Sports Illustrated bullish on the Bulldogs in 2022

[RiverCityDawg]

Offensive continuity is imperative and the only way to achieve it is for guys to have "time" in the system and this 22 season Leach will have more guys who have been involved for 2+ years and it'll be another 2-5 years til he has that again. JMHO

We will have most of the starting offense coming back for 2023 though.

After that we should have guys that have been in the system for 2-3 years and getting some reps ready to step up into starting roles. You don't see a drop off from Leach's offense once it gets up and rolling. I mean I guess anything could happen, but it wouldn't be the norm.

[RiverCityDawg]

We lose alot after this season and NIL is a full go in this recruiting cycle across the country. Our recruiting will slowly get worse in football while the middle of the SEC- gets stronger with the money they spend. Plus the SEC is adding more upper level teams that will just make our schedule that much tougher every season

This is kind of the "last hurrah" for State football

Nah. Our recruiting will be where it has always been. And while the SEC is adding more good programs, the new schedule will not be any harder than it is now. The 2023 schedule will almost certainly be easier than 2022 since we're dropping Georgia, and once the new schedule format comes out we'll likely avoid playing Alabama every year, which takes the auto-loss of the schedule.

And next year we have most of the offensive starters back and could get a decent amount of defensive starters back if they take their COVID year.

[Coach34]

We will have most of the starting offense coming back for 2023 though..

We lose Sharp, Jones, Johnson, and Smith. And with the portal and NIL- we wont know who will return at this point.

[Coach34]

Nah. Our recruiting will be where it has always been. And while the SEC is adding more good programs, the new schedule will not be any harder than it is now. The 2023 schedule will almost certainly be easier than 2022 since we're dropping Georgia, and once the new schedule format comes out we'll likely avoid playing Alabama every year, which takes the auto-loss of the schedule.

And next year we have most of the offensive starters back and could get a decent amount of defensive starters back if they take their COVID year.

We'll see. I think you are wrong there. We already have 8 commits and are 57th in the country currently. Long way to go but people are about to learn the impact of NIL in college football

[HoopsDawg]

We lose alot after this season and NIL is a full go in this recruiting cycle across the country. Our recruiting will slowly get worse in football while the middle of the SEC- gets stronger with the money they spend. Plus the SEC is adding more upper level teams that will just make our schedule that much tougher every season

This is kind of the "last hurrah" for State football

depressing, but true. Last hurrah for State football and for Mike Leach.

[AROB44]

We'll see. I think you are wrong there. We already have 8 commits and are 57th in the country currently. Long way to go but people are about to learn the impact of NIL in college football

I have to agree with you here. The transfer portal, NIL and the additions of Texas and Oklahoma are in no way a positive for us (or OM as well). The best days of MSU football are gone for good. So glad I got to live through the JWS and Dan Mullen eras. We will never be that good again.

[Offshore Dawg]

This could get depressing 😕

[Goldendawg]

I have to agree with you here. The transfer portal, NIL and the additions of Texas and Oklahoma are in no way a positive for us (or OM as well). The best days of MSU football are gone for good. So glad I got to live through the JWS and Dan Mullen eras. We will never be that good again.

I've been going since 1963 and when were these so called "best days"? They were and have been few and far in-between. It takes guts to be a State fan and little will change in the future, as we fight to have a really good season now and then. Except for the last 3 years JWS taught us to win and took us to a SEC Championship the only time in my life. Looking back, job searching Dan who was very poor overall against ranked teams built his record against OOC cupcakes and teams similar to us, 2014 the exception, but he quit against bama and UM to start his annual job search. Hail State!

[AROB44]

I've been going since 1963 and when were these so called "best days"? They were and have been few and far in-between. It takes guts to be a State fan and little will change in the future, as we fight to have a really good season now and then. Except for the last 3 years JWS taught us to win and took us to a SEC Championship the only time in my life. Looking back, job searching Dan who was very poor overall against ranked teams built his record against OOC cupcakes and teams similar to us, 2014 the exception, but he quit against bama and UM to start his annual job search. Hail State!

Well, I've been going since 1961 and my point was that the JWS and DM days were the best I ever saw and that includes the Bob Tyler years and the one year under Bullard. And, I don't expect to see those type of years in the future. You can put down the Mullen years all you want, but he was one of the best coaches in MSU history.

[RiverCityDawg]

We lose Sharp, Jones, Johnson, and Smith. And with the portal and NIL- we wont know who will return at this point.

Jones, Johnson, and Smith all have Covid years available and could return. I doubt they all will, but I bet one or two will if we really want them to.

And yeah with the portal and NIL I guess you could say no one knows for sure who will return for anyone... So this can only be a negative for Mississippi State and none of our opponents, right? Poor us, won't be able to manage that uncertainty but everyone else will, I guess.

So sure, if everyone slated to return is going to leave, I'll agree it's now or never. But I think
I'll wait until there's some sort of reasonable belief of that happening before making that wild assumption.

