SB Nation - Derek Pegues

Mississippi State Bulldogs v. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: The Morning After

jeremyflint — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:20:41 -0000

At least you can say that the team did not stop fighting, but not matter how many yards you run or throw, no matter how many touchdowns you score, you just can't win if you turn the ball over 4 times to a team like Georgia Tech. Oh yeah, Tyson Lee threw an INT late in the 4th, but it was already over by then.

There were a few positives to take away from tonight's game. I can't wait to see what Chad Bumphis does for this team over the next 3-4 years. He made plays tonight when it looked like they were dead. Leon Berry was also able to finally return a kick-off for a touchdown without any flags littering the field behind him.

The defense stepped up and made Tech throw the ball more. Too bad our free safety is only 5' 10" and was matched up against Lurch. Kyle Love was a man on a mission tonight, as was Pernell McPhee. I just think we are 2 DBs shy of a truly great offense. If only we had 1 more year with Derek Pegues.

So anyway, the moral of the last two weeks is you can't win if you are going to turn the ball over. If we can get better discipline on offense, stop making those mistakes, we could be a great football team.

Now, lets see what everyone else has to say...The Morning After.

First up, some video. Here is Dan Mullen at his post-game presser:

Next, here are some post-game comments from QB Tyson Lee and WRs Leon Berry and Chad Bumphis:

The Links

On the links, Chris Low of ESPN says that even thought Dan Mullen has turned the offense around, the defense has to be a disappointment so far this season. Think about that for a second. When was the last time that the offense and special teams were the highlight of a football team at Mississippi State?

The Quotes

Dan Mullen on...

Ball Control

"It was a poor job by us for not emphasizing it more in practice, not making sure we’re stripping the guys enough during practice as they are running plays. Even in walk thrus we are doing a poor job in not making sure that ball control is taking care of in every play."

On Dixon's fumbles

"He’s a senior and he’ll battle back from that. We’re going to coach that hard this week, not that we don’t every week. Obviously I haven’t done a good enough job of coaching and we are going to get after that. Anthony is going to come back and respond. It’s something that he will do as a senior. He’s done everything that we’ve asked him to do since I’ve been here, so I have no doubt that Anthony is going to practice hard this week and respond to that. "

Chad Bumphis on his impressive performance

"Coach put us in the right position to win. We were running corner routes and [Georgia Tech] would start to jump it, so once I broke back to the middle of the field nobody was there."

Jamar Chaney on preparing for Houston next week

"We just have to go out there, put it together and come out hungry against Houston. We want to win every game, not just play close. We go out there to win the game and that’s we’re going to do next week. We’ll forget about this loss and try to bring back a winning streak."

Anthony Dixon on his two fumbles

"One of them I tried to go left and I tried to open it up. When I did I swung my arm up and [Georgia Tech defenders] caught me from the back. The second one I was going to the hole and I made a cut, and my arm dropped a bit. I should’ve had two hands on it. I just got to squeeze tighter and go back to the basics."

That about does it for this edition of The Morning After. I may post more links later today if I see anything of interest. Other than that, we will start working towards next week's match up with Houston.

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.

2009 SEC West Preview & Predictions

outsidethesidelines — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

In attempting to predict the SEC last year, I simply went through each member school's schedule and made definitive picks, game-by-game, and then compiled everything at the end to determine the overall standings and the division champions. For the 2009 season, however, I decided to scrap that format. As appealing as picking individual games can be simply because of its definitive nature, in many ways it is just a waste of time because there is just entirely too much random chance involved in each particular game, and on the whole it's far better to simply view the season in its entirety instead of trying to dissect its individual components from the outset.

To that end, this year I'm going to focus more on teams as a whole and make final predictions from there, thus omitting the individual game predictions. Moreover, unlike last year where I predicted the entire SEC, this year I'm going to focus only on the SEC West. My thought is that unless the terrorists successfully carry out jihad against Gainesville, the Gators are going to win the East by a mile, and frankly if you aren't a fan of one of the other five SEC Eastern Division members, who really cares what order they go in two through six? Thus, here goes my SEC West preview and predictions for 2009:

Alabama Crimson Tide

Coming into the season as the prohibitive favorites for the first time in ages, a quick look reveals why the prognosticators have been so high on the Tide. This is the most talented team we've seen in Tuscaloosa in ages, and the defensive side of the ball should probably be stronger than any defense the Tide has fielded since 1992. With the strength of the front seven -- a front seven that could legitimately feature three All-American candidates -- 'Bama should once again field an elite run defense. The loss of Rashad Johnson won't help things, but 'Bama led the SEC in conference play last year in pass efficiency defense, and by returning every other member of the two-deep rotation in the defensive backfield -- not to mention additions from Dre Kirkpatrick and Burton Scott -- a drop-off in performance is unlikely. Furthermore, things could even better, because for the first team since 2002, Alabama looks to have the pieces in place to at least be a solid pass rushing team, and even a solid, consistent pass rush would work wonders for the overall pass defense given the quality of defensive backs the Tide has.

The offense, too, has more than its fair share of strengths. Mike Johnson is one of the best guards in the country, and Colin Peek will be one of the conference's upper echelon tight ends if he can stay relatively healthy. Of course there is Julio Jones, already probably the greatest pure wide receiver in the history of Alabama football, but aside from him the rest of the receiving corps is deep with many talented playmakers in the fold. Likewise, the backfield is loaded with elite talent including the likes of Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch, Trent Richardson, and others. And as an additional matter, quality depth on both sides of the ball is better than we have in years in Tuscaloosa.

With that glowing overview in mind, however, this is far from a flawless team. Greg McElroy has made tremendous amounts of progress in the past 18 months, and he has done effectively all that the coaching staff has asked him to do until this point. I think 'Bama fans can be as confident as can reasonably be expected with him under center, but until you step under center against a hostile defense in a real, live situation, frankly you can never really know what to expect. I think it's fair to say that the reasonable expectation for McElroy right now is that he will provide solid play at the quarterback position, but that is not to say anyone should be overly shocked if he suddenly turned into a liability.

The real concern, though, is the offensive line. The ideal situation for the Tide, of course, is to have the line mow over opponents like last year, dominating the game and turning McElroy into a game manager. Unfortunately, there's no such guarantee of that. The official depth chart will not be released until next week, but that notwithstanding, the starting five is this, going left to right: James Carpenter, Mike Johnson, William Vlachos, Barrett Jones, and Drew Davis. And I'll be frank, though quality depth is much improved, I think we should be a bit concerned with this group. Barrett Jones may play well at right guard (and I figure he is at least decent), but his presence is a major surprise, and we won't be able to give Drew Davis near the help from backs and tight ends that we did a year ago without having Andre Smith locking down the other side. Mike Johnson should do well again, but while James Carpenter and William Vlachos look to be solid players, a step down in performance from what we had a year ago at those positions is probably to be expected. As a whole, I don't think you have to worry about the line being bad -- far from it, I think the line should be pretty good -- but by the same token, I think we'll struggle somewhat in pass protection this year (as we did last year), and in the running game this line probably won't be able to consistently annihilate opponent's at the point of attack like it's predecessor did a year ago. That translates into putting more pressure on McElroy and forcing him to make more plays in the passing game, all of which could turn relatively easy wins into close games, and close wins into close losses.

