Soooo- after all the arguing of who had the best WR's between State-OM

[Coach34]

State gets 2 WR's on the All-SEC team- OM 1

Prescott over MGK for All-SEC

And Kimchee couldnt even make 1st team SEC- with him fighting off 5 blockers every week.

[TSUNami]

The real winners prevail through the narrative every time. Glad our guys know how to ignore the BS and just focus on being good. Everyone else was slow to notice but they can't deny it any longer.

[Coach34]

just needed a semblance of an OL to go with them

[Jarius]

I would really like to stop talking about those pieces of shit. I realize that I don't have to respond to the thread, but our guys made 1st team all sec. Let's just be proud of that. They whipped our ass. Bragging about post season awards for our guys over theirs after they did that to us just looks like sour grapes. Really proud of Ross though. He stepped up big time and I hope he comes back again next year. I think he will. The future is really bright for us if we can get a few people to step up on the Oline.

[Coach34]

Nahhh- its a credit to our guys that won- not sour grapes at all. Ole Missus had the better overall team- but we had some better guys in certain positions.

[TSUNami]

Nahhh- its a credit to our guys that won- not sour grapes at all. Ole Missus had the better overall team- but we had some better guys in certain positions.

Arguably the most important positions, seeing as the only thing we heard about MGK and Paidwell were how untouchable they were with regards to talent.

[HancockCountyDog]

State gets 2 WR's on the All-SEC team- OM 1

Prescott over MGK for All-SEC

And Kimchee couldnt even make 1st team SEC- with him fighting off 5 blockers every week.

Totally agree, my only concern is that "advisors" also look at these lists and love to start "advising" players like Fred.

Lets hope he comes back. Here is a list of the WR's that left early after making either first or second team All SEC:

I stopped in 2011, but Jordan Matthews is the only WR that came back for his senior season after being named first or second team ALL SEC.

By my count:

Ridley
Coates
Mike Evans
Jarvis Landry
ODB
Justin Hunter

Da'rick Rogers got kicked out of TN before his junior year, and he left early as well.

Just saying, that "advisors" are going to be in both of these guys ears from now until the bowl game. They have earned it, but we need to be ready to be breaking in two new WR's next year, if history holds.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Totally agree, my only concern is that "advisors" also look at these lists and love to start "advising" players like Fred.

Lets hope he comes back. Here is a list of the WR's that left early after making either first or second team All SEC:

I stopped in 2011, but Jordan Matthews is the only WR that came back for his senior season after being named first or second team ALL SEC.

By my count:

Ridley
Coates
Mike Evans
Jarvis Landry
ODB
Justin Hunter

Da'rick Rogers got kicked out of TN before his junior year, and he left early as well.

Just saying, that "advisors" are going to be in both of these guys ears from now until the bowl game. They have earned it, but we need to be ready to be breaking in two new WR's next year, if history holds.

I think the biggest difference in those guys were they were all projected to be high draft picks. Fred isn't. All of those guys were Top 2rd picks except Sammie Coates & even Coates lit up the combine. 4.43 40yd Dash, 41" VJ & almost 11' BJ. Fred a level headed kid & he's not going to get a favorable draft grade. He'll be back.

[HancockCountyDog]

I think the biggest difference in those guys were they were all projected to be high draft picks. Fred isn't. All of those guys were Top 2rd picks except Sammie Coates & even Coates lit up the combine. 4.43 40yd Dash, 41" VJ & almost 11' BJ. Fred a level headed kid & he's not going to get a favorable draft grade. He'll be back.

I look at Fred like a Jordan Matthews Jarvis Landry type player. A solid 3rd round pick. The only issue I see is that coming back his senior year, isn't going to change that. Selfishly, I hope he comes back, but I would totally get not wanting to come back only to take a year of pounding and still get drafted in the 3rd-4th round.

I know people bang Josh for his decision, but it was the right call. A player like Wilson should come back and prove what he can do with his measureables, a guy like Fred - Im not so sure.

Like I said, selfishly, I want him back. If he goes out and puts 150 yards and 2 TD's on the wolfpack, that may be enough to put it over the top.

[Todd4State]

I look at Fred like a Jordan Matthews Jarvis Landry type player. A solid 3rd round pick. The only issue I see is that coming back his senior year, isn't going to change that. Selfishly, I hope he comes back, but I would totally get not wanting to come back only to take a year of pounding and still get drafted in the 3rd-4th round.

