Last year, Jackie Sherrill was faced with the task of rebuilding his entire offense. This year, the offense returns largely intact, but the defense needs a major retooling. Mississippi State has become one of the most consistent teams in the SEC due to their strength and solid game plans, but holes on defense and in particular, the special teams, could pose problems for the Bulldog faithful.

Mississippi State plays power football with no "bull" involved, if you’ll pardon a reference to the infamous "Steergate." The Bulldogs will run the football as much as possible, but with the experienced Wayne Madkin at quarterback, they have other options.

QUARTERBACKS

No SEC quarterback is a made man so much as Wayne Madkin, who in the course of two years has gone from offensive liability to one of the more feared quarterbacks in the league. Madkin’s legs are what make him so dangerous, but his arm and decision making skills have improved significantly since he was handed the job many moons ago. Madkin also has one of the more capable backups in the conference in sophomore Kevin Fant. Madkin still must improve his TD-INT ratio, which was 8 to 8 in 2000. However, he upped his completion percentage to 56.1 percent, the sign of a more patient player.

RUNNING BACKS

Probably the best stable in the conference, with the deadly one-two punch of Dicenzo Miller and Dontae Walker. Miller averaged 6.3 yards per carry on the way to a 1,000-yard season, but Walker was no slouch at 5.4 yards per carry and only one fewer touchdown (9, to Miller’s 10) in a backup role. Walker has the more impressive prep pedigree, but Miller has been more consistent. The two will split time again in 2001, and will follow the blocking of junior Julius Griffith. Griffith is also an able pass catcher.

WIDE RECEIVERS

It’s hard to figure exactly what Mississippi State has at wideout, as experience is not a long suit. Two players – tight end Donald Lee and split end Terrell Grindle – stand out. Aside from that duo, reputations are built more on promise than production. Justin Jenkins, Clarence Parker and highly-touted redshirt freshman Antonio Hargro are the most likely candidates to achieve renown. At least one of them must step forward in order to get the double teams off Grindle.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Although four starters return, anchor Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack will be busting rump in the NFL in 2001. As a result, there are a few question marks. Kenric Fairchild moves from right to left tackle to replace Womack, and subsequent shifting means that Derrick Thompson ends up at right tackle and Courtney Lee at left guard. Center Tommy Watson returns, while Donald Tucker and Kyle Wallace will battle JUCO signee Michael Allen for the vacant right guard position. This unit needs to come together early in the season. Every second team player, except for Allen, is at least a one-year letterman, giving MSU one of, if not the deepest lines in the SEC.

Joe Lee Dunn’s wacko 5-1-5 set can be explosive or it can implode upon itself (see: 2000 LSU game). The key to making it work is a strong push up front and good play from two "Dog" defensive backs, who are basically small linebackers.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Mississippi State has two bona fide all-conference candidates in end Conner Stephens and tackle Dorsett Davis. The rest of the line, however, is suspect. Either Demotto Youngblood or Lennie Day will serve as the nose guard; Youngblood weighs only 240 pounds while Day tips the scales at just over 245. Whoever gets beat out in that fight will battle Jadice Moore and possibly Ifem Ezekwe and Jake Hambrick for the other tackle slot. At left end is 6’0", 215-pound Dwayne Robertson, one of the smallest ends in the conference. While heart cannot be measured with a ruler, the concerns about this group taking a consistent beating are legitimate. There is enough depth to keep the coaches comfortable, but the question is, can the starters dominate as needed in this scheme?

LINEBACKERS

Much like "The Highlander," there can be only one. That one is Mario Haggan, once a player on the defensive line and now the team’s leading tackler in 2000 with 132 stops. Haggan is bigger than several of the players in front of him on the line. If he can display good lateral movement in pass coverage, he could be a star. Jason Clark finished spring listed as his backup.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Mississippi State has a Pig (Pig Prather) and a Byrd (Shawn Byrdsong) playing a pair of Dogs – Dunn’s terminology for two safeties expected to play with the fire of a linebacker. Prather gets a lot of ink as a result of his role in the scheme, but he needs to be more consistent. Byrdsong has been moved all over the secondary during his career, enough to garner him three letters but no starting post until this year. Steady overachiever Josh Morgan returns at free safety, but he missed the spring due to shoulder surgery. The cornerbacks could be, outside of the specialists, Jackie Sherrill’s biggest headache. Marco Minor is huge (6’4", 210 lbs.) and Korey Banks can hit, but neither have much experience. Their backups – which include the SEC’s best name in Slovakia Griffith – have no experience whatsoever. Against a tough passing offense, Dunn could be feeling a royal pain.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Bulldogs will be flying by the seat of their pants, for the most part. John Michael Marlin has a terrific leg, but tends to spray the ball around. Redshirt freshman Jared Cook draws the punting assignment. The return game is in good hands with Dontae Walker.

Six new starters on a defense that ranked ninth in the conference in scores allowed is not the makings of national championship hopes. And while quarterback Wayne Madkin will draw much praise in the preseason – some of it from this article – MSU was still third worst in passing offense in the SEC last year. Factor in a new kicker and punter, and you have some very visible warts. But for pure coaching, not many can beat Sherrill, whose attitude is perfectly suited to the team he directs. It would be hard to pick MSU to be a national success this year, but it’s equally as hard to pick against them. They have probably the conference’s easiest schedule, and they are a few breaks away from a ten-win season.

2001 Mississippi State Football Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	W-L	SCORE	REC./SEC
SEPTEMBER
3	MEMPHIS (ESPN2-TV)	6:00 p.m.
15	BRIGHAM YOUNG	6:30 p.m.
20	* SOUTH CAROLINA (ESPN-TV)	6:30 p.m.
29	* at Florida	TBA
OCTOBER
6	* at Auburn	1:00 p.m.
13	TROY STATE [HC]	1:30 p.m.
20	* LSU	TBA
NOVEMBER
3	* KENTUCKY	1:30 p.m.
10	* at Alabama	TBA
17	* at Arkansas	1:00 p.m.
22	* MISSISSIPPI (ESPN-TV)	6:30 p.m.
DECEMBER
1	# SEC Championship [CBS-TV]	8:00 p.m.

All dates and times subject to change. Times are local to game site.

*-Denotes SEC game
#-Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)

2001 Mississippi State Spring Football Roster