Before I delve into my case for which team has a brighter future, one thing should be pointed out- this is the best time to be a Mississippi State fan, in terms of optimism, in over a decade. Not since the mid-to-late ’90s were the big three of football, basketball and baseball at this level.
Over the last couple months, of course, MSU baseball and basketball haven’t exactly lit the world on fire, but the future looks bright for both.
However, no program’s future looks anything quite as bright as Dan Mullen and the football team. In his first year, Mullen took a team coming off back-to-back three-win seasons and pushed it within inches of a bowl game. In his second year, Mullen had to replace his starting quarterback, middle linebacker and the most prolific running back in MSU history – Anthony Dixon. What did he do without them? Oh, just won nine games as a member of the toughest divison, perhaps ever, in college football and blew out Michigan in the Gator Bowl, a New Year’s Day game.
So, if he exceeded expectations that much in his first two years, what happens in year three? Years four, five and six? I’m not going to be that guy and predict SEC or BCS Championships, but there’s only so much more you can do if you keep improving. Although it’s a hard road, the top is not all that far away.
I’ll say this for basketball, and I’m sure my young padowan will make this same point on the other side of the page; Mississippi State has the potential to be a top-10 team in basketball in 2011-2012. I know it may be hard to fathom after watching Rick Stansbury and the Bad News Bears stumble their way through a season that did not even earn an NIT bid. But it’s true.
If—and it is certainly an if— Renardo Sidney gets in shape, he can be one of the five best players in the country. You may not have heard of Arnett Moultrie, a transfer from UTEP who had to sit out last season, but by the end of game one next year, you’ll know exactly who the tall, lanky forward is. Some around the program have said he’s the best player on the court during practice. And certainly, Dee Bost is one of the best point guards in the SEC, and he could be one of the best in the nation by the end of 2011. Factor in a stellar recruiting class, highlighted by Rodney Hood, who will step on the court almost immediately as a starter, and Stansbury could be a few months of hard coaching away from a Sweet Sixteen, or perhaps better. The ceiling is certainly high for Bulldog basketball in 2011-2012.
However, that’s just the point. As high as the ceiling is, the floor is equally low. Basketball, and especially college basketball, is incredibly dependent on individuals.
At a certain point, there is only so much a coach can do. Sidney may not get in shape. Moultrie may complain he doesn’t get the ball enough. Bost could start looking ahead to the NBA, and the freshmen may become frustrated they’re not on the court enough. That’s worst case, but let’s be honest here, worst case tends to happen a lot for MSU basketball. It’s not just MSU, either. The system college basketball has turned into means constant fluctuation in abilities and expectations of programs on a yearly basis.
Football, particularly under Mullen, has stability. Will the Bulldogs be one of the most talented teams in the country when they step on the gridiron in September? No. However, they are driven by a team mentality. There are very few individuals on this team, and the overall talent level will be higher in 2011 than it was in the surprising 2010 season.
For the first time since he has been on the MSU campus, Chris Relf looks, talks, walks, sounds and acts like a starting quarterback. The timing is right. He is a senior, after all. He finally looks like he can be a threat as a passer. He’ll always be better moving on his feet, but don’t be surprised when SEC defenses are genuinely concerned about his arm next year. He also has the deepest, if not the most experienced, set of wide receivers MSU has had since, again, the ’90s.
It’s crazy to think this may be true about a team in Starkville, but early in the 2011 season, the offense may very well carry the defense as it adjusts to new players.
And the most important reason I believe the future is brighter for MSU football is the guys behind the starters. Relf is established and, oddly enough, could be the only returning starting quarterback in the  SEC  Western Division. But don’t forget about Tyler Russell, and please, whatever you do, remember the name Dak Prescott. The true freshman quarterback is every bit the runner Relf is and will evolve into a much more polished passer.
Mullen finally has talent stockpiled at nearly every position. His team is now built to handle players graduating and heading to the NFL, something that has been rare in recent years at MSU.
It’s a great time to be a Bulldog fan, no matter the sport, and football is leading the way.