After nine months of anticipation, year two of the Dan Mullen era begins Saturday night against the Memphis Tigers at Davis Wade Stadium.
Memphis (2-10 in 2009) comes into Starkville as a largely unknown team. Larry Porter took over as head coach in the offseason after holding the position of running backs coach under Les Miles at LSU.
Add to the mix that neither Memphis’ offensive or defensive coordinator has been a coordinator since 2007, and it doesn’t take long to realize there is little usable film on these guys.
Junior safety Charles Mitchell said the defense has only seen film from the Memphis spring game and old footage of coordinator Eric Price’s offense at UTEP, where he coached from 2004-2007.
Despite the large amount of turnover, Mullen said he expects Memphis to be ready to go once Saturday rolls around.
“They don’t lack the talent on that team, and I know Larry is going to do a good job getting them coached up and playing hard,” Mullen said.
Memphis is not the only team unveiling new coordinators in Saturday’s matchup. The game also marks the debut of MSU co-defensive coordinators Manny Diaz and Chris Wilson.
Senior linebacker K.J. Wright said the two work well together, and Wilson is not shy to say something to the players in Diaz’s group (linebackers and defensive backs) and vice versa.
“Everybody respects them both the same,” Wright said. “There’s no just main guy on the defense.”
With new coaches comes a new position for Wright, who made the move from strong-side to weak-side linebacker in the offseason. Wright believes the position change will lead to more tackles for loss and sacks. Senior Chris White will take over the middle linebacker role, while senior Emmanuel Gatling rounds out the experienced linebacker corps on the strong side.
For the Bulldogs, playing against someone other than teammates is a welcome change of pace after fall camp. Senior offensive lineman Derek Sherrod (who was named team captain earlier this week along with Pernell McPhee, White and Wright), sounds like a player who is ready get off the practice field and into the stadium.
“It kinda gets to a point we’re you’re bored with hitting each other,” Sherrod said. “It’s gonna be good to finally go and face Memphis.”
As for the quarterbacks, both Tyler Russell and Chris Relf are expected to see playing time Saturday, with Relf getting the start. It will be Relf’s first start under center, and will be Rusell’s first game experience after redshirting last fall.
Relf suffered an injury to his finger, but all indications are he will be ready to play come game time. Mullen noted that Relf’s game preparation is much improved this year.
“I see him a lot more relaxed,” Mullen said. “Last year in kind of the game plan, trying to grasp what the game plan was from week to week, where this year I think he’s been through the routine of game planning, and so the little tweaks and little changes you make for specific game plans really hasn’t phased him too much this week.”
Two former Bulldogs will be lining up for Memphis this week. Linebacker Jamon Hughes and wide receiver Delmon Robinson both began their careers at MSU but wound up at Memphis. Hughes was the leading tackler for Memphis last fall.
So are there any nerves for MSU players making their season debut? Not for Mitchell.
“Not too nervous right now,” he said. “Just excited.”