SEC preseason preview of Mississippi State.
Here are the numbers:
#75 Mississippi State
2009 Schedule
Sept. 5......................Jackson St.
Sept. 12.....................at Auburn
Sept. 19.....................at Vanderbilt
Sept. 26.....................LSU
Oct. 3......................Georgia Tech
Oct. 10.....................Houston
Oct. 17.....................at Middle Tenn.
Oct. 24.....................Florida
Oct. 31.....................at Kentucky
Nov. 14.....................Alabama
Nov. 21.....................at Arkansas
Nov. 28.....................Ole Miss
Starting Roster
QB - Tyson Lee.......................DT - Kyle Love
RB - Anthony Dixon........................Pernell McPhee
WR - Brandon McRae................DE - Sean Furguson
.....O'Neal Wilder.........................Brandon Cooper
.....Terrance Davis..................LB - K.J. Wright
TE - Kendrick Cook........................Chris Wright
OT - Derek Sherrod........................Jamar Chaney
.....Addison Lawrence..............CB - Damein Anderson
OG - Quentin Saulsberry.................Marcus Washington
.....Tobias Smith.....................S - Charles Mitchell
.C - J.C. Brignone.........................Zach Smith
.P - Heath Hutchins...................K - Sean Brauchle
State of the Team:
Coming off of a poor season finale with a 45-0 shutout at the hands of arch rival Ole Miss, and a complete reconstruction of the coaching staff, including the introduction of new head coach Dan Mullen (former offensive coordinator at the University of Florida), Mississippi State is ranked number 75 in the rivals120 preseason rankings. This season Coach Mullen hopes to improve Mississippi State's competitiveness in the SEC by switching from a lackluster I-form power running game to the up-and-coming fast-paced spread formation. This switch will come as a relief to a fan-base used to boring low-scoring offenses of recent years. However, many are skeptical of the new direction's effectiveness in its debut year due to the team's current player's abilities. Coach Mullen had an excellent draft class, picking up a few JUCO players and pulling in as many Athletes as possible. With the spread calling for fast, agile players who can be effective anywhere on the field, finding talent in the current roster will be a challenge. Coach Mullen is taking a risk by starting 7 freshman or junior college transfer players, especially two starting wide receivers, which is arguably the most important position in the spread. Can Mullen form a solid SEC team under a new playbook before Game 1 against Jackson State? That depends on a few key factors:
1. What impact will the massive amount of untested starters have on the field.
2. Can the starting seniors (Lee, Dixon, McRae, Love, and Chaney) lead their younger teammates effectively.
3. Will the offensive line, with a freshman guard, be able to protect Tyson Lee more effectively in a much more pass oriented system.
4. Will the loss of both starting safeties cripple the strength of the defense down the field.
5. How much of an immediate improvement can the two junior college kickers make to the special teams.
Key Players to Watch:
Tyson Lee
Anthony Dixon
Brandon McRae
Kyle Love
Pernell McPhee
Jamar Chaney
Sean Brauchle
Leon Berry
Projected Record:
7-5
