Tommy Champion to Co Lin

[ShotgunDawg]

This was just announced, and, while its not ideal, it's not a huge deal. With our new policy of getting non qualifiers to JUCO in January, it allows them get out of JUCO next December, after spending the required 3 semesters there.

Since Champion wasn't going to walk in and start or be counted upon, this just basically delays him getting here till next December

So, all in all, we lose a year with him, but if Co Lin develops him properly, it will all even out in the end.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Won't be December but summer 2016. Will still only be 1 season tho.

[ShotgunDawg]

Won't be December but summer 2016. Will still only be 1 season tho.

Gotcha, it's not huge deal with it only being 1 year. I like this new JUCO policy

[msstate7]

Is co Lin a strong hold? Will we have to worry about recruiting him again? Thank God it's not emcc

[Big4Dawg]

Co-Lin is def a strong hold. Gray came from there and the coaches really help us out on keeping tabs of him. And one of our commits dad is a coach there.

[ShotgunDawg]

Is co Lin a strong hold? Will we have to worry about recruiting him again? Thank God it's not emcc

Co-Lin is to MSU what the Missisippi Braves are to the Atlanta Braves.

[jumbo]

Is co Lin a strong hold? Will we have to worry about recruiting him again? Thank God it's not emcc


Co Lin is where we will send everyone we want to protect. Absolutely nothing to worry about there. They didn't let any other school even talk to Donald Gray

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Gotcha, it's not huge deal with it only being 1 year. I like this new JUCO policy

Yea me too. If you don't have a chance of qualifying & you know that early. Go ahead & get the head start in Juco & save you a season of D1 ball.

[EAVdog]

Bummer, but will be ok in the long run when he gets to Starkville.

[msstate7]

Co-Lin is to MSU what the Missisippi Braves are to the Atlanta Braves.

Good deal

[maroonmania]

I thought if you were a non-qualifier you had to graduate from JUCO plus have certain core courses? Is that not true? We think Champion will graduate in 3 semesters?

[HoopsDawg]

All of the sudden our High School O-line commits look a lot different. Moon is a definite project. I like Williams, but AU didn't offer and people say he is undersized. That's it. That's all we currently have.

[scottycameron]

I thought if you were a non-qualifier you had to graduate from JUCO plus have certain core courses? Is that not true? We think Champion will graduate in 3 semesters?

That's what I thought. Shotgun mentioned "new JUCO rules". What are they???

[maroonmania]

All of the sudden our High School O-line commits look a lot different. Moon is a definite project. I like Williams, but AU didn't offer and people say he is undersized. That's it. That's all we currently have.

Makes you scratch your head on why we were so quick to offer a gray shirt to the OL from GA.

[Covercorner2]

We must be confident in what we currently have on campus...

[Big4Dawg]

How many times has a OL came in and started his freshmen year anyway?

[Covercorner2]

How many times has a OL came in and started his freshmen year anyway?

Exactly

[maroonmania]

How many times has a OL came in and started his freshmen year anyway?

Not many but I would think you would want to have them in YOUR system from Day 1 for development if given the choice.

[Big4Dawg]

Well obviously but that isn't an option. It's not like this is an elite WR or DB who could come in and contribute from the state.

[NCDawg]

Exactly

Unless you are an Alabama recruit. Think their starting LT was a freshman this year, although he may be a redshirt.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

You do have to graduate from Juco. He will have Spr 15, Summer 15, Fall 15, & Spring 16. Then if needed 1st summer session of Summer 16 & be on campus in July of 16.

[HoopsDawg]

Unless you are an Alabama recruit. Think their starting LT was a freshman this year, although he may be a redshirt.

No Cam Robinson is a true freshman.

We are putting a nice spin on Champion, but it is a loss. He loses that valuable redshirt year + spring practice before his redshirt freshman year and sophomore year. Now he is looking at going into his sophomore year with Zero spring practices at MSU. And you still have to re-sign him. It's likely, but not a given. And he still has to get eligible.

[bulldawg28]

No Cam Robinson is a true freshman.

We are putting a nice spin on Champion, but it is a loss. He loses that valuable redshirt year + spring practice before his redshirt freshman year and sophomore year. Now he is looking at going into his sophomore year with Zero spring practices at MSU. And you still have to re-sign him. It's likely, but not a given. And he still has to get eligible.



Hush sir.

[Really Clark?]

No Cam Robinson is a true freshman.

We are putting a nice spin on Champion, but it is a loss. He loses that valuable redshirt year + spring practice before his redshirt freshman year and sophomore year. Now he is looking at going into his sophomore year with Zero spring practices at MSU. And you still have to re-sign him. It's likely, but not a given. And he still has to get eligible.

