Friday Night Writes: Murrah @ Madison Central (Blitz Edition)

Ok. I am going to have to be very honest right now. See the word "blitz" in the title? I put that in there for two reasons: A) Its sounds and looks pretty cool. B) I thought it might be a cool way to say that this is a shortened, condensed version of Friday Night Writes. So consider this paragraph the condensed, fancy intro paragraph. This was fun, right? We should do this again.

Here are the basics (in no order whatsoever; in numbered form to save me time from typing awkward transition sentences).
1) Murrah comes into this game as the underdog. However, make no mistake. This is a very dangerous team. If MC can't stop Murrah from making big plays, this could be a very long night.
2) Murrah is lead by their star wide receiver (How often can you say that?), Malik Dear. You should know a few things about Dear. He's a very special playmaker who comes along very rarely at any school. The sophomore has accounted for 16 (!) touchdowns so far this season (6 receiving, 8 running, and 2 passing). Yes, you read that correctly. Dear has an arm, so watch for Murrah to pull out all the stops tonight.  MC knows that they have to watch this guy.
3) Now obviously, if a WR is the star of a team, there is a very capable quarterback taking the snaps. Vonnie Howard could have a breakout night if the Jags are too focused on stopping Dear.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense: Just keep the ball moving. Keep your defense off the field. Murrah has the offensive firepower to keep up with you, so you'll have to score and score a lot. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central defense: Control Dear. Sure, Murrah has other playmakers, but none are as dangerous as the sophomore sensation. I'm going to stop saying "Don't give up big plays" because I've come to expect that you always will, but just don't give up too many, okay? If the defensive line can stay in Murrah's backfield, controlling Murrah's run game will not be too big of a problem. Key Unit: Defensive Line
• Murrrah offense: Give Dear the ball as often as possible. Every time you give him a touch, your chances to win this game increase. Don't turn the ball over, because MC has the ability to score. Key Player: (If it wasn't obvious already) Malik Dear
• Murrah Defense: We know that you probably won't be able to stop Madison Central a lot, but if you can make some turnovers, you can give your offense a chance to win this game. Key Unit: Secondary

Prediction: This has the potential to be a very close game, and if Malik Dear gets loose that could happen even moreso. But (I said this about the Clinton game too) I think that MC's quality of nonconference opponents, is the difference here. I'm predicting a close game for about 3 1/2 quarters, but MC will pull away at the end. Murrah 30 Madison Central 41

In Case You Missed Friday Night: Clinton @ Madison Central

1. The Jags got their season back on track this past week, beating the Clinton Arrows 35-17. A quick observation on the game: While 35-17 seems like a normal "good team beats worse team" score, it's not. The Jags dominated every side of the football, and Clinton had no hope of winning by halftime. I detail just how complete this victory was below.
2. We'll start on defense. In what has become a strength of the defense the past week, the defensive line had another stellar performance. Frederrick Ross and Gemarta Jackson combined for 3 sacks as the Jags defensive line became a mainstay in the Arrow backfield. The linebackers came through with another solid outing; Brion Ballard had key tackle after key tackle. Ballard racked up 10 total tackles while Dee Johnson had 8. The defense stepped it up big time after being picked apart by West Monroe, as that game is starting to seem like more of an afterthought now.
3. The offense looked well-oiled this past Friday night; Clinton could not find a way to stop Schwartz and co. In fact, the only team that stopped MC was MC itself. The Jags accounted for an astounding 505 total yards on offense and ran 72 plays in offense (a rather large amount for a high school football team). Coach Bobby Hall truly has an array of offensive weapons that can all dissect a defense to choose from: Jake Schwartz, Doug Ball, Daniel Goodspeed (or as many, including the referees, know him "Moose"), Keith Williams, Xavier Watson, and Kelvin Williams. If this offense can continue to produce, MC's chances to win and win big increase drastically.
4. Now not everything is rosy. The Jags again gave up big plays. This, if anything, has become the Achilles's Heel for Madison Central. MC gave up a kick-off return to their own 3 yard line immediately after a game-opening touchdown drive. Schwartz also threw a pick-six on the Arrow's goaline. Bottom line: You just spotted the other team 14 points. You can't spot teams like South Panola and Olive Branch 14 points. That will be the difference in the game.
5. I did some research the other day and found out this interesting fact: The jungletron (see picture in post below) is actually larger than 2 NCAA FBS schools: Bowling Green and Texas State.

Friday Night Writes: Clinton @ Madison Central

The "jungletron" will be unveiled at tonight's game against Clinton.

Tonight, the jaguars of Madison Central will meet the Clinton Arrows at Jaguar Stadium. Excitement surrounds this game not only because many label it a rivalry game, but also because of the unveiling of what has become affectionately known by the student body at Madison Central as the "jungletron". Whatever the cause, the excitement surrounding the circumstances of this game can only mean one thing: an exciting atmosphere for an exciting game. Clinton is so excited that they dressed in orange and blue for their pep rally (Please don't ask me for the logic behind that.). Clinton is extremely ready not only for this game but also to win. Why? It has been exactly 2192 days since Clinton has beaten Madison Central. That's quite some time. Enough with the interesting pictures and stats. There ought to be some good football played tonight.

Clinton comes into this game with a first-year head coach. MC is going to test the Arrows' new head coach Judd Boswell and his team with an aggressive style of play. Madison Central is looking to run a balanced attack on offense tonight to keep the Arrow defense on its heels. The Jags will more than likely use a steady diet of outside runs combined with read options and some play-action passing. The CHS team, not normally known for their defense, will have to force and capitalize on turnovers, which have given the Jags some fits in recent weeks. On offense, the Jags will have to control Senior QB Cale Luke, who has both thrown and rushed for over 300 yards on the season. Historically, dual-threat quarterbacks, like Luke, have given the Jags some trouble on defense (see former Olive Branch QB Todd Mays). To stop Luke, the Jags must tackle better than they did against West Monroe, or else MC is in for a very long night.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Jake Schwartz's running ability and toughness has to be key tonight for the jags. Schwartz's throwing ability could allow him to pick apart almost any defense in region 2; however Coach Hall doesn't like to be one-dimensional (at least this year). Look for Jake to have a breakout night after his offense handles a mediocre Clinton defense. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central's defense- It's all about one person: Cale Luke. Make him cough up the football; he already has 5 fumbles this season (Luke has also thrown 5 interceptions). Luke has accounted for 73% of Clinton's total offense. If you stop Luke you will stop the Arrows. The main problem for MC's defense, though, is big plays. Every team MC has played has had several long touchdown plays (except Starkville); you cannot allow that to happen. Key Unit: Linebackers
• Clinton's offense- If Clinton wins the battle in the trenches, they can win this game. Clinton will look to utilize Cale Luke on nearly every down.  Clinton, who I'm sure watched film of the West Monroe game, knows that if they play tough, they will be rewarded. Key player: Cale Luke
• Clinton's defense- Jake Schwartz can beat you with his feet or his arm; plus you can't forget about Brandon Moore, Brandon Collins, or Doug Ball either. This is a tough task. The Arrows will have to play quick defense to keep MC from moving the football. Defensive backs will have to make tackles and stop Schwartz's arm all at once. But if Clinton can force turnovers, they have to like their chances in this game. Key Unit: Defensive backs

Prediction: Ultimately, I think MC, who has faced superior opponents than CHS, will be too much for the Arrows to handle. In my opinion, Clinton does not have the defense nor the offensive firepower to keep up with the Jags tonight. It will more than likely be another 365 days before Clinton has another chance to end their winless streak against Madison Central. Clinton 20, Madison Central 41.  

In Case You Missed It: West Monroe (LA) @ Madison Central

1. I'll start out of synopsis of what happened last Friday night by saying this: West Monroe is clearly one of the top teams in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana, if not in the southeast. Yes, it's pretty obvious to me that Madison Central was thrashed (56- 28 to be exact), but let me be very clear. Madison Central is not the only team that would lose badly to West Monroe; they just happened to be the only team in the state that had the guts to play them (Coach Hall said in his post-game radio interview that he plans to make this game a annual rivalry.). In fact, I'll make a bold statement about the Louisiana powerhouse. West Monroe would beat any team in the state of MS, period. So to all of my fellow media members (I count as the media, don't I?), if you think that losing to Olive Branch (6A champion), Petal (6A runner-up), and West Monroe (LA 5A champions) is worth forgetting this Madison Central team, you might want to read what I just put in parenthesis next to those high schools. By no means has this team achieved its potential, but has it lost to teams that would automatically qualify this season as a "down season"? I certainly don't think so.

