Reason for Hope

dawgfan77 · Nov 15, 2009

I thought at the beginning of this year that we would win somewhere between 5 & 7 games even with Lee as the QB. Well here we stand with two game left at 4-6 and an outside chance at a bowl game. All that being said, lets remember that this is year one of the Mullen era, and in just one year Mullen has made us relevant again. If you really want to get excited lets think about what we will have next year. We return all but one starter on the OL, we return all of our WR's except McRae, we loose Dixon, but with Ballard, Conner, and Perkins we really should ok there. At QB will we have a Cam Newton, with backups Stegall and Russel. On defense we loose Chaney and Love, but with the addition of Cartman, and the emergence of Cox and Boyd, the DL should be VERY good next year. We also return our entire secondary.

I am not ready to toss in the towel on this year yet, but putting things in prospective our best football lies ahead. I like our coaching staff and its obvious recruiting is a priory for them, and what they have done with the limited talent we have gives me hope for next year.

dawgfan77 · Nov 15, 2009

I thought at the beginning of this year that we would win somewhere between 5 & 7 games even with Lee as the QB. Well here we stand with two game left at 4-6 and an outside chance at a bowl game. All that being said, lets remember that this is year one of the Mullen era, and in just one year Mullen has made us relevant again. If you really want to get excited lets think about what we will have next year. We return all but one starter on the OL, we return all of our WR's except McRae, we loose Dixon, but with Ballard, Conner, and Perkins we really should ok there. At QB will we have a Cam Newton, with backups Stegall and Russel. On defense we loose Chaney and Love, but with the addition of Cartman, and the emergence of Cox and Boyd, the DL should be VERY good next year. We also return our entire secondary.

I am not ready to toss in the towel on this year yet, but putting things in prospective our best football lies ahead. I like our coaching staff and its obvious recruiting is a priory for them, and what they have done with the limited talent we have gives me hope for next year.

dawgfan77 · Nov 15, 2009

I thought at the beginning of this year that we would win somewhere between 5 & 7 games even with Lee as the QB. Well here we stand with two game left at 4-6 and an outside chance at a bowl game. All that being said, lets remember that this is year one of the Mullen era, and in just one year Mullen has made us relevant again. If you really want to get excited lets think about what we will have next year. We return all but one starter on the OL, we return all of our WR's except McRae, we loose Dixon, but with Ballard, Conner, and Perkins we really should ok there. At QB will we have a Cam Newton, with backups Stegall and Russel. On defense we loose Chaney and Love, but with the addition of Cartman, and the emergence of Cox and Boyd, the DL should be VERY good next year. We also return our entire secondary.

I am not ready to toss in the towel on this year yet, but putting things in prospective our best football lies ahead. I like our coaching staff and its obvious recruiting is a priory for them, and what they have done with the limited talent we have gives me hope for next year.

Griffdawg · Nov 15, 2009

let's just hope that this time, it is for real. If we are able to bring in Cam Newton and Vick Ballard, we will have signed the nation's best JUCO QB and RB in the same class. Those two should give us a major boost on the offensive side.

I like our coaching staff but I do question the scheming and game-planning from our DC at times. Quite honestly, I question our red zone play calling at times but I realize that we are severely limited by our current QB.

Barkman Turner Overdrive · Nov 15, 2009

At QB will we have a Cam Newton,

Is Newton a done deal or, at the very least, highly probable?

hotdigitydog · Nov 15, 2009

Griffdawg · Nov 15, 2009

Newton will give us an immediate boost at QB and hopefully Ballard will keep us from dropping off drastically at the RB position. I sure wish we had Dixon for another year or two.

FlabLoser · Nov 15, 2009

I cringe as much as anybody thinking he has to replace Dixon. It was good to see him have a good run between the tackles even if it was against Bama's 2nd or 3rd team defense at the end of the game.

mstatefan88 · Nov 15, 2009

Conner, Perkins, and Ballard will all be very good in the future. Yes, they are unknowns since we've never seen them play, but all have speed, and Conner has the power to do some of what Dixon does in breaking tackles. I think those 3 overall in 2 years will be better than the Dixon, Ducre, Stallworth trio we've had the past few years. Once we get an O line that is blocking a little better, those guys are gonna go off. Once they hit a corner, or cut back across in the hole, they will be getting plenty of yards. Dixon has to create his yards. Once we get an upgraded offensive line, these 3 new RB's won't have to create nearly as much, but rather the O line will be creating space for them.

