Former Co-Lin standout Durr pushing for time at MSU

STARKVILLE — Lashard Durr will do anything to prove he is worthy of being a starter.

MSU Notebook: Mullen changes routine by practicing at South Farm

STARKVILLE — Early in training camp, Dan Mullen doesn’t want his players to get comfortable with the routine.

Starkville’s Claybrook finds right fit at Tulane

STARKVILLE — Football wasn’t Joey Claybrook’s only concern when he was looking at colleges.

Claybrook wanted to make sure he could have a top-notch academic experience and play football in college, so he was particular in where he looked. Claybrook received interest from Duke, one of the nation’s top academic schools. He also heard from Tulane, which is in New Orleans. The Starkville High School senior offensive lineman became more interested in Tulane as he did his research about the school. Conversations with Tulane coach Willie Fritz and members of his coaching staff helped convince Claybrook, so he decided to make a verbal commitment July 20.

Redshirt freshman receivers will try to make impression

STARKVILLE — Sweat rolled off Billy Gonzales’ face Tuesday as he watched his young players in his position group.

The Mississippi State wide receiver coach stood on the Jugs machine and barked out instructions as the Bulldogs ran through a drill involving two dummies acting as defenders and a cone that signaled where they were supposed to break down and turn back to him.

Whann, Price want to help continue Starkville High volleyball success

STARKVILLE — A typical day for Maureen Whann starts at 4:30 a.m.

Following the usual morning preparations, Whann drives one hour from Starkville to Tupelo to her job as a computer programmer.

The second part of Whann’s day begins when her 9-5 job is done and she travels back to Starkville and enters the Starkville High School gym for a vigorous three-hour practice.

MSU’s Rankin hopes to earn starting spot on offensive line

STARKVILLE — Martinas Rankin stepped on the Mississippi State campus in the spring of 2015 with a chance to win a starting spot.

Coming out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Rankin was the top-ranked junior college

offensive lineman in the Class of 2015. When MSU signed him, making an immediate impact seemed inevitable.

Sirmon putting plan in place for MSU defense

STARKVILLE — Peter Sirmon wasn’t shy about what new philosophies he wants to bring to the Mississippi State football defense.

MSU Notebook: Receiving corps get huge lift with summer additions

STARKVILLE — After February’s signing period and the loss of three wide receivers, Mississippi State’s Billy Gonzales feared a lack of depth.

Mullen faces balancing act with four QBs

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen wouldn’t be surprised if a quarterback transfers because he has seen it before.

Mullen was involved in a quarterback controversy while he was the quarterbacks coach at Utah in 2003. Starter Brett Elliott broke his wrist in the second game and backup Alex Smith took over. When Elliott returned four weeks later, Smith had won the job. Before the next season, Mullen sat down with Elliott.

MSU will ease Ross back into fold

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen wants to ease Fred Ross back into football shape.

A groin sidelined the senior wide receiver for all of the team’s 15 spring practices. Last month, though, Ross said at Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Alabama, that he was close to being ready. On Monday, speaking at MSU’s media day, Mullen said Ross isn’t back to 100 percent.

Gay likes Ole Miss, but he will keep options open

STARKVILLE — Willie Gay has been recruited by some of the best programs in the country.

During that process, he had a chance to see how those schools treated their student-athletes. The things he saw helped him make a verbal commitment to the Ole Miss football program in June, months before National Signing Day in February.

Starkville moving on from 2015 title run

STARKVILLE — Ricky Woods hasn’t thought about last season’s success since Christmas.

In his first year as head coach at the school, Woods guided the Starkville High School football team past Petal High for the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State championship. It was his eighth state title.

MSU football team will report Monday

STARKVILLE — Like many coaches, Dan Mullen was excited to talk to the media at Southeastern Conference Media Days earlier this month.

Staring at more than 100 media members, the Mississippi State football coach ended his opening statement by saying, “Some of the best times of the year is Saturdays down south in the fall. There’s nothing like it.”

New deal, new title for Cohen

STARKVILLE — After winning the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship, Mississippi State baseball coach John Cohen received an extension.

MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin announced Friday that Cohen signed a four-year contract extension through 2020. Also, Cohen has added the title of associate athletic director.

Patience in recruiting process key for Starkville High’s Jordan

STARKVILLE — Nelson Jordan is no stranger to the recruiting process.

Although fairly unknown and with very little interest so far, the Starkville High School senior defensive lineman watched A.J. Brown, Kobe Jones, and Lorenzo Dantzler sign with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi, respectively, in February after long recruiting battles.

Cohen optimistic following offseason filled with turnover

STARKVILLE — As John Cohen looked at the reporters gathered June 11, he knew his Mississippi State baseball team was about to undergo a major overhaul.

Cohen had just watched his team suffer a loss to Arizona in the Starkville Super Regional that ended one of the most historic seasons in school history. The Bulldogs, who won the Southeastern Conference championship for the first time since 1989 and went 44-18-1. MSU also had a school-record 11 players taken in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft.

Former Bulldog Sirmones shot and killed in Tennessee

Although Wayne Madkin had not seen C.J. Sirmones in several years, the news he heard Wednesday was hard for him to handle.

MSU’s Frazier making the most of call to the big leagues

Adam Frazier will always remember June 23, 2016.

Simmons pleads no contest to simple assault

Mississippi State freshman football player Jeffery Simmons pleaded no contest to simple assault Tuesday in Macon Municipal Court, his lawyer Jay Perry said.

Starkville High’s Gay accepts invitation to All-American Bowl

STARKVILLE — Willie Gay walked off the football field slowly after a intense conditioning session Monday night.

It wasn’t the first time he had worked out or ran this summer. He has been hitting the weight room with enthusiasm and running to prepare himself for the grind of his final high school football season in the state of Mississippi.