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02/28/01 - Here is an excerpt from a Grant Alford premium site article about Ray Ray Bivines.

Everyone has heard the comments made about Ray Ray by the MSU coaches, "you couldn't catch him in a phone booth," "you don't tackle him, he runs out of room." And the comparisons have already begun between Ray Ray and Kevin Prentiss. But what does he think of his tag as a playmaker?

"I don't really mind that, but I don't really see myself that way," Bivines said of the tag he has earned. "I see myself as a consistent type of player. I am the type of player that is going to make the play every time, not just the big play. That is the way I like to play."

Going into next season, Ray Ray will probably be listed as a receiver, but his biggest role on the team will probably be as a returner.

"I am looking forward to playing receiver, I got to play it some in junior high. In high school and this past season I played quarterback. I have to learn the new position, but since I know the quarterback position, learning the routes won't be as hard," said Ray Ray.

"I will probably get to do a lot of returning punts and kicks next season," said Ray Ray who was an all-State pick at returner during his senior season. "It should be a lot of fun, maybe I can break a couple of games open."

Although teams throughout the country recruited him, Ray Ray decided to stay in Mississippi and join the Bulldogs.

"I really like the coaches here, and I wanted to stay in my home state. This is not too far from home," said Bivines of his decision to play his college ball in maroon and white. "And since I have been here, I have really liked Coach Sherrill and Coach Woods. They have always been there when I needed to talk to them; I really like that."

02/28/01 - Michael Evans (6-1, 280, senior-to-be defensive tackle, Olive Branch (MS) High School) will be visiting MSU, unofficially, this coming weekend, according to my sources. This past season, Michael was 1st team All-Region (District 1-5A) and All-Desoto County. He recorded 89 tackles. He also is a very good power-lifter as evidenced by the fact that he won a gold metal in the 275-pound classification in the power lifting invitational at Pontotoc earlier this year. He is currently on the OBHS track team.

If any of you know of other top underclassmen football players who plan on attending MSU's spring practices, please email the info to me.

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02/27/01 - Here are the latest stadium expansion pictures. They were taken Wednesday, Feb. 26th. Click here to view them.

02/26/01 - Here is an excerpt from a Pig Prather article by premium site writer Bo Bounds.

Everyone wants to know about the knee. "I'm running full speed straight ahead. They (the training staff) won't let me cut right now. Paul Mock and the staff are doing an excellent job with my rehab. I'm thankful for them. I want to go through spring practice but Coach Dunn won't let me. I'll be full speed by summer and looking for some contact," Pig says, laying to rest any concerns about the knee.

"I'm squatting and running 3-4 days a week. I run 15 50-yard dashes three times a week. Also, I'm working my upper body two days a week. This year should be an exciting year," Pig says, reflecting on his senior year.

Talk about offensive lineman Michael Allen.
Coach Woods: He is very important to our team next year. He is a guy that has to be given every opportunity to come in and start. He has two years to play two. He came out of a program that throws the ball almost every down. He was taught well in terms of pass protection. He played guard and it would be great if he could play guard for us. We lost our left tackle. If he could play that for us it would be great. His main forte is the ability to pass-protect and he is also very strong. He has exceptional feet for a guy his size. We have to watch his weight to keep him from getting too big.

Avery House was one of the top two offensive linemen in Alabama. Talk about him.
Coach Woods: Avery is a guy who I think will end up being a really good player for us. He, like most freshmen, will really have to catch on real fast to get an opportunity to play this coming season. Avery is athletic as heck. He is a good basketball player. He is going to be really big. He has the ability to possibly give us help at tight end. He could play in the two tight end type formation. I think he will be a really good tackle for us eventually. But, thinking about next year, he might help us some at the second tight end position.

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02/23/01 - I talked with MSU wide receiver coach Craig Stump about the one wide receiver that MSU signed as well as the players that he recruited this past recruiting season. Here is an excerpt from that premium site interview.

Coach Stump, talk about Will Prosser.
Coach Stump: The first thing you look at is Will's height. He is 6-2 to 6-3. He is lean and will get bigger and stronger. He is athletic and catches the ball really well. He is competitive and played a lot of different positions in high school. He is a quality guy.

Talk about quarterback Kyle York.
Coach Stump: Kyle has a very guick release. He moved to Spring for his senior season and was able to grasp what they were doing very quickly. He is a sharp kid. Academically, he is something like 67th out of 600+ students. He is the kind of guy who will come in and learn things very quickly. He is a field leader type who is as competitive as heck. He really wants to win. He is a super person who will be a very good ambassador for Mississippi State.

He served as administrative assistant to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran for over 20 years. "Wiley Carter was a devoted public servant and political activist who conscientiously worked to help the people of our state," Cochran said. "His engaging personality and love of government service made him one of our state's most popular citizens."

Mr. Carter donated his political papers to Mitchell Memorial Library in October 1996.

For those of you who would like to give a tax deductible donation please make your donations payable to MSU Foundationi/Wiley K. Carter Memorial and mail to the following address.

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02/22/01 (1:30 p.m.) - Phipps and Regions Bank, a pre-season football magazine about SEC football, announced its 2000 All-SEC 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams.

MSU had 10 players selected to the team. They were senior OL Pork Chop Womack (1st team), OL senior Michael Fair (2nd team), junior RB Dicenzo Miller (2nd team), senior PK Scott Westerfield (3rd team), sophomore LB Mario Haggan (1st team), senior DB Fred Smoot (1st team), junior DB Pig Prather (2nd team), senior DL Willie Blade (3rd team), junior LB Conner Stephens (3rd team), and sophomore DB Josh Morgan (3rd team).

02/22/01 - Here is a small excerpt from my premium site recruiting interview with MSU offensive lineman assistant coach Jerry Fremin.

Coach Fremin, how about talking about the offensive linemen that MS signed this recruiting season? The first one I would like for you to talk about is the lone junior college signee, Michael Allen.
Coach Fremin: Michael Allen, when we watched him on tape, we really liked his athleticism. He is a big, big kid. He is about the same size as Pork Chop Womack. He reminds you of Pork Chop. In fact, he looks like Pork Chop physically. He has really good feet. We think he is going to be a starter for us somewhere in the offensive line, probably guard. I don't think that he played this past season but he was an All-American his true sophomore season at Northwest. I'm very excited about him. I feel that he will be a great addition to our offensive line and team. He is very strong and weighs 340 pounds. He is just a big, physical kid.

I have heard that the MSU coaches were very impressed with his look, physically, when you first saw him because, even though he is very, very large, he is not a player with excessive weight on him.
Coach Fremin: He is solid; a solid 340.

Do you feel that he can play at that weight?
Coach Fremin: We will probably play him at 330. You like to trim them down to about 18 to 20% body fat. It really depends on where his body fat is. If his body fat is low, then he should be able to play at that weight.

You already have an offensive lineman on campus, Brad Weathers. Talk about what you like about him.
Coach Fremin: We recruited him two years ago when he was in high school. Of course he is a mormon and went on his mission the past two years. He is on campus now and going through our winter program and doing very well. He is 300 pounds and about 6-5. He runs pretty good. I think that he is a guy that we have an advantage with because first of all he is going to be here for spring training and second of all he is a twenty-year old freshman. Brad is going to be a 25 to 26-year old senior when he leaves here. That is going to be a big plus for him.

