It appears we are going after OT Jamal Danley from EMCC.....

[Goat Holder]

....or, at least there's an article on Gene's about him. So, connecting the dots.....but I don't pay for Gene's shit.

I'm glad we are, I really think we need one more JUCO OL. I'd like to keep about 20 of them on the roster every year. I'd like to see us add another HS guy, then we need to sign 5 HS guys next year. I do, however, think we're out of the JUCO necessity after the 2014 signing class, at least for the foreseeable future, unless there's a 5 star level guy we have a shot at. I don't see many on the list, so I say we try and get that Speaks dude from Calloway or Gallon from West Point and turn them into OL.

I just noticed that Daniel Knox isn't on the team, that's 3 OL from the 2011 class that are no longer here. No wonder we have a gap.

[Political Hack]

QB and OT are the only areas on the team that I don't think we've recruited at an upper echelon SEC level.

After this year we'll have two legit SEC-caliber QBs on our roster in Dak and Staley.

[Coach34]

We are still after a HS lineman also

[MitchD24]

Speaking of recruiting QB's... What are y'all's thoughts on Blake Lynch from TX?? Film looks pretty good, very Manzielish

[bocfarm]

Fitzgerald is pretty intriguing, graduates early...enrolling in Jan.

[Coach34]

I'm stoked about QB if we ink the two we have committed...anything else would be gravy

[maroonmania]

QB and OT are the only areas on the team that I don't think we've recruited at an upper echelon SEC level.

After this year we'll have two legit SEC-caliber QBs on our roster in Dak and Staley.

I understand that OL is possibly the toughest position to project from HS to college but dang we seem to take an inordinate amount of projects there to be an SEC school. The last highly rated OL we've gotten with many other offers was really Derek Sherrod and he turned out great. I say with "many other offers" because PLEASE nobody bring up Damien Robinson because his rating on the recruiting services was bogus. Everyone knew by the end of his SR year he had VERY limited choices. And really other than maybe Siddoway even our JUCO guys have been projects. And to be honest guys like Trapp and Holley have played like projects. Guess that is what made me sick when you see a team like OM pull in 2 of the Top 20 rated OTs in the country last year (Tunsil and Golson). I agree this is one area of recruiting where the Mullen regime has been lacking for sure. I mean technically even Gabe Jackson was a guy Croom found and committed.

[trob115]

Emccs coach said that Danley is better than Gennessy is. That's pretty strong statement if true.

[Saltydog]

BTW, noticed on scout that apparently some recruits have been bumped up a star lately. Any idea who they were? I think Rayford is one but not sure on the others.

[Goat Holder]

I think you are right and wrong. Our OL is in a pretty damn good position right now, so you have to give credit where it's due. But there again, you're correct that we haven't gotten the Michael Browns and Derek Sherrods that really secure you and solidify your line. And yes we seem to be missing on JUCO lineman, Donald Hawkins being front and center on that front. Trapp and Holley aren't great by any means. Siddoway was a big help though, I expect him to be better this year.

On Robinson, I don't know why people sell us short on that. Ole Miss or anybody else would be trumpeting that as a huge recruiting coup, but MSU fans down-play it. They guy started out as a 5 star and ended up a 4 star. He's still a good get and will contribute for us. He's just now a RJr. and they say he's pushing Siddoway. He'll be good backup this year and will be our starting right OT next year. That's good enough for me.

[Goat Holder]

QB and OT are the only areas on the team that I don't think we've recruited at an upper echelon SEC level.

After this year we'll have two legit SEC-caliber QBs on our roster in Dak and Staley.

You don't consider Russell a legit SEC-caliber QB?

[TheRef]

You don't consider Russell a legit SEC-caliber QB?

"After this year..." is the key on that last part.

[Goat Holder]

Yeah, I got that, but it's implying that we don't have 2 legit SEC QBs now, which we do IMO. And we have for the past 2 years, ever since Dak was signed in 2011. So having 2 SEC QBs on the roster is not something that's new to us. That's my point.

[TheRef]

Oh okay. Then, in that case, your statement is valid. Russel is a SEC-caliber QB. He's on lists that most QB's are not on. He's very efficient and if the OL and WR help him out some throughout the season and we don't become a pass-only team, he can manage the game very effectively.

[dparker]

You don't consider Russell a legit SEC-caliber QB?

I was thinking the same thing.

[Johnson85]

I was thinking the same thing.
I didn't read that into it at all. I took that as: We are recruiting ok at qb (I disagree with that, b/c next year we will be an injury away from being screwed even though I'm excited about Dak and the guys we have committed now). We were talking about the future on OL, so I think he talked about the future at qb.

[maroonmania]

I didn't read that into it at all. I took that as: We are recruiting ok at qb (I disagree with that, b/c next year we will be an injury away from being screwed even though I'm excited about Dak and the guys we have committed now). We were talking about the future on OL, so I think he talked about the future at qb.

That's the way I see it. Next year we have the 2012 situation again where we have a first year full time starter backed up by a RFr and that's it unless you throw a true FR out there. At least this year we have Russell as a 2nd year starter and Prescott already has a solid year of playing under his belt.

[Political Hack]

Yeah, I got that, but it's implying that we don't have 2 legit SEC QBs now, which we do IMO. And we have for the past 2 years, ever since Dak was signed in 2011. So having 2 SEC QBs on the roster is not something that's new to us. That's my point.

it's not new. it's static. we should have at least 3 IMO, at minimum. We're not terrible at QB, we've just had a lot of misses. It's not the sure situation some people try to portray though. People can moan about a 3rd string QB but if you're on #3 your season is done regardless. The only reason I'd like to have more than 2 is because I truly believe we are a developmental program. We need those guys on campus for a while... the more that happens, the better we'll be at that position.

