STARKVILLE — Garrett Shrader’s first pitch from Joe Moorhead was one for the Nittany Lions.
When Moorhead started recruiting the four-star quarterback from Charlotte, Moorhead was just starting his time as Penn State’s offensive coordinator. He finished the job with Shrader as Mississippi State’s head coach, bringing him as one of 14 future Bulldogs to sign in the early signing period Wednesday.
“When you look at our offense and what we need from that position — a guy that can beat you with his arms, legs and his brain — I think Garrett checks off all of those boxes,” Moorhead said. “Two-time state champion, over 60 percent completions, really impressive touchdown-interception ratio.”
In his time at Charlotte Christian, he racked up a total of 9,023 yards and 107 touchdowns, 75 of those touchdowns through the air and 32 on the ground.
The numbers didn’t surprise Moorhead when he watched the highlights. He recalled watching his junior year highlight reel, a 10 minute, 30 second display. The first clip was of Shrader breaking off a big run and hurdling a defender; the next was Shrader dropping a perfectly-placed ball on a post route for a score.
That level of dual-threat precision is what the Moorhead offense needs to run at its best. The coaching staff will gets its first preview of it quickly.
Shrader will be enrolling early at MSU and will get to participate in a couple of Outback Bowl practices before taking on the full spring practice schedule. MSU has benefitted from this move before: current backup quarterback Keytaon Thompson did the same as MSU practiced for the 2016 St. Petersburg Bowl.
Noxubee pipeline active
When Macon native defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons chose MSU, he was reactivating a pipeline from Noxubee County High School to MSU that had gone dormant for two seasons after linebacker Deontae Skinner’s senior season.
Neither school will have to wait that long this time.
Even if Simmons chooses to enter the NFL Draft after the Outback Bowl, MSU will have a former Noxubee County Tiger on the roster after wide receiver Kyziah Pruitt signed Wednesday.
“Critically important. From a philosophical standpoint, our recruiting model is to work from inside out: do as well as we can in the state of Mississippi, work our footprint area and then go out from there,” Moorhead said.
“Certainly a player of Kyziah’s ability, from Noxubee County that has been up here a bunch of times, family bleeds maroon and white. It’s another situation where his criteria matches what we have to offer.”
Bulldog and pony show
Moorhead and staff turned Davis Wade Stadium’s new recruiting suite into a party room, celebrating its newest crop of signees.
As each National Letter of Intent came in, the staff got the signee on FaceTime in the recruiting lounge. Someone, be it a coach or a guest, took the podium to announce the player as a member of the signing class, reminiscent of a commissioner announcing draft picks.
The guests announcing new members of the class included Director of Athletics John Cohen, MSU President Mark E. Keenum and MSU Chief Financial Officer Jared Benko.
The misses
In a day that was mostly what MSU expected, for better or for worse, there were two swing points that went against the Bulldogs.
Gulfport defensive end/outside linebacker Derick Hall chose Auburn. Auburn was the favorite entering the day, but MSU had an outside chance at securing him for yet another piece in its defensive front.
MSU did lose a recruit in its secondary. Cornerback Gregory Brooks Jr. — a 5-foot-10, 178-pound Louisiana product of West Jefferson High School in Harvey — signed with Arkansas after being committed to MSU for nearly two weeks.
Former Bulldog finds new home
Reggie Todd is back in FBS football.
The former MSU wide receiver was dismissed from the program over the summer after his arrest for simple assault. He ultimately landed at Hinds Community College, played there for a year and signed with Troy on Wednesday.
The Mobile, Alabama, native caught 24 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns this year at Hinds C.C.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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