How is it a loss? If he is doing this he wasn't qualifing this year anyway. So instead of waiting two years it's only one. Sounds like a good plan to me.

[Jack Lambert]

This will give him time to grow while getting game playing time. 260 is light.

[defiantdog]

Hopefully Champion is the last of the group to go the Juco route. This really hurts because now we have no OT's committed in this group. Moon is a project guy who will probably play center or guard one day, and Williams is a guard (he doesn't have the height to play tackle in the SEC..... he's around 6'2" / 6'3"). How many does Rankin have to play?

[hailmari]

Williams is a center.

[Todd4State]

This sucks, but Champion will get to play for Co-Lin next year and at least get some experience. So, it's not the worst thing in the world either.

[Todd4State]

Hopefully Champion is the last of the group to go the Juco route. This really hurts because now we have no OT's committed in this group. Moon is a project guy who will probably play center or guard one day, and Williams is a guard (he doesn't have the height to play tackle in the SEC..... he's around 6'2" / 6'3"). How many does Rankin have to play?

We'll probably sign at least 1-2 more o-linemen. O-linemen are a different animal than any other position in recruiting. Last year, no one was talking about Elgton Jenkins. Now he's going to be a candidate at LT next year. There's probably some guys that our coaches know about that they want to keep under the radar right now but will emerge in January.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

This will give him time to grow while getting game playing time. 260 is light.

He's almost 290 now.

[HSVDawg]

Am I the only one perplexed that someone can have good enough grades to graduate high school a semester early, but yet at the same time have horrible enough grades to have no chance (even with another semester and summer of available classes) of meeting the extremely mediocre NCAA eligibility requirements in place for athletes? Are high school graduation requirements in Mississippi really that low?

[Liverpooldawg]

Am I the only one perplexed that someone can have good enough grades to graduate high school a semester early, but yet at the same time have horrible enough grades to have no chance (even with another semester and summer of available classes) of meeting the extremely mediocre NCAA eligibility requirements in place for athletes? Are high school graduation requirements in Mississippi really that low?

I imagine they are but it could also be an ACT thing.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Am I the only one perplexed that someone can have good enough grades to graduate high school a semester early, but yet at the same time have horrible enough grades to have no chance (even with another semester and summer of available classes) of meeting the extremely mediocre NCAA eligibility requirements in place for athletes? Are high school graduation requirements in Mississippi really that low?

These kids aren't graduating early. They are getting their GED's & starting Juco a semester early.

[HSVDawg]

These kids aren't graduating early. They are getting their GED's & starting Juco a semester early.

Seriously? Are you saying that our coaching staff (employees of an accredited major university) are actively encouraging recruits to said university to forgo pursuit of a high school diploma just so they can play football sooner? As bad as the whole false pretense of the words "student-athlete" has become these days, I still find that hard to believe.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Seriously? Are you saying that our coaching staff (employees of an accredited major university) are actively encouraging recruits to said university to forgo pursuit of a high school diploma just so they can play football sooner? As bad as the whole false pretense of the words "student-athlete" has become these days, I still find that hard to believe.

Ok. Believe what you want but more schools & kids are doing it. Ron Walker did it last year. Myers, Champion, & Jay Johnson are doing it this year. They're going to be going to Juco 1st anyway this just gives them a semester head start.

[msstate7]

Seriously? Are you saying that our coaching staff (employees of an accredited major university) are actively encouraging recruits to said university to forgo pursuit of a high school diploma just so they can play football sooner? As bad as the whole false pretense of the words "student-athlete" has become these days, I still find that hard to believe.

Well the kids are enrolling in a junior college. It's not like we're encouraging them to drop out

[HSVDawg]

Well the kids are enrolling in a junior college. It's not like we're encouraging them to drop out

I guess I haven't been paying attention to this new rule. If State and Ole Miss are doing it, I'm sure everyone else is as well. And I get what you are saying and agree to an extent. But to play devil's advocate, consider the off chance of an injury or other circumstance arises (academics, getting home sick, etc.) in which case the Juco route just doesn't pan out for them. Because after all, college isn't for everyone. In that case, these kids would likely be on the job market, and having a high school diploma would be much more desirable than just a GED, although neither is ideal. For that reason, encouraging the early juco route without graduating seems a little bit fishy to me and a little self serving for these coaches to hedge their bets on these kids that are high risk of not qualifying. At the end of the day, I suppose it's just another sign of the times in the business that is college football. I won't lose any sleep over it.

