SB Nation - Keith Fitzhugh

The Enemy Speaks

Poseur — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:24:19 -0000

In order to get you prepared for the MSU game, I exchanged emails with fellow SB Nation blogger jeremyflint of For Whom the Cowbell Tolls (great blog name, by the way). Jeremy graciously agreed to answer a few questions for me, and I'm sure he'll post my answers to his questions a little bit later.

Question One: First off, congrats on the win. I went to LSU during the Dark Days of Hallman (or as you like to think of them, "The Glory Days"), so I know when you're trying to rebuild a program, every win counts. What's your early impression of Dan Mullen and what are your expectations this year and then over the next five?

I think Dan Mullen has brought some excitement back to the program that we haven't had in a long time. Even during the Croom tenure, we seemed to be stuck in the same offensive rut of run it up the middle twice, pass and punt. It is great to see our offense actually scoring some points and even better to see our special teams perform so well after the low spot they hit under the previous coaching staff.

I think as long as we can win the games we are supposed to win this year and keep improving from week to week, this season will be considered a success. As we start recruiting more players that fit into Mullen's system, we will get better, and hopefully be back in the upper ranks of the SEC West in a few years.

Question Two: I haven't seen much of the Bulldogs this year. Help me out. What is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?

Suprisingly, our biggest strength seems to be our special teams. We are making field goals, providing excellent coverage on kick-offs and punts, and having some decent returns.

Our running game is also a big strength. We have a 4-pack of backs starting with Anthony Dixon. He is lighter this year by about 20 pounds, which gives him better shiftiness, but he can also still pound it up the middle for the yardage when needed. Christian Ducre is an excellent back that is also a passing threat on short routes. Then you can round it out with Robert Elliott and Arnil Stallworth.

At QB, we have been using a 2-man system, rotating between Tyson Lee and Chris Relf. Tyson is our more accurate passing QB. He doesn't have as much pure arm strength as Relf does, but he is more accurate, so you will often see him in the game when we are in passing mode. Chris Relf is more of a "Tebow" type QB, but not as accurate on passing. He has great arm strength, but can also let passes get away from him. His biggest feature is his ability to scramble for yardage when the passing options break down.

On defense, our line and linebackers are our strongest features there. We are slower on the outside and in the secondary after losing Derek Pegues and Keith Fitzhugh, but Zack Smith is filling in nicely. He just doesn't have the top-end speed that we were used to seeing out of Pegues.

Question Three: All right, time to get down to the game. Tyson Lee and Chris Relf don't exactly scare anyone, and MSU seems to be relying primarily on the run in SEC play. Do you think the running game is going to get going on Saturday? Why or why not?

Yeah, the running game will definitely get going. Looking at the season stats, LSU is allowing just shy of 130 yards on the ground. Our offensive line is playing better this year, especially in the spread formations where the defense can't stack up in the box as much.

Question Four: 589 yards allowed to Auburn. 157 yards allowed to Vandy. Pick the yards allowed by MSU against LSU and why.

I would say somewhere in the middle - 300 - 350. Our defense was totally shell shocked by Auburn and looked completely lost out there. Our coaches have taken the blame for that. Vandy has a terrible offense - they haven't even racked up 400 yards over 3 games yet.

LSU has a powerhouse running in Charles Scott, and then you throw Brandon LaFell and Trindon Holiday into the mix. I look for the Tigers to be able to roll up about 350 yards on us.

Question Five: Let's say you're charging the field en route to tear down the goalposts after a huge upset over a top ten LSU team. What has to happen for this joyous event (for you, at least) to occur?

With a 9-game winning streak over the us, we would definitely rush the field after a victory over LSU. it would also be a nice signature win for Mullen's first year at the helm. Its not just the fact that LSU has won 9 in a row, it is way they have done it, blowing us out every time. So whether its a win by 1 or a win by 14, I think you will see lots of Bulldog fans rushing the field if we can pull off a win over a top-10 LSU team.

Hey, thanks for dropping by, jeremy. Good luck to your Dogs, they are gonna need it.

RCR Readership: Ranking the SEC

Juco All-American — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:00:13 -0000

While it's almost certainly too early to do this, I don't care. There's nothing going on right now, and I felt like our readers should at least have something to do today.

So here it is.

How would you rank the SEC football teams going into this upcoming season?

My ranking follows after the jump.

1. Florida - entering next season, every team in the SEC has questions except Florida. They are poised to win another national championship. Why did they have to be so incredible the one year that Ole Miss has any hope of going to the SEC Championship game? Two years ago, Orson Swindle described LSU as a werewolf with a chainsaw for a dick. This year, that's an adequate description of Florida.

2. Ole Miss - Yes. This is a homer pick by me. I don't care. After hearing several things about the improvement of our offensive line lately, I think we're the favorites to win the west. We have proven players at every single position (if we count OL as one position).

3. Alabama - Saban has stockpiled a ton of talent. Having to break in new QB Greg McElroy is the only reason I wouldn't put Alabama ahead of us.

4. South Carolina - I think that this year's Spurrier-led team is going to surprise a lot of people. This season could be one that makes Spurrier's lifetime membership at Augusta all worth it.

5. LSU - I don't think Jordan Jefferson is good enough to take this team to the next level. I just don't. They lost a ton of players on defense as well as several important pieces on offense. I know this pick will be unpopular among LSU fans, but I don't care. Geaux to hell LSU.

6. Georgia - Wow. It has to suck to approach a rebuilding year after a disappointing season. Georgia fans have to be wondering at what point it's couth of them to ask Richt to play for a national championship.

7. Arkansas - I think Arkansas is going to surprise several people this season, just not as much as some other people are predicting. The fact that they travel to LSU, Florida, Alabama, and Ole Miss means it's going to be tough to get over the hump. Things are looking up in Fayetteville though. And, by "things," I mean "people," and by "looking up," I mean "obsessively searching websites for Houston Nutt references, filing FOIA requests, and making sure that any mode of transportation associated with Bobby Petrino is completely devoid of fuel at all times.... yes, that does mean his own feet."

8. Auburn - Auburn's offense lacks playmakers, and even Gus Malzahn (whose greatness cannot be understated by Arkansas fans) can't make Kodi Burns an accurate passer. Auburn looks to have put a solid staff together outside of the head coach though, and with the unimportance of a head coach in modern football, they really could go far. Just, not this year.

9. Tennessee - Signing David Oku and Bryce Brown puts Tennessee in the (prestigious) top nine. Still, they're going to be a game that everyone circles on the schedule. Gator bait, Hey Vols, Go Dores, etc.

10. Kentucky - It's amazing that Kentucky comes in tenth on this list. I don't think they're a really bad team. They just don't stack up with the "top" nine.

11. Vanderbilt - Bowl hopes are very low without DJ Moore. Oh well, Commodore seniors. At least you have that fallback plan in nuclear physics or Slavic linguistics.

12. Mississippi State - Why do I even have to explain? Tyson Lee? Three scholarshiped receivers? The worst O-line in the SEC? A defense that loses Derek Pegues and Keith Fitzhugh? Mississippi State is certainly the worst team in the SEC at this point, and it's not just because they misspelled Mississippi on a campus sign or one of their players' names on his jersey--they just don't have what it takes to win right now.

SS, Keith Fitzhugh, Mississippi St.

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:00:10 -0000

SS, Keith Fitzhugh, Mississippi St.

At A Glance
Position 1: Strong Safety	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Free Safety	Weight: 210
Class: Senior	Age:
Projected Round: 6th	40time: 4.56

Combine/Proday Results
Bench Reps: X	Vertical: X
20yd Split: X	Broad Jump: X
10yd Split: X	20yd Shuttle: X
3 Cone Drill: X

Pros: Adequate height and solid muscular build for a strong safety. ... Plays near the line often, attacking plays like a linebacker. Fares well in the deep half. ... Very reliable tackler who can break down in space or close quickly.

Cons: Is not a stout strong safety in the Bob Sanders mold but doesn't fit anywhere else in the defensive backfield.

Styg's Broncos Fit: Another versatile tweener limited by tight hips and marginal feet. Not quite enough range to be a lone threat in the backfield, but is a solid line of defense and a secure tackler. His explosiveness is good, but his athleticism should limit him to a strong-safety role in run support. His experience at corner and a solid zone background could make him a great depth target.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From "Drafting for the Future" at Turf Show Times:

He has decent but not great size but is a maximum effort player and stands out on game film. Has great instincts but has average or slightly below average speed. However he plays faster than he times or looks and can surpise you. Would be a valuable run stopper/special teams player who could possibly be a 6th round pick due to his size and speed.

