STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University offensive coordinator Les Koenning should’ve recognized some of the talent on the field wearing red, white, and blue Saturday evening.
He recruited many of the players who went on to become University of South Alabama Jaguars.
The Bulldogs’ assistant coach remembered fondly this week his trip across Interstate 10 to find talent for a football program that had just been born.
“That line of road is usually a place where you can find talent all the way from the Panhandle to the Gulf,” Koenning said.
Less than a year after he was hired at USA, Koenning received a call from MSU coach Dan Mullen asking him to take over as the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator. He couldn’t refuse.
“Even in that short amount of time, I learned a lot about how a program was built from the ground up,” Koenning said.
Koenning, 53, was hired by new coach Joey Jones to run USA’s offense. At the time, the coaches didn’t have a building to themselves or a plan.
“Joey asked me one day what offense I wanted to run and I looked at him with this confused look on my face,” Koenning said. “All I asked him was, ‘Well, what do I have in terms of players?'”
At that point early in 2008, USA had just started its football program and was on track to play its first football game in a little more than a year. In that time, Koenning talked about the recruiting trips he took that involved traveling for weeks at a time.
“I remember I called down to Joey and asked, ‘Where do you want me to stay in terms of a hotel at the end of the week?’ ” Koenning said.
Koenning got to the point where he was living out of his car.
“They told me just to stay out the whole month,” Koenning said. “It got to the point that the trunk of my car had nothing but dirty clothes and I was going to the Laundromat all across the Southeast just to have something to wear the next morning.”
USA had eight senior starters in the lineup Saturday night who would’ve been part of the Jaguars’ initial recruiting class.
Jones, a Mobile, Ala., native, made Koenning one of his first hires at the school. On Saturday, USA lost to No. 23 MSU 30-10 at Davis Wade Stadium. The loss was the program’s first against a ranked Southeastern Conference team.
“I don’t know if anybody could have done a better job starting up that program just because it was starting from scratch,” Koenning said this week. “He had been through it at a previous stint at Birmingham Southern, so it was an easy transition for all of us.”
Banks gets 13th interception
Quarterbacks still haven’t learned not to pick on MSU senior cornerback Johnthan Banks.
The East Webster High School product, who entered the postgame media conference glasses on his face in the similar style of Miami Heat stars Dwayne Wade and Lebron James, finished with two pass breakups and an interception.
“I’ve always said that if you throw it over to my side of the field five or six times I’ll get at least one,” Banks said.
Banks’ interception of quarterback C.J. Bennett moved him into second on the active list for interceptions. He needs one more to tie Walt Harris for the school’s all-time lead.
Banks also broke Derek Pegues’ school record of 241 return yards off an interception. Banks leads active Football Bowl Subdivision players with 274 return yards.
Banks said the first-string defense, which only gave up three points in the three quarters they were on the field, was more than motivated after giving up 572 yards last week in a 30-24 victory at Troy University.
“(Coach Mullen) may have been embarrassed at half, but he is always poised when he talks to us,” Banks said. “He comes in there and speaks the truth, and that is what I like and respect about him.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
