Dawghouse: A Mississippi State Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Bulldog baseball continues adding to the 2027 roster with portal pickups while anticipating the July MLB Draft's results. Football recruiting is slow going this summer but a handful more commitments are expected. And, it is time for Your Editor to turn over the keys to this podcast.
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As Mississippi State prepares for a Wednesday morning matchup, pending, in Hoover, we ponder the meaning of the SEC Tournament in a NCAA Tournament-focused world. Tomas Valincius is named the top ball player in Mississippi with the Boo Ferriss Trophy. And Lady Bulldog softball rocks its way into the super regional round on the strong left arm of Alyssa Faircloth.
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With three SEC weekends left Mississippi State will make a run at the league title but focus as well on locking up NCAA Tournament hosting status.
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A sweep of in-state rivals has Mississippi State back in the top-five rankings, with Georgia coming to campus for a showdown series. Spring football evaluates the first scrimmage results at mid-point of camp. And Madison Francis ends the speculation by returning for a sophomore season.
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Mississippi State takes down Southern Miss in midweek before taking on Ole Miss in another top-20 weekend matchup. Spring football is in the second week of work with full contact drills under way. And with the transfer portal a couple of weeks off, Bulldog basketball has a key piece talk about leaving.
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After dropping the opening SEC series at Arkansas, Mississippi State hosts Vanderbilt this weekend. Spring football opened Tuesday with Coach Jeff Lebby liking what he saw from his Bulldogs in the first team practice.
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Mississippi State moves up the final pre-SEC weekend series, while men's and women's basketball seasons are winding down. And here comes spring football for Jeff Lebby's third Bulldog team.
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The Opening Weekend for Bulldog Baseball rewrites attendance records, while Josh Hubbard shoots down the career three-pointers record in an upset win at Ole Miss. And with spring football just weeks away Jeff Lebby has to make a quick hire for an open staff position.
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Opening Day for Bulldog Baseball and Brian O'Connor is here. The struggles continue for Mississippi State basketball as post-season hopes fade. And a quiet spring signing day signals that football recruiting is done for the time being.
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How does Mississippi State's transfer recruiting meet the 2026 needs for Jeff Lebby? And how has Bulldog basketball gone into a deep freeze?
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With days left in the winter transfer window Mississippi State's signing pace is picking up and bulking up. Meanwhile Bulldog basketball has a full week with four home games in The Hump.
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Bulldog basketball opens strong with an overtime win at Texas. Football dives into transfer recruiting season with the first commits today, and a talk with quarterback Kamario Taylor at the end of his freshman season.
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Bulldog bowl camp pauses for a Christmas break before Mississippi State resumes preparations for the Duke's Bowl. What has been the impact of early portal declarations for Jeff Lebby's 2026 plans? And, an interview with Kamario Taylor.
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An unexpected opportunity has the Bulldogs bowling again so Jeff Lebby is making full use of camp to set a 2026 stage. Mississippi State is also revamping the assistant coaching staff ahead of portal signing season and spring football.
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Signing Day saw Mississippi State vault up the rankings to briefly claim a top-25 recruiting class of high school and junior college signees. Bulldog basketball scores a much-needed win of their own at Georgia Tech to clinch the SEC/ACC Challenge for this league.
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Mississippi State hosts Ole Miss in the annual Battle for the Golden Egg with the Bulldogs playing for bowling and the Rebels for Playoff standing. And Friday also has MSU basketball hosting SMU with a 6:00 tip time in Humphrey Coliseum.
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An ugly loss at Missouri leaves Bulldog bowling hopes hanging by a frayed thread with only the Egg Bowl remaining. And Mississippi State basketball begins the season with fits and starts as Chris Jans evaluates his roster with real games.
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Mississippi State snaps a two-year SEC skid with a comeback win at Arkansas, while basketball is about to tip it off for a new year. And Brian O'Connor talks fall baseball.
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Mississippi State and Jeff Lebby keep looking for that one key play to break the Bulldogs' SEC losing streak as they head to struggling Arkansas this weekend. Bulldog basketball shows a defense taking shape in an exhibition loss at #2 Houston, though the offense has its issues. And Brian O'Connor is putting an all-time recruiting class together at Mississippi State.
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Mississippi State throws away a road SEC victory at Florida on the final turn with the ball to extend the conference losing streak and make bowl eligibility that much harder a feat
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After a mid-season open date Mississippi State resumes the SEC schedule at Florida. The Bulldogs are likely down at least one starter and maybe three pending availability reporting. Jeff Lebby's team is two-thirds to bowl eligibility but finding two more wins is a looming challenge. Meanwhile Bulldog basketball heads to Birmingham for league Media Day. And Brian O'Connor will take his first Diamond Dog team to Pensacola this weekend for an exhibition contest against Florida State
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Lejeune is a load in the trenches who is always making plays. If he can get the right development on the next level, the sky is going to be the limit for this kid. He lines up on the edge a lot for his team, but we are thinking that Lejeune is going to be more of an interior three-technique player on the next level. Basketball is 30 days from tipoff of Chris Jans' fourth season at State, while Bulldog baseball is scrimmaging all-out in fall ball.
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Mississippi State hosts Tennessee to open the Bulldogs' SEC season. State is 4-0 after non-conference season but the #15 ranked Volunteers are a different degree of test.
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New Diamond Dog Coach Brian O'Connor put his first Mississippi State roster on Dudy Noble Field today as fall practices began in earnest. The roster is set at 34 though All-American Ace Reese will miss the team work as he recuperates from toe surgery this month. O'Connor has opened up a good chunk of the team's scrimmages with special weekend formats, as well as the October 18 exhibition game with Florida State in Pensacola. Fall ball concludes November 1 with Louisiana Tech coming to campus for another exhibition game.
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Mississippi State hosts Northern Illinois with Jeff Lebby's goal of sweeping the pre-SEC portion of this 2025 schedule.
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A home field upset of Arizona State has Mississippi State proving progress in year-two with Jeff Lebby. The Bulldogs beat the Sun Devils with a game-saving goal line stand and game-winning touchdown throw in the final minute. The post-win celebration will cost the athletic department a cool half-million dollars per the SEC fine for field storming, but emotionally it is worth it after years of struggles. Now on to Alcorn State as for the first time Lebby has to bring a team down from a big win and build them up in a new week.
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10/12 Arizona State is the first ranked non-conference opponent to visit Scott Field since 2009 as Mississippi State opens the home portion of this schedule. The Bulldogs have some health questions on the offensive line while facing a veteran Sun Devil dense. But it is Arizona State's ground game which will test Mississippi State's defense to the fullest. The facelifted Davis Wade Stadium re-opens for business with 6:35 kickoff.
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Jeff Lebby holds his Monday press conference to begin game week as Mississippi State prepares to host Arizona State.
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Mississippi State opens the 2025 season visiting Southern Mississippi for 11:03am kickoff at Roberts Stadium. As second-year Bulldog Coach Jeff Lebby said this week, it's truly time to go play.
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What was once a regular and intense rivalry has a Saturday renewal with Mississippi State visiting Southern Mississippi. With preseason complete the Bulldogs have posted a tentative depth chart but how much does this matter? Jeff Lebby intends to use as many Bulldogs as possible in game-one to both judge their work under real game conditions and to avoid stressing regulars too soon.
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With two scrimmages completed, Mississippi State football transitions from preseason teaching to game prep execution. Coach Jeff Lebby wraps up Saturday's intrasquad session.
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Mississippi State ended the working week with the first full scrimmage of preseason and a post-intrasquad press conference with Coach Jeff Lebby. And, our own observations from a few days to watch the Bulldogs at work in practices.
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After three break-in days of drills, preseason practices ramp up for a full week-two of camp as Mississippi State gets the gear on and the contact going.
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Mississippi State opened preseason practices with a Thursday morning session. Coach Jeff Lebby spoke following practice about getting camp going for his second season. Basketball hires a new video and scouting director.
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Mississippi State put all ten field assistants and GM Marc Votteler at the podium for a preseason talk as Jeff Lebby's second team assembles for camp Thursday. After a rough first year defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler sees a deeper, faster unit for 2025.
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It's the week between SEC Media Days and the start of preseason practices, so summer's slow time is nearly over. And, a teaser for Tuesday's Genespage.com.
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Jeff Lebby brought three Bulldogs with him to SEC Media Days and the message is a better locker room, better preparation, and just better everything for year-two. Mississippi State baseball took some expected hits in the MLB Draft but nothing Brian O'Connor hadn't allowed for as his 2026 roster is just about settled.
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The return of Ace Reese is a 'recruiting' win for Brian O'Connor as Bulldog baseball awaits the upcoming MLB Draft. And SEC Media Days is just a week away for Jeff Lebby and three select Mississippi State players.
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Direct payments to NCAA student-athletes can begin Tuesday, the same date the baseball transfer portal closes. Brian O'Connor has 13 transfers lined up already and awaits word from a couple more. Ace Reese is subject of Mississippi State consternation ahead of portal deadline. Jeff Lebby has 23 commitments for his 2026 signing class but there will be many an addition and subtraction between now and December.
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Brian O'Connor is building his first Mississippi State roster with transfer signees, while Jeff Lebby recruits prep talent for the future. And, Bulldog basketball has a schedule nearly done for the coming winter.
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Brian O'Connor is officially introduced to Bulldog Baseball Country but has already been busy rebuilding the 2026 roster. And Saturday was Elite Dawg camp for Mississippi State football, with your reporter dropping by for a look.
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Mississippi State concluded the 2025 baseball season Sunday evening in the Tallahassee Regional. Within the hour the hiring of Brian O'Connor as next Diamond Dog skipper was official, confirming our reporting on GenesPage.com. The 2015 National Champion coach of Virginia is only the 5th College World Series winner to take another head coaching job in college baseball. His hiring beat the opening of the spring transfer window by hours and recruiting is O'Connor's immediate priority along with finalizing his assistant staff. He will be formally introduced to Bulldog Country this Thursday evening with full coverage here.
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For the fifth time in program post-season history Mississippi State starts NCAA Tournament play in the Tallahassee Regional. The previous four trips have produced championships in 2007 and 2018, with both clubs advancing ultimately to the College World Series. The Diamond Dogs face runaway CAA champs Northeastern, while #9 national seed Florida State faces Bethune-Cookman. The regional is paired with the Corvallis tournament and #8 seed Oregon State.
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After a short and humbling trip to Hoover the Diamond Dogs have some extra time to prepare for their NCAA Tournament assignment. An intense run to end the regular season likely means Mississippi State can use the rest and recovery before going...somewhere to be named on Monday.
Josh Hubbard confirms what Mississippi State hoped as the All-SEC guard will be back for another winter in Humphrey Coliseum. And Bulldog softball takes some heavy hits in the transfer portal after ending their season in the NCAA Tournament.
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Taking two from Ole Miss was more than a rivalry score, as Mississippi State can see a path to the post-season with one weekend left in the regular schedule. Justin Parker becomes the eighth consecutive Diamond Dog skipper to win his first series against Ole Miss. State still needs to win this weekend at suddenly-surprising Missouri to make a NCAA Tournament case. And Bulldog softball learns its NCAA assignment tonight.
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A Diamond Dog team under interim management turns it around entirely, and softball is at the SEC Tournament playing for NCAA seeding. Football transfer recruiting needs maybe one more piece this spring for the fall roster.
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Chris Lemonis has been dismissed as head baseball coach four years removed from a National Championship season. Bulldog baseball has gone to the coaching bullpen for Justin Parker as interim while the search for the next Mississippi State skipper ramps up. And Jeff Lebby keeps beefing up his 2025 roster with more offensive line commitments via the spring transfer window.
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Mississippi State wrapped up the 2025 spring football season with Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage on Scott Field. We have post-game interviews with Coach Jeff Lebby and quarterback Blake Shapen.
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Coach Jeff Lebby updates Mississippi State spring camp results, while the Diamond Dogs have four games across the Alabama state line this week and the transfer portal hits keep coming for Bulldog basketball
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Taking a series means Bulldog baseball can still play for post-season plans but the path is all uphill from here. Three greats are inducted into the Ring of Honor at Dudy Noble Field and we have moving, and entertaining, video interviews with a pair of them. Bulldog softball takes one at Tennessee but holds to a fifth-place SEC tie after four weekends of good work. The transfer portal claims a pair of Ladydog starters as well as Bulldog guard Riley Kugel. And it is week four for Mississippi State spring football in this crucial camp for Jeff Lebby.
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Josh Hubbard makes headlines by declaring intent to test the NBA waters as a early draft entry. Coach Jeff Lebby opens week three of Bulldog football camp and talks about the spring so far afterwards. And patience pays off for Jake Mangum as the Mayor of Mississippi State steps into the batter's boxes with Tampa Bay.
