Sam Purcell gives early outlook for year four at Mississippi State

Sam Purcell enters year four as the coach at Mississippi State and has more challenges ahead this season.

After three-straight 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament berths with three postseason wins, the coach is having to rebuild his roster this year. Despite that, he likes what he has on this year’s squad and believes the Bulldogs can keep the train rolling.

The coach talked to the media this week updating the summer progress of his players, the jump that some of his veterans can make and more.

Question: Two years in a row you’ve basically had to break in a new team. What’s it been like getting to know this group of girls?

SP: “It’s the climate. Last year’s hashtag of ‘Own It’ – it is what it is in college sports. It’s the beauty of relationships, selling a vision, bringing people together as one and putting in work like we did last year and let’s get to the NCAA Tournament.”

Q: How do you replace someone like Jerkaila Jordan?

SP: “I don’t think you ever replace anybody, I just think you seize the opportunity. Everybody on our team is aware of what she brought to our team. But what I love about the DNA and what I’m seeing so far in one week of work is that undeniable work ethic that everybody is trying to step up their games.

“If you look at our roster that we currently have right now, I have a unique group with someone like (Treyanna) Crisp that was at (North Carolina). When you look at her stats at Arizona State, she was at 12 points per game. Same thing for Chandler (Prater). Chandler tore her Achilles when she transferred from Oklahoma State so she didn’t get a summer workout and then obviously she came on strong. You can continue to go down the line.

“What I’m trying to do is get everybody back to their career highs when they were playing great as individuals, but also challenge them to get in the gym really quick. I said this last year – we’ve got to fail fast and learn quick. We’ve got to come together and play together. If we can have that mindset of hard work every single day, the collective effort can replace what someone like Jerkaila brought to the team and let’s see what type of team we can put on the floor.”

Q: What do you see Chandler’s impact being now that you’re a year removed from the recovery of the injury?

SP: “Sky high. Our goals for her last year was just get to Christmas. Get healthy. Get to a spot where you get your body back and let’s see what happens. She worked her way into the starting lineup and played one through four. This year I’ve got a lot more height so we’re going to simplify it and keep her at the two and three and have less thinking and more playing. The young lady is an absolute motor and relentless. I just see a big, big year for her offensively and defensively.

“Most importantly, her leadership. What I love about Chandler, you’ve already seen this summer she went to the Black Student Association group out in Chicago. She’s more than just a basketball player, she’s a person. She’s in a sorority and living her best life in college so I’ve got a lot of big-time goals for Chandler.”

Q: Destiney McPhaul flashed last season, what kind of jump do you see from her this year?

SP: “Big one too. That’s the number one junior college player in the country. That game against Missouri I think we all remember where she just flat out got hot and stepped up in a huge part of the year. She’s put in great work and is off to a great start this summer. She’s a dynamic scorer and one who complimented Eniya (Russell) and Jerk and that’s someone I can see coming in with more shot opportunities and a larger role if she keeps it up this summer.”

Q: What are your thoughts on Denim (DeShields) and Debreasha (Powe) transferring to Ole Miss?

SP: “Wish them the best. Powe is always going to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. She graduated from here in three years. Just like any other kid, you’re thankful for their time here and wish them nothing but the best.”

Q: What are some things that you’ve learned as a coach that you’ve changed your approach or something that you’re excited to get back to?

SP: “Our approach in the summer first and foremost the dynamic of the staff. We just updated the website that Samantha Williams is going to be the Chief of Basketball Strategy where she will be doing a lot more with today’s climate behind the scenes. I’ve got three former head coaches and obviously Tony Dukes who is a rising star in this business. In the summer, it’d delegating to them and allowing them to have their voice. Obviously, I’m at every workout and coaching and jumping in at parts, but allowing my people to go to work. I’m really focused on individual work and making sure that we have a healthy summer where we turn it over, fight and get out of our comfort zone and then we reel it in and come in September where we really try to put a team together.”

Q: One of the biggest question marks for you is post play. What have you seen from that position?