And again, the 2023 schedule will be easier than this year.

[Goldendawg]

Well, I've been going since 1961 and my point was that the JWS and DM days were the best I ever saw and that includes the Bob Tyler years and the one year under Bullard. And, I don't expect to see those type of years in the future. You can put down the Mullen years all you want, but he was one of the best coaches in MSU history.

Well, you got me beat by two years. Admire all State fans loyalty and tenacity. I was at State during part of the Tyler years which were very good until the NCAA hammered us. If you have noticed, we drew NCAA attention about every time we had very successful years. SEC powers and OM had to keep us "in our place". I still consider Jackie our best coach. Mixed emotions on Dan, but that is with Monday morning QBing. Enjoyed 2014 run while it was happening, but it seemed surreal. Here's to a great 2023 and needed adaptations to the changing college FB world!

[RiverCityDawg]

I have to agree with you here. The transfer portal, NIL and the additions of Texas and Oklahoma are in no way a positive for us (or OM as well). The best days of MSU football are gone for good. So glad I got to live through the JWS and Dan Mullen eras. We will never be that good again.

We will have as many or more wins this year than the majority Mullen's and Jackie's years.

[Maroonthirteen]

I'll be your huckleberry....

Arnett before find some physical players. The defense was soft many games last year. He needs some men or the dink and dunk better chew up a lot of clock and finish drives with points. 30+ To win.

[Goldendawg]

Jones, Johnson, and Smith all have Covid years available and could return. I doubt they all will, but I bet one or two will if we really want them to.

And yeah with the portal and NIL I guess you could say no one knows for sure who will return for anyone... So this can only be a negative for Mississippi State and none of our opponents, right? Poor us, won't be able to manage that uncertainty but everyone else will, I guess.

So sure, if everyone slated to return is going to leave, I'll agree it's now or never. But I think
I'll wait until there's some sort of reasonable belief of that happening before making that wild assumption.

And again, the 2023 schedule will be easier than this year.

Good post, but with this positive attitude, you will never be allowed membership in the "we are poor, pitiful State club"!

[William Tecumsah Sherman]

Half of me is a pessimist/realist when it comes to Mississippi State football. It?s a curse my granddad placed on us by enrolling at State on the GI Bill. The other of half me gets excited as hell this time of year when football is on the horizon thinking we can knock some teams off. My young kids are hooked on going to the games and I look forward to these 7 Saturdays in Starkville coming up, regardless of the prospects of a winning season. Great memories are waiting to be made, boys!

[Pancho]

We will have most of the starting offense coming back for 2023 though.

After that we should have guys that have been in the system for 2-3 years and getting some reps ready to step up into starting roles. You don't see a drop off from Leach's offense once it gets up and rolling. I mean I guess anything could happen, but it wouldn't be the norm.

sound like you kinda saying Leach should win 8-9 games annually from here forward. I am not that confident.

[R2Dawg]

We will have as many or more wins this year than the majority Mullen's and Jackie's years.

He'll also play in 1-2 more than JWS did each year due to extra cupcake game and everyone gets a bowl now so need to ease up on the Leach better than Jackie until he actually does something.

[Coach34]

And yeah with the portal and NIL I guess you could say no one knows for sure who will return for anyone... So this can only be a negative for Mississippi State and none of our opponents, right? Poor us, won't be able to manage that uncertainty but everyone else will, I guess.

So sure, if everyone slated to return is going to leave, I'll agree it's now or never. But I think
I'll wait until there's some sort of reasonable belief of that happening before making that wild assumption.

And again, the 2023 schedule will be easier than this year.

A) We may get one of them back but I'm not counting on it. Especially when someone else could offer them a deal to leave. Not to mention any other breakout performers getting a BBD to leave us.

B) I'll just remind you what happened when we H2H with Mizzou in basketball for a player and got blown away. We are bottom of the SEC in money. That's just a fact. This will happen to us constantly in football and already is.

C) I dont think this staff works to find the undervalued guys that Mullen did.

D) We have no idea yet what 2023 will be. OU and Texas are still working to get out of the Big12 by next year and ESPN is already negotiating to break their ACC contract for Clemson and crew to join ASAP. That's before even breaking down any other teams for 2023.

[Coach34]

4-star or better commits right now in the SEC:

UPig- 7
Tenn- 7
LSU- 10
Georgia- 9
Bama- 8
Florida- 9
SC- 5
Vandy- 1
Mizzou- 2
A&M- 3
Mississippi- 2
Auburn- 4


State? 0

[99jc]

We'll see. I think you are wrong there. We already have 8 commits and are 57th in the country currently. Long way to go but people are about to learn the impact of NIL in college football

i disagree here will we take a step back next year but never underestimate the difficulty of defending the air raid when you've a serviceable offensive line decent wr group and an accurate qb 8 wins should be the norm.