Gospel of Hal.

[Soapy]

you went deeper than I did

I just said each dynasty point is $1K lol

I had 3* asking for 125, so 125K for that seems reasonable. With your formula, they'd be getting just under a mili. But also

SEC >>> Big XII so

Putting him on the bench, paying him all that money, and then he hops in that portal would have you sick to your stomach

Hop in that portal, we don't gotta pay him that anymore though

Mixon comes in with plenty of hype and a rumored NIL deal that is around the $3 million mark.

For a true freshman? Robbed ya blind.

Take that up with the recruiting department

[Soapy]

Roster Review: Mississippi State quarterbacks
The starting quarterback battle has extended into fall camp and likely beyond
By Jacoby Klein • July 15, 2029

Mississippi State quarterback Brodie McWhorter fakes a handoff during spring practices. Soapy Hendrix/Dynasty Sports

It's that time of year again.

The sweltering heat has settled in over Starkville, the SEC Network reruns have grown stale, and there's nothing left to do but count down the days until kickoff. So while we wait, The Dispatch is spending the next several weeks breaking down each Mississippi State position group. First up: the quarterbacks.

The presumptive starter - redshirt junior Brodie McWhorter

The only player in the room with not just a start to his name but thirteen of them. McWhorter started all of the 2027 season , albeit as part of a four-win team, and then started in the bowl game where the Bulldogs passing attack looked even more of a threat vertically than it did with Austin Carlisle. Again, context, it was UTSA.

There's a lot to like about McWhorter between the experience, the arm talent and from a sentimental standpoint, the loyalty he's shown to the program. He took his medicine and backed up Carlisle last season despite the writing being on the wall from the jump that Carlisle was going to be the starter as soon as offensive coordinator Jaleel Mosley was hired.

McWhorter was certainly the best of the quarterbacks during spring football, partly because he got to play with the first team offense exclusively compared to the younger guys who rotated with the second and third team units.

QB2 — redshirt sophomore Jelanie Strange

Entering spring, Strange looked like he was going to be QB3 but by the end of it, he's progressed past David Ficken (more on that later). Strange's strength is also his weakness which is the well rounded nature of his game.

He doesn't have the experience of McWhorter, he doesn't have the arm talent of Ficken and he doesn't have the potential, on paper, of Brett Mixon. But as spring practices turned into scrimmages and eventually the spring game, it was clear that Strange was second in the order and certainly in the mix from a football perspective.

Again, this decision will have non-football implications looming over it but from a purely talent standpoint and performance, Strange was firmly the second best quarterback in the spring.

QB3 — redshirt sophomore David Ficken

Ficken's arm talent is undeniable. We saw glimpses of it in the bowl game where he was launching passes like they were nuclear missiles.

His decision making, not so much.

He struggled with turnovers in that game with three in just two quarters of action and that continued in the spring. He's a bit slight at 179 pounds so there are also concerns with how he would hold up physically with an SEC schedule. Carlisle took a beating last year and he was more mobile and able to escape pressure. Ficken isn't as mobile so he's either going to take a pounding with his slight frame or hurry up his decision making which would lead to turnovers or, the most likely outcome, the combination of both.

The true freshman — Brent Mixon

A lot has been made about Mixon's reported NIL deal that he got to sign with MSU. Whatever the number actually is, it's fair to say that he's the highest paid quarterback in the room and probably the highest paid on the team, and if not, certainly close to it.

His recruitment was a high profile one and getting one of the top quarterbacks, out of high school, from the state of Texas was certainly going to take a coup.

Let's preface this with that Mixon wasn't bad in the spring. He's got plenty of arm talent, good touch and a natural thrower of the football, probably the prettiest looking release of the bunch. He just doesn't seem ready to be a starter, week in and week out, in the SEC.

He can probably survive the non-conference schedule and look decent but once you're in the teeth of an SEC schedule, there could be a series of multiple interception games which could erode his confidence and long term development.