Finally, special teams remains a legitimate concern for the Tide. Our coverage units should do really well simply because the great athletes we will be able to put on special teams, but the rest remains a concern. There is no doubting that Javier Arenas is an elite returner who will generate his fair share of big plays, but his decision making ability on punt returns is highly questionable at best, and many times last year he gave the opposition points on turnovers as a result of his poor decision making. Moreover, Leigh Tiffin will probably remain highly inconsistent at best (even when he is healthy), and frankly we do not want to see him trotting on the field with the game on the line. Likewise, he doesn't routinely get great distance and / or hang time on his kick-offs, another concern. Along those same lines, P.J. Fitzgerald at punter is a concern as well. He has slowly progressed and improved in his time at Alabama, but he's a small kid with an average-at-best leg, so he has most likely reached his peak. The smart money is clearly on yet another year in which Fitzgerald cannot produce great distance or hang time on his punts. As a result, despite some likely good coverage units and big plays from Javier Arenas, special teams isn't likely to be a strength for the Tide in 2009, and may in fact even be a liability.

Fortunately for Alabama the schedule does set up nicely. The opener against Virginia Tech will be a tough one -- and a loss there, at the very least, likely eliminates the Tide from BCS bowl contention (unless they can run the table from there) -- but a win there and it's relatively easily sledding until the road trip to Oxford the second week of October. Likewise, even after the Rebels, Auburn, Tennessee, South Carolina, and UT-Chattanooga remain on the schedule, all four of which should be wins. An upset loss here and there wouldn't be a shock, but the defense and the coaching is good enough to guarantee at least nine wins barring either a complete meltdown by either McElroy, or a terrible run of injury luck.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Bobby Petrino's debut campaign in Fayetteville has about as many obstacles as expected, but things seemingly look much better for year two. It's clear that Petrino and company are still rebuilding the Razorbacks, but this is a much better squad than what we faced last year in Fayetteville, and all of those teams that got an easy win over the Hogs last year won't be so lucky in 2009.

The biggest single addition for Arkansas comes at the quarterback position. The Hogs spent most of last year with Casey and Nathan Dick at quarterback, and suffered the consquences thereof. Neither of the two were legitimate SEC caliber players, but all of that changes this year with the arrival of the gargantuan Ryan Mallett. A former five-star recruit from Texarkana, Mallett played as a freshman for Michigan before transferring to Fayetteville after the arrival of Rich Rodriguez. Mallett will start in 2009 for the Hogs, and in doing so he will not only be a major upgrade over both of the Dick sisters, but he'll have the strongest arm of any SEC quarterback. The reasonable expectation at this point is that Mallett will be one of the conference's top quarterbacks.

And, even aside from Mallett, there are a lot of other promising players at the skill positions for the Hogs. Tight end D.J. Williams is probably the best that the conference has to offer, and scatback Michael Smith -- who led the SEC in all purpose yardage last year -- is probably the best back you've never heard of. He's small, but he has great speed and agility, he's surprisingly effective as an inside returner, and he's much more durable than you would expect given his small frame. Likewise, with Dennis Johnson, De'Anthony Curtis, Broderick Green, and Ronnie Wingo rounding out the rest of the backfield, it's a highly talented group. Moreover, while the wide receiver corps doesn't really feature any truly great playmaker, it's a deep, solid group of guys who have shown that they can get the job done.

The real concern on the offensive side of the ball is the line. Three starters return from a year ago, and a fourth starter (Mitch Petrus) is actually a player who started in 2007. Unfortunately for the Hogs, though, All-American center Jonathon Luigs is gone, and in general the returning starters are the ones who were weak links a year ago. The tackles, in particular, Ray Dominguez and DeMarcus Love, have struggled with edge rushers, and if anything both of those guys probably should be playing inside at guard. All in all, it's just a bit of a concern for the Hogs. If these guys can consistently keep Mallett upright, the Hogs look to have a very potent offense, and one that could give even the best defenses legitimate trouble. On the other hand, a struggling offensive line will almost certainly slow what must be the unit that carries the Hogs to victory in 2009.

The defense, too, remains a major concern. The Hogs struggled defensively in 2007, and were even worse last year. In 2008 they were dead last in the conference in run defense, and the pass defense wasn't much better. Some steps may be made in the right direction in 2009 -- a couple of JUCO transfers in the defensive backfield should help, plus most of the defensive line returns -- but they still have a lot of issues, and it's unlikely that the Hogs will be able to move out of the cellar in most defensive categories in 2009.

All in all, the Hogs are a team that is clearly moving in the right direction, and they will be a dangerous team in 2009. Last year they knocked off LSU, Auburn, and almost beat Ole Miss. Rest assured they will get a couple of big-name upsets this year as well. Though sheer strength of schedule will dictate a few more roadblocks for the Hogs in 2009 -- five teams on their schedule are currently ranked in the AP top 15 -- this is a dangerous team, and one that could really surprise a lot of people if the defense can show some signs of life.

Auburn Tigers

Following their worst season in a decade, Auburn made a different kind of splash hire by bringing in former defensive coordinator Gene Chizik. Though near suicidal upon first hearing the news, most Auburn fans are now predictably bathing in the Kool-Aid, but looking at the Tigers in an objective light reveals that their fan base probably had it right to start with. On the whole, it's nearly impossible to believe their fall from grace in recent years. After going a combined 34-5 from 2004-2006, Auburn now finds itself with scholarship levels reminiscent of a program undergoing major NCAA sanctions, and possessing a depth chart paper thin in terms of both elite talent and quality depth. Things are so bad that almost any true freshman -- though they came from a highly unimpressive recruiting class -- healthy enough to play will be required do so in 2009, and a few walk-ons will be expected to contribute as well. From the outset, the mere fact that the athletic director is publicly trying to cool expectations for the program for the next couple of years ought to tell you all you need to know about their future prospects.

Chris Todd surprised many when he won the starting quarterback job all of a week into Fall camp, but despite a surgically repaired throwing shoulder, Todd's starting job probably has more to do with the shortcomings of the other candidates than it does his own skills. Neil Caudle is a bust now, as is Kodi Burns, and they are going to try to run some Wildcat-type stuff with Burns at the helm. But, of course, no one really knows what to expect of the newfangled Auburn offense. It's going to be a spread offense, but apparently one that is run-heavy, and it's also going to be a hurry-up offense to boot. And yes that's a major break from offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's track record, and yes they are going to run some Wildcat as well. So, no, I don't have any clue as to what they are going to do, and frankly I doubt anyone else does either.

And, truth be told, it probably doesn't matter one way or the other regardless of what they do. Todd is likely to be a below average quarterback, and the offensive line looks to struggle. Lee Ziemba and Ryan Pugh look good (when healthy), but the rest of the line looks to be in major trouble. Byron Isom, Mike Berry, and Andrew McCain are nothing special, and the depth on this unit is ridiculously thin. A kid like Chris Capps would easily see playing time with this group. And making matters worse, there is zero proven depth at wide receiver. About the only good thing you can say about this offense is that the tailbacks look to be a solid group. On the whole, though, given the overall lack of depth, good quarterback play, and game-changers at the skill positions, this offense looks to struggle regardless of what type of offensive system they implement, which is exactly the reason I'm not going to waste any time here trying to predict exactly what they are going to do offensively. Again, wishbone, run and shoot, whatever, the end result is almost certainly the same.

On defense, too, Auburn has a lot of problems. Last year's group was strong one hindered only by an incompetent defense, but a lot has changed since then. Guys like Trey Blackmon and Jerraud Powers left early, and what is left is largely a shell of what once was. The entire group is thin as a whole, and outside of Josh Bynes and Antonio Coleman, it's hard to identify many defenders who are clearly above average at this point. Mike McNeil is a fine player at safety, but he broke a leg in Spring practice, and at this point it looks like he is going to miss a few weeks of the season at least. Eltoro Freeman is a JUCO transfer who could really help out and be an impact player, but he has missed time this Fall with both an arm injury and a leg injury. All in all, much like the offense, the defense features very few top-end players, and almost no quality depth whatsoever.

