| 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 |
09/30/99 (8:50 a.m.) - This comes from the Commodore Report (a Vandy newspaper sort of like our Dawgs' Bite):
"Mississippi State is the perfect opponent for this meeting. Jackie Sherrill runs a loose ship far from civilization with a roster littered with junior college transfers from such powerhouse academic institutions such as East Mississippi Community College and Georgia Military College. They will be coming to a nice campus located in a nice city to take on players that can actually spell student-athlete. It is the kind of matchup Vanderbilt has always resented losing year after year, feeling the playing field was slanted before the game began."
09/30/99 - WCBI television will have a short (4 minutes or thereabouts) story about Gene's Page today at 7:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. If you are around a television at either of those times and can pick up Channel 4, which is located in Columbus, MS., give it a look-see. It'll give you a chance to find out a little about me, why I decided to do Gene's Page, and where I do my daily work.
09/30/99 - Both Dicenzo Miller and Toby Golliday are expected to play in this Saturday's game.
09/30/99 - Update on Starkville HS athlete Thurman Ward: According to a source of mine, Thurman reminds him of current MSU wide receiver Kelvin Love. He has the same body type and runs the same way. He also runs a 4.4 forty.
09/29/99 - Here is a little more info on the late Pat Watson (MSU OL from 1962-64). Pat was an All-American one year, a three time All-SEC performer and a two time Academic All-SEC player while at State. Pat was at the SEC Championship game last year to cheer on the Bulldogs against Tennessee.
09/29/99 - Here is a little info on three players MSU is recruiting:
09/29/99 - Advertisement: If you are going to be in the Jackson, MS. area, check out the Mississippi Sports and Hall of Fame Museum. Click here to get a sneak preview of some of the things they offer for your viewing pleasure. They have something for everybody.
09/28/99 - Mississippi State has posted a 20-7 regular-season record in its last 27 games, dating back to the final contest of the 1996 campaign. MSU's record in the most recent 27 games trails only Tennessee (25-2), Florida (22-5) and Georgia (21-6) in the league as a whole.
In 55 possessions against MSU's defense thus far, opponents have been held to three plays or less 25 times, and have gained less than 10 yards on a series 27 times. In MSU's last five regular season games, the defense has held the opponent to one touchdown or less.
If MSU wins this Saturday, it will be the first time MSU has won 5 straight games at the beginning of a season since 1944, which is 55 years ago.
Mississippi State had sold 25,335 season tickets through Friday, Sept. 17, a single-season record for season tickets sold in school history. Individual game tickets may still be purchased in person at the athletic ticket office in the John H. Bryan Athletic Administration Building or by calling 601-325-2600.
MSU had sold approximately 2,500 tickets to the Vanderbilt game, as of Friday, Sept. 24.
09/28/99 - Advertisement: If you live in the Canton, Ridgeland and Clinton areas and are interested in locating a top quality optometrist, look no farther than Optical 2000. Ask for Dr. Craig, who specializes in contact lens, cataracts, dry eye therapy and laser surgery consultation. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in 1974. Dr. Craig is currently a member of the Contact Lens Section of the American Optometric Association. If you would like to know more about Optical 2000, visit their website at http://www.optical2k.com/.
09/27/99 - Pat Watson, University of Georgia offensive line coach and MSU lineman from 1961-64, passed away Saturday from a heart attack.
09/27/99 - MSU has moved up to 16th in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls.
09/27/99 - For those of you who are members of the Starkville Quarterback Club, this Tuesday night the SQBC will have SEC commissioner Roy Kramer as their guest speaker. SQBC president Chris Paccasassi told me to tell you to bring your cowbells. Any of you who aren't members may come and join prior to the meeting if you like and enjoy fellowship with other Bulldog fans or you can pay the $10 dinner fee and visit as a guest. Roy Kramer will be sponsored by Bank 1st. The next time you are in Bank 1st let Steve Taylor, who is their president, know you appreciate him sponsoring Mr. Kramer.
Click here to find our more about the SQBC.
09/27/99 - Advertisement: If you are looking for an air purifier, Jack D'Arcy's Mountain Air Products presents "Mountain Fresh Air" to breeze through your home or indoor working environment. Click here to go to Mountain Air Products website and read about their purifiers. Mary Ann and I purchased one and are very pleased with it.
09/26/99 - Here are recaps of yesterday's game.
Official MSU Recap and Stats
ESPN
CNNSI
09/26/99 - There were quite a few players visiting yesterday. Several of the top names were as follows.
Doug Buckles - OL, Madison Central (Madison) HS.
Jadice Moore - DL, Port Gibson HS.
J.J. Grant - LB, Clinton HS.
Adari Haulcy - LB, Clarksdale HS.
Robert Spivey - LB, Clarksdale HS.
Jonathan Bell - DB/WR, Tupelo HS. Also plays WR.
Deandre Eiland - DB/WR, Tupelo HS. Also plays WR.
Jason Edwards -DL, Itawamba CC.
James Dean - RB, JR, South Panola HS.
One name missing from this group was South Panola's Chris Young who had to work, according to my source.
The word is MSU is doing very, very well with Jadice Moore. Jadice is considered one of the top two defensive linemen in the state of Mississippi this year.
I was also told, from a source close to outstanding Madison Central offensive lineman Doug Buckles, that he is receiving calls consistently from ten schools. They are MSU, Ole Miss, USM, LSU, Florida, FSU, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Auburn and I believe Alabama.
Contrary to my earlier report, I was told yesterday that MSU is doing very well with Jason Clark, the great linebacker from Starkville HS. According to my source, he wants to play early and MSU gives him that opportunity.
09/25/99 - There are to be between 350 to 400 recruits at the game today. Do your best to be there to greet our players because our kids love it and the recruits will see this. Also, be as loud as you can during the game. We do make a difference, folks. I know because I talk to our present football players every week, and they tell me we do.
BTW, I am going to have a Matt Wyatt article on my premium site sometime next week. There are some very special things about Matt that I bet very, very few of you know about. Also look for a special Ashley Cooper article coming up in a couple of weeks. These aren't your normal articles about football players but articles about two very talented individuals.
09/24/99 (10:50 a.m.) - Here is a little USC info from their newspaper via one of you.
09/24/99 - Advertisement: The next time you are in Starkville don't forget to visit The Grill, a Gene's Page advertiser. The Grill has some of the best food in Starkville and they are true Bulldog fans and supporters. Visit The Grill's website by clicking here.
09/24/99 - Assistant football coach Jim Tompkins' father died this week. Please put Jim and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
09/24/99 - MSU recruit Jonathan Nichols info: According to someone who knows Jonathan Nichols and his family, Jonathan comes from one of the best, Christian, down-to-earth families you can find anywhere in the world. My source went on to say his older brother, Brantley, is a wonderful role-model and he has shaped Jonathan into the kicker that he is today. Brantley also punted during his football days and has really molded Jonathan into a great one ever since he could walk.
09/24/99 - The latest Trey Fryfogle Info: As most of you know, Trey is the outstanding wide receiver from George County (MS) HS. According to my source, he is leaning to Ole Miss at the moment. The word is MSU is recruiting him. Look for him to unofficially visit MSU for the LSU/MSU game.
09/24/99 - Advertisement: Thanks to all the Bulldog fans who own or operate businesses for joining the Maroon Pages, a Gene's Page directory of businesses owned or operated by MSU fans and/or alumni. If you own or operate a business and you are a Bulldog fan and/or alumni, click here to discover how to join for $75 per year. Support my page by joining the Maroon Pages.
09/23/99 (11:40 a.m.) - Someone emailed me asking what is the SEC rule in regard to bands playing during a game. According to the email, the OSU and MTSU bands played while MSU was on the line of scrimmage. Here is what is written in the Commissioner's Regulations for football as far as bands/student sections go.
The home student section and home band must be located on the opposite side of the field from the visiting team bench; or if located on the same side as the visiting team bench, the student section and/or band must be seated from the 30-yard line toward the goal line. Any student/band seats located toward midfield from the 30-yard line may be no closer than 25 rows from the field. Bands shall not play from the time the offensive team breaks the huddle until the ball has been snapped.
Also, bylaw 30.22.1.5 (d) reads as follows:
At football games the use of amplifiers, microphones, and megaphones shall be restricted to the cheerleaders of the institutions participating, directed only toward the stands and shall not be used from the time the offensive team breaks the huddle until the ball has been snapped. Additionally, the use of institutionally controlled computerized sound systems (including music) and institutionally controlled artificial noisemakers shall be restricted to pregame, halftime, postgame, called team or media timeouts, or after a score. Bands shall not play from the time the offensive team breaks the huddle until the ball is snapped. In no case may music be played which may be construed to be derogatory toward the visiting
team or the game officials. Physical distractions (e.g., artificial noisemakers, portable amplifiers or the main stadium public address) shall not be used by cheerleaders while either team is on the field (warm-ups of competition).
09/23/99 (11:10 a.m.) - Click here to read a nice article about MSU offensive coordinator Sparky Woods.
09/23/99 - During last Friday's game Pillow Academy's Jonathan Nichols, a play MSU is recruiting, kicked every kick off through the end zone and was just short (about a foot) on a 50+ yard field goal. He also tossed two touchdown passes and rushed for quite a few yards. According to my source, he comes from a very good family and his brother played quarterback for MDCC and Delta State.
09/23/99 - The lastest word on Starkville HS linebacker Jason Clark: He is most interested in Alabama, Tennessee and Florida. He is still interested in MSU but, according to my source, we appear to be sliding down his list at the moment.
Starkville HS athlete Thurman Ward is interested in MSU with LSU, Alabama, Auburn and South Carolina also pursuing him.
09/23/99 - Look for South Panola HS's great athlete Chris Young to visit MSU this weekend.
09/23/99 - There are quite a few MSU alumni events planned on October 1st, 2nd and 4th, so check out my events page by clicking here.
09/22/99 - Coach Sherrill's comments from the Tuesday press conference.
The two kickers, Jeff Walker and Scott Westerfield, had very good games. Jeff really punted well especially knowing where he was on the field. A couple of them he punted extremely high to give us an opportunity to get down and get under them. Scott was very consistent.