SP: “You’re going to see some explosion. (Kharyssa) Richardson from Ole Miss is a dynamic, explosive, undersized 6’2. That’s another one when you look at the roster, she had unbelievable numbers her freshman year at Auburn so can we get her back to her career high when she had those minutes. Then you have Madison Francis who I’m flying out on a plane (Wednesday) to see at USA Basketball for U19. She’s graduating high school this week and hasn’t arrived. We might have a surprise for the media here in two weeks for another announcement. The Bulldogs are still recruiting and there might be an announcement soon to add another piece.

“You look at Rocio who has been working extremely hard and last year redshirted. She’s my enforcer. And then Faith from Stony Brook is an unbelievable athlete that can catch and rip. These young ladies are allowing us to play out in space which allows our guards to eat. I’m really excited what you’re going to be able to watch this year.”

Q: A lot of things in college sports are changing every year. How does that impact you when you’re out and recruiting this summer?

SP: “My word for me is ‘attack’. You’ve got to attack it. I watch a lot of stuff and read a lot of comments where people have a negative tone towards what’s going on but I don’t think negative gets you anywhere in today’s college business. You’ve got to adapt. You’ve got to be on the front edge and that’s why I’m excited to work at Mississippi State. Especially with someone like Zac (Selmon).

“You just see the cool things that we’re doing. When I think about my last three years and the commitment that we’ve made to the practice facility, the gym, the training room and most importantly our locker room – it’s been awesome. Football with the new practice facility and how about welcoming coach (Brian) O’Connor? That baseball entry was something I’ve never seen before. It was first class.

“Whether it’s introductions, facility improvements, or just trying to be on the cutting edge of today’s climate with shared revenue, I couldn’t be more happy with the direction Zac’s leading us and where we’re going so we can handle it and punch it in the face. Those people that find answers and find the model are the ones that are going to succeed and that’s our vision and that’s our goal right now.”

Q: When you’re recruiting the transfer portal, how do you find the best players but also the ones that fit your program?

SP: “That’s a loaded question. We just talked about this at our Women’s Basketball Coaches Association that if there’s anything we can change about college basketball we need to shrink the transfer portal window. It’s too long. It is what it is, student athletes have the right, but we need to shrink this so we can turn it over quickly and put a roster together. Within it, once you get that team it is what it is and you’ve got to own it and attack it.

“We’re focused on attacking it, putting it together and getting to know each other as people. Shoutout to my staff because what people don’t understand is that once the season ends, we were in the office working 16 hour days for six weeks, looking up players and calling them. In our model is making sure that we got to know them as people and do every background check possible.

“What you want to do as we continue to build this program is win with good people. I think we did a good job of that. The character of this group is really special. The personalities of this group is really special. We sold them a vision now let’s see if we can’t get them to be the best individuals in the summer and when you get them as the best individuals, that’s how you build a team come September when official practices start.”

Q: What’s the plan of when Madison Francis gets on campus and how do you see her impacting your team as a freshman?

SP: “The young lady is dynamic, like all of my freshmen. I’m really proud of Jaylah Lampley and the start that she’s had coming in. Nataliyah Gray has had a great start and it’s going to be the same for Madison. We’re just going to make sure first and foremost that she’s comfortable with school and then slowly making sure she understands our language and the next level of what college basketball is. But I think she’s going to be in a good situation playing for USA Basketball and the talent that she’s been exposed to which will and that will set her apart.

“As far as what day she’ll get here, we don’t know yet. How it works is she’s in trails and they started today. What I love about the young lady and her family is graduation means something to her so she’s going to walk the stage and USA Basketball gave her their blessing. She’ll show up Thursday for the first day of practice and then she’ll try to make the team. If she makes the team, she’ll get a week break and then she’s back to Colorado for two weeks and they go overseas for competition. If she doesn’t, what a great experience and she had a great experience with USA Basketball the year before. Then she’ll be back here in two weeks ready for summer school.”

Q: Your freshmen class is one of the best in school history and probably going to have to impact things in year one. What’s your impressions of those three and what they can do this year?

SP: “My thing for them is yeah you’re a freshman, but as quick as we can take that label off, the better. Obviously, they need experience and that’s why we’re working two days a week open gym outside of our practice hours. They’re in there competing. And that’s what I challenge them with – what are your goals? You’ve got to have discipline. You’ve got to come in here and you’ve got to understand how to work and that’s been our focus with them of what do daily commitments look like? Just trying to make sure they’re staying the course and most importantly stay healthy and they’re doing a good job.”