Isn't he a naturally strong youngster?
Coach Fremin: Yes, he is a 400+ bencher right now and, because he has been away on his mission for the last two years, he has not had access to weights.

You mentioned that he runs pretty good. Talk a little more about his foot quickness.
Coach Fremin: His feet are good. He is probably not going to turn in a great forty time but the forty speed is not what concerns me about offensive linemen. The most important things about an offensive lineman is his ability to move his feet, his flexibility, strength and size.

What position do you expect him to play in college?
Coach Fremin: I believe he can play either tackle or guard. I will know more about him after we get him out for spring ball. Right now we have him penciled in at guard.

02/21/01 - Here is an excerpt from my premium site recruiting interview with MSU running back assistant coach Glenn Davis.

Coach Davis, talk about what you liked about Clinton HS running back Coco Hodge after you saw him on film and in person?
Coach Davis: I have been watching him in our camp since he was a 10th grader. He is very athletic and can run and catch the football. In our camp he has played defensive back, linebacker and running back. You could see that he is very athletic and you could also see that he is agile enough to be the back in a one-back offense. He is also physical enough to be a fullback in a two-back offense. I think that he is going to be a really, really good player for us.

Talk about MSU's fullback signee, Jeff Billings.
Coach Davis: I had an opportunity to watch him. We felt like we needed to take two fullbacks this year because we lost two. We really weren't in the market for a true tailback unless we could get a great one. Jeff fit the mold of what we were looking for; a fairly physical guy that we need to play fullback in our offense. He didn't play that many snaps at fullback so we had to project him as a fullback based upon watching him play linebacker and from the few snaps that he got as a fullback. When he played fullback, he hit people and rocked them pretty good. He did the same thing at linebacker. He was pretty physical.

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02/19/01 - Here is an excerpt from a premium site article written by writer Grant Alford. It is an excerpt from an article that Grant did about MSU Track Coach Al Schmidt. Coach Schmidt talks about football player Antonio Hargro who is running track this spring.

"Antonio is not only an unbelievable athlete, but is also a great person," Coach Schmidt said of Hargro. "He is raw, but he is a special talent. And you can be a special talent and not have any heart, but he has a lot of heart. I think he would race you in the parking lot; you just name the time and place and he would be there.

"He will do whatever it takes. Even in the relays. He is running the 400 (meters) which is the toughest event, and I throw the stick down and he will pick it up and go. It is always yes sir and no sir. He is just a joy to coach."

"The sprinters and jumpers that we have give us a really good chance to push our way into the top of the SEC," Coach Schmidt said of his team's chance going into the upcoming SEC competition. "With Pierre (Browne), Antonio and Dion (Crabbe) we have three of the best sprinters in the SEC. They give us a really solid start."

02/18/01 - I went over to MSU yesterday. While over there, I drove by the football stadium. The contractor has put up quite a bit of steel from three days ago so I took a few quick pictures. Click here to view them.

02/16/01 - Here is an excerpt from Bo Bounds premium site feature article about newcomer Korey Banks.

"My goal is to start like Smoot did. I'm here to play not to watch. I have so much to prove and there's not a better place to prove it than here. Mississippi State has and will continue to put a lot of corners and safeties in the pros," says Banks.

Miami, Michigan State, Kansas State, and Arkansas heavily recruited Banks. He chose the Bulldogs because of Mississippi State's coaching staff and the Southeastern Conference.

"It was a close call. I was going to Miami but in the end State's defensive scheme stood out. State plays on television all the time and Coach Sherrill has a great player/coach reputation. Coach Dunn gives you the freedom to cover out there on an island. I thrive on that freedom. Coaches Tompkins and Hendrick recruited me and I liked them a lot. Everybody knows Coach Sherrill puts players in the pros. Look at Smoot, Pork Chop, and Willie Blade, they'll all be very successful at the next level," Banks says giving props to the old guys.

02/15/01 - The MSU athletic administration and coaches will be attending between 40 and 50 different MSU alumni events beginning in the spring and going deep into the summer. Once events are finalized I will post the info on my page. Next year should be an exciting time for MSU sports so join in the fun by attending an event.

02/14/01 - Former MSU football player Anthony Kapp will marry his fiance on Live With Regis today. It should be on in your area from 9 to 10 a.m.

02/13/01 - Premium site football recruiting recap excerpt, defense

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/DEFENSIVE ENDS:
Returners - Starter Dorsett Davis (Sr., 6-6, 314) returns as do backups Lennie Day (So., 6-3, 250), Dwayne Robertson (Sr., 6-0, 219), Nathan Jackson (So., 6-4, 217), Lennie Day (So., 6-3, 248), Ifem Ezekew (Jr., 6-3, 265), Ivan Billie (Jr., 6-2, 230) and Jake Hambrick (Jr., 6-7, 285).

Losses - Starters Toby Golliday, Willie Blade, Ellis Wyms and backup Boone Brown.

Redshirts - Demotto Youngblood (Redshirt Fr., 6-4, 260), Robert Spivey (Redshirt Fr., 6-3, 245), Tarus Morgan (Redshirt Fr., 6-2, 235) and Jadice Moore (Redshirt Fr., 6-4, 280).

Signees - MSU needed immediate help for the defensive line and found it by signing five junior college linemen and one prep school defensive lineman. They are former MSU signee Ron Fields (Fr., 6-3, 295), Dannie Snyder (So., 6-3, 285), Tommy Kelly (So., 6-7, 301), Kahlil Nash (Jr., 6-4, 290), Michael Oyefesobi (Jr., 6-4, 300) and Paul Broussard (Jr., 6-3, 300).

Who Got Away - Andrew Williams, Shawn Smith, Toran Williams and Jimmy Brooks.

Need Definitely Filled - With the loss of three outstanding starters and one backup, MSU needed to find immediate impact linemen. MSU's coaches believe that they found what they needed in the six that they signed.

Signing Class Impact - The defensive line group that MSU signed is, in my opinion, the best junior college defensive line class signed by any school this year. One of the great things about this group is that while five of the six are junior college players, only three of the five, Kahlil Nash (1st Team Juco All-American), Michael Oyefesobi and Paul Broussard (1st Team Juco All-American), are classified as juniors. The other two junior college signees, Dannie Snyder and Tommy Kelly, are classified as sophomores and have three years to play three. The sixth signee, prep school signee Ron Fields, will be classified as a freshman and will have five years to play four.

Like so many MSU defensive linemen before them, this group is big, strong and fast. Other than Broussard, who very likely will not qualify but should re-sign in December, all of these players will play this coming season. Unlike last year, when MSU was not able to play two complete defensive line units, next year's defensive line will be talented and depth enough to play two deep. This should mean no more lost leads in the fourth quarter. Look for Kahlil Nash, due to his tremendous speed and quickness, to be a playmaker for MSU next season. He will make tackles from sideline to sideline and has a chance to make a lot of sacks. He was a basketball player and tight end in high school which shows what kind of athlete he is. Ron Fields and Tommy Kelly are both tremendous athletes who are raw. Both should be excellent backups. Kelly, like current Bulldog lineman Dorsett Davis, is as athletic as any big man that you will ever see. He has a chance to be something really special. Michael Oyefesobi and Dannie Snyder are both going to surprise a lot of folks due to their combo of size, strength and quickness. I have seen film on them and really was surprised by their quickness. Did you know that Snyder, now 285 pounds, was a linebacker in high school? He has grown into a lineman but still has that speed. He can play any position on the line, including end, tackle or nose. Oyefesobi was a tight end in high school. In fact, he was rated by several recruiting services as one of the top tight ends in the nation coming out of high school. He, like so many of MSU's other defensive line signees, has grown into a defensive lineman but retained his quickness. If you aren't excited about this group's potential, then you aren't excitable.

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02/12/01 - Here is an excerpt from my very comprehensive premium site recruiting analysis.

The year 2001 football signing day has come and gone with MSU once again bringing in an excellent group of players. Unlike years past when MSU needed skilled athletes, MSU's coaches, due to a glut of great skilled athletes already on the roster, were very selected as to the skilled athletes they signed. They did search the nation over, especially the juco ranks, for defensive players.

Oh yes, about where I ranked MSU's recruiting class this year. I ranked it as the best class MSU football has signed this year. That is about how I feel about ranking classes against each other. (:

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:
Returners - Starters Courtney Lee (Sr., 6-4, 335), Tommy Watson (Sr., 6-4, 300) and Kenric Fairchild (Sr., 6-4, 318) return as does occasional starter Derrick Thompson (So., 6-6, 305). Other linemen who saw playing time and return are Kyle Wallace (Jr., 6-5, 320), Carl Hutchins (Jr., 6-5, 305), Donald Tucker (So., So., 6-4, 320) and Blake Jones (So., 6-4, 300).

Losses - Starters center Michael Fair and tackle Pork Chop Womack.

Redshirts - Freshmen David Stewart (6-7, 285) and Will Rogers (6-5, 300). Also redshirted was junior college center Kyle Watson (6-2, 300). Academically ineligible last season, Eric Thompson (So., 6-6, 330) also returns.

Signees - 1999 Junior college 2nd Team All-American Michael Allen (Jr., 6-4, 355), Avery House (6-5, 285), Chris McNeil (6-4, 280), Johnny Wadley (6-4, 350), Brad Weathers (6-4, 300). House was one of the top two offensive linemen in the state of Alabama. McNeil was one of the top three offensive linemen in the state of Mississippi and was coveted by Mississippi and Alabama. McNeil, who benches 450 pounds, is the best true high school center to come out of Mississippi in years. Wadley has drawn comparisons to recently graduated offensive lineman Pork Chop Womack due to his combination of great size and quick feet. Weathers, who signed in December and will go through spring drills, is a player who has been on his mormon mission the past two years. He has tremendous strength as exhibited by his 400 pound bench press.

Who Got Away - Milford Brown, very likely the top offensive lineman in both junior college and high school and a future first round draft pick, was a player that MSU coveted. Milford, who would most likely have been the starting center for MSU this coming season, signed with Florida State. Other offensive linemen that MSU would have loved to have signed were high schoolers Chris Spencer, Tre' Stallings and James Redmond. Georgia signed Redmond while Spencer and Stallings signed with Mississippi.

Immediate Need Not Filled. Long Term Need Filled. - Due to the loss of Milford Brown, MSU did not fill their immediate need of signing a junior college center who could come in and play right away. Other than that, MSU filled their long term need of signing very talented, young high school offensive linemen as future replacements for their current offensive linemen.

Signing Class Impact: MSU signed four of their top seven high school offensive linemen prospects and one of their top two junior college offensive linemen prospects. MSU signed their number one high school center prospect in McNeil. While a redshirt year could be in the works for Chris, a 450 pound bench and excellent intelligence, a must for a great center, could give him a shot at playing next season. While the losses of Spencer and Stallings put a dent in the recruiting efforts of the MSU coaches, bringing in Michael Allen was huge. A Mississippi commitment at the beginning of the year, the MSU staff did an excellent job of recruiting him. Allen, a genetic freak of nature due to a small amount of body fat on his 355-pound frame, could very be one of the best junior college offensive linemen that MSU has signed and should start next season. In fact, his signing could, in my opinion, give MSU the luxury of moving guard Tommy Watson over to the center position. House, Wadley and Weathers were also excellent additions and were in MSU's group of seven high school offensive linemen that the MSU coaches wanted. All three are very likely redshirt prospects, although Weathers, because of his physical maturity and having the advantage of going through spring drills, has an outside shot of earning some playing time next year.

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02/11/01 - I went over to MSU yesterday. While over there, I drove by the football stadium. The contractor has put up quite a bit of steel from three days ago so I took a few quick pictures. Click here to view them.

The Jackson MSU 120 Club is selling a pair of season tickets. The price for both is $250 and they are located in Section D, Row 5, Seats 3 and 4. Please call Marty McCubbins at 601-914-3512 if you are interested.

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02/09/01 (12:30 p.m.) - Max Emfinger, due to yesterday's UM signing of Tre Stallings, revised his recruiting rankings last night at 2:30 a.m. and now has UM ranked 10th in the country and MSU 11th. A point separates the two teams. As Max told me on the phone a few minutes ago, both schools had excellent recruiting years and the fans of both should be very proud of the effort of both coaching staffs.

02/09/01 - Here are the latest pictures of the stadium expansion. Click here to view them.

02/08/01 (4:00 p.m.) - If you enjoy keeping up with who was ranked where in the recruiting rankings, you will enjoy this USA Today article. The article lists the top-10 rankings by three well-known recruiting gurus, Allen Wallace of SuperPrep, Tom Lemming of Prep Football Report and Max Emfinger. Only four SEC schools were among the schools that made the top-10 lists: LSU (ME-1st, AW-2nd and TL-3rd), Tennessee (ME-3rd and TL-5th), Auburn (ME-9th) and Mississippi State (ME-10th).

Click here to read the full story.....

02/08/01 - Last two signees yesterday.

Kamau Jackson - LB, 6-1, 238, 4.6, Decatur, Ga. (Booker T. Washington/Copiah-Lincoln [Miss.] CC) ­ Named first-team, all-America by the National Junior College Athletic Association, the only player awarded such distinction in the Mississippi junior college system . . . Ranked No. 23 on Max Emfinger's list of the nation's top junior college prospects . . . Was the leading tackler in the Mississippi junior college system during a standout sophomore season . . . Playing in just nine games for Phil Broome at Co-Lin, he totaled 135 tackles, including 12 for loss and five quarterback sacks . . . Accomplished those impressive totals despite the fact that he played the entire season on a torn anterior cruciate ligament . . . Ranked No. 12 on the Jackson Clarion-Ledger list of the state's top 25 junior college prospects . . . Called "the best linebacker in the state of Georgia" by recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg, "probably the No. 3 player in the Southeast and one of the top four or five guys period" following his senior prep season . . . Ranked as the No. 12 inside linebacker in the Southeast by Pigskin Preps recruiting annual . . . Rated as the No. 51 player in Dixie (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee), regardless of position, by Superprep in its preseason issue . . . Made that same postseason listing . . . Did not play his senior year in high school due to eligibility difficulties after transferring within Atlanta city schools . . . Credited with running a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . . . Also carried a 320-pound bench press mark in high school, according to that newspaper . . . Attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta during his senior season, but never played for head coach Rodney Cofield . . . Averaged 15 tackles per game and totaled six sacks during his junior season at Douglass High School in the city . . . Led that team into the first round of the state of Georgia high school football playoffs . . . Started as a freshman and sophomore at Southside High School . . . Born Kamau Jackson, 9-5-80, in Atlanta, Ga. . . . Son of Mr. Charles Burton and Ms. Andrea Donaldson.
Paul Broussard - DL, 6-3, 300, 4.8, LaPorte, Texas (LaPorte/Blinn [Texas] College) ­ Considered the nation's top junior college defensive tackle by rivals.com's junior college website . . . Ranked as the No. 4 junior college prospect in the country by Superprep magazine in its postseason all-America issue, the top defensive lineman listed . . . Rated among the top 13 junior college players in the country by Max Emfinger in his December season-ending bluechip recruiting newsletter . . . Picked to the National Junior College Athletic Association second-team, all-America squad on the defensive line . . . Chosen first-team, all-Southwest Conference for coach Everett Todd at Blinn during his sophomore season . . . Made 47 tackles, including nine for loss and eight quarterback sacks . . . Also credited with five quarterback hurries, four caused fumbles and two recovered fumbles . . . Named one of the top six strong defensive tackles in the country following his senior season in high school by Emfinger in his national pre-signing bluechips magazine . . . Credited with running just over a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash by Emfinger . . . Rated the No. 14 prospect nationally on the defensive line by Sporting News recruiting analyst Tom Lemming out of high school . . . Named honorable mention USA Today all-America prior to his senior season at LaPorte . . . Three-year starter on the prep level . . . Quoted as having a 380-pound bench press during high school by The G&W Recruiting Report . . . That publication selected him to its 1998 all-Big 12 area defense, an area covering Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Missouri . . . Was rated as the No. 46 prospect in Texas, regardless of position, by David Barron for Superprep magazine in its season-ending all-America issue . . . Selected all-state on the defensive line prior to his senior campaign by Student Sports magazine . . . Was all-league and all-district during his junior season for head coach Forrest Wiegand at LaPorte (Texas) High School when he produced 16 tackles for loss and eight quarterback sacks . . . Born Paul Broussard, 10-23-79, in Laporte, Texas . . . Son of Ms. Linda Broussard.

Pre-conference comments by Mike Nemeth: Ten of the twenty-two players that we signed in February were from the state of Mississippi. It is a well balanced class with four offensive linemen, six defensive linemen, five defensive backs, two offensive backs, three linebackers, one wide receiver and one quarterback. Eight of the Mississippi players made all-state.

Coach Jackie Sherrill:
When everybody looks at recruiting there are more alumni getting involved every year. Sometimes with some alumni it is more important to win the recruiting season than it is the regular season. I have always prided myself on knowing the difference between an alumni recruit and a player recruit. An alumni recruit will certainly get you a lot of publicity but they may not win for you. It is important that you evaluate players. Probably the best class that I have ever had was when I had three first round draft choices, eleven in the first seven rounds, eighteen were drafted and twenty-two went on to pro ball out of thirty. There was one high profile recruit in the entire group. As a group, it wasn't ranked very high.

I think our coaches do a great job evaluating players. Especially recruiting for our needs. Years ago you had numbers and could take players regardless of your needs and not get out of balance.

Of our 1996 and 1997 classes, we signed thirty-two players; twenty-five of that class started for us. Nine were All-SEC, five were All-Americans, seven were All-Academic, and seventeen have gone on to play pro ball in some capacity. Twenty-eight have or will graduate by this year. At the time, the 1997 class was considered a very bad class. We signed fourteen players and out of those fourteen, thirteen started for us, six were All-SEC and three were All-Americans. Thirteen have or will graduate this year and thirteen will be or already are in pro ball. Today, a lot of people around the country are going to rate signing classes but that is not necessarily accurate. I think it is more important that you know what your needs are how you are able to meet those needs.

Q and A:
Asked about individual players?
Coach Sherrill: Corey Brown was player of the year in the Jayhawk League. Richard Ball has one of the fastest times in the 100 meter dash in the state of Texas. In the state of Mississippi there was no question that Demetric Wright was the best defensive back. We wanted to bring in a center and, without a doubt, in Chris McNeil we got one who can play. It is difficult to go find a high school center that you feel can play that position very, very well. Chris is a very, very talented football player.

Talk about Kyle York?
Coach Sherrill: He was the offensive player of the year as well as academic player of the year in Houston, Texas. He moved to Spring, Texas after his junior year and threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. His Dad was a coach.

What position will Michael Allen play at State?
Coach Sherrill: He plays guard and he is good. He is big and strong. I am kind of anxious to check his body fat. I have big bones and have big wrists. His wrists are a lot bigger than mine. I'm anxious to see what true weight he really has.

Does Michael have two or three years to play?
Coach Sherrill: He has two years.

We do have some players who will have three years to play three. Tommy Kelly has three to play three. Kamau Jackson has three to play three. And we have one other player who has three to play three. Does Corey Brown player inside or outside linebacker?
Coach Sherrill: He plays outside and he is fast. He had a lot of sacks coming off the corner.

Talk about Jeff Billings?
Coach Sherrill: A lot of people recruited him as a linebacker. We saw him as a fullback. Texas A&M recruited him as a linebacker. He is a good sized kid who can run and will hit you.

Do you feel next year's team, with the addition of these players, will be as deep, overall, as you have ever had at State?
Coach Sherrill: It will be at certain positions. When you look at what Antonio Hargro is doing in track, then you look at Ray Ray Bivines -- I don't know if you could catch him in a phone booth -- you get kind of anxious to see what they can do on the football field. (I saw Antonio at the basketbal game last night. He is now up to 195 pounds from 189 - Gene.)

02/07/01 (12:25 p.m.) - 20 signees as of now.

Kyle York - QB, 6-2, 200, Spring, Texas. Named the Houston Chronicles Offensive Player of the Year following a standout senior season at Spring (Texas) High School . . . Also named to that newspapers list of the top 100 recruits in the state of Texas . . . Listed among the top prospects in Texas by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide . . . Threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns during his final prep season, leading the Houston area in both categories . . . Played for head coach Sonny Karas at Spring High School . . . Also named one of the top nine quarterbacks in the state of Texas and to the top 100 chart by the Fort Worth Star Telegram . . . Played his sophomore and junior prep seasons at Conroe, his family moved to Spring for his senior campaign . . . His high school career produced an outstanding academic record, as well . . . Earned academic all-state recognition in the classroom as a senior . . . Born Kyle Tobin York, 7-5-82, in Temple, Texas . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Toby York. Also considered Ok. State, Kansas and La. Tech.

