Myles’ return means a lot to MSU WRs

STARKVILLE — Gabe Myles’ return to the Mississippi State football team wasn’t quiet — not that anyone expected it to be.

“Gabe ain’t shut up since he’s been back,” MSU wide receiver Donald Gray said.

MSU dominates BYU

STARKVILLE — Nick Fitzgerald rushed for two touchdowns in the first half, and Brandon Bryant’s fourth-quarter interception helped seal the Mississippi State football team’s 35-10 victory against BYU on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.

Bulldogs look for spark in kick return game

STARKVILLE — A safety gave the Mississippi State football team its first shot to return a kickoff in 2017.

Late in the first quarter against Charleston Southern, Donald Gray took a kickoff for 52 yards to set up a six-play touchdown drive.

MSU hasn’t had a return like that one since Gray’s effort.

Growth of Gibson, Hill adds depth to MSU backfield

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State has three running backs with at least 20 carries through five games.

Dontavian Lee isn’t on that list, but the 6-foot-1, 235-pound junior is still listed as the second-string back.

Lee has played in every game, so he hasn’t been forgotten, but the growth of Nick Gibson and Kylin Hill has added to the

Bulldogs’ depth in the backfield.

Gardner seeing bigger role in Starkville’s offense

STARKVILLE — Chris Jones’ quick scouting report on Cameron Gardner was simple: The tools are there, but the statistics aren’t.

The Starkville High School football coach was certain that would change.

MSU secondary trying to improve its numbers

STARKVILLE — Interceptions are a sore subject for the Mississippi State football team.

Ask cornerback Jamal Peters and position coach Terrell Buckley about interceptions and they immediately say the same thing — “We don’t have any” — while losing all expression in their faces.

Sweat enjoys role as pass-rushing specialist for Bulldogs

STARKVILLE — Montez Sweat’s ideology is pretty simple: “See ball, get ball.” If he’s being honest and the opposing offense does what he hopes, it’s probably more like see quarterback, get quarterback.

MSU Walk-on Wednesday: Burnett takes thrift store approach to build successful business

STARKVILLE — The newest Mississippi State football t-shirt craze is originating from inside its locker room.

Construction at Dudy Noble changes fall routine for baseball team

STARKVILLE — Going up the stairs from the home dugout at Dudy Noble Field isn’t going to get one very far.

A staircase that used to take one directly onto the turf field in foul territory now is just a few feet away from a temporary fence that shields construction crews from the newly planted grass.

Mullen: MSU could see changes on ‘O’ line

STARKVILLE — The emergency situation called for Greg Eiland.

When Mississippi State left tackle Martinas Rankin went down with an injury in the game against Auburn, Eiland, a freshman, was thrown into the mix and played nearly the entire game. With Rankin still questionable after the bye week, MSU (3-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) might go with another combination when it plays host to BYU (1-5) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.

Construction continues at Dudy Noble Field

STARKVILLE — David Bryant ducks under an overhang, passes a slab of concrete still drying to his right and walks into a tunnel, immediately taking a left. His shoes crunch on the gravel beneath his feet until he hits the wood planks making up the floor of the tunnel.

Oak HIll Academy sees five-game winning streak end with home loss

WEST POINT — Oak Hill Academy will live through this.

Bell becomes father, hits field for EMCC

SCOOBA — Maleke Bell has been doing a lot of waiting the last few months.

Part of Bell’s waiting ended Wednesday when the East Mississippi Community College defensive lineman became a father.

On Thursday, the former Starkville High School standout made his much-awaited debut with EMCC in the No. 1 Lions’ 49-3 victory against No. 15 Holmes C.C. at Sullivan-Windham Field.

MSU’s Gay continues to grow at linebacker

STARKVILLE — Willie Gay’s rude awakening to college football came before he set foot on the Mississippi State practice field.

The linebacker was certain of one thing when he received a copy of MSU’s playbook prior to his first preseason.

Play of secondary has been key part of Starkville’s defense

STARKVILLE — Chris Jones was still settling in as Starkville High School’s football coach when it came time to attend the Mississippi State football camp.

Howland likes options on 2017-18 team

STARKVILLE — Injuries and slumps influenced most of the Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Ben Howland’s decisions about his starting lineup in 2016-17.

This season, Howland likely will make those decisions based on matchups.

MSU shows potential, Ole Miss wins title at Old Waverly

Four months separate the Mississippi State women’s golf team from the start of its spring season and the beginning of its push to make the NCAA tournament.

With one more tournament remaining in the fall season, MSU coach Ginger Brown-Lemm has a better feel of what to expect from her team.

MSU will practice today before taking time off

STARKVILLE — The list of things Dan Mullen hasn’t experienced in nine years as Mississippi State football coach is almost non-

existent.

Mullen hit one more this week.

Moyano’s effort helps push MSU into fourth

WEST POINT — Something like this has been a long time coming for Clara Moyano.

Moyano’s potential already had been proven. At Idaho, she was a Big Sky All-Conference selection who tied for second as an individual in the conference tournament. But prior to the second round of the Magnolia Invitational, all the Mississippi State women’s golf team had seen out of Moyano was bits and pieces of her potential.

MSU needs to find explosive plays for spark

Football coaches are known to harp on the little things, even when they don’t define them.

That was the case for Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen Saturday night after a 49-10 loss to then-No. 13 Auburn. He said more than once that MSU failed to do “the little things you need to win on the road,” but other than penalties he didn’t name any of those things.