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A 1-8 opening to SEC season has Mississippi State concerned for the program's place. Spring football for Jeff Lebby's second squad has hit the contact phase with good results so far. And four basketball Bulldogs are portal-bound with recruiting coming up soon.
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Mississippi State makes a third trip to the NCAA dance with Chris Jans as Baylor awaits in opening round. Jeff Lebby opened his second spring football session with the Bulldogs on Tuesday.
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Weather is already re-arranging the start of SEC baseball season as Mississippi State hosts Texas. Bulldog basketball is home and awaiting Sunday's selection and NCAA Tournament assignment.
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Mississippi State stumbled to the end of the regular season with four losses in five games, and are seeded 10th at next week's SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs should be safely in the NCAA Tournament again but are losing seeding ground with each game. So beating first-round foe LSU on Wednesday is needed to get the club in a better frame of mind for the big dance. The Diamond Dogs have tweaked lineups, shuffled batting orders, and now are testing a new weekend rotation with SEC season starting next Friday.
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Bulldogs Josh Hubbard and Jerkaila Jordan are finalists for the Mississippi basketball Players of the Year. After a couple of road losses Mississippi State has two home games to get back on a tournament time track. The Diamond Dogs are in the Astros College Classic against a name-brand field and needing to figure out some offensive issues ahead of SEC season.
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Bulldog basketball stumbles at Oklahoma, baseball scores a second weekend sweep, and all-time Mississippi State great Wayne Harris passes.
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After taking down a pair of ranked victims Mississippi State tries to keep building up the NCAA Tournament resume on a trip to Oklahoma. The Bulldogs have gotten back to the good old defensive ways while flashing some offensive burst in wins over Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Cold weather tweaks the weekend schedule but all Diamond Dog games should be cleared for action. A frustrating loss at Southern Miss should give State some extra edge before a sweepable series at home. And football recruiting news keeps coming as Jeff Lebby and staff are working on future signing classes.
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Mississippi State scores another ranked road win while sweeping the in-state series with Ole Miss. And Bulldog Baseball starts another season just the way a Diamond Dog team is expected.
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The 2025 Diamond Dogs open it up this weekend with weather on their minds and TBD not in the lineup. Mississippi State holds a #22 place in the polls ahead of showdowns with #3 Florida in Humphrey Coliseum and a road rematch with #19 Ole Miss. And our congratulations to Big Play Darius Slay for his first Super Bowl ring, the 30th won by now 26 former Bulldogs.
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Bulldog basketball resumes SEC season after a brief break with a battle at the other Bulldogs Saturday. The second signing season for Coach Jeff Lebby was no-news and by intent as Mississippi State gets ready for spring football.
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It was the same old thing as another SEC offense shot up Mississippi State from the arc. The Bulldogs hit half-way of SEC season 4-5 with an open date to try fixing the defensive issues. Junior (and sophomore) Day visitors to campus produced a pair of commitments for Coach Jeff Lebby's football program. And this spring finds two, two Super Bulldog weekends slated.
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The Bulldogs drop a nailbiter and fans are frustrated. And that is a very good sign that Mississippi State is back in hoops at last. Plus, what's the defensive deal at the three-point line?
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It required overtime but Mississippi State took care of Ole Miss in the first round of the season rivalry. Coach Chris Jans talks about what he saw as a must-win for his Bulldogs.
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Mississippi State hosts Ole Miss this Saturday in the first-ever meeting of the rivals as ranked opponents. Transfer signing season finally pauses for Jeff Lebby after 23 new Dogs are procured in the portal.
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After a hard-fought and mostly well-fought home loss to Kentucky, Mississippi State heads to Auburn to face a top-ranked Tiger team. Jeff Lebby is still full-on recruiting the transfer portal for his 2025 roster but paused to host Junior Day for prospect of the future.
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Mississippi State has set the stage for a top-15 matchup in Humphrey Coliseum with Kentucky coming to the Hump. Bulldog football continues courting portal players to boost the 2025 roster in time for spring practices.
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Mississippi State tips off SEC season at home hosting South Carolina. The top-twenty ranked Bulldogs have name brand wins in pre-league play but the best conference in the country is a different deal. The Lady Bulldogs took some league opening lumps at Kentucky and turn around to host defending champs South Carolina on Sunday. And while visits don't resume for another day, Coach Jeff Lebby picked up another commitment for his 2025 roster through the transfer portal.
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Mississippi State wraps up a successful pre-conference schedule ahead of SEC season starting Saturday. Bulldog football keeps plugging portal pieces into 2025 places with more visits coming up for Jeff Lebby and staff.
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Bulldog football adds more transfer talent for 2025 while Jeff Lebby shuffles his year-two staff. Bulldog basketball reaches top-20 in the polls with one tune-up test left before SEC season tips off Saturday.
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Mississippi State gets into the heart of transfer recruiting season with a new week of visits, while Bulldog basketball heads to Jackson for Tuesday night's round-two of Magnolia Madness.
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A long list of Bulldogs are taking to the transfer portal while Jeff Lebby looks for instant 2025 aid. Mississippi State basketball gets ready to go Mad(ness) with trips to Tupelo and Jackson.
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Signing Day 2024 brought the first flood of new Bulldogs for Coach Jeff Lebby's second recruiting class. There's more recruiting to come when the transfer portal opens up on Monday, too.
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Football season is barely done with signing season starting up Wednesday. And Bulldog basketball hosts Pitt in a matchup of top-thirty NET teams for the SEC/ACC Challenge.
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Mississippi State wraps up the 2024 season in the Battle for the Golden Egg. Jeff Lebby talks preparations for the Egg Bowl, while Bulldog basketball cracks the top 25 today and soccer season ends in the NCAA quarterfinals.
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1 seeded Bulldog soccer hosts NCAA regional action by taking on Washington Friday in the second round. The winner advances to Sunday's match with either Kentucky or Notre Dame. Mississippi State wraps up the home slate for '24 hosting Missouri on Senior Day. But signing day is more on Bulldog minds with two weeks left before prospects put pens to papers. And Chris Jans' basketball Dog take their act on the real road for the first time, visiting SMU with a Friday evening matchup of SEC and ACC.
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Mississippi State soccer hosts the next two rounds of NCAA Tournament play this weekend, while Jeff Lebby's football Dogs host Missouri for Senior Day. And Bulldog basketball rallies past Utah for a signature November success.
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An open date gives Coach Jeff Lebby and staff time to focus on the upcoming December 4 signing day for Bulldog football. Bulldog basketball already has been busy signing prep prospects with three top-notch talents inked. And Mississippi State soccer host a first-ever NCAA Regional here on campus.
Mississippi State soccer receives the SEC Championship Trophy in Pensacola and then wins a conference tourney game in OT, too. Chris Jans was mostly pleased with an opening night win for Bulldog basketball. But while the shooting was hot the rebounding was not and Jans alerts all that lineup tweaks are in store. Bulldog fans will be awaiting tonight's SEC availability report for indications who Jeff Lebby may and may not have for the trip to Tennessee.
Bulldog basketball tips it off Monday evening while football prepares for a trip to Tennessee. Fall ball wraps up for the Diamond Dogs but Mississippi State soccer is just now hitting post-season play.
Mississippi State hosts Homecoming weekend with UMass on Scott Field. Coach Jeff Lebby's team looks to end a seven-loss skid but injuries and availability are questions for this non-conference contest. The SEC soccer champions completed a perfect league season and will head to the conference tourney in Pensacola. But their real focus will be tuning up for the NCAA Tournament with hopes of hosting on campus. Coach Chris Jans' new-look basketball Bulldogs have three more practice days before tipping off the season in Humphrey Coliseum Monday evening.
Bulldog soccer is the latest Mississippi State sport to earn a SEC Championship. Coach James Armstrong's team now is playing to host a NCAA Regional on campus. After a serious step back Saturday, Coach Jeff Lebby and staff are figuring late-season fixes for football's issues on both sides of the ball. Outside noise is not catching coaching ears as their audience is a football team in fragile November state of mind. And a week from tonight Bulldog basketball tips off a promising year-three under Chris Jans.
Mississippi State's Sports Hall of Fame adds the Class of 2024 this Friday evening in a campus ceremony we will be attending. Among the honorees is the late Keffer McGee whose 1997 passing still reverberates in Bulldog memory. This year's Mississippi State squad hosts Arkansas with a 11:45am kickoff on Scott Field. The Bulldog offense has been improving at a fast pace despite top-tier opposition for three weeks, but the defense looks to be short-handed again against a dangerous Razorback team. And Bulldog basketball held its media day on campus with interviews from coaches and club.
Jeff Lebby's Monday press conference built upon the October theme of an improving Bulldog team which needs a win to show for it. Mississippi State finally faces a non-ranked opponent but Arkansas has solid showings on its resume this season as well. Bulldog basketball goes quiet after a week of press conferences and public practices with November 4 tipoff coming up fast.
It's time for a home stand at Mississippi State as a three-weekend series of games on Scott Field starts Saturday. Texas A&M is the next top-15 foe for the Dogs to face. State was able to show improvement against top-fives Texas and Georgia on the road. The challenge now it to continue proving progress before a friendly crowd. Bulldog basketball made a stop at SEC Media Day and Chris Jans is as openly upbeat as has ever been in his State tenure. His recruiting is getting attention too as a top post prospect's commitment had MSU briefly ranked third in the country.
Coach Jeff Lebby's Monday press conference emphasized the eagerness for Bulldogs to get back on the home field again. Mississippi State hosts Texas A&M for a third-straight matchup against a top-15 opponent. Quarterback Michael Van Buren is the SEC's co-Freshman of the Week for his work at Georgia. Lebby saw more progress from the team as a whole in another SEC loss but wants a happy locker room for a change. Bulldog basketball is in Birmingham for SEC Media Day on Tuesday (men) and Wednesday (women).
The Battle of SEC Bulldogs has Mississippi State a major under-Dog at Georgia. Jeff Lebby's team has had a free week to rest the bodies and minds before resuming this season. The open date also was used to bring freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren up to speed as the new starter. Bulldog basketball scrimmages this Saturday in a closed-Coliseum session with Western Kentucky. Coach Chris Jans will appear at SEC Media Day next Tuesday. The SEC has released all but one tipoff time for the conference schedule.
Mississippi State soccer is ranked #4 after knocking off former number one Arkansas with some key home matches still to play. Ladydog basketball holds media days for Sam Purcell's team as well as new assistant coach Victoria Vivians. Bulldog basketball meets with media next week at the SEC press-fest Tuesday. And after the first open date of this 2024 schedule Jeff Lebby's team begins an even tougher schedule stretch with a trip to Georgia.
The 2024 season pauses for Mississippi State's first open date. The Bulldogs had two practices and two workout sessions before taking a break. Their coaches get no rest until Saturday. Jeff Lebby and staff are out recruiting Thursday and Friday and making the junior college and high school rounds. Five real games are giving Lebby a clearer idea of what else is needed to round out the standard signing class, as well as who to pursue when the portal opens in December. Bulldog baseball is well into fall ball with full reporting on Genespage.com. And tomorrow is media day for Sam Purcell's Lady Bulldogs on campus. Renovations to Humphrey Coliseum should be finished before both men and women tip off in November.
The Bulldogs did not win at #1 Texas, as expected. They played to win which many did not expect. The effort given and energy shown reflect well on first-year Coach Jeff Lebby's rebuilding plans at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs will practice twice this open date week while their coaches hit the recruiting road. The Diamond Dogs are hard into fall baseball scrimmaging with plenty reporting on Genespage.com. Coach Chris Lemonis will meet with media to talk fall ball Tuesday.
Receiver Jordan Mosley talks Mississippi State's matchup with top-ranked Texas and working in a young quarterback. The Diamond Dogs are two scrimmages into fall baseball. And Chris Jans' basketball bunch is ready for real pre-season practicing.
Coach Jeff Lebby's choices are limited but he's firmly come down on starting Michael Van Buren as the Bulldogs visit top-ranked Texas. In his Monday press conference Lebby said the choice involves taking care of the football and making predictable outcomes. Second-year freshman Chris Parson is practicing same as ever and will have his own role this weekend and season. Injured senior Blake Shapen is already serving as volunteer coach to the younger quarterbacks, and weighing his future options. State will also be without four-game starting back Keyvone Lee for a while.
Mississippi State's rebuilding season has turned into a tear-down year. Three-straight losses with and now with the starting quarterback done, Jeff Lebby has choices to make. Stick with the most experienced Bulldogs against a brutal top-25 schedule? Begin an all-out youth movement despite said schedule? Or a mix of both approaches to get through 2024 while focusing on recruiting a new team for 2025?
