I'm excited about our football future

[Todd4State]

We're starting to get four star/Elite 11 guys at QB like Keytaeon, Mayden, and Jones.

We have three four star running backs and none of them are scatbacks. Hill looks like our best RB prospect since Dixon. Aeris and Gibson are four star guys as well.

People can complain about WR some and that may or may not be an issue this year- it looks like we're going to use TE's to help give us some length on the outside and it looks like some of the younger receivers have the potential to develop and contribute as the year goes along. But long term, Heath is probably the best WR prospect Dan has signed and certainly since Ross and is yet another four star recruit. Todd and Couch were under the radar guys that will be very good and Todd was even good enough to get a four star rating from 247 despite his inexperience. We get Dear back next year I guess but when he's healthy he was another four star Army AA guy and will be coming into his junior and senior years. Patterson from Pearl would be rated higher if he wasn't thought to be a grade risk. Austin Williams is going to be a good WR as well. If we get Whop and Guidry this group really could take a huge step forward but even if we don't this could be the most improved unit on our team.

He wasn't rated high- but Farrod Green is a very good TE.

OL is the biggest issue as we all know- but even there Dolla Bill is a 4-5 star OT and IMO may be the best prospect in the state. He may be good enough to start as a RS freshman or play as a true freshman. Champion I believe was a four star guy before JUCO at least. As others have said we have to make changes to how we recruit and use our o-line to maximize our ceiling. We must start landing the Matt Womack's and Scott Lashley's in the state.

Our defense is loaded with beasts. And now we have a DC that knows how to coach.

Simmons might go to the NFL after his junior year. Jones and Fletcher Adams were four star guys and Adams played in the Semper Fi Game. Charles Moore is a 2019 commit that's a five star guy for now. He could be the next Simmons/Chris Jones. If we get Williams from Callaway he will be another really good defensive lineman to go with Lovett from Olive Branch.

I could see Leo leaving after his junior year potentially too. We'll see down the road. Willie Gay was a four star guy so we could have two former major All-Star game players at ILB in Leo and Gay for the next two years. Marquiss Spencer looks really good and if we can land Crumedy to go with Jett Johnson that's a really exciting group especially since guys like Tim Washington and Eroll Thompson will still be around.

Dantzler was a three star guy but he's going to be very good at CB and if he stays healthy I think he ends up in the NFL. Tyler Williams seems to have a similar frame at least but I haven't really seen him play to have a good opinion on him and I like Reed from Olive Branch as well. Smitherman is a good nickle guy.

I hate that Landon Guidry got hurt because I think he's going to be a good player for us. Marcus Murphy is yet another four star guy that may win Mr. Football in Mississippi this year. CJ Morgan Walker was a three star guy but he played in the Semper Fi AA Game and looks like a good player.

Kicker an punter is similar to WR in that I think we will make some strides here in the year or so. McPherson is a commit that is an UA All-American and Day is an Army All-American punter. I'm not sure that very many teams can say that both of their kickers played in post season all-star games after their senior year but we can starting next year. Mixon is a really good KR and will be one of the best in the SEC at that the next two years. I'm guessing that Deddrick Thomas will get a look at returning kicks starting next year as well as maybe Nero Nelson.

By 2019 we're going to have a LOT of 4 star-5 star guys starting for us. And a few of the three star guys even played in some national post season high school All-Star games. I can't wait to see how these guys develop in the coming years!

[Commercecomet24]

Great assessment, I'm right with you, Todd! Dan has built this program the right way. No shortcuts, solid foundation, win consistently and then you start drawing the more talented elite type players. It's the way to build for long term success. It's the sustainable model, unlike the path the idiots to the north took.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

We will never "take the next step" as long as Hevesy is coaching OL....

[IMissJack]

I know this has been beaten to death, but aside from the normal griping, why wouldn't an O lineman want to come here? We can point to great QB prospects to block for, great running backs, putting other positions in the pros, show them they are the one piece of the puzzle to take it to the top, etc. What specifically are we doing to screw this up? It seems like every other position is getting easier to recruit. And before I get the traditional, "it's Hev", what is specifically wrong with how he recruits?

I heard a LOT of speculation all over the games I watched this weekend, about teams wondering how their O line will hold up. It appears this is a universal problem, and the hardest group to get right.

[bostondawg]

We need Cole Smith in maroon and white badly.

