Inside recruiting in Mississippi

[Big4Dawg]

https://theathletic.com/2958569/2021...actually-hide/

Good/interesting article. Some quotes that stuck out:

Coach 1: High school coach in south Mississippi
Coach 2: High school coach in northeast Mississippi
Coach 3: High school coach in the Delta
Coach 4: Former FBS recruiting staffer
Coach 5: High school coach in north Mississippi
Coach 6: High school coach in central Mississippi
Coach 7: High School coach in central Mississippi
Coach 8: High school coach in south Mississippi
Coach 9: Retired high school coach

For years, the state’s top prospect rarely left Mississippi, but in four of the past five recruiting cycles, the state’s top player has left to play college football. Why does that keep happening?

Coach 1: With Dan Mullen leaving the state, I thought he recruited the state really well. He and Hugh Freeze were able to win those battles in state and understood the landscape in Mississippi better than any other coaches have. I don’t think Mike Leach has a grasp of it right now, and I don’t think Lane Kiffin cares to recruit Mississippi. That’s just me. To be honest … I don’t think Lane cares enough about recruiting to want to have to fight the battle for the kid. He’d rather show up, be Ole Miss and win it. Whereas Dan and Hugh, they kind of thrived on that competition of recruiting and winning it. And Mike I don’t think understands it. Both of them want coaches on their staff to handle it, and they’ll come in and close it at the end if they have to. Both of them are exceptional coaches, but I don’t know if they’ll dominate the state anymore like it was during Hugh and Dan’s time.

What?s it been like interacting with Leach and Kiffin, and how do their personalities differ?

Coach 1: You know what, it?s crazy, too, neither one of them (has really talked with me). Moorhead understood the state. He got it pretty good. He was here multiple times, which said a lot. I don?t know, Leach is kind of like on free money. I just think he?s trying to see if he could pull it off in the SEC. I just don?t think that?s Lane?s shtick. Some people think he?s a great recruiter, and I really don?t. I don?t think he gives a shit about it, to be 100 percent honest. That?s why it wouldn?t surprise me if he left this year.

Coach 2: I?ve interacted more with Ole Miss assistants. I?ve talked to Leach once or twice. But I have great relationships with their assistants. With Mississippi State, I haven?t had the same relationship since Joe Moorhead left. I don?t really know the new guys, and they haven?t made themselves available for whatever reason. Ole Miss has done a better job of staying in contact with Mississippi coaches.

Coach 3: I haven?t interacted with either one much at all. They are basically the same, regarding their personalities. Kiffin does a great job on social media building up a perception of him on social media. It takes a certain type of person to deal with either one of them on a daily basis. But Kiffin does a great job of at least building a perception and tricking people on social media.

Coach 6: We have had zero interaction with either one of them. When Brad Peterson was working for Mississippi State (as director of high school relations), he got a thing together with high school coaches with Mike Leach. I think that?s the only interaction I?ve had with him. Those guys are kind of introverts. They?re not like Dan Mullen or Hugh Freeze where they?re out, trying to meet all the high school coaches and kind of be a part of the state. It?s just a difference in personality. Like Matt Luke, it was different because he loved to represent Mississippi. With Leach and Kiffin coming in, it?s somewhat different for the high school coaches because there?s not that personal relationship there. We have our state coaching clinic every July. We never failed to get in-state head coaches at Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Jackson State, Southern Miss, you know, the major ones. Never fail to get those guys to come and talk to our coaches. Two years now, we haven?t seen either one of those guys. And again, that?s no knock on them. It?s just their personalities. They don?t see that as a priority.

Coach 9: I didn?t have any. That?s not good or bad, but I never met them before or anything. Mullen recruited my kids before so I knew him, but of course coach Mullen was here for nine years. Coach Freeze and that staff recruited our kids down here and built a relationship with them. Coach Kiffin and coach Leach came in, and the two kids (at my program) had pretty much decided where they were going. I didn?t have a relationship with them.

Which assistant coach recruits the state the best?

Coach 2: Marcus Woodson at Florida State knows Mississippi. He does a good job. He?s always reaching out. Derrick Nix and Terrell Buckley at Ole Miss. Freddie Roach at Alabama is always reaching out. There?s Robert Gillespie at Alabama. Jerry Mack at Tennessee. Louisville?s Bryan Brown. Joe Moorhead (now at Oregon) still calls coaches in the state, asking about their kids or someone else?s kids.

Coach 3: Dell McGee at Georgia. Robert Gillespie at Alabama. He?s from Hattiesburg and has recruited Mississippi well at every stop he?s been. Dwike Wilson at South Alabama is a rising star in the recruiting world. He will be a Power 5 head coach soon. He?s on top of all the right guys here.

Coach 4: If I was going to pick one, it?d be Derrick Nix. Just because of his relationships throughout the state. He played at Southern Miss. He was a legend, but he?s been doing it for so long and he?s done it at an elite level for so many years ? every kid in Mississippi he?s been on. He?s a well-connected Mississippi guy when it comes to recruiting the state and does a phenomenal job.

Coach 7: Tony Hughes. He?s a mainstay guy. Derrick Nix does a great job.

Coach 8: (Mississippi State receivers) coach (Steve) Spurrier Jr., who?s not from Mississippi. I?ve been in contact with him all season. I think right now they?ve had success with Mississippi guys. The quarterback, (Will) Rogers, he?s from Mississippi. (Wide receiver Jaden) Walley is from the coast area, and those guys are producing for them on a consistent basis.