[Todd4State]

I guess I haven't been paying attention to this new rule. If State and Ole Miss are doing it, I'm sure everyone else is as well. And I get what you are saying and agree to an extent. But to play devil's advocate, consider the off chance of an injury or other circumstance arises (academics, getting home sick, etc.) in which case the Juco route just doesn't pan out for them. Because after all, college isn't for everyone. In that case, these kids would likely be on the job market, and having a high school diploma would be much more desirable than just a GED, although neither is ideal. For that reason, encouraging the early juco route without graduating seems a little bit fishy to me and a little self serving for these coaches to hedge their bets on these kids that are high risk of not qualifying. At the end of the day, I suppose it's just another sign of the times in the business that is college football. I won't lose any sleep over it.

I think it's just a sign that the times are changing. Not college football, but Bryce Harper got a GED so that he could play JUCO baseball instead of high school baseball before he was drafted. I don't know if it will become more and more common or not, but you think about it- I've never had an employer ask me if I graduated high school or got a diploma. All I have ever been asked about is my degree.

[HancockCountyDog]

The only thing I want to add to this is that anyone that thinks it is a slam dunk that he finishes in 1.5 years and enrolls in August 2016, is fooling themselves.

I understand the desire to spin losing our top HS OL commit to Juco is somehow a good thing, but its not. Personally Im frustrated by it. Right now are HS OL recruiting class is Harrison Moon that everyone agrees is a project with potential (at least 2-3 years from helping) and Williams, who I really like but we will be sweating all the way until signing day because he has publically stated (thanks a lot) that he really wants an AU offer.

[thedawg]

This is not ideal so I am not spinning... but if it works out just like it sets up its a much better situation than the alternative.

It is much better to play a year against good competition... Then come in as a sophomore and redshirt. Have a year playing Juco, a redshirt year, and a spring in the system before you are asked to play as oppossed to: screw around all summer trying to qualify.. Get to Co Lin late. Spend two years at Co Lin and probably not graduate until may because you screwed around at the beginning trying to qualify. Then come in a try to play as a green Junior.

If your not going to qualify this is a much much better path. Certainly I just wish he would have qualified.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

The only thing I want to add to this is that anyone that thinks it is a slam dunk that he finishes in 1.5 years and enrolls in August 2016, is fooling themselves.

I understand the desire to spin losing our top HS OL commit to Juco is somehow a good thing, but its not. Personally Im frustrated by it. Right now are HS OL recruiting class is Harrison Moon that everyone agrees is a project with potential (at least 2-3 years from helping) and Williams, who I really like but we will be sweating all the way until signing day because he has publically stated (thanks a lot) that he really wants an AU offer.

I don't think anyone is spinning but it's really no diff than kids going juco & getting out in December. A kid enrolls in spring takes 12hrs. Then takes 12hrs in the summer 6 each session. In the fall he takes 15hrs & the next spring he takes 15hrs. Then the 1st summer term he takes the other 6hrs & is at MSU in July 16. How is that any diff than enrolling in the Summer of 15 & graduating in Dec of 2016?

[Really Clark?]

How are we losing him to JUCO if he wasn't a qualifier anyway? Had everyone rather have waited until after signing day and next summer to find out what we already know, he wouldn't make it into school. Why act like he flipped his commitment to another school.

[HancockCountyDog]

This is not ideal so I am not spinning... but if it works out just like it sets up its a much better situation than the alternative.

It is much better to play a year against good competition... Then come in as a sophomore and redshirt. Have a year playing Juco, a redshirt year, and a spring in the system before you are asked to play as oppossed to: screw around all summer trying to qualify.. Get to Co Lin late. Spend two years at Co Lin and probably not graduate until may because you screwed around at the beginning trying to qualify. Then come in a try to play as a green Junior.

If your not going to qualify this is a much much better path. Certainly I just wish he would have qualified.

The alternative is him being a qualified highly rated OL prospect as opposed to a kid that is going to juco.

[thedawg]

The alternative is him being a qualified highly rated OL prospect as opposed to a kid that is going to juco.

Well I guess you should go down to Jackson and tell JPS that they need to do a better job educating their kids so your favorite teams prospects will qualify. After you do that you need to go have meetings with all the ninth and tenth graders that are struggling and motivate them to do better.

[HoopsDawg]

Well I guess you should go down to Jackson and tell JPS that they need to do a better job educating their kids so your favorite teams prospects will qualify. After you do that you need to go have meetings with all the ninth and tenth graders that are struggling and motivate them to do better.

Too bad parents and counselors don't already do this.