Shmuley · Nov 15, 2009

patdog · Nov 15, 2009

This year, I actually do have hope for next year. I honestly think we're getting pretty close to being a decent football team. We're way to short on talent at a few offensive positions, but Mullen has somehow managed to get pretty good performance from them against non-elite defenses. Against the elite defenses, the lack of talent just can't be hidden though. We'll be in better shape talent-wise next year.

Coach34 · Nov 15, 2009

Faustdog · Nov 15, 2009

Griffdawg said:
let's just hope that this time, it is for real. If we are able to bring in Cam Newton and Vick Ballard, we will have signed the nation's best JUCO QB and RB in the same class. Those two should give us a major boost on the offensive side.

If Ballard is the number one JUCO RB, why are his only offers from Troy and us?

FlabLoser · Nov 15, 2009

[No message]

Griffdawg · Nov 15, 2009

<div style="OVERFLOW: hidden"> <table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="recruitingPageHeader" bgcolor="#990000" colspan="10">Football Recruiting</td> </tr> <tr align="middle"> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" nowrap="nowrap">Hot News</td> <td bgcolor="#990000" nowrap="nowrap">Prospects</td> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" nowrap="nowrap">Search</td> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" nowrap="nowrap">Visits</td> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" nowrap="nowrap">Commits</td> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" nowrap="nowrap">Videos</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr align="middle"> <td style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #990000" class="recruitingPageHeader">Running Back</td> <td align="right"> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>Class: 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 </td> <td valign="bottom" align="right">Position: </td> <td align="right">All</td> <td align="right">QB</td> <td bgcolor="#FFCC00" align="right">RB</td> <td align="right">FB</td> <td align="right">WR</td> <td align="right">TE</td> <td align="right">OT</td> <td align="right">OG</td> <td align="right">C</td> <td align="right">DT</td> <td align="right">DE</td> <td align="right">OLB</td> <td align="right">MLB</td> <td align="right">S</td> <td align="right">CB</td> <td align="right">K</td> <td align="right">P</td> <td align="right">LS</td> <td align="right">Top</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
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Rank</a></td> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><a style="COLOR: black">Nat'l
Rating</a></td> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_Name">Name</a>
<a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_School">School</a>, <a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_Hometown">Hometown</a></td> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><a style="COLOR: black">Video</a></td> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_Ht">HT</a>/ <a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_Wt">WT</a>/ <a style="COLOR: black" id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl02_ExtendedControl">40</a></td> <td style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt">Schools of Interest</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Vick Ballard
(Mississippi Gulf Coast)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl03_City">Perkinston</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl03_State">MS</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>6-0/205</td> <td>Committed to Mississippi State</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Timothy Graham
(Coahoma CC)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl04_City">Clarksdale</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl04_State">MS</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>6-1/210</td> <td>Alabama, Memphis, Miami (Fl), Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Tennessee</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Michael Hayes
(Blinn College)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl05_City">Brenham</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl05_State">TX</a></td> <td></td> <td>5-9/195/4.35</td> <td>California, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Southern Miss, UAB, Utah</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Rashod Henry
(Pearl River)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl06_City">Poplarville</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl06_State">MS</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>5-11/185</td> <td>Committed to Mississippi State</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Tobais Palmer
(Georgia Military)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl07_City">Milledgeville</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl07_State">GA</a></td> <td></td> <td>5-10/165</td> <td>Committed to North Carolina State</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Aubrey Shelton
(Northwest Mississippi)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl08_City">Senatobia</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl08_State">MS</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>5-11/185/4.45</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Kenny Ashley
(El Camino)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl09_City">Torrance</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl09_State">CA</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>5-8/230</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Chris Clay
(Hutchinson)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl10_City">Hutchinson</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl10_State">KS</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>5-8.5/162/4.59</td> <td></td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff99" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Chad Winbush
(Trinity Valley)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl11_City">Athens</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl11_State">TX</a></td> <td>

</td> <td>6-1/200</td> <td>Committed to UAB</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Anthony Cade
(Valley Forge Military)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl12_City">Wayne</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl12_State">PA</a></td> <td></td> <td>5-11/210/4.42</td> <td>Ball State, Rutgers, Temple</td> </tr> <tr style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee" valign="center"> <td>JC</td> <td>

</td> <td>Houston Cassita
(Fullerton)
<a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl13_City">Fullerton</a>, <a id="Cell0_DataGrid1_ctl13_State">CA</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div>

Todd4State · Nov 15, 2009

that Elliot will be a slot receiver next year. I think that may be a pretty good move for him. We can toss him the ball in space and then try to get him one on one vs a LB or safety in space.