At least OT has some bodies despite the gaps in talent.

[dparker]

if you're on #3 your season is done regardless.


I don't know. I seem to remember in 2000 we took out Florida's starting and backup QB when they brought in their 3rd string guy by the name of Rex Grossman. The records show that he went 13 of 16 pass attempts for 232 yards and two touchdowns became the started next week and they didn't lose another SEC game. I know what you're saying though, that is the exception not the rule...unless you are one of the elite programs.

[Coach34]

We are not Florida

Tennessee, Vandy, State, Missouri, Auburn, UPig, Ole Miss- all mid-SEC teams depending on the season- arent going to beat anybody with their 3rd string QB's

[dparker]

We are not Florida

Tennessee, Vandy, State, Missouri, Auburn, UPig, Ole Miss- all mid-SEC teams depending on the season- arent going to beat anybody with their 3rd string QB's

Again, I get that it's the exception not the rule, I just love replaying that memory every now and then. That game is where Florida had 1 & 10 past the 40 and after 3 downs Spurrier called for a safety.

[smootness]

That defense was so nasty.

[sandwolf]

We are not Florida

Tennessee, Vandy, State, Missouri, Auburn, UPig, Ole Miss- all mid-SEC teams depending on the season- arent going to beat anybody with their 3rd string QB's

Wesley Carroll was our 3rd string QB in '07, was he not? If I am remembering right, he became the starter after Henig and Riddell went down to injuries early in the season (maybe even the 1st game), and we wound up going to the liberty bowl and winning 8 games that year.

[Westdawg]

i wish Carroll had stuck around after Mullen arrived. I think we would have gone bowling Mullen's first year had he stayed.

[Westdawg]

The issue at hand is at OL. I will go on record as saying that our OL is much better than what many give them credit for being, but we are not quite as physical in the run game as we have been in the past, and I think that gives the perception that the OL is not that good. I think this unit will be much more improved over last season, and that was not a bad season for them....particularly in the one area where our OLs have been terrible at --- PASS PROTECTION. A deep RB stable, veteran QB and OL, and some really good talent for depth at QB, I think the season will be better than expected. The wildcard will be in the hands of the WR unit. are they improved? will they be better at separation, catching in traffic, and in run blocking? I think that aside from Bumphis, the unit is much more talented this year, but just not proven.
If this OT prospect is better than Gennessy, then I say sign him and go hard after the Calloway kid or another top level prospect. that would be one of the top OL unit signings this year, no doubt.

[Homedawg]

....or, at least there's an article on Gene's about him. So, connecting the dots.....but I don't pay for Gene's shit.

I'm glad we are, I really think we need one more JUCO OL. I'd like to keep about 20 of them on the roster every year. I'd like to see us add another HS guy, then we need to sign 5 HS guys next year. I do, however, think we're out of the JUCO necessity after the 2014 signing class, at least for the foreseeable future, unless there's a 5 star level guy we have a shot at. I don't see many on the list, so I say we try and get that Speaks dude from Calloway or Gallon from West Point and turn them into OL.

I just noticed that Daniel Knox isn't on the team, that's 3 OL from the 2011 class that are no longer here. No wonder we have a gap.

I just don't see us getting Speaks. Not good odds at all.

[Coach34]

Wesley Carroll was our 3rd string QB in '07, was he not? If I am remembering right, he became the starter after Henig and Riddell went down to injuries early in the season (maybe even the 1st game), and we wound up going to the liberty bowl and winning 8 games that year.

That's also an exception to the rule- Carroll was better than both of those guys. Neither of them even played football in 2008...not to mention we scored 6 defensive TD's in 2007 to win games- that almost never happens either

[Coach34]

I just don't see us getting Speaks. Not good odds at all.


Speaks isnt coming to State

[smootness]

Wesley Carroll was our 3rd string QB in '07, was he not? If I am remembering right, he became the starter after Henig and Riddell went down to injuries early in the season (maybe even the 1st game), and we wound up going to the liberty bowl and winning 8 games that year.

And most on here would consider him to be less than SEC-caliber if we signed him now.

[maroonmania]

I don't know. I seem to remember in 2000 we took out Florida's starting and backup QB when they brought in their 3rd string guy by the name of Rex Grossman. The records show that he went 13 of 16 pass attempts for 232 yards and two touchdowns became the started next week and they didn't lose another SEC game. I know what you're saying though, that is the exception not the rule...unless you are one of the elite programs.

edit -- nevermind, just saw my post was a repeat of a point already made about 2007.

[maroonmania]

That's also an exception to the rule- Carroll was better than both of those guys. Neither of them even played football in 2008...not to mention we scored 6 defensive TD's in 2007 to win games- that almost never happens either

Maybe, but I thought Riddell actually looked good in the short time he had before the knee injury. And Carroll got "beat out" by Tyson Lee the next year so how good could he have been. Now granted that was Croom and McCorvey doing the QB evaluation so its hard to put a lot of stock in it.

[smootness]

Tyson Lee was better than he got credit for being. He wasn't 'good' but that shows what kind of credit he got. He ran Mullen's offense the way Mullen wanted it run for the most part. He didn't have a lot of physical attributes that allowed him to excel, and he made some bad decisions (Pleeeeeeease pitch it!), but the offense overall ran fairly smoothly with him in at QB.

[Todd4State]

Tyson Lee was better than he got credit for being. He wasn't 'good' but that shows what kind of credit he got. He ran Mullen's offense the way Mullen wanted it run for the most part. He didn't have a lot of physical attributes that allowed him to excel, and he made some bad decisions (Pleeeeeeease pitch it!), but the offense overall ran fairly smoothly with him in at QB.

I wish we had Tyson Lee at QB in 2007 over Carroll.