On the whole, Auburn has a fairly decent starting 22, but considering modern day college football is a game that needs 50-55 good, solid contributors in order to play at a high level, that doesn't do them much good. Again, quality depth is the name of the game in football, and Auburn possesses almost none of that precious commodity. The schedule isn't easy in 2009, either, and frankly only Furman and Ball State are guaranteed wins. Of course Auburn will get more wins than that, I'm sure, but the point remains that wins likely won't come frequently for the '09 Tigers, and the few that do will likely be the result of some very close, hard fought contests. Much like last year, Auburn expects to be fighting tooth and nail with Mississippi State for last place in the SEC West.

LSU Tigers

After a disappointing 2008 campaign, the Bayou Bengal faithful hopes for improvement in 2009, and in all fairness they probably should get it. Jordan Jefferson, at the least, shouldn't be quite as disastrous as Jarrett Lee was a year ago, and while John Chavis is not a spectacular hire at defensive coordinator -- and in fact one I don't like in the long run -- he's an upgrade over what they had a year ago. As a result,

At quarterback the job belongs all to Jordan Jefferson now, and we'll have to see what he has made of. The LSU Hype Machine naturally has him as a superstar in the works, but a more objective view reveals more question marks and uncertainty. He played decent football last year -- relative to what Jarrett Lee did anyway -- but nevertheless he struggled to complete passes, and he took a ton of sacks thanks to his poor decision-making abilities. Based on what Jefferson has shown us, he looks to be a solid player eventually, but he still has a lot to prove, and all of these purple and gold notions just assuming that it's only a matter of time before he becomes a star quarterback are really just wishful thinking more than anything else. For now, what we can reasonably say about Jefferson is that he has a nice physical skill set with good long-term upside, and that if the LSU coaching staff uses him wisely, he might not be a top-end player this year but he will at least provide solid play and not turn the LSU offense into a trainwreck like Jarrett Lee did a year ago.

The rest of the skill positions are generally in good shape in Baton Rouge. Brandon LaFell will be one of the conference's top receivers, and likewise Richard Dickson will be one of the conference's top tight ends. Charles Scott is one of the conference's better tailbacks, and there is a lot of depth in the backfield with Keiland Williams, Richard Murphy, and incoming freshman Mike Ford. Likewise, while I don't think Russell Shephard will ever be an above average quarterback in this league, he's clearly an elite athlete, and I'm sure the LSU coaching staff will find some ways to take advantage of that this year. The only real concern at the skill positions is a lack of experienced depth, but the Tigers have recruited extremely well, and tremendous amounts of raw talent and athleticism are everywhere, so they should likely be fine even though they are not particularly experienced. Besides, experience at the skill positions tends to be a bit overrated, and in any event the Tigers aren't likely to face a legitimate test until the fifth week of the season when they go on the road to face Georgia, so again lack of experience shouldn't be a major concern.

The real concern with LSU's offense in many ways, much like Alabama, is with the offensive line. Jefferson is still green and ideally the coaching staff would be able to use a highly successful running game to take pressure off of him, but again there is no guarantee that will happen. Ciron Black is clearly the best tackle in the conference now, and Joseph Barksdale is more than adequate at right tackle. However, the interior linemen aren't necessariliy strengths. Gone are left guard Herman Johnson and center Brett Helms -- both punishing blockers in the running game -- and while Lyle Hitt returns at right guard, I've always considered him to be the weak link of the line. Making matters worse, T-Bob Hebert was expected to start at center after the departure of Helms, but he has been banged up in Fall camp, and that too is in question now. Moreover, this is a young line that probably doesn't have as much depth as you would at first imagine. The bottom line is that center / guard play of the interior linemen is exponentially important to the success of the running game, and if LSU has trouble here -- regardless of their strengths at the tackle position -- the running game will suffer, and more pressure will be put on Jefferson to make plays on his own. Again, as was the case with Alabama and Greg McElroy, that could very well result in more mistakes from the quarterback position, which can easily turn relatively easy wins into nailbiters, and close wins into close losses.

Defensively, the Bayou Bengals look to rebound from its worst showing in years in 2008. Truth be told, though, the LSU defense a year ago was a tale of two stories... a really good run defense, mixed with a really bad pass defense. And the bad news for the Tigers is that the cornerstones of the run defense -- the defensive line and linebacker Derry Beckwith -- have all moved on to the next level, so there are legitimate question marks there. Most of the defensive backfield returns, but again it is returning a unit that couldn't stop the pass, despite the fact that they were constantly helped by a good pass rush. Nevertheless, LSU has boatloads of talent all over the defense, and the real question is just whether or not they can take full advantage of it. They couldn't do that a year ago and struggled, but it will take an equally bad showing by both coaches and players to get a repeat performance of that poor effort in 2009.

All in all, LSU is a difficult projection, easily the most difficult of the entire SEC, and perhaps even the country. You still have questions at quarterback, and the running game may not go as smoothly as many assume. Furthermore, while the talent is there on the defensive side of the ball, and while John Chavis is an upgrade over Peveto and Mallory, he himself on occasion did field some bad defenses in Knoxville despite having loads of elite talent up on ol' Rocky Top. Plus, each and every year since arriving in Baton Rouge, Les Miles and company have lost games to some not so impressive teams that they should have easily won, and that will likely continue in 2009. On the other hand, LSU is easily still one of the nationally elite programs in terms of raw talent and athleticism, and the schedule once again is doing them a huge favor. Their athletic department continued a commitment to cupcakes approach to non-conference scheduling in 2009 -- getting 0-12 Washington, mixed in with Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Tulane -- and that combined with the luck of drawing the likely three worst SEC teams (Auburn, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt) means that they could play very poorly and still easily sleepwalk to seven wins. As I said two weeks ago, if I had to give all the possible outcomes, I'd say LSU could go anywhere from 7-5 to 11-1, and I'd give them a 20% chance of each individual outcome. Exactly where will they end up along that spectrum? It'll probably come down to the same two things it did a year ago: coaching and quarterback play, but trying to predict exactly where cannot be anything more than a pure guess at this point. Only with ignorance could you be particularly certain of that prediction at this point.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

After showing some signs of life for almost the first time in a decade, the Bulldogs came crashing back down in 2008, and the struggles brought a new regime to Mississippi State. Out is Sylvester Croom, and for the first time in almost 20 years a non-Alabama alum is roaming the sidelines in Starkville, as Dan Mullen takes over for the Bullies. And in all fairness to MSU, it's not a bad hire. Mullen is a young, energetic coach who is on the rise, and one who already has a couple of national championship rings on his resume. His hire may very well have been better than either Lane Kiffin or Gene Chizik.

That notwithstanding, though, it looks to be a very harsh reality for the Bulldogs in 2009. Mullen may have been hired because of his offensive background, but it's hard to see him breathing any life into this offense in 2009. It's been hapless for years, and with the 5'10 and 195 pound Tyson Lee leading the offense this year, it's hard to see that changing. It will probably be a major shock if he can withstand a year's worth of pounding in the SEC, and even if he can he's not likely to be very effective anyway. True freshman Tyler Russell is the quarterback of the future in any event, and his reign will likely begin sometime this year in Starkville. That's good news in one sense because Russell is a much more talented player than Lee, and he's a bitter fit for Mullen's spread option system, but I'll let you do the math on the success true freshmen quarterbacks have in this league while surrounded by poor supporting casts.

And speaking of that poor supporting cast, I think that's probably the nicest way to put it. The wide receiver corps has some problems, to put it mildly. Brandon McRae is a fine wide receiver, but who knows how he will rebound from the gruesome, Prothro-esque broken leg he suffered last year against Ole Miss? And aside from McRae, there really are no proven commodities. JUCO transfer Leon Berry will be counted on heavily, and from there true freshmen like Chad Bumphis will get a great chance at playing time. Mullen's spread needs a lot of quality receivers, and the Bulldogs just don't have it right now. Likewise, the offensive line doesn't look very good either. To be sure, most of the starters return from a year ago, but MSU has struggled in the trenches for ages now, and the physical brand of football that the Dawgs often played with under Croom will do them no good under Mullen. How will the MSU linemen handle the transition to the spread option? It's anyone's guess, but nearly everyone will be surprised if they do it with any considerable degree of success.

