Vic Schaefer Enjoys Playing In The Final Game Of The Season And Is Ready To Win It

Vic Schaefer’s return to Houston led to him talking about his pride in his players and his love for Mississippi

Vic Schaefer, the head coach of the Mississippi State women’s basketball team, is one of the best when it comes to engaging and interacting with people. At the most recent Road Dawgs event in Houston last night, Schaefer returned to the place that he grew up. He returned to his hometown. However, his speech to the Houston metropolitan area alumni of Mississippi State University showed that Starkville, and Mississippi, is his new home.

And he seems happy with that fact.

Earlier in the day, Schaefer said that he was fishing down along the gulf coast in Biloxi. From there, he hit the road to Houston and, along that drive, was pondering who his team would play this next season.

You see, the Mississippi State women’s basketball isn’t finalized just yet and Schaefer doesn’t know who will come visit “our campus,” as he describes it. But, that’s a good problem to have. Under Schaefer’s direction, the Mississippi State women’s basketball program has transformed into something new and something great.

And, Schaefer is willing to embrace the change that comes with that development. Mostly because it has helped him out and has helped improve Mississippi State University.

A lot has changed, but Mississippi State is moving forward

Yes, Mississippi State is losing a lot. Vic Schaefer knows that. Fans of the Bulldogs are familiar with how many seniors are leaving the program. Mississippi State is going to be a very different team next season.

But, Schaefer appears ready for that. And he’s ready to make sure fans continue to buy into that notion as well. Change isn’t always bad and Vic Schaefer knows firsthand how much Mississippi State has developed and become better in the past few years since he has arrived in Starkville.

Throughout his speech and discussion for the Houston area MSU fans and alumni, Schaefer continuously referenced the fan support that has poured in for his program. His gratitude and praise for how fans have bought in was easily visible for everyone present to witness.

The Bulldogs have reached new heights with Schaefer at the helm. Fans have responded and arrived at games in record numbers to support and celebrate all that this team has accomplished and will accomplish in the future.

If you ask Schaefer, his team enjoys playing in that final game of the season. Now, they’re ready to win it.

“Typically, as teams win more, grades go down and tattoos go up. At Mississippi State, our wins have gone up, our grades have gone up, and tattoos have gone down.”

I’m not entirely sure how much I buy a correlation between tattoos and wins. As someone with a Vic Schaefer inspired tattoo because of a monumental Mississippi State women’s basketball win, I tend to have something of an appreciation for more tattoos as wins become more frequent.

Regardless of that, it’s hard not to deny how much Vic Schaefer cares for his players and their well-being. In the midst of his speech, Schaefer made a point to discuss the accomplishments of each member of last season’s starting lineup. He made a point to talk about where they are right now, what they’re planning on doing next, and getting fans invested in the former players as human beings and not just athletes.

Schaefer does a good job of making strangers feel like family.

He also does a good job of pointing out the importance of academic success for his players. Vic Schaefer’s team has experienced incredible amounts of success on the court over the past couple years. And, recently, their grades have been improving as well.

In women’s basketball, it’s often difficult to make a lasting professional career playing in the WNBA. Opportunities tend to be less prevalent and player salaries aren’t as high as some of their male counterparts partially due to a perceived lack of interest among other issues.

But, Schaefer is leading an effort to make sure that his players continue to grow professionally in other ways. He’s put them in as many positions to succeed on the court as possible. He’s also making sure that they can succeed off the court as well.

Vic Schaefer has made his home in Starkville and he seems to want to be there for the future

I’m not sure how often Schaefer referenced how much Mississippi State has changed, but he always did it with a glowing smile on his face. The University has grown since Schaefer arrived and that’s helped him tremendously.

Recruiting efforts have been largely tied to what Mississippi State University is and where the Bulldogs are headed in the future, both as an academic institution and athletically. It’s hard to deny that those changes and improvements are happening at seemingly faster rates lately. Because of that, Schaefer has more to pitch to prospective athletes and their families.

And he seems as comfortable as ever in Mississippi State’s Maroon and White.

There was hardly ever a sentence where Vic Schaefer referenced Mississippi without him calling it “our state.” He wouldn’t refer to other universities, both in Mississippi and in Texas, with their actual names. He’d describe them vaguely or use their location. But he didn’t ever call them by their actual names.

Next: Joe Moorhead Welcomes Challenges And Is Ready For A Championship

The only university name he seemed interested in sharing was “Mississippi State.” It’s the university he referred to as his own. It also resides in the state that he declared a partial ownership over and investment in. Though, it probably wouldn’t hurt for Starkville, Mississippi to get a more Whataburger. As a Texan myself I can attest to how great it would’ve been to have one as a student. I’m sure Vic Schaefer would welcome one being within close proximity to MSU too.