STARKVILLE — With so many new faces in Mississippi State’s wide receivers room, it can be easy to forget that even after losing Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin, Zavion Thomas and Justin Robinson, the Bulldogs aren’t completely starting over at the position.
Creed Whittemore, in his collegiate debut as a freshman last fall, was MSU’s leading receiver in the Bulldogs’ season opener against Southeastern Louisiana. He caught four passes for 59 yards that day, including a 33-yard touchdown late in the first half, and he added a 53-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. But after racking up 116 all-purpose yards on six touches in that game, he touched the ball just nine more times the rest of the season for 46 yards.
“I was just thankful for that opportunity in the first game,” Whittemore said Friday. “I was thankful to be on the plane, be on the bus to the games. A lot of people redshirt or don’t even get to go to the games. I was never frustrated or anything.”
MSU struggled to get the ball in the hands of its best offensive playmakers throughout last season, but the Bulldogs’ new offense under head coach Jeff Lebby is designed to give the backs and receivers room to operate. Transfer portal additions Kelly Akharaiyi and Kevin Coleman are getting most of the attention, as are freshmen Mario Craver, Braylon Burnside and JJ Harrell.
But the cupboard was not left bare after 2023, with Whittemore, Jordan Mosley and Jaden Walley all still around. Whittemore, a high school quarterback in Gainesville, Florida, backed up Griffin at slot receiver and is now ready for a bigger role even in a deeper position group.
“He’s gotten better in every area,” said wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis, one of just two returning assistant coaches. “Creed came in never (having) played wide receiver. He played quarterback, but never played wide receiver, so every rep he gets as a wide receiver, he’s just getting better. He came in very, very mature, comes from a football family, and he’s only taken steps forward.”
Griffin and Thomas handled MSU’s kickoff and punt returns last year, so the door is open for Whittemore to make an impact on special teams. Whittemore, Craver and Coleman were returning punts in practice Friday, and Walley also has some experience in that role.
“I try to be a utility player,” Whittemore said. “I played quarterback in high school and obviously I changed to receiver when I came here. So I feel like I can do a lot of stuff on the football field, whether that’s holding, punt returning, running down at gunner or wherever they need me.”
Whittemore could have stuck at quarterback in college. He passed for 2,693 yards as a high school senior and rushed for another 1,285, and had offers to play behind center at schools like Troy, Florida Atlantic and Georgia State. But as a receiver, he was a four-star recruit according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and chose the Bulldogs over Florida, Texas A&M, Michigan and Penn State, among several others.
He enjoyed a breakout debut last fall, and now Whittemore is hoping for a breakout year — in whatever form that takes.
“There’s other names that are being talked about right now, but don’t forget about Creed. Creed can play,” Bumphis said. “He’ll be successful. He’s one of those combo guys who you can move inside, move outside, put him in the backfield. He was a quarterback, he can return punts. I tell Creed all the time, he’s one of God’s favorites. He’s just chosen. The kid is really good at whatever he does.”
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