2. With all of that said, Madison Central definitely deserves some of the flack that they're catching. There are some major problems on defense and special teams. There have always been assignments missed and coverages blown in high school football, but tackling has been horrendous and is, in my opinion, the biggest problem that the defense and special teams has had this year. Bad tackling, or more candidly, lack of tackling, leads to these kinds of stats: West Monroe's QB had three long runs for touchdowns on Friday night (56,56, and 61 yards). Tackling must get better if the jags have plans of beating better teams in the playoffs. For what it's worth: West Monroe's 56 points is the most points Madison Central has given up in school history. Also, penalties. You know it's a bad night when it seems like every 1st down starts with 1st and 15.

3. Now it's the offense's turn to listen to me complain. No one doubts MC's offensive prowess, but, in the past weeks, people have started to question MC's ability to sustain long drives. That is not to say that the jags haven't had long drives or aren't capable of long drives, but big plays caused by defensive miscues have frequently bailed out the offense. Other than that, turnovers or punts have ended drives. Frankly, I think a lot of this is due to the quality opponents the jags have played.

4. Now, not all is bad. Among other things going well for the jags, Doug Ball has emerged as a go-to speed back, especially this past week against a stout rebel defense.  On the year, Ball is averaging nearly 11 yards a carry. Here's how I see this: Give the man the football some more, duh.

5. And lastly, Keith Williams had a ridiculously good night. 6 catches for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. With stats like that, Williams' will most definitely get more and more looks from college scouts. In the meantime, vote for him to win the Blitz16 Player of the Week here: http://www.wapt.com/blitz-16-player-of-the-week. I'm sure that he'd appreciate it, plus he deserves it with those kind of numbers.

Friday Night Writes: West Monroe (LA) @ Madison Central

NOTE: Like the Madison Central football team, I took a week off last week. Because I didn't write a "In Case You Missed Friday Night" column, here's a quick review of the MC @ Petal game: Nearly everyone knows that football is a 2-half game. The Jags simply did not play 2 halves of football. Petal did, and, consequently, they won. If MC had played the second half like they did the first half, the jaguars would have won by 17+ points; they dominated the first half.

In a rematch of a defensive standoff last year, Louisiana powerhouse West Monroe will visit Jaguar Stadium tomorrow night to seek revenge for a 14-13 loss handed to them at their home field last year. Junior RB Steven Jones is the spark of this West Monroe power running game offense, and the WM fundamentally-sound defense gives up about 27 points a game, a number that is neither astounding nor horrific. West Monroe will not overpower you with its offense or with it's defense, but rather the rebels will force you to play a complete game, something the jags struggled with last week. Offense, defense, and special teams. The rebels play every down solidly and they rarely make stupid mistakes. Coach Don Shows, who has lead West Monroe to 8 state championships and 2 "national championships" (which are merely a matter of opinion because there are many national high school polls), teaches his teams to play solid football.

Pertaining to strategy for this game, basic football technique will be very important. To play the brand of football the jags want to, MC will have to play relatively mistake-free. The defense will have to play tough defense yet must still be sensitive to the play-action pass. The offense will have to keep the fumbles and interceptions to a minimum, which they had trouble doing against Petal. Special teams will have to keep contain on returners. Giving up easy touchdowns on special teams is the easiest way to lose a football game. The Rebel's defense has the size advantage over the jags, but this creates a mismatch. The jag's offense, based on speed and spreading the football around, will be quicker than WM's defense. The question is to what degree will this mismatch help the Jag's offense?

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Keep WM's larger, slower defense tired. Create mismatches to get the ball to an open player. Make the rebels run sideline-to-sideline and keep them off balance by not only utilizing your passing game but also mixing in the running game. O-line, keep WM's front 7 off of Jake Schwartz. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central's defense- MC's defensive line will have to be stout but also agile. Their linebackers will have to tackle well. And their defensive backs need to watch for the play-action pass. Key Unit- Defensive Line
• West Monroe's offense- Pound the football. If West Monroe has any advantage, it's size. Use it. Key Unit- Offensive Line
• West Monroe's defense- Get ready to substitute players into the game. You suit up 137(!!!) players. Get ready to use some of them. You're starting 11 on defense will be tired during this game. Key Unit- 2nd String Defense

Prediction: This prediction is an abnormal one because I can see two plausible outcomes that both hinge on the turnover battle. If the Jags win the turnover margin, Madison Central 24, West Monroe 17. If the Rebels win the turnover margin, West Monroe 13, Madison Central 10. 

Friday Night Writes: Madison Central @ Petal

If you like big-time high school football, you need to be in Petal, MS this Friday night when the Madison Central Jaguars take to the road to battle the Petal Panthers. The Jags and the Panthers are two of the most highly touted teams in the state; the jags are ranked #8 in the state of MS by maxpreps.com, and the panthers are ranked #6 in the state by the same website. Both teams run a spread offense, although each attack is specific to that team. The Panthers use a run-oriented attack led by all-purpose back Tyus Raine (156 rushing yards/game) and QB Larson Barkum. The jags on the other hand are a pass-first team lead by Jake Schwartz, who averages over 350 all-purpose yards per game. Let's take a closer look at this intriguing matchup.

Coming into this game, the panthers are going to spread out the field in order to get the ball to the aforementioned Tyus Raine, a speedster type back who also plays defensive back. Petal also has the potential to hurt teams through the air when Raine becomes successful on the ground. Barkum has shown that he is a competent quarterback that can manage the game and make an accurate throw when his team needs it. But what Petal needs most isn't an offense that can score; it needs a defense that can stop a team from scoring. Petal gave up 56 points to Picayune last Saturday. Even though Picayune is a top team in the state, their offense isn't spectacular and 56 points is still a considerable number of points. In layman's terms, Picayune's offense had their way with Petal's defense. And in my opinion, towards the end of the game Petal's defense looked tired and worn-out. Facing the jags quick and agile offense (unlike Picayune's tough, pro-style offense). The panthers might be even more tired than they were against Picayune, especially PHS's front 7. From what I saw, Petal's d-line better step it up. MC's o-line is very quick.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central's offense- Against the panthers, look for the jags to run their triple option offense against Petal's slower, larger d-line. Jake Schwartz should have his passes set up by the run game; so it is only logical to think that play-action passes will be a factor tomorrow night. Key Players: Brandon Moore and Brandon Collins
• Madison Central defense- Stop Raine and you will make Larson Barkum beat you with his arm. The panthers are not a passing team and will consequently make mistakes when you make them uncomfortable. Key Players: Joe Green and Gemarte Jackson
• Petal offense- Petal wants to establish their running game. It's that simple. If the panthers can hold the ball away from the jags, they will be in this game. Think of it like defensive offense. Plus, Raine can score too. Watch him at all times. Key Player: Tyus Raine
• Petal defense-  If the panthers can keep the jags from scoring a lot, the panthers will be in this game. The panthers will be looking for any kind of mistakes from the jags to turn into momentum. Key Unit- Front 7 

Prediction: Madison Central 38, Petal 24

Also, in case you cannot make it to Petal this Friday night, the game will be broadcast live here: http://www.misshsaa.tv/petal/events/3623.

In Case You Missed Friday Night: Starkville @ Madison Central

1.  Obstacle Course- So far for Madison Central, this season has been an obstacle course. Whether it has been questionable referees or monsoon-like weather, the Jags just haven't caught a break. And I'm no meteorologist, but with Hurricane Isaac running wild on "the landmass in between New Orleans and Mobile",  the forecast doesn't look too good for this Friday night either. There is no doubt that this team has had some tough breaks, but did last week's game in the storm possibly prepare the jags for the game at Petal? Or is it just another hurdle for the unlucky men from MC? Either way, many people don't know what to think about the jags. (Are they for real? Or are they just another team?) Here's why people tend to think this way: They haven't seen this team in "ideal" conditions. I'm proposing a reason to believe that this team is legitimate. We've already seen the way that they react in non-ideal situations, what more do you need to see?

2. Schwartz to Williams- Get used to hearing that phrase. Williams accounted for 136 of Schwartz's 163 total passing yards. Early in the season, it has become very apparent that there is a special chemistry between the two. Williams finished with 4 catches for 136 yards and 1 touchdown. And I wish I had a video of Williams' one handed catch so badly. I was absolutely sick. It wasn't a bad pass either.

3. Replacing Hugh- Daniel Goodspeed is a monster and the only reason you may not know about him is because he had another monster ahead of him last year. Goodspeed, or the moose as the football team knows him, has entered into the role of a strong, low-centered running back. Sure, if you asked him what position he played, he'd tell you fullback. And in this offense, he may "technically" be a fullback, but he is used like a running back and is a great change of pace option for Bobby Hall's offense.  He's a handful too.