Probably the best player State has, period, is tailback Anthony Dixon, but even with him you have to worry. He's a big, powerful running back who gets the job done between the tackles. Now, one of you readers, remind me... how successful has Urban Meyer been with big, powerful, between the tackle running backs? His only success with them has been signing them, and then watching them flame out as recruiting busts. His offense has no real need for such a player, and Mullen's might not at MSU either. I'm sure he'll try to work Dixon into the mix as much as possible just because he's one of the few talented players he has, but at the end of the day the point remains that Dixon is built to run out of the I-formation and in between the tackles, not as the centerpiece of the spread option. Look for Christian Ducre to get more of a role there simply because he's a better fit for the scheme.

And the defense is probably in just as bad of shape as the offense. Defense was the strong point of the Croom teams, but only three starters are returning in 2009. The defensive line is both small and without any great amount of depth, so much so that when JUCO transfer Pernell McPhee -- a good player in his own right, in all fairness -- stepped on campus, he probably became State's top lineman almost instantaneously. That's good news for State, but the bad news is that he'll likely have to be a truly dominant player just to give the rest of the line a fighting chance. Likewise, the defensive secondary is effectively a complete makeover. Marcus Washington returns at cornerback, and Damein Anderson looks to start opposite him, with Derek Pegues gone, the rest of the Bulldog secondary seemingly either lacks the size or speed (or both) needed to be high-end defensive backs in this conference. Last year's defensive backfield was a good unit for the Dawgs, but it'd be a major surprise if this revamped unit could pull off the trick again this year.

The only good news for the Dawgs on defense comes at linebacker. If Jamar Chaney successfully returns from his leg injury, he'll be a top end player, and perhaps the most underrated defensive player in the entire conference. Aside from Chaney, both K.J. Wright and Chris White are solid players in their own right, and if this unit can stay healthy, it has a chance to be a good one. Unfortunately, the rest of the defense looks to struggle so much in front of them and behind them that it probably won't give them much of a chance to shine.

As I've said before, I've always had a soft spot for the traditionally hapless Bullies, and I like Dan Mullen to boot, but objectively speaking it looks to be a long year ahead for them. They'll start off with a good fluff win over Jackson State, but from there the schedule is brutal. They will almost certainly be underdogs in every single conference game, Georgia Tech will go through them like a hot knife through butter, and even Houston and Middle Tennessee State probably aren't sure wins.

Ole Miss Rebels

The media darlings of the SEC this year, Ole Miss made a big jump last year, and many in the national media are betting that they will make yet another big jump in 2009. Yet, interestingly enough, they were picked to finish third in their own division at SEC Media Days. And that brings me to a point that I keep coming across... the further away you get from the Ole Miss program, the more heightened the expectations are for the 2009 season. The closer you get to it, the lower the expectations get. Personally, I think that is because the people who follow the program on a closer level than the national pundits are able to spot some flaws and weaknesses that the national pundits are apparently overlooking in their rush to deify the Rebels as the next big thing.

And make no mistake about it, despite the hype in some circles, this team does have a lot of holes and a lot of concerns. Jevan Snead is a fine quarterback, and the backfield is generally loaded, but the offensive line looks to be a major concern. The loss of Michael Oher cannot be overstated, simply because he was an elite talent and because the Rebels do not have anywhere even near his level of ability now that can replace him. Many hoped Bobby Massie would be able to do that, but after arriving in Oxford only about three weeks back, that is highly unlikely. And making matters worse, both starting guards are gone as well, and frankly the replacements don't look to be anything overly special. Of the remaining linemen, only John Jerry looks to be one of the best in his conference at his position, and the rest of the starting five have more of the look of a below average line than anything else. It's basically the exact same problem Alabama has, only that the Rebels don't have anywhere near the number of talented players to fill the holes.

A lesser concern on the offensive side of the ball can also be found at wide receiver. With Mike Wallace gone to the NFL, only Shay Hodges remains in Oxford. Hodges is a fine player in his own right, but from there things get dicy. Dexter McCluster will assume the role of a full-time starter now in Wallace's absence, and while McCluster certainly has the talent, he thrived last year in a jack of all trades role, and no one knows how he will do as more of a traditional, full-time wide receiver. And after McCluster, the proven commodities are pretty non-existent. Players like Lionel Breaux and Markeith Summers aren't necessarily bad players, but by the same token they aren't the ultra-elite athletes that you find at a place like LSU where you can almost just assume that you can plug and play them and they will perform at a high level. The Rebels are probably going to have to rely heavily on true freshman Pat Patterson.

And the defensive side of the ball has more concerns than the offense. Peria Jerry was the key to Ole Miss' stout run defense last year, and he is now with the Atlanta Falcons, and just like with Michael Oher, the Rebels do not seem to have a player of comparable quality to replace him. Ted Laurent and Lawson Scott will play a lot inside, but I really don't think they would play for any other SEC contender, and for all of his recruiting hype and academic saga, Jerrell Powe has done nothing of note to this point. Likewise, at linebacker, it's a thin unit with no true star players. It's not exactly what you what you dream of having when you prepare for a tough run through an SEC schedule.

Defensive end is a clear strength, and if Greg Hardy finally gets things together, he along with Marcus Tillman and Kentrell Lockett will probably form the best defensive end rotation in the SEC. Unfortunately, that strength is off-set by more concerns in the secondary. They really struggled against the pass last year -- despite having the conference's best pass rush -- and while three starters return, none of those returning players seem to be particularly good. More struggles against the pass seem likely for 2009. Moreover, Houston Nutt's two major recruiting additions to the defensive backfield have already flamed out. Jamar Horsnby, the five-star who washed out of Florida after being caught using a dead woman's credit card, has been kicked off the team after yet another run-in with the law. His next stop will likely be jail. And speaking of jail, the other big recruiting addition to the defensive backfield for Nutt in 2009, Tig Barksdale, also spent some time there recently after being arrested on charges of DUI and driving without a license. Now, Barksdale will not enroll this Fall as a result of "medical issues."

So what do you have when you put it all together with the Rebels? You've got a good quarterback, a good backfield, a couple of good receivers, and a great pass rush. But you've also got major concerns with the offensive line, a middling linebacker corps, a suspect interior to the defensive line, a secondary that will likely struggle again, and a team with very little depth at almost every single position. And your head coach has disappointed almost every single time high preseason expectations have been placed upon his teams. Does that sound like a championship team to you? I'll let you be the judge of that.

Of course, this is not to overly denigrate the Rebels. They went 9-4 a year ago, and they have enough strengths to knock off almost anyone they face on any given day. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see them knock off either Alabama or LSU, or both for that matter. However, before we deify the Rebels, it should be kept in mind that they have enough weaknesses to where they could just as easily lose those big games, and also lose some that they are expected to win. When everyone looks back on the 2008 Rebels, they love to remember them as the team that beat Florida in the Swamp, the team that blew out LSU, and the team that spanked Texas Tech. Yet the fact that they lost at home to Vanderbilt, lost at home to South Carolina, lost to Wake Forest, and needed a squeaker to hold off 5-7 Arkansas gets completely overlooked. Bottom line, the Rebels have enough strengths to win a lot of games and get some big wins, but they also have enough weaknesses to where they are also likely to lose some games they should not, and once again, just like last year, be left outside the championship chase.

