Shapen gave Game Ball to Kamario Taylor - most healthy QB Room in State history?

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11-03-2025, 08:10 AM
Tater

Shapen gave Game Ball to Kamario Taylor - most healthy QB Room in State history?

For your Monday morning positive spin. Blake Shapen and Kamario Taylor have a way better opinion of their relationship than I or anyone else on this board see. Both guys know their role and respect one another. Kamario knows he's young and needs time to develop. Shapen knows KT is the future and has the physical tools to be an all time great if given the time to grow.

Shapen showed heart, grit, and resilience. I came on here and doubted him and Lebby openly right after the interception - hitting a month long frustration point as October was just hell. But they saved my ass and gave me a nice night out on the town. $300 to win $500 was pretty solid on the moneyline.

Many of us - myself especially - were in the "here we go again - why don't you just trust the new kid who got us back into the game" mindset. It would have been the easier coaching decision for Lebby. Put KT back in. Say Shapen was still hurt. If we lose - blame the loss on the injury and having to go to a true freshman QB. If we win, future is bright. It would have been a no-lose scenario to do that. Instead Lebby risked it for what he felt was the best chance of winning. Whether you agree with that or not being the best chance - we won. Period.

And how did the locker room respond? They rallied together - the team could have quit on Shapen and questioned a perceived coaching blunder. Instead they won. And Shapen didn't take credit - he gave it directly to the young man who not only held down the fort, but went above and beyond to get us back into the game. That's true leadership. That's a good Starter/Backup relationship between a Senior / Freshman. That's the heart I love to see as an MSU alumnus.

Hail State. Thanks for getting the monkey off the back. Here's hoping the dam breaks open. Let's win out.
11-03-2025, 08:27 AM
DEDawg

KT gets it. He knows he is the future starter next year and legit can elevate this program to the playoffs over the next 2 years. Great leader who I am thrilled we get to watch next few seasons.
11-03-2025, 08:50 AM
basedog

Leadership is so important, Shapen has proven this and hopefully some young players will learn and be leaders. Glad to know Shapen has leadership ability.
11-03-2025, 09:51 AM
TrapGame

That locker room is together and behind Lebby 100%. They are going to play their asses off for him Saturday to make this a statement game. I would not be surprised if we have a chance to win this late in the fourth.
11-03-2025, 09:55 AM
StarkVegasSteve

I haven't seen this type of buy in behind a coach in a VERY long time. I mean Croom had some guys that would run through the wall for him in 07, but I think these guys would run through fire for Lebby.
11-03-2025, 09:56 AM
Cowbeller

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrapGame

That locker room is together and behind Lebby 100%. They are going to play their asses off for him Saturday to make this a statement game. I would not be surprised if we have a chance to win this late in the fourth.

Sleep walking uGA vs highly motivated team just over the hump. Give me the dawgs
11-03-2025, 10:29 AM
Lord McBuckethead

I think the 11 am start also works in our favor. Jump on them early, jump on them in the middle, and jump on their throats in the 4th.
11-03-2025, 10:45 AM
Maverick91

Completely agreed. But dang these boys, I hope they can get Saturday. I want it for them so bad.
11-03-2025, 02:04 PM
Todd4State

MSU fans are bad about coming up with scenarios that aren't true regarding the locker room sometimes. Probably not a coincidence that a lot of times it's the same rumors but with names of current players every year.
11-03-2025, 02:23 PM
StarkVegasSteve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd4State

MSU fans are bad about coming up with scenarios that aren't true regarding the locker room sometimes. Probably not a coincidence that a lot of times it's the same rumors but with names of current players every year.