The price tag, whatever it actually is, is going to make it very difficult for Mixon to redshirt this season. I don't know if he'll start as the gap between him and McWhorter was too large but the fact that the race hasn't been called by G.J. Kinne leads me to believe that he'll be given every chance to dethrone McWhorter in fall camp.

The other guys

Two redshirt freshmen in Coco Denson and Duke Blade round out the room. Denson is intriguing with his physical tools, probably the best athlete of the group.

[Soapy]

Roster Review: Mississippi State running backs
The loss of George Wick was a big one but the room looks poised to replace the lost production
By Jacoby Klein • July 15, 2029

Mississippi State running back Cooper Crosby celebrates a touchdown in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Soapy Hendrix/Dynasty Sports

It's that time of year again, and The Dispatch continues its position-by-position breakdown of the 2029 Bulldogs roster. Today: the running backs.

Mississippi State's backfield in 2028 had a ton of production, primarily in the passing game with Cooper Crosby setting the school record for receiving touchdown. George Wick's attempt at getting a pay bump led to him somehow ending up at UTSA. How will the Bulldogs replace his production?

RB1a — redshirt junior Cooper Crosby

Crosby didn't have a great season as a runner last season, averaging four yards per carry and just 21.9 yards per game but in this offense, you have to factor in the receiving stats with the quick passing game being an extension of the running game.

If you do, Crosby had eighteen total touchdowns and averaged 85 yards from scrimmage per game along with 68 receptions. The Bulldogs brought in some competition, or help, from the portal but Crosby has earned that first carry, presumptively.

RB1b — redshirt senior Sean Cuono

MSU went out and got a proven player in Cuono who rushed for 482 yards last season for Indiana along with eleven touchdowns, which should help their short-yardage issue.

We could see Crosby transition into that George Wick role as primarily a receiver out of the backfield and Cuono, who packs a punch at 200 pounds, slide into that Crosby role as your traditional running back.

RB2 — redshirt junior Jayreon Campbell

Campbell was a bit of an afterthought in the portal among fans as he, like Cuono, came from Indiana. Unlike Cuono, however, he's completely unproven with just sixteen career carries.. It didn't take long in spring to realize that Campbell wasn't just a body as he regularly got reps with the first and second team offense, over John Ihenacho who played plenty last season.

A blend of speed and power, Campbell is a nice looking athlete despite his small stature at five-foot-eight but he's well built at 211 pounds.

The rest of the bunch

John Ihenacho was quietly a big piece of this offense last year with 32 carries and 20 receptions, seven of which went for touchdowns. MSU upgraded at the position via the portal with the addition of Cuono and Campbell and if spring was any indication, he's likely looking at a reduced role this season.

Senior Kerry Mangum and redshirt freshmen Nasir Corbin and Titus Flanagan fill out the rest of the roster.

[redsox907]

take a pounding with his slight frame

it's going to be interesting to see a Mosley offense without Carlisle to bail him out. We saw it in the bowl game, but again, UTSA.

[Soapy]

take a pounding with his slight frame

it's going to be interesting to see a Mosley offense without Carlisle to bail him out. We saw it in the bowl game, but again, UTSA.

Mosley changed his life, not the other way around

https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-coll ... isle/25679

[Soapy]

Roster review: Mississippi State wide receivers
Figure out the puzzle and which pieces fit where at receiver
By Jacoby Klein • July 16, 2029

Mississippi State receiver Carterrious Brown runs the ball at practice. Soapy Hendrix/Dynasty Sports

The Bulldogs' top receiver, Traylon Ray, is in the NFL now, drafted in the seventh round and their second most experienced receiver, Marshaun Evans, left the team. MSU reloaded via the portal with two intriguing additions to a room that returns plenty of talent but questions remainign.

The starters

Jamison Hamm - redshirt sophomore

Hamm was a bit of an afterthought entering the spring last season but put on a strong performance and by the end of fall camp, he was regular with the first team offense. By season's end, he was a mainstay in the offense, catching 48 passes for 567 yards.

