Was THIS MSU's worst, most underachieving signees?

[Indndawg]

MSU 2001 Signees:

Mississippi State: Michael Allen, 6-3, 340, OL, Northwest Mississippi CC; Richard Ball, 5-11, 185, DB, Fort Scott (Kan.) CC; Korey Banks, 5-11, 172, DB, Garden City (Kan.) CC; Rico Bennett, 6-1, 190, DB, Brandon; Jeff Billings, 6-2, 235, RB, Rayburn (Pasadena, Texas); Paul Broussard, 6-3, 300, DL, Blinn (Texas) College; Corey Brown, 6-1, 225, LB, Butler (Kan.) CC; Walter Burdett, 6-1, 215, DB, Middle Georgia CC; Brandon Downing, 6-2, 225, LB, Clarksdale; Ronald Fields, 6-3, 295, DL, Hargrave (Va.) Military; Coco Hodge, 6-1, 235, FB, Clinton; Avery House, 6-5, 285, OL, Springville (Ala.); Kamau Jackson, 6-1, 238, LB, Copiah-Lincoln CC ; Tommy Kelly, 6-6, 280, DL, Hinds CC; Clarence McDougal, 6-1, 205, DB, Clinton; Chris McNeil, 6-4, 280, OL, Petal; Kahlil Nash, 6-4, 265, DL, Arizona Western College; Michael Oyefesobi, 6-4, 285, DL, Arizona Western College; Will Prosser, 6-3, 190, WR, Starkville Academy (Starkville); Danny Snyder, 6-3, 285, DL, Arizona Western College; Johnny Wadley, 6-4, 345, OL, Hernando; Brad Weathers, 6-5, 300, OL, Amite County (Liberty); Demetric Wright, 6-0, 180, DB, Northwest Mississippi CC; Kyle York, 6-2, 200, QB, Spring (Texas).

Kelly Drafted and playing well
Korey Banks drafted now playing in Canada

 

[MedDawg]

The disappointing ones were the JUCOs that were supposed to improve our 8-5 2000

team.

We were supposed to be BETTER than the team that beat A&M in the Snow Bowl, and those new All-American JUCO's were a big part of that prediction. (It wasn't *just* Steve Robertson predicting great things for that team) But the team tanked (although there were several losses within a TD).

For that reason, the 2001 team broke my heart, and was the last time I was fully emotionally invested in MSU football. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed MSU fb since 2001--I've posted thousands on the boards and spent a ton on seats and bowl trips, but I still approach every season with a bit of caution. I never go *all* in, and may never again.

Individually, several players on that list played well for State or in the pros. As mentioned, Tommy Kelly has been a highly paid NFL guy for years. Korey Banks played a couple games in the NFL and is still playing in the CFL. Kyle York was a starting QB for MSU. Kamau Jackson played well for State. And of course, Broussard was murdered before getting to campus.

 

[dickiedawg]

Don't forget Ronald Fields, who was drafted and bounced around for a few years in the league.
But yes, that's pretty bad.

KYle York is now a pastor. I always enjoy his sermons when he fills in.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

I may have miscalculated but I counted 12 jucos. 12 17ing jucos. I think it's imperative that we always sign a good group of jucos but 12?

 

[HD6]

It is when you haven't signed enough high school players that can play, which is what we did in 1999-2000.

 

[Philly Dawg]

Clarence McDougal was also injured in the MS/AL All-Star game before he ever set foot on campus and never regained his speed.

 

[The Peeper]

So was Michael Henig, Wesley Carroll and Tyson Lee #lowceiling

 

[Seinfeld]

It's a tough call between that one and the 2002 class. The '01 class may have done less overall, but but I think that the gap between expectations and reality for the '02 class may have been larger. Byrdsong, Turner, and D Williams were all supposed to be can't miss superstars and we all know how that ended up...

 

[121Josey]

Excellent post. Spot on. 2001 made me believe in dead indians. 2001 was the reversal of everything that happened in 1999. It was also the inauguration of the dumpster fire that was MSU football for the remainder of the decade.

State returned so many good players in 2001 that it only needed to fill a few holes. The downfall was the defensive line. If they would have taken probably any MS JUCO DT, none of us would be posting here right now. And I wasn't the biggest fan of moving Mario Haggan out of the middle.