Sylvester Croom is getting a taste of how vicious the recruiting war can be. In his third season at the helm of the Mississippi State football program, he is still learning about the tactics and the schemes that play out in what is a war between schools over projected star players.
“I trust people far too much,” Croom said Wednesday at his Signing Day press conference, which was delayed an hour due to a phone conversation with a commitment who still had not signed.
Croom’s 2006 recruiting class is two or three players shy of what he hoped it would be. As if losing two late in-state recruits wasn’t enough, one of MSU’s commits, highly-touted running back Kenny Ashley commited to Southern Cal at the last minute Wednesday. Ashley, a four-star back from Venice, Cal., began having phone conversations with Southern Cal Wednesday delaying the press conference.
“In my mind a commitment means you’re going to where you’re going, and you’re not visiting anywhere else,” Croom said. “When I put my name on a letter offering a scholarship, we offer it. I will not put my word out there and have to back up on it.”
Twenty-three players have signed letters of intent with MSU-two running backs, four wide receivers, two offensive lineman, two tight ends, six defensive lineman, three defensive backs, three linebackers and a deep snapper. Four of the 23 are junior college players, who Croom expects to “come in and start,” eight are from Mississippi, four are from Alabama, three come from Texas, Florida and Georgia, and one from Louisiana.
The target position the last two years has been the offensive line, where State has had a considerable lack of depth and experience, but this year Croom keyed on the offensive speed positions-wide receiver and running back.
He hopes the six he has signed will be an immediate help on a team that is starving for speed and quickness.
“The receivers and running backs that we brought in fit more of what I feel like are prototype for guys we wanted at that position,” Croom said.
Early signee Tony Burks, from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, is one of those players who hopes he can make an impression on the team come August. Burks is ranked 55th of the Rivals.com top 100 junior college players nationally.
“I came here knowing I had a chance to start,” the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Burks said Wednesday. “Me coming up here getting to know the players … seeing how everything is … that motivates me. They have a goal to win the SEC Championship, and I want to do my part.”
Burks got offers from both Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, but chose the Bulldogs quickly, committing on Dec. 18, according to Rivals.com.
“Tony’s mature. He’s got excellent work-habit, and he’s a leader,” Croom said. “We’re very impressed with the way he catches the ball.”
Burks’ is just one of four wide receivers MSU signed. Alex Carpenter, who like Burks is rated as a three-star player by Rivals.com, played quarterback in high school.
But after Croom and his staff watched him line up at wide receiver this summer in camp, they recruited him for that.
“He showed very good and excellent hands,” Croom said of the 6-foot, 168-pounder. “I just really like that young man. He really, really stands out. Just about every game he plays he breaks for a touchdown. He just makes plays.”
State moved starting quarterback Omarr Conner to receiver midway through the three-win season last year to give the position depth and talent. Conner is the only experienced wide out returning, so the four that signed will be competing for the starting role in Croom’s West Coast offense. The other two wide receivers that signed, 6-foot-5 Ryan Mason of Mobile, Ala., and 6-foot-3 Keith Mills of Alexandria, La., tower over most of State’s current wide outs.
The loss of senior running back Jerious Norwood leaves a crevice in the Bulldogs’ offense. In order to fill that hole, Croom and his staff signed two highly-recruited running backs.
Anthony Dixon, a four-star speedster from Jackson and Courtney Jones, a three-star back from Pensacola, Fla., will attempt to fill the shoes of Norwood, who averaged 103 yards a game and 5.9 yards a carry last season.