Highlights:

More Highlights.

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

Possesses a strong, well-built frame with good overall muscle tone and girth in his lower body. Does a nice job breaking down and wrapping up in space. A former corner with good ball skills and awareness down the field. Has the ability to play the center field-type role. Possesses good straight-line speed and range. Displays smooth footwork and balance in and out of his breaks. Natural in man and zone coverage. [see more...]
He's very active and has a quick trigger to come up and fit vs. the run. About as sure a tackler as you'll find, played extremely hard. Made a couple mistakes in coverage and doesn't appear to be as instinctive against the pass, but has a lot of tools to work with and showed tremendous potential. Great on Special Teams. [see more...]
Fitzhugh began his college career as a cornerback for the Bulldogs, but found his home at strong safety as a sophomore. He stayed there through his senior year, when he made 50 tackles, 2.5 for loss and two interceptions. His all-around game and toughness will earn him a shot in the NFL on defense and special teams. Switched his jersey from #1 to #22 for the game against Southeastern Louisiana after teammate Jamar Chaney went down with injury early in 2008; he switched back to continue his tribute to his deceased sister. [see more...]

UK vs. Mississippi St.: Stats, thoughts, and a prediction

Ken Howlett — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:48:18 -0000

This is a game UK absolutely must win if they are the least bit interested in reaching seven wins, thus assuring a bowl bid. But, if Kentucky is looking for that extra bit of motivation for their game (otherwise known as a 'must win') at Mississippi State (3-5 overall, 1-3 in the SEC) today, they only need to look at last week's scoreboard, and last year's MSU contest.

There's no need to rehash the 63-5 "Swamp Stomp." If a 58 point loss doesn't motivate ya, you can turn in your equipment at the Nutter Center. As for last year's UK home loss to MSU (31-14); that game served as the lowest point in the season, because Kentucky lost to a team that they were much better than, and they lost at home. It can best be described as an uninspired effort. Three UK turnovers, along with Bulldog running backs Anthony Dixon and Christian Ducre ensured UK's unexpected demise at the hands of MSU.

For those Kentucky players who participated in both last years MSU debacle and last week's Gator death-dive, this is what you've been waiting for; an opportunity to redeem yourself.

Mississippi State's Wins and Losses

MSU's wins have come against Southeastern Louisiana (34-10), Vanderbilt (17-14), and Middle Tennessee (31-22). Although they have only those three victories, they have won two of their last three games. MSU has lost to Louisiana Tech (24-14), Auburn (3-2, yes, 3-2), Georgia Tech (38-7), LSU (34-24), and Tennessee (34-3).

Mississippi St. Offensive Personnel of Interest

Quarterback Tyson Lee: 5'11", 190 lb junior -- Lee took over the starting quarterback spot from Wesley Carrol in the LSU game (five games ago), and has played solidly since. On the year, Lee has completed 88 of 141 passes (62.4%) for 858 yards and two touchdowns. Lee came to MSU in January from Itawamba Community College in Mississippi, where he was named a JUCO 1st Team All-America. In his two year JUCO career he threw for 4,432 yards and 31 touchdowns (he completed over 65% of his passes). The Bulldogs are 2-2 in his four starts, and he has provided the Dogs with a definite upgrade in their passing game.

Running back Anthony Dixon: 6'1", 238 lb junior -- Dixon is MSU's experienced, workhorse back. In his three year career he has played in 33 games, with 25 starts. This year Dixon has rushed for 599 yards (74.9 yards per game), he averages 4.3 yards per carry. He's also scored six touchdowns. For his career, Dixon has ran for 2,333 yards and 29 touchdowns. Dixon can also catch the ball; this year he has made eight catches for 49 yards.

Last year, in MSU's upset win over the 'Cats, Dixon rushed 25 times for 75 yards, with a receiving and rushing touchdown.

Running back Christian Ducre: 6'0", 227 lb junior -- The Tulane transfer has rushed for 217 yards, averaging 4.0 yards per rush with two touchdowns. Ducre is also the third leading receiver on the MSU squad, catching 13 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Last year versus UK Ducre had a huge game: 19 rushes for 119 yards and one touchdown (a 34 yard run), which happened to seal the win for the 'Dogs. He also caught five passes for 30 yards.