Offensive players that did well, and there were quite a few, Justin Griffith had a complete game as a runner and a pass catcher. Justin is really a good football player. I thought all of the running backs played well. Dontae had some big runs. He had one called back that would have put him close to 200 yards for the game.
Defensively, we had some players, five or six, that performed really well. Ashley Cooper had a really phenomenal game. He had two caused fumbles, two sacks and eight tackles. He really put pressure on all day. The same thing can be said for Tim Nelson. Those two guys really put a lot of pressure on both sides.
Now we start in the conference against a team that has not finished like they would have wanted to but they have players. They are not allowing a lot of points to be scored against them. Defensively they are very sound. They have some guys that really jump out at you. Basically, they are a four man front. Their two tackles inside, Caldwell and Pinkney, are very good. Those two guys create a lot of problems for you. John Abraham plays a lot of different things and does an outstanding job. They moved their very good free safety, Antonio Freeman, to the cornerback position this past week and I feel he will do that again this week.
Offensively, they have an outstanding freshman running back who is getting more playing time each week. It looks like he will be a very, very good football player for them. The receivers are guys who have been there. They can run and catch the football.
South Carolina is a good football team that is very well coached. They are a different football team than we have played the past two weeks. The past two weeks we have played teams that lined up in all different places. This team will line up a four man front. They'll slant a little bit. It comes down to whether you can block them or not.
09/21/99 - For those of you who have asked, here is the official SEC rule in regard to artificial noisemakers. Of course I disagree with it and hope all of you will bring them to the home games. I do ask that you not attempt to take them to away games.
SEC by-law 30.22.1.5 (c)
At games between Southeastern Conference institutions, artificial noisemakers shall not be permitted to be brought into or used in football stadia or basketball arenas. Each institution should have statements printed on tickets and notices to the effect that such noisemakers will not be permitted inside its competition areas.
09/21/99 - Here is an observations from one of you in regard to Madison Central HS football player Doug Buckles, a player MSU is very actively recruiting.
Doug is very quick off the ball. He plays on the left side of the line, but they often use him to lead sweeps around the right end - I saw this happen at least 6-8 times Friday night.
On running plays, he often ends up far down field, where the tackle occurs - he doesn't just block on the line, he stays with the play. (MC doesn't pass much, so there's not much chance to observe his pass blocking).
The thing that sticks out to me is that Doug seems like a really smart player. He knows offensive line play. He doesn't make stupid mistakes or get hit with cheap penalties. But he's an active lineman, and to repeat myself, he stays with the play. In their first game, the MC runner fumbled the ball into the end zone - guess who was right there to recover it for a touchdown?
09/21/99 - The Tippah County Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association is having its 12th Annual Tippah County MSU Scholarship Dinner tonight at the County Inn, Too in Ripley, Mississippi. at 7 p.m. MSU head basketball coach Rick Stansbury will be the guest speaker for the event. The price is $50 per adult and $25 for 12th graders and under. You can contact the following MSU fans for reservations: Roger Childs (662) 837-8191; Mary Glover (662) 837-8191; and Jody Steverson (662) 837-7815.
09/21/99 - Pillow Academy kicker Jonathan Nichols visited MSU this past Saturday. That was the at least the 3rd time that he has unofficially visited MSU.
09/21/99 - Advertisement: If you are looking for a computer and you would like to buy from a firm owned by Mississippians, look no farther than Howard Computers. Click here to visit their website.
09/20/99 - October 1st, the Friday prior to the Vanderbilt game, the MSU Alumni Association, MSU Foundation and Bulldog Club invite you to join fellow Bulldog supporters for a special Reception and Cocktail Party from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the McKinley Room of the Wyndam Union Station Hotel, 1001 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. Price of admission, payable at the door, is $10 per person with a cash bar.
Special MSU guests included MSU President Malcolm Portera, Head Football Coach Jackie Sherrill and MSU Director Of Athletics Larry Templeton
RSVP by Monday, September 27, 1999, to Dianne Jackson in the Office of Alumni Affairs by calling 662-325-3444, faxing 662-325-8425, or emailing her at djackson@alumni.msstate.edu
The Nashville Chapter of the Alumni Association is also having a pep rally prior to the game. The pep rally and tailgate party will begin at 10:30 a.m. and last until 12:30 p.m. It will be located at Rio Bravo, a restaurant located near the Vanderbilt football stadium. The MSU band and cheerleaders will be attending the pep rally. Contact Nashville Chapter President Phil Minnicks for additional details if you plan on attending the pep rally. His email address is pminnicks@mindspring.com
Mary Ann and I are attending the wedding of our niece on Friday night and will be unable to attend the reception, but I plan on attending the pep rally. Hope to see you there.
09/20/99 - MSU is now 23rd in both polls. See links to both polls above.
09/20/99 - Here are three close up pics from Saturday's game.
The Defense
The Dog Pound Rock
Justin Griffith Scoring
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09/19/99 - Game reports from various sources:
ESPN
CBS/Sportsline
Official MSU Site
09/18/99 - Did you know Oklahoma State's strength and conditioning coach Dan Austin served in the same capacity for MSU from 1993 to 1996?