2016-Players want Williams, coaches want Fitz(there was some substance to this one for about 5 minutes btw)

2018-Players want Keyteon, coaches want Fitz

2019- Players want Schrader, coaches want Stevens

2020-Players want Rogers, coaches want Costello

2023-Players want Wright, coaches want Rogers

2024-Players want Parson, coaches want Van Buren

2025-Players want Taylor, coaches want Shapen

In all of those scenarios, there has been 1 confirmation of that actually being the case and Mullen put an end to it in the first 5 minutes of the team meeting. State fans always think the backup is the best player on the roster and that the players are rallying behind the backup. It has happened once.
11-03-2025, 02:46 PM
BrunswickDawg

1 Attachment(s)

When Nick was being carted off the field he called KT over to him:

https://cdispatch.com/wp-content/upl...17101722AM.jpg

He told KT it was his turn, he was ready, go do your job.

Then as he was pulling away he yelled: "And tell Ole Miss FU!!"

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FE5w4R5X...jpg&name=small
11-03-2025, 04:00 PM
Tater

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrunswickDawg

When Nick was being carted off the field he called KT over to him:

https://cdispatch.com/wp-content/upl...17101722AM.jpg

He told KT it was his turn, he was ready, go do your job.

Then as he was pulling away he yelled: "And tell Ole Miss FU!!"

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FE5w4R5X...jpg&name=small

God I hate that we lost that game and that Fitz's senior year was wasted on Moorhead. ****ing loved that dues passion.
11-03-2025, 04:09 PM
R2Dawg

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve

I haven't seen this type of buy in behind a coach in a VERY long time. I mean Croom had some guys that would run through the wall for him in 07, but I think these guys would run through fire for Lebby.

That Croom locker room speech before the Bama game in 07 would have anyone running thru a brick wall. Crooms speech that day was among best ever before a game. Wish I could find it and post it. Anyone else remember seeing it?
11-03-2025, 06:39 PM
Mjoelner34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowbeller

Sleep walking uGA vs highly motivated team just over the hump. Give me the dawgs

Not to mention (borrowing the OP's handle), it's a Trap Game for UGA. They have Texas in Athens next week.
11-03-2025, 07:29 PM
TrapGame

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mjoelner34

Not to mention (borrowing the OP's handle), it's a Trap Game for UGA. They have Texas in Athens next week.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^

This has trap game written all over it.
11-05-2025, 12:26 AM
Todd4State

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve

2016-Players want Williams, coaches want Fitz(there was some substance to this one for about 5 minutes btw)

2018-Players want Keyteon, coaches want Fitz

2019- Players want Schrader, coaches want Stevens

2020-Players want Rogers, coaches want Costello

2023-Players want Wright, coaches want Rogers

2024-Players want Parson, coaches want Van Buren

2025-Players want Taylor, coaches want Shapen

In all of those scenarios, there has been 1 confirmation of that actually being the case and Mullen put an end to it in the first 5 minutes of the team meeting. State fans always think the backup is the best player on the roster and that the players are rallying behind the backup. It has happened once.

What a perfect rundown! And I could probably go even further back than where you started. There is a reason why Mike Pizinski is a MSU legend and the dude never took at snap at MSU.
11-05-2025, 09:08 AM
Tripp McNeely

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd4State

What a perfect rundown! And I could probably go even further back than where you started. There is a reason why Mike Pizinski is a MSU legend and the dude never took at snap at MSU.

Hell Matt Wyatt was that guy for awhile in his career at State as well.
11-05-2025, 09:13 AM
TrapGame

Speaking of locker room, go find the video of Brennan Thompson giving Lebby a game ball. Lebby got emotional and you could tell he loves these guys and they love him.
11-05-2025, 05:32 PM
StarkVegasSteve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripp McNeely

Hell Matt Wyatt was that guy for awhile in his career at State as well.

The funny thing with Matt is that the fans wanted Madkin, got him, and then wanted to go back to Wyatt.
11-06-2025, 12:34 AM
Todd4State

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripp McNeely

Hell Matt Wyatt was that guy for awhile in his career at State as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve

The funny thing with Matt is that the fans wanted Madkin, got him, and then wanted to go back to Wyatt.

That's the most MSU thing ever.

Wyatt's career arc was fans wanted him over Derrick Taite. And then he got way too much blame for the 1997 Egg Bowl. And then fans wanted Madkin over Wyatt. And then finally his career ended on a high note.