[Todd4State]

I know this has been beaten to death, but aside from the normal griping, why wouldn't an O lineman want to come here? We can point to great QB prospects to block for, great running backs, putting other positions in the pros, show them they are the one piece of the puzzle to take it to the top, etc. What specifically are we doing to screw this up? It seems like every other position is getting easier to recruit. And before I get the traditional, "it's Hev", what is specifically wrong with how he recruits?

I heard a LOT of speculation all over the games I watched this weekend, about teams wondering how their O line will hold up. It appears this is a universal problem, and the hardest group to get right.

I think the problem from what I have heard is he doesn't like to do it and isn't as assertive as he should be.

[Schultzy]

I want Dantzler to play every snap. Willie Gay looked fast and Errol Thompson can move well for a big guy. Marquiss Spencer doesn't get talked about enough, he pressures the QB in every game. Kylin Hill looks like all-conference is in his future so I agree w/Todd we should be optimistic about our future.

We are trying to strip the ball as well thank goodness; remember that year when we had ZERO fumble recoveries?! Those days are gone.

Plus, you could tell Mullen was way more enthusiastic than he's been in years at his pre-season speaking engagements so he must feel good about our immediate future as well.

[raymond21]

We will never "take the next step" as long as Hevesy is coaching OL....

This sums it up

[BrunswickDawg]

I think the problem from what I have heard is he doesn't like to do it and isn't as assertive as he should be.

And yet he continues to land key players for us like Dak and Fitz.

Personally, I think every team ends up being snake-bit at one position group. Jackie and Croom couldn't land QB's. Rodney Hudson was a 4-star world beater and saw the field one game. Imagine if Jackie had ever had a QB (no offense to Sleepy, Wayne, Matt, etc) we win 2-3 SEC titles and maybe a Natty in '99. OL seems to be Dan's. But even then, we have still produced 3 NFL OL under Hev - none of whom were highly rated guys coming out of HS. Most people agree that OL is the hardest to evaluate - and when you look around the SEC right now who outside of Bama and LSU have consistent, elite OL? UGa? No. UF - no, they had players blocking each other under Boom. A&M - not from that 2nd half shit show I saw last night. OM - they were ready to fire Luke last year b/c their line was crap. It IS frustrating as hell to be so close and have 1 thing constantly a question mark. But I'll ask this - would you rather the OL be what it is or go back to having a decent QB once every 15-20 years? I'll take now all day.

[IMissJack]

But I'll ask this - would you rather the OL be what it is or go back to having a decent QB once every 15-20 years? I'll take now all day.

+1 I agree, I'll take now. I'm just fearful that the numbers game with the ones that haven't qualified or panned out is going to catch up with us.

[Mobile Bay]

We will never "take the next step" as long as Hevesy is coaching OL....

Every snap yesterday was at Fitz's knees If that doesn't get fixed quick, our goose is cooked. No matter what else we have.

[Todd4State]

And yet he continues to land key players for us like Dak and Fitz.

Personally, I think every team ends up being snake-bit at one position group. Jackie and Croom couldn't land QB's. Rodney Hudson was a 4-star world beater and saw the field one game. Imagine if Jackie had ever had a QB (no offense to Sleepy, Wayne, Matt, etc) we win 2-3 SEC titles and maybe a Natty in '99. OL seems to be Dan's. But even then, we have still produced 3 NFL OL under Hev - none of whom were highly rated guys coming out of HS. Most people agree that OL is the hardest to evaluate - and when you look around the SEC right now who outside of Bama and LSU have consistent, elite OL? UGa? No. UF - no, they had players blocking each other under Boom. A&M - not from that 2nd half shit show I saw last night. OM - they were ready to fire Luke last year b/c their line was crap. It IS frustrating as hell to be so close and have 1 thing constantly a question mark. But I'll ask this - would you rather the OL be what it is or go back to having a decent QB once every 15-20 years? I'll take now all day.

Hevesy gets way too much credit for Dak. Even if he is the sole reason for landing him his track record of recruiting is terrible. Don Larsen pitched the best game in World Series history but he had a losing overall career record. Saying that Hevesy should stay based on one good recruit would be like me trying to say Larsen is the best pitcher of all time because of one performance.

And as for the straw man argument I'd like to keep Dan and just see what he could do with a good OL coach.

[Commercecomet24]

To be fair, Hevesy also found Chris Jones. His list of commitments as a recruiter for us is also pretty good. Now as far as ol recruiting we have to step it up but he's done fairly well recruiting other positions

Here's the link for his commits:

http://247sports.com/Coach/John-Hevesy-303/AllTimeRecruits

[Todd4State]

To be fair, Hevesy also found Chris Jones. His list of commitments as a recruiter for us is also pretty good. Now as far as ol recruiting we have to step it up but he's done fairly well recruiting other positions

Here's the link for his commits:

http://247sports.com/Coach/John-Heve...llTimeRecruits

We always have two coaches recruiting each player- area and position. I imagine that's why it appears as if he lands good players but very few out of his own position group.