There are some limitations to his game and while he is physically impressive at six-foot-five and 213 ponds and one of the fastest players on the team, he's much more of an underneath guy that wants to get the ball in his hand and get moving linearly. The route running leaves a lot to be desired and in traffic, his hands aren't the more reliable

Due to this, Hamm doesn't fit any of the receiver spots in this offense seamlessly. He doesn't have the ability to win one-on-one matchups on the outside at the X, he doesn't have the versatility to play the Z and his lack of wiggle and separation at the top of the route makes him a less than ideal candidate in the slot.

Last year, most of his damage came when MSU went four wide and he got a chance to be either uncovered or matched up with a safety or linebacker type. It still remains to be seen where he fits in but with his talent and production, he is penciled in as a starter. We just don't know where.

Carterrious Brown – redshirt senior

There's a lot of similarities between Brown and Ray last season. Ray started the season at Z, was clearly the team's best receiver but struggled to get involved in the offense. Halfway through, Ray moved inside and flourished, putting together the best year of his career which got him drafted in the seventh round.

While we saw Brown, the SMU transfer with two very productive seasons under his belt already, primarily on the outside, it would probably be smart to just move him inside right now. Now, this is a different quarterback so there might be more downfield passing than last season with Austin Carlisle. Still, Brown was clearly MSU's best receiver in the spring.

There's only one problem with that...

Owen Cabell - redshirt junior

Cabell was the second best receiver in the spring and most of his damage at Vandy last year was from the slot. So MSU essentially has three really good receivers, all over six-foot so they project to be an outside receiver but their actual profile and production have come from the slot.

If I had to pick one to be on the outside, it would probably be Cabell. There's a lot of blocking responsibilities on the outside receiver and a level of unselfishness that's asked from them as they won't be peppered with targets either, partially why Evans isn't on the team anymore as he clashed with the coaching staff over his role per reports, and Cabell is the sturdiest of the bunch.

He did struggle with drops last season, six, but has looked pretty sure handed this past spring.

The backups

Melvin Hopper - sophomore

Another option in the slot is Hopper. He failed to catch a pass last season but did play in all thirteen games so clearly the coaching staff is high on him. He's got plenty of speed but at five-foot-nine, he's limited to playing in the slot and there's a logjam there.

Jamaal Jordan - redshirt junior

Jordan, like Carlisle, followed OC Jaleel Mosley from Texas State to Starkville. Jordan, like Carlisle, was super productive with the Bobcats with 62 receptions for 828 yards and six touchdowns. Like Carlisle, he was a starter from the jump with the Bulldogs.

Unlike Carlisle, Jordan was essentially benched halfway through the season as Ray started to play in the slot, relegating Jordan to a backup role. He still finished with 30 receptions for 345 yards and two touchdowns.

He almost exclusively played with the second unit so things aren't trending well for Jordan although a strong fall camp could see him move into that WR4 role.

The reserves

The rest of the receivers are sophomore James East, redshirt freshman Byron Prioleau and true freshman David Bowanko. East and Bowanko are slot types while Prioleau plays on the outside. I'd be very surprised if any of them play this season.

[Soapy]

Roster Review: Mississippi State tight ends
Has Zayion Cotton legitimately been unseated or was this just a lesson?
By Jacoby Klein • August 7, 2029

Mississippi State tight end Zayion Colton celebrates a touchdown. Soapy Hendrix/Dynasty Sports

Zayion Cotton's two week vacation in the transfer portal appears to have some consequences attached to it.

The starter, right?

Zayion Cotton – senior

Cotton is coming off back to back really good seasons with the Bulldogs and actually improved on his explosiveness numbers last year, averaging 15.3 yards per reception. He opted to enter the portal after the season and after briefly considering other schools, he returned to Miss State.

A few things were of note during spring. One, he didn't wear his customary No. 4 jersey. He instead was wearing No. 89. Two, he wasn't with the first team offense. Ever.

Now, it was spring and sometimes it's hard to tell which unit is the first team because the coaches don't know yet which unit was the first team. But it was clear that Cotton wasn't with the expected starters. He didn't have a single rep, during the media portion of practices, with the likes of Brodie McWhorter, Jelanie Strange or even David Ficken at quarterback.