MSU was down 28-23 with 12:19 minutes to go in last years game before the Cowboys pulled away in the last seven minutes of the game when they scored two touchdowns.
Of the 96 games Coach Sherrill has coached at MSU, 50 will have been televised after today's game.
MSU has posted an 18-7 mark over it's last 25 games. The only other schools in the SEC with a better record are Tennessee (24-1), Florida and Georgia (20-5).
MSU has recorded an 11-6 win-loss ratio against SEC competition during the past two-plus seasons, which is the best mark against league foes by anyone in the SEC's Western Division. State's league slate over that period is two games better than LSU (9-8), the only other West team with a winning mark against the league.
In last week's game, MSU started 5 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores and 2 freshmen on offense. On defense, MSU started 9 seniors, 2 junior and 1 sophomore. On offense, MSU has 6 freshmen listed on the second unit depth chart. If freshman Donald Tucker has moved up, you will have 7 freshmen on the second unit depth chart. Four of those seven are on the offensive line.
State officials are expecting a crowd in excess of 35,000 for today's game.
09/17/99 - Thanks to one of you for the email with the internet address for Leonard's Losers.
Click here to go to it. It is also linked above for your weekly enjoyment.
09/17/99 - Where is he now?
Former Bulldog Paul Lacoste is playing for the B.C. Lions in the CFL. He is currently 2nd on his team and 10th overall in the CFL in tackles with 40. He has a sack and 2 fumble recoveries for 50 yds. Plus, he is calling all the plays for his team in his first year.
09/16/99 (4:35 p.m.) - Info received from one of you:
The table is turned this week as Mississippi State will be seeking revenge for a 42-23 loss to the Cowboys in Stillwater. In the game O-State gained 561-yards to the Bulldogs total of 267-yards. The Cowboys know the feeling well as they were out for revenge last week against Tulsa.
"They're going to come into this playing at home and they'll say now they got us at their home," said linebacker Kenyatta Wright. "We'll be ready and they're going to have to prepare a whole lot more than they did last year. We're going to be ready this year."
"Coach Walker and I were just talking about that in the meeting room," said defensive tackle Zac Akin. "I was saying how they probably had our pictures on the wall for at least four weeks, and he said, 'four weeks, I bet they've had them up for 365 days since the last game.' I imagine they've got a little head hunting to do on us. We just have to stay focused on this game and Mississippi State."
09/16/99 (3:30 p.m.) - Steven Blackwell, James Sission and Robert E. Jenkins please contact me via email..... swindoll@genespage.com
09/16/99 - I am in the process of adding a few new features which will make it much easier to join the premium site. Plus, it will make it much easier on me, hence allowing me more time to update my page. Due to this, I have decided to continue accepting applications after September 30th. As an incentive to join, there will be more recruiting info added to the premium site as the recruiting season progresses.
09/16/99 - MSU DT Kevin Sluder will be featured this week as the SEC Good Works Team Player of the Week on this weekend's Jefferson-Pilot Sports telecast of the Miss. State-Oklahoma State contest.
09/16/99
Passing Avg Per Game
Wayne Madkin 6th -- Avg/G: 195.5
Total Offense
Wayne Madkin 6th (41st) -- Yds/G: 209.0
Scoring (Kick)
Scott Westerfield 3rd -- Pts/G: 8.5
Field Goals
Scott Westerfield 1st -- FG/G: 2.00
Scoring Offense
MSU 7th (62nd) -- 26.5 PPG
Scoring Defense
MSU 4th (17th) -- 8.5 PPG
Total Offense
MSU 9th (68th) -- 358.0 Yds/G
Total Defense
MSU 2nd (10th) -- 199.0 Yds/G
3rd Down Conversions
MSU 3rd -- 42.4%
4th Down Conversions
MSU 1st -- 100.0%
09/16/99 - Advertisement: If you are looking for equipment to work in the garden or on the farm, look no farther than Monroe-Tufline, a Mississippi-owned and operated company located in Columbus, MS.
09/14/99 (11:00 a.m.) - Steven Blackwell please contact me via email..... swindoll@genespage.com
09/14/99 - Click here to read a very in-depth article about Oklahoma State.
09/14/99 - Former Bulldog Eric Moulds had a good day (10 catches for 147 yards) against the Colts Sunday.
09/14/99 - If you live in the Huntsville, AL. area and would like to watch this Saturday's game with other MSU fans, the Huntsville Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association is having a get-together this Saturday at Mr. Gatti's Pizza on University Drive in Huntsville, AL. An area with a big screen television has been reserved. Click here to find out more about this event.
09/13/99 - Thought you all would like to see a few pics of the crowd that greeted the team as they got off the bus prior to the Memphis game. It was definitely a great crowd but I'm sure we can get even more to greet them. If you didn't make it this past weekend, I hope you can this coming weekend. This is going to be a very crucial game, therefore any advantage that we can give our team is definitely needed.
09/13/99 - The latest word is Ackerman's Bryan Shumaker, a Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen selection, is very seriously considering MSU.
09/13/99 - Advertisement: If you live in the Jackson, MS. area and you need formal wear for a wedding or any other formal event, click here to visit Doug Douglass' Tuxes, Too website. Doug is looking forward to fulfilling all of your formal wear needs.