Final SEC West Predictions

(1) Alabama: 10-2 (6-2)*

(1) LSU: 10-2 (6-2)*

(3) Ole Miss: 9-3 (5-3)

(4) Arkansas: 7-5 (3-5)

(5) Auburn: 5-7 (2-6)

(6) Mississippi State: 3-9 (1-7)

* A two-way tie atop the SEC West between Alabama and LSU, with the winner of the November 7th Alabama v. LSU game in Tuscaloosa advancing to Atlanta to face the Florida Gators.

Stack-Ups: Did Anybody Ever Tell You That You Look Like a Shorter, Clumsier Julio Jones?

Ivory Tower — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:49 -0000

Winning the SEC West requires a mixture of coaching, discipline, and luck. And to some extent, you just need to be better than everyone else in the Division. Or the really good team needs to be on probation at the moment. It's June, and that means here at RCR, we are just throwing words at the internet and seeing what sticks. Stack-Ups are what's sticking today.

Last week, we compared the SEC West's quarterbacks. And Gonzo was there in full force; so that was the bomb.

Today, we're all about that position that kinda sounds like "quarterback" when Larry Munson says it: cornerbacks (and safeties). DEFENSIVE BACKS!

ALABAMA

It is amazing - and indicative that the Tide is still quite talented - that when talking about Alabama, the punditry is not automatically talking about Javier Arenas. He is far more important to the Tide as a return man than as a cornerback, but for a guy that had 44 solo tackles (14 more than the more-heralded defender D.J. Moore at Vanderbilt) he ain't half bad at the day job. Justin Woodall brings back four interceptions. And Kareem Jackson is listed as a returning starter, as well at the other cornerback slot. Of course, these are the same guys that gave up 336 yards through the air to Utah, so only so much can be said for bringing back last year's guys. As a unit, these fellows return 9 interceptions, which is certainly a satisfactory number, if not electrifying. It's a group that has frustrating written all over it for Tide fans because, with all the experience returned, they are still going to give up big performances by the more challenging aerial attacks.

ARKANSAS

If everybody scored secondaries the way I score golf rounds, the 2008 Hog defensive backs would have a real argument that they were among the best in the SEC; nay the whole country. Instead, they finished tenth in the SEC and got lit the heck up by people like Mike Hartline, Tyson Lee, and whoever plays quarterback for UL-Monroe and Tulsa. (Full disclosure, the Rebels, don't forget, finished last in the SEC in pass defense, but we'll get to that in due time) This unit is full of guys whose middle name must be "If he can step up this season ..." and hopes of JUCO transfer production. Those JUCO's are named Anthony Leon and Rudell Crim (am I the only one who wishes Anthony Leon would transpose his name so that the Arkansas' secondary could be anchored by the very Arkansas-sounding tandem of "Leon and Rudell?"). It's not a top-flight squad, and adding insult to injury is that the guy about whom they ought to be most excited, Elton Ford, has been out since a neck injury in last year's game against Hootin' Dale.

AUBURN

Defensive backs, in keeping with a pretty respectable tradition on the plains, look to be the highlight of, perhaps, the whole team. The team leading tacklers last season, Mike McNeil and Zac Ethridge, are both still in school with eligibility (so, "returning" in one sense), but both missed time this spring with injuries (so, "returning" has something of a flexible timetable). Oh, and Jarraud Powers' replacement, senior Aairon Savage, is recovering from a knee injury. This is all to say that if the staff at Plains General Hospital can do for Auburn's safeties and cornerbacks what they haven't been able to do for Gregory House, the returning talent for what was a good Auburn defense ought to see an upgrade from "stable" to "wicked awesome."

LSU

Honorary Rebel Chris Low swears these guys will be better this year. And one thing, they don't lack is depth. Another thing they don't lack is coaching. Everybody seems to be a John Chavis fan; count me among the everybodies. Chavis moved their leading tackler from last year, Harry Coleman, from safety to linebacker. They're happy with Chad Jones at free safety and Patrick Peterson at cornerback. And, supposedly, Cornerback-to-Safety convert Ron Brooks is the class of this deep field. What's the storyline you keep hearing, though? Oh, yes, it's that, for all the hype, no one in this group was really a game-changer last year. Blue-faced professions of talent only go so far. The production on the field is yet to be seen.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Ole Miss fans wish many happy returns to Derek Pegues, who parlayed a disappointing senior season into a disappointing draft day. But now he's gone, and nobody on this staff will be for State what Pegues as for the Maroon in 2007. Between their projected starters (Zach Smith and Charles Mitchell at Safety; Marcus Washington and Damien Anderson at Corner), there are just about 7 or 8 starts. I should also note that Jerrell Powe has infinitely more interceptions (1) than their projected starting secondary. I'm sure that, in reality, State's secondary will be serviceable (as it usually is) and, statistically, it might actually look semi-impressive (at some point teams will stop throwing the ball against them).

OLE MISS

In Oxford, for the first time in what seems like a long time, people aren't just talking about violations when they say "secondary." The defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl, Marshay Green, looked good in spring practice. The Rebels have, I might say similarly to Alabama, solid experience at the position (if that experience was not all good). This unit was dead last in the conference in pass defense in 2008, and their solid performance in the Cotton Bowl may just have been the Dr. Jekyll to a more more prevalent Mr. Hyde. However, we can look to Kendrick Lewis, the second-leading tackler among Safeties in the SEC last year, to provide leadership along with Marshay. I expect moderate improvement.

WRAP-UP:

Every SEC West team ought to be a little tentative about calling its defensive backs "The Best in the West." Where some teams lack talent, they have experience. Where others lack experience, they have talent. And some teams might not have a whole lot of either. The punditry, though, seem pretty well agreed that LSU has too much depth, speed, and the leadership of old men not to turn things around and be a special unit. Who am I to disagree?

1. LSU

2. Auburn

3. Alabama

4. Ole Miss

5. Mississippi State

6. Arkansas

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.

Completely Random Post-Draft Thoughts

Saintsational — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

7 months ago: New Orleans Saints football coach Sean Payton answers questions about the Saints selecting Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins 14th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft at the team's training facility in Metairie, La., Saturday, April 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Againts All Odds

Have you stopped yet and thought about how many players the Saints have actually added to their secondary and even the linebacking corp this off-season. I mean, they're not screwin' around this year and I am lovin' it. Compare that with the last two off-seasons of attempted improvement and 2009 blows them both out of the water. The Saints might actually have some legitimate depth on defense for the first time in quite a while. With so many new faces and a new defensive coordinator the odds have to be in the Saints favor that this defense is finally improved. The Saints are giving my cautious optimism a run for the money.

Undrafted Free Agents

It's now time for NFL teams to start signing players whose phones never rang on draft day and hope to find a hidden gem at a discounted rate. The Times-Pic claims that Payton is going to sign ten players during this period. The Saints currently have nine of those players, as reported by the Times-Pic. Here is the list so far:

Player Position College

CB Danny Gorrer Texas A&M

G Cedric Dockery Texas

WR Chris Vaughn Louisville

LB Jonathan Casillas Wisconsin

CB Reggie Jones Portland State

G/T Augustus Parrish Kent State

C Alex Fletcher Stanford

QB Patrick Cowan UCLA

RB Herb Donaldson Western Illinois

Also, last I checked safety Derek Pegues from Mississippi St. has still not signed with anyone. Pegues was a moderately ranked safety that many mock drafts had going in the middle rounds but was never selected in the draft. I know we've got a crapload of players now in the secondary but it might not hurt to give him a look. Or perhaps the fact that every other team passed him up speaks for itself.

Yo Mickey!

Mickey Loomis just loves him some trading. For a guy who said...

"One thing we wanted to do as best we could was to maintain as many of our picks next year as we could."

