STARKVILLE — Mississippi State fans won’t have to wait much longer to find out about the future of quarterback Dak Prescott.
Prescott, a redshirt junior from Haughton, Louisiana, who broke 12 school
records this season, will hold a will hold a news conference at 1:30 today in the MSU Seal Football Complex to announce his decision.
Reports from multiple media outlets Tuesday night said Prescott planned to return for his senior season.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Prescott has been weighing his options regarding returning to school for the 2015 season or opting for the NFL draft. He is coming off a season in which he helped lead MSU (10-3) to its first No. 1 ranking in school history and its first 10-win regular season. MSU’s season ended with a 49-35 loss to Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31.
Prescott threw for 3,449 yards and 27 touchdowns (11 interceptions) and was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference at quarterback. He completed 61.6 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns. In all, he accounted for 42 touchdowns and was a contender for the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to college football’s best player. He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting with two first-place votes.
Prescott helped MSU lead the SEC in total offense for the first time since 1982. The Bulldogs put up a school-record 513.8 yards per game, which was eighth nationally.
Prescott’s return would help offset the loss to first-team All-America linebacker Benardrick McKinney and running back Josh Robinson, who declared for the NFL draft.
McKinney, a 6-5, 249-pounder middle linebacker from Tunica, is ranked the top inside linebacker prospect in this year’s draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper. He is scheduled to attend the NFL Scouting Combine Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis.
McKinney was the team’s top tackler the past two seasons. He played in 39 games (36 starts) and had 244 tackles (19.5 for loss) and 7.5 sacks.
This season, McKinney became the first first-team All-America linebacker for MSU since 1999. He started all 13 games and had a team-best 71 tackles and eight tackles for loss. ESPN, the Football Writers Association, Phil Steele, and Sports Illustrated all recognized him as a first-team All-American. He was a 2014 semifinalist for the Bednarik, Butkus, and Lombardi Awards.
Robinson, a 5-9, 215-pounder, spent one season as the team’s tarting running back. He was named a second-team All-SEC performer by The Associated Press and the league’s coaches after finishing the regular season third in the SEC in rushing yards (1,128) and tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (11). He also ranked second in the league by averaging 6.4 yards per carry (minimum 100 carries).
Robinson rushed for at least 100 yards in four games this season. His 197 yards in a 34-29 win against LSU on Sept. 20 were the most by a MSU player since Anthony Dixon rushed for 252 yards against Kentucky on Oct. 31, 2009. Robinson also led all SEC running backs with 50 plays from scrimmage that went for 10 or more yards this season.
MSU finishes season No. 11
MSU’s historic 2014 season ended with the program’s highest national ranking in season-ending polls since 1940.
On Tuesday, one day after the first College Football Playoff Championship Game, The Associated Press and Amway Coaches Poll (USA Today) ranked MSU No. 11 and No. 12 in their final national rankings.
“It’s a great accomplishment for everybody associated with Mississippi State,” MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin said. “It’s a great building block. There is never a finish line to any of this. Ohio State won (Monday night), and I guarantee you the first thing they are thinking about this morning is how do we do it again. That is what we’re doing.
“I wanted to finish in the top 10 so bad. After the bowl game, I knew it probably wasn’t going to happen. Eleventh is awfully close. I am confident we can get back to this kind of situation and keep going to bowl games and (keep) putting ourselves in position to have more years like we did this year.”
MSU, which was No. 7 in both polls prior to an Orange Bowl loss to Georgia Tech, recorded its second-highest final ranking in school history.
In the Coaches Poll, MSU tied its highest finish, joining the 1999 squad, which finished No. 12. That 1999 team also was the last squad to win 10 games.
Earlier this season, MSU used a 6-0 start to climb to No. 1 in The AP and Amway Coaches Poll for the first time on Oct. 12, one day after a 38-23 win against then-No. 2 Auburn. That kicked off a five-week stint on top of the college football world, which also included a stay on top of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee’s weekly rankings That stint lasted four weeks, and ended with a 25-20 loss at Alabama.
In climbing the polls to reach the top, MSU became the fastest team to go from unranked to No. 1. It accomplished the feat in three weeks. MSU used consecutive wins against then-No. 8 LSU, then-No. 6 Texas A&M, and Auburn to achieve the first. The Bulldogs were the fifth team in the history of The AP weekly poll to beat three-straight top-10 teams.
In addition to reaching its first Orange Bowl since 1941, MSU shattered 29 individual and team single-season records with the most prolific offense in school history. MSU has broken 66 team or individual single-season and career records in the Dan Mullen era (2009-present).
Ole Miss, which defeated MSU 31-17 in the Battle for the Golden Egg on Nov. 29, finished 9-4 and was ranked No. 17 in The AP poll and No. 19 in the Amway Coaches Poll.
The Rebels are ranked in the final postseason polls for the first time since the 2009 season. They have their highest final rankings since being 14th in The AP and 15th in the Coaches polls after the 2008 season.
Ole Miss was ranked in every polls this season. The Rebels rose as high as No. 3 following a 23-17 win against No. 1 Alabama on Oct. 4. They were No. 4 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
No progress on contract negotiations for Mullen
Stricklin said Tuesday no progress has been made on talks with MSU football coach Dan Mullen and his agent on a possible deal to extend his contract.
Stricklin said travel plans for Mullen’s agent have out the discussions on hold.
“I get asked that question, if Dan is under contract,” Stricklin said. “Dan is under contract. We’re trying to enhance his contract. We’re trying to enhance his contract in a positive way.”
Mullen recently completed his sixth season as head coach at MSU. His current contract pays him about $3 million.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat. Staff Reports were included in this report.
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