New NIL era is best for MSU

Long post but I think I needed to see a win to have clarity and actually believe it. I think we have been mistaken this entire time into thinking we don't have the money etc to compete in today's CFB. Here is just a bullet list of thoughts:

-We are in year two from rock bottom and we have taken 3 previous year playoff teams to the final play. I can think of maybe 2 MSU teams in my lifetime that could take Texas, Tennessee and Florida toe to toe in the same season

-We are getting really good players (Thompson, Evans etc) for value. No more hoarding talent and the blue bloods are weaker and more vulnerable than ever

-The SEC is now the NFL: One score games and parity. Coaches being fired quicker for lack of results. The jobs are starting to be viewed more equally than ever. Every team can flip a roster and compete quickly. There are 16 spots and coaches are going to start feeling lucky to have an opportunity at one, thus less likely to jump to another one. Scheme/coaching matters more than ever. Again, all NFL characteristics.

-As bad as the narrative is that we are light years behind Ole Miss, the reality is we are just a notch behind based on on-field play. The same factors that are benefiting them allowed us to close the gap significantly in one year.

-Expanding playoffs will give us something to play for with all of the other things considered.


Not saying it doesn't help to have way more money, because of course it does. But Lebby is proving he has the ability to evaluate the portal extremely well and his scheme works with the amount of money we have currently. We need to improve in situational coaching and upgrading certain positions.

With that said, I think Lebby understands this era and is the guy to help us navigate it. I hope we can unite as a fanbase and pull in the same direction. Now is the time regardless of how this season ends. Hail State!

What's most critical now for MSU and other teams that are not Texas is the evaluation of talent that we can afford. We do need to be the "Moneyball" or dare i say Mu;;en" approach. Get guys who are not only overlooked but we can get at good value. Apparently Evans and Thompson are perfect examples. But to go along with this is we need player developers on staff also. Especially on the OLine and DLine. We need to get more bang for our buck than Say Texas.

I think money is better spent on hiring a decent coach, but also understanding he needs good assistant coaches and NIL.

Excellent coaches are hard to come by, just look at all the top candidates from several years ago falling on their faces, but they're fat and happy with their buyouts. I'd probably slack some too if I knew getting fired means I get paid $30M, lol.

After the LSU debacle I could see schools moving to hiring decent coaches with no large buyouts, but putting money to the supporting staff and NIL.

The biggest challenge in this era IMO is getting the MSU fan base to buy in that we CAN compete and succeed in this era. It's somewhat understandable because the MSU athletic administration for years discouraged fans to not pay players, the focus was on getting a coach that was a coaching guru to make up for a lack of recruiting money essentially- let's call it what it was, MSU didn't want to invest in it, and the portal was basically unheard of. Although, MSU has always loved the JUCO system and that was the closest thing to a portal back in the day.

Some things:

1. As far as coaching goes you have to have someone that can identify talent and can get the locker room to mesh together moreso than ever. It's more of an organization now. You have the coaches that coach the players, you have analysts that have a variety of specialties whether it's basically as extra coaches, or scouting, or identifying targets in the portal. I'm not sure where MSU stands with off the field staff, but typically it's areas like this that MSU lacks in. Even if we are OK, we could probably use more.

2. NIL. MSU fans have had to wrap their heads around this after years of being discouraged not to and our own alumni being taken to the stocks over it. Ole Miss can't get into trouble anymore for paying players but the good news is neither can we.

3. The portal is good for MSU. Kids are always going to be excited if they get the chance to play for Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida, etc. but the issue for a lot of players from Mississippi is they would get lost in the shuffle and never pan out. Jimmy Johns at Alabama comes to mind. The portal gives these players a chance to come home. We've had some success with that- Jonathan Abram comes to mind even though he went the JUCO route, and I could probably say Ayden Williams even though was in state. The portal gives players a chance to correct recruiting mistakes and in the past their only options were JUCO or Jackson State.

4. High school recruiting is still important and you still need a good core to build around. I think MSU has that with Kamario, Lockhart, Stonka, Jimothy Lewis (yes, I know but he'll get better). We can build around guys like that.