Keep in mind with Jones..

[57stratdawg]

It's never going to get any easier to land a big-time prospect for the staff than it has been with Chris Jones.

He's from 45 minutes away from campus.
He committed to us early on.
He flew under the radar until December for the most part.
His HS staff is full of MSU people.
His town is an MSU town.
Mom and Grandma bought into us very early on.
We didn't have to worry about Bama/LSU/Auburn.
We are incredibly thin at his position (He could start from day 1).
OM is incredibly loaded at his position.

This is literally the recruiting version of a hanging curve ball for the staff. Are they going to hit it out of the park or swing and miss? There is ALOT riding on this kid.

 

[JankedUpDawg]

Our entire class depends on him. Forget all the WRs, OL, etc...he's the star and without the star it's a disappointment. I'll be crushed if he goes to OM. Heartbroken. I've watched this kid play and he is the best DE recruit I've ever seen us have a chance at signing.

 

[57stratdawg]

No question..

 

[dogeatdog]

AND he's from the hometown of one of MSU"s biggest boosters (cigar boy) who

has a building named after him.

 

[Tomas Smid]

It's never going to get any easier to land a big-time prospect for the staff than it has been with Chris Jones.

He's from 45 minutes away from campus.
He committed to us early on.
He flew under the radar until December for the most part.
His HS staff is full of MSU people.
His town is an MSU town.
Mom and Grandma bought into us very early on.
We didn't have to worry about Bama/LSU/Auburn.
We are incredibly thin at his position (He could start from day 1).
OM is incredibly loaded at his position.

This is literally the recruiting version of a hanging curve ball for the staff. Are they going to hit it out of the park or swing and miss? There is ALOT riding on this kid.

And . . . . .
He had never set foot on the Ole Miss campus.

Now thanks to the last item everything changes and Mullen is in for the fight of his recruiting life. This is why Mullen should never, ever let a recruit visit Oxford.

 

[Dawgology]

It's never going to get any easier to land a big-time prospect for the staff than it has been with Chris Jones.

He's from 45 minutes away from campus.
He committed to us early on.
He flew under the radar until December for the most part.
His HS staff is full of MSU people.
His town is an MSU town.
Mom and Grandma bought into us very early on.
We didn't have to worry about Bama/LSU/Auburn.
We are incredibly thin at his position (He could start from day 1).
OM is incredibly loaded at his position.

This is literally the recruiting version of a hanging curve ball for the staff. Are they going to hit it out of the park or swing and miss? There is ALOT riding on this kid.

And I've got news for you. If um does in fact flip him and land Conner while holding onto their current commit list we are in for a VERY tough next few years. Too bad we can't play the game.

 

[Shmuley]

What is that unpleasant feeling, you ask? Why, that's your anus in jeopardy. Prepare your anus to be Bracky'd.

 

[maroonmania]

And . . . . .
He had never set foot on the Ole Miss campus.

Now thanks to the last item everything changes and Mullen is in for the fight of his recruiting life. This is why Mullen should never, ever let a recruit visit Oxford.

What's a joke it this is freakin' Ole Miss we are dealing with here. A school we have a break even or better record with over the past 20 years, who has been pathetic the last few years and was still only break even this year with plenty of empty seats most of the year, a coach who is still unproven at this level and a school who apparently still has racial issues to deal with (given what happened after the election results) and who only officially offered Jones a few weeks ago. If this was an Alabama type school with multiple national championships pulling at CJ it would make more sense but the fact that Jones would give OM the time of day is pretty strange to say the least.

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

Maybe Mullen underestimates us just as much as you.

It's possible that a good start to turning things around would be to quit marginalizing your competition and rationalizing any of their successes.

 

[Pitbull5]

Jones is there because they keep bugging the hell out of him... If he flips its because of payoff.. He told my friend which is his neighbor that his mind is made up.

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

If he flipped, would it be the first time a recruit has committed elsewhere after saying his mind was made up?

If he is on the take now, wouldn't he have been on the take before?

Come on, man.

 

[maroonmania]

Maybe Mullen underestimates us just as much as you.

It's possible that a good start to turning things around would be to quit marginalizing your competition and rationalizing any of their successes.

Oh, I don't think anybody underestimates the recruiting tactics but the history of the OM football program is what it is over the past decades just like ours is what it is. The draw of an Alabama under Saban is pretty obvious, certainly can't say the same for the OM program though. And if Chris Jones had not been solidly committed to us for 6 months and basically ignored by Freeze and OM I wouldn't have an issue with this. Actually, wouldn't have much of an issue with this if it hadn't been set up as a "secret" visit if CJ just wanted a free trip somewhere.

