The improved face of the 2006 Mississippi State Bulldogs offense can best be seen this year at upgraded the wide receiver spot.
Many collegiate quarterbacks make transitions from quarterback to wide receiver once they enter the professional level of football, but rarely do they make that transition while still in college. Last season, Omarr Conner did just that. And did it fluidly.
Conner returns for his final season listed as a wide receiver. This spring, Conner has confirmed that catching passes, rather than throwing them, is his true Maroon and White calling, and that he will be the go-to receiver come game day. In just two spring scrimmages, Conner recorded nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.
“Being listed as a receiver now feels good,” Conner said. “I’m enjoying every minute of it. I love playing receiver, and I hope to have fun while doing good things for the team. We receivers are a unit now, and it reminds me of my freshman year when I played with Ray Ray (Bivens) and Justin Jenkins.”
Conner’s coaches are excited about having his talent and versatility in their corner as well.
“Omarr is a great team player,” wide receivers coach Guy Holliday said.
“He does whatever you ask him to do to win. He’s confident in receiving, and he always has been. It’s not that big of a transition for him.”
Starting on the other side of the gridiron will be sophomore receiver Keon Humphries. In the early spring, Humphries was presented with the idea that he could be moved to the defensive backfield if his offensive production did not improve. He finished the spring with nine receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown in two scrimmages.
Humphries not only improved enough to keep his name listed as a wide receiver, but he impressed the coaching staff so much that he is penciled in as a starter, even over returning senior Will Prosser, who is still nursing minor injuries.
Fans can still believe that Prosser will get into the receiver rotation this season when his health becomes more stable, as Prosser has tallied 53 career receptions for the Bulldogs and has led the squad in receiving each of the past two seasons.
“Will understands because he knows he’s not completely healthy,” Holliday said. “He has his role that he’ll play this year. On this team, we don’t worry about starters, and who’s not starting, and all that. It’s just about who’s going to make plays. Players take advantage of every opportunity they get to play.”
Two outstanding junior college transfers will also be newly available for Coach Croom to use as receivers this season. Tony Burks and Ryan Mason join the core of Bulldog receivers this year, and the coaches are excited to see how they will fit into the rotation. Burks, however, injured a hamstring during the spring and saw little action, as the coaching staff wanted him to rest for precautionary measures. Mason was one of Mississippi’s top junior college receivers last season at Mississippi Delta Community College.
“Burks and Mason are doing well,” Holliday said. “They are progressing well, though we’d like for them to progress a little faster. We believe they are doing very well and meshing with the team quite well.”
Starkville veterans Lance Long, Aubrey Bell and Tyler Threadgill will also be returning this season, all of whom have seen action in past MSU matchups. Lone freshman Alex Carpenter will also try to find his spot in the wide receiver rotation at MSU as well.
“I think fans should look for improvement in the receivers in the ability to make big plays and being consistent,” Holliday said. “That’s what we’re looking for. Overall, we’re going to put out a receiving core people can be proud of.”