Mississippi State and Florida both are desperate for a SEC win as 11:00am kickoff comes Saturday. The host Bulldogs can't afford another slow start but intend to set a tone and get into tempo after kickoff. Who is feeling more pressure is a fair question, but with a win State can at least go into their next two games with some positive sense. Bulldog basketball begins practicing next week and the schedule is nearly finalized for Chris Jans' third team. A record donation to Bulldog sports combined with some mid-week recruiting results are good news off the field. And, the 1974 Bulldogs, quite likely the transitional team of modern MSU history, is to be honored this weekend.
SEC season opens at Mississippi State and at last this weekend. Florida comes to campus for a 11:00am kickoff and with temperatures spiking for their program. But Coach Jeff Lebby's own focus is '100%' on fixing Bulldog issues exposed in consecutive non-league losses.
A whipping by Toledo reveals the dimensions of Jeff Lebby's first-year challenges at Mississippi State. And now comes SEC season as the Bulldogs host also-struggling Florida.
This Tuesday evening edition takes a look at Bulldog attitudes as they transition from a first loss to a second home game. Mississippi State hosts Toledo this Saturday evening with a clear forecast after mid-week weather moves through. Coach Jeff Lebby is looking for answers in the running game and the right combination of blockers. Most of all he wants an offense to convert third downs and keep scoring drives moving. The defense will likely still be down two linemen so younger big pups will get worked into action. Toledo has two wins over lightweights but is a veteran team with a long-time coach who will have the Rockets ready for a road trip South.
Jeff Lebby wants his team to learn one instant fact from a loss: that their coaches are the same in attitude and approach as after win. The Bulldogs lost at Arizona State after digging themselves in early and deep. A second half comeback flashed what the offense is capable of. But a reliable ground game is still needed. So is stopping the run game on defense and the loss featured by coach count 25 missed tackles and 250 yards after contact. Mississippi State's guest Toledo is a proud old program which will not be intimidated coming to a SEC campus. Weather is coming to Starkville mid-week but game day looks fine.
Jeff Lebby's attention to Bulldog detail means Mississippi State arrives in the Arizona desert this evening. Lebby's first road game as head coach is with Arizona State, and an evening kickoff in still-sizzling conditions. The Bulldogs have a day to acclimate and to go over all the scouting available on a Sun Devil squad that also has dipped deeply into the transfer portal. Speaking of transfers, receiver and punt return man Kevin Coleman made a flying start to his Bulldog career last Saturday and talks about it here.
His first win as head coach done, Jeff Lebby turns Bulldog attention to fixing flaws from the easy victory and preparing to step up in competition. Mississippi State is at Arizona State for the second week of the season. Lebby updates the short injury list. The Sun Devils made their own impressive start beating a sound Wyoming squad. State has to prepare physically for the trip to the desert. So the Bulldogs will leave Thursday and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate from now to kickoff.
Mississippi State is another day closer to kicking off the 2024 season. Even as his first team gets ready to play Coach Jeff Lebby is thinking of building future rosters that don't rely so heavily on transfers. But as Lebby said, without the transfer talent this debut season would be in serious shape. So it will be a balancing act for his recruiting plans from now on. Linebacker Stone Blanton speaks about the start of the season, returning to play for his home state team after two years at South Carolina, and what the Bulldog defense counts as success.
Mississippi State is one day closer to kicking off this 2024 season hosting Eastern Kentucky at 5:00 Saturday. A quartet of Bulldogs were available for post-practice interviews. Our talk today is with quarterback Blake Shapen who has stepped right in as the starter for Jeff Lebby's first Mississippi State offense.
Coach Jeff Lebby had news at his opening game-week press conference of the 2024 season. Mississippi State is without two expected starters and a rotation running back against Eastern Kentucky. The posted lineups are dominated by transfers. Lebby spoke of the matchup with FCS visitor Eastern Kentucky. But most of the talk was of his own team and his own ambitions for this season and his program long-term.
Mississippi State practiced Wednesday morning as the fall academic semester also began. Bulldog basketball is finalizing an ambitious winter schedule that signals confidence for a strong season. And, a post-practice chat with Ethan Miner, who will be snapping State into action this fall.
After a Saturday scrimmage and short recovery break the Bulldogs got back to work Tuesday. Coach Jeff Lebby's morning session saw the makings of a scout team as this week the offense and defense lineups get into real game preparations. Following practice linebacker John Lewis and offensive guard Albert Reese spoke to media.
Coach Jeff Lebby had lots to say about Saturday's second scrimmage of preseason. Maybe it was what the coach did not say this time which should have Mississippi State fans encouraged for kicking off the 2024 season in two weeks.
Coach Jeff Lebby has the Bulldogs in a walk-through sort of Friday session ahead of Saturday's key second scrimmage this preseason. A number of Mississippi State transfers are on college football awards watch lists. And, an interview with Coach Shaud Williams on the new strength, conditioning, and speed program for Bulldog football.
Coach Jeff Lebby resumed the preseason schedule with a Tuesday morning session. Mississippi State has three standard practices this week, a Friday walk-through, and a Saturday scrimmage on Scott Field. Investing a practice day in a walk-through session to get ready to scrimmage is another example of Lebby's attention to all the details of a season. Offensive lineman Jacoby Jackson came for a Tuesday interview which is provided here as well.
Mississippi State made another preseason milestone with the first full scrimmage, held Sunday morning. Coach Jeff Lebby met with media following the full-contact session to discuss results of the day as well as impressions of this preseason so far. The full audio interview is attached.
Mississippi State had Thursday off from practicing but Bulldogs came to the Seal Complex anyway for treatment, workouts, and just conversation about camp so far. The work resumed Friday morning in full gear with a similar session scheduled tomorrow. Then on Sunday it's time for the first scrimmage of Jeff Lebby's first preseason in Starkville. Check our practice notes and observations on Genespage.com. An interview with receiver Creed Whittemore is included in today's Dawghouse.
Mississippi State has five practice days in the preseason books. Now it's time for full-contact work beginning Wednesday. Interviews and observations thus far show energy and even excitement on the practice field for Jeff Lebby's first team. The real test begins with contact days, scrimmaging, and of course the start of the fall school semester next week. A post-practice talk with young cornerback Kelley Jones is a good sample of how the Bulldogs are thinking thus far.
Day-two of preseason practicing at Mississippi State is done. Selected Bulldogs came to talk following the morning session and here are interviews with quarterback Blake Shapen and center Ethan Miner. If the whole team is having this kind of fun, 2024 could be fun for fans, too.
Preseason football is underway as Mississippi State opened preseason work Thursday. Coach Jeff Lebby had his own debut first-session with his first Bulldog team and came away satisfied with the effort and energy. He praised the retention from spring ball while making entirely clear this team has so far to go before being game-ready. The post-practice interview with Lebby is attached. Also, Bulldog baseball has lost a pair on the last day for drafted players to sign with Major League Baseball clubs.
Coleman Hutzler has come to campus as Mississippi State's new defensive coordinator. Head Coach Jeff Lebby's choice to direct the Bulldog D met with media two days before preseason practicing begins. Have a listen to what the coordinator had to say after a spring in the system and looking ahead to August work assembling his first defensive unit in Starkville.
Jeff Lebby p his first Bulldog team for the start of preseason practicing this Thursday. Camp opens for Mississippi State with kickoff thirty days later on Scott Field. Here are five random questions to consider as the Bulldogs hit the practice fields; backup quarterback, top running back, tight end use, safety group progress, and improvement from the specialists. All assistant coaches will be interviewed Tuesday morning with reports to follow on GenesPage and here. Also, the draftee signing deadline is coming and Diamond Dog David Mershon still has a call to make.
The SEC took Media Days to Dallas and the Dawghouse was there for Mississippi State's turn. Coach Jeff Lebby, quarterback Blake Shapen, linebacker John Lewis, and lineman Albert Reese represented their team to the conference and national press corps. Before speaking to the big room all met with media who cover Bulldog football on a daily basis, and Lebby's interview is included here. We also spoke with athletic director Zac Selmon for some unofficial updates on a few items of fan interest. Preseason is a dozen days away, so the countdown is ticking.
Two days of the Major League Baseball Draft are done. There are no big surprises for Mississippi State so far, either with varsity Diamond Dogs taken--or not--nor unexpected signee selections. This is a college-heavy draft so far as the shorter twenty-round system, shrinking minor league rosters, and NIL competition makes picking good college players a better bet. Jeff Lebby reports to Dallas for Wednesday morning and Mississippi State's turn at SEC Media Days. Quarterback Blake Shapen, lineman Albert Reese, and linebacker John Lewis accompany their coach and all are Media Days rookies.
With the holidays done Jeff Lebby and to-be-named Bulldog players are preparing for SEC Media Days. Mississippi State's turn is July 17 in Dallas and the Dawghouse will be on hand for the media circus. Lebby's summer recruiting is already assembling the core of a '25 signing class while a handful of rising juniors have already announced for State. Bulldog baseball has added more armed force for next season via the transfer portal along with an infield contingent. Now State awaits the July 14-15-16 Major League Draft for what it may do to the incoming freshman class.
Bulldog football recruiting was maroon-hot all June, now Jeff Lebby and staff review commitment trends and how to complete this next signing class. Mississippi State baseball continues working portal players for the 2025 roster ahead of Tuesday's closing. The mid-July Major League Draft is two weeks away as well. And Bulldog basketball rewards staff members with adjusted roles and new titles ahead of Chris Jans' third season in Humphrey Coliseum.
No games are being played on Mississippi State fields these days but recruiting for both Bulldog football and baseball has seized the summer headlines. Coach Chris Lemonis is plugging in players for 2025 through the transfer portal open through July 2. He has an eye on the mid-July draft and what it will do to the roster also. May and June weekends have been busy for first-year coach Jeff Lebby as he recruits for his second, third, and beyond Mississippi State seasons. And here at Dawgsbite we are working up a summer series asking you, the fan, for input on all sorts of Mississippi State topics. So watch the website for the first round of Proposed: Readers Always Write.
Mississippi State's return to the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence ended after four games in Virginia. How close were the Bulldogs to themselves hosting and perhaps still be playing for Omaha? But also how much rebuilding can be done if the 2025 Diamond Dogs are to be post-season worthy? The spring transfer portal runs through July 2 and then the mid-month Major League Draft will have a huge impact on Chris Lemonis' seventh roster. Chris Jans got his well-earned contract extension and raise going into year-three with Bulldog basketball. Meanwhile Jeff Lebby and staff are hosting prospects for next year and beyond at June campus camps. Scholarship offers are already being extended, too.
The NCAA baseball committee did not give Mississippi State a regional. So the Diamond Dogs will take their assignment to the Charlottesville Regional and try to run with it all the way to Omaha.
Bulldog Country is in an unhappy holiday mood as the Mississippi State is not hosting a Starkville Regional after all. The Diamond Dogs learn their regional site assignment and the other three teams in that field Monday. How close were the Bulldogs to hosting? As close as too many of the narrow losses in both SEC and non-conference play this year.
Mississippi State walks-off Ole Miss for a SEC Tournament win that has the Diamond Dogs thisssss close to securing NCAA Tournament host rights as a top-sixteen seed. Bulldog basketball extends Chris Jans' contract while he extends the 2024-25 roster. Jeff Lebby and staff begin two weeks of prospect camps next weekend.
The last weekend of SEC season has Mississippi State hosting Missouri. But the Diamond Dogs have another hosting on their minds. With a strong finish to this schedule and perhaps one more win at the SEC Tournament, a Starkville Regional is very much in play. The late return of former ace Nate Dohm is encouraging for post-season pitching. Centerfielder and best SEC season batter Connor Husjak should be back for this weekend. Will Joe Powell's late show of power shake up the lineup and order? And scoreboard watching is in vogue at Polk-Dement Stadium as other SEC series impact State's chances to host. Bulldog softball hoped to be assigned to a closer regional but will take their best shot in Palo Alto against Cal State Fullerton Friday evening as well as host Stanford. Jeff Lebby is making the Road Dawg rounds in May ahead of the coming weeks of hosting early summer prospect camps.
After five winning weeks Mississippi State is safely in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Now the trick is earning the best seeding for both. With a strong finish the Bulldogs could make a case for hosting Regional play again. Softball's stay at their SEC Tourney is short but the Ladydogs will learn their NCAA assignment this Sunday. The campus crusher race is tied with 16 home runs each by the leading Diamond Dog and Ladydog slugger. The spring portal is closed but Jeff Lebby is still finding late additions for his first Mississippi State roster.