...Loomis sure didn't do a great job sticking to that plan. The Saints gave up their 2010 fifth round pick in their trade up to acquire punter Thomas Morstead. We also know they were very interested in moving back into the first round to grab "Beanie" Wells which I would have to imagine would have required giving up a 2010 pick or two. None of this shows me any sincere interest in actually holding onto future draft picks.

And by the way, I never weighed in on the whole possible trade for "Beanie" Wells situation so here is my official stance: ridiculous.

More-stead

The more I hear about punter Thomas Morstead the more I think I'm beginning to like this pick. CSC reader YESSaints (hat tip) claims he's got some insider information and speaks very highly of Morstead. That seems to be right in line with other talk I've been reading around the internet. I think we all need to wait it out before cursing this move. It might turn out to be genius.

ESPN Grades the Saints

Just watched ESPN's NFL Live as they graded every teams draft by division. The Saints received a C as did Carolina. The Falcons and Bucs were both awarded with a B. No doubt the lack of picks this year plus the drafting of Morstead were major factors in the Saints getting just an average grade. After a current total of 645 votes 61% of Canal Street Chronicles readers would give the Saints a B. I'm with the readers on this one. I don't even know why I watch that show every day.

The Hits Just Keep on Coming

Sunday set a new Canal Street Chronicles record for most hits in a single day. Yesterday we broke that record. We will also set a new record for most hits in a month. Thanks to everyone out there reading.

Rumblings Authors Mock, V2.0 - krytime's take

Brian Galliford — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

Mississippi OT Michael Oher getting more and more love from Bills mock drafters. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

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Ed. Note, by Brian Galliford: Yes, this is another post in the Rumblings Authors Mock series. Raise your hand if you're tired of mock drafts and just want it to be the weekend already! Even so, 'krytime' has got some thoughts to share and a Buffalo Bills mock to present; he gets that opportunity now. Everything from this point forward is his. End Note

Here's my feeble attempt at predicting what will happen from now through the end of the upcoming weekend.

Before I go further, let me re-state a few of my beliefs when it comes to the draft. First, I like to draft big guys in the early rounds, and by that I mean addressing the following positions: DT, DE, T, C, and G, in no particular order. I'm also a proponent of 'best player available'. Most important to my strategy, though, is to stay out of the top half of the first round, and accumulate as many picks as you can in rounds two through four.

As such, I’m a huge fan of trading down. The Bills never seem to do that though, as pointed out over the last five years in Peter King’s MMQB. Not once did they move down to get an extra pick in the last five years. Ridiculous, I say! As far as trading up goes, I think it’s fair to say that two of the three times they did, it backfired. Ugh. I get puke in my mouth every time I think of this.

Thankfully, the Jason Peters ordeal is over, and it gave us two extra picks this year to add talent to the team. It also left us with a gaping hole on the OL, and that has to be addressed. I think Kirk Chambers should be given the first shot at LT, and then I’d like to keep an eye on Demetrius Bell and his development. It’s obviously just the homer in me, but I do tend to overrate both, especially Bell. Langston Walker, in my opinion, should be kept at RT, along with Brad Butler staying at RG.

Is there any chance they can improve the OL before the draft this week? FA is never done; it just slows down. Would an old guy like Mark Trauscher, Chris Naole, or Jon Runyan be decent depth options? Brian Waters from KC is the rumor many of us hope for in a trade, but I doubt it happens. I would just like to get another vet in to guard against the volatility of the draft forcing them to reach for a player for the desperate OL.

Parrish Trade Projection, other wild cards to consider
I will pencil in a trade that I do think and kind of hope happens. Roscoe Parrish may need a ride to the airport on his way out of Buffalo. I think he’ll go for a fourth, and I’d like for the Bills to do that. Many here have argued against this. But with only 53 roster spots and the OL surely to have some inexperience, they may have to shuffle the way they build a roster, and in my opinion, it won’t be one that carries six or seven receivers.

Now, as for my super-huge wish of trading out of eleven and down to the twenties, adding an extra second rounder - I don’t think it’ll happen. I just don’t see a player at that spot who teams would move up for. Like Peter King, I think USC QB Mark Sanchez has a lot to do with the way this draft plays out. If he were to last until eleven, then I think some teams would call the Bills. I could see Washington and Denver making a move, but that would barely net a fifth rounder, assuming it would be the first Denver pick. I want to say Minnesota would be a good fit, but I don’t know if they are content with Sage Rosenfels or not. The Jets? Doubt it. Seattle and/or Cleveland moving back up in the first for him? Doubt that too.

So for this mock draft, I have the Bills picking at the following spots: 11, 28, 42, 75, 110, 118 (I used this middle of the round spot as an average for a Parrish trade), 121, 147, 183 and 220.

Just for the heck of it, a few wild cards to throw out, as I‘ll never rule out anything:

Chris Kelsay trade - I really do think he’d get you more than a seventh. Nothing more than a fifth though. It’s something to consider.
Marshawn Lynch trade - Out of curiosity, what would he fetch?
John McCargo trade - Maybe a fifth?
Ashton Youboty trade - Maybe another fourth?

And for the record, I doubt any of these happen. On to the mock… which appears after the jump.

1-11: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi. I know it’s been said the Bills prefer Andre Smith, but I don’t think he’ll be there. If he is, he’s my pick. If not, I’m taking the next best LT in this year’s draft. His alleged ability to play G makes him more attractive to me.

1-28: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State. My prediction here is that the Bills trade up into the early twenties to get Pettigrew, using a third-rounder to do so. I hope they don’t. No knock on Pettigrew, but I’d rather take a chance on Michael Johnson. The kid is a freak, and reminds me of Calais Campbell. They say he has some issues with regard to work ethic. I don’t buy it. His dad is a military guy, and all he did last year was produce.

2-42: Max Unger, G/C, Oregon. I would love to see Max Unger fall, and I think he will. That’s who I’m picking here.

3-75: Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida. Tyrone McKenzie is my pick for the third round. I think he has good size, and is a nice fit in a Cover 2. If the Bills were to use this pick in a Pettigrew trade, I’d use the multiple fourth rounders to get up enough to get this guy. It goes against my thinking of trading down, that’s for sure.

4-110: Sammie Lee Hill, DT, Stillman. Sammie Lee Hill gets picked here. It’s good to have an over-sized DT with some athletic ability on your roster. If Chris Baker is here, that’s my pick. He’ll be gone earlier in my opinion.

4-118: Derek Pegues, S, Mississippi State. If Chip Vaughn is here, he’s my pick. If not, maybe the smaller, jack of all trades Derek Pegues will do the trick.

4-121: Phillip Hunt, DE, Houston. I have to pick him here. After all, I interviewed Jim Jeffcoat about him.

5-147: Davon Drew, TE, East Carolina. He’s a blocker, and that’s what I think this team could use. I really like Fine a lot, so I’ve ignored this position throughout the draft, maybe even to a fault. Depending on how things go (for example, with Pettigrew), LB Zack Follett could be a choice here. From what I’ve seen, I like watching the guy play football.

6-183: Ryan Stancheck, OT, West Virginia. Ask me any question about him - I won’t know it.

7-220: Phil Trautwein, OT, Florida. Ask me any question about him - I won’t know it.

I obviously mailed in the last two picks. But they are what they are - flyers on big men who have played a lot of college football in big time conferences. Maybe one of them turns out to be practice squad fodder at best; maybe one turns into a player.

I’m sure I’ll get beat up a little for this mock, and most likely, deservedly so. Have at it...

FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:42:01 -0000

FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

At A Glance
Position 1: Free Safety	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Strong Safety	Weight: 199
Class: Senior	Age:
Projected Round: 4th	40time: 4.68

Combine/Proday Results
Bench Reps: 23	Vertical: 36
20yd Split: 2.72	Broad Jump: 9'11"
10yd Split: 1.64	20yd Shuttle: 4.30
3 Cone Drill: 7.08

Pros: Centerfielder who reads the quarterback and anticipates receiver's routes well. ... Undercuts routes over the middle. ... Excellent hands on interceptions or pass breakups, and reverses the field with good running instincts.

