MSU RELEASE 2017 MSU Release Thread

[Vernon]

Eleven MSU Football Newcomers Begin Classes


STARKVILLE, Miss. – Four recent high school graduates have enrolled at Mississippi State and will participate in spring football practice as the spring semester began on Monday in Starkville.

The talented group includes: defensive lineman James Jackson (6-3, 345) of Pascagoula, Miss., quarterback Keytaon Thompson (6-4, 220) of New Orleans, La., wide receiver Austin Williams (6-2, 200) of Ocean Springs, Miss., and defensive back Tyler Williams (6-2, 172) of Oxford, Miss.

The group combined for four state championship during their high school careers, including three by Thompson. Thompson was named Louisiana’s Mr. Football and Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year last week and is considered one of the top dual-threat signal callers in the country.

The four join seven junior college prospects who have enrolled so far this semester. That group includes: defensive back Johnathan Abram (6-0, 200) of Columbia, Miss., defensive lineman Lee Autry (6-2, 315) of Albemarle, N.C., offensive lineman Tommy Champion (6-5, 330) of Jackson, Miss., defensive back Jaquarius Landrews (5-11, 190) of Summit, Miss., offensive lineman Tyre Phillips (6-5, 355) of Grenada, Miss., defensive lineman Deion Pope (6-3, 300) of Collins, Miss., and defensive lineman Montez Sweat (6-6, 240) of Stone Mountain, Ga.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." All-access coverage is also available on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."

2017 Mississippi State Football Early Enrollee High School Bios

James Jackson, DL, 6-3, 345, Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula HS) Powerful defensive lineman out of Pascagoula … A three-star prospect according to 247Sports, Scout.com and ESPN.com … Widely considered the top defensive tackle prospect in the state … Rated the No. 21 overall prospect in the state by Scout.com and No. 25 by 247Sports and ESPN.com … Began classes on Jan. 9 at MSU and will participate in spring ball … Participated in the 2016 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Played on both sides of the ball and finished with 26 tackles as a senior … Originally committed to MSU on April 6, 2016 … Has tremendous strength in the weight room … Coached by Lewis Sims.

Keytaon Thompson, QB, 6-4, 220, New Orleans, La. (Landry-Walker HS)One of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in America and a proven winner … Combined for three state championships in football and basketball … Began classes on Jan. 9 at MSU and will participate in spring practice … Consensus four-star recruit out of Landry-Walker High School in New Orleans where he was coached by Emanuel Powell … No. 1 QB recruit in Louisiana according to 247Sports … Became the first player in Landry-Walker history to be named Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year following an incredible senior season in 2016 … 2016 District 8-5A MVP and finalist for the Gatorade National Player of the Year … 2016 LSWA Class 5A Most Outstanding Offensive Player … Racked up 10,737 yards of total offense and accounted for 149 touchdowns during his prep career … Finished his senior season, completing 198 of 331 passes for 3,825 yards and 46 touchdowns while rushing 152 times for 1,434 yards and 26 TDs … Amassed 5,259 yards of total offense in 2016 … Accounted for 457 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in the 2016 Class 5A state championship game, leading the Charging Buccaneers to a 50-21 win over West Monroe to produce the school’s first state title … Squad capped the year on a 13-game winning streak and in that stretch he accounted for 66 touchdowns … Completed 16 of 27 passes for 303 yards with five touchdowns and carried 23 times for another 154 yards, dazzling fans in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the state title game … In five playoff games as a senior, completed 81 of 119 passes for 1,485 yards with 17 touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing for 534 yards and 11 scores … As a junior, directed the Charging Bucs to a 10-3 record, a share of the District 8-5A championship and an appearance in the 2015 Class 5A state quarterfinals … Four-year starter at QB and a three-year starter in basketball … Basketball teammates with current MSU guard Lamar Peters … The two led Landry-Walker to back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 2014 and 2015 … A knack for making big plays, Thompson drained the game-winning bucket in the 2015 LHSAA Top 28 Class 4A championship game … Originally committed to MSU on Dec. 16, 2015 … Maintained a 3.12 GPA.


Austin Williams, WR, 6-2, 200, Ocean Springs, Miss. (Ocean Springs HS)

Sure-handed wide receiver prospect out of Ocean Springs High School … A consensus three-star recruit by Scout, ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports … Began classes on Jan. 9 at MSU and will participate in spring practice … The 15th-best player in the state according to 247 Sports, regardless of position … The sixth-best receiver in the state according to Scout.com … For his career, totaled 150 catches, 2,349 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns … Finished his senior season with 48 receptions for 697 yards and 13 touchdowns to earn Class 6A first-team all-state honors … Played in the 2016 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … Caught 56 passes for 928 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior … Amassed 618 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore … Coached by Ryan Ross at Ocean Springs … Originally committed to MSU on April 16, 2016.

Tyler Williams, DB, 6-2, 172, Oxford, Miss. (Lafayette HS)

A three-star defensive back by Rivals, Scout.com and 247 Sports who was a member of a state championship his senior season … Guided the Lafayette Commodores to a 13-2 record and 13 straight wins in 2016 … Scored a 77-yard touchdown in the game’s opening minutes to spark the squad … Enrolled at MSU on Jan. 9 and will participate in spring practice … The 16th best player, regardless of position, in the state according to 247 Sports … Considered the third-best safety in the state according to Scout.com … 2016 Division 2-4A Defensive Most Valuable Player … Played on both sides of the ball … Recorded 795 receiving yards and nine touchdowns his senior season as well as 43 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass deflections … Notched 25 tackles and two picks as a junior … Coached by Michael Fair at Lafayette High School … Originally committed to MSU on May 16, 2016.

 

[Vernon]

Schnider, Peters Lead MSU To Third-Straight SEC Win

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State moved to 3-1 in Southeastern Conference play for the first time since 2010 with Saturday afternoon’s 67-59 win against Texas A&M.


A season-best crowd of 8,588 and a national-televised CBS audience watched as the Bulldogs rallied from an early 10-point deficit to knock off the Aggies for a third-straight conference win for the first time since 2011. The Bulldogs also snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with the Aggies.


MSU improved to 12-4 overall and 3-1 in league play, while Texas A&M fell to 9-7 and 1-4.


“That was a big-time win against a really good team,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “I am excited about how we were able to find a way after such a poor start. Texas A&M has NBA-type length. Really proud of our team. Schnider (Herard) was huge for us. He was a force inside.”


Herard led the Bulldogs with a career-high 16 points. Lamar Peters added 14 points (including an 11 of 11 day at the free throw line), while Quinndary Weatherspoon had 13 and Aric Holman had 11.


Peters, whose father passed away this past week, had 5 steals and 4 assists. Holman and Mario Kegler led the Bulldogs with 5 rebounds apiece.


The Bulldogs went better than seven minutes without scoring to stat the contest. Peters finally helped the home team break through with three free throws with 12:25 left. The Aggies had already scored the game’s first 10 points.


To turn the game back around, the Bulldogs did it on the defensive end, scoring 11-straight points and forcing four straight turnovers to take the lead. A 3-point play by Mario Kegler gave the Bulldogs an 11-10 lead.


From there, the contest was nip-and-tuck throughout.


The Bulldogs built a 16-12 lead on a dunk by Herard. A 9-1 run sent the Aggies back ahead 21-17. Herard scored as time expired to give the Maroon and White a 25-24 lead at halftime.


Overall, the score was tied four times and the lead changed hands 17 times.


“Excited about the crowd today,” Howland said. “The home court advantage was huge. There was a lot of energy in the building. They really helped us when we didn’t start well.”


In the second half, neither team led by more than three points until Peters hit a 3-pointer and Xavian Stapleton hit a basket for a 48-44 lead with 9:09 left. A basket by Herard gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 52-51 with 5:29 left.


The big blow was a 3-pointer from Weatherspoon for a 57-53 lead one minute later.


For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 19 of 44 shots from the field (43.2 percent), 5 of 18 shots from 3-point range (27.8 percent) and 24 of 30 shots from the foul line (80.0 percent). The Aggies hit 23 of 52 shots from the field (44.2 percent), 1 of 14 shots from 3-point range (7.1 percent) and 12 of 20 shots from the foul line (60.0 percent).


Texas A&M held a 38-23 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 11 assists and 13 turnovers, while the Aggies had 10 assists and 22 turnovers.


Texas A&M received 16 points from Tyler Davis, 13 points from D.J. Hogg and 12 points from Robert Williams.


MSU will remain home for a Tuesday night contest with Kentucky. The Bulldogs and Wildcats play at 6 p.m. on ESPN with fans encouraged to wear white to the Humphrey Coliseum.

 

[Vernon]

#STATEF17M To Be Unveiled on National Signing Day, Mullen To Discuss Signing Class at 4 p.m. Wednesday

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- #STATEF17M, the 2017 Mississippi State football signing class, will be unveiled Wednesday with up-to-the-minute signees on HailState.com/SigningDay17.

Head coach Dan Mullen will discuss the highly-anticipated class at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the multi-purpose room of the Seal Football Complex. It is open to the public. Live streaming video of the press conference will be available on SECNetwork+ via WatchESPN.com or the Watch ESPN app.

Signees will be officially announced on HailState.com/SigningDay17 throughout the day and via MSU’s social media channels. Follow @CoachDanMullen and @HailStateFB on Twitter, like the team on Facebook at Facebook.com/HailStateFB and join the squad on Instagram at Instagram.com/HailStateFB.

The Bulldogs had a school-record 13 early enrollees that began classes earlier this month. Profiles and video highlights of the 13 can be viewed now on HailState.com/SigningDay17.

Facebook Live and Periscope updates will be provided throughout Wednesday morning via MSU’s social media channels, including commentary from HailStateBEAT’s Bob Carskadon and special guests.

Fans are encouraged to use the following official social media hashtags on Wednesday: #NSD17 and #STATEF17M.

 

[Vernon]

#STATEF17M: MSU Football Hauls In Top 25 Recruiting Class Headlined by Hill, Gay

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State football closed with one of the Top 25 recruiting classes in America headlined by local blue-chip prospects Kylin Hill and Willie Gay as head coach Dan Mullen announced the signing of 11 National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.

Mullen’s ninth signing class at MSU was tabbed No. 24 nationally by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com and No. 25 by Scout.com. The rankings include the school-record 13 early enrollees who will go through spring drills when the Bulldogs start practice on March 2.

“It’s been an exciting day for us, getting a bunch of new guys into our family,” Mullen said. “We had a Top 25 recruiting class and hopefully they pan out that way too. Hopefully they end up being a Top 25 football team. We’ll see how these guys continue to grow and continue to develop.”

For the third straight year and the fourth time in five recruiting periods, the Bulldogs inked the state’s top defensive player when Gay, the nation’s No. 3 outside linebacker, announced to a raucous crowd at Starkville High School. Gay will join fellow Starkville High School standouts Kobe Jones and Gabe Myles on the 2017 MSU roster.

“Willie is a special player,” Mullen said. “We expect Willie to come in and play right away for us. He has size, speed and athleticism. He’s a productive player on film. One of the things that we have to do is really work to accelerate him. I expect him to be in the rotation week one of next season.”

Hill made his pledge official shortly after. The Columbus High School standout is considered the nation’s sixth-best running back and is the highest running back signee for the Bulldogs since Jerious Norwood in 2002. Norwood was a five-star prospect and ranked No. 5.

“I thought when we looked at him that he was one of the best, if not the best, running back in the country,” Mullen said. “I think he had seven or eight touchdowns called back, but it’s not about the touchdown being called back to me. It’s about the next play. And I watched the intensity that he goes out with on the next play. There wasn’t a head down. He continues to play hard every single play. He’s a physical runner that has great skills once he gets into the open field. He’s going to be a weapon for us early in his career.”

MSU brought in the nation’s top-ranked punter and one of the elite kickers in America in Tucker Day of Brentwood, Tenn. Day became his school’s first-ever U.S. Army All-American.

“We have three (high school) All-Americans, and he is one of our All-Americans in the group,” Mullen said. “We are excited to have him. There’s a good chance, he will be our kicker next year. I know in his mindset that’s the attitude he has to come in and take that job.”

Including the early enrollees, MSU signed 15 defensive players and eight on offense. They addressed a key need with eight defensive linemen, five of which will go through spring practice. The Bulldogs also signed five offensive linemen and five defensive backs.

Quarterback Keytaon Thompson, the 2016 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year, is already on campus participating in drills and in the film room.

“We are very fortunate to have a large number of guys enroll early,” Mullen said. “A large part of the recruiting class was already on campus today. Look at a guy like Keytaon Thompson, one of the premier quarterbacks in America. Instead of going through signing day and putting on hats today, he was up doing mat drills at 6 a.m. this morning. He’s getting ready to throw some balls and learning how to read coverages.”

Head Coach Dan Mullen February 1, 2017

Opening Statement

“It’s been an exciting day for us, getting a bunch of new guys into our family. They came here to play football and be a part of the Mississippi State Bulldog family. We had a Top 25 recruiting class and hopefully they pan out that way too. Hopefully they end up being a Top 25 football team. We’ll see how these guys continue to grow and continue to develop. We are very fortunate to have a large number of guys enroll early. A large part of the recruiting class was already on campus today. Look at a guy like Keytaon Thompson, one of the premier quarterbacks in America. Instead of going through signing day and putting on hats today, he was up doing mat drills at 6 a.m. this morning. He’s getting ready to throw some balls and learning how to read coverages. We are very excited. We couldn’t be happier to see Willie Gay and Kylin Hill stay home. Two local guys get to make their hometowns proud and make the people of Mississippi proud by playing for their home state. If you watched their signing day ceremonies, I think you saw just how proud and excited that everybody was. We have a wide range of guys, including some big offensive linemen including Josh Cooper, Montravious Richardson and Cordavien Suggs. We have some girth coming in with this class. Big Josh is an enormous human being. That’s us being very nice with him weighing 355 pounds. Montravious is a big guy and really athletic and Cordavien is really getting to come home. He’s from Jackson, Miss., even though he graduated from Fletcher High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He grew up here in Mississippi. We are really excited about them. We also signed Aaron Odom, who is a defensive end and a great pass rusher. He had 28 sacks last year. He’s going to help us immediately as a pass rusher coming off the edge. Again, this guy decided to stay home in the state of Mississippi and represent the people of the state. Tyler Dunning, a signee from Florida, is a national prospect from a national program out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Noah Elliss is a premier defensive lineman in the country coming to play for us from all the way out in Colorado. I’m pleased with our coaches when you look and see what our coaches have done. Brian Baker did a great job of getting Noah Elliss for us. Greg Knox did a great job of helping us get Aaron Odom. He was also the primary recruiter for Willie Gay and Kylin Hill. John Hevesy helped us get those offensive lineman. I’m pretty fired up.”

“As always in recruiting, how will this class turn out? We’ll find out three years from now. I remember standing up here a long time ago now- this building wasn’t even here- and everyone was worried about a recruiting class that had a bunch of no-name players like Preston Smith and Dak Prescott. Who are these guys? We’re never going to win with these guys people said. But I know this, these guys came to Mississippi State because they want to work hard and want to be developed just like guys in the past. They want to push themselves. They came here to work, both on the field and off the field, in the classroom and in the community. That’s what we take a lot of pride in. They see our program and see how we develop young men. They understand the hard work that goes into it. For them today to believe in that and to buy into that says a lot about the character of who these young men are and the futures that they are going to have.”

On a school-record 13 early enrollees in this class…

“It just played out that way. I think a lot of people will question was it a plan to have this? We don’t ever have a set number of junior college players or high school players. It just kind of played out that way. The first thing is, let’s look at home. Let’s look at great players in the state of Mississippi and there were a bunch of guys there. There were also some in the junior college ranks that we had placed there that can come in and make an immediate impact on our team. We had four high school guys enroll early, three from Mississippi. When I first came here, if you even suggested that a high school player should graduate early, they would throw you out of the school. I got thrown out of a high school once when I suggested that. The principal threw me out of the school saying ‘We don’t do that here. We aren’t letting you graduate players early.’ So to have three guys from Mississippi graduate high school early is huge. It lets them accelerate their career. Maybe it took some of the excitement out of today or maybe the craziness out of today because we only signed a small number of players today.”

On the job done by recruiting office staff, including Brad Peterson, Pat Austin and Rod Gibson…

“They did a good job. They learned a lot. Being on the other side of it, I think that they have a better appreciation of what goes on as it gets closer to signing day. I thought they did a great job in their first year. We’re trying to expand our recruiting department, trying to keep up with some other schools in the SEC. Those guys came in and did a great job of getting things done and helping us set the table in recruiting. I can guarantee you that they learned a lot. They knew the high school side, but they didn’t know it was like this on the college side.”

On the offensive linemen signees in this class…

“Well it’s a good thing that we have some tall quarterbacks. I think sometimes as an offensive lineman, you’re going one of two directions. Very rarely do they come completely ready to go coming out of high school. We normally have to either get them bigger or get them smaller. Some guys this year we’re going to have to get them to slim up to get a little bit smaller. What we evaluate is the athleticism. We are fortunate to have guys this athletic with the size that they have. It should help us have a bigger offensive line to help us run the football in the future.”

 

[Vernon]

On the recruitment of Aaron Odom…

“We tried to stick with him the whole time. Everybody handles recruiting differently. We had some good talks over the last couple of weeks. He really wanted to stay home and represent the state of Mississippi. And I know that we get caught up in a lot of the recruiting hype sometimes, and I think there was a little bit of that, but at the end he realized that this is where he belongs and that this is his family. I think at the very end he kind of quieted down and shut everything down and went dark. I think that was because of all the attention that it brought early on.”