[Commercecomet24]

We always have two coaches recruiting each player- area and position. I imagine that's why it appears as if he lands good players but very few out of his own position group.

Oh I agree that the recruiting for his position group has been subpar but he did find and identify Chris Jones and was a big influence with Dak and also some others but OL recruiting has to improve. Maybe Looney can help
With that until Hevesy retires or whatever.

[Todd4State]

Oh I agree that the recruiting for his position group has been subpar but he did find and identify Chris Jones and was a big influence with Dak and also some others but OL recruiting has to improve. Maybe Looney can help
With that until Hevesy retires or whatever.

I think Looney is being groomed to be the o-line coach eventually. And he will be very good at it.

[Commercecomet24]

I think Looney is being groomed to be the o-line coach eventually. And he will be very good at it.

Agreed. Like the Larsen analogy lol

[TrapGame]

I think Looney is being groomed to be the o-line coach eventually. And he will be very good at it.

Interesting theory Todd. What have you seen or heard to give you that impression?

[bostondawg]

I think Looney is being groomed to be the o-line coach eventually. And he will be very good at it.

What makes you think that?
(and can it happen tomorrow?)

To the bigger points on the state of MSU football: absolutely we are happier with our team now that we were in the past. And of course we think Dan has overall done a very good job.
Neither of those things exclude us from wanting the bad things to be fixed. When we have to have walk-on OL in the 2-deep because we can't recruit the position and we mismanage those that we get, that's a problem. When our 2016 defense was 111th in the nation, that's a problem. Wanting those things to be fixed is not being selfish or taking the current staff for granted. It's a love for my alma mater that makes me want to see it do the best it can. In fact, I hope that as a father one day I'd feel the same way--I push and support my kid to be the best they can be, no matter how I did as a kid or how anyone else's kid does.

Dan has raised the expectations at MSU, and we love him for that, and (hopefully) patiently support him through the hard times like last year. When we want better, I'd hope that isn't to say "get the hell out of town Dan," but is rather more of, "let's take the next steps together, Dan."

As an aside: I'm a young alumni, and started school at MSU when Dan was the head coach. I never actually lived through the Croom days or anything before. I know the history and can sympathize for how hard being a fan must have been through those times. But I admit that for many young alumni like me, our expectations are pretty solid. Maybe Dan has spoiled us, you could say, but in a good way. I hope that we can expect an OL recruiter who isn't completely incompetent, without that seeming brash or thankless.

ETA: I'm very excited for the future of MSU football. I truly believe that we are an OL away next year from a possible NY6 bowl.

[Commercecomet24]

What makes you think that?
(and can it happen tomorrow?)

To the bigger points on the state of MSU football: absolutely we are happier with our team now that we were in the past. And of course we think Dan has overall done a very good job.
Neither of those things exclude us from wanting the bad things to be fixed. When we have to have walk-on OL in the 2-deep because we can't recruit the position and we mismanage those that we get, that's a problem. When our 2016 defense was 111th in the nation, that's a problem. Wanting those things to be fixed is not being selfish or taking the current staff for granted. It's a love for my alma mater that makes me want to see it do the best it can. In fact, I hope that as a father one day I'd feel the same way--I push and support my kid to be the best they can be, no matter how I did as a kid or how anyone else's kid does.

Dan has raised the expectations at MSU, and we love him for that, and (hopefully) patiently support him through the hard times like last year. When we want better, I'd hope that isn't to say "get the hell out of town Dan," but is rather more of, "let's take the next steps together, Dan."

As an aside: I'm a young alumni, and started school at MSU when Dan was the head coach. I never actually lived through the Croom days or anything before. I know the history and can sympathize for how hard being a fan must have been through those times. But I admit that for many young alumni like me, our expectations are pretty solid. Maybe Dan has spoiled us, you could say, but in a good way. I hope that we can expect an OL recruiter who isn't completely incompetent, without that seeming brash or thankless.

ETA: I'm very excited for the future of MSU football. I truly believe that we are an OL away next year from a possible NY6 bowl.

That's a good perspective and I think
Most of us feel the same. I'm older and lived through a lot of the mediocrity. I see the foundation that has been built and I feel confident that Dan will continue to make adjustments as he grows as a coach.

Good post.