Consecutive won SEC weekends have Mississippi State back solidly in the post-season picture. The Diamond Dogs took two at Vanderbilt and are 5th in the overall league standings. They also are close to locking up a SEC Tourney berth, but the goals now turn to NCAA Tournament seeding if the Dogs keep this pace. Pitching and defense remain the squad strengths. But a revamped batting order came up clutch in both wins. The NFL Draft claimed three Bulldogs from the 2023 roster and all come from the defensive side of the squad. State has had just four offensive skill position players drafted in the last 14 years. The Jeff Lebby approach to recruiting and development should change this troubling trend.
Spring football games rarely matter, but this 2024 Super Bulldog Weekend event was a glimpse at future fun for the Bulldogs. Coach Jeff Lebby's offense put on a spring show led by Blake Shapen throwing and a variety of receivers catching. The offensive line showed attitude, the defense looked athletic, and everybody was aggressive. Bulldog baseball did what had to be done with a three-game sweep of Auburn. Now above-.500 in SEC play Mississippi State can build its post-season case in the remaining league series. Bulldog softball has two SEC series left of their own and is on track to host a NCAA Regional again. And congratulations for the first-ever SEC Championship by Lady Bulldog golf.
Tax Day is done and Super Bulldog Weekend is here. It's the annual spring Homecoming at Mississippi State. It is also the first public showing for Jeff Lebby's new systems in Saturday's spring game. Lebby will pit offense vs. defense in a scoring system harking back to five Dog decades ago. It is sure to be more entertaining than most spring games though. The Diamond Dogs are just about where most hoped they'd stand at half-point of SEC season. But how they got here has frustrated because with just a couple of made plays State would be well above .500. Sweeps are tough tasks but this team needs to take all three from visiting Auburn. And, to get some missing Dogs healthy and playing again. Bulldog softball has two series left to boost their NCAA Tournament hosting stock and an impressive record against ranked opponents.
The Diamond Dogs begin an April stretch with both the opportunity to make a SEC run and now the necessity as well. A string of close wins and losses to top opponents has Mississippi State in good position but needing a great surge now. The continued absence of ace Nate Dohm remains a close call but the bullpen has come up short in too many close losses. State is also getting guys on base for the best batters and not bringing enough of them home. The Georgia series has become a true pivot point for an entire season. Spring football is half-done with Jeff Lebby and staff working on the schemes installed the first weeks. But while the varsity has the on-field attention, Lebby is giving as much or more time to recruiting for the future with a steady stream of visitors coming to campus to watch what is taking shape.
Jeff Lebby's first spring session with Mississippi State is a week old with emphasis on a new offense. Bulldog attitudes are openly upbeat on both sides of the ball in early camp. Bulldog basketball's season ends again in a first-round NCAA game. Did Chris Jans' second year here fall short of expectation or did events keep the Bulldogs from playing to potential? The Diamond Dogs are getting closer to that potential after a 3-3 start to SEC season, taking two from LSU at home and splitting at Texas A&M in a pair of top-ten series.
There's no bubble trouble for Bulldog basketball now after a SEC Tournament win. Beating LSU likely locks Mississippi State into the NCAA Tournament come Sunday selections. All-SEC Dogs Josh Hubbard and Tolu Smith did not play well on offense but the team was too much for LSU to handle. Now a rematch with January victim and regular season champs Tennessee tips at noon Friday. Back in Starkville it's finally time for SEC baseball. The Diamond Dogs must revamp their rotation though for opening night as ace Nate Dohm is scratched and Evan Siary steps in. Whoever throws against the Tigers will need more consistent and just plain more runs from an inconsistent pre-SEC offense. Softball is off to a winning SEC start of their own and host Texas A&M in a top-twenty matchup at Nusz Park. And, by this time next week Coach Jeff Lebby will have held his first spring practices with Bulldog football.
It's a rare Sunday edition Dawghouse. The Diamond Dogs are on a five-win streak before leaving home at last for an intra-state rivalry game. Mississippi State weekend starting pitching is taking shape nicely. Midweek starting is still up for evaluation. A much improved defense is making a difference but the bats need to get both hot and consistent in time for SEC season. Bulldog basketball has dropped consecutive games to top-twenty teams yet is holding place in the NCAA's NET rankings. A road trip to Texas A&M and Senior Day rematch with South Carolina are opportunities to lock up a .500 SEC finish and 20-win overall record before tourney time. But the Lady Bulldogs, who snapped a skid Sunday, are flirting with that selection bubble as they ready for their SEC Tourney trip this week.
Mississippi State evened the season series and won for a fourth-straight game by beating rival Ole Miss. The Bulldogs are finally in plus-SEC territory and can strengthen their post-season position at LSU. Coach Chris Jans' team is also winning without needing great nights from a pair of stars. This bodes well for the intense end of the schedule and tourney time. The Lady Bulldogs were still on NCAA Tournament track after consecutive losses. Bulldog baseball lost a home set to Austin Peay and is 2-3 before hosting Georgia Southern. Pitching has had some issues in spots but is still the squad early strength, while the batting order has struggled to come up clutch and blow close games open.
Opening Day dawns for the 2024 Diamond Dogs. Mississippi State is unranked in all preseason polls and deserves the doubt Coach Chris Lemonis says. A deeper pitching staff has roles to settle in coming weekends. Injuries will adjust the early lineup at a couple of positions. A pair of Mississippi State alumni celebrate their third Super Bowl victory and another World Championship ring. Four current Dogs are invited to the NFL's Scouting Combine. Bulldog basketball has the first consecutive wins of SEC season and go for a third against Arkansas. NCAA Tournament status is still encouraging but lots of ball is yet to be played.
Second Signing season starts Wednesday with a light list for Mississippi State. Coach Jeff Lebby and staff have put effort into a head-start on 2025 and '26 football prospects. After a lost week on the road Bulldog basketball begins a must-win stretch. The #44 NET ranking is better than all five upcoming opponents. Bracketologists have the Bulldogs on or near their bubbles for the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs are in much stronger shape after a four-win streak, three victories in seven days. And Opening Day is ten days away for a new-look Diamond Dog team, lineup, and order.
A huge home win is followed by another road loss by Bulldog basketball. Adding freshman flash Josh Hubbard to the line up picks up the offensive pace. The defensive piece has been an unexpected puzzle for Chris Jans' second Mississippi State team. The Lady Bulldogs are still celebrating a top-ten win over defending champs LSU. But they must come down fast before visiting Kentucky this Thursday. The second signing period will add a few names to Jeff Lebby's first Bulldog football roster. And after one weekend a new Diamond Dog lineup and order may be taking shape.
After a loss at Florida, the basketball Bulldogs are falling behind the SEC curve. Mississippi State hosts an angry Auburn bunch before road games next week at Ole Miss and Alabama. Chris Jans' squad is getting production from starter Tolu Smith and substitute Josh Hubbard. Too much of the lineup is not pulling their scoring weight or now playing steady defense. The Lady Bulldogs got a good road win before coming home to host LSU next Monday. Their #32 NET ranking has Sam Purcell's team on the NCAA Tourney track so far. The official spring semester enrolled roster is out and most of Jeff Lebby's first signing class is already in class. This gives the new coach and club a faster start to rebuilding almost everything in spring ball.
UConn Coach Geno Auriemma had some things to say about the transfer portal and NIL impacts on his sport. Mississippi State guard and former Seton Hall star Lauren Park-Lane was the implied example. Bulldog coach Sam Purcell and Park-Lane talked about the comments and social media fuss today, before discussing Mississippi State's Thursday evening contest at home with Tennessee.
The winter freeze has hit Bulldog Country. But Mississippi State basketball stays heated up as the men maintain a strong NET ranking despite SEC losses. The Lady Bulldogs get a big rivalry win which became pretty heated at times, too. With the spring semester starting so has Diamond Dog practices, and opening day is exactly a month away now. And Coach Jeff Lebby continues recruiting with emphasis shifted to prep prospects for 2025. Lebby also is watching almost thirty new Bulldogs enrolling this week for the spring semester, and more to the point spring football.
The new year is one week old and a 2024 Bulldog football team is taking new shape. Coach Jeff Lebby is complementing his December signings with a fresh round of transfer commitments. Wide receivers are highlighting the transfer class. But it is on the lines of scrimmage Mississippi State needs more college muscle. Transfer visits continue ahead of the January 16 start to this spring semester. Both Bulldog basketball teams have struggled to start SEC season. The pressure is on both squads to get some league wins right now for later NCAA status. And Bulldog baseball practices are barely a week away.
Mississippi State takes a fast holiday break after a faster and fortunate recruiting campaign for Coach Jeff Lebby and his freshly-assembled staff. Signings are not over as the winter portal remains open and prospects are still holding offers. Bulldog basketball takes a big road win over a Big Ten team to build pre-SEC momentum. And, all our best wishes and heartfelt thanks for our listeners in Bulldog Country.
A month after Mississippi State dismissed one coach, the next one has kept a frantic pace. Jeff Lebby has assembled most of his coaching and support staff, the offensive side dominated by folk familiar with his way of doing things. Lebby has also had to divide his time and attention to recruiting ahead of December 20 signings day. The transfer portal contains a dozen now-former Dogs and just one commitment for State, but that pace should explode after a series of official visits. Basketball ends a two-loss streak with a big road win, and hosts a pair of games this week with Sunday's contest in Tupelo to fund name-image-likeness resources. And finally, looking back a year ago to this date and the still-stunning passing of Coach Mike Leach, with all that set in motion ever since.
Mississippi State ended a fast two-week coaching search with Jeff Lebby selected to take charge of Bulldog football. One of college football's bright offensive minds Lebby has put up points and won games at Baylor, Central Florida, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. Now he makes the move up to head coach for the first time, and takes over a program in need of stability after repeated changes at the top. Lebby's first orders of business are both getting a read on the 2024 Bulldog roster before the NCAA transfer portal opens; and putting together an assistant staff asap with December signing period coming up fast.
Mississippi State seeks the next football coach after dismissal of Zach Arnett after less than one full season. AD Zac Selmon made the in-season move ahead of the NCAA transfer portal opening and December signing days. Hot lists are bubbling but Selmon warns not to read into anything his thinking. Meanwhile the Bulldogs under interim coach Greg Knox host in-state opponent Southern Mississippi this Saturday morning. State can back-door into bowl eligibility on academic standing with a win this week or in the Battle for the Golden Egg.
Chris Jans' basketball Bulldogs are in Chicago for the Barstool Invitational. They take on Arizona State in a SEC-Pac12 matchup and do so without injured all-conference post Tolu Smith and suspended guard Shakeel Moore. The Lady Bulldogs have already played, and won, a game in renovated Humphrey Coliseum by whipping Alcorn State. Meanwhile the football Dogs try to end a two-loss skid but against a physical Texas A&M team and their energized fans. At 4-6 there are paths to bowl eligibility for Coach Zach Arnett but almost no margin remaining, with potential implications for first-year job security.
Mississippi State gets on the SEC scoreboard by beating Arkansas. A low-scoring battle favored the Bulldog defense which gained valuable confidence in the road win. The offense survived with a new starting quarterback, safe play calling, and just one touchdown in the 7-3 win. A win at Auburn would keep MSU momentum going as well as all but assure bowl eligibility again. Coordinators Kevin Barbay and Matt Brock provide their weekly comments.
After the one open date Mississippi State re-starts this 2023 season at Arkansas. The Bulldogs and Razorbacks are a combined 0-7 SEC so something has to give Saturday, with a 11:00am kickoff. Injury questions dominate Bulldog conversations. Quarterback Will Rogers' string of 38 consecutive starts is a question, and he is out Mike Wright steps in. Other Bulldogs of concern are lead running back Woody Marks, defensive end De'Monte Russell, placekicker Kyle Ferrie. Bulldog basketball is at SEC Media Days in Birmingham, while the Diamond Dogs are playing NCAA-allowed fall games off and on campus.
Mississippi State's one open date of 2023 is well-timed for both current Bulldogs visiting the training room to recover; and a coaching staff that is out on the recruiting road.
Bulldog football takes a break from SEC action to host Western Michigan. Coach Zach Arnett's team is bruised of body after three league losses. Who will see limited Saturday morning action or sit the game out entirely is a top topic. Arnett's priority is starter faster on offense, stronger on defense, and taking the first lead for a change. Coordinators Kevin Barbay and Matt Brock follow, then a press conference with basketball Coach Chris Jans as his Bulldogs are in week-two of preseason practicing.
Alabama week has come early for Mississippi State this year. The SEC's nearest neighbors kick off at 8:00 for the final league broadcast slot. The Bulldogs (2-2) have a pair of league losses already before taking on the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide. State's passing game took off last weekend with deep throws and big hits not seen in years. But the ground game was stuffed and turnovers gave South Carolina enough margin. The Bulldog defense has taken consecutive batterings and injuries are adding up on the front line. Alabama's mobile quarterback will be hard enough to contain before a porous secondary breaks down again. Coach Zach Arnett is pushing home fans to turn out for both game day on campus and game time in Davis Wade Stadium.
