Yep. But don't worry. Byron DeVinner is back with us now. We'll get that guy out of the way REAL FAST.
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That's great!
I don't know if it is because of the portal/NIL, but since 2020, there have been very few impact college players that have come from our recruiting footprint. I don't know if the talent level is just down, or if it is a player development issue because these guys are bolting at the first sign of adversity.
Lebby is about to surprise with what he pulls out of the portal here in 60ish days? money guys are all now working together both old money and new money.
And to CP?s point?you can only bid up to show much for HS kids. Nash may very well end up this years Scott Lashley. I?d rather us pull Tyler Miller if we can.
And on LH?Hunter wanted to play RB, Leach wanted him as a safety. However, LH had locked us out of Picayune and other spots. We are gonna need DeVinner (shouts to PoliticalHack) and bring back in Demetric as well, but things are in play. Let it play out
It's that by and large, most MS kids are ATHLETES first and football players second. Take a kid like Kelley Jones. He is an incredible athlete, but is still learning how to be an elite football player. When you look at the kids in our "footprint" and the one's we've had success with, McKinney, Jenkins, Green, etc., they needed time to develop and learn how to play the game instead of just relying on athleticism because they were the best player at their school and in their division most of the time. MS has produced VERY FEW ELITE FOOTBALL PLAYERS, especially as Freshman, in the last 25 years. I mean I can think of maybe 15-20. Jeffrey Simmons is a prime example. That kid was a dominant athlete and dominant football player.
The problem with this model is that you don't have time to develop kids these days. The Bernardrick Mckinney, Gerri Green, Johnthan Banks, etc would've transferred in this day and age. So when I see people say we need to be recruiting MS better, I have hesitation. Because by and large most of those kids need AT LEAST two years to develop. I mean go look at the past 3 recruiting classes, find me 5 players that were impact players their first two years. Heck, most are on their second school. I mean I found 4. Perkins, Issac Smith, Kelley Jones, and you could stretch and say Dowdell. I mean really it's Perkins and Smith. Branson Robinson probably could had he not gotten hurt, but he's hurt all the time.
We have to figure out what the formula is for us in this new era. Back when Dan was here we may have very well lost Josh Robinson and Bear Wilson to the portal among others.
I do think with Mississippi kids it is going to have to be developmental to a degree. But it's going to require patience from both parties- MSU and the players because the reality is they're going to have to grow and MSU is going to have to be Ok with not everyone being Jeffrey Simmons. I do think we are going to have to make Mississippi players a big part of our program. But it's just hard to have that patience when players are either processed maybe too soon in some cases and maybe leave on their own because they aren't playing.
To me, I think MSU has a big problem with foresight. Dan had an ego issue that limited that for him IMO. We have to be able to project what we're going to have 3-5 years from now player personnel wise and we have to sell that vision to players as recruits and now as players too. Maybe I should say buying with NIL instead of selling honestly.
I will say this though- because it is easy to forget that we are just in year one of Lebby- but if we get guys like DeVinner involved that may help us some with retention. It should help with acquisition. We need time to establish that foundation and by next year our recruiting could be completely different in a good way.
where is he headed?
So apparently we can't even hold on to our own commits now
Program prestige and things to do in town. Both played a factor.
That defensive staff is getting fired anyway. Going yo lose a few recruits we got on that side anyway. It's worth it to get rid of the pile of crab running our defensive units.