100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 26 Days, No. 26 RB Kolin Wilson and CB Dwight Lewis III

Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.

After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.

As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.

Today, we look at two talented new faces on each side of the ball.

26 Days: No. 26, Fr. Running Back Kolin Wilson       

In an extremely talented and deep running back room, it’s been easy to forget that Wilson is present, but the future is bright for the Alabama native.

A standout out running back for former two-time State assistant coach Mark Hudspeth at Gulf Shores High School, Wilson initially committed to Cincinnati at the beginning of his recruitment. Despite feeling comfortable with the Bearcat program, Wilson always wanted to play ball in the SEC and the Bulldogs gave him that chance last summer when assistant coach Anthony Tucker offered him a scholarship.

Wilson had a breakthrough season for Hudspeth his junior year when he racked up nearly 2,500 yards of offense with 2,000 of those coming on the ground at running back. He averaged 10.0 yards a carry ands scored 31 times rushing and four more times as a receiver.

The tape and the stat sheet checked out for Lebby and Tucker and getting to see him in person at Top Dawg Camp was even more evidence that he belonged. With the pressure ramped up on his recruitment, an official visit shortly after his commitment would shut everything down and he would flip his commitment to the Bulldogs.

Following his commitment, Wilson would go on to rush for 1,671 yards and 17 touchdowns while catches 18 passes for 199 yards and a score, throwing for 118 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-14 and even managing 333 kick return yards. He was named the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic after the season as well and would then enroll at State in the spring.

Since that time, the 5’9, 190-pounder has put on some good weight under the direction of Shaud Williams and he got invaluable practice time in the spring. Getting him on the field offensively will be a chore this season due to the talent and experience ahead of him in the depth chart, but Wilson is certainly a candidate for special teams even as a freshman.

In the coming years, things are looking bright for a player that brings hard work and a nice skill set to the office every day.

 No. 26, Sr. Cornerback Dwight Lewis III       

There might not be a more mysterious or intriguing player on the State roster this season than Lewis.

Lewis spent the last four years playing NAIA football for Marion College, and he made his way into the starting lineup the last two seasons at the school. A two-time All-Conference standout, Lewis made 58 tackles over the last two seasons and had seven interceptions during that stretch.

Four of those picks came last year for Lewis who is looking to take a big jump and end up starting for the Bulldogs this season. He’s a physically impressive specimen at 6’1, 195 pounds and Lewis has been making the most of his time in Starkville for the last few months.

As we get deeper into training camp, there will be chances for Lewis to solidify his worth. He has the size that can compete at a high level in the SEC, but Lewis will have to bring the same mentality every day. H’’s battling it our with second-year starter Kelley Jones and DeAgo Brumfield as well as several new faces on the team.