Ballard will likely be our RB unless Montrell Conner steps up, which is a very real possibility.

AROB44 · Nov 15, 2009

Kenny Ashley
(El Camino)
Torrance, CA 5-8/230

Hummmmmmmm.............name seems familiar, doesn't it?

jb.sixpack · Nov 15, 2009

about an hour ago i was talking to somebody about southern cal losing their third game for the first time in years and we had a whatever happened to kenny ashley discussion and now he shows up in this thread

AceD3 · Nov 15, 2009

All of this talk reminds me of Ole Miss touting #1 JUCO QB Josh Nelson, who did nothing; Brent Schaeffer, who did less than nothing, etc.

No QB is an upgrade over anything until they prove themselves, over time, in SEC competition.

TBagger.sixpack · Nov 15, 2009

Wasn't it just last year that Tyler Russel was your savior? Have you already written him off, but yet you believe you are going to bring in a recruit that is going to be great? That sounds borderline delusional.

Also, you said you are now relevent. Exactly how is that? Did your moral victory against Florida make you somehow relevent in the SEC? If you win out, you can claim some improvement. If Ark kicks your *** next week and then OM kicks your *** the week after, I would say you haven't accomplished ****. But what do I know. I am an Ole Miss fan.

FlabLoser · Nov 15, 2009

Did USC pull his offer or what? Non-qualifier?

FlabLoser · Nov 15, 2009

TBagger said:
Wasn't it just last year that Tyler Russel was your savior? Have you already written him off, but yet you believe you are going to bring in a recruit that is going to be great? That sounds borderline delusional.

Also, you said you are now relevent. Exactly how is that? Did your moral victory against Florida make you somehow relevent in the SEC? If you win out, you can claim some improvement. If Ark kicks your *** next week and then OM kicks your *** the week after, I would say you haven't accomplished ****. But what do I know. I am an Ole Miss fan.

Here at Mississippi State, the backup QB or the QB that's redshirting or the QB that is being recruited is always the savior. PS: read my sig

Relevant...we have the hardest schedule in the nation by a long shot. We're in the 4th quarter with these teams. Call that a moral victory and snicker if you want. But the teams we played will tell you they are glad they took us seriously. I'd call that relevant.

alabamadog · Nov 15, 2009

I think most people expect him to be good in a couple years. Some people thought he might play this year, but I don't think anybody was predicting freshman all american for him. To answer your second question, I guess it depends on your definition of relevance. We are relevent in the bowl discussion, and thats it. We haven't been that relevent for most of this decade.

Gene Swindoll · Nov 15, 2009

from what i've seen of ballard on film, he's just another robert elliot....after seeing that, i hope conner can pull the load next year.

Todd4State · Nov 15, 2009

people on here who have a brain realize that he's a true freshman that needs time to develop.

And at this point, us bringing in Cameron Newton is far from delusional.

As far as being relevant, well the fact that ESPN is talking about us as an up and coming program that is improving would seem to be pretty relevant to me.

How was the Klan rally? Did ya'll have good bar-b-que?

Todd4State · Nov 15, 2009

AceD3 said:
All of this talk reminds me of Ole Miss touting #1 JUCO QB Josh Nelson, who did nothing; Brent Schaeffer, who did less than nothing, etc.

No QB is an upgrade over anything until they prove themselves, over time, in SEC competition.

Because a JUCO QB didn't work out at Ole Miss, how could one possibly work out at MSU? That seems totally logical.

First of all, Josh Nelson is not nearly as good as Newton. At the time, you needed someone to fill the void for the guy Brewer wanted- you know, Peyton Manning. Nelson was a stopgap.

Sheaffer was a guy who got beat out by Erik Ainge at UT and transferred because of that, and then was given a week to learn an offense that he wasn't suited for.