He was never made available to the media, which is strange for a player of his caliber and seniority, and the coaches avoided questions when asked about it. It'll be an interesting development to watch if he's still in the doghouse come fall camp.

The potential starter

Kyle Rushing – senior

We heard a lot about how Miss State wanted to use two tight ends last season and how much they hyped up Rushing in the spring with his versatility as a vertical threat from the position. He finished with 0 receptions, the same amount of receptions he had as a sophomore and a freshman, while playing in every single game which is actually a bit impressive.

We'll see if he continues to be the starter like he was in spring, taking most of the first-team reps or if Cotton takes back over once the games start counting.

He's got next

Seth Clifton – redshirt junior

Whoever starts, it'll be their last season and up next is redshirt junior Seth Clifton. He showed some really good flashes in the spring and performance wise, was probably the best tight end.

Again, Cotton didn't get the benefit of playing with the first team offense, from what we saw, which is a bit of a caveat but there are valid reasons to be excited about Clifton. Tough to see him making an impact this season but if he sticks around, he could be a major player in 2030.

Also on the roster

Allen Carlson – redshirt sophomore

A decent emergency option.

[Soapy]

Roster Review: Mississippi State offensive line
A retooled front five with Phil Loadholt's continued rebuild in the trenches
By Jacoby Klein • August 8, 2029

Mississippi State left tackle Kai Pritchard blocks defensive end Nate Song at practice. Soapy Hendrix/Dynasty Sports

Mississippi State has completely shaken up their offensive line room once more. Will it pay off this time?

The starters

LT Kai Pritchard, senior

No offense to Pritchard or Memphis but when you've got an AAC guard coming in and he ends up being your best option at left tackle by the end of spring, that's a true indicator of the offensive line situation.

Pritchard might end up being a really good tackle but to go from a rotational starter at Memphis to a left tackle in the SEC is a big jump. Still, he's looked good in campus and has pretty good feet for a converted guard which makes you wonder why he was on the inside all along and why he was at Memphis, no offense, to begin with.

LG Leon Noil Jr., redshirt junior

Noil Jr. started all eleven games he was healthy for last season and even when the staff did shake up the room among the unit's struggle, Noil remained a starter.

He returns in 2029 despite giving up eight sacks last season, flipping from the right side to the left side. Maybe he'll have more success there.

C Mario Nash, redshirt senior

Nash wasn't awful in the passing game but in the running game, his lack of pop and drive as a run blocker really hurt their running game.

He's tough and the staff like his leadership but he'll need to take another step, particularly in the run game, if this offense is going to find success running the ball with Austin Carlisle not back there running around anymore.

RG Tyler Miller, redshirt senior

Last year's starter at left tackle before getting benched, Miller has split time at both right tackle and right guard. As bad as it got last season, it's hard to see him playing tackle again so sliding him inside to guard seems like the right move.

He fits there naturally anyway at six-foot-six and 342 pounds. He really struggles in space against quicker edge rushers, often failing to get his hand on them at times last season. Maybe inside, a bit more protected, he can have a good season.

RT Al Godwin, redshirt senior

Godwin started the last half of the season at left tackle but has lined up almost exclusively at right tackle this spring, rotating with Miller.

He played pretty well so I think he gets the start. Not a great asset in the run game but pass blocking wise, probably their best option at either tackle spots.

The backups

A few names to watch is redshirt freshman Jacques Gastineau. I don't think he figures into the rotation right away but if an injury were to happen, he could come in at one of the tackle spots. The staff is high on him and view him as a future starter, just needs to continue adding weight to his 6'7" frame.

A sneaky contender to start is redshirt sophomore Tony Polumbus. Miss State brought Miller back, which was a bit of a surprise after his benching, so clearly they have plans for him but if he struggles, the first name up could be Polumbus. When Noil Jr. missed those two games last season, Polumbus started in his stead and was pretty solid.

[Captain Canada]

idc what Reddit says, this game just looks better than last year.

These write-ups are something brother. You crushing it so far.