After reading that ESPN.com article that ranked Mississippi State QB situation as #2 in the SEC, I got to thinking ‘how much’ difference ONE year can make.
One year ago, the QB situation at Mississippi State was a total disaster. The team had just completed spring practice with one healthy QB, senior Tyler Russell. Meanwhile backup, Dak Prescott had spent spring nursing a nagging injury. In Feb, State had signed one QB, 4-star, Cord Sandberg , who stated, “it was his ‘dream ‘ to play QB in the SEC,” but was also a highly regarded baseball player.
In May, when Steven Bench decided to leave Penn State and open his recruitment, his final two teams came down to the University of So Florida and State. MSU had a good relationship with him and had been one of the finalists before he had signed with Penn State but on May 23, Bench picked So Florida. It got worse when, two weeks later, on 8 June, Sandberg signed with the Phillies just 24 hours after being drafted in the third round.
There were plenty of MSU fans ‘second guessing’ Dan Mullen’s QB recruiting … especially after 2012 QB signee Nick Schuessler had only lasted a couple of weeks at State. With options quickly running out, the staff convinced Damian Williams to join the team.
And, that was the QB line-up for the ’13 season.
In the Feb ‘13, State signed two QBs, Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley and had the additional bonus of having Fitzgerald join the team early and go through both Bowl and spring practices. Both are big (6-5 & 6-6) with strong arms and ability to run. With Fitzgerald getting valuable practice time, State looks to enter the '14 fall season with Dak, as the starter, Damien as a capable back-up with six games of experience and two true Freshmen available if needed.
As a bonus, State has two QB commits for the 2015 in Chason Virgil (6-2, 170) and Nick Tiano (6-5, 230).
In one year, the depth chart has gone from, one ‘healthy’ QB, one injured, and an unheralded HS Signee to #2 rated QB unit in the SEC.
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One year ago, the QB situation at Mississippi State was a total disaster. The team had just completed spring practice with one healthy QB, senior Tyler Russell. Meanwhile backup, Dak Prescott had spent spring nursing a nagging injury. In Feb, State had signed one QB, 4-star, Cord Sandberg , who stated, “it was his ‘dream ‘ to play QB in the SEC,” but was also a highly regarded baseball player.
In May, when Steven Bench decided to leave Penn State and open his recruitment, his final two teams came down to the University of So Florida and State. MSU had a good relationship with him and had been one of the finalists before he had signed with Penn State but on May 23, Bench picked So Florida. It got worse when, two weeks later, on 8 June, Sandberg signed with the Phillies just 24 hours after being drafted in the third round.
There were plenty of MSU fans ‘second guessing’ Dan Mullen’s QB recruiting … especially after 2012 QB signee Nick Schuessler had only lasted a couple of weeks at State. With options quickly running out, the staff convinced Damian Williams to join the team.
And, that was the QB line-up for the ’13 season.
In the Feb ‘13, State signed two QBs, Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley and had the additional bonus of having Fitzgerald join the team early and go through both Bowl and spring practices. Both are big (6-5 & 6-6) with strong arms and ability to run. With Fitzgerald getting valuable practice time, State looks to enter the '14 fall season with Dak, as the starter, Damien as a capable back-up with six games of experience and two true Freshmen available if needed.
As a bonus, State has two QB commits for the 2015 in Chason Virgil (6-2, 170) and Nick Tiano (6-5, 230).
In one year, the depth chart has gone from, one ‘healthy’ QB, one injured, and an unheralded HS Signee to #2 rated QB unit in the SEC.
| Dak Prescott | QB | 6-2 | 235 | JR | 2L |
| Damian Williams | QB | 6-1 | 225 | SO | 1L |
| Nick Fitzgerald | QB | 6-5 | 225 | FR | HS |
| Elijah Staley | QB | 6-6 | 230 | FR | HS |
| Chason Virgil | QB | 6-2 | 170 | HS | 2015 |
| Nick Tiano | QB | 6-5 | 230 | HS | 2015 |
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