09/12/99 - Click here to read a complete recap of yesterday's football game.
09/12/99 - Here are names of several of the players that unofficially visited MSU's football game Saturday.
Glenn Mason - OL, Ackerman HS.
Michael Wells - DL, Forest HS.
Lacorious Hodge - RB, Clinton HS.
Cofrazier Powell - DT, Clinton HS.
Jason Clark - LB, Starkville (MS) HS.
Jo Jo Scott - LB, Hattiesburg (MS) HS.
Bryan Shumaker - DB, Ackerman (MS) HS.
Julius Griffith - DB, Co-Lin (MS) CC via Magee, MS.
Thurman Ward - ATH, Starkville (MS) HS.
Pat Woodall - OL, Leeds (AL) HS.
Kenny Jackson - DL, Hinds CC.
Franco Veazy - DL, Hinds CC.
09/11/99 - Look for 200 or more unofficial recruits (high school and juco players) tomorrow for our football game. Remember, you can say hello to them and thank them for visiting but no food or drinks are allowed per the NCAA rules. I sure don't like some of the petty NCAA rules but we still have to abide by them. If you find out the names of any of these visitors, email them to me at swindoll@genespage.com and I'll post their names on this page.
The recruits should arrive a few minutes prior to when the players do.
Don't forget, our football team arrives at 5:30 p.m. Try and be there a few minutes prior to that so we can form a huge line from the location where they will get off of the bus to the locker room door that they will enter. Let's make our team aware of how much they really are appreciated.
09/10/99 (9:50 p.m.) - For those of you listening to your radio prior to tomorrow's game. Here is something you might enjoy listening to.
"Mississippi State Tailgate Party" 90 minutes before kickoff on 91.1 FM, WMSV.
30 minute show with interviews with coach Sherrill, players and fans. All types of pregame info.
90 minutes before kickoff. Hosted by our sports director, Aaron Sones.
09/10/99 (11:50 a.m.) - The Starkville Quarterback Club will have former Auburn head football coach Pat Dye as their guest speaker next Tuesday night. Coach Dye, who will be sponsored by Templeton Olds-Cadillac, is a great speaker, so come on out. MSU football coach Melvin Smith will give the scouting report.
Last Tuesday night the SQBC had over 100 folks listen to newspaper writer Roy Excum. Roy was sponsored by Cemco Inc.. Chris Rainey was the MSU football player who attended the meeting. MSU football coach Glenn Davis gave the scouting report.
09/10/99 - Here is how several of our former signees did during last week's juco games:
Johnny Rutherford - Co-Lin, Freshman Free Safety, 16 total tackles.
Kamau Jackson - Co-Lin, Freshman Linebacker, 10 total tackles.
Julius Griffith - Co-Lin, Sophomore Secondary, 1 Int for 31 yards.
Alvin Powell - Northwest, Sophomore WR, 2 Recs for 22 yards.
Clarence Parker - Co-Lin, Sophomore WR, 2 Recs for 22 yards.
Marco Minor - Co-Lin, Sophomore WR/DB, 3 Recs for 28 yards.
09/09/99 - I've gotten a request from a Bulldog fan new to the Denver area. He wants to know if there are any other Bulldog fans going to the Jackson Sports bar on Saturday to watch the game. If you are, email me and I'll give you his email address. I personally know this Bulldog fan and will vouch for him.
09/09/99 - Other high school players who were at last Saturday's game.
09/09/99
What: Academic Fair (Information on Admissions, On-Campus Housing, Financial Aid/Scholarships, Cooperative Education, Band, Student Organizations, and other areas); MSU Food Products, Musical and Other Performances; and Bulldog Football*, plus much more.
When: Saturday, September 18, 1999, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Drill Field, Mississippi State University Campus.
Why: To learn how you can become a Leader for the 21st Century.
* A limited number of $5 tickets to the MSU vs. Oklahoma State football game scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Scott Field will be available to Discovery: MSU participants beginning at 10 a.m. on the Drill Field.
09/08/99 - Here is a practice tidbit from the premium site.
Tuesday Practice Notes:
Injuries: Reserve offensive lineman Billy Cooks injured his knee. Preliminary indications are it is an ACL injury. True freshman offensive lineman Donald Tucker, who has a minor hand injury, was practicing with the 2nd unit. Fullback Kenny Williamson continues to wear a boot on his injured foot. True freshman Justin Jenkins continues to be held out of practice as he recovers from his injury.
MSU's had 3 and 4 wide outs in the lineup on several plays with just 1 back in the backfield. I'm just guessing, but I assume the 4 wide outs will allow MSU to spread the Memphis defense across the field.
During practice, the first team offensive line consisted of junior Michael Fair, senior Wes Shivers, junior Pork Chop Womack, senior Paul Mooney, and sophomore Kenric Fairchild. The second unit consisted of R-freshman Carl Hutchins, freshman Donald Tucker, R-freshman Kyle Wallace, junior Tron Thomas and junior Matt McRae.
Freshman tight end Donald Lee, senior running back Chris Rainey and redshirt freshman fullback Justin Griffith were running with the first unit.