4. Defense Comes Up Big Where It Counts- MC's defense looked out of place at times last Friday night, but the jags seemed to adopt a "Bend But Don't Break" philosophy. Even though they gave up several big plays, the jags forced several fumbles and an interception in key circumstances that helped hold the Yellow Jackets to eight points. Also, the defensive line looked excellent, keeping constant pressure on SHS's young QB (that'll be a key to defeating Petal).

5. Putting the Foot in Football- Zach Tranum and Nick Bracey, consider this your shout out. Y'all have done an excellent job of kicking off, punting and kicking field goals/PAT's. Keep it up because you take a tremendous pressure of off the rest of the team by giving them one less thing to worry about. 

Friday Night Writes: Starkville @ Madison Central

This Friday at Jaguar Stadium in Madison, MS, the Starkville Yellow Jackets will take on the Madison Central Jaguars in a rematch of what was a closely-contested week two game last year, in which SHS came out on top 16-14 at home. This year both the jackets and the jags return two completely different teams. The jackets relied heavily on their Dandy Dozen QB/CB Gabe Myles, a MSU signee, as well as their front end heavy 5-2 offense to disrupt Madison Central's rushing game (They held Hugh Warren to 27 yards on 11 carries. Yeah.). The Jags were still running the veer with Drew Rowell, even though it was out of a power-I formation at this point last year. How exactly did the Yellow Jackets win? They forced Drew Rowell to pass the football (unsuccessfully) and Madison Central missed an important near 30 yard field goal, which was apparently enough to win. Simply put, the jags couldn't take advantage of opportunities that the jackets gave to them.

This year, the Jackets return that same Dandy Dozen player and their peculiar 5-2 defense, but recent reports have revealed that Gabe Myles will not play in Friday night's game because of an ankle injury. SHS will have to start 6'3" backup QB Caleb Wilson, son of Mississippi State defensive coordinator Chris Wilson. Frankly, I don't have very much info on the sophomore quarterback, but if his genes hold any clue, its a good sign for Starkville-Wilson's father was a four-year letterman at Oklahoma University as a linebacker. As for Starkville's 5-2 defense, look for it to be more of a liability for Starkville than an asset. It was absolutely perfect for stopping a run-first team like MC last year, but might become a burden against a team that has the ability to move the ball through the air.  Starkville tends to play more man-coverage, which should leave jags QB Jake Schwartz plenty of space to throw the football to his talented wide receiver group.

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense- Jump on the jackets early. Take them out of the game because the jackets don't have the offensive fire power to play keep up with you. Specifically, offensive line, keep the yellow jacket's front 7 off of Jake Schwartz and give him time to throw the football. Key Player: Bailey Pepper
• Madison Central defense- Don't give up the big plays. Safeties, keep everything in front of you. If you take back OB's two big plays from them, you would win that game by 11 points. You can't give Starkville's offense a chance to fuel an upset. P.S. Play well. Caleb Wilson's father might just be at the game. Key Player: Jayron Harness
• Starkville offense- It all starts at quarterback for an offense, but Gabe Myles is hurt. I sure hope your coach has given backup Caleb Wilson some playing time in practice, he is going to need everything he's learned and then some against this stout jag defense. Key Player: Caleb Wilson
• Starkville defense- If you are going to play man-coverage against the Jag's spread offense you have to do two things. 1) Defensive backs, lock down MC's receivers. 2) Defensive line and linebackers, get to MC's quarterback and make him feel the pressure. Key Unit: Defensive Line 

Prediction: I was already leaning towards picking MC by a good 10 points before Gabe Myles was ruled out. Now I think the number is somewhere between 13 and 20. Everything about this game screams mismatch to me. The potency of MC's passing offense and the front-heaviness of Starkville is a bad combination for the yellow jackets. Starkville 13, Madison Central 31. 

In Case You Missed Friday Night: MC @ Olive Branch

1. The Bobby Hall Spread- Guys. This offense is for real. With a true passing threat and receivers that can hang onto the ball, Madison looks like a team that can beat you through the air and on the ground. Schwartz threw for 200+ yards and 1 TD with a 72% completion percentage and only one interception (a tip-drill pick). On the ground, the jags used more of a committee approach. Doug Ball, Brandon Moore and Brandon Collins ran for around 130 yards (Schwartz added nearly 100 yards to this total). This offense is going to be fun to watch and more importantly hard to stop.

2. Trahan Transition- Going into this season, many people wondered how legitimate MC's defense would be this season. If I could give you an answer to that question after one game, I would tell you that the jaguars are well on their way to having an excellent season. Obviously, no one was happy about giving up 31 points to OB, but the jags probably won't see another offense as potent as Olive Branch (and certainly "stable" officiating circumstances would help any defense, but I digress). Among those who impressed me was Gemarte Jackson, a defense end, who got excellent penetration into a somewhat-porous OB offensive line quite often.   With a few more games under this defense's belt, this defense could look like one of the best in the state.

3. Olive Branch is Back!- No. I'm selling this statement big time. Sure OB will be a top 2 team in their region, but I remember what the 2011 Olive Branch team looked like (arguably better than many South Panola teams during that great run). And this team, even with the legitimate excuse of first-game jitters, is no where near the caliber of a team as last year's conquistadors were. The O-line looked like a colander and Sam Craft had an abysmal 39% completion percentage. Wide receivers dropped what would have been several wide-open catches. Plus, the defense looked like last year, which isn't a good thing for the 'Quistors (please take me seriously even though I just used that nickname). I could be wrong about this team because I certainly didn't think that last year's OB team would be 6A champs at this time last year, but I just have a gut feeling about this team and how they will fare in the playoffs.

4. Officiating- Many will expect me to make a statement about the officiating of the game. I won't. However, I will allow the MHSAA website to make a statement on officiating: "Players who have practiced long hours deserve competent officials who have a complete understanding of the letter, as well as the spirit of the rules and administer them consistently and fairly." I couldn't agree more with that statement.

Friday Night Writes: Madison Central @ Olive Branch

Well, it's that time of year again. The guys are strapping up their chinstraps. The band is learning a new marching show. The newspapers are assigning writers to the important games. High school football starts tomorrow night in Mississippi, a week earlier than normal. And there is no bigger game than the one that will take place 23 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The returning 6A state champions, Olive Branch, take on the Madison Central Jaguars in a rematch of the North State Championship last year. In what is probably the fastest growing rivalry in 6A football, Madison Central has just had no luck. The Jags lost by 4 and 5 points, respectively, in their 1st and 2nd game against Olive Branch last year. However, if there was ever a year for the Jags, it's this year. They've come in flying fairly under the radar, ranked 8th by the Clarion Ledger. And no one really wants to bet on the Jags because they haven't broken through yet. This year Bobby Hall is taking all of his critics to school. MC is breaking out the brand-new spread offense (GASP!). That's right boys and girls. Madison Central will more than likely throw the ball more than 4 times in a game. Generally speaking, this offense is more suited to Madison's personnel and would, consequently, raise their chances to win this ball game. BUT, not so in this case.

Have you seen Olive Branch's new quarterback? Because if you're a jag fan, you better hope that Bobby Hall knew about Sam Craft before me (I found his highlights tonight).

Think smaller, faster, more agile, Chris Relf with a cannon of a right arm. OB's coach, Scott Samsel, got himself an excellent quaterback to replace Todd Mays. However, if I saw one weakness in that highlight reel, it was his arm. Yes, the highlight reel only showed completed passes, but it's a highlight reel, what did you expect? Craft tends to leave the ball in the air longer than to be desired when he throws the ball. In other words, it takes more time for the ball to get from point A to point B slower than a coach might want, giving the defensive backs of the other team more time to get to the ball. 

Keys to the Game

• Madison Central offense- It's pretty simple. Keep up with OB's offense and you will have your chance to win the game. Key Player: Jake Schwartz
• Madison Central defense- If the offense's job was simple. The defense's job is the opposite of simple and then some. But what job is that exactly? Slow down the Conquistador's offense and Sam Craft. Contain Craft and make him throw the ball, then it's all up to MC's defensive backs. Key Player: Brion Ballard
•  Olive Branch offense- Just do your thing and do it well. No one stopped you all last year, chances are that many won't this year wither. Key Player: Sam Craft
• Olive Branch defense- Stop MC's new offense. Sounds easy? No one's done it yet. Key Unit- Defensive Line

Prediction: Since this is the first game of the year, I will not predict a score of this game. There isn't nearly enough information on either team to predict a semi-accurate score. If Madison can contain and control Craft's ability to run, the Jags will win. If they can't, MC will lose. The outcome of this game, in my mind, revolves around the success of OB's offense, and that makes MC the underdog in my opinion. Either team could win by less than a touchdown. 

