Mississippi State football season will be back before we know it. Between award watch lists coming out and SEC Media Days, here are today’s latest news and notes.
The latest notes on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
NOTES:
Nick Fitzgerald named to Maxwell Award Watch List.
Mississippi State is entering season two with Nick Fitzgerald leading the offense. After finally winning the quarterback battle over the older Damian Williams, Nick Fitzgerald took control of Mississippi State’s offense. Despite the season’s ups and downs, Fitz showcased just how deadly he can be in Dan Mullen’s offense. Today, his talent was recognized as he was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.
https://twitter.com/HailStateFB/status/884412467207655425
13 of the 14 SEC programs had a player named to the watch list. The one that didn’t? Tennessee.
SI’s Andy Staples writes great piece on Fitzgerald.
The Nick Fitzgerald to Mississippi State thing almost didn’t happen. Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples writes an excellent piece on how Fitz ended up in Starkville and the comparisons to Dak Prescott. Definitely worth your time to check out.
"Mullen’s memory isn’t entirely perfect. The Bulldogs also bested Middle Tennessee.Why didn’t every FBS coach—in an age when dual-threat quarterbacks are coveted above all others—want a 6′ 5″, 230-pound quarterback with a huge arm and receiver speed? They lacked faith. “They can see he’s got a big arm, but he’s still raw as a passer. A lot of guys say ‘I don’t know if I want to take a chance on him,’” said Fitzgerald’s father, Derrick, who notes that coaches from 32 Division I schools came to watch Nick during spring practice at Richmond Hill (Ga.) High in 2013. “A lot of assistant coaches would say, ‘He looks good, but I’m not going to fall on my sword and say we’ve got to have him.’”"
Dez Harris’ long journey sees him representing Mississippi State at SEC Media Days.
Three ACL tears. Constant rehabbing. That has been Harris’ life on the football field. The quarterback-turned-linebacker has seen his fair share of devastating moments on the football field. All of his pasts experiences lead him to this fall. The Clarion-Ledger’s Will Sammon with a great story on Mississippi State’s linebacker:
"Delaina Wilson attended every Mississippi State game in 2016 except for the visit to BYU in October, but she never watched any of the live action when the Bulldogs were on defense or special teams.Wilson is the mother of Mississippi State linebacker Dez Harris, and like many other moms, she always took a seat in the stands, always wearing her son’s jersey or a Bulldogs t-shirt.But instead of watching the plays when Harris was on the field, she often looked down and buried her head in her hands. Other times, she simply looked away. Only after hearing the crowd’s reaction signaling the play had ended did she catch the replay of what happened on the Jumbotron. Later, when she got home, she watched the game she attended on DVR."
Mississippi State commit sees rise in recruiting ranking.
247Sports released their updated rankings for the 2018 recruiting class. Mississippi State commit Marcus Murphy is now rated as the best player in the state of Mississippi, according to the site.
"Today, 247Sports released their updated 2018 rankings. Murphy was one of the Mississippi prospects to see his name leap in the system. Murphy was named to The Clarion-Ledger’s “Dandy Dozen” last week. He sees his momentum in the rankings continue.The West Point product is rated as the best prospect in the state of Mississippi. 247Sports ranks him as a top-200 player nationally and the sixth best “athlete” in the 2018 recruiting cycle.Needless to say, Mississippi State is adding a big time and impactful player to the squad. Watch his hudl film here."
Next: SEC Media Days: Day One News and Notes
Make sure to check out our news and notes on the first day of the SEC Media Days. Bret Bielema talked about his newborn, Ed Orgeron is excited about his opportunity, and Butch Jones says last season was not a disappointment.