So if you're a recruit from the State of Mississippi......

[Goat Holder]

Tell me how MSU or Ole Miss could actually keep you in state, if Alabama or Auburn wanted you? Better yet how could we convince, say, a Louisiana kid to come to MSU over Auburn? Or an Alabama kid? They can basically guarantee you that you'll get a shot to play in a national championship game over their 4-5 college career.

I mean, I love MSU and I know it has advantages over them, but I'm about ready for the Alabama schools to cycle down for more than one damn year.

[Bo Darville]

Forget illegal recruiting tactics for a moment

MSU has a lot to offer. Maybe it is your major. We are expanding the stadium. We have a nice campus, pretty women, and friendly people. Our talent level has improved tremendously, making us competitive within in our league. At the same time, playing time is available (would Beniquez Brown have gotten the same meaningful snaps this year at Bama). We are putting some players in the league (KJ Wright, Slay, Banks, Cox, Cam, Gabe Jackson). The facilities are top-notch. Maybe we aren't Bama, but they can only take 25 guys. And we dang sure aren't USM or Memphis.

[TheRef]

Forget illegal recruiting tactics for a moment

MSU has a lot to offer. Maybe it is your major. We are expanding the stadium. We have a nice campus, pretty women, and friendly people. Our talent level has improved tremendously, making us competitive within in our league. At the same time, playing time is available (would Beniquez Brown have gotten the same meaningful snaps this year at Bama). We are putting some players in the league (KJ Wright, Slay, Banks, Cox, Cam, Gabe Jackson). The facilities are top-notch. Maybe we aren't Bama, but they can only take 25 guys. And we dang sure aren't USM or Memphis.

Also, as Dak said earlier this year. We don't have fans, we have family. When you come to MSU you will be welcomed with open-arms into our family atmosphere. You will become part of the MSU Family and will be loved by the rest of the Family. Our tailgating is one of the best as everyone shares with one another and willing to bend over backwards to help each other. Needless to say, we may not be a national powerhouse but you'll never feel more at home than in Starkville and at Mississippi State University.

[LiterallyPolice]

Tell me how MSU or Ole Miss could actually keep you in state, if Alabama or Auburn wanted you? Better yet how could we convince, say, a Louisiana kid to come to MSU over Auburn? Or an Alabama kid? They can basically guarantee you that you'll get a shot to play in a national championship game over their 4-5 college career.

I mean, I love MSU and I know it has advantages over them, but I'm about ready for the Alabama schools to cycle down for more than one damn year.

Some kids in Mississippi are fans of MSU or Ole Miss and want to play at the school they've always cheered for. Many have relatives that attended/played for Mississippi teams. And of course, many live very near the Mississippi Schools, allowing them to see their family more often and vice versa.

But I agree with your last point... Surely Alabama and Auburn have to cycle down at some point... right? That's why I don't care about some "SEC National Championship Streak" that we've had nothing to do with. The level of competition we have to play is ridiculous and ultimately it is too our benefit for these programs to cool off a little.

[bulldogsmsu]

I would think you would have to sell them on 3 things.

1. The school in general and hopefully it fits what they want to major in.
2. The family/tight nit group of players and community atmosphere. You have to sell what you have and not try to sell something you are not.
3. The fact that they are needed and they are the ones to take this program to the next level. At Alamaba they are the next cycle of players. I think making them feel needed goes a long way.

We can't sell them on stadium, facilities, etc . Even though we are progressing greatly we are still behind.

[Goat Holder]

Forget illegal recruiting tactics for a moment

Yes, I agree. Let's leave this out of the thread.

[cheewgumm]

Things change.

This is one thing I wish our fanbase would embrace. WE could win the NC. We COULD. It is not as far-fetched as a lot of people think. We've got to realize as a fanbase what being in the SEC has done for us and how things have changed.

[Maroonthirteen]

.......just based on my loose observations of Alabama players.....isn't Alabama recruiting more on a national level? If so, I think that is good for us. Reason being, if they can land kids from all over the country, they are less likely to recruit and sign a bunch of Mississippi kids. So, we may want them to stay cycled up. ....... just a thought.

To answer your question, it is obvious. A starting position and/or immediate playing time is about all we have unique to offer and an opportunity to build something for your home state for the MS kids.

[Barking 13]

Our last couple of teams have made history... that's got to be worth something...

[Goat Holder]

.......just based on my loose observations of Alabama players.....isn't Alabama recruiting more on a national level? If so, I think that is good for us. Reason being, if they can land kids from all over the country, they are less likely to recruit and sign a bunch of Mississippi kids. So, we may want them to stay cycled up. ....... just a thought.