I know people bang Josh for his decision, but it was the right call. A player like Wilson should come back and prove what he can do with his measureables, a guy like Fred - Im not so sure.

Like I said, selfishly, I want him back. If he goes out and puts 150 yards and 2 TD's on the wolfpack, that may be enough to put it over the top.

Didn't Josh get released by the Colts? I think Josh made a decision based on his situation as much or more than anything- but I'm not totally 100% sure I could say it was a "good" one.

[mstatefan91]

Didn't Josh get released by the Colts? I think Josh made a decision based on his situation as much or more than anything- but I'm not totally 100% sure I could say it was a "good" one.

He's back on the practice squad now.

[ScoobaDawg]

Didn't Josh get released by the Colts? I think Josh made a decision based on his situation as much or more than anything- but I'm not totally 100% sure I could say it was a "good" one.

He got paid this season. He wouldn't of this year if he stayed and would be going out against tougher competition.
It was the right decision.. though it hurt us.

[Todd4State]

He's back on the practice squad now.

Ah...I'm happy for him. I'm want to see him do well and succeed.

[Todd4State]

He got paid this season. He wouldn't of this year if he stayed and would be going out against tougher competition.
It was the right decision.. though it hurt us.

I understand why he made the decision and I don't fault him for that. I just think he might have been a lot more likely to come back if his situation off the field was better than it was.

[defiantdog]

Fred Ross might be gone after this season..... that sucks

[Todd4State]

Fred Ross might be gone after this season..... that sucks

It would suck. But I have to say I really like Gabe Myles, Dear will see action, and I still think Gray should be moved to the slot. We'll be OK.

[HancockCountyDog]

It would suck. But I have to say I really like Gabe Myles, Dear will see action, and I still think Gray should be moved to the slot. We'll be OK.

I'm still hoping Dear gets a shot at RB.

[msstate7]

Would it help Ross' draft stock if he played outside next season?

[Todd4State]

I'm still hoping Dear gets a shot at RB.

I definitely think he should be used there a good bit. At least 50% of the snaps he plays.

I don't like how Dan has him pigeon holed as a slot WR. I think he is an ATH- a guy that can legitimately play both the slot and RB and do well at both. We definitely underutilized him this season.

[Todd4State]

Would it help Ross' draft stock if he played outside next season?

I doubt it would hurt it. Then he becomes a guy that can potentially do both well in the NFL. It would probably help us out too because then we could get Dear and Myles on the field even more along with hopefully AJ Brown, Gray, and Fred Brown.

[Dallas_Dawg]

It's gonna be a long ass offseason

[Johnson85]

Didn't Josh get released by the Colts? I think Josh made a decision based on his situation as much or more than anything- but I'm not totally 100% sure I could say it was a "good" one.

It was a good one if he didn't enjoy playing college ball. Staying another year would have just been one less year he got paid. He wasn't realistically going to improve his draft stock or his longevity in the league with a 5th year of college. The main benefit to coming back would have been him getting to enjoy a year being a big man on campus and being a focal part of an offense, which he might not ever get to be again. Just have to way that against each other but considering his background, I'm guessing getting paid for another yaer, even on a practice squad, was probably a good call.

[Todd4State]

It was a good one if he didn't enjoy playing college ball. Staying another year would have just been one less year he got paid. He wasn't realistically going to improve his draft stock or his longevity in the league with a 5th year of college. The main benefit to coming back would have been him getting to enjoy a year being a big man on campus and being a focal part of an offense, which he might not ever get to be again. Just have to way that against each other but considering his background, I'm guessing getting paid for another yaer, even on a practice squad, was probably a good call.

Umm....he was drafted in the 6th round last year. That's pretty close to being undrafted. I feel pretty sure that him coming back and improving on some things like blocking would have probably vaulted him up to at least the 3-5 round.

[CadaverDawg]

If Bear leaves as most expect, I could see Gray benefitting from Ross in the same way Ross benefitted from Bear this year, bc teams will focus on Ross. I think Dear will continue to be listed as "Slot", but I think we will use him the way Bama used Kenyan Drake at the end of the year....a RB option on some plays, that motions out wide to create a mismatch and cause problems for defenses bc in one motion we can go from a run formation to a 4 Or 5 wide set. That's the big advantage to a skill set like Dear's, so I'm expecting us to feature it a lot next season.