Jeff Billings - RB, 6-2, 235, Pasadena, Texas (Rayburn) Named all-Midlands Region (Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska) honorable mention by Prep Star preseason recruiting magazine as a linebacker . . . Awarded special recognition by the G&W Recruiting Report prior to his senior season at Pasdena (Texas) Rayburn High School . . . Ranked with the top linebackers in the Big 12 region by G&W . . . Credited with running 4.7 in the 40-yard dash and bench-pressing better than 320 pounds by that publication . . . Standout two-way player who excelled on offense at fullback and defense at linebacker . . . Was a two-time, all-league, all-area, all-district and all-Central Texas selection . . . A three-year starter on the prep level, he also handled the punting for his high school team . . . Totaled more than 100 tackles, with 18 tackles for loss during his junior season . . . Also a solid student academically with a 3.5 grade point average . . . Born Jeffrey Alan Billings, 7-8-82, in Kansas City, Mo. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Greer.

Coco Hodge - Clinton, Miss. (Clinton) Rated as one of the two top fullbacks in the country by Max Emfinger in his preseason top bluechips newsletter . . . Listed with the top four fullbacks in the Southeast by Emfinger in his postseason Super Dixie newsletter . . . Listed No. 8 on Superpreps postseason ranking of the top prospects in Mississippi, the best running back in that listing . . . Named to the preseason Jackson Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen, symbolic of the top 12 players in the state . . . Considered an impact player and listed with the top 12 players in the state of Mississippi by The Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual . . . Ranked as the No. 14 prospect in the state by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson . . . Listed among the top 22 prospects in Mississippi by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide . . . Considered one of the top seniors in the state of Mississippi by The G&W Recruiting Report during preseason . . . Named second-team Class 5A all-state following his senior season by the Mississippi Association of Coaches . . . Ranked among the top 25 prospects in the state of Mississippi following his senior season by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper . . . Named all-metro Jackson following his junior season by the Clarion-Ledger . . . Also cited to that newspapers preseason top 40 list of players in the state of Mississippi . . . A strong, punishing runner, he is credited with running 4.6 in the 40 by that newspaper . . . Credited with a 405-pound bench press by the rivals.com online site . . . Suffered a broken leg, ending his senior season, during mid-season at Clinton . . . Still rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 14 touchdowns for the Arrows prior to the injury . . . Named second-team, all-metro Jackson and second-team, all-state following his senior season by the Clarion-Ledger . . . Gained 1,325 yards on 173 carries (7.7 average) with 17 touchdowns during his junior season for coach David Bradberry at Clinton (Miss.) High School . . . Born Lacorious JaJuan Hodge, 3-25-82, in Clinton, Miss. . . . Son of Ms. Allfanette Gibson.

Will Prosser - 6-3, 195, 4.6, WR, Starkville, MS (Starkville Academy) Named to the Columbus Commercial Dispatch all-area team . . . Outstanding three-sport athlete at Starkville (Miss.) Academy for head coach Steve Morgan . . . Starred in both basketball and baseball, as well as playing both ways in football . . . Started at quarterback during his senior season at Starkville Academy, leading his team to an 8-2 overall record . . . Completed 70-of-124 passes for 1,296 yards and 16 touchdowns . . . Also rushed for 550 yards and six more scores . . . Named first-team, all-conference and all-state in the Mississippi Private Schools Association . . . Credited with running a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash . . . Selected to the Mississippi Private Schools Association All-Star Game, he made a splash at wide receiver . . . Caught seven passes for 126 yards in the all-star tilt . . . Suffered a broken leg late in his sophomore season at Starkville Academy and did not play his junior football season . . . As a sophomore, he completed 85-of-147 passes for 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed for 243 yards and five scores, prior to the injury . . . Also starred on the basketball court and on the baseball diamond, earning all-conference honors in both sports . . . Also an honor student in the classroom and in the community . . . Born William Sidney Prosser, 8-2-83 in Hollandale, Miss. . . . Son of Dr. and Mrs. Sidney Prosser . . . Wills uncle J.B. Sims (1974-75) and cousin Stan Sims (1984-87) played football at MSU.

Avery House - OL, 6-5, 285, 5.2, Springville, Ala. (Springville) Ranked No. 14 on Superpreps postseason list of the top players in the state of Alabama, the second-best offensive lineman in that publications ratings . . . Ranked among the top 24 offensive tackles in the South by Max Emfinger in his postseason Super Dixie bluechips recruiting magazine . . . Rated with the premier offensive linemen in the South by the G&W Recruiting Report in its preseason issue . . . That publication also listed him with the top offensive linemen in the country during preseason . . . Called one of the top two offensive linemen in the state of Alabama by that publication . . . Credited with a 340-pound bench press by that recruiting guide . . . Prep Star recruiting magazine also listed him with the top linemen in the Southeast . . . Listed among the top 24 prospects in Alabama by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide, one of the top three offensive linemen in the state . . . Listed with the top 50 players in the state of Alabama by The Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual . . . Was all-league, all-district and Class 3A all-state during both his junior and senior seasons for head coach Thomas Curry at Springville . . . Was a four-year starter on the offensive line there . . .Led his prep team to an 8-3 overall record as a senior, grading out between 75 and 80 percent throughout the year . . . Also excelled on the prep level in basketball and track . . .Outstanding (3.5 GPA) student on the prep level . . . Born John Avery House, 11-5-82, in Birmingham, Ala. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren House.

Chris McNeil - OL, 6-5, 280, 5.0, Petal (MS) HS. Rated with the top five prep centers in the country by USA Today.com . . . Ranked among the top nine centers in the country by Max Emfinger in his preseason bluechips newsletter . . . Ranked with the best four centers in the Southeast on Emfingers postseason Super Dixie newsletter . . . Listed among the top 40 offensive linemen in the southeast by Prep Star recruiting annual . . . Rated the No. 4 prospect in the state, the top offensive lineman, by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson in his preseason ranking . . . Considered the top center prospect in the state of Mississippi by rivals.com online site . . . Listed No. 6 on Superpreps postseason ranking of the top prospects in Mississippi, the best center in that listing . . . Rated with the top 20 players in the state of Mississippi by The Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual . . . Ranked among the top 22 prospects in Mississippi by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide . . . Has a 400-pound bench press, according to rivals.com . . . Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game on the offensive line . . . Named to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger list of the top 40 recruits in the state of Mississippi prior to his senior season . . . A four-year starter for head coach Nevil Barr at Petal, he was named all-district his final three seasons and made the Hattiesburg all-area team the final two, according to the Hattiesburg American . . . Helped lead Petal to an overall record of 9-3 record during his senior season, producing 144 pancake blocks, according to the rivals.com on-line site . . . Called one of the top center prospects in the South by that website . . . An honor student at the prep level with a 3.0 GPA . . . Born Christopher David McNeil, 2-18-83, in Meridian, Miss. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. David McNeil.

