<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"> <font size="4" face="Tahoma">Croom shuffles line to deal with Bama nose tackle</font>
<font size="2" face="Tahoma">11/12/2008 5:13:14 AM
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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">BY BRAD LOCKE
Daily Journal
STARKVILLE - He was being coy about his exact plans, but Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom will likely use two centers against No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.
It just so happens that both of them, starter J.C. Brignone and backup D.J. Looney, were all-star wrestlers in high school. They'll be in a heavyweight battle against the Crimson Tide's defensive line, which is led by 6-foot-5, 365-pound nose guard Terrence Cody.
"<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">We're just trying to get better, try different things and see how things will work," Croom said</span>, and that's about all he cared to say about it at Tuesday's press conference.
Brignone, a sophomore, is listed on this week's depth chart as first-team left guard, his original position. Looney is listed as first-team center.
Cody has 16 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, but what he does best is take up space and occupy multiple blockers.
And that's what makes the experience of Brignone and Looney in the wrestling ring so important. Brignone (6-1, 290) was a three-time Mississippi state champ, while Looney was Alabama's top-rated high school wrestler.
Croom said that experience can translate well to playing center.
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"They've usually gone up against guys ... bigger than them consistently, particularly when you're wrestling heavyweight," Croom said. "Their mindset is going into a one-on-one battle against a guy who's probably more physical; they've been used to doing that."</span>
While Croom hopes the lineup shuffle pays off against Alabama, it's not just a one-game strategy. <span style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(51, 204, 102);">Guard play has been a trouble spot all season for State.</span>
Brignone will be replacing senior Anthony Strauder.
Craig Jenkins will make his third straight start at right guard as Michael Gates continues to recover from a toe injury.
Looney, a 6-1, 290-pound redshirt freshman, hasn't played since Week 2, and this will be his first SEC action.
"He's taking everything pretty well, and I know with Craig and me next to him, I think he'll be fine," Brignone said.
The key against Cody, Croom said, will be leverage. Brignone and Looney are both much smaller than Cody, but the hope is that they can exploit their lower center of gravity.
'My bag of tricks'
And Brignone will use lessons learned from high school.
"When I went to nationals my junior year, I faced the biggest 14-year-old I'd ever seen in my life. That was the first loss I'd had in two years," Brignone said.
"The bigger they are, the harder it is to go against them. ... I'm going to have to bring something out of my bag of tricks."</font>
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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">11/12/2008 5:13:14 AM
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<font size="2" face="Tahoma">BY BRAD LOCKE
Daily Journal
STARKVILLE - He was being coy about his exact plans, but Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom will likely use two centers against No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.
It just so happens that both of them, starter J.C. Brignone and backup D.J. Looney, were all-star wrestlers in high school. They'll be in a heavyweight battle against the Crimson Tide's defensive line, which is led by 6-foot-5, 365-pound nose guard Terrence Cody.
"<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">We're just trying to get better, try different things and see how things will work," Croom said</span>, and that's about all he cared to say about it at Tuesday's press conference.
Brignone, a sophomore, is listed on this week's depth chart as first-team left guard, his original position. Looney is listed as first-team center.
Cody has 16 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, but what he does best is take up space and occupy multiple blockers.
And that's what makes the experience of Brignone and Looney in the wrestling ring so important. Brignone (6-1, 290) was a three-time Mississippi state champ, while Looney was Alabama's top-rated high school wrestler.
Croom said that experience can translate well to playing center.
<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"They've usually gone up against guys ... bigger than them consistently, particularly when you're wrestling heavyweight," Croom said. "Their mindset is going into a one-on-one battle against a guy who's probably more physical; they've been used to doing that."</span>
While Croom hopes the lineup shuffle pays off against Alabama, it's not just a one-game strategy. <span style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(51, 204, 102);">Guard play has been a trouble spot all season for State.</span>
Brignone will be replacing senior Anthony Strauder.
Craig Jenkins will make his third straight start at right guard as Michael Gates continues to recover from a toe injury.
Looney, a 6-1, 290-pound redshirt freshman, hasn't played since Week 2, and this will be his first SEC action.
"He's taking everything pretty well, and I know with Craig and me next to him, I think he'll be fine," Brignone said.
The key against Cody, Croom said, will be leverage. Brignone and Looney are both much smaller than Cody, but the hope is that they can exploit their lower center of gravity.
'My bag of tricks'
And Brignone will use lessons learned from high school.
"When I went to nationals my junior year, I faced the biggest 14-year-old I'd ever seen in my life. That was the first loss I'd had in two years," Brignone said.
"The bigger they are, the harder it is to go against them. ... I'm going to have to bring something out of my bag of tricks."</font>
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