Mississippi State tries to recover from a beating by LSU with a first road trip of the season. The Bulldogs (2-1, 0-1 SEC) are at South Carolina (1-2, 0-1) with a 7:30 ET kickoff in Columbia. Coordinators Kevin Barbay and Matt Brock met with media after installation day practice.
The SEC Network's Game Day crew is on the Mississippi State campus for the opening league weekend. Roman Harper and Tim Tebow talk about the matchup with LSU, the Bulldog program, and Coach Zach Arnett.
Zach Arnett faces his first SEC challenge as Mississippi State head coach. The 2-0 Bulldogs open conference play hosting LSU (1-1) on Scott Field. The 11:00am central kickoff is not the fan-friendliest SEC scheduling but should impact the late-rising Tigers more, maybe? State should have won last year's match in Baton Rouge and can even the score Saturday.
Mississippi State goes from beating a FCS visitor last week to hosting Power 5 Arizona this Saturday. The Bulldogs were efficient in all areas beating Southeastern Louisiana. The Pac 12 Wildcats are a major step-up in competition. And offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay talks about the opening win and how his unit will attack this week.
The eight-month wait for Bulldog football is done. Mississippi State takes to Scott Field against Southeastern Louisiana. This is a veteran roster with an enthusiastic young head coach and aggressive coordinators both sides of the ball. Season ticket sales have set advance records and a lively crowd is expected on campus. The depth chart is headlined by familiar names but the backups include intriguing younger talents with several true freshmen. Team health seems good for opening day after a grueling training camp season.
After their second and final scrimmage of preseason Mississippi State coordinators Matt Brock and Kevin Barbay spoke about their squads' standing as the Bulldogs move into more mock game week routine.
The training camp portion of preseason is done. Mississippi State will scrimmage for a second and final time Saturday. Then comes an early start on game week as Coach Zach Arnett and staff shift the Bulldogs into a season-like routine. Some defensive position battles remain to be settled while the offense is taking shape about as expected.
With a couple of days to review results Coach Zach Arnett talked about Mississippi State's first scrimmage of preseason Monday. He also offered an overview where the Bulldogs stand as the fall semester is about to begin and training camp transition to the next stages.
Mississippi State moves into the next preseason practice phase after the first scrimmage session. Quarterback Will Rogers has some thoughts on the intrasquad action and where the Bulldogs are after a week-plus of work.
Coach Zach Arnett held his first preseason scrimmage Saturday with a closed session on the practice fields. The first-year head coach is using this intrasquad to judge progress in installation of schemes, as well as player position progress. But the real measure is how offense and defense both call plays, pick the players, and execute against each other. New coordinator Kevin Barbay also shares his ideas on offense.
Mississippi State has put in four practice days of preseason, the last two in pads. Full contact begins now as Coach Zach Arnett ramps up the intensity, and moves the Bulldogs to work on the South Farm field. Media has limited observation time but at the end of practices so there is more worth reporting now than previous camps. After opinions by the Dawghouse, Monday's interview with Arnett follows.
Mississippi State starts practicing for the 2023 season Friday morning. First-fall camp Coach Zach Arnett and coordinators will plug some summer pieces into their spring camp lineups. On offense the only serious questions come at the new tight end position. There are more and larger questions for a defense that brings back the core interior line and linebackers but must re-fill edge and outside spots with play makers. All three safety spots are, probably, up for August grabs. And Mississippi State will again rely on a transfer placekicker coming from the portal. Meanwhile Bulldog basketball rolled in the three games of their Portugal tour with a fine balance of offense and defense that bodes well for winter.
We wondered how low SEC media voting could go as far as Mississippi State's preseason predictions, and now we know. As low as it gets, with the Bulldogs forecast to finish seventh and last in the Western Division. Ignorance is no excuse for missing the mark in this year's balloting as the 2023 Bulldogs have enough strong points, and only a handful of weaknesses, to more than beat this year's press corps guesswork. Individual Dogs were also badly under represented and underrated on preseason all-conference teams, which again is nothing new but this year especially frustrating. At least real practicing for a real season is less than two weeks away for Zach Arnett's first Bulldog team.
Running backs are a rarity at this year's SEC Media Days but Mississippi State is sending one. Jo'quavious Marks will speak for Bulldog football, the first running back State has sent since 2011 and further proof that the 2023 offense is serious about the ground game. Quarterback Will Rogers and defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy join Marks and Coach Zach Arnett in Nashville next Tuesday. The Major League Baseball draft has cut into the Diamond Dog recruiting class just as expected, and taken two active players so far as well. Still Chris Lemonis' class has taken no surprise hits and even added another player to the 2024 roster this week.
After climbing into the top-twenty football recruiting rankings last week Mississippi State improved its place a couple of notches with more commitments. Coach Zach Arnett's so-far class has quantity with 15 commits but also has the quality with a dozen prospects ranked among the nation's top 900 players overall. Bulldog baseball got good news again from Dakota Jordan with his renewed declaration to return for the 2024 season. The outfielder is part of Team USA trials this week. The renovated Humphrey Coliseum will add a section of sideline student seating to bring more energy for Chris Jans' program.
Rising sophomore outfielder Dakota Jordan went in the NCAA transfer portal and quickly came back out, sticking with Mississippi State. This going-and-coming will be an ever-larger feature in off-seasons for college baseball, with coaches who survive the portal period immediately confronted by the Major League Draft in July. Chris Lemonis' hire of South Carolina pitching coach Justin Parker should stabilize the Diamond Dog mound crew for 2024. Meanwhile Coach Zach Arnett and football staff raked in some blue chips this month including three Tuesday alone. The so-far class of 13 commitments is spread around the roster and has enough ratings power that for the first day of summer at least Mississippi State is ranked #20 in the nation.
It's been a full month since the Diamond Dog season ended and Chris Lemonis' search for a 2024 pitching coach continues. A number of reported or at least reputed candidates have emerged and a top target has just visited campus. With the NCAA baseball transfer season going there's urgency to sealing a deal for Mississippi State. Meanwhile Coach Zach Arnett is scoring commitments with summer camps for his first full recruiting class. Arnett will be at SEC Media Days on July 18 and three un-named Dogs will go with him. The SEC grabbed 2023 headlines by announcing a 2024 one-time football schedule, how did Mississippi State come out?
With last week's delay in implementing a schedule system for at least another year, Mississippi State and SEC cousins will play a one-time slate in 2024. The eight league opponents will be revealed on June 14. Coach Zach Arnett is using summer camps to commit prospects for this year's recruiting class and offense is leading the list so far. Meanwhile a pitching coach hire is still pending as Chris Lemonis makes his best pick for Diamond Dog moundsmen.
Word from the SEC's spring meetings in Destin haven't cleared up the league's pending plans for future football scheduling. Not so far, that is. Mississippi State favors staying with eight SEC games in a new 1/7 rotation but a 3/6 system has gotten almost all the attention. But could the league throw everyone a real curve and delay deciding on a full system while playing a one-off sort of slate in 2024?
For a second season Bulldog baseball ends too soon. The SEC Tournament is again without the program which did more than any to make it an event years ago. Chris Lemonis will apparently be retained after two losing campaigns and says he has a young core to build around. But he has to bring in a load of immediate transfer talent if 2024 is to be a turnaround, most of all in the pitching staff where Lemonis is also seeking a coach. The transfer portal opens next Monday, a week after Lemonis has meetings with all current Bulldogs. Recruiting is good but in a transfer and NIL era nothing is certain about a roster any more.
Zach Arnett has spent much of May getting out and talking with Mississippi State football fans who are invested in this program. Arnett liked the consistent work ethic shown in his first spring camp but his 2023 team is far from a final product. So is the roster as Arnett and staff are still looking for a couple more summer signees in the transfer portal, while also keeping busy recruiting high schools and junior colleges.
Mississippi State was swept for another SEC series and has lost eight of the last nine league games. The remaining schedule will make it difficult at best for the Bulldogs to reach the SEC Tournament or even finish over break-even. Not only are the Bulldogs losing but looking bad doing so with fundamental mistakes and team tensions rising. New athletic director Zac Selmon finds himself facing an end of season decision to stay the current coaching course or make a change even as the NCAA transfer portal opens and the Major League draft looms.
A sweeping at Tennessee and some of the worst types of pitching records by a Mississippi State program forced Coach Chris Lemonis to let pitching coach Scott Foxhall go. The Bulldogs cling to 12th place SEC, the last spot which would make the league tournament. But Mississippi State's remaining three opponents have a far better SEC record than those of Missouri and Ole Miss which the Dogs barely lead today. Making an in-season move should allow Lemonis to name the next pitching coach before summer, and more to point before current Dogs and signees decide their own futures.
A pair of won weekends had Mississippi State back on SEC track. A series lost at Auburn sends the Diamond Dogs right back into a hole. State is 12th in the league standings, which is the last SEC Tournament slot. Holding just that will be difficult against a murderer's row schedule the next three weekends. Bulldog pitching was already struggling and injuries have made things worse for both the rotation and bullpen. The offense scored enough runs to win twice after being held to a single score on Friday, a reminder of club inconsistency. Tuesday's Governor's Cup game with Ole Miss won't count in the SEC standings but does matter for teams that just need wins right now.
Mississippi State's string of regular-season series wins over rival Ole Miss now stands at seven. The Diamond Dogs bounced back from a Friday loss to beat the Rebels twice to take the SEC series. State is now tied for 9th overall in the league standings. The Bulldogs did not hit well but got enough big blows at the big times, while pitching kept the Ole Miss offense just in check. Freshman Dakota Jordan is the weekend hero with his walk-off hit in Saturday's win and a three-run homer to set Sunday's tone. With the pitching staff getting healthy and State settling on an offensive-minded lineup, the second half of SEC season offers opportunity again.
Zach Arnett limited his second spring scrimmage for wet weather, but the forecast for this Saturday's Maroon-White game is for clear conditions and full contact. The ground game got the emphasis in scrimmage #2. Defense generally dominated the full-team action despite missing some front-line personnel. Coordinator Kevin Barbay's offense did flash the pass game but focused on running the ball on a wet field. Meanwhile taking two at Tuscaloosa may have salvaged Mississippi State's season if the Bulldogs can build on a first series win by taking care of Ole Miss in this weekend's hyper-intense rematch of rivals who own the last two NCAA Championships. SEC statistically, the matchup is just too close to call today, as is the shaky weather forecast for Super Weekend on the MSU campus.
The losing streak is over as the Diamond Dogs won a game from South Carolina. But the lost series streak continues as Mississippi State remains tied for last in the SEC and Western Division. Coach Chris Lemonis continues shuffling the weekend rotation as well as the defensive lineup, and now the batting order as well. Individual talent is not the problem, getting all the talent playing the same game is. Spring football is half-finished for Coach Zach Arnett, and in hoops All-SEC big man Tolu Smith has declared for the NBA Draft but left his college option open for one more season.
Mississippi State's 0-6 SEC start already has the team far behind the post-season eligibility curve. After consecutive sweepings by SEC East teams, here comes Division leader South Carolina for the next series. Bulldog offense remains competitive most games but pitching, both starting and rotation, continues to struggle as does the defense not backing them up. Coach Chris Lemonis and staff haven't hesitated to make moves in the order, the lineup, the rotation and relief staff in search of the best combinations. At some point the Bulldogs just have to play basic baseball basically and figure out how to win a SEC game. Spring football continues with full-contact work in effect and Coach Zach Arnett's competitive theme is win the day, which harks back five decades to another Mississippi State coach's mantra.
With basketball, men and women, done and turned to recruiting, all attention returns to a Diamond Dog team already in deep SEC trouble. A sweeping at Kentucky means Mississippi State must begin digging out on the home field against visiting Vanderbilt. The weekend rotation is changing for a fourth time as reliever Nate Dohm could come out of the pen again or grab a starting job as this series plays out. Bulldog pitching is struggling already and not helped by the league's lowest-rated defense. Coach Chris Lemonis has potent offensive pieces but changes to the lineup complicate an order. Spring football resumed on Tuesday and has three practices this week, with shortened media access.
SEC baseball season is here and Mississippi State opens with a first true road games of the schedule at Kentucky. The Bulldogs are hot with a seven-win streak but the Wildcats may be even hotter. Bulldog offense has been the strong point with consistent power, though strikeouts are up of late and walks are down. State's rotation will remain the same another weekend and try to give good innings before handing the ball to a bullpen that has been erratic all season and needs more reliable defensive support against SEC swingers. A turnaround season for Bulldog basketball ended on a missed tip attempt in the first NCAA Tournament round. But the first year for Coach Chris Jans is a success by any measure. This may be even more so for Coach Sam Purcell's Lady Bulldogs as they whipped Illinois in the NCAA play-in round and advance to the full field of 64 Friday.
Chris Jans' Bulldogs received the NCAA Tournament berth they deserved and face Pitt in Tuesday's play-in game of #11 seeds in Dayton. An overtime win over Florida in the SEC Tournament was enough for a return to the big dance for the first time since 2019. It looks like a winnable matchup for Mississippi State in Dayton, too. Maybe an even greater feat was scored by Sam Purcell's Lady Bulldogs by also earning a play-in round berth. A program that has been in flux and often chaos for three years came together for a well-won NCAA bid. Meanwhile Bulldog baseball battered Lipscomb with power and average, and got good enough starting pitching to score a much-needed sweep. But two games in Biloxi and a weekend trip to chilly Kentucky will be the real measure of how Chris Lemonis' club is gelling, and more to point pitching.
Mississippi State heads home from the SEC Tournament having done the necessary business of a 21st win to solidify NCAA Tournament selection. Center Tolu Smith is both All-SEC and the Mississippi collegiate Player of the Year. The Bulldogs will find out Sunday if they play the Tuesday pre-tourney round of 68, or advance directly to the field of 64. Spring football began for first-year Coach Zach Arnett and staff and while a new coaching regime always has a team working harder this Bulldog spring roster has some extra pep in their steps. Arnett and offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay have scripted a daily regimen that keeps everyone working and getting some sort of rep all the working day and without wasting time. It was just a two-day opening week and the Bulldogs won't practice again until March 21 after the spring break interruption.
After changing the starting rotation last weekend, Mississippi State is doing it again for the Frisco, Texas, showcase series, and for the Friday night lead Dog role no less. Pitching has thrown plenty of strikeouts but not enough total strikes on the early season. When they do, defensive lapses make it moot. But a new rotation should keep more batters off bases, and struggling Dog defenders are carrying more than their weight at the plate. The order is led by three first-year State players in average, power, and RBI. Meanwhile the 20-win basketball Bulldogs need to beat Vanderbilt to finish .500 SEC, which may be enough for a NCAA Tournament bid. But a loss Saturday evening would mean State goes back to Nashville next week needing some SEC Tournament wins, and from a low seeding position at that.
Sam Purcell is the first Lady Bulldog coach to score 20 wins in his debut season, and now the NCAA Tournament is in reach for his team as the regular schedule ends Sunday. Meanwhile Mississippi State has a quad one win opportunity with Texas A&M coming to Humphrey Coliseum. The 10th-place Bulldogs need at least two more SEC wins down the stretch to avoid a first-day game at the league tournament. Tolu Smith is carrying the club in the paint, now if Shakeel Moore and others put in some outside scoring State can get on the right side of that NCAA bubble. Smith is a finalist for and should come away with the Bailey Howell Trophy for best player in Mississippi this winter.
The bats were out in force for Mississippi State's opening weekend and portal players led the way with consistency, power, and even aggression on the basepaths. But free bases from pitching and defensive breakdowns kept the Diamond Dogs from sweeping the series, and raise questions for the lineup and rotation. Meanwhile an overtime win give Bulldog basketball a season sweep of Ole Miss and more to point keeps their path to the post-season open. But State needs to climb in the league standings in these final two weeks of the regular schedule for NCAA Tourney status and SEC seedings.
The 2023 Diamond Dog season is finally begun and opening weekend opened well with a win over VMI. Besides a few defensive lapses, Mississippi State was efficient at the plate and on the mound. Chris Lemonis put two of his transfers at the top of the order and both delivered, as did another in a relief pitching role to get the win. It's a transitional season as Lemonis and staff mix veterans, transfers, new faces and a talented redshirt or two. The basketball Bulldogs can't let a midweek home loss linger as they go to rival Ole Miss playing to sweep the season series and keep their NCAA Tournament hopes trending in the right direction. And, a spring football schedule is ready and waiting for Zach Arnett's first full season.
A four-win streak has Bulldog basketball moving closer to that NCAA Tournament bubble ahead of a trip to Arkansas and with Kentucky coming to campus Wednesday. Defense is Mississippi State's calling card but the offense has picked up its pace of late. First pitch for the Diamond Dogs is a week away as Chris Lemonis' fifth club plans a complete rebound from 2022 frustrations with a still-potent offense combining with a potential-loaded pitching staff. The football news is all about the future as Texas and Oklahoma come aboard in July 2024. The SEC meets in March with a new scheduling model and rotations to settle for a 16-team league. More SEC games means asking for more ESPN money now, while the Power 5 mandate game is up for re-discussion.
A working weekend Dawghouse focuses on the final support staff hires for Zach Arnett and how these latest additions reinforce a coaching team that will be aggressive in recruiting players for new coordinators to develop. Mississippi State's transfer portal recruiting has brought in seven new Bulldogs formerly from Power 5 programs, or nine if we include two MSU re-recruits. Bulldog basketball is already in must-win time as a #49 NET ranking keeps State in sniffing distance of the NCAA Tournament. And in two weeks the Diamond Dogs are hosting their opening 2023 series with so many unknowns at the plate and on the mound.
Mississippi State's Zach Arnett took time Monday for an interview in his new office, to talk about the still-in-progress transition from coordinator to head coach.
Frustrations for Bulldog basketball continue with another hard-played loss, this time at #2 Alabama. They host TCU this Saturday for the SEC-BigXII clash. Coach Zach Arnett has added impressive portal players to his quarterback and receiver rooms, and continues a Mississippi State trend of bringing in FBS and SEC transfers for 2023. The finalized football field and support staff is full-speed recruiting for 2024 as well. With prices for 2023 season tickets announced this week, thoughts turn to when will the SEC announce both the 2024 schedule as well as new rotations in a non-division format to fit in Texas and Oklahoma? And Bulldog baseball hosts media tomorrow to talk the upcoming season with first pitch now three weeks away.
Mississippi State has yet to announce all official hires, but head coach Zach Arnett has a full staff recruiting full-speed both during the just closed NCAA winter portal window and ahead of the May 1-15 period. Five transfers are part of the 15 new spring enrollees, all defensive backs or specialists. More offensive personnel can be sought for the May window. The revised staff is headlined by offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay who will adjust the system for a veteran lineup. A real emphasis on recruiting the state of Mississippi is obvious in both the on- and off-field staff.
Any notions news would slow down in Bulldog Country after the bowl victory last week is ended. Zach Arnett still has an assistant staff to complete with hires made, more to come, and even some rejections already. The additions of three Mississippi high school legends to the coaching and support staff will boost in-state recruiting. The '22 team ends its season ranked top-twenty in both polls as momentum for 2023 spring work. The NCAA's winter portal closes on January 18 with late-period moves to follow. Mississippi State has interviewed a final list of athletic director candidates and should name the new AD next week.
Mississippi State wraps up the 2022 season next Monday, but the Reliaquest Bowl is also the start of a new Bulldog football era as Zach Arnett makes his head coaching debut. The response from players interviewed in Tampa confirms, the promotion of defensive coordinator Arnett to head coach has re-energized the entire program. Meanwhile a new athletic director will be chosen in early January. And, on this New Year's Eve eve, our thanks for your participation in the Dawghouse Podcasts and best Bulldog wishes for the 2023 ahead.
Mississippi State said thank you and farewell to Mike Leach this week, while new head coach Zach Arnett completed an early recruiting class. It is a good class for any signing season but especially remarkable for this December's circumstances. Arnett's first press conference was to discuss signing day as well as his own promotion to head coach. Arnett will continue evaluating prospects for further signings to his first Bulldog roster. Reliaquest Bowl campus practices end Friday and resume in Tampa on Tuesday. After their first loss of the season Bulldog basketball is off until hosting Alabama next week to open SEC play.
The tragic and shocking passing of Mike Leach reverberates around Bulldog Country and all college football. His impact on the sport and college sports generally makes him a Hall of Famer by any measures. Now Mississippi State resumes Reliaquest Bowl practices with defensive coordinator Zach Arnett's promotion to head coach. This was no hasty act, State regarded Arnett highly enough to give an unprecedented contract last summer. He takes over a SEC program and days ahead of December 21 signings for a class critical to Mississippi State future. The athletic director search has been delayed into January with finalists interviews rescheduled.
Transfer madness hit Mississippi State as the NCAA's winter portal period began. So far just three Bulldog starters have announced they intend to transfer and eight total players, which is well-down the SEC list today. Bulldog bowl camp opens Saturday while Mike Leach and staff are also heading towards the December 21 signing date for high school, junior college, and FBS transfer players. Athletic director candidates will be trimmed to a trio for interviews in coming days as the search stays on schedule. Unbeaten Bulldog basketball is at Minnesota tomorrow for the toughest pre-SEC test, and a Wednesday evening trip to Jackson merits a big turnout of fans for Chris Jans' first-year program.
Victory in the Battle for the Golden Egg has pushed Mississippi State into the College Football Playoff rankings at #24. The Bulldogs played an imperfect game but still beat arch-rival Ole Miss on the Rebels' home field and at their own running game too. The Dog defense was excellent all evening with clutch plays including the knocked down two-point pass to preserve the 24-22 final margin. Will Rogers struggled in stretches but made three key drives for touchdowns and checked the air raid offense into the ground game in the decisive period. State will be bowling in Florida this year but where? If conference title games go as expected the Bulldogs are battling South Carolina for either the Tampa or Jacksonville bowls, and a chance to probably play biggest name of all Notre Dame for the first time ever.
It's the week football fans in Mississippi most love and hate as Mississippi State takes on Ole Miss. Both teams are bowl-bound, this game will determine which has the better post-season opportunity. Has familiarity among players as well as short-term transfers taken some of the rivalry edge from players? Wet weather is expected in Oxford right around 6:00 kickoff time. How will field conditions affect the completely differing offenses? Mike Leach's air raid isn't supposed to be weather-sensitive, while the Rebel ground game is good on any surface. Some star underclassmen will play their final regular season college game Thursday including State record-setting cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.
Mississippi State hosts East Tennessee State for 2022 Senior Day. The bowl-eligible Bulldogs should add a seventh win to raise post-season status. This game's goals are tune up what State is doing well in the late season while fixing some issues with the offense in general ahead of the Egg Bowl. This sets up as opportunity to work on the stalled run game, then start mixing in backups and reserves for some November snaps in case of bowl season need. State welcomes the 11:00am kickoff slot as it allows the Bulldogs to get in from the expected cold conditions early and start the short practice week ahead of Thanksgiving Night's game in Oxford.
Mississippi State won bowl eligibility last week by surviving an overtime scare from Auburn. The Bulldogs blew an intermission lead with a soft second half on both sides of the ball. They got it together to force overtime and survive but came away with renewed questions about team maturity and mindset. State now hosts a top-ranked Georgia team headed back to the College Football Playoff. The athletic director search will move into a fresh phase next week as candidates are finalized and distance interviews done before finalists are chosen. Bulldog soccer is hosting NCAA Tournament play for the first time Friday, and both basketball teams opened up in a Humphrey Coliseum under renovation.
Behind the scenes Mississippi State looks for the next athletic director. On Scott Field the Bulldogs are hosting Auburn this Saturday evening. The visiting Tigers suddenly have a mystery aspect with an interim coach and play callers. Mike Leach's team is coming off an open date which should have the offensive line back to strength while the backfield is uncertain. Quarterback Will Rogers will hand off to someone but also continue his assault on SEC passing records. Last year he threw for a MSU-record six touchdowns in a comeback win at Auburn. The Bulldog defense should keep the ball out of Tank Bigsby's hands and make young Tiger quarterback quarterback make pressured decisions. With a win Mississippi State will be bowl eligible.
A frantic weekend finds Mississippi State starting November in need of the next athletic director. John Cohen leaves his alma mater where he played and coached before six years as AD for the same post at SEC rival Auburn. An initial list of potential candidates was published Monday and more names will be added in coming days as University president Dr. Mark Keenum and staff seek the next Bulldog sports boss. Will the data-driven and analytical Cohen be a good fit with Auburn's passionate fan base? And what new AD will understand the unique challenges Mississippi State faces playing in the land's toughest all-sports conference?
The lone open date of this 2022 season is an important one for this Bulldog season as well as the future. Coach Mike Leach's staff is taking advantage of recruiting opportunities while also working the varsity in a limited practice schedule. After consecutive losses the Bulldogs are 5-3 and out of the rankings. Now they have four games to determine their bowl status for winter, beginning with a struggling Auburn team. The November 5 matchup is first in a three-game homestand for Mississippi State. But there is much to do about an offense which has gone cold their last two contests, and some injured Dogs who missed the Alabama trip need to return asap.
Mississippi State's three-win streak ended in an unfocused evening at Kentucky. The Bulldogs lost as favorites and gave away priceless bowl status in the process. State's defense was beaten all over the field without the big plays of previous wins. The offense lost focus early and did not recover. Now 5-2 and 2-2 SEC, an even tougher matchup awaits. Alabama is not just upset but angry after a tight loss to Tennessee. The Crimson Tide has no margin left in the SEC West or in College Football Playoff terms. The Bulldog program is also suddenly shaken by the Wednesday death of offensive lineman Sam Westmoreland, who would have turned 19 Friday.
Three home wins with SEC West victories have pushed Mississippi State up the top-twenty rankings and over .500 in league play. But the Bulldogs are headed to #23 Kentucky where State has not won since Dak Prescott was quarterbacking. SEC-leading passer Will Rogers directs this Dog offense while Kentucky's pro prospect Will Levis is coming off a foot injury. A better ground game is making Mike Leach's air raid more potent, and State is one of the nation's best in both red zone scoring and fourth down conversions. Another matchup to watch is the gambling Dog defense going after the Wildcat offensive front. Both teams are dealing with kicking game issues.
After whipping one SEC West rival Mississippi State tries to take down another Division victim as Arkansas comes to campus. The Bulldogs are ranked #23 in both polls after an all-three phases win over Texas A&M. It is a team game and that was the kind of team effort State is capable of when the defense makes stops, the offense puts up points, and special teams make special plays. Confidence is peaking but Arkansas is a dangerous guest even after consecutive SEC losses. State's defense doesn't know which quarterback to prepare for this week and the Razorbacks have nothing to lose now. A good crowd is expected but ticket are still available and State is asking everyone to come to campus for the 11:00am central kickoff.
It's back to SEC competition for Mississippi State as the Bulldogs host Texas A&M in an all-Maroon and White matchup on Scott Field. Mario Haggan and David Murray look at State's bounce-back win over Bowling Green before focusing on a battle with the Aggies. The visiting team is powered by their run game with Devon Achane hauling the ball and former LSU quarterback Max Johnson throwing long, so coverage and tackling are MSU priorities. On the other side Bulldog quarterback Will Rogers, the league's passing leader, faces a stout Texas A&M defensive secondary. State won last year in College Station and tries for a repeat with Mike Leach, who is 8-4 all time against Aggie teams.
The Bulldogs had a SEC road victory on their paws at LSU, only to give it away. Mississippi State got a rude reality check after two easy non-conference wins, so for this third out-of-league contest against Bowling Green there can't be any loss of focus. No, not even with a grueling SEC stretch ahead and against a pair of West peers who happen to play this weekend. Mario wants the defense to fix some issues in keeping quarterbacks contained and for the offense to find that go-to receiver rather than just spread the ball around. Murray says league-leading passer Will Rogers needs to regain the sharpness of reads and throws shown in the first two wins. And, that special teams need to be special and not give away points.
Mario Haggan and David Murray talk Mississippi State football as the 2-0 Bulldogs open their SEC season at LSU. Haggan played twice in Tiger Stadium himself and has his own perspective on game day on this SEC campus. The 2022 Bulldogs beat Memphis and Arizona handily but are still not any polished product going into conference play. The Bulldog defense must chase a play-making Tiger quarterback while LSU's own defensive front will come after league-leading passer Will Rogers. Can a developing run game be a key to balancing State's attack in Tiger Town?
After opening the 2022 season with a mostly efficient 49-23 home win over Memphis, the Mississippi State Bulldogs both are on the road this week and taking on a Power 5 conference peer at Arizona. The 9:00pm kickoff should cool the desert conditions but it is still a physical adjustment as former SEC and NFL linebacker Mario Haggan explains.
The Dawghouse podcast welcomes a new voice and familiar face to Mississippi State football fans. All-American Bulldog and long-time NFL linebacker Mario Haggan joins us to talk opening day for the 2022 Mississippi State team.
The college football season kicked off Saturday and Mississippi State joins the action next weekend by hosting Memphis. There are lingering questions after a closed week of training camp about a few positions and some injuries to update. Mike Leach's first season press conference is Monday with full coverage on GenesPage.com. After preseason observation, the Dawghouse prediction is a 8-4 final record with a sweep of non-conference games and split of SEC contests. Here's who those projected eight wins are, and why.
The second and last scrimmage of preseason was a much better day for Mississippi State's offense as Mike Leach's team wraps up training camp. Lightning cut Saturday's intrasquad session short but not before Fan Fest guests saw more touchdowns, more first downs, and big plays on both sides of the ball. A scattering of injuries have not impacted practices other than to further develop depth in those positions. On offense right guard is the only lingering question mark for opening day lineup. The defense is not just better than expected in spring but deeper as well. And placekicking bounced back for a better scrimmage showing. Practices are now closed the rest of the way to opening day.
The season is three weekends away so until we have real games here is a Sunday over-reaction to Mississippi State's first preseason scrimmage. It was a tough day for the Bulldog offense, a very strong showing by the defense, and a frustrating afternoon for kickers. Mike Leach and staff move into the next phase of camp with a Sunday evening practice to go over results or lack thereof from the scrimmage.
Mississippi State opened 2022 preseason practicing with two days in typical brutal Southern heat and a third indoors for a lightning threat. All work so far is no-hitting though pads went on Sunday. Limited contact has favored the offense with the defense looking to Wednesday and the start of full-hitting. Quarterback is a clear 1-2 situation with Will Rogers in charge of the offense. Running backs are doing more catching than carrying as usual for camp, but a bigger and better receiver roster is expanding the passing plays. Left tackle remains the largest offensive question. The defensive line looks stronger than in spring and with some intriguing new twists for players and plays along with versatile linebacker packages. Only real contact will tell a real story but the three-day takeaway is so far, so good.
Preseason practicing begins Friday for Mississippi State. Training camp is no longer about getting up to football speed thanks to summer workouts. The Bulldogs will show up ready to practice and our Gene's Page staff will show up to report on it all, with a week-one schedule due out shortly. Before the Bulldog varsity gets busy the coaching staff has stayed busy with end-of-summer prospect camps. This has already produced a fresh round of commitments with now a running total of 13 announced for December signing. The challenge though for coaches and commitments is just how committed all parties are in this new era of free transfers and portal recruiting.
Mike Leach wasted no opening statement time at SEC Media Days. Instead he and three Bulldog players made their cases for Mississippi State's 2022 season. Even if league media voted State sixth in the Western Division confidence inside the program is for much better results. Besides, this voting is suspect if only because of first-place support for anyone other than Alabama and Georgia. Change the name and a team of Mississippi State's 2022 qualifications would be picked mid-pack in the country's toughest Division. Also, Name-Image-Likeness is the true topic of the hour. I interview Charlie Winfield of the Bulldog Initiative for a two-part piece on Genespage.com.
The NCAA's recruiting calendar shows this is a dead period for college football. But when it ends July 24 campuses such as Mississippi State will be busy hosting a final round of summer prospect camps. Bulldog football has eight commitments, one-third of a standard class, and expects more to come out of Top Dog Camp. But what was once a meet-and-greet, fun-and-games event for high school players is serious business now. The transfer portal and available college players have cut into scholarships for prep prospects. So making a bigger and better impression at campus camps is important to many a high schooler wanting to sign with his preferred program.
SEC Media Days return to Atlanta for a second appearance at the College Football Hall of Fame. Mississippi State is assigned a July 19 morning slot for Mike Leach and three Bulldogs of his choosing. Their names haven't been made public yet so for slow summer speculation here are educated guesses on the lineup and why, as well as why-not others.
The Southeastern Conference made its game-changing moves last summer adding Texas and Oklahoma. Now the Big Ten has answered by picking off Southern Cal and UCLA. Mega-conferences are taking complete charge of the future of college football and other leagues are scrambling to respond. Mississippi State's own future will be determined by the size of the eventual super-conference which will assume most of the old NCAA's responsibilities.
The 2022 national championship went to a rival, but Mississippi State baseball fans should not be shaken. Their program, the '21 champions, remain the standard of the state for the long haul with work on upcoming seasons already underway. So, as the late great Douglas Adams wrote...Don't Panic.
Fall practice is more than a month away but even in a slow summer season there's plenty of Bulldog football to talk about. Mike Leach and three still-to-be named Bulldogs will appear July 19th at SEC Media Days. A practice schedule has yet to be released. Last year began later than usual, August 11, but is a shorter camp really a problem for players? Mississippi State's staff has eight commitments for the 2023 football roster already. How does this new name-image-likeness era impact commitments though, either the school or prospects? And as he retires from the site which bears his name, a big Bulldog thanks to Gene Swindoll for starting something that has grown into the unofficial voice of Mississippi State sports.
Action is heating up all the more as summer approaches and the NCAA transfer portal for spring 2023 closes July 1. Mississippi State is actively, make that aggressively pursuing more available college players ahead of the looming deadline to go with those already committed or signed. The trick for Chris Lemonis is figuring how many more because the draft isn’t until July 17 and several current Dogs won’t decide their plans until after selection. Or not. Omaha is underway and we aren’t there but portal recruiting is key to getting back in the greatest show on dirt. So it is also for football. Mike Leach is looking for portal additions who can play in 2023 but more immediately is hosting prospects on June weekends. Offers are flying fast from the football office and commitments are coming in too.
While Bulldog baseball fans have to settle for watching 16 other teams play this super regional weekend, Mississippi State keeps working the transfer portal to rebuild the 2023 roster. Four transfers are in the fold already. At same time the Major League Draft looms mid-July, three weeks after the portal closes. Some key State signees are trending towards college careers, a couple seem certain to turn professional. Back on campus Top Dawg camp is underway as Mike Leach and staff get in-person and on-Scott Field looks at preferred prospects. Leach will be out on the Road Dawg Tour three days next week and a month later joins Alabama for a July 19 SEC Media Day session we will cover in-person.
The NCAA Tournament begins Friday and Mississippi State isn't in the 64 team field. So the reigning National Champions can't defend their 2021 title. Bulldog fans can still savor the memories of last summer while Coach Chris Lemonis rebuilds a roster for 2023 by hitting the NCAA transfer portal hard. A retrospective on the '21 Champions airs June 14 on ESPN. Meanwhile Mississippi State football is keeping an ear cocked for word from the SEC spring meetings about future scheduling. Among so many topics for debate, the call to stay at eight league games or add a ninth is of most interest to fans and concern to schools who count on bowl games and bowl revenues.
With the 2022 Bulldog baseball season barely over work on the '23 team was accelerating. Recruiting more signees for next year to go with fall recruits and commitments is the focus now. But Coach Chris Lemonis can't know for certain how many roster spots are available as current players consider leaving or returning and the mid-July MLB Draft looms also. Still Mississippi State is going to the transfer portal for more immediate help next season while also cultivating prep and juco prospects for the future. It's complicated by the calendar but the pressure to bring Bulldog baseball back to expected excellence is all the greater after a lost season.
Mississippi State's path to the SEC Tournament is narrow indeed. The Bulldogs must win at least twice against SEC Champions Tennessee on Dudy Noble Field this weekend. But they also need help elsewhere, with Kentucky or Alabama losing two more times than State does; and Missouri losing at least once. This is the price of inconsistent offense relying too much on power, of slow starting pitching and unreliable relief work. State will stick with the same all-right-handed rotation one last weekend. Tennessee is playing for the #1 overall NCAA seeding. Bulldog RJ Yeager is a finalist for the Boo Ferriss Trophy given to the state of Mississippi's top college ballplayer.
Mississippi State's fragile grip on the last berth in the SEC Tournament slipped at last. The Bulldogs were swept at Texas A&M and now are 13th overall in the league, one spot out of the 12-team conference tourney field. State can still sneak into Hoover but need to beat #1-ranked Tennessee and have either Kentucky or Alabama, or both, get swept in their final series. Bullpen breakdowns and lack of timely hitting are the obvious issues. But starting pitching has not begun games well either and too many home runs have been solo shots. State is also staring at a losing record for the first time since 2015.
Mississippi State is at Texas A&M for a series that may well settle the Bulldogs' 2022 fate. State is tied for the last available berth in the SEC Tournament with six league games left. The tiebreaks which favor State today will change by next weekend. State can only control any fate by winning against the Aggies and next weekend the top-ranked Tennessee Vols. An offense relying on power has been unplugged in recent games. A slow-starting rotation is giving away early leads while a battered bullpen can't hold up in late games.
Mississippi State's must-win series with Florida was not just a loss but a sweep. The Bulldogs now are tied for the last SEC Tournament berth. The tiebreak would favor MSU today but will tilt to Kentucky in two weeks. A number of NCAA Champions have failed to make the national tournament the next season, but missing their conference tournament is unthinkable. State has out-hit six of the eight series opponents but lost five of them. Clutch hitting is at fault more than a shaky pitching staff which got three respectable starts.