The offensive line had a very good practice yesterday. They did well against the 1st unit defensive line. Kyle Wallace appeared to have a good day.
Jeff Walker kicked a 60-yard field goal and a 65-yard field goal in practice yesterday. In Monday's practice, he kicked a 70-yarder. I kid you not.
There were four NFL scouts at the practice yesterday.
09/08/99 - Advertisement: If you are looking for insurance and you live in the Jackson, Mississippi or surrounding area, give Bulldog fan Mark Doiron a call or better yet, check out his website at http://agent.allstate.com/88634.
09/08/99 - Austin McMullen, please email me at swindoll@genespage.com.
09/07/99 - The rumor is that there were nine South Panola HS football players unofficially visiting the game this past weekend. I was also told that they were very impressed with our new recruiting center and new locker room.
09/07/99 - Don't forget to check out my events page. There are Booster Club and Alumni events going on in Amory and Gulfport tonight for those of you who live in those areas.
09/07/99 - Once again, please join the other Bulldog fans when they greet the players two hours prior to the game. We had a large turnout last Saturday but it would be great if we could double it. If you are one of the campus leaders, help get the students out. It is very possible to have five to six thousand fans greeting the players. We can make a difference in the outcome of the game. This will be a tough game because Memphis ALWAYS plays us tough. Our players need every advantage they can get. We can be one of those advantages.
There will also be quite a few recruits unofficially visiting. I believe they will be coming to the stadium a few minutes prior to when the team arrives. There will not be a recruit walk, so you'll have to greet them at the entrance of the M-Club Building.
09/06/99 - The rumor is George County (MS) HS defensive lineman LaCory Street (6-6, 320) will be a Bulldog next season if he gets his grades in order.
09/06/99 - Here are a few pics from Saturday's game.
If you would like to greet the players this Saturday (5:30 p.m.), note in the pictures the road they are on. It is the road that runs parallel to the stadium on the west side. They will get off the bus at the Dawg Pound tent. I promised a couple of the players that we would double the crowd that will greet them. Please help me back up my statement. We do have an effect on how they play when we are there to meet their bus when they arrive at the stadium. If you don't it, just ask any of the players.
09/06/99 - Advertisement: If you live in the Pascagoula area and are looking for someone to help manage your money, Jon Reynolds is the man for you. Jon can be reached at email address dog66@ametro.net. To learn more about the company Jon works for, go to A.G. Edwards' website.
09/06/99 - Advertisement: I attended the 1st Starkville Quarterback Club meeting of this football season last week. There was a crowd in excess of 170 Bulldog fans in attendance. Coach Sherrill and MSU football player Kevin Sluder spoke to the crowd and answered any and all questions. It was a very informative Q and A session. The food was outstanding. The fellowship was even better. If you haven't joined the Starkville Quarterback Club, you ought to give it serious consideration. They are really going all out to entertain and feed their members this year. Look for Chattanooga Free-Press Sports Writer Roy Excum to speak at tomorrow night's meeting. According to SQBC president Chris Paccasassi, Roy knows just about everything you would want to know about SEC football.
Here are some pictures of last week's meeting.
Pic 1 Pic 2
Pic 3
09/05/99 - For game info from the official MSU athletics page, click here...
Other online sites game recaps:
ESPN
CNNSI
I, along with quite a few reporters, interviewed several of the MSU players after the game (full interviews are on the premium site) and one of the things three of them commented on was the crowd that met them prior to the game. It really gave them a thrill to see so many MSU fans waiting to greet them.
While the crowd was good, I hope even more of you are planning on making it next time. Greeting the players when they get off the bus is not a small thing to our players. It really does help get them ready for the game. If you don't know where to meet, it is by the Dawg Pound tent (big white tent) that is next to the road that runs parallel to the stadium on the west side. If you still aren't sure, just follow the crowd.
A few of the recruits that were at the game (more on my premium site):
Kamau Jackson - Co-Lin CC Linebacker
Johnny Rutherford - Co-Lin CC Free Safety
Chris Young - South Panola HS Athlete
Jeremiah Brassell South Panola HS Linebacker
Ken Archie - Pelahatchie HS Running Back
Julius Griffith - Co-Lin CC Defensive Back
By the way, I found out yesterday that the recruiting center's furnishings cost in the $75,000 range. A huge thank you goes out to the Miskelly family for donating the furniture to the MSU athletic department.
09/04/99 - Here are the locker room and recruit lounge pics that I promised you earlier.
Locker Room Pics: Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4
Recruit Lounge Pics: Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4, Pic 5, Pic 6
09/04/99 - I took another look-see at the new locker rooms yesterday. It looks like 82 of the lockers have been sold so far. At least that is how many had name tags at the top of them. I also had the chance to look at the new recruits' lounge. I took several pictures which I will post on my page later today. Folks, MSU will take a backseat to no one when it comes to our locker rooms and our recruits' lounge. When you see my pictures later today, you'll know what I mean.
09/04/99 -
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Comcast Sports Southeast, an Atlanta based communications company, will televise 20 Mississippi State University athletic events during the 1999-2000 school year, it was announced here Friday in an agreement between the two institutions.
At the forefront of the package will be the tape-delayed, full-production broadcast of all 11 football games, the first such broadcasts in school history. Saturday's season opener against Middle Tennessee will be aired Friday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. CDT. The remaining 10 games will be aired at 7 p.m. CT on the Wednesday following the contest. Each broadcast will be preceded by head coach Jackie Sherrill's weekly television show at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Starkville residents can see the broadcasts on Channel 30. CSS will also be carried in Corinth, Tupelo, Meridian, Laurel and Hattiesburg with more in-state outlets expected to be added. Markets outside the Magnolia State include Huntsville and Mobile in Alabama; Chattanooga and Knoxville in Tennessee; Charleston, S.C.; and Panama City, Fla. CSS estimates these broadcasts will reach approximately one million homes.
Jim Ellis, director of Bulldog Sports Network, will handle play-by-play duties for the football telecasts. Dennis Hudson of WCBI-TV in Columbus will join Ellis in the broadcast booth as color analyst.
Along with the 11 football games, CSS will also televise live three non-conference men's basketball games, two women's basketball games, two baseball games and two Olympic sports events.
09/03/99 - Here is a sneak preview of the unfinished locker room in the Leo Seal Building.
09/03/99 - For those of you who have not subscribed or have signed-up but have not sent in your checks, here is an excerpt from my premium site.
Offensive Line
Next to the quarterback position, this position has been the one the coaches and fans have expressed the most concern about. MSU lost four starters from last year's unit including Craig Moore, Anthony Kapp, Eric Allen and Randy Thomas (now in the NFL).
After watching the offensive line in practice, MSU should be fine as far as the first unit is concerned. The first unit will consist of seniors Paul Mooney (#74, center, 6-7.5, 335) and Wes Shivers (#68, right guard, 6-7, 320), juniors Pork Chop Womack (#76, left tackle, 6-4.5, 335) and Michael Fair (#52, left guard, 6-3, 300) and sophomore Kenric Fairchild (#77, right tackle, 6-4.5, 320).
Coaches Comments:
Fairchild has really picked up the system, according to offensive line coach Jerry Fremin. He is a good athlete who ran a 4.9 forty for strength coach Grant during the summer. Shivers played behind Kapp last season and has quite a bit of experience. He injured his knee a little over a week ago but is doing fine and should be 100% by game time. He lost about 20 pounds over the summer and is much quicker because of it. According to Coach Sherrill, Wes has a certain meanness about him when he is on the football field. Before you guys start saying Wes is a mean person, I know from personal experience he isn't. He is a really nice guy off the field. I believe what Coach Sherrill meant is Wes is a tough competitor who will not give an inch to anyone when on the football field. Mooney is a fifth-year senior who is a very smart player who understands Coach Woods system. Coach Fremin expects him to have a really great year. Fair has played various positions during his career. He is a smart player who can play center if the need arises. Womack has had a great fall practice after having a great sophomore year. Great things are expected of him this year. Coach Sherrill has said he has the chance to be the best offensive lineman he has ever had. Coach Fremin believes Womack has the talent to play in the NFL.
The second unit consists of freshman Kyle Wallace (#75, right tackle, 6-5, 308), sophomore Kevin Sijansky (#51, right guard, 6-2, 270), junior Tron Thomas (#79, center, 6-3, 281), freshman Carl Hutchins (#72, left guard, 6-5, 295) and junior Matt McRae (#70, left tackle, 6-3, 327).
Coaches Comments:
Wallace is a very intelligent player who is picking up the system well. Sijansky is a 4.0 student who has the ability to play guard or center. He has caught on to the quard position very well. Thomas is an intelligent player who is able to make the signal calls that are necessary in the offensive line. He is a very unselfish player who will do whatever the coaches ask of him. Hutchins, who has been moved from tackle, is doing well but is still having a little trouble learning the guard position. McRae has done some good things.
Two freshmen offensive linemen will also see action this year. Eric Thompson (#78, left tackle, 6-6, 295) has looked very good during the fall practices. He has been injured but is now practicing again. Because of the injury, he is a little behind. Donald Tucker (#73, right guard, 6-4, 305) is also injured (hand injury) but is presently practicing. He should be able to play in a game in about 2 to 3 weeks. Both of these youngsters have received great reviews by coaches and veterans alike. In fact, one of the defensive linemen, Kevin Sluder, compared Tucker to Womack.
09/02/99 (2:50 p.m.) - I believe all of you students will find this letter from MSU Student Association President Matt Allen interesting. I suspect it will be very interesting reading for you other fans as well. Folks, for some reason, MSU fans don't seem to come out in big numbers to support our athletic teams like other schools. Why, I don't know. Hopefully, with groups like the one mentioned in the letter below, the support will begin to grow. We no longer need talkers; we need doers.
As the new school year begins at a rapid pace, many new ideas are quickly entering the Student Association office. One new idea, about which both the Student Association and Coach Jackie Sherrill are very excited, is the soon to be created group of students called the "Dawg or so most loyal and excited fans out of our student body, so that they may take on a primary role in promoting school spirit at both pep rallies and football games. If you've ever seen a Cleveland Browns football game, then you know the basic premise behind the concept of the "Dawg Pound". If you have not, then the idea is to have a group of students comprised of the most spirited and fans our student body contains, so that they may then lead the student body and the MSU community in showing our football team support.
In choosing these leaders, we are asking for you, the students, to help. Ultimately we hope that all students will show the same support that we expect from this elite group, and it is our hope and aim that this is exactly what a group like this can do for our University. However, to get there, we want to assign this task and responsibility to a specific group on this campus that has a sole mission. To be selected as an official member of the "Dawg Pound", we are asking that all students interested please pick up an application in the Student Association office during the next school week. We will then conduct interviews and selections so that they may be made before our third home game against Oklahoma State University.
We will ask this group to show up for the game at slightly an hour before kickoff, which will allow them time to sit in a designated area at the front of the student section. After they show up, their basic responsibility is to go as crazy as they possibly can for the defending SEC Western Division Champion Bulldogs. Keep in mind, this is just the beginning of a group like this, and Coach Sherrill and the SA have many additional ideas and hopes about the tasks this group can partake in at football games. We believe that in a short time, the "Dawg Pound" will take on an aura all its own, as it will no doubt capture the attention of many cameras at our numerous televised games. With all of this said, if you want to get painted up for the games, yell your lungs out, and get a T-shirt designating you as an official member of the "Dawg Pound", then come by the Student Association office next week (Sept. 6 - Sept. 10) and pick-up an application. We hope to see you all there.
Go Dawgs!
Matt Allen
Student Association President
Mississippi State University
09/02/99 - As for those NCAA graduation rates you are reading about in newspapers and message boards, tell recent MSU graduate Randy Thomas that the NCAA will not include him in their graduation rate. Nor will recent MSU graduate Todd Myles be included. Nor would any of you who have graduated from MSU after transferring to MSU from a junior college. In the real world each of you have earned your college degree. In the NCAA's world you don't even exist. Obviously, when you leave out entire categories of students (junior college transfers are just one), you will produce flawed information. Hopefully, the NCAA will realize their graduation rate is flawed and revise the way they produce it. Until they decide to do that, we are just going to have to take it upon ourselves to make sure potential student/athletes know the NCAA data is flawed.
09/02/99 - The fun begins tonight at the Amphitheater:
The Athletic Support Committee is a new committee under the umbrella of the MSU Student Association. This committee was formed by this years student body president Matt Allen in hopes of boosting school spirit. They are working on several things this year such as better pep rallies, printing up t-shirts, encouraging students to wear maroon and white, re-routing the band, selling towels (so students can use them as pom-poms), forming a Dawg Pound in the student section, and several other ideas. They have met with Coach Sherrill and he is extremely excited and behind them 100%. To all of you students who read my page, please show your support for this committee by getting behind their events. Mention them and their activities to your friends. The first event they are sponsoring is a MTSU game pep rally, Thursday at the amphitheater at 6:30. Coach Sherrill and his staff will be there, along with several players.
09/02/99 - From the Athletic Media Relations Department:
STARKVILLE, MISS. - The Mississippi State Bulldogs are starting a new tradition with the arrival of the Dawg Pound. Immediately adjacent to the west side of Scott Field, the Dawg Pound will consist of two tents and a Burger King Kids Playground.
While one tent will be occupied by corporations and sponsors of Bulldog football, the other will be used for Cellular South Bulldog Fanfare and is open to the general public.
Cellular South Bulldog Fanfare will once again be held three hours prior to game time and will include give aways, face painting for kids and a chance to get autographs from a variety of Mississippi State men's and women's athletic teams. MSU merchandise will be available for purchase as well.
State's cheerleaders, pom squad and the Famous Maroon Band will conduct a pep rally approximately two hours prior to game time. The Bulldog players will do a walk through at that time.
Prior to kickoff against Middle Tennessee State this Saturday, Sept. 4, Cellular South Bulldog Fanfare will feature music by Bill Cooke from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m.
Cellular South, in its second season hosting Bulldog Fanfare, is also the sponsor of the Conerly Trophy honoring Mississippi's best college football player. Fans will have the opportunity to vote via a free Cellular South phone call for Mississippi's best college football player.
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09/01/99 - I attended the 1st Starkville Quarterback Club meeting of this football season last night. There was a crowd in excess of 170 Bulldog fans in attendance. Coach Sherrill and MSU football player Kevin Sluder spoke to the crowd and answered any and all questions. It was a very informative Q and A session. The food was outstanding. The fellowship was even better. If you haven't joined the Starkville Quarterback Club, you ought to give it serious consideration. They are really going all out to entertain and feed their members this year. Look for Chattanooga Free-Press Sports Editor Roy Excum to speak at next Tuesday's meeting. According to SQBC president Chris Paccasassi, Roy knows just about everything you would want to know about the SEC football teams.
Here are a few of things that I learned at the meeting last night:
A lot of great info was forthcoming from both Coach Sherrill and Kevin Sluder. Some was not for internet publication. Like I said, joining the Starkville Quarterback Club is something you ought to seriously consider.
Look for a few pictures from the meeting tomorrow morning.