On quarterback signee Keytaon Thompson enrolled already…“I think it’s huge. He came here because he knows that we know how to develop quarterbacks, even though early on he wasn’t as highly recruited as a lot of guys around the country. He ended up having a spectacular senior year which didn’t surprise me at all because I knew the type of player that he was when he committed to us a long time ago. I think he knows coming in that he has an unbelievable opportunity to get on the field early in his career. I hope he’s as excited to be here as we are that he’s here. He’s a sponge. He wants to learn. He wants to get out there on the field. He wants to get into the classroom. With our quarterback situation, we need that because he could be on the field playing for us right away next year.”

On the impact of hiring Todd Grantham as defensive coordinator…“I think it had a big impact. If you look at the defensive guys that we have, there is a lot of excitement. We were able to go out and get one of the premier coordinators in the nation in Todd Grantham if you look at what he’s done as a coordinator at Georgia and at Louisville before he came here. He fits what we want on defense. He’s a guy that’s going to bring an attacking style. His defenses always play hard and are great against the run. They’re physical. I think that helps solidify what our image is here. That’s what we expect defensively. And I think it certainly helped us get the guys that we got on the defensive side of the ball.”

On running back signee Kylin Hill…“I thought when we looked at him that he was one of the best, if not the best, running back in the country. Certainly, I thought, the best running back in the state of Mississippi. He brings the physical ability to run the ball between the tackles and breakaway speed when he gets into the second level. I think he had seven or eight touchdowns called back, but it’s not about the touchdown being called back to me. It’s about the next play. And I watched the intensity that he goes out with on the next play. There wasn’t a head down. He continues to play hard every single play. He’s a physical runner that has great skills once he gets into the open field. He catches the ball out of the backfield really well too. He’s going to be a weapon for us early in his career.”

On linebacker signee Willie Gay of Starkville High School…“Willie is a special player. We expect Willie to come in and play right away for us. He has size, speed and athleticism. He’s a productive player on film. One of the things that we have to do is really work to accelerate him. I expect him to be in the rotation week one of next season.”

On kicker/punter Tucker Day…

“We have three (high school) All-Americans, and he is one of our All-Americans in the group. We are excited to have him. There’s a good chance, he will be our kicker next year. I know in his mindset that’s the attitude he has to come in and take that job.”

 

[Vernon]

Ron English Named Mississippi State Football Safeties Coach

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Ron English, a veteran in the college coaching ranks and former head coach at Eastern Michigan, has been named Mississippi State football safeties coach, head coach Dan Mullen announced on Thursday.

English has 20 years of experience at the FBS level, including stints as defensive coordinator at Michigan, Louisville and most recently, San Jose State. A two-time Broyles Award nominee and the 2006 National Defensive Coordinator of the Year, English has appeared in nine bowl games, including three Rose Bowls.

“We are fortunate to hire someone of Ron’s caliber as safeties coach,” Mullen said. “To bring someone to our staff who has served as an FBS head coach and been a successful defensive coordinator is a tremendous asset for our program. His knowledge of the game, especially in the secondary, will complement our staff. We are excited to welcome Ron and his family to Starkville.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity to join Coach Mullen’s staff and be a part of the MSU family,” English said. “Bowl games have become the norm in Starkville, and the opportunity to coach in the Southeastern Conference with Dan and Todd Grantham is exciting. I look forward to helping our players develop and teaching the game I love.”

English comes to Starkville after serving the 2016 season as defensive coordinator at San Jose State. The Spartans ranked fourth in pass defense (188.6 ypg) in the Mountain West Conference, first in third-down conversion defense (37.6 percent), fifth in interceptions (10) and fourth in turnovers forced (19).

English spent five seasons as head coach at Eastern Michigan from 2009-13. In the last 30 years, he is one of only two EMU football coaches to be named a Mid-American Conference (MAC) Coach of the Year when he captured the honor in 2011. That squad finished with a 6-6 win-loss record, the most wins by the Eagles since 1995.

English spent the 2008 season as defensive coordinator at Louisville and prior to that was at Michigan from 2003-07 where he coached the defensive backs for his first three seasons and served as defensive coordinator in his final two seasons under legendary head coach Lloyd Carr.

In 2007, English oversaw an aggressive Michigan defense that was the nation’s eighth-ranked pass defense and 17th in pass efficiency defense. The Wolverines were also 23rd in scoring defense and 24th in total defense.

English was named Rivals.com 2006 National Defensive Coordinator of the Year during his initial season at Michigan. That Wolverine defense rated among the nation’s best, finishing first against the run, fourth in sacks, seventh in third-down defense, 10th in total defense and 15th in scoring defense.

The Michigan secondary collected 36 interceptions during his three seasons overseeing the entire corps and turned four of those picks into touchdowns. In addition, the Wolverines yielded just 37 touchdown passes by the opposition during that time, including an NCAA-leading nine in 2003.

English became the first coach in NCAA history to have two defensive backs earn consensus All-America honors in the same season, since the organization began incorporating both an offensive and defensive team in 1965. Cornerback Marlin Jackson and safety Ernest Shazor earned the recognition following the 2004 season. During his tenure on the Michigan staff he coached an All-Big Ten defensive back in every season and had two All-Conference selections in four of his five seasons.

English made an immediate impact on the Wolverine secondary during his first season as an assistant coach when Michigan tied for the national lead in fewest touchdown passes yielded with nine, and finished ninth in pass efficiency defense. The secondary collected 13 interceptions and returned two for scores.

English began his collegiate coaching career as the defensive backs coach at Mt. San Antonio College (1993) in Walnut, Calif., after coaching for one season at Ganesha High School (1992), his alma mater, in Pomona, Calif.

English also tutored the secondary for two seasons at San Diego State (1996-97) and served as the outside linebackers coach at Northern Arizona for the 1996 spring practice.

He then went on to spend five seasons (1998-2002) as an assistant football coach at Arizona State. He coached the secondary all five years with the Sun Devils, the final two years with the cornerbacks and the previous three seasons mentoring the safeties. He helped ASU to three bowl appearances: the 1999 and 2000 Aloha and 2002 Holiday bowls. His first stint at ASU was as a graduate assistant coach handling the defensive line during the 1994-95 seasons.

English was a four-year letterman (1987-90) and senior starter at safety for the California Golden Bears football squad. He also started on special teams all four seasons at Cal. English finished his career with 134 tackles and seven sacks and participated in the 1990 Copper Bowl against Wyoming. His identical twin brother, Don, also played for the Golden Bears.

A 1990 graduate of UC-Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, English earned his master’s degree in education administration from Arizona State in 1995.

English and his wife, Sophia have three children: Simon, Sydney and Seth.

Coaching Experience
2016: San Jose State (Defensive Coordinator)
2009-13: Eastern Michigan (Head Coach)
2008: Louisville (Defensive Coordinator)
2006-07: Michigan (Defensive Coordinator)
2003-05: Michigan (Secondary)
1998-2002: Arizona State (Secondary)
1996-97: San Diego State (Defensive Backs)
1996: Northern Arizona (Defensive Backs – spring only)
1994-95: Arizona State (Graduate Assistant)
1993: Mt. San Antonio College (Defensive Backs)
1992: Ganesha (Calif.) High School (Assistant Coach)

Bowl Games as a Coach (year indicates season) 2007: Capital One Bowl (Michigan)
2006: Rose Bowl (Michigan)
2005: Alamo Bowl (Michigan)
2004: Rose Bowl (Michigan)
2003: Rose Bowl (Michigan)
2002: Holiday Bowl (Arizona State)
2000: Aloha Bowl (Arizona State)
1999: Aloha Bowl (Arizona State)
1993: California Bowl (Mt. San Antonio College)

Personal Information
Birthdate: May 21, 1968
Hometown: Pomona, Calif.
Education: 1991 – Bachelor’s in social sciences (UC-Berkeley); 1995 – Master’s in education administration (Arizona State)
Wife: Sophia
Children: Simon, Sydney and Seth

 

[Vernon]

Nick Fitzgerald To Be Honored at Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio) Banquet Saturday, Prescott Named NFL Rookie of the Year

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- After breaking a pair of Southeastern Conference records and leading the league in total offensive yards in his first year as a starter, Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Nick Fitzgerald will be among multiple college football players honored at the 62nd Annual Touchdown Club of Columbus Awards on Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio.

The annual banquet, held at Express Live in Columbus, will honor standout high school and collegiate players and coaches from the 2016 football season as well as players projected to be national standouts in 2017.

Fitzgerald is one of multiple players receiving the Touchdown Club’s 2017 Player to Watch Award, which is based on outstanding performance during the 2016 season. He will join Riley Ferguson (QB, Memphis); Quinton Flowers (QB, South Florida); Deondre Francois (QB, Florida State); Khalil Hodge (LB, Buffalo); Micah Kiser (LB, Virginia); Ray Lawry (RB, Old Dominion); Anthony Miller (WR, Memphis); Mason Rudolph (QB, Oklahoma State); Mike Weber (RB, Ohio State); Mike White (QB, Western Kentucky); Cedrick Wilson (WR, Boise State) and Logan Woodside (QB, Toledo).

In 2016, Nick Fitzgerald shattered SEC single-season records for 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback (8) and average yards per rush by a quarterback (7.1, minimum 175 carries). He led the nation in 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing games with three and became the second Bulldog quarterback in the past three seasons to take the SEC total offensive yards crown, racking up 3,798 yards.

Fitzgerald was tops in the SEC in rushing touchdowns (16) and 100-yard rushing games among all players (8). He accounted for 37 touchdowns, which was second in the league and in the top 15 nationally.

Fitzgerald will anchor a Bulldog offense in 2017 that returns seven starters and begins spring practice on March 2.

Among the other 2016 Touchdown Club season awards presented at the banquet will be: Chic Harley Award for college football player of the year (Deshaun Watson, Clemson) and the Archie Griffin Award for college football most valuable player (Sam Darnold, USC).

Meanwhile, another MSU quarterback was recognized on Friday as Dak Prescott earned Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. The Dallas Cowboys signal caller officially received the award during Super Bowl week in Houston.

Prescott arguably had the best rookie season ever for a quarterback. He tied an NFL record for most regular-season wins by a rookie with 13 and set NFL rookie records for completion percentage (67.8), passer rating (104.9) and touchdown/interception differential (+19).

Prescott is the fifth SEC player to win the honor since its inception in 2002. Of the five winners, three have been coached by MSU head coach Dan Mullen. Mullen mentored 2009 winner Percy Harvin at Florida as well as 2011 recipient Cam Newton for two seasons in Gainesville.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." All-access coverage is also available on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."

 

[Chris Swanson]

Fans Asked To Wear White As No. 4 MSU Hosts Missouri On Sunday


STARKVILLE, Miss. – There might be a big game in Houston Sunday evening, but there will be a very big Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game in Starkville that afternoon.


No. 4 Mississippi State returns to Humphrey Coliseum at 1:30 p.m. Sunday to host Missouri in a contest between teams in the Top 3 of the league standings.


The contest will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network. WKBB-FM 100.9 will have the radio call in the Golden Triangle area, while WCNA-FM 95.9 will carry the game in the Corinth, Tupelo and Oxford areas.


A live audio stream will be available at hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app.


At 8-1 in the SEC and 22-1 for the season, Vic Schaefer’s squad sits a half game back of South Carolina for the league lead. Missouri comes to the Hump in a three-way tie for third at 6-3 in the conference and 16-7 overall.


State will not only be looking to keep itself atop the SEC standings, but it will also be seeking to make seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson the first Bulldog class to reach 100-career wins


Sunday’s game will be a “White Out,” with fans encouraged to wear white to the contest. The first 500 fans receive a free T-shirt to celebrate National Girls & Women In Sports Day.


Tickets cost $5 for adults, while admission is free for youth age 18 and under. Mississippi State students also get in free with a valid MSU ID.


Free youth tickets can be picked up at the ticket off or inside Bully’s Kidz Kourt, which opens at noon. MSU students can enjoy free games, food and more starting at noon in the student lounge.


Fans can enjoy a special performance at halftime by the nationally-renowned XPOGO.


The Bulldogs return home looking to continue the momentum of back-to-back wins against Texas A&M and Auburn. Thursday’s 77-47 win at Auburn gave MSU its record 10th road win of the season.


Last Sunday’s home victory against the Aggies improved State to 7-0 at the Hump. MSU has won 43 of its last 47 home games.


Missouri hits the road having won five-straight games following a home victory against Kentucky last Monday.


TICKETS

• $5 adults
• Free admission youth 18 & under (free tickets available at ticket office or Bully’s Kidz Kourt)
• Free admission MSU students with valid MSU student ID

PROMOTIONS

• “White Out” – Fans encouraged to wear white
• 500 Free National Girls & Women In Sports Day T-Shirts
• XPOGO performance at halftime
• Bully’s Kidz Kourt – Open Noon-1:15 p.m.
• MSU Student Lounge – Open 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m. and halftime
• Maroon Memories Experiences –www.hailstate.com/memories
• Trustmark’s Hail State Rewards Jackpot for $100
• Parker-McGill’s Full-Court Putt Contest for the chance to win $5,000
• Texaco’s Fan Cam $50 gift card
• Cadence Bank’s Wheel Deal for $25 cash
• Sports Specialty’s T-shirt Shoot

SERIES VS. MISSOURI

• Sunday’s game will be the seventh meeting between the Bulldogs and Tigers. The two never met before Missouri joined the SEC.
• State has won five of the six meetings, with Missouri claiming its first win in the series last season in Columbia, 66-54.
• The Bulldogs won the second meeting in Starkville, 52-42, behind 17 points from Morgan William and 13 from Victoria Vivians.
• Sunday will be just the third meeting in Starkville.

ABOUT THE TIGERS

• Missouri comes to the Hump having won five straight to improve to 16-7 overall, 6-3 in SEC play. The Tigers average 66.7 ppg and shoot 43.1% from the floor, 33.8% from 3-point range and 78.6% from the free-throw line.
• Sophie Cunningham paces the Tigers with 16.1 ppg. Cierra Porter averages 14.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
• Sophie Cunningham also tops Mizzou in league games with 16.2 ppg. Porter averages 13.8 ppg and 8.0 rpg while Sierra Michaelis is scoring at a 15.0 clip in conference play.

NEXT UP FOR THE DAWGS

• MSU wraps a two-game homestand next Thursday against Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on SEC Network.
• State then heads to Oxford on Feb. 12 for a rematch against Ole Miss before returning home to host Georgia on Feb. 16.

BULLDOG BITES

• State’s senior class of Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson seeks win No. 100 on Sunday. The quartet is 99-30 (.767) since 2013-14, the winningest class in program history and the second-most wins in the league in that span.
• MSU claimed its 22nd win and 10th road win Thursday at Auburn. The 10 road wins are a school record. The 22 total wins tied the 2013-14 team for sixth-most in school history.
• The Bulldogs are 30-11 in the SEC since 2014-15, the second-most wins in the SEC in that span. State has won 15 of its last 18 regular-season SEC games.
• State’s 77 points at Auburn were the most allowed by the Tigers in an SEC game since Jan. 10, 2016. MSU’s 77.6 ppg scored this season is second in the league, 20th in the nation.
• The Tigers’ 47 points tied their season low. It is the 10th time this season the Bulldogs have held an opponent below 50 points. MSU tops the SEC in scoring defense both overall (54.0 ppg - 10th in Division I) and in conference games (55.6).
• State shot 50% for the second time in SEC play. MSU is second in the SEC, 19th in the country, in FG% this season (46.0%)
• MSU hit 45% from 3-point range Thursday. The Dawgs are 16 of 35 (45.7%) from the arc the last two games and have made 37.4% on the year, second-most in the league.
• State held Auburn to 23.1% from the 3-point line, the third time in four games to hold its opponent below 30%. State tops the SEC and is eighth nationally in 3FG% defense (25.9%).
• The Bulldogs have claimed double-digit offensive rebounds in 21 of 23 games this season. State averages 15.6 offensive rebounds per game, tops in the SEC and 28th nationally.
• MSU has led wire-to-wire 10 times this season. State has trailed by more than two possessions in just three games on the year.
• Victoria Vivians notched her 17th-straight game in double figures. She is fifth in the SEC in scoring overall (16.9 ppg) and fourth in league play (18.0 ppg).
• Vivians’ 17 points at Auburn put her over 1,500 points for her career. She is eight points from seventh in program history.
• MSU centers Chinwe Okorie and Teaira McCowan combined to go 12 of 16 (75.0%) from the floor at Auburn. They are 80 of 120 (66.7%) from the field in SEC play. McCowan is 32 of 41 (78.0%) from the floor her last six games, including 15 of her last 19 (78.9%).
• McCowan has scored double figures in six of her last seven games after tallying 10 plus twice in the team’s first 16 contests.
• Breanna Richardson now stands 10 points from recording 1,000 for her career.
• Dominique Dillingham is 8 of 14 (57.1%) from 3-point range the last five games.
• Morgan William dished six assists against just one turnover against the Tigers. She is dishing 6.2 apg the last six contests.

 

[Chris Swanson]

Bulldog Seniors Claim 100th Win With 70-53 Victory Against Mizzou


STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 5/4 Mississippi State celebrated Super Sunday with a 70-53 Southeastern Conference women’s basketball win over Missouri Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum.


MSU won its third-straight contest to improve to 23-1 overall and 9-1 in league play. A Top 30-RPI opponent, Missouri fell to 16-8 and 6-4. The senior class notched its 100th career victory with Sunday’s win.


Dominique Dillingham scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Bulldogs. Ironically, Dillingham’s previous career-high of 21 points came in 2014 against Missouri. Victoria Vivians battled through foul trouble to score 15 points, while Breanna Richardson had 13 points.


Richardson topped 1,000 career points with her performance.


“Really proud of my team,” MSU head coach Vic Schaefer said. “(Thursday’s opponent) Auburn can wear you down, so I was concerned going into this game. Missouri has an excellent team, so we knew we would have to bring a lot of energy. I like how we started the game. I like our toughness.”


The teams played an offensive-oriented first quarter. The lead changed hands several times before the Bulldogs took the lead for good at 12-11 on a basket by Vivians. The Bulldogs stretched the lead to five at 18-13 on a basket by Chinwe Okorie. Missouri battled back and trailed 18-17 after one quarter.


The Bulldogs stretched the lead by holding the Tigers to 10 points in the second quarter. A 9-0 run was capped by a layup from Vivians and pushed the lead to 30-19 with 4:13 left in the half. The Bulldogs held a similar lead at halftime, holding a 36-27 at advantage.


“It’s great to be represented by two seniors like (Dillingham and Richardson),” Schaefer said. “The seniors have won 100 games, and we are not done yet. These players came here and believed in our vision. We had nothing to show them but what we wanted to do.”


Missouri was held without a field goal for almost seven minutes in the third quarter. The Bulldogs used an 11-0 run for a 47-27 lead on a basket by Richardson with 5:00 left in the quarter. MSU held a 52-36 lead entering the fourth quarter.


For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 26 of 59 shots from the field (44.1 percent), 6 of 15 shots from 3-point range (40.0 percent) and 12 of 19 shots from the foul line (63.2 percent). The Tigers hit a season-low 15 of 45 shots from the field (33.3 percent), 4 of 19 shots from 3-point range (21.1 percent) and 19 of 20 shots from the foul line (95.0 percent).


The Bulldogs also held the Tigers to their lowest-scoring effort in conference play and forced more turnovers than any prior opponent.


Missouri held a 43-25 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 14 assists and eight turnovers, while the Tigers had 11 assists and 29 turnovers. The Bulldogs had 35 points off turnovers, while allowing only two.


Missouri received 19 points from Sophie Cunningham.


MSU resumes league play with a Thursday home game against Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs and Commodores tip at 8 p.m. from the Humphrey Coliseum on the SEC Network.

 

[Chris Swanson]

MSU Baseball Announces Cowbell Yell and Fan Day

STARKVILLE, Miss. –A pair of opportunities for fans and students to interact with the 2017 Diamond Dawgs, free of charge, have been announced by Mississippi State baseball and the MSU marketing department.

Cowbell Yell will take place on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. The event will precede the women’s basketball game against Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. in Humphrey Coliseum. The first 1,000 students will receive a voucher for a free “The Dudes” t-shirt to be redeemed at the women’s basketball game following the event.

Fan Day will be held Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m.-noon in the Palmeiro Center. Doors will open at 9:45 a.m. Autograph lines will last from 10:15 a.m.-noon, and will be split between pitchers, position players and Diamond Dawgs in Minor League Baseball. Head coach Andy Cannizaro and MLB players in town will be on hand as well to greet fans and sign autographs. There will also be the Fan Zone near the batting cages, which will include inflatables, photo opportunities, face painting and more.

Following Fan Day, fans are encouraged to stick around and see the Diamond Dawgs in action in an intrasquad scrimmage that is slated for 1:30 p.m. Kids will be able to run the bases after the game. Fan Day and the scrimmage are a part of Spring FanFest which is taking place on the MSU campus Saturday as fans are also encouraged to attend women’s tennis, softball and men’s basketball contests on campus throughout the day.

Fans can upgrade their Fan Day experience with Maroon Memories as a number of options are available throughout the day, whether it be early entry into Fan Day or serving as the “Play Ball” Kid for the scrimmage to follow. For more information and to see additional experiences that will be offered during the 2017 season, visit HailState.com/memories.

The Diamond Dawgs will begin the 2017 season at Dudy Noble Field on Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. CT against 2016 College World Series participant Texas Tech. Season tickets and Pick 15 Flex Pack options are on sale at HailState.com/tickets.

Fans can also purchase a $20 Super Saturday ticket which will include a ticket to MSU's Feb. 18 game vs. Western Illinois during Opening Weekend and a ticket to the 1 p.m. men's basketball game vs. Florida earlier in the day. A $30 value, Super Saturday tickets can be purchased at HailState.com/tickets.

For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebookand join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”

 

[Vernon]

Jake Mangum Receives Fourth Preseason All-America Honor of 2017


D1 Baseball Preseason All-American Teams


STARKVILLE, Miss. –With less than two weeks until the start of the 2017 season, Mississippi State sophomore outfielder Jake Mangum has been named a first team Preseason All-American by D1 Baseball, which gives Mangum four such honors this year.


As a freshman in 2016, Mangum collected the SEC batting crown, recording a league-high .408 batting average, in addition to being named SEC Freshman of the Year, All-SEC First Team and recognition on seven All-America lists. Mangum’s .408 single-season average stands seventh in school history, ousting Rafael Palmeiro’s .406 batting average during his rookie campaign in 1983. Mangum spent the offseason playing summer ball in the prestigious Cape Cod baseball league for the Bourne Braves.


Fans will have a pair of opportunities to meet Mangum and the rest of the 2017 Diamond Dawgs this week with Cowbell Yell set for Thursday, Feb. 9 and Fan Day to take place on Saturday, Feb. 11. More information on the two events can be found here.


The Diamond Dawgs will begin the 2017 season at Dudy Noble Field on Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. CT against 2016 College World Series participant Texas Tech. Season tickets and Pick 15 Flex Pack options are on sale at HailState.com/tickets.


For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”


Preseason Accolades
OF – Jake Mangum – So. D1 Baseball Preseason All-American (First Team)

NCBWA Preseason All-American (First Team)Perfect Game Preseason All-American (Second Team)
Baseball America Preseason All-American (Second Team)
OF – Brent Rooker – RJr. Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American (Third Team)

 

[Chris Swanson]

STARKVILLE, Miss. – A pair of big Southeastern Conference wins last week helped the Mississippi State women’s basketball team move back to No. 4 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll.


MSU climbed one spot back to No. 4 after improving to 23-1 overall, 9-1 in SEC play, with a 77-47 road win at Auburn on Thursday and a 70-53 home victory against Missouri Sunday afternoon.


State’s 23 victories are tied for the most in the nation this season. The two wins kept MSU a half game behind South Carolina, who fell to No. 6 this week, in this week’s poll.


Vic Schaefer’s squad earned its 50th-straight week in the poll, the seventh-longest active streak in the nation.


Sunday’s victory earned State seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson their program-best 100th win. Dillingham led the way with a career-best 24 points, while Richardson reached 1,000-career points with her 13-point effort.


Fans can celebrate the record-setting campaign at Tuesday’s Hail State Hoops Luncheon in Mize Pavilion. The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m., with doors opening at 11:15.


For $12, fans are treated to a delicious meal, highlights from previous games and hoops talk with Schaefer, his coaching staff and members of his fourth-ranked Bulldogs.


Mississippi State football will also be on the docket for Tuesday’s luncheon, as new Bulldog defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will be the guest speaker.


Fans can RSVP for the luncheon either by phone (662.325.0198) or email (dbrown@athletics.msstate.edu).


The Bulldogs wrap back-to-back home games Thursday, hosting Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on SEC Network. State then heads to Oxford Feb. 12 for a rematch against Ole Miss. That contest will also air on the SEC Network beginning at 3 p.m.


Associated Press Top 25 Poll – February 6, 2017

Rnk. Team Rcd. Pts. Pvs.

1 UConn (33) 22-0 825 1

2 Baylor 23-1 790 2

3 Maryland 23-1 758 3

4 Mississippi State 23-1 709 5

5 Florida State 21-2 682 6

6 South Carolina 20-2 680 4

7 Notre Dame 21-3 606 7

8 Stanford 20-3 593 8

9 Oregon State 22-2 547 11

10 Washington 22-3 540 10

11 Texas 18-4 489 12

12 Louisville 20-5 458 9

13 Ohio State 21-5 423 14

14 Duke 20-4 407 15

15 UCLA 17-5 341 13

16 Miami (FL) 17-5 331 16

17 NC State 17-6 294 19

18 DePaul 20-5 276 17

19 Oklahoma 18-6 237 18

20 Syracuse 17-7 190 24

21 Michigan 19-5 122 NR

22 South Florida 18-4 95 20

23 Arizona State 15-8 72 23

24 Tennessee 15-8 67 NR

25 Kansas State 17-7 48 NR


Others Receiving Votes: Drake 43, Texas A&M 22, Kentucky 14, Green Bay 12, West Virginia 12, Creighton 10, Temple 9, California 7, Gonzaga 7, Colorado State 4, Missouri 4, Dayton 1.

 

[Chris Swanson]

MSU Travels To The Plains To Battle Auburn In A Key SEC Showdown

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Following one of the biggest come-from-wins in school history, Mississippi State looks to stay in the win column on Tuesday when it travels to Auburn.


Tip at Auburn Arena is set for 8p.m. on the SEC Network, with Mike Couzens and Brooke Weisbrod handling the broadcast. The game can also be heard on the MSU radio network with veterans Jim Ellis and Richard Williams on the call.


MSU stands at 14-8 on the season, 5-5 in league play after rallying from 19 down to turn back Tennessee on Saturday, 64-59. Mario Kegler paced the Bulldogs with a career high 17 points, while Schnider Herard and Xavian Stapleton each posted double-doubles.


Auburn enters the contest 15-8, 4-6, after upsetting Alabama 82-77 in Tuscaloosa to earn the season sweep.


THE SERIES

The Tigers lead the all-time series 74-69 with a 45-23 advantage in Auburn. MSU has won four of the last six outings.


COACHES

Ben Howland is in his second year at MSU and 21st overall. As a head coach in four different stops, he is 429-231 with a 28-25 mark with the Bulldogs.


Bruce Pearl is in his third year at Auburn and owns a 41-48 ledger. In 22 years overall, he’s 503-195.


QUOTABLE

“We’re just focused on one game at a time trying to win each and every game that we play in its own value and motivation. We are trying to get a win against really good teams. Our league is good.” — MSU coach Ben Howland on his team.


NEXT 2

At home against South Carolina on Feb. 11 and at Georgia on Feb. 14.


BULLDOG BITES

l Mississippi State has won four of the last six against Auburn and six out of the last 10.

l Against Tennessee, MSU overcame a 19-point deficit, it’s largest in a win since rallying from 17 down last year against Vanderbilt.

l The Bulldogs’ largest deficit to overcome was 20 in 2002 (30-10, 6:37|1H) at home against Kentucky in a 74-69 overtime win.

l Against Tennessee, MSU won for the first time this season in six games when having fewer assists than its opponent (11-9).

l Mario Kegler had a career-high 17 points against UT as he surpassed 200 for his career (216).

l The Bulldogs shot 30.9 percent (21-68) against the Vols, marking the first time MSU won when shooting 35 percent or worse since beating Arkansas (.350, 21-60) 57-55 on March 1, 2005.

l Also against UT, Xavian Stapleton recorded his first-career double-double with career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (11). Schnider Herard had his second double-double (12 pts., 15 rbs.). It was the first time since the Arkansas game last year MSU had two players with a double-double in the same game (Gavin Ware, Quinndary Weatherspoon).

l MSU seeks its 15th win this season, the most since having 21 in 2012.

l KenPom.com has MSU as the least experienced team of all 351 DI programs.

l MSU had a season-high 19 second-chance points against the Vols, the most since also having 19 a year ago versus UT Martin.

l Tyson Carter leads all SEC freshmen in free throw shooting percentage with at least 25 attempts at .893 (25-28).

l Sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon is third in the SEC with his 17.0 scoring clip. MSU hasn’t had a player average 18-plus since Darryl Wilson in 1996 (18.0).

l Five times this season, MSU has rallied from deficits of 10-plus points to win.

l Mississippi State has two players with 10-plus, 30-minute games this year — Quinndary Weatherspoon (15) and I.J. Ready (11).

 

[Chris Swanson]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jessica Peng’s career-low round lasted less than 24 hours. The Mississippi State women’s golf senior shot a 65 on Monday as both she and the Bulldogs moved atop the leaderboard following the second round of the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Fla.


After opening with a 66 on Sunday, Peng fired a 7-under 65 on Monday to take a three-shot lead into Tuesday’s final round.


Peng recorded seven birdies over her final 12 holes to finish with the second-lowest round in school history. She carded a 131 for her first two rounds, bettering her own school 36-hole record by six shots.


“Today was a good day. I just made sure that I did all of my shot routines that coach teaches us before I took my shots, Peng said. “I didn’t really think about all the birdies, I just kept playing through.”


Peng’s stellar play helped Mississippi State tie the school single-round record with a 13-under 275 on Monday. The Bulldogs bettered the field by three shots in the second round to take a seven-shot lead at 16-under 275.


Monday’s 275 tied for the lowest round in program history, while it’s 560 two-round tally ranks as the second-lowest by a Bulldog squad.


“We knew it was in us, and it was great to see the ladies take control of their rounds while having fun doing it,” MSU coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said. “To watch them finish strong was also rewarding as we work on that constantly. I loved seeing Jessica perform to her potential. She is an exception athlete and a strong senior leader on the team.”


Freshman Athena Yang continued her solid start to the spring, carding a 2-under 70 on Monday to move into a tie for 11th with a 3-under 141.


Two Bulldogs, Kendall Wisenbaker and Katie Holt, recorded their first collegiate eagles on Monday. Wisenbaker eagled the 484-yard, par 5 13th en route to finishing with a 4-under 68. Her stellar round moved her into a tie for 28th with a 1-under 143.


Holt’s eagle on the par 4, 380-yard 14th propelled her to a 2-under 70. That round moved her into a tie for 33rd with an even-par 144.


Ji Eun Baik improved nine strokes in the second round by firing a 70, while rookie Ela Grimwood carded a 79.


MSU wraps the UCF Challenge Tuesday. The final round tees off at 9 a.m. CST.


Team Results-Second Round

1 Mississippi St. U. 285 275 560 -16

2 Miami 287 280 567 -9

3 UCF 280 288 568 -8

4 Clemson 286 283 569 -7

5 Daytona State College 293 278 571 -5

6 Texas 288 284 572 -4

T7 Kent State 290 284 574 -2

T7 Iowa State 285 289 574 -2

T9 Kentucky 283 292 575 -1

T9 Old Dominion 286 289 575 -1

T11 Auburn 284 292 576 E

T11 Wisconsin 283 293 576 E

13 Tulane 291 288 579 +3

14 East Carolina 288 294 582 +6

15 SMU 292 291 583 +7

16 South Florida 297 288 585 +9

17 UNC Wilmington 295 301 596 +20

MSU Players- Second Round

1 Chieh Jessica Peng (1) 66 65 131

T11 Athena Yang (5) 71 70 141

T33 Katie Holt (4) 74 70 144

T67 Ji Eun Baik (2) 79 70 149

T81 Ela Grimwood (3) 74 79 153

 

[Chris Swanson]

STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the 2017 season just four days away, the Mississippi State softball program held it’s annual media day at the Humphrey Coliseum.

Head coach Vann Stuedeman, senior third baseman Caroline Seitz and senior pitcher Alexis Silkwood addressed the media on Monday, answering questions ranging from the competition of this weekend’s Bulldog Kickoff Classic to year two of playing in Nusz Park.

A full transcript of today’s media session is below.

Studeman and the Bulldogs open their season on Friday, Feb. 10 against Georgia State (3 p.m. CT) and Stephen F. Austin (5:30 p.m.). MSU will then face off against Western Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. The field will then be seeded to determine the remaining weekend schedule. Admission is free to all fans.

For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".

 

[Chris Swanson]

Head Coach Vann Stuedeman

Opening Statement …

“Thank you very much for being here. I really appreciate you making the time for softball as we gear up. We’re really excited about this year. We have five seniors that have seen significant playing time during their tenure at Mississippi State. All but one were starters as freshmen and the one that was not a starter ended up starting her sophomore and junior years and playing almost every game of those two years. We’re very veteran and we’re looking forward to that leadership. All five of them are doing a very good job in leading this squad, as well as our juniors, with Holly Ward being a significant presence in the circle. A lot of junior, senior leadership, as well as junior Calyn Adams, who saw a lot of time at second base last year. She’ll see split time at second and catcher this year. We’re looking forward to seeing how the leadership of these five seniors pays off and pays forward. We’re looking forward to seeing how it pays off on the scoreboard, too. But ultimately all five are winners in my heart and have made a huge impact on Mississippi State softball.”

On the competition of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic …

“Georgia State is our kickoff game. They have Ivy Drake, who hit over .380 and also over .400 against lefties last year. You can pretty much bank that you’re going to see our senior lefty Alexis Silkwood start the season opener, as you would expect to see a senior veteran pitcher start that game. Ivy is one of the Top 50 candidates for player of the year and one of the best hitters in the country, so we’ll have to be really smart. They all hit very well and have a good lineup. They did lose their starting pitcher from last year, however they do return several other pitchers that saw some action. Western Kentucky was down last year, but nonetheless, we really try to play the game and play against ourselves, not the opponent. We realize that the game is always against us and our mind. We also have Stephen F. Austin. We have not seen them, so it will be interesting to play an opponent that we have to seen. We have played Georgia State and Western Kentucky since these seniors have been here, so I look for it to be a good starting tournament. It will be a good test and we’ll be able to put a lot of players out there. You’ll see our main five, but the other four or five, meaning DP (designated player), could be a lot of different people. We’re going to be doing a lot of switches early in the year, so I look forward to playing some good, worthy opponents and seeing some strong softball out of the gate this weekend.”

On getting the offense back on track after last season …

“It’s all how you look at that. A setback is a setup for a comeback. I we look at it as learners, it’s ‘what can we learn from last year while returning all five of our hitters?’ All five of them hit and will hit again this year. So what can we learn from that and that experience? Also, iron sharpens iron. We had the third-toughest schedule in the country last year and if the adage is true, we should be really sharp.”

On how the team has worked on the team culture in the offseason …

“It’s just investing in each other. Spending more quality time with each other. Learning about each other beyond a surface ‘hello.’ Learning where the person actually comes from and what drives them. That just comes from spending time together and asking those questions. We are really trying to help our leadership council in learning how to do that beyond having a coach facilitator. I can always facilitate, but they’re going to get a little more real with each other when I’m not there. Just spending a lot of time getting in those questions and still collectively doing that. We have a couple exercises coming up in the next few weeks that I’m going to roll out. We have a pitcher-catcher, get-to-know-you monthly get together. It’s just about investing in each other beyond a ‘hello’ and ‘we wear the same jersey.’”

On approaching the 2017 season …

“We’re going to process this season from the inside-out. What we feel about ourselves is the most important thing. Our self-worth, our confidence level. We love the publicity, but we’re going to make sure we tune out some of the opinions from elsewhere. Our friends, our parents, whoever those outside influences may be coming from, the student body and what not. We know who we are as individuals and it’s 98.6 (degrees) inside. It does not mean my big puffy [jacket] will not be on, but all the time I will be telling them that it does not matter what happens on the outside. It’s about what we believe about ourselves as individuals and as an internal group, from the inside-out.”

On the boost Nusz Park has given the program…

“I think one of the greatest things it does for our program is that not only do they feel pride to put on the Mississippi State jersey, but they feel proud when they step out between the white lines. They’re proud of where they’re playing and they’re proud to look out into the stands. We set a record in attendance in a down year. So it just shows you what the facility brought to our program. For them, it’s a sense of pride that their administration, at the time Scott Stricklin and now John Cohen and President Keenum, believe what they are doing is worthy. That spills over into the community in that they showed up, because what we are doing is so much fun and is worthy of their time. And since it’s free, it’s worth their family time. They don’t have to spend a dime to come out and see us and they get a wonderful experience in that our girls are going to play their hearts out and then they’re going to go into the stands and meet them. It’s free and you can bring your kids and not have to spend $40-50 at the ballpark and they’re actually going to get an experience. One they can take home with them.”

Sr. LHP Alexis Silkwood

On the team culture from last season…

“One thing that I like to think about is that is was almost like a twilight zone last year. So we came back and said we’re going to change this year. We’re not just going to invest in our softball skills, but invest in each other and really embrace the family mentality. You can already see it. We have weekly get-togethers at each others’ houses, have game nights, go to movies. It’s not just about our chemistry on the field; it starts off the field as well. Then you see it go into the weight room and into running and ultimately into softball. So I think that it’s definitely been an improvement this year.”

On if she has been developing confidence in her game this offseason…

“100 percent. Definitely. I told Vann that my mind just exploded one day, because it just clicked. I feel like that’s what happened this fall. Just getting past a barrier and taking what I’ve learned in the bullpen into the game. And you can definitely see it in the scrimmages about being comfortable being uncomfortable. She’s done a great job every single year. And each year it just seems like I keep getting better and better.”

On starting the season opener…

“Oh yeah, I’m just like ‘Can we go play now?’ When she said that, my heart rate accelerated. It’s really awesome, because you get to go out there with your best friends and your sisters and fight for something bigger than yourselves. To be able to represent this university is such an honor and to be able to do it for the last time, it’s crazy.”

On the boost Nusz Park has given the program…

“All the teams before us paved the way so we get to have the benefit of having this beautiful stadium. It’s awesome to be able to call this home and to show the alumni that come back, say ‘hey, look at what you all helped us do.’ Every single day we just smile and say, ‘hey, that’s our home.’”


Sr. 3B Caroline Seitz

On getting the offense back on track after last season …

“You never know if it was mental or physical, but I think the team has a great mindset this year. We’re looking phenomenal in the box. Morgan Bell has looked better than she ever has and Madison Cousineau, who is a sophomore, looks just great in the box. Everyone is having a great mindset and is just ready to go into the year dominating. I think last year, we learned from it, but we’re not going to dwell on it. We’re going to get better.”

On the boost Nusz Park has given the program…

“It made everything sweeter and will help this program in the long run in so many ways. We got to host the SEC Tournament, because we had a huge, beautiful, nice stadium and that’s not something that everyone in their four years gets to do. So that was a cool experience and I’ll never forget that. Just having a big, huge stadium makes you feel grateful and it makes you want to win more for this university and pay back your dues for everything this university has done for us.”

 

[Chris Swanson]

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State junior guard Morgan William has been tabbed to the Dawn Staley Award Midseason Watch List, the Phoenix Club of Philadelphia announced Monday.


William is one of 19 players named to the list for the award, which is presented to the nation’s top collegiate guard who exemplifies the ball-handling, scoring, ability to distribute the basketball and will to win that Staley possessed during her career.


The winner of the award will be announced during Final Four weekend, while the ceremony will be held in April at the Union League of Philadelphia.


William has enjoyed a banner junior season for MSU (23-1, 9-1 SEC), ranking second on the team in scoring at 10.3 ppg while topping the squad in both assists (4.6 apg) and steals (2.0 spg).


She has had her best year shooting the basketball, knocking down 46.8 percent from the field while topping the Dawgs at the free-throw line (80.9 percent).


The Birmingham, Ala., native’s 4.6 season assists average is third in the league, and her 2.0 spg is seventh. She is sixth in assist/turnover ratio for the year with a 2.2 mark.


In league games, William tops the SEC with a 3.6 assist/turnover ratio, dishing 58 assists to just 16 turnovers.


Through the first 10 SEC games, she rates second in the league in assists with 5.8 per game. She has averaged 6.7 apg her last five games.


William passed 900-career points in Sunday’s win against Missouri, a game after she eclipsed 400 assists with six at Auburn.


Her 409-career assists are second among current SEC players and fifth in her class nationally. She is eighth overall, fifth among juniors, in the Division I ranks in career free-throw percentage (83.5 percent).


William’s 136-career steals are ninth among active league players.


She also paces the team this season in charges taken with 18.


William and the Bulldogs are back in action at Humphrey Coliseum Thursday, hosting Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.

 

[Chris Swanson]

Bulldogs Claim School-Record No. 3 Ranking In USA Today Top 25 Poll


STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State women’s basketball added another first to the extensive list it has compiled under Vic Schaefer.


The latest came Tuesday as the Bulldogs rose to a school-record No. 3 in the latest USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll.


State earned the record ranking a day after moving up to No. 4 in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25. The Bulldogs have been in both polls 50-straight weeks.


The Bulldogs have maintained their position in the Top 5 for 10-straight weeks by compiling a 23-1 overall record and 9-1 SEC mark. State sits a half game back of South Carolina for the league lead.


MSU and South Carolina are two of three SEC teams in the poll. The Gamecocks stayed at No. 6, while Tennessee remained at No. 25.


Mississippi State returns to action at Humphrey Coliseum Thursday, hosting Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. on the SEC Network.


USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll – February 7, 2016

Rnk. Team Rcd. Pts. Pvs.

1 Connecticut (31) 22-0 775 1

2 Maryland 23-1 739 3

3 Mississippi State 23-1 695 4

4 Florida State 22-2 660 5

5 Baylor 23-2 652 2

6 South Carolina 20-2 640 6

7 Notre Dame 22-3 588 8

8 Washington 22-3 533 10

9 Oregon State 22-2 527 11

10 Texas 19-4 503 13

11 Stanford 20-4 429 9

12 UCLA 18-5 425 12

13 Ohio State 21-5 405 14

14 Louisville 20-6 400 7

15 Duke 20-4 375 15

16 DePaul 20-5 280 17

T17 Miami (Fla.) 17-6 262 16

T17 North Carolina State 17-6 262 19

19 Syracuse 17-7 190 21

20 Oklahoma 18-6 167 22

21 Arizona State 15-8 163 18

22 Michigan 19-5 120 NR

23 South Florida 18-4 98 20

24 California 17-7 52 NR

25 Tennessee 15-8 36 25

Others Receiving Votes: West Virginia (16-7) 22; Texas A&M (17-6) 19; Temple (17-5) 14; Northwestern (17-6) 12; Creighton (17-6) 10; Wisconsin-Green Bay (19-4) 10; Drake (18-4) 5; Kansas State (17-7) 4; Arkansas-Little Rock (17-6) 3; Tulane (15-8) 1.

 

[Chris Swanson]

ORLANDO, Fla. – Senior Jessica Peng landed her first career tournament win as she led the Mississippi State women’s golf team to a third place finish in the spring-opening UCF Challenge.


After opening the tournament with rounds of 66 and 65, Peng fired a 74 on Tuesday to finish with an 11-under 205 and claim her first tournament title by one shot.


Peng claimed the program’s second and third-lowest 18-hole scores en route to posting the best 36-hole score in school history. She wrapped the event by notching the second-lowest 54-hole score by a Bulldog.


Peng led MSU to a three-day 854, the third-lowest 54-hole total in school history.


The Bulldogs found the going difficult during the first nine holes, but quickly turned things around and fought to end the event tied for third place with 20th-ranked UCF and Texas.


State was only one of two unranked schools to finish in the Top 10. MSU finished four shots behind 50th-ranked Clemson, who fired a 14-under 850 and won the team title over Miami (Fla.).


Katie Holt was the only other Bulldog to break the Top 25 as she ended her day tied for 23rd with a 71.


Athena Yang and Ji Eun Baik notched a 77 and 73, respectively on Tuesday. Yang finished in a tie for 33rd, while Baik tied for 54th. Ella Grimwood ended her MSU debut tied for 81st after shooting a final-round 76.


Kendall Wisenbaker carded a career-low 214 and tied for 20th place, the best finish among players only competing as individuals.


Mississippi State has a quick turnaround as its travels to New Orleans for the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic Feb. 19-21.



Team Results-Final Round

T1 Clemson 286-283-281=850 -14

T1 Miami 287-280-283=850 -14

T3 Texas 288-284-282=854 -10

T3 UCF 280-288-286=854 -10

T3 Mississippi St. U. 285-275-294=854 -10

6 Kent State 290-284-287=861 -3

7 Auburn 284-292-288=864 E

T8 Wisconsin 283-293293=869 +5

T8 SMU 292-291-286=869 +5

10 Daytona State College 293-278-301=872 +8

11 Iowa State 285-289-299=873 +9

12 Kentucky 283-292-299=874 +10

T13 Tulane 291-288-297=876 +12

T13 East Carolina 288-294-294=876 +12

15 Old Dominion 286-289-302=877 +13

16 South Florida 297-288-303=888 +24

17 UNC Wilmington 295-301-310=906 +42


MSU Players- Final Round

1 Chieh Jessica Peng 66-65-74=205 -11

T23 Katie Holt 74-70-71=215 -1

T33 Athena Yang 71-70-77=218 +2

T54 Ji Eun Baik 79-70-73=222 +6

T81 Ela Grimwood 74-79-76=229 +13

T20 Kendall Wisenbaker 75-68-71=214

 

[Chris Swanson]

MSU MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT AUBURN

AUBURN, Ala. – Mississippi State could not duplicate the comeback magic Tuesday night.

Down by as many as 21 points, the Bulldogs made another huge comeback before falling 98-92 to Auburn in a Southeastern Conference game played at the Auburn Arena.

MSU fell to 14-9 overall and 5-6 in league play, while Auburn improved to 16-8 and 5-6. MSU was back on the court for the first time since erasing a 19-point deficit to beat Tennessee 64-59 at home Saturday afternoon.

This time around, Auburn hit eight first-half 3-pointers and led 48-28 at halftime. The Tigers stretched the lead to 21 with 15:40 left in the contest. The Bulldogs missed three different shots in the lane when trailing by six and actually got the deficit down to five at 91-86 with 51 seconds left.

Quinndary Weatherspoon led the Bulldogs with 25 points. Lamar Peters added 23 points, while Mario Kegler had 16 points. Weatherspoon had a team-high nine rebounds, while Peters added seven assists. Weatherspoon has scored 25 or more points six times this season. Peters was 10 of 11 at the foul line.

“We took too many shots that were not good in the first half,” MSU head coach Ben Howland said. “We only had 13 turnovers, but they scored 26 points off them, which means they scored on basically every turnover. Really pleased with our fight. Our guys have a lot of fight in them. It was a two-possession game there at the end.

“In the second half, we attacked the rim more and got to the line more.”

MSU enjoyed its last lead of the game at 17-16 after a 3-point basket by Eli Wright with 11:10left in the first half. Auburn responded with a 9-0 run for a 25-17 lead. The Tigers would then follow with a 12-0 run for a 38-21 lead with 4:15 left in the half.

In the second half, the Bulldogs scored 64 points and put themselves in a position.

A 9-0 run was capped by an Aric Holman tipin and brought the Bulldogs within 74-64 with 7:20 left. The Bulldogs would fall back down 15 but pull within seven at 86-79 on an Xavian Stapleton basket with 2:11 left.

For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 27 of 59 shots from the field (45.8 percent), 11 of 23 shots from 3-point range (47.8 percent) and 27 of 34 shots from the foul line (79.4 percent). The Tigers hit 32 of 62 shots from the field (51.6 percent). 9 of 22 shots from 3-point range (40.9 percent) and 25 of 38 shots from the foul line (65.8 percent).

Auburn held a 38-33 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 10 assists and 13 turnovers, while the Tigers had 22 assists and 12 turnovers. The Tigers scored 26 points off turnovers.

Auburn received 18 points from Bryce Brown, 17 points from Mustapha Heron, 14 points from Austin Wiley and 11 points from T.J. Dunans. Dunans also had a team-high six rebounds.

MSU returns home to face nationally-ranked South Carolina Saturday. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks tip at 7 p.m. from the Humphrey Coliseum on ESPN2.

 

[Chris Swanson]

Bulldogs Hold Steady At No. 16; Nuno Borges Climbs To No. 3

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Sophomore Nuno Borges carried the banner for the Mississippi State men’s tennis team (3-0) on Wednesday as the Bulldogs held on to the No. 16 spot in the ITA National Team Rankings while Borges earned MSU’s highest singles ranking since 2002.


Borges wasn’t the only Bulldog to move up in the rankings on Wednesday, as the duo of Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey vaulted from 59th to 44th in the nation to etch a new career high.


“We’re very excited for Nuno and he’s played exceptionally this year,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “Nic and Trevor have also been solid for us in doubles and it’s great to see three players so young get this much recognition. Our entire team has trained hard and improved tremendously and that’s reflected in our team ranking.”


The No. 16 ranking comes on the heels of a bye week for the Bulldogs as the Maroon and White prepares to face Miami (Fla.) and South Florida for a pair of road matches this weekend. The back-to-back weeks at No. 16 are the highest two-week rankings for the Bulldogs since 2014’s 11th and 16th.


In singles, only Petros Chrysochos of Wake Forest and Mikael Torpegaard of Ohio State rank higher than MSU’s Borges. The Maia, Porto, Portugal native also ranks three spots higher than any other player in the SEC as the next closest is Mike Redlicki of Arkansas.


“Since the fall Nuno has played outstanding,” Roberts said. “He has matured mentally and has become an elite player for us over the short time he’s been at MSU. We’re excited to see him progress further and happy in the direction he’s going.”


Borges has compiled a 15-3 mark this season, while earning an undefeated record of 3-0 in dual match play for the Bulldogs. The ranking of No. 3 in the nation is the highest mark for any Bulldog in singles play since Romain Ambert accomplished the feat on Sept. 9, 2002.


The sophomore duo of Braun and Foshey earned another career high in the latest ITA rankings as the tandem moved from 59th in Jan. 4 poll to their new standing of 44th in the nation. The pair has earned an 8-4 record overall while splitting dual matches at 1-1this season.


USTA Releases Inaugural College Tennis Top 25 Team Rankings

Wednesday was a busy day for the Bulldogs as the new weekly poll from the USTA was released as well, with MSU coming in at No. 16. The USTA announced the inaugural rankings earlier last month as its latest initiative to promote the college game.


The voters participating in the rankings are Casey Angle (former ITA championships director), Virgil Christian (USTA College Tennis), Granger Huntress (Texas College Tennis), Bobby Knight (College Tennis Today), Dallas Oliver (Tennis Recruiting Network), Erica Perkins Jasper (Intercollegiate Tennis Association), Mike Patrick (former University of Tennessee women’s coach), Lisa Stone (Parenting Aces) and Bruce Walchuk (Universal Tennis Rating).


Up Next

The Maroon and White travels to Miami (2-1) this Friday to face the Hurricanes at 2 p.m. CT, before traveling to South Florida (1-3) to take on the Bulls at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday.


Social Media

For more information on the Mississippi State men’s tennis program, follow “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.



--HailState.com--

 

[Chris Swanson]

STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the start of spring football practice less than a month away, new Mississippi State defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and safeties coach Ron English met with members of the media on Wednesday and set the tone for a 2017 defense that is expected to feature a “fast, physical and aggressive” identity.

“That’s how we’re going to approach everything that we do,” Grantham said. “I have a lot of appreciation for the fans here and the passion that they have. I understand that this is a very competitive league from top to bottom and that it will be challenging every week. I embrace the passion that our fans have to be a good team and to be a good defense.”

Grantham since accepting the job in January has been on a rapid schedule from recruiting, traveling, learning personnel and living out of a hotel room. His family was heading to Starkville this week.

“We’re certainly excited to become a part of this community,” he said. “When you look at my family, I have a son that’s going to be a sophomore. It’s important to me to be somewhere that he can be for his high school career. When the opportunity like this came up, it was a place that I felt would allow me to see him graduate from high school here. That’s the approach that I’ve taken.”

Grantham’s distinguished career has featured 10 years as a defensive coordinator and 11 years at the NFL. He takes over a defense that returns 22 letterwinners and seven starters.

“This program has won, and it wasn’t too long ago that we were No. 1 in the country,” he said. “We have had a history of having good defensive players here. If you look at the past few years here, we have had a lot of NFL draftable guys here. We want to re-establish that and get back to that. Being a part of re-establishing that identity, being able to be a part of the most competitive league in the country and being with a head coach that had done it before were all things that were appealing to me.”

English arrived in Starkville Monday and said he followed Mullen’s teams closely. He and Grantham have a combined 45 years of coaching experience.

“I knew him, and of course because of that I followed him at Mississippi State and he has done a wonderful job here,” English said. “This program has now made bowl games an expectation. They have been No. 1 in the country for several weeks and they have had great players. I just think there is an opportunity to win here.”

English discussed having a physical defense and laying a footprint in recruiting.

“Recruiting is about time and effort, and really doing what you say you are going to do,” he said. “If your reputation is to do what you say you are going to do, and you spend the time and put the effort in I think you will have a chance to be successful.”

The Bulldogs are coming off a school-record seventh straight bowl appearance, and since 2010, MSU ranks second in the SEC in bowl victories with five. MSU opens spring practice on Thursday, March 2.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB." All-access coverage is also available on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."

 

[Chris Swanson]

Todd Grantham Press Conference
February 8, 2017

Opening Statement “Well, thanks to everyone for being here. I’m certainly excited to get moving. We’ve obviously got a lot of hard work to do. It’s been going well so far. I’m looking forward to getting to spring practice and getting out on the field and seeing what we have and what we need to do to improve. We certainly have a lot of work to do, but we’re excited about the process. We’re excited by the effort from the guys so far. To be honest, we understand that there isn’t really a magic wand. When you look at it, it’s going to come down to a few things. No. 1, it’s going to come down to preparation. We have to make sure that we prepare for the things that we are going to see throughout the course of the season. Then it’s going to come down to practice. You know, getting on the field and practicing the things that we talk about in meetings. And then it’s also going to come down to execution. Those are the three main things that we are going to have to focus on to get us to where we want to be.

“I can tell you that I have a lot of appreciation for the fans here and the passion that they have. I understand that this is a very competitive league from top to bottom and that it will be challenging every week. I embrace the passion that our fans have to be a good team and to be a good defense. We are certainly going to work our tails off over the next few months to reestablish the identity that we need to play with in order for us to be successful. I’ve always said that our identity will be fast, physical and aggressive and that’s how we’re going to approach everything that we do. We have to understand that every time that we get on the field, that’s an opportunity for us to get better. We have to make those improvements over the next few months in everything that we do.

“My family is certainly excited. They’re actually on their way here now. We’re certainly excited to become a part of this community. Moving is always a transition for your family. I can tell you that my wife and kids are very excited to get here, to be a part of this community and be a part of what we’re going to be doing moving forward.


“It’s interesting. It wasn’t that long ago that Coach Mullen and this staff were No. 1 in the country. This program has been built by him and has had a lot of success and I fully expect for us to work to reestablish that identity and get us back to where everybody wants to go.”

 

[Chris Swanson]

On what was attractive about the MSU defensive coordinator position…

“First of all, as a coach, you always look for challenges. Those things always intrigue you. The SEC, from top to bottom, is the most competitive, challenging conference in the nation. If you look at our schedule next year, we’re going to play some of the top teams in the country. It’s really easy to get where you want to go, to beat the teams on your schedule and then win your conference championship and then you have the ability to go play for a national title. This program has won, and it wasn’t too long ago that we were No. 1 in the country. We have had a history of having good defensive players here. If you look at the past few years here, we have had a lot of NFL draftable guys here. We have had good players here. We want to re-establish that and get back to that. Being a part of re-establishing that identity, being able to be a part of the most competitive league in the country and being with a head coach that had done it before were all things that were appealing to me. As I got involved in the process and was around Coach Mullen and his wife a little bit more, there was a natural fit. There was a lot of comfort with what he wanted from his defense and what I was looking for. It was a match that I felt was right.”

On the process of becoming MSU’s defensive coordinator…

“First of all, everyone always does their evaluations at the end of a season. And certainly we wanted to re-establish what we thought the identity of this program should be. As all of that was going on here. We started hearing rumors of changes and things like that. So the communication started that there might be an opportunity here. It was more of a discussion about my philosophies of how we need to play and those sort of things along with what he was looking for. It was a very good match with what he was wanting to do and the way that I want my defenses to play. So it really just started off with learning that there may be an opportunity. Once that came about, the conversation was about my philosophy, his philosophy and my teaching background. It was something that honestly excited me a lot the more that I talked to him.”

On learning about MSU’s current players…

“It’s a new day for everybody, defensively. So whether you had a great year last year or not as good as you wanted, you’re really all on the same track. I’m going to evaluate what each player does while I’m here by looking at what they do on the field. I have asked the graduate assistants that we make a 25 to 30 play cut-up of each guy to try to give me a summary or idea of where they are or their abilities. That doesn’t necessarily always define the player but it gives you a starting point. So all we’re doing is trying to get a starting point with our players and from there, we will develop our team. Some guys are going to have to play more than one position. Some guys are going to have to move from the position that they are in right now. So the big thing that I have told them is ‘Don’t worry about where you’re playing or worry about your position on the depth chart. Just make plays.’ And if they make plays, we will find a way to get them on the field. Because at the end of the day, defense is about defeating blockers, tackling the guy with the ball and making plays. If they can do that, we will find a way to get them onto the field. We are going to give everyone a fair opportunity to showcase their talent. Based upon the guys that I have seen here, I like our work ethic. We are working to develop the habits that you have to have to be consistent. Football is a grinding game. Your consistency and performance throughout the year is critical and that really starts in practice. That starts with how you approach every day. So right now we are working on making sure that we compete every day. Because you really have to learn how to compete to win a position before you can help us compete to win a game. We’re in the initial phases of what we want to get done which is basically learning how to compete every day to showcase our talents. And if they can do that, then they can help us win games.”

On his defensive philosophy…

“The objectives that we have are that we have to prevent points and force turnovers. We always want to get the ball back. We want to be hard to score on and create turnovers and get the ball back to the offense. And there’s nothing that says you can’t score if you get the ball. From a philosophical standpoint, the No. 1 thing that we have to do is stop the run. We can’t let people run the ball on us. If they can’t run the ball on you that creates an advantage for you in the sense that they become one dimensional. Once that occurs, then you have to find a way to affect the quarterback. In other words, we have to find a way to make the quarterback play badly. Really if we do that while being fast, physical and aggressive, we’re going to be in every game. Now every game won’t be perfect from a scoring standpoint. One week it might be 10-7 and the next week it might be 33-30, but at the end of the day we have to keep playing. And if you keep playing for four quarters, the team that plays the hardest is the team that’s going to win. We want to re-establish that. We have to stop the run and we have to make the quarterback play bad. I’ve been doing this a long time and the guy that turns the ball over the most on any level, is the quarterback. So we have to find ways to get him to turn the ball over. And if you look at the history of our defense we have done that pretty well over the past seven years. We will continue to do that by emphasizing stop the run and pressure the quarterback. I think those are areas right there that we have to improve upon. If you look at where the program was last year, that’s something that we definitely have to improve for us to win the games that we want to win. So it starts with stopping the run and there are a lot of factors that go into that. That’s gap control and tackling. That’s running to ball and playing with a physical mindset. There’s a lot of things that go into that, but we want to stop the run and affect the quarterback.”

 

[Chris Swanson]

On the challenge of creating a top defense in the SEC

“I’m very excited by the challenge. I certainly like the intensity of our players. We’ve obviously got some work to do, but that’s why we’re at work. That’s why the players are in the weight room and on the field conditioning. That’s why we’re in meetings right now putting in the playbook and evaluating our players. It’s a whole process. The enjoyment is in the journey meaning developing relationships with the players. It’s fun to watch a player develop. It’s fun to watch a player believe because belief is a powerful tool. When the players believe in you, you see the improvement. That’s what we’re really working on right now, is to develop that relationship between coach and player and players and other players. We want them to understand that trust factor. I think that that’s the way that you have to coach. Every guy is not going to be the same. Every guy isn’t going to see things the same way. Sometimes you have to change your teaching to the players that you have to make sure that at the end of the day that we’re all playing to our identity.”

On reuniting with secondary coach Terrell Buckley…

“Anytime when you have a new staff and anytime that staff has continuity, it’s good. The continuity thing is important because everyone understands everyone so fortunately for Coach Buckley and I, we have worked together in the past and he understands our system and he understands the things that we want. So the learning curve in that area is maybe not as great in that position as maybe it is at other positions. I think that helps us moving forward with there being continuity as far as what we’re looking for out of our corners and our secondary to allow us to be productive in our play.”

On what he wants to see from each individual position…

“Up front, we want to disrupt the play. Your front guys have to be physical. You have to have size, inside particularly. We want to have an aggressive style. We’re a one-gap team. We’re going to be a penetrating team. We’re going to find ways to create negative yardage plays. Anytime that you can get the offense behind the sticks, it’s gives the defense the advantage in the sense that second and 10 is easier to call than second and four. So we want to be aggressive in our play up front. We want to be physical. We want to play with our hands because defense is about playing with your hands and being able to get off blocks. We want to be able to stop the run doing those things. Then after that, we have to find ways to disrupt the quarterback with our rush. Now the rush up front isn’t always about sacks. It’s about disrupting the quarterback and a lot of times that can just be pushing the pocket. We want to be able to find ways to use our rush to disrupt the quarterback and get legal hits on him because quarterbacks don’t like it when they are uncomfortable in the pocket.”

“Linebackers have to be able to run and hit. In our scheme, our linebackers are also going to be blitzers. They’re going to be doggers. They have to have the ability to beat a one-on-one block whether it’s against a back or a tight end coming off the edge. So from that standpoint, we want to look for speed on the field. We want guys that can run and hit that are sure tacklers. We want them to have a nose for the ball. We want them to have the ability to affect the quarterback even if they are being blocked.”

“Safeties are the guys that we put into space. So our safeties have to be good tacklers. You have to be a guy that can pattern match. We are a pattern match zone defense which means that we are playing zone but based upon route distribution, we’re going to match it. So our safeties will get a bunch of keys that way. So they have to understand the keys and the guys that they are looking at. And from there, they have to have the ability to make a play on the ball. Because in our defense, our safeties will have the ability to get their hands on a lot of balls relative to the pressure and based upon what they see.”

“Our corners are going to have to be guys that can play physical, that can press and challenge the outside throws and make plays on balls that are thrown downfield.”


As you go through as look at the depth chart, I wouldn’t be concerned where guys are right now because we will be moving guys around. We’re just giving them a starting point. Obviously that will change throughout the course of the summer and fall.

On what the defense can do to improve from last season…

“I always look at defense as a team defense. When we’re good at stopping the run, the secondary is involved in that too, because they don’t give up explosive plays. And those guys are going to have gap fits and other things. I look at passing defense as a team defense also. When the other quarterback can hold the ball, that’s not a good thing. So we have to find ways to force the quarterback to get rid of the ball. I don’t care who you are from a coverage standpoint if the quarterback can sit back there without getting hit. If they get comfortable in the pocket, the can make pretty much any throw. What we want to do is work to put them under duress from a standpoint of where maybe what they see pre-snap is not the same thing they see post-snap. Because every quarterback is going to have a picture before they get the ball. If that picture stays the same throughout the entire down, they are going to execute at a pretty high rate. What we like to do is let them get that picture, but then change the picture as the play develops into something other than what the quarterback thought it would be. Which forces you to hold the ball a little bit longer and that brings the defense’s rush into play. When we talk about pass defense, it’s not only the back-end guys but it’s the front end guys too. Because we’re a team. We have to find ways to make the quarterback throw the ball a little quicker or find ways to put doubt into his head that way they can’t execute at the level that they did last year. Those are the things that we are going to work on in the next few months.”

On the large number of junior college signees in the 2017 recruiting class…

“We’re all first-year players. It’s a new system. So whether you were in JUCO or played here last year, it’s all the same. So in a lot of ways, the JUCO guys are on the same playing field as the guys that were here last year because the system that we’re putting in is totally different. So that’s not going to be a really big factor. Defense is about playmakers. Defense is about athletes. Defense is about getting your best 11 players on the field. What we have to do is find a way to get our best 11 players on the field. That means that guys are going to have to play more than one position. We’re going to have to train guys. We’re going to move guys throughout spring to find ways to get the best combination of players. I don’t think those guys coming in from JUCO will be at a disadvantage. Because it’s going to be a new system for everybody. I think the advantage is that I’ve seen a lot of quality midyear guys that have the things that we look for. I think adding that talent is going to allow us to be a better team.”

On duplicating previous success…

“Defense, as a coach, you always find situations to put your players in one-on-one situations. Defense is about trying to understand what the other team is doing and making them beat you left-handed. Once you know what the other team is doing, I have to find ways to put our players in positions to make the most plays. So I think it’s both. I think you have to have players that can win one-on-one matchups. You have to have players that prepare, practice and execute. As a coach, you try to take the players that you have and play to their strengths and that’s what we’re going to do here. We’re going to play to our strengths are I fully expect us to have similar success here based upon what I’ve seen so far and the way that I want us to play.”

On his how long he plans to be in Starkville…

“When you look at my family, I have a son that’s going to be a sophomore. It’s important to me to be somewhere that he can be for his high school career. When the opportunity like this came up, it was a place that I felt would allow me to see him graduate from high school here. That’s the approach that I’ve taken.”

On the perception of Dan Mullen’s offense around the country…

“There are a lot of people that have tried to emulate his offense because of the success that he’s had. The other thing is, there’s no one else in the country that’s better than him at developing quarterbacks. If you look at the quarterbacks that he’s developed and the success that they’ve had, not only in college but in pro football, it shows that he has the ability to develop quarterbacks. And that’s not just what he’s done here, but throughout his career. Any time you have a coach that has the ability to develop quarterbacks, you’re going to play well. You’re going to have the ability to have success. His ability to develop quarterbacks along with the commitment to run the ball and the commitment to have multiple formations and take shots down field allows us to be the kind of offense we have been over the past few seasons. When you look at it, he has really built this program and he has built it through the things that he believes are fundamentally what you have to do to win, and I certainly agree with everything that he’s talked about. And I look forward to being a part of the tradition that he has here and looking forward to us being the kind of team that we want to have moving forward.”

 

[Chris Swanson]

Ron English Press Conference
February 8, 2017

Opening Statement - “I’ve been around a bunch of places, and I am really happy to be here. I was just saying to a guy a couple of weeks ago, I have been out West and I said there are really only two places I want to coach, the Big Ten and the SEC. I am very fortunate to be here and very happy to be here with a great head coach and a great defensive coordinator. I am excited and ready to go.”

On why he chose Mississippi State…“(Coach Dan Mullen) and I coached against each other a number of years ago when he had Tim Tebow down at Florida. They averaged a boat load of points, and we played pretty good that day and won that game. So I kind of knew about him. When he came here, he offered me a job here but at the time I had committed to another job. I knew him, and of course because of that I followed him at Mississippi State and he has done a wonderful job here. This program has now made bowl games an expectation. They have been No. 1 in the country for several weeks and they have had great players. I just think there is an opportunity to win here. I think this conference has been outstanding for many years, and I think this town is going to be good for my family. Those are some of the reasons.”

On the veteran leadership in the defensive backfield…“You don’t know until you know. I haven’t coached these guys on the field in terms of drills and stuff like that. My job is really to make them the very best they can be, and hopefully to be better then they think they can be. I am excited because there is some ability there. I think Coach Todd Grantham does a fabulous job, and I am just excited to work with the guys. I think we are going to have a system that allows them to make some plays.”

On improving the defense…“To play defense, you have to leverage the ball. Kids have to know exactly what they are doing and what they should be looking at. You have to finish plays and you have to get a pass rush. Really, I think it starts with the staff knowing exactly what we are doing, and being able to teach what needs to be taught in a consistent way so that players will be able to understand and execute.”

On recruiting in the South…“I have spot recruited in the South a little bit. I know there are great players here. There are great big guys that can run around. I am excited to get into it. I think recruiting is hard work and relationships. That is the reality of it; to evaluate players, and then to develop relationships and to work hard to find out who the decision makers are around the players. I don’t think that has changed, and I have had success recruiting all over this country and I would imagine it to be the same. Recruiting is about time and effort, and really doing what you say you are going to do. If your reputation is to do what you say you are going to do, and you spend the time and put the effort in I think you will have a chance to be successful.”

--HailState.com--

 

[Chris Swanson]

Sixty-one MSU Student-Athletes Recognized on 2016 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A total of 61 Mississippi State student-athletes were named to the 2016 Fall Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Wednesday.

The 2016 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll includes the sports of cross country, football, soccer and volleyball. It is based on grades from the 2016 spring, summer and fall semesters.

The Bulldog football team led the way with 31 student-athletes on the honor roll, representing the squad’s most on record. That tally was fifth-best among football programs in the league.

Thirteen regular starters from the 2016 football team were on the honor roll, including quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, wide receiver Fred Ross, defensive lineman Nelson Adams, snapper Hunter Bradley, linebacker Richie Brown, offensive lineman Devon Desper, safety Kivon Coman, kicker Westin Graves, running back Brandon Holloway, defensive end A.J. Jefferson, safety Mark McLaurin, offensive lineman Martinas Rankin and offensive lineman Justin Senior.

Soccer led all-female sports by placing 16 student-athletes to the 2016 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Over the 2016 fall semester the Bulldog soccer team posted its highest GPA ever with a 3.44 to go along with a 3.34 from the spring. Additionally, the 2016 squad also improved on last year’s 14 total student-athletes on the SEC Fall Honor Roll.

Eight runners from the Bulldog cross country team that finished a program-best 15th in the nation in the fall were recognized as a part of the list, including senior and two-time All-American Rhianwedd Price, and members of the South Region all-region team in Shannon Fair, Ffion Price, Antonia Hehr and Mia Meydrich.

Six members of the 2016 Bulldog volleyball squad earned a spot on the list, including a trio of seniors. Leading the way is Evie Grace Singleton, who finished the year leading the SEC and standing seventh nationally in aces (54). She also capped her senior year with 499 kills, second-most in the league and in MSU volleyball history.

Joining her is fellow seniors Jazmyne Johnson and Chelsea Duhs. Johnson finished out her career with 136 total blocks in 2016, finishing fourth in MSU single-season history and making her the first Bulldog since 2011 to record 100 blocks in a campaign. Duhs, who finished out a solid four-year career with the Maroon and White, earned her undergraduate degree in the spring of 2016 and is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration.


The SEC First-Year Honor Roll, which recognizes true freshmen, will be announced later this spring.

Women’s Cross Country (8)

Shannon Fair - Psychology

Antonia Hehr - Biological Sciences

Kaelin Kersh - Kinesiology

Mia Meydrich - Communication

Ffion Price - Kinesiology

Rhianwedd Price - Animal and Dairy Science

Carly Terp - Food Science, Nutrition, Health Promotion

Kristy Terp - Biological Sciences


Football (31)

Nelson Adams - Human Sciences

Brett Armour - Mathematics

Hunter Bradley - Kinesiology

Bennie Braswell - Art

Richie Brown - MBA

Tolando Cleveland - Political Science

Kivon Coman - Kinesiology

Devon Desper - Accounting

Nick Fitzgerald - Finance

Nick Gibson - Kinesiology

Westin Graves - Civil Engineering

Brandon Holloway - Human Sciences

Jesse Jackson - Industrial Technology

A.J. Jefferson - Human Sciences

Jocquell Johnson - Interdisciplinary Studies

Mark McLaurin - Business Administration

Harrison Moon - Kinesiology

Gabe Myles - Kinesiology

Richard Perkins - Mechanical Engineering

Josiah Phillips - Industrial Technology

Martinas Rankin - Kinesiology

Chris Rayford - Kinesiology

Fred Ross - Interdisciplinary Studies

Justin Senior - Sociology

Ashton Shumpert - Interdisciplinary Studies

Chris Stamps - Kinesiology

Jefferson Teel - Business Administration

Nick Tiano - Business Administration

Hayes Walker - Biological Engineering

DeAndre Ward - Industrial Technology

Evans Wilkerson - Pre-accounting


Soccer (16)

McKenzie Adams - Kinesiology

Elva Astthorsdottir - Mathematics

Tanya de Souza - Business Administration

Rhylee DeCrane - Biological Engineering

Kelly Dorney - Political Science and History

Carly English - Criminology

Mallory Eubanks - Kinesiology

Payton Gruenewald - Business Administration

Kayleigh Henry - Kinesiology

Jennifer Huckaby - Kinesiology

Sarah Hulett - Kinesiology

Kiley Martens - Criminology

Carly Mauldin - Kinesiology

Courtney Robicheaux - Fashion Design and Merchandising

Hannah Smith - Kinesiology

Katelyn Watson - Elementary Education

Volleyball (6)

Savannah Cressman - Biological Sciences

Chelsea Duhs - MBA

Riley Duzenack - Business Administration

Jazmyne Johnson - Communication

Katie Nicholson - Business Administration

Evie Grace Singleton - Interdisciplinary Studies

--HailState.com--

 

[Chris Swanson]

MSU Opens Inaugural USTA Poll at No. 25; ITA Releases Individual Rankings

STARKVILLE, Miss. – In the inaugural USTA College Tennis Top 25 Team Rankings released Wednesday, the Mississippi State women’s team (2-1) opened at No. 25. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association did not release a new women’s poll Wednesday due to the playing of the ITA National Indoor Championships this weekend, but did release new individual rankings, where MSU was once again represented.


The Bulldogs, slotted at 24th overall in the ITA’s ranking from a week ago, were off this past week as the team rested from their ITA Kick-Off Weekend trip to Ann Arbor, Mich. They will return to action this weekend, hosting ULL at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Feb. 11, at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre on campus.


In the updated ITA national doubles rankings Wednesday, State’s Jasmine Lee and Lisa Marie Rioux remained in the top 10 for the Bulldogs, coming in at No. 8 in the country. Lee and Rioux have earned a 10-2 record in their first year together, while going 2-1 in dual match play. The tandem is third-highest SEC ranked duo, with Kentucky’s Mami Adachi and Aldila Sutjiadi at No. 1 and Auburn’s Alizee Michaud and Taylor Russo at No. 6.


The All-American Lee also represented MSU in the ITA singles rankings, as she came in at 44th overall. The senior has led MSU in dual matches this year with a 2-1 mark at the No. 1 position as part of her 6-4 record overall this year.


Up Next

The Bulldogs return home this Saturday as MSU hosts ULL (1-1) at 11 a.m. at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre to start a four-match homestand, which also includes South Alabama and Alcorn State (Feb. 19-DH) and Minnesota (Feb. 22).


About the USTA College Tennis Top 25 Poll

The USTA announced the inaugural rankings earlier last month as its latest initiative to promote the college game. The voters participating in the rankings are Casey Angle (former ITA championships director), Virgil Christian (USTA College Tennis), Granger Huntress (Texas College Tennis), Bobby Knight (College Tennis Today), Dallas Oliver (Tennis Recruiting Network), Erica Perkins Jasper (Intercollegiate Tennis Association), Mike Patrick (former University of Tennessee women’s coach), Lisa Stone (Parenting Aces) and Bruce Walchuk (Universal Tennis Rating).


Social Media

For more information on the Mississippi State women’s tennis program, follow “HailStateWT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

--HailState.com—

 

[Chris Swanson]

MSU Football Announces Hiring of Brett Elliott, D.J. Looney as Assistant Coaches

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State head football coach Dan Mullen announced the hiring of two new members to the Bulldog coaching staff on Wednesday.

·Brett Elliott, former MSU offensive quality control specialist and offensive coordinator at Texas State and James Madison, has been named quarterbacks coach.

·D.J. Looney, former Bulldog offensive lineman and graduate assistant at Georgia and MSU, has been tabbed tight ends coach.

·Former MSU tight ends coach Scott Sallach has been named MSU Director of Player Personnel.

“We are thrilled to bring Brett and D.J. back to Starkville,” Mullen said. “They understand the winning tradition that has been established here and will be significant assets to our offense both on the field and in recruiting.”

Elliott is no stranger to Starkville after serving as an offensive graduate assistant (2012-13) and offensive quality control specialist (2014) for some of the most successful Bulldog teams in history. He played a critical role in the quarterback room, working closely with MSU legend Dak Prescott and current Bulldog quarterback Nick Fitzgerald in his true freshman season.

“I am extremely thankful to Coach Mullen for providing me with this unbelievable opportunity to come back to the great state of Mississippi and coach quarterbacks at Mississippi State,” Elliott said.

Elliott coached on the first team in MSU history to reach the No. 1 ranking, a spot it spent for five straight weeks in 2014. That squad reached its first Orange Bowl since 1941, set 22 school records and became the first Bulldog team to lead the SEC in total offense since 1982, putting up a school-record 513.8 yards per game.

Elliott returns to MSU after spending the 2016 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas State. Prior to his stint in San Marcos, he excelled as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at James Madison in 2015 when he coached the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year, Vad Lee.

Lee led the nation in total offense with 375.5 yards per game and completion percentage of 68.3 percent. He passed for 2,190 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 814 yards and eight scores. Lee also became the only player in NCAA Division I history (FCS and FBS) to pass and run for 275 yards in the same game when he threw for 289 yards and rushed for 275 yards in James Madison’s 48-45 victory over SMU on Sept. 26, 2015. He also earned the “Bill Dudley Award” for the second straight year as the top player in Virginia.

The Dukes had one of the top offenses in the nation in 2015 and ranked second in scoring and total offense with 44.3 points and 528.8 yards per game. The team led the FCS in third-down conversions with 54 percent, while ranking fourth in pass completion percentage with 66.9 percent, seventh in rushing with 273.8 yards per game and ninth in red-zone scoring with 89.4 percent. JMU also set a school record with 6,345 yards of total offense after rushing for 3,285 yards and passing for 3,060 yards.

Elliott played quarterback for two seasons at Utah, including the 2003 campaign under Mullen. After suffering a wrist injury, he transferred to Linfield College where he was named All-American twice and led the Wildcats to the 2004 NCAA Division III National Championship. He won the Gagliardi Trophy and Melberger Award in 2005, which is given to the top player in Division III.

After signing as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers, Elliott played for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe and was under contract with the San Jose Sabercats of the Arena League when the league halted operations in 2008. He also played in the Arena League and was a starter for the Utah Blaze in 2010 and Georgia Force in 2011.

A native of Lake Oswego, Ore., Elliott earned his degree from Linfield College in 2005.

Looney returns to Starkville after serving as an offensive graduate assistant at Georgia during the 2016 campaign. Prior to that, Looney held the position of tackles and tight ends coach at Central Arkansas for two seasons (2014-15). The Bears went 7-2 in 2015 in the Southland Conference, finishing tied for second in the league.

“I am excited to come home to Mississippi State,” Looney said. “Every coach dreams of coaching at their alma mater one day. I am grateful to Coach Mullen and the administration for this opportunity, and I am glad to be a Bulldog.”

Looney was the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at East Mississippi Community College where his team won a national championship in his second and final season in 2013. He spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons in that role. The Birmingham, Ala., native played a key role in helping guide the Lions' potent offensive unit to a No. 8 NJCAA team statistical national ranking in rushing offense in 2012 (239.1 ypg) and No. 8 in 2013 (253.5 ypg).

Looney got his coaching start as an offensive graduate assistant on Mullen’s staff in 2011 that won the Music City Bowl. The former three-year Bulldog letterman worked with the Bulldogs' offensive linemen and quarterbacks in addition to assisting with MSU's special teams.

During his undergraduate days at MSU, Looney was associated with two bowl-game winning teams as an offensive lineman. As a redshirt freshman, the 2007 Bulldogs claimed a 10-3 Liberty Bowl victory over UCF. He was on Mullen's 2010 State squad that earned a 52-14 Gator Bowl triumph over Michigan.

Looney was just as active off the field as a collegian, serving three years as an SEC Student Advisory Council Representative. After serving as vice president of MSU's Campus Student Advisory Council in 2008, he was elevated to the president's position the following year. Looney was also a three-year member of the NCAA Football Issues Committee.

He graduated from MSU with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in 2010.

Elliott Coaching Experience
2017-present: Mississippi State (Quarterbacks)
2016: Texas State (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2015: James Madison (Co-offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2014: Mississippi State (Offensive Quality Control)
2012-13: Mississippi State (Offensive Graduate Assistant)

Elliott Personal Information
Birthdate: June 11, 1982
Hometown: Lake Oswego, Ore.
Education: 2005 – Bachelor of Arts in mass communication (Linfield College)

Looney Coaching Experience
2017-present: Mississippi State (Tight Ends)
2016: Georgia (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
2014-15: Central Arkansas (Tackles/Tight Ends)
2012-13: East Mississippi Community College (Offensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
2011: Mississippi State (Offensive Graduate Assistant)

Looney Personal Information
Birthdate: Dec. 26, 1988
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Education: 2010 – Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (Mississippi State)

 

[Chris Swanson]

No. 16 Bulldogs Back On The Road This Friday Against Miami

STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the season now in full swing, the 16th-ranked Mississippi State men’s tennis team (3-0) heads to the Sunshine State for an out-of-conference battle against the Miami Hurricanes (2-1) on Friday.



First serve at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT, with the match being broadcast live on ACC Network Extra via the WatchESPN platform.



“We’re excited to get back out on the court after a week off,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “We have another great opponent in Miami this Friday and our team is ready for the challenge. I think we’re playing great tennis right now and we want to see that continue this weekend.”



The Bulldogs have been idle since the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Lubbock, Texas, where MSU swept the competition to punch its ticket to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Since that time off, the Bulldogs have climbed in the rankings four spots to settle at the No. 16 position for the last two weeks. The back-to-back weeks at No. 16 is the highest two-week stretch for the Bulldogs since 2014’s 11th and 16th rankings.



Also on the rise in the polls was the sophomore trio of Nuno Borges, Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey. For Borges he now sits at No. 3 in the nation in singles, while Braun and Foshey achieved a new career high at No. 44 in doubles. The No. 3 ranking for Borges is the highest for any Bulldog in singles play since Romain Ambert earned a No. 3 ranking on Sept. 9, 2002.



In doubles action the Bulldogs will have a strong trio of tandems with senior pair of Mate Cutura and Vaughn Hunter (2-1) leading the way, with No. 44 Braun and Foshey (1-1) and Borges and Strahinja Rakic (2-1) at anchor. The Maroon and White have won all but one doubles point so far this season.



In singles play, Borges (3-0) will lead the Bulldogs at the top, with Cutura (1-2) and Rakic (3-0) following behind in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. On the back end, reliable sophomore Braun (2-1) will be at No. 4 with the freshmen duo of Giovanni Oradini (1-0) and Simon Baudry (1-1) rounding out the singles lineup. The Bulldogs have turned in an 11-5 dual-match record in singles play to begin the season.



Friday’s foe, Miami, comes into the match on a high note after winning their last contest 6-1 against Troy. The Hurricanes have played all three of their matches at the friendly confines of the Neil Schiff Tennis Center, while losing only one of those contests against in-state foe North Florida, 4-2.



Who To Watch For The Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have only one ranked player, junior Pitor Lomacki, at No. 63. Lomacki is 2-0 to begin his junior campaign, earning straight-set victories over North Florida’s No. 51 Findel-Hawkins and Troy’s Andy Lau at the top spot in the lineup.



Live Stats

Live stats will be available for Friday’s match, with statistics provided by Hurricanesports.com. Those wishing to follow along with the match can go here.



How To Watch Friday’s Match

Friday’s contest between the Bulldogs and Hurricanes will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra. Those with an ESPN subscription will be able to watch via the WatchESPN platform.



Up Next

After facing Miami, the Bulldogs will travel to Tampa to face South Florida on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT. The contest will be the first dual-match against the Bulls since 2010, with MSU leading the head-to-head series, 3-1.



Additional Notes

·The Bulldogs and Hurricanes are even in the all-time series, with both teams winning four matches each

·The last meeting between the two programs was in 2001, with the Hurricanes winning to snap a four-match losing streak

·MSU’s last win against the Hurricanes was in Miami, a 6-1 win back in 1999

·The 3-0 start for MSU is its first under head coach Matt Roberts

·The Bulldogs have not started 4-0 since 2014

·Three Bulldogs are undefeated in dual-match singles play, Nuno Borges (3-0), Strahinja Rakic (3-0) and Giovanni Oradini (1-0)

·All three doubles teams used this season has at least one win, with Cutura/Hunter and Borges/Rakic owning two each


Social Media

For more information on the Mississippi State men’s tennis program, follow “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

[Chris Swanson]

Bulldogs Prepare For Return Trip To Nashville


NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in 2017, the Bulldogs are headed for the Music City.



The last trip to Nashville proved incredibly successful, where 34 personal bests were shattered and three school records were broken.



MSU will look to replicate that performance in a two-day stay this weekend, competing in 32 events Friday and Saturday.



Senior JaQuarius Wilson will be making his first appearance since Jan. 19 when he took second in the Samford Heptathlon.



The Bulldogs will have another opportunity to compete against nationally ranked competition, as #7/3 Georgia, #23 Southern Illinois, #15 Ole Miss and #18Virginia Tech all find themselves ranked inside the USTFCCCA’s top-25.


“We are excited to get back to Nashville and compete at Vanderbilt’s facility again,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “This is the second of three trips we will be making here this season, and we are glad to be able to familiarize ourselves with this track before SEC Indoor Championships in a few weeks. We had a really good showing here last month, and we are hoping to have a similar performance.”





MUSIC CITY CHALLENGE INFORMATION (all times central)



· Live Results

· Venue : Vanderbilt Student Rec Center

· Competing Teams : Kennesaw State, Tenn State, Illinois, Cincinnati, Mid Tenn State, East Tenn State, Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky, Minnesota, #7/#3 Georgia, #23 Southern Illinois, Louisville, Jacksonville, Miss State, Vanderbilt, #15 Ole Miss, SE Missouri, #18 Virginia Tech, Memphis, Belmont, South Alabama, SMU







SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - Friday

Field

4 p.m. Men’s High Jump (JaQuarius Wilson)

Women’s High Jump (Shayla Broughton, Zaria Tillman)

Women’s Weight Throw (Madelyn Lee, Haley Reynolds, Brianna Smith, Chardae Tryon)

5 p.m. Women’s Triple Jump (Alexis Farley)

Men’s Triple Jump (Stephen Jones)


Running

7 p.m. Women’s 200m (Monica Mosley, Justice Sims)

7:30 p.m. Men’s 200m (Brian Evans, Josh Willingham)

8:30 p.m. Women’s 5K (Shannon Fair, Mia Meydrich, Stephanie Peterson, Carly Terp)

8:50 p.m. Men’s 5K (JT Mackay, Tristan Orman, Zach Weaver)



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – Saturday

Field

11 a.m. Women’s Shot Put (Madelyn Lee, Haley Reynolds, Chardae Tryon)

1 p.m. Women’s Long Jump (Shayla Broughton, Tiffany Flynn Leah Lott, Zaria Tillman)

Men’s Long Jump (Willie Reed, JaQuarius Wilson)

2 p.m. Men’s Shot Put (JaQuarius Wilson)





Running

10 a.m. Women’s 3K Unseeded (Kristy Terp, Alex Wallace)

10:30 a.m. Men’s 3K Unseeded (Stephen Jones, Pierce Rose)

11:05 a.m. Men’s Mile Unseeded (Freddie Jackson III)

11:15 a.m. Women’s 800m Unseeded (Charlotte Cayton-Smith, Keturah Smith, Alyssa Staubach)

11:25 a.m. Women’s 400m Unseeded (Monica Mosley, Keturah Smith)

11:45 a.m. Men’s 400m Unseeded (Brian Evans, Josh Willingham)

1 p.m. Women’s 60m Hurdle (Prelim) (Shayla Broughton, Alexis Farley, Tiffany Flynn Leah Lott, Zaria Tillman)

1:20 p.m. Men’s 60m Hurdle (Prelim) (Willie Reed, JaQuarius Wilson)

1:40 p.m. Women’s 60m (Prelim) (Justice Sims)

2:20 p.m. Women’s Mile Seeded (Ffion Price, Emma Tucker)

2:35 p.m. Men’s Mile Seeded (Aaron Phelps)

2:55 p.m. Women’s 60m Hurdle (Finals)

3:05 p.m. Men’s 60m Hurdle (Finals)

3:10 p.m. Women’s 60m (Finals)

3:40 p.m. Men’s 400m Seeded (Vince Castillo, Dustin James II, Juston Waters)

3:55 p.m. Women’s 800m Seeded (Kaelin Kersh, Alon Lewis)

4:10 p.m. Men’s 800m Seeded (Daniel Nixon, Micah Ryan)

4:25 p.m. Women’s 3K Seeded (Antonia Hehr)

4:55 p.m. Women’s 4x400m Relay

5:15 p.m. Men’s 4x400m Relay









For more information on the MSU track and field team, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching @HailStateTF. You can also find all access coverage on SnapChat by searching ‘HailStateSnap’.

 

[Chris Swanson]

Vivians Tabbed To Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List


STARKVILLE, Miss. – Another day, another honor for Mississippi State junior guard Victoria Vivians.


Wednesday evening on ESPNU, Vivians was tabbed to the Late Season Top 20 for the Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s, the Lost Angeles Athletic Club announced.


The latest honor comes a day after she was tabbed to the Top 30 for the Naismith Trophy. She is also on the midseason watch lists for the Wade Trophy and Ann Meyers Drysdale awards.


Vivians has enjoyed a stellar junior campaign, lead MSU with an SEC eighth-most 16.8 ppg this season. She is fifth in the league in conference play with 17.7 ppg. Vivians has scored double figures in 18-straight games and 22 of the team’s 24 games this season.


Vivians, who has led MSU in scoring 12 times, has tallied seven 20-point games on the year, including six of her last 12 games.


She notched her 1,500th career point at Auburn, and with 15 against Missouri on Sunday, moved into seventh on MSU’s all-time scoring list with 1,525 points. That total is one back of sixth and eight away from matching LaCharlotte Smith for fifth.


The Carthage, Miss., native has 552 made field goals in her career, eight back of matching Alexis Rack for sixth in the school history. She has made 192 3-pointers in her first three seasons in Starkville, a total that is third in program annals.


Vivians has also been solid on the defensive end of the floor in SEC games, averaging a league fifth-most 2.1 steals per game.


Vivians and the rest of the third-ranked Bulldogs host Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. Thursday on the SEC Network.


--HailState.com--

 

[Chris Swanson]

Mangum, Rooker Named To Preseason Coaches All-SEC Teams


STARKVILLE, Miss. –A pair of Preseason All-Americans are also now Preseason All-Southeastern Conference team members as Mississippi State sophomore Jake Mangum was named to the first team, while junior Brent Rooker was placed on the second team.


In the SEC Coaches Preseason Poll, the Diamond Dawgs were voted to a fourth-place finish in the league’s Western Division with a total of 36 votes.


As voted on by the league’s coaches, the 2017 preseason accolades continue to collect for the pair of MSU outfielders after they were named All-SEC performers following the 2016 season.


As a freshman in 2016, Mangum collected the SEC batting crown, recording a league-high .408 batting average, in addition to being named SEC Freshman of the Year, first-team All-SEC honors and recognition on seven All-America lists. Mangum spent the offseason playing summer ball in the prestigious Cape Cod baseball league for the Bourne Braves.


During a stellar sophomore season, Rooker hit .324 with a team-high 11 home runs and 54 RBI in 2016. That performance earned him second-team All-SEC honors in 2016 and was followed by summer ball in the Cape Cod League for the Brewster Whitecaps and thrived as he was named a CCBL All Star. Over 36 games, Rooker owned a .303 clip with eight doubles, three homers and 22 RBI.


Fans can meet Mangum, Rooker and the rest of the 2017 Diamond Dawgs on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Fan Day. More information on the two events can be found here.


The Diamond Dawgs will begin the 2017 season at Dudy Noble Field on Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. CT against 2016 College World Series participant Texas Tech. Season tickets and Pick 15 Flex Pack options are on sale at HailState.com/tickets.


For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for “HailStateBB.” You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for “HailStateSnap.”


2017 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll


Eastern Division

1. Florida (10) – 70

2. South Carolina (4) – 61

3. Vanderbilt – 52

T4. Georgia – 29

T4. Kentucky – 29

6. Tennessee – 20

7. Missouri – 12


Western Division

1. LSU (13) – 72

2. Texas A&M (1) – 55

3. Ole Miss – 51

4. Mississippi State – 36

5. Arkansas – 27

T6. Alabama – 16

T6. Auburn – 16


SEC Champion: Florida (6), LSU (6), South Carolina (2)



2017 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team


First Team

C: Mike Rivera, Florida

1B: Evan White, Kentucky

2B: Cole Freeman, LSU

SS: Dalton Guthrie, Florida

3B: Jonathan India, Florida

OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State

OF: Jeren Kendall, Vanderbilt

OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU

DH/UTL: JJ Schwarz, Florida

SP: Alex Faedo, Florida

SP: Kyle Wright, Vanderbilt

RP: Tyler Johnson, South Carolina


Second Team

C: Jason Delay, Vanderbilt

1B: JJ Schwarz, Florida

2B: Tate Blackman, Ole Miss

SS: Kramer Robertson, LSU

3B: Colby Bortles, Ole Miss

OF: Greg Deichmann, LSU

OF: Brent Rooker, Mississippi State

OF: Luke Bonfield, Arkansas

DH/UTL: Alex Destino, South Carolina

SP: Alex Lange, LSU

SP: Tanner Houck, Missouri

RP: Matt Ruppenthal, Vanderbilt


MSU Preseason Accolades
OF – Jake Mangum – So. Preseason First Team All-SEC
D1 Baseball Preseason All-American (First Team)

NCBWA Preseason All-American (First Team)Perfect Game Preseason All-American (Second Team)
Baseball America Preseason All-American (Second Team)
OF – Brent Rooker – RJr. Preseason Second Team All-SEC
Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American (Third Team)



- HailState.com -

 

[Vernon]

No. 3 MSU Seeks To Tie School SEC Wins Record Sunday At Ole Miss


STARKVILLE, Miss. – Third-ranked Mississippi State has the opportunity to tie the school single-season SEC wins record for the third-straight year Sunday as it travels to Oxford to face Ole Miss.



The contest from The Pavilion at Ole Miss tips at 3 p.m. on the SEC Network.



WKBB-FM 100.9 will have the radio call in the Golden Triangle, while WCNA-FM 95.9 will carry the game in the Tupelo, Corinth and Oxford areas. A free live audio stream will be available on www.hailstate.com/plus or the TuneIn app.



Mississippi State (24-1 overall, 10-1 SEC) heads to Oxford seeking to match the 2014-15 and 2015-16 teams for the most league wins in school history with 11. The Bulldogs are also 10-1 on the road this season, including 4-1 in conference games.



State is riding the momentum of an 86-41 home victory against Vanderbilt on Thursday, the second-largest SEC win ever for the program. Victoria Vivians led the way with 21 points in 20 minutes of action. Roshunda Johnson added her SEC high with 17, while Breanna Richardson tallied 12 on a night she was honored during pregame for reaching 1,000-career points.



MSU won its sixth straight in the series on Jan. 16, claiming a 73-62 win in Starkville behind 23 points from Vivians, 16 from Dominique Dillingham and 14 from Morgan William.



QUOTABLE

• “I was proud of our kids (Thursday). I thought they played really well and came out of the gate really hard and were focused. Vanderbilt has been in every game that they have played, and to come out and play as well as we did, I was pleased. Obviously, we are going into a game Sunday that means a lot to a lot of people. For us, it is the next one on the schedule. We have tried to, and done a really good job, of staying focused on the next task at hand. The next one is Mississippi over there. You don’t typically have to get anyone’s attention for this one. It’s on the road. It is a Southeastern Conference game. We realize the challenge that it presents. We have to be ready to go over there and play well.” — MSU Head Coach Vic Schaefer

SERIES VS. OLE MISS

• Sunday’s game is the second meeting of the season and 93rd overall between the teams. It is the 43rd meeting in Oxford. The Rebels lead 63-29, including 24-17 in Oxford.
• The Bulldogs won their sixth straight and 14th in the last 17 with a 73-62 victory in Starkville on Jan. 16. Victoria Vivians led with 23 points, while Dominique Dillingham had 16 and Morgan William 14.
• MSU won last year’s game in Oxford, the first in The Pavilion, 60-51. Vivians tallied 22 points, while Dillingham and William had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

ABOUT THE REBELS

• Ole Miss had a two-game win streak halted with a 62-51 home setback against LSU on Thursday. The loss dropped the Rebels to 13-2 at home this season.
• Madinah Muhammad paces the Rebels with 13.2 ppg this season, while Shandricka Sessom tallies 12.3 ppg.
• In SEC games, Muhammad tops the team with 12.5 ppg. Sessom raised her average to 12.2 ppg after scoring 14 against LSU.

NEXT UP FOR THE DAWGS

• State heads back home Thursday to host Georgia in its next-to-last home game of the season.
• Following that game against the Bulldogs, it will be back to the road for consecutive games at Texas A&M and Kentucky.

BULLDOG BITES

• Mississippi State heads to Oxford 10-1 in SEC play. A win would tie the 2014-15 and 2015-16 teams for the school record for SEC wins in a season (11).
• The Bulldogs won their 12th-straight game at home on Thursday, tying for the school record and the 11th-longest streak in the country.
• MSU’s 24 wins are tied for the third-most wins in program history.
• Bulldog head coach Vic Schaefer is now six wins from claiming his 200th as a head coach.
• State seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson are now 101-30 (.771) since 2013-14, the second-most wins in the league in that span.
• The Bulldogs are 32-11 (.744) in the SEC since 2014-15, the second-most wins in the league in that span. State has won 17 of its last 20 regular-season SEC games.
• State earned a program-best No. 3 ranking in this week’s USA Today Coaches Poll. It is No. 4 in the Associated Press poll. MSU has been in both polls for 50-straight weeks.
• MSU’s 45-point win against Vanderbilt is the second-largest margin of victory in an SEC game in school history. Vandy’s 41 points are its second-fewest ever and the fewest State has allowed against an SEC foe since holding Georgia to 38 in the 2012-13 season.
• State has forced 53 turnovers the last two games and out-scored Missouri and Vandy 59-6 off those turnovers.
• State is hitting 44.3% (31 of 70) from 3-point range the last four contests.
• The Bulldogs held the nation’s No. 2 3-point shooting team to 26.7% on Thursday. State has held SEC opponents to 26.6% from the arc (33 of 124). For the season, foes are hitting 77 of 300 (25.7%), the No. 4 3-point defense in the nation.
• In SEC play, the Bulldogs are in the Top 3 in the conference in 14 statistical categories.
• MSU has led wire-to-wire 11 times and trailed by more than two possessions in three games.
• Victoria Vivians’ 21-point effort on Thursday moved her into fifth on MSU’s career scoring list (1,546 points).
• Seven of Vivians’ eight 20-point games this season have come in the last 13 contests.
• This week Vivians was named to the Naismith Trophy Top 30 and the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20.
• Morgan William dished eight assists Thursday, giving her 7.2 apg the last five contests. She has 36 assists to just five turnovers in that stretch.
• William’s 4.1 assist/turnover ratio in SEC games is tops in the league.
• Senior Breanna Richardson is averaging 12.5 ppg her last two games.
• Junior Roshunda Johnson returned to action and had her best SEC scoring performance with 17 points.
• Johnson is averaging 10.0 ppg the last five games, hitting 9 of 14 (64.3%) from 3-point range.

 

[Vernon]

Bulldog Softball Closes Out Opening Weekend Of 2017 Season


STARKVILLE, Miss. – In the final game of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic, the Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-2) fought tooth and nail, but fell in a 3-1 decision to Georgia State (4-1) on Sunday afternoon in 12 innings.

“I thought all pitchers threw well,” Vann Stuedeman said. “Of course, we would like to hold everybody to zero and give us an opportunity to score, but they all gave us an opportunity to win every game. Really proud of the effort they gave and really proud of the effort that everyone gave. It’s going to be a process, but it’s something that I’m willing to go to bat for and hope the girls are ready to take on the challenge.”

The Bulldogs closed out the 2017 Bulldog Kickoff Classic with an extra-inning affair against Georgia State. State and GSU put on a pitching clinic early on, with neither side getting a hit in the first two and a half innings. MSU junior Bevia Robinson broke up the no-hitter with an infield single, the first of her career.

State struck first on Sunday, as Sarai Niu drove home Morgan Bell on a hard-hit single to right, her first of two hits on the day. The Bulldogs got things going in the fourth inning with Bell’s one-out double to the wall in left center. Alexis Silkwood continued her hot weekend at the plate, moving Bell to third on a single to left. From there, Niu drove Bell home to put MSU up 1-0.

On the weekend, Silkwood went 6-for-11 with three doubles and an RBI, leading the team with a .545 clip. She also went 2-0 in the circle and earned her first save since 2015, totaling a 0.57 ERA and nine strikeouts.

Georgia State would answer in the next inning, as a lead-off walk eventually led to the tying run coming across on a play at the plate thanks to a GSU on a pinch-hit single to center.

Junior Holly Ward would enter the game in the sixth and kept the Panthers to only two hits over the next six innings. MSU came close to its second-straight walk-off win in the 11th, as Niu’s second hit pushed Carmen Carter to second with two outs. However, State would groundout to end the threat.

In the bottom half of the inning, GSU used a lead-off single to get things going. After advancing to second on a groundout, the Panther runner would score on an RBI-single to left center to take the lead. An error would keep GSU alive and allow them to score an insurance run to make it the final score of 3-1.

Regan Green started the game for State and turned in a solid 5.0 innings of work, allowing just one run on one hit with four strikeouts. In two appearances, she is 1-0 with 13 strikeouts and only one run allowed in 11.0 innings pitched. Ward, who received the loss, pitched 7.0 innings while also earning four strikeouts.

Kinsley Jennings earned the win for the Panthers, moving to 1-1 on the year.

The Bulldogs will now hit the road for the first time in 2017, heading to Mexico for the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The tournament begins Thursday, Feb. 16 and will pit the Bulldogs against Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton, Texas Tech and Florida Gulf Coast.


2017 Bulldog Kickoff Classic Schedule…

Friday, Feb. 10

Game 1 - Western Kentucky def. Stephen F. Austin, 4-1

Game 2 - Georgia State def. Western Kentucky, 13-1

Game 3 - Mississippi State def. Georgia State, 4-0

Game 4 - Mississippi State def. Stephen F. Austin, 2-0


Saturday, Feb. 11

Game 5 - Georgia State def. Stephen F. Austin, 3-1

Game 6 - Western Kentucky def. Mississippi State, 1-0

Game 7 – Mississippi State def. Stephen F. Austin, 2-1

Game 8 – Georgia State def. Western Kentucky, 2-1


Sunday, Feb. 12

Game 9 – Western Kentucky def. Stephen F. Austin, 2-0

Game 10 – Georgia State def. Mississippi State, 3-1


Scoring Plays Versus Georgia State…

4th Inning – With runners on the corners after a Morgan Bell double and Alexis Silkwood single, Sarai Niu ripped a ball to right field to bring home Bell and give State a 1-0 lead.


First-Career At-Bat, First-Career Hit For Robinson…

Bevia Robinson had one stellar start to her Mississippi State career this weekend. Robinson showcased her well-known speed, going 2-for-2 on stolen bases and scored the game-winning run Saturday, scoring from first on Carmen Carter’s walk-off double. She kept the good times rolling on Sunday, earning her first-career hit in her first-career at-bat, laying down a slap single and gunning it to first to easily beat the throw.


Silkwood Closes Out Solid Opening Weekend…

Senior Alexis Silkwood kept her hot hitting going with two hits on Sunday afternoon. She finished the weekend going 6-for-11 with three doubles and an RBI. Her .545 clip leads the Bulldogs through the first weekend.


She also finished the weekend going 2-0 with a save in the circle and turning in a .057 ERA. In 15.2 innings of work, Silkwood turned in nine strikeouts and only gave up one run on nine hits.


Green Continues To Shine…

Another Bulldog pitcher that shined on opening weekend was sophomore Regan Green. The Maryland native closed out the Bulldog Kickoff Classic with a 1-0 record and 0.82 ERA, along with 13 strikeouts in 11.0 innings pitched while only giving up one run.


On Deck…

The Bulldogs will now turn their attention to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, as they head to Mexico next weekend for their first road trip of 2017. The Bulldogs will face Fresno State, Cal State Fullerton, Texas Tech and Florida Gulf Coast throughout the weekend, beginning on Thursday, Feb. 16.


Social Media…

For more on Mississippi State softball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap".

 

[Vernon]

No. 16 MSU Falls In Road Battle Against USF

TAMPA, Fla. – The 16th-ranked Mississippi State men’s tennis team (4-1) couldn’t hold off South Florida (2-3) on Sunday as the Bulls defeated the Bulldogs, 4-2, to hand MSU its first loss of the season.

The defeat was only the second time State has lost to USF in the head-to-head series. Sunday’s match capped MSU’s road weekend in Florida as the Bulldogs split matches with Miami and USF.

“I’m very proud of the way our team fought today in a very hostile environment,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “We continue to work so well together in these adverse situations and that is something special to have as a team.”

The day began with the Bulldogs starting in a hole on doubles, but MSU would right the ship to take two of three matches to claim the doubles point. USF downed Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic, 6-3, for its one doubles win, before the Bulldog tandem of No. 44 Niclas Braun and Trevor Foshey earned MSU’s first win, 6-4. In the three spot, Mate Cutura and Giovanni Oradini would fight back to clinch the point, after winning in a tiebreaker, 7-6(1).

In singles action USF would respond by winning five of the first six sets to start out. The Bulls claimed their first point of the afternoon with the 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Simon Baudry to even the score at 1-1. The match’s momentum would swing back to MSU thereafter, following No. 3 Borges, Rakic and Oradini second set wins.

Despite losing his opening set to Pierre Luquet, 2-6, Oradini stormed back to take the next two, 6-3, 6-0, as MSU retook the lead at 2-1. The win for Oradini capped a perfect 4-0 weekend for the freshman in doubles (2-0) and singles (2-0).

On court four, Braun would mount multiple comebacks against No. 71 Peter Bertran but was ultimately defeated in a pair of hard-fought sets, 7-5, 7-6(4). With the decision the momentum would again swing, this time in favor of USF.

With all three remaining matches in third sets, Rakic and Cutura would be the final two to fall as the pair gave valiant efforts but could not overcome their USF opponents. Rakic fell 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to No. 81 Alberto Barroso-Campos, while Cutura lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, to Justin Roberts. On court one, No. 3 Borges held a lead in the third set with Sasha Gozun before his match was suspended at 3-6, 6-3, 6-5.

“USF played great and I have to give credit to their level of singles play on their home courts,” Roberts said. “We will learn from our slow starts in singles, but once again we are competing well together and love being in tough situations.”

Up Next

The Bulldogs will now prepare for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships next weekend in Charlottesville, Va., on Feb. 17-19.


Additional Notes

·MSU’s all-time series lead over USF was narrowed to 3-2 after Sunday’s loss

·The win for USF was its first against MSU since 1988

·State has only lost one doubles point this season, while winning four

·Two Bulldogs are still undefeated in dual-match singles play, Nuno Borges (4-0) and Giovanni Oradini (3-0)


Social Media

For more information on the Mississippi State men’s tennis program, follow “HailStateMT” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


South Florida 4, No. 16 Mississippi State 2

Tampa, Fla. – USF Varsity Tennis Courts – Feb. 12, 2017


Doubles



1. No. 44 Niclas Braun/Trevor Foshey (MSU) def. Sasha Gozun/Alberto Barroso (USF) 6-4

2. Peter Bertran/Justin Roberts (USF) def. Nuno Borges/Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 6-3

3. Mate Cutura/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Nils Heimer/Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF) 7-6(1)



Order of finish: 2, 1, 3



Singles



1. No. 3 Nuno Borges (MSU) vs. Sasha Gozun (USF) 3-6, 6-3, 6-5, suspended

2. Justin Roberts (USF) def. Mate Cutura (MSU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4*

3. No. 81 Alberto Barroso-Campos (USF) def. Strahinja Rakic (MSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

4. No. 71 Peter Bertran (USF) def. Niclas Braun (MSU) 7-5, 7-6(4)

5. Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Pierre Luquet (USF) 2-6, 6-3, 6-0

6. Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF) def. Simon Baudry (MSU) 6-4, 6-4


Order of finish: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2

* - Match-clinching victory

 

[Vernon]

McCowan Powers Bulldogs To Another Sweep Of Rebs



OXFORD, Miss. – A dominating second quarter lifted the No. 4/3 Mississippi State women’s basketball team to a 66-44 victory over arch rival Ole Miss in a Southeastern Conference played Sunday at the Pavilion.

In the decisive second quarter, the Bulldogs outscored the Rebels 21-4. Ole Miss was held without a field goal for the final 9:28 of the half. By the time the horn sounded, the Maroon and White had built a commanding 41-18 halftime lead.

MSU betters its longest win streak in the series by winning its seventh-straight against Ole Miss and its third-straight in Oxford. The Bulldogs have swept the season series from the Rebels three straight seasons. Ole Miss was held to its lowest point total of the season. MSU has held five league opponents to less than 50 points this season.

It was MSU’s largest margin of victory in Oxford topping a 21-point victory from 2002 and the second-lowest points allowed in the series.

“Awfully proud of my basketball team today,” MSU head coach Vic Schaefer said. “I was proud of the energy and effort, especially there in the second quarter. We won the hustle points, which we take great pride in. That was the difference in the game. In the second quarter, we hit our second wind. We got every loose ball. We got every denial. We got some fast-break points.”

MSU moved into a two-way tie with South Carolina for first place in the conference standings with four regular-season games remaining. MSU improved to 25-1 overall and 11-1 in league play, while Ole Miss fell to 15-10 and 4-8.

The Bulldogs matched a school record for conference wins in a season, while improving on their school record for road wins with their 11th victory away from home this season. The 25 overall wins are third most in program history.

The Bulldogs need one more win to clinch a top four spot in the conference tournament, which begins March 1 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Sophomore center Teaira McCowan highlighted a dominant afternoon in the paint for the Bulldogs. McCowan clinched her second-double double before halftime and finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds. The 18 rebounds are the most by a Bulldog this season. McCowan also had all three of the team’s blocked shots, moving her into seventh place on the all-time MSU charts.

Also in double figures were Dominique Dillingham with 12 points and Victoria Vivians with 11 points. Morgan William and Vivians each had five assists. Jazzmun Holmes added a pair of assists and three steals in 34 minutes off the bench.

“This is an emotional game for a lot of people,” Schaefer said. “For this team, at this time, in our program, this was the next one up. I am proud of our business-like approach and our toughness. Really proud of Teaira (McCowan) and Ketara (Chapel). They came in and gave us some great energy.”

After both teams played well offensively in the first quarter, the Bulldogs found separation in the second quarter.

MSU stretched a 9-8 lead with an 8-0 run in the first quarter. However, the Rebels battled back with six straight points to trail 17-14 after one quarter.

In the second quarter, Vivians rammed a 3-pointer home in the opening seconds. Ole Miss answered on the next possession, before MSU took flight.

Holmes capped a 10-0 run with a layup to give the guests a 30-17 lead. A maroon-filled visitors section then saw another 10-0 run. Back-to-back baskets by McCowan capped an 11-point, 13-rebound first half for her and gave the Bulldogs a 41-18 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs kept at least a 17-point lead the entire second half. Continued strong inside play and defensive pressure all over the court kept the Bulldogs in good stead and allowed them to close out the rivalry win.

For the contest, the Bulldogs hit 25 of 68 shots from the field (36.8 percent), 1 of 15 shots from 3-point range (6.7 percent) and 15 of 23 shots from the foul line (65.2 percent). The Rebels hit 16 of 54 shots from the field (29.6 percent), 1 of 10 shots from 3-point range (10.0 percent) and 11 of 20 shots from the foul line (55.0 percent).

MSU held a 52-37 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 15 assists and 15 turnovers, while the Rebels had five assists and 21 turnovers.

Ole Miss placed three players in double figures. Erika Sisk had 14 points, while Taylor Manuel and Madinah Muhammad added 10 points apiece. Shandricka Sessom had nine rebounds for the Rebels.

MSU will host Georgia 7 p.m. Thursday in Humphrey Coliseum. That contest will be available on SEC Network +.

 

[Vernon]

Women’s Track & Field Earns Highest Ranking Since 2015


STARKVILLE, Miss. – For the first time since the 2015 season, Mississippi State’s women find themselves ranked inside the USTFCCCA’s top 25 poll, checking in at No. 25 nationally.


The ranking is the highest for the women’s squad since acquiring a No. 12 ranking in March of the 2015 season. Seven Bulldogs currently own marks inside the top 15 nationally, including Logan Boss (fifth in high jump), Tiffany Flynn (11th in triple jump), Brianna Smith (15th in weight throw) and the DMR team of Ffion Price, Alon Lewis, Charlotte Cayton-Smith and Rhianwedd Price (eighth in DMR).


The ladies squad has shattered six school records so far this season. Twice in 2017, Logan Boss has broken the Bulldog record in the high jump. Mia Meydrich shattered the 3000m run record in Boston, and Tiffany Flynn obliterated the school record in the triple jump. Haley Reynolds is now the school record holder in the shot put, while Brianna Smith captured the weight throw record last week in Nashville. Ffion Price, Alon Lewis, Charlotte Cayton-Smith and Rhianwedd Price also shattered the school record in the distance medley relay by a full five seconds.


The Bulldogs are one of nine teams from the loaded SEC in the USTFCCCA’s top 25 poll, the most by any conference. MSU has just one meet remaining in the regular season before traveling to Nashville to compete against the nation’s best at the SEC Indoor Championships.


“We are really proud of the ladies for what they have accomplished so far this season,” MSU coach Steve Dudley said. “Obviously we are not satisfied with a midseason ranking, but it is nice to see their hard work rewarded and recognized. The way they have performed this season has been spectacular, and we are really excited to see what they will be able to accomplish at SEC’s and beyond.”


For more information on the MSU track and field team, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching @HailStateTF. You can also find all access coverage on SnapChat by searching ‘HailStateSnap’.

 

[Vernon]

Schaefer, No. 3 MSU To Host DawgTalk Wednesday At The Veranda


STARKVILLE, Miss. – Bulldog fans can celebrate Hail State Hoops’ 25-1 season and rise to No. 3 in the nation Wednesday as Vic Schaefer joins Jim Ellis for “DawgTalk” at The Veranda.

The show runs from 7-8 p.m., and fans are encouraged to attend the show at The Veranda or participate by calling 866-998-4893.

In addition to the radio affiliates listed below, “DawgTalk” can also be heard online onwww.hailstate.com/plus.

Schaefer and Ellis will recap a stellar campaign that has seen Mississippi State record the third-most wins in school history. The Bulldogs also tied their SEC season wins record for the third-straight year, compiling an 11-1 ledger that has them tied with South Carolina for the league lead.

State’s 11th league win came in a 66-44 road victory at Ole Miss on Sunday. The Bulldogs recorded an 86-41 home triumph against Vanderbilt last Thursday, the second-biggest league win in school history.

The two victories kept Mississippi State at No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the second-straight week. The Bulldogs moved up to the third spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll on Monday.

MSU has been in both polls 51-straight weeks. That run includes the Top 10 for 15-consecutive weeks and the Top 5 for 11 weeks in a row.

Schaefer’s Bulldogs return to Humphrey Coliseum Thursday, hosting Georgia at 7 p.m. in the team’s annual “Think Pink” game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink, and the first 500 in attendance will receive a free pink T-shirt from OCH.

USA Today Coaches Poll – February 14, 2017

Rnk. Team Rcd. Pts. Pvs.

1 Connecticut (32) 25-0 800 1

2 Maryland 25-1 766 2

3 Mississippi State 25-1 726 3

4 Baylor 24-2 697 5

5 South Carolina 21-3 642 6

6 Notre Dame 23-3 626 7

7 Florida State 23-3 600 4

8 Texas 21-4 597 10

9 Washington 24-3 577 8

10 Stanford 22-4 494 11

11 Oregon State 23-3 464 9

12 Ohio State 22-5 450 13

13 Louisville 22-6 416 14

14 Duke 22-4 399 15

15 DePaul 22-5 328 16

16 UCLA 18-7 299 12

17 Miami 19-6 289 17

18 NC State 19-6 275 17

19 Oklahoma 20-6 214 20

20 Michigan 21-5 168 22

21 Syracuse 18-8 165 19

22 South Florida 20-4 129 23

23 Arizona State 16-9 107 21

24 Texas A&M 19-6 66 NR

25 Temple 19-5 21 NR


Receiving Votes: Tennessee 20; Drake 20; Wisconsin-Green Bay 13; Creighton 8; Kansas State 8; Indiana 5; West Virginia 5; California 3; Northwestern 2; Oregon 1.


Radio Affiliates Carrying The Show

Aberdeen WWZQ-AM 1240 AM

Amory WAMY-AM 1580 AM

Batesville WBLE-FM 100.5 FM

Columbia WCJU-FM 104.9 FM

Corinth WKCU-AM 1350 AM

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[Vernon]

Third-Ranked Bulldogs Set For Tough Road Challenge At Texas A&M


STARKVILLE, Miss. – A challenging final stretch of the regular season begins Sunday with a tough road tilt at Texas A&M Sunday afternoon.


Tip from Reed Arena is set for 4 p.m., with the contest being carried live on SEC Network. WKBB-FM 100.9 will have the radio call in the Golden Triangle, while WCNA-FM 95.9 will carry the broadcast in Tupelo, Corinth and Oxford.


A live audio stream will be available on www.hailstate.com/plus and the TuneIn app.


Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer heads to a place that he called home for many years looking to lead his Bulldogs a step closer to the program’s first SEC regular-season championship.


MSU improved to 26-1 overall and claimed its program-best 12th SEC win with a hard-fought 58-49 win against Georgia in Humphrey Coliseum on Thursday.


That victory secured the Bulldogs a Top 4 seed in the SEC Tournament and a bye until Friday’s quarterfinals. With a win on Sunday, State would be guaranteed to finish no lower than second in the league.


Securing a Top 2 finish will be quite the challenge against a Texas A&M squad that sits at 19-7 overall and 9-4 in league play. The Aggies, who have won eight-straight in College Station, had a four-game win streak halted with a 67-63 road setback at LSU on Thursday.


SERIES VS. THE AGGIES

• Sunday will be the seventh meeting between Mississippi State and Texas A&M, the second of the season after MSU won 71-61 in Starkville on Jan. 29.
• MSU trailed 20-15 after the first quarter but used a 26-9 second to lead 41-29 at the half. The Bulldogs held on to win 71-61 behind 18 points from Victoria Vivians and 10 each from Morgan William and Teaira McCowan.
• The Aggies have won all three meetings in College Station.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M

• TAMU returns home 19-7 overall and 9-4 in SEC play following a 67-63 road setback at LSU on Thursday. That loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Aggies.
• Khaalia Hillsman paced TAMU with 24 points Thursday after tallying 10 points, 15 rebounds in her team’s win against Tennessee.
• Hillsman averages 17.0 ppg, second on the team behind Danni Williams’ 17.5 ppg. Her 8.7 rpg rates second behind Anriel Howard’s 10.7 rpg.
• Hillsman and Williams are tied for the team scoring lead in SEC games at 16.6 ppg. Hillsman also averages 9.9 rpg.

NEXT UP FOR THE DAWGS

• State begins the final week of the regular season on the road as it heads to Kentucky on Thursday.
• MSU wraps the slate at home Sunday against Tennessee. Tip is 4 p.m. on ESPN2. That contest will also be Senior Day.

BULLDOG BITES

• Mississippi State’s win against Georgia gave the Bulldogs their 12th SEC win of the season, a new single-season school record for league wins.
• The Bulldogs also set a new program best with their 13-straight win at Humphrey Coliseum. That streak is tied for the 11th-longest active streak in the nation.
• MSU collected its 26th win of the year, third-most in program history behind the 2015-16 (28) and 2014-15 (27) squads.
• Thursday’s win clinched MSU a Top 4 seed in this year’s SEC Tournament.
• Bulldog head coach Vic Schaefer is now four wins from claiming his 200th as a head coach.
• State seniors Ketara Chapel, Dominique Dillingham, Chinwe Okorie and Breanna Richardson are now 103-30 (.774) since 2013-14, the second-most wins in the league in that span.
• The Bulldogs are 34-11 (.756) in the SEC since 2014-15, the second-most wins in the league in that time frame. State has won 19 of its last 22 regular-season SEC games.
• State earned a program-best No. 3 ranking in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. It’s MSU’s 51st-straight week in both polls.
• The Dawgs have held three-straight opponents and four of their last five foes below 50 points.
• MSU has forced 92 turnovers its last four games, claiming an 95-20 edge in points off those turnovers in that stretch.
• State’s last four foes have gone a combined 11 of 56 (19.6%) from 3-point range. MSU holds opponents to 24.8% from the arc this season, second-best in the nation.
• Thursday was just the fourth game this season that MSU has trailed by more than two possessions. State has led wire-to-wire 11 times.
• Victoria Vivians reached double figures for the 21st-straight game with 10 points on Thursday.
• Vivians is ninth in the SEC this season at 16.5 ppg. She is seventh in league games with 16.8 ppg.
• Last week Vivians was named to the Naismith Trophy Top 30 and the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20.
• Ketara Chapel had her best outing of the year with 14 points, seven rebounds against Georgia. She is averaging 6.2 ppg the last five games after tallying 1.9 ppg the first 22 contests.
• An SEC personal-best nine-assist outing against Texas A&M sparked a six-game stretch that has seen Morgan William average 6.0 apg. In that stretch she has 36 assists vs. 10 turnovers. Her 3.3 assist/turnover ratio in SEC games tops the league.
• William is 14 of her last 15 (93.3%) at the free-throw line. She is fifth in the SEC in FT% in league games (82.2%). She moved into fourth at MSU in career free-throws made with 385.
• Sophomore Teaira McCowan is 13 of 19 (68.4%) from the field the last two games. She’s averaging 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the wins against Ole Miss and Georgia.