Here's the difference- Newton was actually recruited out of high school by people like FLORIDA, and was supposed to take over for some guy named Tim Tebow. The reason he's in JUCO right now is because he bought a stolen laptop and got kicked off the team. He didn't go JUCO because he sucked and was beaten out like Sheaffer. Secondly, Newton will be a Dec. signee. He is going to have all spring and all fall to learn our terminology and get used to the players that he will be with in a system that he has already learned before. Newton is also going to have Dan Mullen coaching him- a guy who is a pretty good QB coach.

And if you don't think Newton on a bad day is an upgrade over the midget and the port-a-potty knocker, you don't know ****.

jackstefano · Nov 15, 2009

Last year at this point in the season, y'all had lost your 5 SEC games by an average of 13 ppg. This year, you've lost your 4 SEC games by an average of 17 ppg.

I think it has more to do with the fact that you've got a coach who appears to: 1) know what he's doing; 2) give a ****; and, 3) be accountable.

jb.sixpack · Nov 15, 2009

academic non-qualifier

AceD3 · Nov 15, 2009

..you know, that we would have to see. Josh Nelson had over 30 offers to play D1 football- including USC, UCLA, Oregon, etc- and was the equivalent of a 5 star QB as the top JUCO QB in the country a nd one of the top 5 JUCO players, period, by Sporting News.


Scheaffer was a bust, thank you for emphasizing my initial point in this regard.

Newton will be a nothing until he does something that any one of the countless MSU "Saviors" from the past hasn't done. 

Only time will tell...and certainly meaningless commentary won't.

mabtsdawg · Nov 15, 2009

It has been a very rare experience for me to look at our signing classes and think that our signees (recently, Henig, Rutland, Evans, Relf, Riddle) would be the savior of MSU football. Maybe you run in circles that I don't, but I am unaware of these "countless MSU saviors." Signing QBs with any remote chance of being decent would be a tremendous upgrade as far as I'm concerned.

Henry Kissinger · Nov 15, 2009

hope so

Griffdawg · Nov 15, 2009

biguglyjoe · Nov 15, 2009

TBagger said:
Wasn't it just last year that Tyler Russel was your savior? Have you already written him off, but yet you believe you are going to bring in a recruit that is going to be great? That sounds borderline delusional.

Also, you said you are now relevent. Exactly how is that? Did your moral victory against Florida make you somehow relevent in the SEC? If you win out, you can claim some improvement. If Ark kicks your *** next week and then OM kicks your *** the week after, I would say you haven't accomplished ****. But what do I know. I am an Ole Miss fan.

msu21 · Nov 15, 2009

Ballard has an extra gear that Elliot doesn't have.

SLUdog · Nov 15, 2009

most observers would say we are better coached (which you pointed out.) I think we had a better players on D last year overall and an easier schedule. We lost two home SEC games by 1 pt last year. I can't explain the score in the Auburn game from this year which is the main difference. Bama game should have been closer too this year. Having said that, I do think some fans become too enthusiastic after some close losses. We are still 4-6 and have a good shot at 4-8.

ArrowDawg · Nov 15, 2009

I disagree. I think Dixon, Chaney and Love will all be tight next season, not loose. I also hope we get Carmon, not Cartman. Cartman doesn't impress me as much as Carmon. Will we have a Cam Newton? I have no idea.

As for our annual "wait 'til next year" approach, I concur with the poster who said that we should all hope it's for real this time. While the schedule will be tough in 2010, as it usually is in the SEC, it can't come anywhere near being the excuse that the 2009 schedule is for a losing record. If Mullen is what we think he is, he should at least be bowl eligible next year.

Rabid · Nov 15, 2009

ArrowDawg said:
I disagree. I think Dixon, Chaney and Love will all be tight next season, not loose. I also hope we get Carmon, not Cartman. Cartman doesn't impress me as much as Carmon. Will we have a Cam Newton? I have no idea.

Cartman may just work. He's a wide body. Kinda short though. Some people say he's fat. But, as he puts it ... "I'm not fat. I just haven't grown into my body, you skinny *****." Might be a pretty good run stopper. He'll definitely be the king of talking **** to the opposing team.

Frances Drebin · Nov 15, 2009

That sounds borderline delusional.

Actually, it sounds like an Ole Miss fan. Which I guess is the same thing.

We laugh at the Rebs when they do it; we therefore shouldn't be doing it.

bob knight · Nov 15, 2009

i keep up with recruiting but have never heard this name...

Rabid · Nov 15, 2009

bob knight said:
i keep up with recruiting but have never heard this name...

Reason for Hope

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