Cons: Short with adequate bulk and strength. ... Not an explosive tackler or a fierce hitter, more of a catch-and-drag guy. ... Looks like a corner, and might be tried there in a zone system.

Styg's Broncos Fit: One of the few versatile "tweeners" at the DB position who has only limited upside for Denver. While most of the tweeners are solid tacklers or powerful hitters, Derek is a secure tackler but lacks the power to drive opponents down, usually relying on a drag-down style. He is tenacious though, and is excellent at finding and attacking the ball and reading receivers in his zone. What hurts him is that he isn't physical enough around the line to effectively and consistently cover larger receivers, and would be outclassed on deep balls despite his speed. If he were to add some upper-body strength for jamming receivers and some lower-body strength to bring some explosion to his hits, he may be able to provide some great help to a team in a zone-coverage scheme.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From Scouting Report at Mocking the Draft:

Pegues is such a good athlete as a safety, some project him as a cover-2 cornerback in the NFL. Has excellent range playing the middle of the field. Good instincts to diagnose a play quickly as it happens. Hustles to the ball. Seems to always be in a position to make a play on the ball. Has some experience playing cornerback. Has contributed on special teams returning kicks and punts.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

Last name is pronounced "puh-GEESE"...Was a three-year starter in the SEC...Cousin, Dwayne Rudd, played football at the University of Alabama and in the NFL...Was considered to be one of the Top 50 recruits in the entire nation coming out of high school...Pled guilty to the misdemeanor assault of an off-duty police officer in 2006...Was arrested for having a suspended driver’s license and an open container of alcohol in May of 2008...Owns the SEC and Bulldog records for kickoff returns (112) and kickoff return yardage (2,484)...Played cornerback in 2005 and 2006 then moved to free safety and could project to either position in the pros...A playmaker in the secondary who was easily the Bulldogs best player the past couple years...Should at least be able to make a roster as a backup / return specialist...Needs to keep his head on straight but has the talent to play at the next level. [see more...]
Derek Pegues is your classic centerfield type of safety who’s always looking to make a play on the ball. He has great instincts and vision, and anticipates a receiver’s route as the play begins. He has excellent ball skills and a great sense of timing. He’s physical, sheds blocks well and is aggressive in pursuit of a ballcarrier. He’s versatile and can play all positions in the secondary, as well as returning kicks and punts. [see more...]

2009 Draft--Defensive Backs Rated for Denver Broncos

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:30:08 -0000

In trying to sort out which defensive backs to select for inclusion in the ranking chart, I have had to look at how McDaniels and Nolan are likely to use their DBs. To this end the focus here is on good to great tacklers, zone over man-coverage characteristics, and physical, intimidating presences.

There are a number of quality DBs in this draft of the more "finesse" variety, especially in the CB group. Though they are very talented, for the most part they aren't included here. Exceptions could be Malcolm Jenkins and Mike Mickens, who both have excellent man-coverage characteristics. However, they tend to execute with a more-physical attitude than is expected from man corners, much like our own Champ Bailey, and so I have happily included them in these rankings.

What do I mean by the characteristics I have outlined for these rankings above? Tackling should speak for itself, but I put a priority on powerful tacklers, guys with significant lower-body strength and the ability to dominate another player. For the Physical quality, I am looking for players who aren't afraid to get dirty, are willing and happy to get involved in run support and to battle at the line of scrimmage with WRs. DBs who can disrupt plays early by messing up receiver routes should hold more value for a D-Line and pass rush in progress, buying those parts of the team valuable seconds to establish trench superiority and get penetration. In turn, this should come back to the DBs in spades by creating up-front pressure to relieve the pressure in back. And when it comes to zone-over-man characteristics, we are looking at less athletic reliance and more instinctual or intellectual reliance, which should help drive costs down in the draft.

Let's check out the rankings:

CB--Malcolm Jenkins

1st

Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State: This guy has a little of everything. Where he matches up best for Denver is his physical style of play around the line. He is strong and able to dictate to receivers what kind of routes they can run, effectively dominating his side of the field. He has excellent range on top of this, which gives him the versatility needed to cover a deep third or half, just like a free safety, something he has experience doing. His versatility and toughness can't be beat amongst defensive backs in this year's draft, and his talent make him a rare find at any position.

CB--Vontae Davis

1st

Vontae Davis, Illinois: Ideal size for the position, Davis doesn't consistently add up to the sum of his parts. While he is an aggressive and physical tackler, he isn't nearly physical enough with receivers in their routes. Despite his ability to find the ball, he doesn't make nearly as many plays as he gets himself in position to make. He does have the versatility to be moved to a safety-type role, but despite his strength he isn't a sure tackler. While many will look at his tangibles and want to lay claim to his "upside" and potential, I say Denver should be wary of his under-production, and look elsewhere early.

SS--Patrick Chung

2nd

Patrick Chung, Oregon: If Denver is willing to overlook deep speed in a DB, Chung could be a tremendous value to them. With experience at corner, FS, SS and even returning kicks, he brings a consistent, well-rounded package to the table along with some of the best tackling in the nation. While he is a bit too aggressive to step immediately into a FS role in the NFL, he still has the range to eventually be a safe bet at the position, and could perform admirably as a SS. His sure tackling is complemented by his explosive power, which makes even solid, wrap-up tackles from him a pretty good hitting experience. Very aggressive in coverage, fights for the ball, but too willing to put his hands on the receiver, and may need to get more disciplined in that and other areas. Shows solid leadership characteristics and a love of the game. An excellent prospect.

CB--Coye Francies

2nd

Coye Francies, San Jose State: A very thin, quick player, he lacks any kind of lower-body power or explosiveness, but is still a very consistent tackler. He also has great vision and watches the field well, including as a kick returner, where he averaged over 22 yards per return. Good hands and understanding of when to time his jumps and breaks. Is successful when playing physical, tight coverages, which could make him an asset, but can't rely on getting his hands on receivers in the NFL. Very smart about taking proper angles and breaking down before a tackle, which helps him make stops. All in all a safe prospect who needs to add some bulk to take his game to the next level.

FS--Louis Delmas

2nd-3rd

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan: Not the best size, which shows up noticeably when he is taking on and avoiding blockers. Fails to get into blockers and discard them, and is often driven away from or out of the play in attempts to go around. Despite this he has somewhat of the reputation as a powerful hitter. He has leadership capability and is a very secure wrap-up tackler who knows how to take down bigger guys and smaller guys alike. He has good range and gets himself in a good position to make plays in coverage, but can be pulled up with a play-action. All in all a good prospect with a questionable level of competition and inconsistencies in his game.

FS--William Moore

2nd-3rd

William Moore, Missouri: Very athletic and physical, Moore's biggest question is whether he was a one-year-wonder. Despite having great range, he was brought up to the line a lot and took a pounding that will require his shoulder to check out medically before the draft. However, this does give him great experience with blitzing, and he times his moves well. A tough player, he played through a couple of injuries as a Junior and Senior. He is a solid tackler and has terrific lower-body strength that allows him to deliver a fair amount of pop in his hits. He has shown tremendous playmaking ability in the past with a knack for finding the ball, but recent poor showings have scouts wondering if a position switch to LB isn't in his best interests. Inexplicably, he doesn't seem to be able to backpedal anymore, and I have no clue why that is, whether unnamed injury or adding unneeded bulk, but it is an intriguing point that will get attention at the combine.