It will be odd not having a huge WR on the outside if Bear leaves...but Gray will actually be able to stretch the field more & seems to have even better hands than Bear...which could be very helpful with young QB's (as we saw btwn he and Fitz a few times this year).

The RB situation will be just as fun to watch as the QB battle to me.

It's not going to be as good of a team in terms of competing in the West...but it will be a fun team to watch because there'll be a whole new group of playmakers emerging. I am looking forward to it.

[WesternSkyDawg]

Didn't Josh get released by the Colts? I think Josh made a decision based on his situation as much or more than anything- but I'm not totally 100% sure I could say it was a "good" one.

^^this^^

He'd have gone higher, and his team would've had more invested in him, if he'd come back.

[WesternSkyDawg]

If Bear leaves as most expect, I could see Gray benefitting from Ross in the same way Ross benefitted from Bear this year, bc teams will focus on Ross. I think Dear will continue to be listed as "Slot", but I think we will use him the way Bama used Kenyan Drake at the end of the year....a RB option on some plays, that motions out wide to create a mismatch and cause problems for defenses bc in one motion we can go from a run formation to a 4 Or 5 wide set. That's the big advantage to a skill set like Dear's, so I'm expecting us to feature it a lot next season.

It will be odd not having a huge WR on the outside if Bear leaves...but Gray will actually be able to stretch the field more & seems to have even better hands than Bear...which could be very helpful with young QB's (as we saw btwn he and Fitz a few times this year).

The RB situation will be just as fun to watch as the QB battle to me.

It's not going to be as good of a team in terms of competing in the West...but it will be a fun team to watch because there'll be a whole new group of playmakers emerging. I am looking forward to it.

We will have a huge WR on the outside with AJ Brown.

[dickiedawg]

Offense really underachieved this year in a big way.

[Johnson85]

Umm....he was drafted in the 6th round last year. That's pretty close to being undrafted. I feel pretty sure that him coming back and improving on some things like blocking would have probably vaulted him up to at least the 3-5 round.

I guess I was taking as a given that his blocking wasn't going to significantly change in his fifth year. I think his blocking was always going to take more motivation to improve and that motivation would only come when he was fighting for a roster spot. Had he stayed, I think he'd essentially look like the same player to scouts. Maybe he would have had more name recognition after being a primary back for two years, but does that really make a difference in the draft (honest questions; it shouldn't, but I don't know that it doesn't)? I would have thought the only real movement would have been based on increased or decreased competition based on the quality of the RBs in the draft.

I know little changes in luck can make a big difference in longevity of careers for players on the edge, but I don't see a way to predict whether he would have had better or worse luck had he stuck around for another year, unless this year's draft is significantly weaker at the RB position.

[Hypnodawg]

With our O Line, his draft stock would almost certainly have gone down. Also, the ever present possibility of getting injured. He is still on the practice squad, so his playing days aren't over.

[Coach34]

Exactly- JRob has made 6 figures this year. He made the right move.

[Homedawg]

Exactly- JRob has made 6 figures this year. He made the right move.

This. Jrob wasn't going to up his stock much. He was 5'8" maybe and that wasn't changing. He didn't like school. Really not much of a choice.

[sandwolf]

How much do practice squad players make?

[BrunswickDawg]

How much do practice squad players make?
$6300 a week is league minimum
$100k for the season

[Coach34]

Dont forget he was on the roster for half a season making at least the league minimum- which is 400-500K- so he is going to make about 250K this year

[SDDawg]

Dont forget he was on the roster for half a season making at least the league minimum- which is 400-500K- so he is going to make about 250K this year

Not bad for a kid sleeping in his car 5 years ago.

[maroonmania]

Umm....he was drafted in the 6th round last year. That's pretty close to being undrafted. I feel pretty sure that him coming back and improving on some things like blocking would have probably vaulted him up to at least the 3-5 round.

If he hadn't learned blocking in our system as a 4th year JR then I doubt one more year would have helped. Given the short shelf life of a RB and the risk of injury he probably made the best decision to give himself the maximum number of years in the NFL (assuming he can stay on a roster). JRob, after his JR year, pretty much was what he was and not much would have changed by him coming back. And that's not even taking into account the fact that he stayed in our coaches' doghouse a lot because of his attitude.