Wide receiver Brandon MCrae: 6'4", 205 lb junior -- The Morehead State transfer leads the Bulldogs in receptions (37) and receiving yards with 361. He's also scored two touchdowns. Last year he played in 13 games where he caught two passes for 50 yards.

Wide receiver Aubrey Bell: 6'3", 216 lb senior -- Bell, MSU's second leading receiver, has made 25 catches for 213 yards. For his career Bell has 49 catches for 575 yards and one touchdown.

Last year versus UK, Bell made two catches for 25 yards.

Wide receiver Co-Eric Riley: 6'1", 202 lb senior -- Riley has caught 10 passes for 92 yards this year. In his 20 game career Riley has made 18 catches for 160 yards.

Mississippi State Defensive Personnel of Interest

Defensive Back Derek Pegues: 5'10", 190 lb senior -- Pegues is the Bulldog's Mr. Do-it-all. He not only mans one of the corner back spots, where he has 31 tackles and one interception, but he's also the team's most valuable special teams member: He is MSU's primary kick returner, returning 17 punts for 137 yards (8.1 average), and twenty-three kick-offs for 531 yards (23.1 average). Pegues has 4.4 speed. He was considered one of the top high school players in the nation in 2004.

Linebacker Dominic Douglas: 6'2", 235 lb senior -- Douglas leads the 'Dogs defense with 58 tackles and four tackles for loss. In his year-and-a-half career, the JUCO transfer has made 136 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and one sack.

Linebacker K. J. Wright: 6'3", 226 lb sophomore -- Wright has 40 tackles, with 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Last year versus UK, Wright made a special teams fumble recovery.

Free safety Keith Fitzhugh: 5'11", 205 lb senior -- This year Fitzhugh has made 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, with one sack and two interceptions. For his career Fitzhugh has six interceptions. He is another very quick Bulldog defensive back (4.4 speed).

Defensive tackle Cortez McCraney: 6'4", 280 lb senior -- The big man in the middle has made 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. The Memphis transfer started four games last year, making 24 tackles (4.5 tackles for loss). McCraney played only one year of high school ball.

Center J.C. Brignone: 6'1", 290 lb sophomore -- Brignone is the reigning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after his performance against Middle Tennessee last week.

MSU Stats

MSU averages 16.5 points per game, and gives up 22.1 points per game.
MSU averages 3.4 yards per rush as a team, and allows 4.0 yards per rush.
MSU only averages 294.9 yards of total offense per game, but they give up only 298.6 total yards per game.
MSU averages only 36.5 yards per punt.
MSU converts 36% of their third down tries, but they hold their opponents to only a 33% conversion rate.
MSU is 18-27 (67%) in the red zone, and they've only scored 15 touchdowns (56%) in those 27 red zone visits.
MSU's opponents are 22-26 (85%) in red zone visits, but they have scored only 14 touchdowns (54%).
MSU has been outscored 48-37 in the fourth quarter.
MSU place kicker Adam Carlson has made only 6-10 field goal attempts. He's missed from 18, 32, 38, and 39 yards, but he's 3-3 from 40-49 yards (this is what makes coaches go crazy). Carlson also handles the kick-off duties where he has recorded zero touch backs.

UK vs. MSU SEC Statistical Comparison - SEC rank in parenthesis.

Scoring - UK 22.9 ppg (6th), MSU 16.5 ppg (12th).
Scoring defense - UK 18.2 ppg (7th), MSU 22.1 ppg (9th).
Total offense - UK 317.8 (8th), MSU 294.9 (9th).
Total defense - UK 302.6 (8th), MSU 298.6 (7th).
Rushing offense - UK 125.5 (9th), MSU 120.9 (10th).
Rushing defense - UK 137.4 (10th), MSU 144.5 (11th).
Pass offense - UK 192.2 (7th), MSU 174.0 (8th).
Pass defense - UK 165.2 (3rd), MSU 154.1 (2nd).
Sacks by - UK 19 (2nd), MSU 12 (t11th).
Sacks against - UK 7 (1st), MSU 19 (10th).
3rd Down conversions - UK 30.9% (12th), MSU 36.1 (8th).
Opp's 3rd Down conversions - UK 26.1% (3rd), MSU 33.0% (6th).
Turnover margin - UK +7 (2nd), MSU -4 (8th).

UK SEC Statistical Leaders

Receptions per game - 1. Dicky Lyons 5.5 pg.
Kick-off return average - 6. Derrick Locke 28.5 pr.
All-Purpose yardage - 6. Derrick Locke 116.0 ypg.
Punting - 1. Tim Masthay 46.0 ypp.
Tackles - t7. Braxton Kelley 8.0 pg, 9. Micah Johnson 7.7 pg.
Interceptions - t2. Trevard Lindley 4, t2. Marcus McClinton 4.

Final Thoughts

I think Randall Cobb makes the difference today. MSU coach Sylvester Croom should see things today out of Cobb that he hasn't seen on tape; Rich Brooks and Joker Phillips should have in place a number of sets, looks, and plays that we have yet to see this year. With this game serving as Cobb's first college start, I feel something special is about to happen.

If not ... I don't even want to ponder the implications of UK being 5-4 instead of 6-3.

I'm going optimistic .. UK - 24 MSU - 16

Thanks for reading, and Go Cats! beat the 'Dogs.

Q&A with the Mississippi State Sports Blog

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:00:07 -0000

Jeremy of the Mississippi State Sports Blog kindly consented to do a Q&A with us, and we really appreciate it. So far this season, we have been able to arrange a Q&A with every single one of our SEC opponents, and that has been great for us. Kentucky plays Mississippi State this weekend in Starksville, and it is a big game for both programs.

My answers to Jeremy's questions can be found at this link. Jeremy's answers to my questions are below, as usual my questions are in boldface:

Mississippi State went to it's first bowl in a while last season. Why do you think the Bulldogs have not been able to continue their upward momentum this year?

There have been numerous reasons. Before the year even began, we had some players dismissed from the team as well as some injuries that affected our offensive line, in particular.

Wes Carroll, who had a pretty good season last year, was not playing well, probably being rushed to make plays because of missed assignments on the O-line. We would get behind early in games, and abandon the run (or main strength) and try to make stuff happen, which would cause over/under thrown passes, bad checks and reads, etc.

We also lost Jamar Chaney for the season in the first game against LaTech. He was our starting linebacker and a leader on the defense. He was replaced by a rotation of less-experienced guys.
As you may know, Kentucky has struggled on offense this year. But Mississippi State is dead last in the SEC in scoring offense, and despite giving up 63 points to Florida, UK is still 7th in scoring defense. What does MSU have to do to put points on the board against the Wildcats?

We really rely on our defense to make plays and put our offense in a good position to score, so we will need to be smart and force turnovers. Our offense also needs to be able to keep a drive going long enough to rest our defense. When the offense is going 3 and out, the defense gets tired and that is when we lose the game.

I think if we can establish the run early, control the line of scrimmage, and make plays, we will be able put some points on the board.
Kentucky and Mississippi State both have great pass defense this year, ranking second and third in the league respectively. I know what makes UK's pass defense so tough, but what is it that makes the Bulldogs so good against the pass?

Our entire defense is fast. Our linemen can put great pressure on the QB and give him very little time to sit back and make reads. Pegues and Fitzhugh are excellent at their safety positions as well. We have 8 seniors on defense, including 3 in the secondary, and FS Derek Pegues has 11 career interceptions.
Mississippi State was really tough back in the late 1990's. What has changed to bring them so far down after looking like they were moving up to becoming one of the SEC's stronger programs?

A lot of folks say that Jackie Sherrill's use of the JUCO players brought a lot of discipline problems into the program and it just sort of spiraled down from there. Croom was able to come in and really bring some of that back to the program, even as far as cutting some players that did not fall in line with team rules.
What player on offense should the Wildcats be most concerned about? On defense? And finally, predict the final score.

Our new starting QB Tyson Lee seems to be doing well. He has the ability to break out of the pocket and run for 4 or 5 yards when pressured and has a pretty good arm on him. Of course, our running backs are the main feature of our offense - Anthony Dixon and Christian Ducre. Throw in Arnil Stalworth, who can roll out as a receiver, and our backfield is pretty strong.

Dixon will just line up and run over you. Ducre is more of a finesse runner and can also catch pretty good.

On defense, Jesse Bowman is a monster on the d-line. Derek Pegues is probably the most talented player on our entire team, and also returns kick-offs and punts for us and has been successful in that role.

With both teams having such great defense, I can see this being a tough game. I am going to go with a Bulldog victory, 17-14.

Thanks again to Jeremy for working with us on this. Here's to a well-played and injury-free game on Saturday. Your comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated.