I know that Bama has struggled in the past with USM, but Southern usually take at least 2 or 3 of the top 20 players in the state every year. If we can beat Southern Miss on a consistent basis, or at least beat them in the first home and home, we can start to knock them down. Look at the state of Alabama. Alabama and Auburn dominate, and the third team in the state is either UAB or Troy. Neither of those teams ever competes for the top talent in the state. If we can start to play and beat Southern, maybe some of those guys, like the Deandre Browns of the world, would come to us instead of USM. Just a thought, but from a recruiting stand point this could give us some of those extra in state guys that can make an impact for us that choose to go to USM instead of State.
This could end up being good for us.
- Thread starter mstatefan88
- Start date
The only reason Brown is at Southern is because of grades. He couldn't get eligible anywhere in the SEC.</p>
USM has the same academic standards as MSU and Ole Miss. Heck even Delta State has to have the same standards as Ole Miss and MSU-- I think it's a part of the Ayers settlement that all public universities have the same standards.
Brown was borderline and not expected by many to meet eligibility requirements. USM and Fedora took the chance and the offer paid off for them when Brown qualified.
Edit to add: My Delta State comment is there because Division II academic standards for student-athletes are looser than Division I, but Delta State, academically at least, has to follow the rules set forth by IHL which are Division I compliant.
Brown was borderline and not expected by many to meet eligibility requirements. USM and Fedora took the chance and the offer paid off for them when Brown qualified.
Edit to add: My Delta State comment is there because Division II academic standards for student-athletes are looser than Division I, but Delta State, academically at least, has to follow the rules set forth by IHL which are Division I compliant.
Here's a tidbit of knowledge...the SEC requirements to play athletics is higher than that of the base NCAA requirements. He couldn't have gotten cleared to play football at any SEC school.
At the time, the SEC had higher eligibility requirements than the NCAA did. He met the NCAA requirements but not the SEC requirements. The SEC has since adopted the NCAA eligibility requirements. If he had graduated HS one year later than he did, he'd be playing at LSU right now.
They got Mujahid Assad, Kendrick Hardy, and Tracey Lampley last year. A few of those could be playing for us right now, like Assad. The year before that they got Deandre Brown and Kendrick Presley. Deandre Brown would be starting for us right now if he played here. Some of these guys could have come in and made impacts here. It might be 1 or 2 guys a year, but some of those guys are talented enough to be playmakers in the SEC.
...because of Ayers. Equal access and all that.
Edit to add: I'm replying to myself only to save time from having this message in triplicate to those who responded to my earlier note.
Edit to add: I'm replying to myself only to save time from having this message in triplicate to those who responded to my earlier note.
All these guys slitting their wrists over this is pathetic. I personally don't have a problem with this series, but even if it turns out bad and we lose games, IT'S JUST TWO YEARS. People act like Byrne just signed away our future or something. He's just trying something that many State fans are scared to do. It will sell tickets and strengthen our season ticket appeal. When we win, it only adds to recruiting. What all the opposition to this feels like is insecurity. I hate USM, but recognize this is a natural rivalry and is a good game for us.