Mississippi State football's 2024 season came to a close yesterday with loss in the Egg Bowl to finish with a 2-10 record. With the offseason officially underway in Starkville, we're already beginning to see the inevitable overturn of the the Bulldog roster.
Wide receiver Creed Whittemore enters transfer portal
Saturday morning, news broke that Bulldogs sophomore wide receiver Creed Whittemore was entering the transfer portal.
🚨BREAKING🚨 Mississippi State WR Creed Whittemore plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per @Hayesfawcett3
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) November 30, 2024
Whittemore was a 4-star in the 2023 class.https://t.co/H9GLUiQAGB pic.twitter.com/Y34B1ZM4C4
A 4-star signee out of Gainesville, FL in the class of 2023, Whittemore originally committed to the Bulldogs under the late Mike Leach. He chose to stick with Mississippi State following Leach's passing and was able to make a bit of an impact as a true freshman. As the backup slot receiver, Whittemore caught 11 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and a score. He saw limited opportunities but made the most of the ones he got.
He was viewed as a breakout candidate going into his sophomore year, as most believed he could thrive in Jeff Lebby's offense. Whittemore scored a long rushing touchdown on a reverse in the Bulldogs season opener, but just like last season, he again received limited touches with just four catches through four games.
Following Mississippi State's loss to Florida, it was announced that Whittemore would redshirt for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Whittemore's decision to transfer is no surprise
As soon as news broke that Creed Whittemore was redshirting, the writing was on the wall for his Mississippi State future. There was no scenario in which he was going to choose to redshirt mid-season (while healthy) and not transfer as soon as the season came to a close. The redshirt was a move to preserve a season of eligibility before going to a new program.
It's frustrating because Whittemore is a talented player, and there were times this season where State could've used him. But at the same time, it's understandable why he's choosing to leave. He was never consistently utilized in either of the offenses he played in at State, and within Jeff Lebby's system, it's clear he prefers a different type of receiver. He wouldn't be more than a role player in his offense, and he'd rather be somewhere he can be heavily featured.
Whittemore certainly won't be the last Bulldog to transfer out. After the season they just had, there's going to be considerable overturn on both sides of the ball.