Mississippi State hosts Florida in a crucial SEC weekend for both ball clubs. Winning this series won't lock up a SEC Tournament berth for either. But a lost weekend can put that team close to elimination from the entire post-season. Both teams began the season in the top-ten of all polls, now neither is ranked at all. Mississippi State shows significant statistical advantages in almost all offensive categories for SEC play only. The pitching stats are close enough to each other save for State's edge in strikeouts thrown. But Florida is not a strikeout order. The key to State coming out ahead is getting runs early and often so a thin pitching staff can work more innings without tight-game stresses.
Mississippi State lost a must-win and even must-sweep series at Missouri, yet somehow improved the SEC standings with three weekends left. But the NCAA's updated RPI finds the Bulldogs eleven spots lower and that much farther from Tournament selection. The remaining SEC slate does provide RPI opportunities only if the Bulldogs can win at least five of the nine games.
Charles Cross made more Mississippi State history as a first-round NFL Draft selection, highest by a Mississippi State player in four decades. An All-SEC tackle and three-season Bulldog, Cross turns 22 in November so his best years are ahead. Mike Leach and staff members attended the Las Vegas Draft event where Leach saw his fourth career first-round draft player. Bulldog baseball is on the road needing not just to beat Missouri but score a sweep to get over .500 SEC and keep improving the NCAA ratings. Coach Chris Lemonis will ride the same all-righthander rotation. Bulldog batters maintain a program record home run pace but need more clutch RBI hits to take this weekend.
Mississippi State won a tight three-game series at Ole Miss to improve both the SEC Tournament standings and NCAA Tournament chances. Bulldog teams have won the last six series in this rivalry. State used muscle to knock out the home-team Rebels, a marked role-reversal for both programs. State is 9th now in the SEC standings with a two-game margin over teams tied for 10th place. The Bulldogs still need more wins of any sort to improve their national RPI. Spring football concludes Tuesday for Mike Leach's 2022 team with their 15th practice.
Mississippi State plays at Ole Miss. The weekend’s winner gains mid-SEC season momentum, the loser falls farther off post-season pace. The remaining schedules are just about equal which makes this weekend mean more. Mississippi State has owned the series since 2016, a streak the Rebels will give anything to end on their field. On the football field Mike Leach is making up for a washed-out spring game with a pair of scrimmage-type practice this week and another session moved to next Tuesday. Athletic director John Cohen talks about additions and renovations to Davis Wade Stadium and why an indoor practice facility will wait.
A holiday weekend was good not great for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs took two but were short of sweeping Auburn. They are tied for 9th in the SEC as the league’s season second half begins with post-season status very much in question. State is at rival Ole Miss this weekend. Sustained success is what the Bulldogs need now to improve in the standings and raise their NCAA ratings. Football’s spring game was washed out so Mike Leach will hold a public scrimmage this Saturday to end camp.
A home-field sweeping leaves Mississippi State well off the SEC pace and nearing triple-digits in Monday’s updated NCAA RPI. The Bulldogs stay home for four games this week, and must start stacking up wins quickly to secure a SEC Tournament spot and improve NCAA Tournament hopes. Bullpen issues cost the Dogs one win but the larger problem is no production at the plate in RBI situations. Spring football peaks this week with two more practices ahead of Saturday’s morning spring game, more a scrimmage given the state of State’s roster. The quarterback battle has reliable Will Rogers leading athletic Sawyer Robertson.
Hitting home runs is fun but Mississippi State needs more balance in the Bulldog offense to take care of visiting LSU in this weekend's SEC West rivalry series.
Mississippi State hosts LSU during a crucial nine-game home stand for Bulldog baseball and their NCAA Tournament goals. State has improved its NCAA RPI greatly in two weeks but still is far from assured of post-season status. Coach Chris Lemonis is considering revising his starting rotation for this weekend but seems more likely to make these moves for the Auburn series. The all-righthander starting trio struggled at Arkansas and must regain location and control against one of the SEC’s best offenses. Bullpen roles are becoming clearer as more middle relievers get more innings, while the late-game pressures fall to a pair of pitchers. Spring football is into the meat of camp contact work and Mike Leach will talk about it following Saturday’s practice.
Salvaging a split at Arkansas was the bare Bulldog minimum for one weekend. But if they can turn a gritty Sunday victory into something bigger Mississippi State has nine home games to transform this 2022 season.
Mississippi State begins a new month and an extended stretch of SEC West weekends with a trip to Arkansas. Cold conditions are expected in Fayetteville but the Diamond Dogs are feeling some heat to steal a win or two, and end Arkansas’ streak of sweeps at State expense. The Bulldogs also badly need to improve their RPI which has been in uncomfortable triple-digits for weeks. It is a different Razorback team in several ways, particularly on offense where many numbers favor Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have dialed up their power lately and are on nearly a record pace slugging the ball, but Coach Chris Lemonis wants more consistency through the order with hits, runs, and RBI from everyone. Arkansas brings superior pitching to this matchup yet State has enough talented arms to keep up the strikeout pace. Meanwhile spring football concludes a second week with a Saturday practice.
Mississippi State took its must-win series with Alabama and evened the SEC record after two weekends. The Bulldogs got their wins the hardest ways, with 11 of the 15 total runs scored in the seventh innings or after. The weekend still left an incomplete feeling with a Sunday loss preventing a sweep which would have built momentum going into April and four SEC West rivalry series. Starting pitching was good, not great as defined by Coach Greg Lemonis. Bullpen issues continue even in wins as State rides the best available arms and works for matchups. The offense is either hot and powerful, with 20 home runs in a seven-game stretch; or cold, really cold with a sub-.200 average in losses. Meanwhile with two practices in the books Coach Mike Leach puts the Bulldogs to work Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday this week.
Bulldog baseball is in town for a SEC weekend and hosting Alabama in a series which both clubs need to win. Mississippi State is looking to at least square the SEC record and maybe more. Bulldog batters have been flashing fresh power in the last two weeks and are third in SEC home runs. Maybe as importantly the Dogs are hitting doubles and driving in runs that were missing for weeks. A batting order is taking clearer shape with Jess Davis leading off ahead of Kamren James, setting up middle-men for RBI opportunities. Pitching struggled with ERA at Georgia and the same three starters must limit early damage while the offense hopefully builds margin for a still-shaky bullpen. On the football field Leach's immediate spring priorities are improving a secondary that struggled last fall, particularly at safety; and rebuilding the blocking. If a pair of still-developing tackles can take care of their ends the offensive line can inspire some confidence. All jobs are officially open, even quarterback where two-year starter Will Rogers will get pushed by redshirts Sawyer Robertson and Daniel Greek.
Mississippi State dropped a SEC season-opening series at Georgia and will likely drop from the top-25 rankings as well. The number which matters more is the NCAA's updated RPI, which can only go up from last week's debut at #178. At this point all that really counts is wins and after dropping a pair to a veteran Georgia team the Diamond Dogs need to at least take this weekend's series with Alabama and preferably score a sweep. A lineup and batting order do seem to be taking shape just as starting pitching struggled all weekend and the bullpen more so. Meanwhile Bulldog basketball has a new boss. Three days after Ben Howland was dismissed, Chris Jans was hired from New Mexico State to build on Howland's work and return Mississippi State to the NCAA Tournament. And, once back there to win games.
SEC baseball season is underway and Mississippi State steps to the plate this evening at Georgia. Bulldog baseball has been an early-season mystery as offensive and pitching statistics don't exactly square-up. This reflects an ongoing search for the best batting order while injuries have forced revisions to both starting pitching and relief roles. State is #178 in the NCAA's ratings index and needs to open SEC season strong for eventual post-season position. Bulldog basketball is now in the public phase of the search to replace dismissed Coach Ben Howland. The job is far more attractive today than when Howland arrived and the leading candidates have been busy with NCAA Tournament action.
A tough loss at Virginia ended Mississippi State's 2021-22 basketball season, in a manner Coach Ben Howland said epitomized the whole campaign. Now Bulldog basketball will wait on the expected news that Howland's own time as head coach has ended after seven seasons. He inherited a complete rebuilding job and did so over time, yet in the process raised expectations for the program his teams could not quite meet with just one NCAA Tournament appearance. Howland led the program with dignity and deserves thanks for a tough job done well, but it will be a new coach taking State to that next level. An announcement is needed soon, too, as current players and signees weigh their own futures with the program.
Mississippi State earned a much-needed sweep of visiting Princeton to build some momentum going into SEC baseball season, which opens this weekend at Georgia. Coach Chris Lemonis expects some updates on the health of three pitchers today. Another revised Bulldog batting order forces changes to the defensive lineup as Mississippi State seeks offense above all. A rotation seems taking shape for the Georgia trip. Meanwhile Bulldog basketball will end this season and Ben Howland's tenure in the National Invitation Tournament, beginning at Virginia. A Sunday report of a firing is premature but the change will be coming as the season ends. And, as serious work on renovating Humphrey Coliseum begins.
As Mississippi State breaks for spring, there's no break for Bulldog teams. The basketball Dogs whip South Carolina to earn a quarterfinals matchup with Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. Barring an unlikely run to the tourney title there is no NCAA option, though the NIT is still out there. Either way Ben Howland's seven-season tenure will end with this campaign. Bulldog baseball brings a most unfamiliar .500 record into the final pre-conference season weekend and needs to not just win three games from winless Princeton but do so in momentum-building style. The rotation is short a starter with Landon Sims out and likely done. So State not only has to rebuild the rotation but work on bullpen roles which haven't borne results often enough. What fans should watch closely today is the lineup and more to point batting order as Bulldog offense is near-last in most SEC categories.
It's still early but a 6-6 start with some bad losses and no true quality wins already has Mississippi State baseball in a pre-SEC season hole. Concerns for the team pause Monday while awaiting results of a MRI on ace pitcher Landon Sims' arm. The Bulldogs have to decide starters for key midweek games with Texas Tech and if Sims is not available still find a rotation for the weekend series with Princeton. Bullpen breakdowns have kept State from finishing off wins, but equally an offense not maximizing scoring situations has put more burden on the relief staff. Bulldog basketball prepares for the SEC Tournament in Tampa which appears to be the last act of Ben Howland as Mississippi State coach.
Mississippi State played the first rubber game of this 2022 baseball season which they did not expect against visiting Northern Kentucky. Chris Lemonis again juggled his batting order and this time also changed the defensive lineup. After missing too many fastballs the first weekend the Diamond Dogs teed off on fat pithes for Saturday and Sunday home runs. Lemonis still says he's trying to figure out this team and with a road trip to Pearl against Southern Mississippi; then a weekend series at Tulane time is getting tighter.
Both Bulldog basketball and the Diamond Dogs were coming off awkward defeats, and both bounced back Saturday for necessary victories. Mississippi State baseball smacked three home runs in a 10-1 rout of Northern Kentucky to even the series ahead of Sunday's rubber game with Coach Chris Lemonis revising his batting order again. Preston Johnson made a case to stay in the rotation with his Saturday start and the bullpen looks ready for game-three. Meanwhile Ben Howland's basketball Dogs beat-up Vanderbilt in the paint for a 74-69 win that keeps some breath of post-season hope going at Mississippi State, but it's a faint hope still with two regular season games left.
Mississippi State's midweek loss at South Carolina means the Bulldogs must win two of the remaining SEC games to break-even in league play. The 20-win benchmark will require success at the SEC Tournament, too, which is weighing heavily now into Ben Howland's future with the program. It's assumed if there is no NCAA Tournament bid then year-seven is his last in Starkville, which already is sparking hot board talk on Genespage.com about replacements. At the end, we talk briefly about Bulldog baseball, their weekend series, and potential weather changes.
Bulldog baseball draws all-time opening weekend crowds but begin 2022 with a lost series to Long Beach State. Offensive struggles have Coach Chris Lemonis shuffling his orders already, while a pair of strong arms already look like aces after one outing. Weather threatens the mid-week home game. On the basketball court Mississippi State beats Missouri twice in three days to even the SEC record and get back in the post-season conversation.
Bulldog basketball will start late Friday. Mississippi State opened the 2022 season and defense of their national championship with a 3-0 loss to Long Beach State. Ace closer Landon Sims now looks like an ace starter after his 13-strikeout debut in the Bulldog rotation. An opening-day record crowd of 10,223 packed the house to see this season start.
The weather is turning ahead of Opening Day for Mississippi State baseball, but it's already stormy inside Humphrey Coliseum for Bulldog basketball as Coach Ben Howland's future is an open question.
Baseball season opens while basketball season tries to avoid an early ending in an intense week for Mississippi State sports.