never stopped talking. "Never let the opponent think you're beat. If you know sports then you know anything can happen and one play can change a game. I like to make that 'one' play," Smoot says oozing with confidence. "I'm not sure why you play if you don't want to be a difference maker. Not just everybody gets to play SEC football. But it's obvious by the crowds and the television exposure, everybody wants to be a part of it."
Smoot will be a marked man this year. He will match up with the best of the best, players like Freddie Milons and Ronnie Daniels.
"Bring it on. I'll cover anybody. This is the hardest I've ever worked," Smoot says with intensity. Last year's defense was a model of consistency. For four quarters the team could rely on the defense. So-called experts think we lost too many guys to graduation to be as good this season.
"They have no clue. We have unlimited speed this year at Dog Safety. Eugene Clinton is going to have a big year. He's always around the ball. It's been that way since we were at Provine. Also, Dorsett Davis will take over at times this year. That's a promise. Dude's bad," Smoot states loud and clear.
One of the huge holes left by graduation was Robert Bean who played opposite Smoot last year. "Bean is a great player. Kendall Roberson is the forgotten man. He's going to make my season better. People forget how good he was in 1998. Kendall helped me last year. We scouted teams together, he knows the game," Smoot says oblivious of how fast I'm writing.
"We're not dropping our guard this year. In a sense we are one of the marked teams. Other teams know we can beat anybody in the country on any given Saturday," Smoot says. He's in broadcast mode at this point. I might as well give him a mike.
Okay one last quote to send this out with a bang. "Fans are my motivation. Everybody needs to jump on board. This ride is Atlanta and then Miami bound. The Dawg Pound will rock the house this year," Smoot declares.
9/13/00 - Click here to check out the latest football stadium expansion pictures.
OFFENSE:
WR
14 MARGIN HOOKS, 6-0, 185, JR.
8 Mike Rigell, 5-8, 180, Jr.
WR
5 JONATHAN PITTMAN, 6-0, 180, SR.
80 Toby Christensen, 5-11, 190, Fr.
TE
91 TEVITA OFAHENGAUE, 6-3, 250, SR.
86 Doug Jolley, 6-5, 240, Jr.
LT
79 DUSTIN RYKERT, 6-6, 300, SO.
69 Aaron McCubbins, 6-4, 285, Jr.
LG
54 TEAG WHITING, 6-5, 290, JR.
78 Brandon McFerren, 6-5, 305, So.
C
68 JASON SCUKANEC, 6-2, 290, JR.
63 Cory Ramage, 6-2, 240, Jr.
RG
61 KAM VALGARDSON, 6-4, 280, SR.
73 Isaac Herring, 6-5, 285, So.
RT
76 FORD POSTON, 6-6, 285, SR.
65 Ben Archibald, 6-5, 285, So.
QB
13 BRET ENGEMANN, 6-4, 220, SO.
17 Charlie Peterson, 6-2, 195, Jr.
RB
6 LUKE STALEY, 6-1, 225, SO.
1 Brian McDonald, 6-0, 200, Jr.
FB
34 KALANI SITAKE, 6-0, 245, SR.
15 Will Snowden, 5-11, 220, Sr.
DEFENSE:
LE
92 RYAN DENNEY, 6-7, 280, JR.
93 Brett Keisel, 6-4, 250, Jr.
DT
72 HANS OLSEN, 6-5, 290, SR.
98 Chris Watkins, 6-3, 300, So.
DT
58 CHRIS HOKE, 6-3, 285, SR.
56 Ryan Gunderson, 6-3, 255, Fr.
RE
99 SETEMA GALI, JR., 6-4, 250, SR.
48 T.J. Sitake, 6-4, 255, So.
SLB
51 JOSH LOWE, 6-4, 245, SR.
47 Paul Walkenhorst, 6-5, 230, Fr.
MLB
55 JUSTIN ENA, 6-4, 260, SO.
35 Ammon Mauga, 6-0, 215, Fr.
WLB
21 ISSAC KELLEY, 6-4, 250, JR.
46 Colby Bockwoldt, 6-1, 210, Fr.
LC
19 DUSTIN STALEY, 5-11, 190, SO.
7 Derrus Wilson, 5-9, 180, Jr.
FS
9 JARED LEE, 6-0, 200, SR.
25 Elan Edwards, 6-1, 195, Jr.
SS
22 TYSON SMITH, 6-0, 200, SR.
43 Michael Madsen, 6-1, 195, So.
RC
23 DANNY PHILLIPS, 6-1, 190, JR.
4 Isiah Joiner, 6-0, 180, Fr.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
PK
27 OWEN POGHMAN, 6-0, 180, SR.
29 Aaron Edmonds, 5-11, 185, Jr.
H
29 AARON EDMONDS, 5-11, 185, JR.
DS
79 DUSTIN RYKERT, 6-6, 300, SO.
34 Kalani Sitake, 6-0, 245, Sr.
P
29 AARON EDMONDS, 5-11, 185, JR.
86 Doug Jolley, 6-5, 240, Jr.
PR
8 MIKE RIGELL, 5-8, 180, JR.
24 Paul Peterson, 5-8, 200, Jr.
KR
8 MIKE RIGELL, 5-8, 180, JR.
24 Paul Peterson, 5-8, 200, Jr.
OFFENSE
SE
15 TERRELL GRINDLE (5-10, 187, SO)
1 Clarence Parker (6-2, 197, Jr)
85 Harold Lindsey (6-1, 211, Jr)
80 Antonio Hargro (6-3, 185, Fr)
TE
84 DONALD LEE (6-4, 237, SO)
87 Aaron Lumpkin (6-4, 253, RFr)
89 Tommy Ferrill (6-4, 248, RFr)
LT
76 PORK CHOP WOMACK (6-3, 346, SR)
72 Carl Hutchins (6-5, 306, So)
LG
74 COURTNEY LEE (6-4, 346, JR)
73 Donald Tucker (6-4, 321, RFr)
C
52 MICHAEL FAIR (6-3, 304, SR)
63 Blake Jones (6-4, 296, RFr)
RG
66 TOMMY WATSON (6-4, 303, JR)
75 Kyle Wallace (6-5, 300, So)
RT
77 KENRIC FAIRCHILD (6-4, 318, JR)
62 Derrick Thompson (6-6, 304, RFr)
FL
22 LARRY HUNTINGTON (5-10, 183, SR)
8 Justin Jenkins (6-1, 208, RFr)
18 Brandon Butler (6-0, 201, So)
83 McKinley Scott (6-0, 185, Fr)
82 Darius Tubbs (6-1, 194, So) - Injured
QB
9 WAYNE MADKIN (6-4, 227, JR)
16 Kevin Fant (6-2, 204, RFr)
18 Brandon Butler (6-0, 201, So)
TB
12 DICENZO MILLER (5-10, 200, JR)
3 Dontae Walker (5-10, 225, So)
31 Justin Griffith (5-11, 221, So)
FB
32 KENNY WILLIAMSON (6-2, 244, SR)
31 Justin Griffith (5-11, 221, So)
44 Jamaal Dinkins (6-0, 230, Sr)
DEFENSE
LE
99 DORSETT DAVIS (6-6, 314, JR)
45 Dwayne Robertson (6-0, 219, RJr)
57 Nathan Jackson (6-4, 217, RFr)
LT
94 TOBY GOLLIDAY (6-2, 315, SR)
46 Lennie Day (6-3, 248, RFr)
95 Demotto Youngblood (6-4, 265, Fr)
RT
54 WILLIE BLADE (6-2, 318, SR)
93 Boone Brown (6-0, 261, Sr)
71 Efem Ezekwe (6-3, 265, So)
RE
ELLIS WYMS (6-3, 284, SR)
81 Ivan Billie (6-2, 233, So)
96 Jake Hambrick (6-7, 276, RSo)
LB
90 CONNER STEPHENS (6-4, 250, JR)
20 Rob Knight (6-1, 227, Sr)
45 Dwayne Robertson (6-0, 210, RJr)
LB
98 MARIO HAGGAN (6-3, 253, SO)
40 Jason Clark (6-1, 236, Fr)
55 Edward Yeates (6-0, 238, Sr)
LDS
29 PIG PRATHER (6-3, 195, JR)
25 George White (6-2, 208, Sr)
27 Gabriel Wallace (5-11, 202, Fr)
RDS
14 EUGENE CLINTON (6-0, 191, SR)
6 Shawn Byrdsong (5-9, 188, Jr)
41 Anthony Bryant (5-10, 191, Jr)
19 David Mooneyham (6-0, 185, RFr)
LC
24 KENDALL ROBERSON (6-0, 210, SR)
23 Marco Minor (6-4, 205, Jr)
4 Milas Randle (6-2, 193, RFr)
6 Shawn Byrdsong (5-9, 188, Jr)
FS
47 JOSH MORGAN (6-1, 194, SO)
5 Eugene Liger (6-0, 206, Sr)
23 Marco Minor (6-4, 205, Jr)
RC
2 FRED SMOOT (6-1, 179, SR)
13 Julius Griffith (5-11, 170, Jr)
39 Slovakia Griffith (5-11, 180, Fr)
P
48 PRENTISS COLE (6-4, 199, SR)
43 Jared Cook (5-10, 185, Fr)
PK
11 SCOTT WESTERFIELD (5-10, 187, SR)
42 John Michael Marlin (5-8, 155, Fr)
DS
30 MICHAEL BENDER (6-3, 223, SR)
38 Jeremiah Dumas (5-11, 220, RFr)
H
12 DICENZO MILLER (5-10, 200, JR)
34 Davey Crawley (5-9, 182, So)
KR
3 DONTAE WALKER (5-10, 225, SO)
29 Pig Prather (6-3, 195, Jr)
PR
12 DICENZO MILLER (5-10, 200, JR)
29 Pig Prather (6-3, 195, Jr)
9/12/00 - Practice tidbits:
9/10/00 - Practice tidbits:
9/09/00 - Click here to check out the latest football stadium expansion pictures.
9/08/00 - Well, I'm back in the world of MSU sports and away from the world of financial statements and taxes.
After reading about the alleged injury to MSU backup quarterback Kevin Fant, I decided to go by the MSU media department and get to the bottom of his injury situation.
Kevin Fant - I told Mike Nemeth, head of the MSU athletic media relations department, about the message board posts about Kevin going to Dr. Fields near Oxford due to a shoulder injury. He knew nothing about it but did call MSU Athletic Trainer Paul Mock to check it out. Mock knew nothing about a shoulder injury to Kevin, nor did he know anything about Kevin going to see Dr. Fields. Kevin has been practicing whenever I have watched the football team practice and has practiced all of this week.
9/07/00 - Recruiting tidbits:
Rico Bennett - According to recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson, Tennessee and Ole Miss continue to recruit Rico despite his commitment to MSU.
Kevin also told me that Florida State continues to recruit MSU commitment Clarence McDougal.
Long Beach (MS) HS - Junior quarterback Eddie Burger attended the Ole Miss football camp this past summer as well as the Miss State and USM baseball camps (plays catcher). According to the same source, his teammate, senior running back Brandon Jacobs, is talking with Ole Miss, Tulane, Southern Miss and Texas A&M, among others. Against Bay St. Louis, Brandon amassed 304 yards on 28 carries.
9/04/00 - MSU garner enough votes to rank 29th in AP and and 27th in USA Today football polls.
9/03/00 - MSU - UM game stories found on the internet:
9/02/00 - A report, from one of you, of the Clinton vs Brandon Friday night game.
I have seen the star of the next generation of great Joe Lee Dunn defenses: his name is Clarence McDougal. Quick, hard hitting, aggressive, ball-smart, very fast, and oh yeah he returned a long punt for a TD against a very good Brandon team in about nothing flat. The last defensive player this impressive was Eddie Strong, and Strong can't return punts. Stay optimistic guys, Joe Lee is reloading!
Coco Hodge (aka Earl Campbell part two), has tremendous leg drive and he simply will not give up. I don't think he was tackled a single time in a one-on-one confrontation. Gang tackling was the only way to bring him down, and even then Coco was driving his legs like pistons all the way down to push the pile forward for additional inches. He is fast, reads blocks well, strong, and he has deep, deep desire.
Hats off too Dave Wilson and company for these two commitments. We better work hard at securing them until February. Believe me, if I was another coach of another school I would be after these guys.
Brandon's Jerious Norwood looked quick, but Clinton's defensive front never gave him a chance. He simply could not break through into the secondary. Whether up the gut or around the end, Clinton was waiting for him.
Clinton won 35-27. A big Clinton lead was narrowed at the end. Coach Dan Davis (Brandon) had probably the best onside kick play I have ever seen. He had everybody leaning the wrong way. Clinton muffed the kick, and Brandon got two guys on top of the ball, but they couldn't hang on and Clinton recovered the kickoff and burned enough clock to seal the game. The game ended with a tipped bomb in the end zone for an "oh by the way" TD for Brandon as time expired.
It was a great game all the way around.
9/1/00 - Just wanted to clear something up. There was a post on the Memphis message board that, according to a rumor, MSU cornerback Fred Smoot was injured in practice Wednesday. There is nothing to the rumor.