STARKVILLE — Geoff Collins never has to wonder where his linebackers are on campus at given point and time.
They are always together. Whether it’s the meeting rooms at the football facility, out at practice or socially on campus once school begins again, you’ll find the Mississippi State University linebackers travel as a group.
“I’ll send a group text message out about something I want them to think about or a change in schedule for the next day and I had one guy say ‘coach you only have to send it one guy because we’re likely all in the same room or place’,” Collins said.
It’s that chemistry and leadership, along with superiorly recruited talent the past two or three seasons, that has allowed MSU to roll into the 2012 season with at least seven or eight players that Collins feels confident he can rotate into a game in the Southeastern Conference.
“We easily have that now, easily,” Collins said. “Last year we didn’t have that and trust me, I’m a much better linebackers coach now that I can have that much depth to pick and choose from.”
In Collins’ style, coming over from Florida International University, all seven or eight of those players will be proficient in all three positions so there’s no lack of depth at a certain spot.
“With the speed of SEC offenses now, we have to be able to quickly find the next best linebacker on the sidelines,” Collins said. “We can’t waste seconds looking for the next best middle or (weak-side) linebacker.”
In Tuesday’s practice at the farm fields, Collins pointed out redshirt freshman Christian Holmes played the strong-side, weak-side and middle positions within the first hour of the workout.
“We are always getting looks at different things and what that does for somebody like me is make me feel just a little bit more at ease when going into a game against an LSU or an Alabama,” Holmes said.
Holmes has been a guy that Collins has praised repeatedly this summer and early fall for his approach on and off the field and could see some more playing time than previously expected.
“I really questioned during my redshirt year if football was really for me and was I good enough to make the jump from Puckett High School to the SEC,” Holmes said. “It was (MSU senior linebacker) Cam Lawrence that had to remind me he was from a small town and small high school and if he could do it, I could, too.”
MSU returns the league’s leading tackler in Lawrence as the likely starter at outside linebacker has been asked to lead younger players like sophomore Matthew Wells and highly-touted freshman Richie Brown develop quickly in defensive coordinator Chris Wilson’s aggressive system of play.
“What Coach Collins asked me and guys like Deonte to do is find the next wave of talent,” Lawrence said. “All the credit goes to Coach Collins for the direction but we know as a group, we’ve got to be the ones to make the plays on the field.”
Dogs DC Wilson showing his old game tapes to MSU players
Last season MSU defensive coordinator Chris Wilson was challenged by one of his players to prove he wasn’t just talking a good game.
His defensive unit was really interested to see if their coordinator was truly that solid of a college football player at the University of Oklahoma.
“Every once in a while I get the question of ‘coach I bet that you couldn’t do that’,” Wilson said. “And then you’ve got to show them – oh yes I could.”
Wilson’s son Caleb, who is the backup quarterback as a sophomore this year at Starkville High School, helped his dad out by finding his best highlights on YouTube.
“Give the credit or disservice to my son for showing the guys my film from my playing days,” Wilson said.
Wilson admitted Tuesday the tape of Wilson, wearing No. 30 and playing linebacker for the Sooners, did nothing to help erase the doubters in his own meeting rooms.
“I still think his blitz technique needed some serious work,” MSU linebacker Christian Holmes said with a laugh. Wilson quickly agreed with Holmes’ scouting assessment at MSU’s football media days.
“Absolutely and that’s why I’m not playing anymore,” Wilson said.
Mullen impressed with DBs Wednesday
Mullen said the first of two practices Wednesday had some very impressive plays by the defense as the veterans in the secondary were able to create some turnovers. The Bulldogs fourth-year head coach has been saying all camp fans can expect to see seniors Johnthan Banks,
Darius Slay and Corey Broomfield all on the field together and not just in Nickel formation situations.
“The DBs had a really good day today and especially as you get going they’re guys that have experience,” Mullen said. “A couple of guys made some nice interceptions, breaking up balls, and overall. You like John Banks’ leadership, and the maturity that a Corey Broomfield has. I like seeing that out there at practice. When you have seniors out there it’s pretty good.”
Mullen has been impressed early on in fall camp with Slay, an Itawamba Community College transfer, and sees him finally transforming that athletic ability that made him a two-time signee for MSU into a starting cornerback in his final season of college football.
“Slay is a guy who has a chance to be a really good player now that he’s in the program,” Mullen said. “I think the thing that hurt him last year obviously was getting in so late. And then the young guys, there is some talent at the young DBs. The great thing is they’re watching the older guys perform and how they’re doing it. I think that is going to help them a lot to improve quickly.
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.