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

I tried to tell you guys weeks ago which angle would be taken by our staff. But instead of listening, some of you wanted to bash me for suggesting it or explain how OM does it too.

I'd think the suppression of his recruitment is just as much as a concern with Jones and his parents as your story of Freeze ignoring him.

You guys can talk about OM's obsession with stars all you'd like, but that same obsession by MSU fans helped send Jones to the UA game. That's where he got to compare recruiting notes and stories of fun visits with other recruits. That's when the doubt started creeping in.

And for the record, I think he'll still be yours on signing day. Too much hometown pressure to do otherwise.

 

[Victory Red]

Jones is there because they keep bugging the hell out of him... If he flips its because of payoff.. He told my friend which is his neighbor that his mind is made up.

And Robert Elliot bled Red and Blue up until the end, when he was True Maroon.

Quay Evans got a Landshark tattoo.

Are you saying those guys were paid off?

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

Hate to agree with the bear on this, but he's right. To say if he flips it was only for cash, is frankly insulting to him and his parents as it questions their character. This kind of talk isn't healthy as it basically insinuates our top recruit (any any others that take visits somewhere else) is a mercenary on the take.

 

[TheOMlawdog]

The funny part of this is that I haven't read a single OM person write....

That we land him.

Its pretty unanimous that we probably won't land him so all we are talking about is a visit?

 

[cheewgumm]

Will that be a top 5 class?

 

[cheewgumm]

OMG...please. Quit pretending like Ole Miss is donig things right. Let's at

least admit it's suspiocios that a team with the very limited recent success as Ole Miss is getting ALL these top recruits. As long as we're being honest and all.

 

[Ishmael]

I'd think the suppression of his recruitment is just as much as a concern with Jones and his parents as your story of Freeze ignoring him.

I have not paid close attention to recruiting, but this is the second or third time I've heard something along these lines. What does it mean? I take it that you or Jones or someone think that Mullen and staff should have been parading Jones to other schools? Or am I misreading this?

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

I think that if we are cheating, its on the same level as you and the rest of the SEC.

Why do you guys always act like cheating small is somehow not cheating.

As far as our recruiting success, I'd say its way more work than cheating, but you are going to believe what you will.

You underestimated our coach. You underestimated our staff. You underestimated our roster. You underestimated our strong play in games we won and lost. You underestimated our fan base. And now you are underestimating our recruiting with your rationalizations.

The group think here for the last year has caused comfort.

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

There was a coordinated effort by your staff, boosters in Houston, and the Houston coaching staff to make sure that Jones was all MSU.

It happens with other recruits in other places too.

I guess what I was saying above was...if your your staff and Houston's staff's strategy to wrap this kid in maroon and white, then it would have been smarter to keep the 247 national guys and Paul Jones away too, but fans want stars for their recruits. Stars bring more attention though. It's hard to keep a guy a secret when he is tearing it up at allstar games and garnering 5 stars.

Some here have been fellating the 247 national guys for actually sending multiple reporters to Houston and MSU camps to evaluate him. Those same evaluations blew up his recruitment and allowed him out of the watchful eyes of others.

I certainly didn't expect your staff to promote him. I do expect the kid's HS coach to promote him somewhat.

 

[CooterBrown.sixpack]

Y'all can take this however you want to, but this is fact and y'all have done this before. "Hidden" is the operative word. MSU tries to keep their better recruits especially shielded and hid from other schools. Jones and his family found out what was going on and they are not happy about it. That is golden. I still think he signs with MSU, but those tactics and trashing other schools will lose recruits at some point if they haven't already. Let them take their visits and have fun. Sell your school. If they wind up going somewhere else, they probably weren't going to be happy at your place and maybe be a problem.

 

[57stratdawg]

Y'all can take this however you want to, but this is fact and y'all have done this before. "Hidden" is the operative word. MSU tries to keep their better recruits especially shielded and hid from other schools. Jones and his family found out what was going on and they are not happy about it. That is golden. I still think he signs with MSU, but those tactics and trashing other schools will lose recruits at some point if they haven't already. Let them take their visits and have fun. Sell your school. If they wind up going somewhere else, they probably weren't going to be happy at your place and maybe be a problem.

The idea that we hid kids is dumb. He racked up 160 tackles and 15+ sacks this year. He's 6'5 280 and can move. It takes about 30 seconds of watching his highlight tape to realize the kid is special. He was clearly the best player in MS HS Football this year. How is that hiding a kid?