Buckle up for this game, it's sure to be a great one. 

Updated: You can watch the game live here at 7:30: http://www.quistorsports.com/?page_id=323

6A-Region 4 Preview

6A football is the pinnacle of high school football for rather obvious reasons: more players, larger talent pools, etc. In the weeks leading up to this season, we have looked at Region 1, Region 2, and Region 3 and now finally Region 4 of 6A football in Mississippi.

6A-Region 4

1. Biloxi- Before I talk about Biloxi, I want to preface this region with this: Region 4 is WEAK. With that said, Biloxi is not weak. The Indians return a quarterback that threw for over 2,000 yards and ran for over 1,000 yards as a junior in Jaylen Woullard. Those statistics put him in good company. Last year, Woullard joined  Anthony Alford and Todd Mays as the only 3 QB's to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 too. Biloxi also returns Devoriae Martin, a running back who ran for 1,000+ yards last season. Biloxi's road to the playoffs are already paved due to the weakness of the region. However, that only hurts Biloxi in the end. Record: 10-1;7-0 (Loss: Long Beach)
2. Ocean Springs- Here's the tale for the Ocean Springs Greyhounds: Last year, Ocean Springs was a good team. Even the stats tell that story. This year, the Greyhounds are going to have to be better. Actually, Ocean Springs is going to have to be a great deal better in order to usurp the Biloxi Indians. And it starts with the usual suspect, quarterback. Wes Windham (1,600+ passing yards last season) must have a standout season to jump BHS in the Region 4 standings. Biloxi and Ocean Springs are, in reality, the only two teams in Region 4 that have a chance of being a player in the 6A playoffs. Record: 10-2; 6-1 (Losses: Picayune and @ Biloxi)
3. Gulfport: 8-4; 5-2 (Losses: @ South Panola, Oak Grove, @ Ocean Springs, Biloxi)
4. D'Iberville: 8-4; 4-3 (Losses: @ Long Beach, Biloxi, @ Ocean Springs, @ Gulfport)
5. George County: 6-6; 3-4 (Losses: Moss Point, Wayne County, Biloxi, Gulfport, D'Iberville, @ Ocean Springs)
6. Harrison Central- 2-9;1-6 (Wins: Stone, St.Martin or Hancock)
7. Hancock- 2-10; 1-6 (Wins: Pearl River Central and either St. Martin or Harrison Central)
8. St. Martin- 1-11;1-6 (Win: Either Harrison Central or Hancock)

6A-Region 3 Preview

6A football is the pinnacle of high school football for rather obvious reasons: more players, larger talent pools, more money, etc. In the weeks leading up to the beginning of the season, we have looked at Region 1 and Region 2 of 6A football in Mississippi and we will continue to look at the other regions of 6A football in MS.


6A-Region 3

1. Meridian- The defending 6A-Region 3 champions are back. And I'll be 100% honest with you. I can't find a single stat for Meridian last year, which makes the case for Meridian this year tough. But I can find a stat that encases this team for the past 8 years: Meridian is 85-17-1 in the past 8 seasons. Bet your bottom dollar that Meridian has reloaded and is just as good, if not better than last year. Record: 12-0;7-0
2. Brandon- This is my surprise pick of this region. Brandon surprised many people last year and coach Brad Peterson has people in Brandon finally believing in their football team again. And here's the deal guys: Brandon went 8-5 last year with a freshman quarterback. With the maturing of a palpably talented quarterback, Brandon has a true threat again on offense. Gardener Minshew has the gifts and opportunities this season to take BHS farther than it has been in quite some time. Record: 9-3;5-2 (Losses: Northwest Rankin and @ Meridian, and either Petal or Oak Grove)
3. Oak Grove- Okay, you knew it was coming. So I'll ask the question. Just how much is having Brett Favre as your offensive coordinator worth? Only time will tell, but we CAN say this. Even before he was an offensive coordinator, his offense LOVED to sling the rock around the field. Their last quarterback is now a walk-on quarterback at Mississippi State (He threw for 1,700+ yards last year.) Oak grove did a good job of making sure that they wouldn't lose all of that production when Steven Swindle left. The new guy, Kirk McCarty, had nearly 500 yards passing last year as a back-up. So, if you knew that Brett Favre played QB in the NFL for nearly 500 years (which you did, unless you live under a rock) and that his team ALREADY liked to throw the ball, common sense might tell you that his team is going to throw the ball nearly all game. Think "Olive Branch" last year, except no running game at QB, which is fine because a passing threat like that automatically opens up a running game. This offense has the potential to take over 6A football in a few years, but several slip-ups are expected and will most likely end any talk of winning this region this year. Record: 10-2;5-2 (Losses: @ Meridian and either @ Petal or Brandon)
4. Petal - Want to know just how deep this region is? Here you go. The 6A runner-up from 2011 is in 4th place and I highly doubt anyone can argue for them to be any higher. Petal had a highly successful season last year, but this year may hold a different ending. The key to last years team was the highly touted quarterback Anthony Alford, a Southern Miss signee/minor league baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays organization and he is gone. The main reason I think that Petal has lost its contender status for this region? No one from south state would be able to replace Alford's production from last year. No one. It's simply not possible to write about how much Alford meant to that team. Leadership and point production are the two hardest things to replace on a team, and I'm not quite sure Petal can replace either one of those things. Record: 9-3; 5-2 (Losses: Madison Central, @ Meridian and either @ Brandon or Oak Grove)
5. Hattiesburg: 6-5; 4-3 (Losses: @ Murrah, @ Meridian, Brandon, @ Oak Grove, and Petal) 
6. Natchez: 6-5; 3-4(Losses: Meridian, @ Petal, Hattiesburg, @ Brandon, and Oak Grove)
7. Terry:2-9; 1-7 (Wins: Raymond, @ Forest Hill)
8. Forest Hill:2-9;0-7 (Wins: Wingfield and Callaway) 

6A-Region 2 Preview

6A Football is the pinnacle of high school football for rather obvious reasons: more players, larger talents pools, more money, etc. In the weeks leading up to the beginning of the season, we have looked at Region 1 of 6A football in Mississippi and we will continue to look at the 3 other regions of 6A football.

6A-Region 2

1. Madison Central- This is an easy pick in my mind. Top to bottom, the talent at Madison Central is incomparable to that of any other school in Region 2. Madison's real fight this year will be outside their region (see non-region schedule: Olive Branch; Starkville; Petal; West Monroe, LA). The transferring of Jamarion Robert to MRA should prove somewhat tricky (the degree of which has yet to be determined). Former Madison Central and Auburn University offensive lineman Chaz Ramsey has now taken the Tight End coach job at MC, which is pretty cool if you ask me. It doesn't hurt that Madison Central has the best special teams unit in the nation (at least that's what MC kicker Patrick Rahaim tells me, but he is a tad biased). This is looking like a complete team, just ask offensive lineman Leonard Swilley, "Y'all really don't know what's coming. All I've got to say is 'Get ready'". Record: 11-0 or 10-1; 7-0 (a letdown game somewhere in non-region schedule possibly)
2. Northwest Rankin- Although NWR has lost offensive firepower, coach Pete Hurt isn't going to let that stop his team from attempting to grab the top ranking in this region. With QB Reid Humphries out from Tommy John surgery and RB Ramone Nash transferring to MRA (weird how so many players are "transferring" to MRA, hmm...), the cougars will have to play stout defense to allow newcomers some slack. New QB Benton Yancey is not incompetent, however. And the new lead RB Curtis Hicks has impressed many current players with his ability to run the ball. But, as is the same case with Olive Branch, how much of last years production can this year's team replace? My answer: A lot. Kicker Cason Gooch thinks that this year's atmosphere around coach Hurt's program is "Incredible. Very exciting." Record: 11-1; 6-1 (Loss: @ Madison Central)
3. Murrah- The Mustangs are a team on the rise in Region 2. And for Murrah, it's all about getting one player the ball, Malik Dear. Dear had 994 receiving yards, 434 rushing yards, and over 100 yards as a punt/kick returner in his freshman year. Yes, you heard that correctly. Malik Dear had over 1,500 all-purpose yards AS A FRESHMAN. If this man doesn't have over 2,000 all purpose yards this year, he's hurt. That is the only reason this player cannot achieve that number. Murrah is slowly closing the gap between itself and the top of the region. Record: 8-3; 5-2 (Losses: Madison Central, Northwest Rankin, and either @ Provine, @ Callaway, or @ Jim Hill) 
4. Clinton- Clinton's decline in football the past several seasons has stemmed from a mediocre offense and lackluster defense. Sure, Clinton makes playoffs nearly every year, but it just seems like the team is normal. Just mediocre. Just right in the middle of everything. Skill players. Offensive lineman. Defensive players. Coaches. Everything: just in the middle. Lets take a closer look; on offense, no returning passer or rusher over 500 yards. On defense; Clinton's best player,Cornerback Cedric Jiles, a MSU signee, is gone. Someone is going to have to step up here or else another 5-7 season is on the horizon. Record:6-5; 4-3 (Losses: @ Meridian, @ Brandon, @ Madison Central, @ Murrah, Northwest Rankin)
5. Jim Hill: 6-5; 2-5 (Losses: Either @ Callaway or Provine, @ Clinton, Northwest Rankin, Madison Central, Murrah)
6. Greenville-Weston: 3-8; 2-5 (Wins: Gentry, @ Vicksburg, Warren Central)
7. Vicksburg: 3-8; 1-6 (Wins: Richwood (LA),  @ Lawrence County, Warren Central)
8. Warren Central- 1-10; 0-7 (Win: Callaway)

6A-Region 1 Preview

6A football is the pinnacle of high school football for rather obvious reasons: more players, larger talent pools, more money, etc. During these upcoming weeks we will be looking at all 4 of the 6A HS football regions, predicting records, and analyzing the top teams from each region.

6A-Region 1

1. South Panola- In South Panola's mind, last year was their gift to the rest of the teams in 6A football. Key phrase there? "In South Panola's mind". No one here at the Good-Win! Sports Blog is quite sure how South Panola's team will react to that "disaster" season of last year. While we're pretty sure they won't play like they did on their 89-game win streak, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. And a quick glance at their roster from last year will make you give them even more. The Tigers return 6+ (+ means plus whoever else became a sophomore and whoever "transferred" to South Panola) 290+ lbs. players on their teams. These numbers show that South Panola will be BIG next year. REALLY BIG. It seems to me that SP will be getting back to their game: shoving the football down your team's throat until they give up a touchdown. With an athlete like Tony Conner, they have even more ways to move the ball down the field. Good luck stopping these guys. Another unique characteristic about S. Panola? They play defense. Not many high school football teams play defense as successfully as South Panola. Look for these men to become the favorites again this year. Record: 11-1, 7-0 (Loss- Hoover, AL)
2. Olive Branch- Not very often is the returning 6A champion not favored in their own division. That is the situation that OBHS returns to 6AR1 football in. In my mind, Olive Branch's team last year was better than any of South Panola's teams during their reign of dominance over MS high school football. However, that team was anchored by an explosive offense that consisted mainly of seniors. With the likes of Todd Mays, Jaylen Miller, D'Arthur Cowan, and most of their offensive line leaving, how much of that point production can be replaced? More than 60% of their scoring offense has left OBHS in the last graduating class. Moreover, can their defense improve? Olive Branch's defense was putrid and porous at best last season. Here's how I see it: The more OB's defense can improve, the less coach Scott Samsel has to replace on offense. This year's season for the conquistadors hinges on the success of their defense. As far as how I see their season going, I think the defense will improve but not to the point that it will counteract the losses of Mays, Miller, and Cowan. Record: 10-2, 6-1 or 5-2 (Losses: South Panola, and either Madison Central, Southaven, Memphis University School, or Tupelo) And if you're into Olive Branch football, watch this.  http://www.maxpreps.com/video/watch.aspx#!videoid=dc223abe-d648-e815-417c-bcb9a2affc4a
3. Southaven- If scores can be any indication of how close a football team is to the top, Southaven is close.They had losses at Olive Branch (49-41), at Tupelo (28-27), and at Northwest Rankin (28-20). All away games. Those games flip to home games this year, which will allow Southaven to finally jump Tupelo for good in the 6AR1 standings. Record: 9-2, 5-2 (Losses- South Panola, Olive Branch) 
4. Tupelo- Closely behind Southaven is Tupelo. This team just can't seem to put it together. Last year they seemed to lack any support from their offensive line. Years past it was the lack of any defense. And with Southaven clearly rising, we have to wonder what might go wrong for Tupelo this year. It doesn't help that 4-star Running back/ Linebacker Ashton Shumpert has left the team either. Record: 6-5, 4-3 (Losses: Lafayette, Starkville, @ Southaven, South Panola, @ Olive Branch)
5. Columbus: Record: 7-4, 3-4 (Losses: @ Tupelo, Southaven, @ South Panola, Olive Branch) 
6. Horn Lake: 5-6, 2-5 (Losses: @ Hernando, @ South Panola, @ Olive Branch, Columbus, @ Tupelo, Southaven)
7. Grenada:4-7, 1-6 (Wins: Kosciusko, Winona, Desoto Central, and either @ Oxford or @ Charleston) 
8. Desoto Central: 3-8, 0-7 (Wins: @ Potts Camp, Lake Cormorant, North Panola) 

The Last of the College Football Titans

If you know anything about college football, you know that there are coaches, big coaches, and the collegiate trinity of coaches. This triad is composed of Paul "Bear" Bryant of the University of Alabama, Bobby Bowden of Florida State University, and Joe Paterno of Penn State University. On December 29, 1982, Paul "Bear" Bryant coached his last football game not only for the University of Alabama but also in his life. Less than one month leader, the winningest coach in college football history died. After the death of the Bear, Bowden and Paterno went on coaching at Florida State and Penn State respectively; Paterno even going on to eventually surpass Bryant in wins. 

The remaining two went unscathed by the times until the end of the previous decade. When hard times fell on Florida State's football program, fingers were pointed, and the blame eventually fell on head coach Bobby Bowden. After the 2009 season, Bowden "retired" after coaching Florida State for over 30 years. "JoePa" as he was often referred to, went on dominating the collegiate field, accumulating over 400 wins at Penn State. Over the horizon, however, a storm lurked.

On November 5, 2011, Jerry Sandusky, a former Defensive Coordinator under Paterno at Penn State, was arrested and charged with over 30 counts of various sexual crimes including the corruption of minors. Three days later, the Board of Trustees at Penn State turned down Joe Paterno's resignation in favor of relieving him of his coaching duties. On November 12, only four days after Paterno was fired, the Nittany Lions played their first game without Paterno as head coach since the 1965 season. Later that month, the Paterno family came out saying that the legendary coach was struggling with a treatable form of lung cancer, but he was hospitalized on January 13, 2012, due to complications form treatment. Paterno remained there until his death on January 22.

Unfortunately, the defamation to the Penn State community did not stop merely with Sandusky. It was soon revealed that Paterno and other high-ranking officials at Penn State had been made aware of what Sandusky had been doing, but, according to an investigation released in the summer of 2012, they had even exhausted efforts to cover it up.

January 22, 2012, we saw the death of the last great titan of college football, even though his legacy still remained.

But the destruction of the last great titan of the sport came with the investigation lead by former FBI Director Louis Freeh. 

The allusion of Bryant, Bowden, and Paterno of being the "Big Three" is even more appropriate after these findings. Like the three of Greek mythology, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, two maintained their status as Olympians (Bryant and Bowden) while the third (Paterno) fell from his standing and was cast out like a leper. 

What impact will this have on college football? Time will only tell. 

Will Penn State receive the death penalty like SMU? Time will only tell.

What we have learned from this, however, is that at large universities with big sports programs, athletic success is the main focus. 

And that is sad.

Leadership in Following: Jake Schwartz

This is the first part in a series that will highlight the football players of Madison Central High School for their marks made on and off of the field.

Remember Madison Central's huge victory over South Panola, 28-14? Think hard and you might remember that towards the 4th quarter, quarterback Drew Rowell was fighting back tears from severe shoulder injuries. Think even harder and you might remember that there was a young man, dressed out in full uniform, standing right next to him, consoling him in his pain. "Come on Drew. This is your team, you need to lead them to victory." Drew Rowell continued to play that night and led his team to their biggest victory in school history since 1999. What might surprise you about this story is the player that was encouraging Drew was the backup to Drew. Jake Schwartz had everything that a high school football player wants, playing time, within his grasp. And he chose to encourage his predecessor to finish the game. 

Drew and Jake's relationship began somewhat roughly, but to understand how that started, we need to know Jake and Drew before they were quarterbacks together at Madison Central. Jake Schwartz was a highly anticipated dual-threat quarterback playing for the 9th grade team at Rosa Scott when he got the call up from Bobby Hall to backup then senior QB Peyton Johnson. Drew Rowell, at the time a 10th grader, was successfully running the veer over at St. Andrew's. The next football season their paths would collide. Drew, the elder of the two, was looked to to run coach Hall's newly inserted veer offense. However, Schwartz knew the system better. The dilemma for Hall was obvious. Which player should he choose? The older-option based QB Rowell or the younger more knowledgeable Schwartz. Schwartz made the decision for him. Schwartz took Rowell aside and helped Drew learn the playbook. From that point on, a rough relationship became more like a friendship everyday. Rowell started for the next two years, ultimately because of the unselfish act of a 9th grader. The story above would be no shock to anyone who knows Jake Schwartz. Like most relationships that Jake has made, this was one built on selflessness, teamwork, and encouragement. These are intangibles that any coach would take over height, strength, or speed. 

But do not think these things come easy to Schwartz, who runs a 4.8 second 40-yard dash. There are days when Jake wakes up and doesn't want to go lift weights. There are days when Jake wants to skip training all together. But he won't allow himself to do these things to his teammates, who give their all, day in and day out. (Jake, however, was quick to point out that there is nothing special about that on a team full of hard-working players.) All QB's are looked up to (whether officially or not) as the leader of the team. He tries his hardest to be a "same-level" kind of leader by leading by example and providing encouragement to his team. Schwartz told me straight up, "A leader MUST be encouraging. Or else he will lose the respect of his peers." 

As for his game, have no doubt, it is his turn to lead this team, whether that means handing the ball off or slinging the ball 50 yards down the field. And on this year's team, Jake Schwartz feels like this is the year for Madison Central. "There is something different about it. Just the entire atmosphere and attitudes here. Everyone is excited." 

Thanks to Jake for sharing his story and his time! Any thoughts/comments/questions? 

Ashton Shumpert Update: 7/3/12

A 4-star running back/safety (scout.com and 247sports.com) from Itawamba Agricultural High School, Ashton Shumpert took some time to talk to me this afternoon. A big thanks to him for giving me some of that time (he's a pretty busy guy, ya know?).

(Photo courtesy of NEMS360.com)

While talking to Ashton, I had the feeling that I had caught him at just the right time to talk to him. I was right. Ashton has been hitting the gym HARD this summer. He's squatting 405 and benching 225 about 5 times. Everyone who knows anything about life knows that that hard work, will translate into a better product on the field. He thinks IAHS can surprise some people this fall. "I believe we can go as far as we want." Shumpert told me, "Everyone needs to play every down as hard as they can and everything will take care of itself."

On his college recruitment, Shumpert told me that "everybody is pretty much even, so it basically is wide open." Although its anyone's guess where he will end up, Shumpert did note that in-state schools Mississippi State and Ole Miss were pursuing him the hardest. I asked Ashton if he had grown up watching and pulling for either of those schools. Get this: Ashton Shumpert did not watch college football until he was a freshman in high school. That's the year that he told himself that if he worked hard enough, he could be a special football player. He also noted that his "special love for the game" is a major reason for his well-developed skills. Shumpert told me that he will most likely end up playing RB at the college level because of his ability to develop holes in the offensive line for himself as well as his ability to use moves that he uses in the second level of the defense. I also asked him about the Ole Miss recruiting tactic controversy (although I should point out, MSU isn't too far behind) and how that affects his attitude towards those schools. "It doesn't change it really."


Good-Win! Sports Blog- " I'm getting the feeling that you aren't going to set a timetable on your commitment, are you?"
Ashton Shumpert- "No, I'm not. I'm going to ride it out as long as I can."
G-W!SB- "Just trying to make the best decision?"
AS: "Yeah. And have a little fun with it too. It's a great time."

Good luck to Ashton this fall with his senior year as well as his college recruitment (I'll wish him a good time too).

Any thoughts/comments/question? Thanks for reading!

The Final Draft

If you'll notice the title, you'll read "The Final Draft". This might seem like a weird title to a blog post, but I'll point out that while yes it is rather unusual, it also connotes that there was a rough draft. So, that's what we will use when we refer to last year because, like on a rough draft, there were things I wish I could do better or even redo. Some might say: "I thought you did an excellent job with the blog last year!". To which I would say: "Thanks! I think I did too! I truly appreciate you reading my blog! But when I refer to things I wish I could redo, I mean things in my personal life." So without getting too personal, I will leave it at that. The way I was running the blog last year made me give up several things (one of which was this blog). So, this year is the redo. This year (and from then on) is the final copy. Things will be changed for the better. So enough with the regrets! The rest of this post will be dedicated to what will be done differently as well as new features on the blog (plus a request)

Towards the end of my writing (April and May), I started covering some recruiting that was not related to local sports. Honest time: I bit off more than I could chew. This year, I will try my best (no promises) to cover local (local is such a relative term) recruiting. I've learned my lesson. Leave the recruiting to Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247sports.com. They're the pros.

This is important enough I'm giving it its own paragraph; take note. If you think you might possibly be interested in writing for the blog, please contact me. I would be more than happy to share this medium with anyone that wants to share their own opinion! I've even done it before! I'll even let you write about NASCAR (tongue-in-cheek). A big props to Andrew Toler (AKA tolernator) for stepping up and picking up the Ole Miss side of things here on the blog as well as the writing while I was on "vacation". And while none of us here are particular USM fans, we would be more than happy to welcome anyone who would like to pick that up!

Now.... Here's what's going on with the blog!

Madison Central

• This is one area of the blog that I would really like to expand. Any students that would like to provide some perspective here are more than welcome! Last year we only covered football, which is disappointing because Madison Central had a lot of excellent athletic teams! Fast pitch softball won a state championship! Boy's basketball made the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Boys and Girls soccer both had great seasons that extended into the postseason. Boys track and fieldwon a state championship! Baseball went all the way to the state championship series! Last year was a great year to be a Jag! So help us cover some Jaguar sports!
• What we're keeping: Well there isn't much to keep (we didn't do too much). We will definitely continue to do scouting reports on upcoming opponents! 
• What's new? We'll try our best to follow even more MC sports next year! Look for analysis after games with quotes from players and notes from us! Also look for player updates (reports written by players to help keep people in the know)!

   Mississippi State

• Last year I kinda got hooked on talking about MSU sports. We had interviews with (used to be) commits, analysis on (used to be) coaches, as well as other things. Less of that. 
• What we're keeping: I'm going to continue to try to find Mississippi State recruits that will open up to the blog. I'll continue to search through the numbers to find the true story. 
• What's new? Not much in this category. If any opportunities arise, I'll see where it takes me and then reevaluate. 

Ole Miss

• The Ole Miss side didn't truly open up last year. Sure, there was this great piece by Andrew on Derrick Millinghaus. But not too much more
• What we're keeping: Like i said before, not too much to keep.
• What's new? What's not new? Look for Andrews new (insert amount of time)ly Rebel Report (the name was my idea). He'll talk about Ole Miss athletics and knowing him, there is nothing that he won't talk about when it comes to Ole Miss (He threatened me with Ole Miss tennis once). I think he will probably want to cover a tad of Ole Miss recruiting too. 

Lastly, this may sound like a lot of new stuff. It's not. All I did was use big letters and fancy colors. Sure, there is some new stuff, but not a ton. We will try our best to keep the blog updated, but in the words of the all time winning-est coach in Mississippi State basketball history, "It is what it is." 

Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!

Player Profile: Jake Thomas

Jake Thomas is a 4 star Offensive Tackle (scout.com) from Columbus, Mississippi. Below you'll find nearly everything you need to know about his recruitment.

Last updated: 5/9/12

Top Schools-
Alabama (Scholarship offered/Stoutland)
University of Mississippi (No scholarship offered/Luke)
Mississippi State (Scholarship offered/Hevesy)
Southern Miss (Scholarship offered/Unknown)

Jake has no current "favorites", but has spent the most time at MSU and Alabama.

Main Recruiting Factors:
- Good academics
- Good athletics program
- Comfort factor
- Distance NOT a major factor

Jake has been nominated for the Army All American bowl. (5/9/11)

Recruiting Update: 5/7/12

PJ Hardwick

PJ is currently on a visit the University of North Texas. He lists SMU, TCU, UAB, and South Carolina as schools that have a lot of interest in him taking an official visit. "Every school has an equal opportunity" he said. Regarding his release from Mississippi State, PJ says that he did what was best for his family and that it's now I'm God's hands.

Josh Gray

I know I'm pretty late on this, but Josh Gray has signed with Texas Tech. I just didn't want to report something I didn't hear from him. Best of luck to Josh.

One on One: Jacoby Davis, Jr.

Jacoby Davis is a MSU basketball signee from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is currently attending school at West Charlotte High School.

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Jacoby, thanks for talking with us. Tell us about yourself.
Jacoby Davis, Jr.- I'm a family guy. I'm really close with my father. I love being in the gym. I'm really a funny person. I love meeting new people everyday and I'm a kid that's just striving to reach many goals in life.

G-W!SB- What can you bring to the MSU program?
JDJ- Hardworking, leadership, scoring when needed and just being that general on the floor to control the games. Plus being the best defender at all times.

G-W!SB- Tell us about your recruitment (other schools, besides MSU, and what they did to recruit you, etc. )
JDJ- My recruitment was everywhere. Meaning mid-majors and high-majors such as Western Kentucky, Hofstra, Jacksonville, Houston, Seton Hall, South Carolina, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- When did MSU come into the picture?
JDJ- Honestly about a week when coach ray got the job.

G-W!SB- What recruiting pitch(es) did MSU win you on?
JDJ- The Facilities and the fans actually knowing who I was when I came on campus.

G-W!SB- Can you talk about what you feel this program can achieve over the next 4 years?
JDJ- I think in the next 4 years it will be in at least 4 NCAA tourneys and have a couple SEC titles

G-W!SB- That's pretty ambitious. What reasons make you think your team can achieve a feat like that?
JDJ- We are hard workers and have a great coaching staff who are leading us in a great direction.

G-W!SB- When did you know you were going to sign with MSU? Was there a specific event?
JDJ- No. Just went with my gut and praying to God to help me make the best decision for me and my family.

G-W!SB-Well, I wish you the best of luck, Jacoby. Thanks for your time!
JDJ- Your welcome!

Thanks to Jacoby for his time and we wish him the best at MSU!
.

Recruiting update: 4/25/12

Josh Gray

Josh Gray has narrowed down his field to his final 3 choices: Kansas State, Texas Tech and prep school. He recently visited Texas Tech this past weekend saying that he had a "great weekend". He was extremely complimentative of Lubbock and Tech saying that it was beautiful and that he couldn't have been anywhere better.

Trey Dickerson

Trey has truly enjoyed the recruiting process and is hoping to get some official visits set up by the end of this week. He wants to cut his choices down to his final 3 schools, but calls Duquesne his leader. He also mentioned that he was now receiving interest from Rhode Island. As of the 24th, Mississippi State has not contacted him to set up an official visit.

One on One: Kahlil Dukes

Kahlil Dukes, a point guard, is one of the top players in the state of Connecticut.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- Hey Kahlil, thanks for taking some time to talk with us. Tell us about yourself.
Kahlil Dukes-
• Born May 17, 1995
•Born and raised in Hartford, CT
•Junior (16 years old)
•Goes to Capital Prep (Hartford, CT)
•Been playing basketball since I was born
•I made my first basket on regulation at the age of 3
•I'm a workaholic
•I love representing myself and where •I come from
•Love to win, hate to lose
•Motivated by success and everything that comes with it
•Kris Dunn is my big brother and biggest admiration
•Huge faith and belief in God
•2-Time All-Stater
•Just your abnormal teenager:
Music, sleep, workout, chill, rest, and do it all over again
•Oh and I write poetry don't forget that!

G-W!SB- Wow. That's a lot. Its cool to know your not just one-dimensional. What separates you from the rest of the 2013 class?
KD- I just push myself mentally; spend a lot of time alone, thinking, sleeping, seeing myself succeed, seeing the hardwork pay off, seeing where all the training can and will take me, listening to guys who have done it like Kris Dunn, and just disciplining myself to get into the gym everyday no matter what happens throughout the course of the day. If my body is tired or if I for some strange reason can't get the gym, I watch film and learn something to improve my IQ so that I don't make the same mistakes again and make more of the good decisions as my game progresses. And honestly, I just want it. Some say they do, but I've proved it.

G-W!SB- You sound like you want it a lot. Which schools know you want it and want you in return?
KD-
•Rice
•Sacred Heart
•Quinnipiac
•Vermont
•Robert Morris
•Saint Peters
•Saint Bonaventure
•Princeton
•Stony Brook
•Fairfield
•Hofstra
•USC
•LeHigh
•Northeastern (just interest)
To name a few

G-W!SB- Congrats on the USC offer. Are there other ways you can tell your hard work is paying off? (and ok I gotcha)
KD- Thank you!
And yeah those top players or players who are above me were showing me love. Usually when you play well against the best competition in the country, they're too into themselves to respect a player who has worked just as hard as them or works hard like them to get where they are or become how good they really seem to be. And I got that love, not just from coaches, but from the players I've never been mentioned in the same sentence with before.

G-W!SB- How does it feel to watch yourself elevate because of your own hard work?
KD- Unexplainable, you spend months and months training to become someone who is talked about and admired for his talents and you wonder where it'll take you, I've found out exactly where hard work leads. When you dedicate your life to something, you expect something in return. I guess you could say, this is the return.

G-W!SB- Which schools have impressed you the most do far?
KD- Definitely USC because they pulled the trigger with me. A lot of high majors wait for you to be this ranked player, hype player, sky's the limit potential, 7'0 footer, but they came to see another player from California play and I happen to be playing against him, I performed, and they ended up offering me so that really impressed me that they pulled the trigger so fast, made me feel like they really wanted me and saw high major to professional potential in me.
But other than that, Vermont has been all over me, from my school to other states, they've shown the most interest and have contacted me the most so they've impressed me as well. However, I'm still open and waiting my options.

G-W!SB- Ok man, thanks for talking to us! Can't wait to talk again if that's cool with you!
KD- No problem, anytime!

Thanks to Kahlil for his time! We look forward to keeping up with him this next year!

One on One: Derek Millinghaus

I recently interviewed Derek Millinghaus, a point guard from Schenectady, New York. He recently signed with St. Bonaventure, but his letter of intent was released, and he then signed with Ole Miss.

Andrew Toler: Would you mind explaining the situation with St. Bonaventure?
Derek Millinghaus: I signed with St. Bonaventure last year and I did not want to go there anymore because my family was moving down south. I wanted to be kind of close to my family.

AT: There's a lot of colleges down south! What made you choose Ole Miss?
DM: I chose Ole Miss because Coach [Andy] Kennedy has had a lot of good point guards during his career and I felt that he will push me to be the best player and point guard that I can be.

AT: Tell us about your recruitment to Ole Miss.
DM: Coach Kennedy has been at my games faithfully, so I felt that [Ole Miss] really wants me.

AT: I understand. Who are some players you look up to/feel your game is most like?
DM: I would say Chris Paul and Brandon Jennings.

AT: How is their game similar to yours?
DM: They are able to score and pass, and bring excitement to the game.

AT: What excites you the most about playing for Ole Miss?
DM: The passion the fans have for ther school, being able to play in the SEC, and having a chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

AT: How do you feel about Ole Miss's current roster? Who are you excited about playing with?
DM: I feel that we have a lot of pieces to make it far next year, probably even the Final Four. I'm excited about playing with everyone on the roster.

AT: Do you feel like you could be the missing link to the Ole Miss offense?
DM: Yes, I think that I'm the type of guard that they need.

AT: What kind of guard does Ole Miss need?
DM: They need Derrick Millinghaus! [Laughs] Ole Miss needs a guard that attack the basket well, shoots well, and will do anything to help his team win.

AT: Thank your for taking the time to talk to us. I'm an Ole Miss fan, so I'm looking forward to seeing you play. Hotty Toddy!
DM: Alright thank you. I appreciate it.

Thanks to Derek Millinghaus for interviewing with me. He is a great guy and I hope to do it again soon.

One on One: Trey Dickerson

Price High School (CA) Point Guard Trey Dickerson sat down with the Good-Win! Sports Blog to discuss his past, present, and future basketball career.

I HIGHLY recommend that you watch this video. However, if you don't have time here are the highlights.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- Give us your top 5 school choices.
Trey Dickerson- Mississippi State, Duquesne University, Hofstra University, Quinnipiac University, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- I'm putting you on the spot here. If you had to, rank those schools you mentioned earlier.
TP- 1. Mississippi State 2. Hofstra 3. Duquesne 4. Quinnipiac University 5. Southern Cal

G-W!SB- Can we talk to you again maybe? Keep up with your recruitment?
TD- Sure! Let's talk in about a week or so!

Thanks again to Trey for talking to me! He's an awesome guy and I'm really looking forward to talking to him again. Here is him dunking (He's 6'1".)

SEC Mascot Mash-Up: East

Ok, now that you all have gotten my take on the mascots of the west, it's time for my second introductory article, but this time I'll giving my personal opinion on the mascots of the SEC East.

8. Florida, formerly known as the Gators.

New mascot: Swamp People.

It was hard to choose between Florida and LSU for this one. But taking the swamp people's obsession with Alligators into account, Florida was the obvious winner.

9. Georgia, formerly known as the Bulldogs.

Again, TOO MANY BULLDOGS.

New mascot: UGAs.

The traditional bulldog mascot that has been a part of Georgia football for as long as anyone can remember. The Dawgs don't have to give up their mascot after all.

10. Kentucky, formerly known as the Wildcats.

New Mascot: Hoopers.

These guys aren't good at anything but Basketball. And an occasional year of baseball.

11. Missouri, formerly known as the Tigers.

ANOTHER tiger in the SEC. These guys definitely need a new mascot.

New mascot: The Out Of Place Ones.

The State of Missouri is around 500 miles away from the nearest SEC East state. Definitely out of place.

12. South Carolina, formerly know as the Gamecocks.

Ok, I'm going to be straight with ya'll. The Gamecock is a pretty cool mascot, and definitely original. As an Ole Miss fan, though, I'm not going to mention the other organization with that mascot.

New Mascot: Palmettos.

South Carolina is the Palmetto State. Natural choice.

13. Tennessee, formerly know as the Volunteers.

What's a volunteer? Beats me. These guys need a new mascot.

New Mascot: River Rats.

Neyland Stadium is famous for being located on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River.

14. Vanderbilt, formerly known as the Commodores.

New Mascot: Nerds.

Look. These guys are super nerdy. One of the smartest kids I know didn't even get accepted into this "elite" school.

Ok guys, this is my first set of articles. Hope ya'll enjoy reading my writing, because I am definitely looking forward to writing!

One on One: Michael Roy

Friday night, JUCO point guard for John Woods Community College, Michael Roy, took time to sit down and talk to me about his basketball career, past, present and future. During the interview we discussed future college choices, his basketball skills and other interesting things.

If you can't watch the video or don't have time to, here are the high spots below. Otherwise, I highly recommend that you watch the interview. Thanks again to Michael for talking to me!

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Tell us about what sets your game apart from everyone else.
Michael Roy- I'm an all-around player. I work on all parts of my game from defense to offense.  But my main goal is to get my defense up on a high level so I can guard anyone that the other team puts in front of me. Since I'm short at 5'8", I think that working on that can make up for my height. By doing that, I can show people that I shouldn't be underrated like I am.

G-W!SB-  Can you tell us some schools that you feel you would be a good fit at?
MR- I feel like I would be a good fit at LSU, Northwestern (State University), and Nebraska. I've been watching those 3 schools since I was a kid, so I've always looked up to the players at those schools. I've always thought about those 3 schools like, "I want to be wearing that jersey right there". So I've set goals to play on a Division 1 or Division 2 level.

G-W!SB- Most people would see being 5'8" as a  disadvantage. Can you tell us why it's not a disadvantage?
MR- First off, I'm a physical guy, so don't think you can push me around on the court. So to get past my height, I just push myself harder. I motivate myself to work harder My strength, my speed, and my ability to guard make up for my height.

Here are Michael's highlights for his senior season in high school. If your interested in setting up an interview, contact me!

SEC Mascot Mash-Up

As you all know, two new teams were added to the SEC starting in the 2012 football season. With the conference realignment, I think it would be a fun idea to do a little mascot realignment, if you catch my drift.

I just want to start off with a little introduction. My name is Andrew, and I will be helping out my man Will. Keep reading our blog.

Let's start with the West. In no particular order.

1. Alabama, formerly know as the Crimson Tide.

New mascot: Thundering Elephant Herd.

I know this is jipping a certain C-USA team. But seriously, C-USA? No one cares about their mascots anyway. And Alabama has been long overdue for a mascot change. Crimson Tide? What does that have to do with elephants?

2. Arkansas, formerly known as the Razorbacks.

New mascot: The Ones That Never Catch A Break.

Darren McFadden never won the Heisman, and they have only been selected for 1 BCS bowl regardless of their recently high rankings. And then when they actually get a decent coach, he has to mess things up for them. Really Bobby? Really?

3. Auburn. Formerly known as the Tigers.

New mascot: Plainclothesmen.

For all of you familiar with college football locales, particularly in the great state of Alabama, it is known that Auburn University is located in the region of the state called "the plains". But don't think there's anything plain about the state of Alabama. They have the last 3 BCS championships.

4. LSU, formerly know as the Tigers.

Too many tigers. WAY too many tigers. And bulldogs. But we'll get to that later.

New mascot: Ragin' Cajuns.

Sorry. Had to steal another mascot. Sorry to that little Sunbelt team in south Louisiana, but this mascot fits those corndog-eating, beer-watergun-shooting "fans" better than any other.

P.S. I don't like LSU.

5. Ole Miss, formerly know as the Rebels.

This was an easy one, seeing as this is the team closest to my heart, which all you readers will definitely realize as I begin to write.

New mascot: Flood.

Jackson, Mississippi, Easter 1979. One of the worst floods the mighty Pearl river has ever produced. Yeah, it messed a lot of stuff up, which is something the Ole Miss frat boys have been doing a lot of lately to get that atrocious excuse for a football season off their minds.

6. Mississippi State, formerly know as the Bulldogs.

Again, too many bulldogs.

New mascot: Turf Managers or the Fighting Les Miles'.

As most people know, MSU has an excellent agriculture school and they pride themselves on that green glory they call grass. It's a perfect fit.

7. Texas A & M, formerly know as the Aggies.

New mascot: Noobs.

2012 SEC schedule: Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida.

You asked for it, you got it. Welcome to the SEC.

Hey guys, this has just been a little taste of what's in store for ya. Check back later this weekend for the unveiling of the new mascots for the East!

UM-USM Game Rained Out, But Not Without Some Antics from the Teams

Here at the Good-Win! Sports Blog, I like to give people the best sports highlights and analysis.Southern Miss and Ole Miss were set to play one game, but it was rained out.The players got bored and made the most of their time. And while there were no game highlights or analysis last night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, there were some highlights there will definitely be some analysis.

Ole Miss Baseball Team Goes Bowling

Analysis:

• The bowler (whose name is unknown to me) has some serious form. Any bowling coach would be proud of that. 
• On another note, Senquez Golson makes an excellent bowling ball. Paging coach Freeze!
• I really like the acting skills of Hawtin Buchanan, number 21. He does an excellent job of putting some suspense into this. 
• Props to Ole Miss for the use of (what looks like) the entire team. 
• Overall Grade: B+

Southern Miss Takes a Roller Coaster Ride

Analysis: 

• First off the leader does an excellent job of leading the players. 
• The players did an awesome job with their reaction time.
• I could totally imagine these players riding a roller coaster. They did a great job of selling this.
• Overall Grade: B

Southern Miss Players Rescue Other Players

Analysis:

• Props to the hand- binocualrs. It's a classic.
• Those lifeguards were booking it to save those players. Except for that guy skipping out. Still not sure what that was about.
• The CPR that was given looked extremely realistic. Good acting by both guys too.
• The thumbs-up from the saved played was a feel-good ending
• Overall Grade: B+

It's at this point that a full-on Dance-off broke out.

Dance-off 

Analysis:

• Ole Miss's player had some weird thing goin' on, but it worked out for him in the end.
• Ole Miss' Overall Grade: B-
• Southern Miss' player's swag was undeniable. The team got behind it too.
• Southern Miss' Overall Grade: A-

Southern Miss Player "Bernie"'s and Leaves Ole Miss Speechless

Analysis: 

• The dance choice was on point. The "Bernie" is an excellent dance.
• The smack-talk in the middle to Senquez Golson was a good little break before starting to do what looks like the "Dougie". 
• The fact that Ole Miss didn't answer is huge. They didn't even know how to respond.
• Overall Grade: A

Worm-off

Analysis:

• This is an excellent dance choice. You can never go wrong with classics like the worm. 
• Ole Miss' player, Will Jamison, gives us a little prologue to the worm. Then the man gets some serious air.
• Ole Miss's Overall Grade: A
• Southern's player gives us a quick look at his worm. Wasn't spectacular. 
• Southern Miss' Overall Grade: B-

"The Ole Miss"

Analysis: 

• Originality points here. Big time.
• So just for future reference, I'm the first person to dub this "The Ole Miss".
• The acting was great too.
• Overall Grade: A+

Now this wouldn't be a sports  blog if I didn't relate this to sports (besides the fact that they are baseball teams). If this were a baseball game, I would say that the final score would be:

Ole Miss 7, Southern Miss 6 (in 13 innings). 

Its always fun to write pieces like this. Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading!