Former Coach

Bill says that MHSAA will still have jurisdiction, including eligibility, on athletics

Kicked the two long field goals. Kiffin would have never done that.

I know it's not going to change but I'm tired of all the extra year stuff. It should be five years to play five and that's it. No redshirt, no medical redshirt, and juco years count. If not then just do away with eligibility rules and if a kid wants to play 12 years of college football the let them. It has gotten ridiculous. Also if schools would start requiring multi year contracts on NIL deals that would stop the yearly transfer crap. If you have two or more yeas of eligibility you sign a multi year contract. Put a buy out in so that if a player wants to leave they or their next school as to pay the buy out. The complaint was always the coaches leave so if they go pay up.

Tulane, JMU, or any other G5 teams have no business playing in the playoffs.This has to be fixed, do away with the automatic conference bids and get the top 12 ranked teams in the playoffs regardless of what conference they're in. If they must have a G5 let the top two have a play in game the week before the playoffs begin.

Schools are no longer allowed to promise recruits any third party NIL deal verbally or in writing. After the House revenue sharing ruling came down each school is allowed up to 20.5 million to distribute to athletes. An NIL Clearinghouse was also created that requires mandatory reporting of any NIL deal above $600 to the NIL Go Portal. It must meet the criteria of a legitimate payor (not just a booster funnel of money) be a valid business purpose for NIL (not a recruiting or signing inducement) and be fair market (compared to similar endorsements). Deals can be flagged, restructured or denied if deemed improper by the Clearinghouse. In other words the player must actually This means compensation must be tied to a real promotional activity, such a s a social media campaign or personal appearances, not just for being on the team. So every deal above $600 is on the radar for approval.

I don't know if the rules have changed, but at one time if the game was not sanctioned by the MHSAA then underclassman would not be allowed to play.

All of this will be done by next Friday afternoon after the Egg Bowl or Saturday. Signing day is only 4 days later on the 3rd. I don't see FL or LSU or any of the open schools for that matter waiting past signing day to hire a coach.

I find the deadline of next week hard to believe. What if Kiffin doesn't give Carter a decision, then what. UM can't fire him, then they're on the hook for a huge buyout.

Kiffin going nowhere. He's not leaving UM as long as they are in the playoffs, which will probably be into January. None of the schools are going to wait that long with signing day in December and the portal opening in early January.

If State stays in their 3 man front most of the game MZ will run wild and it will look like the GA game. Play mostly a 4 down front and stack the box with 7-8 and stop the run and State has a chance. Think we do need both Shapen and Taylor available. Taylor definitely gives you the running and escape ability, if he doesn't get blind sided as Shapen was last week.. Shapen however gives you 100% of the playbook as opposed to probably 30% with Taylor.

Taylor will be a star. He is definitely the better runner and has the escape ability, although when 77 whiffs as he did on the play Shapen got hurt Taylor doesn't get out of that one. But he probably is only comfortable with 25-30 percent of the offense. A healthy Shapen gives State the best chance to win, but if he's not 100 percent Saturday I think I would go with Taylor.

4 consecutive years.

That typically happens with a freshman. Taylor is going to be a star but right now probably only knows 30-40 percent of the playbook, so they have to have a totally different game plan with him. He is obviously good in the run game and hit the big TD pass but missed on the rest. State doesn't win without his two TD drives, but they also don't win without Shapen returning. He is not going anywhere, will be a two or three year starter at State.

Agree. Our talent level was awful, as bad or worse than with Croom. Looking back the recruiting under Leach and Arnett was not good. I like Lebby, and believe better things are ahead. If we are honest we got Lebby because every name head coach we reached out to said No. Again, we are a good football team trying to learn how to finish. And that includes the coaches.

I don' think Kiffin is going anywhere. They are pretty much a lock for a playoff spot which keeps him at OM into January. Florida and LSU aren't waiting until January to hire a football coach with signing day mid December and the portal opening early January. The only way I see him leaving is if they somehow lose a couple games and miss the playoffs and he thinks he has reached his ceiling at OM.

If you asked any State fan before the first game what our record would be after 8 games, 99% would have said 4-4 at best. It sounds crazy but Miss. State is a good football team that as someone said earlier has to take the next step and figure out how to win. They are 4-5 plays away from being 7-1 and ranked inside the top 10. It's amazing to me the success they are having on the offensive side with possibly the worst offensive line in the SEC. The numbers they put up on the third ranked defense in the nation on Saturday were impressive. And look at the defense and how they have played this year. I don't think there is a State fan anywhere that didn't want Hutzler fired. They played their tails off but in the end it was still a loss. Lebby and staff along with the players have to figure hot how to get over the top. As far as firing Lebby, absolutely not. He has done a remarkable job turning over a roster that was probably worse than Mullen inherited from Croom. I said when he was hired it would be a three-four year process. I don't think he is any danger of losing his job but if it were to happen it would be detrimental to the program. Arky and Mizzu are winnable games. Both will be tough on the road. And who knows the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Pulling for a State win. I think we make keep it close early but TN pulls away with a win and covers. I think OM squeaks by with a late FG

Knew we would get Bama. As I said in op with them playing their rival games AU and TENN the had to get a "easy" game and that just happens to be State. I do like the Vandy pick up. They historically have been at the bottom of the SEC in football. OK for OM was a surprise. I really thought they would get ARK. Interesting thing is that this is for a 4 year cycle.

The schedule drops next Tuesday. Who do you look for State and OM to get as permanent opponents? I look for State to get OM, obviously, Alabama and either Kentucky or S. Carolina. I think we get Bama because they are going to get AU and Tenn, their rival games, so they have to have a very winnable game which is State. I think OM get State, LSU and Arky. They could easily place everyone in four 4 team pods geographically for permanent foes but they won't.

I think the Steen injury will hurt from a depth standpoint. The OL got much better when Reese went to right tackle after the injury.

Also Baldwyn's field may be the best HS natural turf field, in any classification, anywhere. I saw these pics on X. It is cut really low and is like carpet.

Heidelberg is far and away the favorite to win the South and the State Championship. The North favorite is probably Charleston. A team to keep an eye on is Baldwyn. They moved up from 1A where they won it all last year. I wanted to see them after they beat Kossuth last week so I went to the Baldwyn-Booneville game, aka "The Skunk Bowl". Always try to get to that game each year as its a great rivalry game in NE. MS. Going into the game the teams were tied 35-35-3 all time. Baldwyn's line on both sides of the ball is big and physical. #55 couldn't be blocked. They have enough play makers to be dangerous. I would say right now the North is a toss up between Charleston, East Webster, Northside, and Baldwyn.

And that is an easy fix without having to build a school. Some of these other suggestions while looking good on paper would be difficult to do.

I agree that there does need to be some consolidation, but money will be an issue in some cases. Someone earlier suggested that N. and S. Pontotoc merge with Pontotoc City. That would require a new high school for around 1600-1800 students plus athletic facilities and band hall, among other things. You would probably be looking at 30-50 million. Some of the smaller schools wouldn't cost as much like say N. Tippah would be different. Faulkner or Walnut could house the high school wile the other housed the junior high.

Not just 2A. How were rankings compiled?