Portal SZN

[Dawg83]

What does your team need and who are they targeting? Who is coming, who is going?

 

I think an argument can be made that State needs somebody at basically every single position. Just a lot of outgoing seniors, plus some normal portal attrition and positions where frankly you need to recruit over some guys. I expect 15-20 additions from State and a real effort to flip the roster. I’m not taking Deion at Colorado extremes, but there should be a lot of change to this roster soon. Time will tell if Lebby can use the portal to get quality players, it was something Arnett totally flopped on last year, that just wasn’t a good portal class at all for State.

 

QB is obviously going to be the biggest talking point for State, with Dillon Gabriel being the big fish. Early talk is he may be headed to Oregon, but I’m sure State will try hard to get him given the Lebby connection. If it doesn’t work out with him, there are other options, though he’s likely the best. Gotta get someone, though.

 

Heavy indications that Zavion Thomas may be entering the portal soon. He did it last year and ended up coming back, but I think he may have the LSU return interest he was looking for this time around.

 

With Ole Miss, curious to see how aggressive Kiffin will be given that he’s set to return a good bit next year if I’m not mistaken.

 

Portal hasn’t been open long so some things will become clearer in the coming days and weeks.

[Bulldogs4]

And that was the problem for State last year. With so much of the starters returning, the portal was not going to be very productive.

This year it should be because as I have noted, playing time is important as well as NIL. Most players want to go somewhere where they can start or at least compete for a starting position. 
Lebby should be in a good position to load up in the portal. Plus it seemed that we had some talented youngsters that hopefully we can hang onto and develop as well. 
 

We will see how it develops. 

[Dawg83]

If my math is correct, State is only expecting to return 2 or 3 starters on offense and 4 or 5 starters on defense. Don’t know if people truly realize how big of a roster flip this may end up being. I can’t think of a single State team in my lifetime that will have less returning production than next year’s team. Maybe Croom’s first team? I think this is even less than what Dan inherited because he at least inherited Dixon and some quality players on defense that first year. And Croom’s last recruiting class was a very good one too.

 

That’s the other thing with all this, Lebby is having to fill out a recruiting class too because Arnett didn’t leave him much at all. State’s recruiting class is currently 52nd, which is by far the lowest ranked in the SEC, even a good ways behind Vandy right now.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Dawg83

[maroontide06]

6 minutes ago, Dawg83 said:

If my math is correct, State is only expecting to return 2 or 3 starters on offense and 4 or 5 starters on defense. Don’t know if people truly realize how big of a roster flip this may end up being. I can’t think of a single State team in my lifetime that will have less returning production than next year’s team. Maybe Croom’s first team? I think this is even less than what Dan inherited because he at least inherited Dixon and some quality players on defense that first year. And Croom’s last recruiting class was a very good one too.

 

That’s the other thing with all this, Lebby is having to fill out a recruiting class too because Arnett didn’t leave him much at all. State’s recruiting class is currently 52nd, which is by far the lowest ranked in the SEC, even a good ways behind Vandy right now.

And then you've got attrition as well with the decommits.  I think that may be part of the scheme, but you don't want to lose everyone.  It'll be interesting to see how he gets this roster built for year one.

[maroontide06]

As far as the Flowers decommitment goes, I think that might have been part of Lebby's plan.  He's probably got some other QB's in mind to run his offense.

[MSTSatchmo]

2 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said:

And that was the problem for State last year. With so much of the starters returning, the portal was not going to be very productive.

This year it should be because as I have noted, playing time is important as well as NIL. Most players want to go somewhere where they can start or at least compete for a starting position. 
Lebby should be in a good position to load up in the portal. Plus it seemed that we had some talented youngsters that hopefully we can hang onto and develop as well. 
 

We will see how it develops. 

One of the biggest problems with the portal is teams don’t have players develop behind starters.  They just won’t wait to play.  Then when you have a large group of senior starters or juniors that may declare for the draft, you have nobody “ready” to step in. 

[Dawg83]

For what it’s worth, I personally don’t expect Gabriel to end up at State. Other than the Lebby connection it just doesn’t make sense that he’d want to spend his last year as part of a rebuild when he just came from a Playoff contender and has gotten interest from others, namely Oregon. But hey, maybe he and Lebby are just that close.

[NoWammies]

If not Gabriel, the QB portal is loaded right now. This is a stout list of guys with lots of experience. 
 

Kyle McCord-Ohio State 

Dillon Gabriel-Oklahoma

Dante Moore-UCLA

Cameron Ward-Washington State 

Will Howard-Kansas State 

Riley Leonard-Duke 

DJ Uiagalelei-Oregon State 

Aidan Childs-Oregon State(crystal ball Michigan St)

Grayson McCall-Coastal Carolina 

 

[Dawg83]

4 hours ago, NoWammies said:

If not Gabriel, the QB portal is loaded right now. This is a stout list of guys with lots of experience. 
 

