STARKVILLE — Joe Moorhead arrived in Starkville with three weeks to solidify a recruiting class that the competition has been working on for years. He knew he needed help — and not the help in numbers he would get with assistant coach hires. He needed specialized help.
He found that help in house.
As Moorhead announced MSU’s signees Wednesday’s in college football’s first early signing period, he gave credit to three staffers he retained for making the high retention rate happen.
“A lot of credit goes to (Director of Recruiting/High School Relations) Brad Peterson, (recruiting specialist) Pat Austin and (recruiting specialist) Rod Gibson, guys that I’ve retained that really know the state,” Moorhead said. “A lot of it more than anything was my getting in front of kids that have already committed.
“The staff I’ve retained in addition to our new hires have done an unbelievable job in the transition. It’s a testament to the relationships that we have built and cultivated over the past two years as well as over the past two weeks.”
The positions those three have in the Moorhead staff and the names of any other staffers that have been retained will be released soon, Moorhead said. When it comes to upcoming staff hires, Moorhead said he knows who he wants, he just has to wait for them.
“A lot of it right now is predicated on when their seasons end,” Moorhead said. “From an on-field perspective, it’s predicated on when guys’ seasons end and they can join us. We have the people identified, it’s just a matter of when their seasons end.”
The on-field positions Moorhead has left to fill are wide receivers coach, defensive line coach, linebackers coach and cornerbacks coach. That would give MSU nine on-field staff members; the NCAA will allow programs to hire a 10th beginning Jan. 9.
The ones that got away
Of those committed to MSU as of Wednesday, the only one that signed with a different school Wednesday was James Williams, a defensive linemen from Callaway High School in Jackson. Williams was rated as the sixth-best prospect in the state of Mississippi regardless of position; he signed with Ole Miss.
MSU also had a shot at the services of Jerome Carvin, an offensive lineman from Cordova, Tennessee, but he chose to play for Jeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee Volunteers.
One more sales pitch
For all the time the Moorhead staff has spent on the road selling the program to prospects, one of the most crucial ones could be to a player already in the program.
MSU outside linebacker Montez Sweat has had the kind of season — 12.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries — that could put him in the discussion to leave MSU after his junior year for the NFL Draft. That’s no secret to Moorhead and his defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.
“Coach Shoop and I have both had discussions with Montez,” Moorhead said. “We want this to be a time where they can concentrate on this team and this bowl game, but Bob and I both reiterated our stance that we’d like to see him come back because he’s an excellent football player and we’d like to see him get his degree.”
What next?
Moorhead said the recruiting situation going forward to the original signing day on Feb. 7 remains fluid, but MSU is likely to have either four or five scholarships remaining. Moorhead said the staff will meet Thursday to figure out what it will target in the coming weeks to complete its recruiting class.
MSU currently holds commitments from six unsigned players: safety Myles Mason from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama; athlete Nathaniel Watson from Maplesville High in Alabama; wide receiver Johnquarise Patterson from Pearl High; cornerback Esaias Furdge from Clarksdale High; defensive end Fabien Lovett from Olive Branch High; and offensive lineman Griffin McDowell from Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia.
Given signees and returning roster, it seems unlikely that MSU will target additional defensive linemen, tight ends or wide receivers; MSU could use an additional body at positions including offensive line and cornerback.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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 34 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 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