CB--Jairus Byrd

2nd-3rd

Jairus Byrd, Oregon: Another solid corner prospect who excels in being rough with receivers around the line and dictating how routes will be run. May bite on play action, and is sometimes too aggressive with the hands, but has the quickness to mirror and stay with receivers through double moves and quick routes. Probably doesn't have the speed to catch up consistently and will benefit from zone responsibilities, where he has demonstrated a good feel for his teammates. Solid tackler, but not much explosive power.

CB Mike Mickens

2nd-3rd

Mike Mickens, Cincinnatti: Has the quick feet and great hips to effectively mirror and play terrific man coverage, one of the few in the draft. Very good hands, and has a receiver's instincts for running when he has the ball in his hands. Has extensive experience in zone, where he played ball-hawk behind a great pass rush. Marginal upper-body power, but good explosiveness from the lower body. Has good tackling form and is willing to come up in run support and to lead vocally. A confident player who was a favorite of his coaches for his ethic and ability to learn.

FS--Rashad Johnson

3rd

Rashad Johnson, Alabama: An extremely smart player with an excellent first step and deep understanding of his role and the roles of others. I really like this kid and think he could step in as a starter right away. Working against him are his size and the type of frame he has, where it looks like he would be sacrificing some of his speed to get bigger. But as is, he still managed to produce, especially at critical times. As a last line of defense he needs to work on his tackling, but overall he is a secure tackler with good power and a great instinct for getting to the play. Not intimidating enough to warrant four stars, but if he could somehow get his strength up and become more of a hitter, he could push past three stars. Watch his pro day results to see if he added any bulk and maintained his quickness.

CB--Cary Harris

3rd

Cary Harris, USC: An often-overlooked component of the USC defense, Harris may turn out to be one of its safest bets. A great team player, with attitude in run support and the feet and range to dominate his coverage zone. A smart player who trusts the play of those around him, and is willing to make the secure play over the spectacular play. Unfortunately doesn't seem to have the versatility to play any significant amount of man coverage, but has enough range and athleticism to play coverage zones as a corner or safety. A sound and consistent performer.

FS--Derek Pegues

3rd-4th

Derek Pegues, Mississippi State: One of the few versatile "tweeners" at the DB position who has only limited upside for Denver. While most of the tweeners are solid tacklers or powerful hitters, Derek is a secure tackler but lacks the power to drive opponents down, usually relying on a drag-down style. He is tenacious though, and is excellent at finding and attacking the ball and reading receivers in his zone. What hurts him is that he isn't physical enough around the line to effectively and consistently cover larger receivers, and would be outclassed on deep balls despite his speed. If he were to add some upper-body strength for jamming receivers and some lower-body strength to bring some explosion to his hits, he may be able to provide some great help to a team in a zone-coverage scheme.

SS--Emanuel Cook

3rd-4th

Emanuel Cook, South Carolina: A terrific zone player with very good tackling, good power, great instincts and the kind of body control needed to capitalize on the above. Not very fast, so his value around the line of scrimmage could be had cheaply.

SS--Kevin Ellison

4th

Kevin Ellison, USC: High-character player with injury issues but consistent production and steady growth. Exceptionally physical and can intimidate players over the middle, and is a sure-handed tackler who is impressive in run support. No straight speed to speak of, but adequate quickness. Has a safety's attitude and is willing to sacrifice himself to make the stop. Doesn't allow many big plays to get past him, part of playing for a defense good enough to recover and get 3-and-outs. May be undervalued because of the players he was around. Could possibly move to LB.

FS--Troy Nolan

5th

Troy Nolan, Arizona State: Medical issues and concerns about his speed drive his stock down, but I think he has all the tools you look for in a game-changing free safety. The medical concern is an old knee injury that didn't seem to hamper his athleticism in two full years of action, although it does seem to have cost him some speed. Very aggressive and commits too early to the "big play" angle, leaving others to clean up the mess, but showed that he could respond to coaching by improving significantly in this area in 2008. His best characteristics are when he is in coverage, where he tracks the ball, intimidates anyone in his area with physical hits, and attacks routes and passes with great instincts and timing. Makes plays at the right times and often sets off a cascade effect on his team, with several examples of leading the charge in multiple-turnover games and multi-game turnover trends. He needs to improve his 40-time to go higher, but where he is could be a great spot for solid safety depth.

FS--Chris Clemons

6th

Chris Clemons, Clemson: A solid tackler with a good feel for his responsibilities and his teammates. Was allowed to pick his spots on the field and was reliable in coverage. Unfortunately, not overly athletic and doesn't seem to be able to push his game to the next level. He can add size however, which could give him some much-needed power and explosiveness.

SS--Keith Fitzhugh

6th

Keith Fitzhugh, Mississippi State: 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.

SS--Kevin Akins

6th-7th

Kevin Akins, Boston College: Takes versatility to a whole new level, with kick returning, offensive rushing carries, rush LB duties and standard safety/corner coverage duties in his arsenal. His tremendous agility is at the heart of that, and as a late-round pick he is destined to be an underrated but consistently-productive player. He is able to effectively tap into his skills, and was called on often to bring an unusual spark to games. However, he doesn't have the overall talent to be asked to do any one thing consistently and productively. A smart player who needs a smart coach to take advantage of him.

FS--Lendy Holmes

7th

Lendy Holmes, Oklahoma: Some concerns with long-range ability to pick up defensive schemes effectively, he could be a solid fill-in and safe depth player. He is a sure tackler who understands lanes and is very disciplined, and can disrupt receivers around the line. Has the potential to be added as an extra dime back.

SS--Terrence Moore

7th-FA

Terrence Moore, Troy: Strong, explosive player who excels at getting off blocks, is very physical at the line of scrimmage and dictates routes to receivers. Unfortunately, not quick or fast enough to stay very long with receivers, so must rely on good initial technique and solid zone reads. Has a good feel for the edges of his zones, and rarely over-commits to the wrong receiver.

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.

Player	Position	College
CB	Danny Gorrer	Texas A&M
G	Cedric Dockery	Texas
WR	Chris Vaughn	Louisville
LB	Jonathan Casillas	Wisconsin
CB	Reggie Jones	Portland State
G/T	Augustus Parrish	Kent State
C	Alex Fletcher	Stanford
QB	Patrick Cowan	UCLA
RB	Herb Donaldson	Western Illinois

SB Nation - Derek Pegues

Mississippi State Bulldogs v. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: The Morning After

The Links

The Quotes

The Enemy Speaks

2009 SEC West Preview & Predictions

Stack-Ups: Did Anybody Ever Tell You That You Look Like a Shorter, Clumsier Julio Jones?

RCR Readership: Ranking the SEC

Completely Random Post-Draft Thoughts

Againts All Odds

Undrafted Free Agents

Yo Mickey!

More-stead

ESPN Grades the Saints

The Hits Just Keep on Coming

Rumblings Authors Mock, V2.0 - krytime's take

FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

FS, Derek Pegues, Mississippi St.

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2009 Draft--Defensive Backs Rated for Denver Broncos

2009 NFL Draft Coverage-Merry Draftivus!!

CB--Malcolm Jenkins

1st

CB--Vontae Davis

1st

SS--Patrick Chung

2nd

CB--Coye Francies

2nd

FS--Louis Delmas

2nd-3rd

FS--William Moore

2nd-3rd

CB--Jairus Byrd

2nd-3rd

CB Mike Mickens

2nd-3rd

FS--Rashad Johnson

3rd

CB--Cary Harris

3rd

FS--Derek Pegues

3rd-4th

SS--Emanuel Cook

3rd-4th

SS--Kevin Ellison

4th

FS--Troy Nolan

5th

FS--Chris Clemons

6th

SS--Keith Fitzhugh

6th

SS--Kevin Akins

6th-7th

FS--Lendy Holmes

7th

SS--Terrence Moore

7th-FA

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