Best Mississippi State team ever? If Joe Moorhead has anything to say about it, yes
When Dan Mullen left for Florida, there was a small amount of panic among the MSU fanbase. This was arguably the best coach in Mississippi State history, and he was gone. However, the Joe Moorhead move has been under rated in many media circles. This man masterminded the Penn State offensive renaissance. If he can figure out how to get Nick Fitzgerald passing, the offense can be downright lethal.
Prestige Ranking: 4
Dan Mullen brought the program up from horrible depths. He consistently made bowl games and won them. Did he ever win the division? No, but he did get MSU to the first #1 ranking in the CFP, and MSU may never reach those heights again. That should stand for a lot.
Returning Starters: 17
Offense: 9
QB Nick Fitzgerald, RB Aeris Williams, WR Keith Mixon, WR Jesse Jackson, LG Daryl Williams, C Elgton Jenkins, RG Deion Calhoun, RT Stewart Reese, TE Farrod Green
Nick Fitzgerald returns for his senior season, giving a big bonus to Moorhead in his first year as HC. Fitzgerald, who might be the best rushing QB in the country (984 yards, 14 tds), is hoping to end his senior year with a bang. For the offense to truly take the next step, Fitzgerald will have to improve his passing. Thankfully for the Bulldogs, passing is one of Moorhead’s fortes. Last season Fitzgerald totaled 1,782 yards, 15 tds, and 11 ints. Moorhead has said all offseason they are working on Fitzgerald’s accuracy, hoping to bump it up from 54% to 65%. If this can happen, the offense has potential to be one of the best in the country, and Fitzgerald could be a dark horse Heisman candidate.
In addition to Fitzgerald’s stellar running ability. The running back position is absolutely stacked. Aeris Williams returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards last season. While less of an option in the red zone, Williams is a force between the tackles, getting the tough yards on short downs. This season, the hope is that he can become more of a threat as a receiver, as this is a key part of Moorhead’s offense. Behind him is sophomore Kylin Hill. Hill, a standout recruit in 2016, rushed for 393 yards last year, and is the more explosive runner. His contributions figure to be much higher this coming season.
Wide receiver is a position at which the Bulldogs struggled last season. The leader in yards, Jesse Jackson, had 276, while the leader in touchdowns, Deddrick Thomas caught four. Obviously, in the new, more balanced offense, this is going to have to change. MSU gets back a good number of previously injured slot guys, including speedsters Malik Dear and Keith Mixon. The biggest acquisition though, is likely JUCO transfer Stephen Guidry. Guidry, the number one rated JUCO WR, should give the Bulldogs a big, vertical threat on the outside for Fitzgerald to throw to. As far as recruits, high four star Devonta “Whop” Jason also arrives on campus, and is similarly a big target, who can play outside and in the slot. It would not be surprise to see him grab a starting spot.
The offensive line should be sturdy, returning four of five starters from a year ago. The only hole is at LT, where Greg Eiland looks to step in. In several starts last year, Eiland looked the part of an SEC lineman, and should fit right in as a LT on an elite line. Elsewhere, C Elgton Jenkins is a veteran presence and considered one of the better Centers in the country, being up for several awards. RT Stewart Reese stepped in as a redshirt freshman last season and was dominant, and should continue to grow into one of the best tackles in the conference.
Defense: 7
DE Gerri Green, DT Jeffrey Simmons, DT Braxton Hoyett, DE Montez Sweat, LB Leo Lewis, S Mark McLaurin, S Jonathan Abram
Folks, this defense very well may kill some people. One of the best defensive lines in the country resides in Starkville. Led by Jeffrey Simmons, the line can come at offenses from any number of ways. Simmons, who totaled 60 tackles and 5 sacks last season, in addition to blocking punts and scoring touchdowns, is one of the best defensive lineman in the country. He profiles to be an absolute force this season, and should hear his name called in the NFL draft after the season. On the outside, Montez Sweat lies in weight. The senior had 10.5 sacks a season ago, tying for the conference lead. The new defensive scheme allows for him to rush the passer from a 3-point stance, potentially making him even more terrifying.
The linebacking position, while lacking experience, has plenty of depth. Leo Lewis (I am sure many of you know him) returns for his junior year, and hopes to regain his sophomore form. Outside of him, sophomore Errol Thompson shined last season, and will likely be the top linebacker on the team. Then there is a Willie Gay, the Starkville native. Gay saw extended playing time as a true freshman, and can bounce to a pass rush position thanks to his absurd athleticism.
The secondary features the return of one of the top safeties in the SEC in Mark McLaurin. McLaurin led the team in tackles and interceptions last year, including a 3(!) int performance in the bowl game. He should be an All-SEC guy by the end of the year, and a threat to pick off any pass. At the other safety spot, you have Jonathan Abram, who actually kills people. One of the harder hitting safeties I have seen, his physical ability matches well with McLaurin’s pass coverage. At the nickel back spot, Michigan transfer Brian Cole seems to have it locked down. Cole, highly touted out of high school, could add another dimension to the secondary. Corner is where the questions are. Chris Rayford, Cameron Dantzler, and Jamal Peters are all battling to start. Rayford and Peters have the experience, while Dantzler has shown out the past two springs. It would not be surprising to see a rotation of sorts between the three.
Special Teams: 1
The Bulldogs finally found a kicker in Jace Christmann last season. The walk-on freshman went 12-14 on FGs, and perfect on PATs. He should bring stability to a much maligned position.
Punter Logan Cooke is gone, but sophomore Tucker Day should be able to shoulder the burden. Day was a high school All-American, and will look to keep the position consistent. Long snapper is an open spot as well, and looks to be filled by redshirt senior Joel Baldwin, who has plenty of experience in the program.
Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace All Name Team Member: Rip Kirk
Key Losses: Martinas Rankin, Dez Harris
Rankin a third round draft pick, should not be missed to sorely with Greg Eiland stepping in. But he would be a luxury for an already impressive O-line. Dez Harris would have brought leadership to what is a relatively young linebacking corp.
Five Year Recruiting Rank: 25
One of the great things Mullen did at MSU was consistently recruit and develop. He would never have the best classes, but he would get a couple of four stars and a bunch of threes and develop them into a well oiled machine. This ranking should stay largely the same under Moorhead. While there was some worry (not from myself) that he couldn’t “understand the South”, the early returns (while just that) have been very positive.
Alcohol Prediction for Fans: Johnnie Walker Black Label
When most people buy whiskey, they mix it with something. But in this case, you need an expensive scotch that you can savor. That’s why we are going with the best of the best here. Black Label is expensive, and you might only buy it once. This season has potential to be great for the Bulldogs, and fans may never see anything like it again.
Outlook:
It should not be too hard to talk yourself into Moorhead and the Bulldogs this season. If you speak to the fans, anything less than nine wins is a disappointment. Many see no reason why they can’t go 10-2. Knowing the luck of Mississippi State, that may be hard to buy into. Keep an eye on Auburn on October 6, If MSU can beat Auburn, the hype may be very real. If that happens, you could have the de-facto SEC West championship game in Tuscaloosa on November 10th.