Johnny "Big Daddy" Wadley - OL, 6-4, 345, Hernando HS. Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game as an offensive lineman . . . Named first-team, all-state on the offensive line by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper . . . Also cited to that newspapers preseason top 40 list of players in the state of Mississippi . . . Rated the No. 37 prospect in the state by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson in his preseason ranking . . . Three-year starter at offensive guard for head coach Anthony Jenkins at Hernando (Miss.) High School . . . Born John Lewis Wadley, 10-27-81, in Hernando, Miss. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Wadley.

Brad Weathers - OL, 6-5, 300, Liberty, MS (Amite County) ­ Graduated from high school in spring 1998 and has spent the past two years on a Mormon church mission . . . One of seven offensive linemen from the Magnolia State selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School All-Star game following his senior season . . . Ranked among the top eight offensive linemen in the state of Mississippi prior to his senior season at Amite County High School in Liberty, Miss., by the G&W Recruiting Report . . . Named second-team, all-state at offensive tackle by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper following his senior campaign . . . Ranked with the top 40 recruits in the state by that newspaper, one of just seven offensive linemen listed . . . Played for head coach Charles Jackson at Amite County . . . Dawgs' Bite recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson called him "possibly the best line prospect in the state of Mississippi" following his senior season . . . Also ranked with the top stars in Mississippi by Jeff Whitaker in his Deep South Football Recruiting Guide. Has five years to play four.

Tommy Kelly - DL, 6-7, 300, 4.8, (Provine/Hinds [Miss.] CC) Has three years of eligibility at Mississippi State . . . Coached by Gene Murphy at Hinds (Miss.) Community College . . . Played just one year of high school football for coach Willie Collins at Provine High School in Jackson, Miss. . . . Was a two-way standout there, playing both tight end and defensive end . . . Rated among the top nine defensive linemen in the country following his high school career by Max Emfinger in his national pre-signing day Bluechips newsletter . . . Listed among the top 25 players in the state of Mississippi by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger following his senior season at Provine High School in Jackson . . . One of just two defensive linemen mentioned in that group . . . Picked to that newspapers second-team, all-state squad as a defensive lineman . . . Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game following his senior season . . . During his only full season playing football at the prep level, he made 102 total tackles, including 11 quarterback sacks . . . Born Tommy Terrell Kelly, 12-27-80, in Jackson, Miss. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kelly.

Kahlil Nash - DL, 6-4, 265, 4.8, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Bishop McDevitt/Arizona Western College) Named the Region I junior college Player of the Year nominee for the National Junior College Athletic Association . . . Selected to the NJCAA junior college first-team, all-America team . . . Also named first-team, all-Western States Football League and first-team, all-Arizona Junior College in 2000 . . . Credited with running 4.8 in the 40-yard dash by the rivals.com on-line site . . . Helped lead his team to a 7-2 record during his sophomore season for head coach Bob OMera at Arizona Western College . . . Signed with the University of Mississippi in 1998, but left school before the season began . . . Made over 100 tackles, including 19 quarterback sacks while playing the 1997 season at Milford (Conn.) Academy . . . Coached at Milford by Jeff Bevino . . . A first-team, mid-state selection at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg, Pa. . . . Was a third-team, all-state honoree . . . Selected by Gridiron magazine as one of the nations top 10 tight end prospects out of high school . . . Coached at Bishop McDevitt by Harry Chapman . . . Helped lead his high school team to a state championship during his junior campaign . . . Earned four letters in football and basketball during his high school career . . . Born Kahlil A. Nash, 11-3-78, in Harrisburg, Pa. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis Nash.

Michael Oyefesobi - DL, 6-4, 282, 4.8, Miramar, FL (Miramar/Arizona Western College) Given special recognition by the G&W Recruiting Report following his senior season at Miramar (Fla.) High School as a 230-pound tight end . . . Credited with running a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash by that publication while in high school . . . Born Michael O. Oyefesobi Jr., 11-8-80, in Miami, Fla. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Oyefesobi.

Dannie Snyder - DL, 6-3, 285, 4.8, Eudora, AR (Eudora/Arizona Western College) Named second-team, all-Arizona Junior College following his sophomore season at Arizona Western College . . . Credited with running 4.8 in the 40-yard dash by the rivals.com on-line site . . .Given special recognition by the G&W Recruiting Report following his senior season at Eudora (Ark.) High School . . . Made 182 tackles during that senior season and caused nine fumbles . . . Led Eudora to a 6-4 record during his final season there . . . Credited with 196 total tackles as a junior . . . Made 16 tackles in his first high school game as a freshman . . . Born Dannie R. Snyder, 1/15/81, in Eudora, Ark. . . . Son of Ms. Cathy Jones.

Brandon Downing - 6-2, 225, Clarksdale, Miss. (Clarksdale) Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game at linebacker . . . Named first-team, all-state at linebacker by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper . . . Rated the No. 18 prospect in the state by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson in his preseason ranking . . . Ranked among the top 40 prospects in the state of Mississippi following his senior season by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger newspaper . . . Also cited to that newspapers preseason top 40 list of players in the state of Mississippi . . . Totaled 153 tackles during his senior season for head coach Jesse Murphree at Clarksdale . . . Also had one pass interception and recovered one fumble . . . Led Clarksdale to a 13-1 overall record and to a state championship as a senior . . . Began to show flashes of future stardom during his junior year when he made 97 tackles, a total that includes one quarterback sack . . . Also credited with five fumble recoveries and one pass interception that season . . . Born Brandon Liddell Downing, 9-11-81, in Clarksdale, Miss. . . . Son of Mrs. Katherine Downing.

Corey Brown - LB, 6-1, 225, Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines/Butler [Kan.] CC) Selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association, J.C. Gridwire, PrepStar magazine, and CBS Sportsline.com first-team, junior college all-America squads . . . Named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the Jayhawk Conference following a blockbuster sophomore campaign at Butler for head coach James Shibest . . . Also listed among the top 13 junior college players in the country by Max Emfinger in his December season-ending bluechip recruiting newsletter . . . Credited with running a 4.5 40-yard dash by Emfinger . . . Ranked as the No. 97 junior college prospect in the country by Superprep magazine in its postseason all-America issue . . . Made 55 tackles during his soph season, including 11 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks . . . As a freshman at Butler (Kansas) Community College, he started every game at strong linebacker for the national junior college champions . . . Was a second-team, all-Jayhawk Conference selection following his first season in junior college . . . Ranked as the No. 66 prospect in the state of Florida in Superpreps season-ending, all-America issue following his senior season at Raines High School in Jacksonville . . . Called a "dominant defensive end" by Chase Goodbread in Superprep, with a penchant for blocking kicks . . . Ranked with the top 15 weakside linebackers in the country by Max Emfinger in his pre-signing day national bluechips recruiting newsletter . . . Listed with the top 30 players in the state of Florida and given honorable mention all-America status by USA Today in its preseason high school edition . . . A pass-rushing specialist on the prep level, he recorded 20 sacks during the final two seasons at Raines, helping his team to a state title during that time . . . Listed with special recognition in the state of Florida by the G&W Recruiting Report . . . Was named all-league, all-city, all-Northeast Florida and led his team to the 4A state championship . . . Totaled 126 tackles during that state championship senior season, helping his team to a 15-0 record . . . Selected to the Student Sports magazine pre-season all-state team prior to his senior prep season . . . Born Corey Brown, 3-23-80, in Jacksonville, Fla. . . . Son of Mrs. Gwen Brown.

Richard Ball - DB, 5-11, 185, San Antonio, Texas (Holmes/Fort Scott [KS] CC) Named first-team, all-Jayhawk Conference following a standout sophomore season, in which his recruiting value grew as the year progressed . . . Played in nine of 10 games during his sophomore season at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College for head coach Kevin Gundy . . . Led his team with three pass interceptions this past season, totaling 35 yards in returns . . . Also had five passes broken up and one caused fumble . . . Made 35 tackles during the season, including one tackle for loss and one quarterback sack . . . Credited with running 4.4 in the 40-yard dash by rivals.com on-line site . . .Originally signed with Texas A&M-Kingsville out of high school . . . Played in 10 of a possible 11 games during his true freshman season there and earned a letter . . . Posted 28 tackles on the year, including one for loss (minus 5 yards) and two quarterback sacks (minus 10 yards) . . . Born Richard L. Ball, 4-14-80, in San Antonio, Texas . . . Son of Mrs. April Short.

Korey Banks - DB, 5-11, 175, 4.3, Garden City (KS) CC. CBS Sportsline/PrepStar JUCO All-American, J.C. Grid-Wire Second Team All-American, Honorable Mention NJCAA All-American, Number 27 on Max Emfinger's list of the top 117 juco players in the nation. First Team Kansas Jayhawk All-Conference. MO-KAN Football has him listed as a five star cornerback. Chose MSU over Michigan State, Kansas State and Arkansas.Boynton Beach, Fla. (Santaluces/Garden City [KS] CC) Named first-team junior college all-America by PrepStar magazine and CBS Sportsline.com . . Called "one of the best pure cover corners on the junior college level, with tremendous quickness and closing ability," according to Sportsline.com. Born Korey Banks, 8-15-79, in Camden, N.J. . . . Son of Mrs. Malinda Banks.

Rico Bennett - DB, 6-1, 190, 4.5, Brandon HS. Rated one of the top 12 strong safeties in the Southeast on Max Emfingers postseason Super Dixie newsletter . . . Credited with running a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash by Emfinger . . . Listed among the top five prospects in Mississippi by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide . . . Ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the state by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson as a free safety . . . Listed No. 16 on Superpreps postseason ranking of the top prospects in Mississippi . . . Listed with the top 20 players in the state of Mississippi by The Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual . . . Ranked with the top 50 defensive backs in the Southeast by Prep Star magazine . . . Considered a "major sleeper" by that recruiting publication . . . Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game at defensive back . . . Named first-team Class 5A all-state at cornerback by the Mississippi Association of Coaches . . . Named to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger preseason and postseason all-metro teams as a cornerback . . . Also cited to that newspapers preseason top 40 list of players in the state of Mississippi . . . Ranked among the top 25 prospects in the state of Mississippi following his senior season by that paper . . . Earned all-state recognition and posted 87 tackles during a standout senior season with two tackles for loss . . . Recorded eight pass break-ups, 6 interceptions and four fumble recoveries despite playing with a torn chest muscle . . . Helped lead head coach Dan Davis Brandon team to the Class 5A semifinals where it was eventually beaten by state champion Moss Point . . . Also a standout baseball player . . . Born Frank Rico Bennett, 1-25-83, in Jackson, Miss. . . . Son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Bennett . . . His older brother Andre played in the MSU defensive secondary for coach Jackie Sherrill from 1991-94.

Walter Burdette - DB, 6-1, 215, Riverdale, GA (North Atlanta/Middle Georgia CC) A two-year starter in the secondary at Middle Georgia Community College . . . Started at cornerback during his first JC season, he moved to the Falcon position (strong safety/outside linebacker) and had a breakout second season . . . Made 55 tackles on the year, including four for loss and three quarterback sacks . . . Also recorded three pass interceptions, one of which he returned for a score . . . Also scored on three fumble recoveries . . . Named all-Region 17 in the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association during his sophomore season . . . Credited with running a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash by the rivals.com on-line site . . . Helped lead Middle Georgia Community College to a 9-1 record during his sophomore season for head coach Randy Pippen . . . Paced a Middle Georgia defense that ranked fifth nationally during his sophomore season . . . Went to Middle Georgia after a standout career at North Atlanta High School . . . Earned Super 11 recognition in the metro area by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution during his senior season as a running back . . . Born Walter Burdette, 2-7-79, in Atlanta, Ga. . . . Son of Mrs. Delethia Burdette.

Clarence McDougal - DB, 6-1, 205, Clinton, Miss. (Clinton) Ranked as the No. 71 prospect in the country, regardless of position, by rivals.com, on its listing of the nations top 100 high school players . . . Considered among the top 15 strong safeties in the country by Max Emfinger in his preseason national bluechips newsletter . . . Credited with a 335-pound bench press by the rivals.com on-line site . . . Listed as one of the top two prospects in Mississippi by Jeff Whitakers Deep South Football Recruiting Guide . . . Called the best defensive back in the state and a great all-around athlete by Mississippi recruiting analyst Kevin Henderson, who has him ranked as the No. 3 prospect overall in the state . . . Listed No. 4 on Superpreps postseason ranking of the top prospects in Mississippi, the best defensive back in that listing . . . Two-way standout as a defensive back and wide receiver for coach David Bradberry at Clinton (Miss.) High School . . . Led his high school to a 27-10 three-year record and three Class 5A playoff appearances . . . Named to the preseason Jackson Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen, symbolic of the top 12 players in the state . . . Also cited to that newspapers preseason top 40 list of players in the state of Mississippi . . . Listed No. 3 on that papers ranking of the top 40 prospects in the state of Mississippi following his senior season . . . Ranked with the top 16 defensive backs in the Southeast by Prep Star magazine . . . Considered an "excellent prospect on either side of the ball" by that recruiting publication . . . Considered an impact player and listed with the top 12 players in the state of Mississippi by The Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual . . . Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School all-star game at defensive back . . . Named Defensive Player of the Year and first-team Class 5A all-state at outside linebacker by the Mississippi Association of Coaches . . . Named the metro Jackson player of the year by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger following a standout senior season . . . Helped lead Clinton to a 14-1 record and a berth in the state Class 5A championship game during his senior season for head coach David Bradberry . . . Played on both sides of the ball and on special teams for the Arrows . . . Started his senior season as a wide receiver on offense, but finished the year as a 1,400-yard rusher . . . Scored 17 touchdowns and averaged nearly eight yards per carry . . . Averaged 22.7 yards per punt return with three TDs . . . Also excelled on defense . . . Produced 77 tackles, 4 pass break-ups, three pass interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown) and two quarterback sacks . . . Led his team to a 14-1 record . . . Named all-metro Jackson following a standout junior season by the Clarion-Ledger . . . Credited with running a 4.46 in the 40 by that newspaper . . . Made 80 tackles during that year, returning a fumble and two punts for touchdowns . . . Also blocked one punt . . . On the offensive side of the ball, he had 17 pass receptions for 362 yards and five touchdowns . . . Born Clarence Chaffin McDougal, 6-27-82 in Jackson, Miss. . . . Son of Mr. Clarence Chaffin and Ms. Debbie Shay.