I have definitely noticed this as well. I don't know if it's the fact that they are focused elsewhere, or that MSU/Ole Miss is just doing better at keeping the local talent home. But you also have to remember that Alabama right now features two MS guys, Kevin Norwood and Anthony Steen. Auburn has Jermaine Whitehead and Shon Coleman. Also had Daren Bates on the previous national championship team.

[Political Hack]

95% of the time kids pick their colleges based on the relationships they form and how close they feel to the people at the school. That and geography are the biggest factors IMO.

outside of a random five star WR from Illinoi$ choosing Mississippi, kids usually stick close to home or at least stay in their region. We have to dominate MS and find a few diamonds from LA, AL, TN, and GA. Getting some from Texas and Florida sometimes also helps. Five years ago, Fred Ross would've never signed here. Will Redmond would've jumped at UT's offer. Dak would've flipped to LSU. Benni would've signed with Auburn. etc, etc, etc...

[Bothrops]

Tell me how MSU or Ole Miss could actually keep you in state, if Alabama or Auburn wanted you? Better yet how could we convince, say, a Louisiana kid to come to MSU over Auburn? Or an Alabama kid? They can basically guarantee you that you'll get a shot to play in a national championship game over their 4-5 college career.

I mean, I love MSU and I know it has advantages over them, but I'm about ready for the Alabama schools to cycle down for more than one damn year.

Interesting perspective. I'll try to answer this in the mind of an 18 year old. Unless I hated where I came from, I wouldn't want to go out of state. Once you weigh all the positives and negatives, ie, playing time vs. playing in the big dance, it gives you something to think about. However, if I had no allegiance to any in-state team and get offered by the reigning national champs. I'm gonna have to really enjoy my campus visit.

[smootness]

Well, I would have been a recruit from the state of Georgia, and I still probably would have picked State if I had the offer. Because I've always been a State fan.

If I had the offers, it probably would have come down to State and Duke/Stanford.

You're telling me I can get that kind of education for free? Sign me up.

[gravedigger]

To be a part of bringing home the crystal. Wouldn't be as special anywhere else.

[dawgs]

1) playing time

2) early playing time

3) the opportunity to be a legend that built something instead of the next guy in line at bama. if we ever win a sec CG, every member of that team will be revered. if bama wins a sec CG, they damn well better not **** up and lose the national title game.

[SignalToNoise]

Playing time.

[Percho]

By convincing me that we at Mississippi State can do the same thing they do at Alabama or Auburn but we can't do it without you and we can't do it without so and so next year. If you can convince enough kids of this then it can be done.

Of course if there is money in the equation then maybe it can never be done unless there are real penalties to those who pay, that is boosters going to jail for 5 to 10 years, coaches actually losing their jobs forever and jail time if caught, that type of thing.

How serious do the powers that be want to make the playing field equal?

[HereComesTheSpiral]

Well I haven't seen ours fans making death threats to players and their families, that's a plus.

[ShotgunDawg]

Easy

We play the same schedule as Auburn and Alabama
Same level of coaches
Outside stadium capacity, we really have as good of facilities as both those schools; do some research before you just assume they have better.

And mainly, Alabama and Auburn are good because of coaches and players. They aren't better because of their town, their stadium size, and the name on the front of their jersey. They are only good because of coaches and players.

We already have coaches, with you, we solve the player problem.

College football is so cyclical. Bama won in the 60s, therefore the best PLAYERS went there and they won in the 70s, then the best PLAYERS went there because they won in the 70s, and they won in the 80s, then the best players went there because they won in the 80s so they won in the 90s, then because they won in the 90s the best best players went there and they won in the 2000s, and so on and so on.

The only reason they win is because they get the players. Simply, if one day the top recruits just up and decided to come to MSU, we would win just as much as Alabama.

There is no secret about this, and it's easy to understand. Bama offers no advantage to a player, outside of playing with better players. If the better players would just decide to come to MSU, it would flip.

I would tell a recruit, "It starts with you."

[curmudgeon]

A word about the major.

Unfortunately, many athletes don't give a damn about the academic side. Many of them are going to major in PE or Interdisciplinary Studies. Not many Engineers on the gridiron, and most never graduate.

Its one thing that Jackie did that I wish Mullen would do. He really emphasized academics. We even wore patches representing the college that the player was enrolled in.

[Goat Holder]

Yes. This is a big one.

[dawgs]

A word about the major.

Unfortunately, many athletes don't give a damn about the academic side. Many of them are going to major in PE or Interdisciplinary Studies. Not many Engineers on the gridiron, and most never graduate.

Its one thing that Jackie did that I wish Mullen would do. He really emphasized academics. We even wore patches representing the college that the player was enrolled in.

actually most do graduate. they might not have the best major for professional success, but most of the players graduate.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9873192/notre-dame-comes-winner-graduation-rates