Kyle McCord-Ohio State 

Dillon Gabriel-Oklahoma

Dante Moore-UCLA

Cameron Ward-Washington State 

Will Howard-Kansas State 

Riley Leonard-Duke 

DJ Uiagalelei-Oregon State 

Aidan Childs-Oregon State(crystal ball Michigan St)

Grayson McCall-Coastal Carolina 

 

The only one of those names I’ve seen linked to State so far is DJU. Florida State and Louisville have also been mentioned for him but UL just got a transfer QB from Texas Tech tonight. So DJ is maybe more of a possibility now. I think most would have mixed feelings about him, he wasn’t great at Clemson and was just OK at Oregon State this year. But he’s got a lot of raw talent and maybe a Lebby offense is what he needs, who knows.

[MSTSatchmo]

It’s interesting that schools like USC, LSU, Ohio State and Oregon are looking to the portal for QBs when they get the highly rated high school QBs all the time.  
 

As for State, they need everything and OM I’d say linemen and defensive depth. 
 

 

[Dawg83]

40 minutes ago, MSTSatchmo said:

It’s interesting that schools like USC, LSU, Ohio State and Oregon are looking to the portal for QBs when they get the highly rated high school QBs all the time.  
 

 

I think all of the blue bloods have a win now mentality. They all think they’re one ready made QB away from a championship. Sometimes that’s true, but a lot of times there’s more to it than that. It’s why LSU has the likely Heisman winner at QB and is still playing an unranked team in the Reliaquest Bowl

[Dawg83]

State just had two starting DB’s hit the portal with Ellington and Nicholson. I won’t pretend State’s secondary was anywhere close to good this season, but this is just another example of how different the roster will look next year.

[Bulldogs4]

Honestly we need a total makeover, at least, in some position groups. We will take our lumps next year but the overall future will be better. 
 

The portal is most definitely a double sharp edged sword and I wonder how many of these players are going to be like Paul Davis’ “Ridem’ Cowboy” 

“What I am supposed to do. Seems I’m left out in the cold.”

 

 

some of them maybe pumping gas or bagging groceries next fall…...oops those jobs don’t exist anymore…

 

Will be interesting to see how all this shakes out. 

 

 

 

[MSTSatchmo]

3 hours ago, Dawg83 said:

State just had two starting DB’s hit the portal with Ellington and Nicholson. I won’t pretend State’s secondary was anywhere close to good this season, but this is just another example of how different the roster will look next year.

Wow.  State may need a Deion/Colorado type portal grab.  

[MSTSatchmo]

I think State is better off going after whatever former 5* QB gets pissed when someone transfers into a school like USC, Oregon, OM, etc.  They may be young, but you could have them for 2/3 years.  

 

Like OM did when Caleb Williams went to USC, and they got Dart.  You’d have to find a guy who values playing for a coach that could put up big numbers over NIL though.  

Edited December 8, 2023 by MSTSatchmo

[MSTSatchmo]

Any truth to Judkins asking for $1m next year to stay at OM? 

[rebmus]

16 minutes ago, MSTSatchmo said:

Any truth to Judkins asking for $1m next year to stay at OM? 

[MSTSatchmo]

What are State fans thoughts on Rogers maybe going to Washington?  
 

Personally, I don’t see him being able to make the throws that Penix has been making.  

[rebmus]

17 minutes ago, MSTSatchmo said:

What are State fans thoughts on Rogers maybe going to Washington?  
 

Personally, I don’t see him being able to make the throws that Penix has been making.  

I'm no State fan and have seen very little of Washington, so I can only add this: 

 

Rogers has proved he's a very good QB in the right system. 

Arnett should have kept some version of the Air Raid in place for, at least, a year during the transition. 

IF Washington has the right offense in place for Rogers, he'll put up great numbers. 

[NoWammies]

I know I’m in the minority here but if I’m going to dish out 1M I say let Judkins go, make Bentley the prime RB and spend that money on hoping you could land 5 star DT transfer Walter Nolen from A&M. 

[s1nglewing]

1 minute ago, NoWammies said:

I know I’m in the minority here but if I’m going to dish out 1M I say let Judkins go, make Bentley the prime RB and spend that money on hoping you could land 5 star DT transfer Walter Nolen from A&M. 

If he thinks he's worth a million he ought to go ahead and declare for the draft.

[NoWammies]

It’s basically becoming a salary cap thing now where you gotta say I gotta let this kid go to save money to where I can keep these other guys plus sign another. 

[pancho]

9 hours ago, MSTSatchmo said:

Any truth to Judkins asking for $1m next year to stay at OM? 

he received in the neighborhood of 750K-800K this year, so yes he is asking for it.  He'll get it and he knows it.

[MSTSatchmo]

2 hours ago, pancho said:

he received in the neighborhood of 750K-800K this year, so yes he is asking for it.  He'll get it and he knows it.

I was at the MB dealership when he spent $130k of it.  lol 

[Dawg83]

10 hours ago, MSTSatchmo said:

What are State fans thoughts on Rogers maybe going to Washington?  
 

Personally, I don’t see him being able to make the throws that Penix has been making.  

He’s definitely not as talented as Penix. But that would be a great landing spot for him, though I personally feel like Washington could have better options if they wanted.