Demetric Wright - DB, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Courtland, Miss. (South Panola/NW Mississippi CC) Listed among the top 13 junior college players in the country by Max Emfinger in his December season-ending bluechip recruiting newsletter . . . Ranked as the No. 27 junior college prospect in the country by Superprep magazine in its postseason all-America issue . . . Rated as the No. 9 junior college prospect in the state of Mississippi by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger . . . Credited with running a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash by the Rivals.com website . . . Helped lead Northwest Mississippi Community College to a 10-0 record during his sophomore season for head coach Bobby Franklin, a year in which the school finished eighth nationally in total defense . . . Started all 10 games during the year at left cornerback, recording six interceptions for 118 yards in returns and two touchdowns . . . Tied for fifth nationally in interceptions . . . Posted an incredible 23 pass deflections on the year . . . Also caused one fumble and recovered two, returning one of those for a touchdown . . . Made 41 tackles, including one for loss (minus 9 yards), during his sophomore season . . . Was named second-team Mississippi Association of Community Colleges all-state during his freshman season at Northwest . . . Started 11 of the 12 games at left cornerback, missing one game due to injury . . . Helped his school to an 11-1 record, including a No. 6 final ranking in the National Junior College Athletic Administration poll . . . Tied for second in the nation with seven interceptions during a breakout first season of junior college ball, returning one for a touchdown . . . Had three of those interceptions in one game . . . Credited with 39 total tackles and led the club with 17 pass break ups . . . Originally signed with Mississippi out of high school . . . Selected a USA Today honorable mention all-America following his senior prep season in 1998 . . . A two-time, all-district and all-conference selection during his prep career . . . Named to the Fox Sports South all-South second team . . . Also selected first-team, all-state by the Clarion-Ledger as a defensive back . . . Also chosen to that newspapers listing of the top 40 players in the state during his senior season . . . Picked as the Most Valuable Defensive Player in Region I Class 5A . . . Selected to play in the Mississippi/Alabama High School All-Star Game as a defensive back and made four tackles . . . Intercepted a school-record 13 passes, recovered three fumbles and made 52 tackles during his senior season at South Panola High School in Batesville, Miss., for head coach Ed Stanley . . . Led his team to a 14-1 overall record and to the 1998 Class 5A state championship . . . Born Demetric Lavon Wright, 5-15-80, in Batesville, Miss. . . . Son of Ms. Margaret Middleton.

02/07/01 - Here is a list of recruiting parties. Attend the one nearest you. Also, I would like to have an accurate count of the number of people who attended each party. Please email this to me. Thanks.

Hoover, Alabama
Birmingham Chapter Football Signing Day Party
Wednesday, February 7
Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Damon's on Hwy 31 in Hoover
Featured guests will be Coaches Jim Tompkins and John Hendrick.
Cost is $5 cover charge with $1 off for bringing canned good.
Any one needing information can contact Chris Settle at 205-527-6487.

Hernando, Mississippi
Desoto County Football Signing Day Party
Wednesday, February 7, 6 pm
J.W. Miller's in Hernando
Cost: $5, hors d'oeuvres
Featured guest: Mike Grant, Strength Coach
For more info call 662-349-9696

Biloxi, Mississippi
MSU Gulf Coast Signing Day Party
(Jackson County Alumni Chapter, Harrison-Stone County Alumni Chapter, & Gulf Coast Booster Club)
Monday, February 12
5:30 pm Social, 6:30 pm Dinner
Biloxi Beach Holiday Inn (next to the coliseum)
Cost: $15 per person
Guest Speakers: Jerry Fremin, Offensive Line Coach
For more info, call Terry Collins, 228-896-6536; or Dee Smelley, 228-871-4991 (h), 228-522-8790 (w).

Cordova, Tenn.
The Memphis Maroon Club is sponsoring it's 3rd Annual Signing Day party Wednesday,February 7, at The Fox and Hound in Cordova just off Germantown Parkway in front of Bogey's.

The social will begin at 6:00 p.m.; the program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $10 and includes hors d'oeuvres. Drinks can be purchased from the restaurant.

Coach Joe Lee Dunn will be the guest speaker. Other special guests will include the 5 former MSU football players currently playing for the Memphis Maniax: John Jennings, Jesse James, Kevin Prentiss, Paul Lacoste, & Cornell Menafee.

Please RSVP by Monday, Feb.5, to memphismaroonclub@yahoo.com or call (901) 758-7520 (if you are local to the Memphis area, please leave off the 901) and leave your name and the number in your party.

Jackson, Mississippi
Hosted by the Greater Jackson Bulldog Boosters
Primos Northgate
Wednesday, February 7th
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cost $10 for members and $20 for non-members.
Special Guests: MSU Coaches Jackie Sherrill, Glenn Davis and David Wilson and Former MSU Football Players.
Contact Bobbi Raines at 601-856-2777 or email her at sms33401@allstate.com.

Tupelo, Mississippi
Gloster 205
Wednesday, February 7th
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
$10 at the door
Hors d'oeuvres and Cash Bar
Special Guests: Coaches Craig Stump and Melvin Smith

Starkville, Mississippi
Harvey's Restaurant
Wednesday, February 7th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Cost is $10 and includes heavy hors d'oeuvres.
Special Guest: Coach Sparky Woods and Graduate Assistant Wes Slay. Coach Jackie Sherrill will be in attendance for about 30 minutes.

Meridian, Mississippi
Princeton's Restaurant
Wednesday, February 7th
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Featured Guests: Coaches John Bond and Kurt Woerner.

02/06/01 - Just thought a lot of you might be interested in helping out a very worthy cause. Please do what you can. Thank you - Gene Swindoll

The men of Kappa Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity of Mississippi State University would like to invite you to the Fourth Annual Charity Classic. This is a full contact football game between the two fraternities. The two teams will play a NFL style game with NFL officials. The game will take place at Jaycee Field in Starkville on Friday, March 2, 2001 at 7:00 pm.

The proceeds from this year's game will benefit Margaret McCarty of Starkville, daughter of Dr. McCarty, a professor at MSU. She is a nineteen-year-old freshmen attending Mississippi State University. She graduated from Starkville Academy in 1999 and enrolled at MSU in the fall. Last April, Margaret was hit by a drunk driver and suffered severe injuries. She lost the lower part of her left leg and now wears a prosthetic leg. Margaret has undergone 13 total surgeries since her accident. She needs a new prosthetic leg once a year. This has put great financial strain on her family.

We ask for your donations and contributions to help the McCarty family. Ads are being sold to help raise the money. The ads will be placed in programs that will be sold at the game. If you are interested in buying an ad please contact Drew McNeil at drewmcneil@yahoo.com, or send a letter to Kappa Sigma, Attn: Drew McNeil, P.O. Box KS, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762. If you are not interested in an ad, donations will gladly be accepted. T-shirts will also be sold leading up to the game and during the game. If you have any questions please contact Scott Grisham at (662)325-6954.

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