Stability is the driving force in any successful endeavor. Stability breeds familiarity, which breeds confidence. Confidence breeds momentum, and momentum exhausts itself in championships.
This equation seems simple, except that stability is a luxury the Mississippi State linebacker core has seen very little.
Starting strong linebacker Gabe O’Neal has been recovering from off-season knee surgery, which moved Anthony Littlejohn into the starter’s roll. Littlejohn is a red shirt freshman from Jacksonville, Fla., but impressed coaches in the Maroon and White spring game, recording four tackles against the starting offense.
Middle linebacker Quinton Culberson is now settling into his fourth position after switching from cornerback to safety and then to outside linebacker before now anchoring the center of the Bulldog defensive attack.
“I think it’s working out good,” Culberson said on his new position. “I think my speed and agility is helping me a lot, but I’ve still got to keep working hard.”
Culberson was a pre-season all-SEC player last year before racking up 56 tackles on the year and impressing the coaching staff with his speed and nose for the ball. Hailing from Provine High School in Jackson, where he was a Parade All-American, Culberson got his first taste of game action at linebacker last season in the Bulldogs’ upset victory over Florida.
Senior Clarence McDougal is now trying to adjust to being a fulltime starter after doing so just nine times in his previous three seasons at MSU. After injuring his knee during his senior campaign in high school, the former Clinton Arrow has had a long road back to the football field. He showed signs last year of living up to the potential he showed in high school, starting the first six games of the season, and playing in all eleven.
“Linebackers are doing real well,” defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. “We had some musical chairs early on because Gabe O’Neil was hurt. Carlton Rice has been moved around, and it’s hurt his progress, but he’s been really solid for us.”
Rice is a 6-foot sophomore, currently serving in the backup roll to McDougal after spending most of last season on the special teams squad.
True freshmen Jimmy Miller and Archie Sims also fall into the mix on the outsides. Miller hails from Marina Del Ray, Cal., where some publications had him ranked as high as the ninth best linebacker prospect in the country. Sims is a native Mississippian from Laurel, and was one of the Clarion Ledger’s Ten Most Wanted in-state prospects.
“We’re looking good (at linebacker),” Culberson said. “Little John and Clarence McDougal are working hard, and we’re just trying to come together and be a team defense.”
Working hard is one thing that the players have been doing. The team has already successfully completed all three two-a-days, and the defense has gained significant praise from head coach Sylvester Croom on numerous occasions. The only test now will be to parlay that training and conditioning in stability on the field.
“We’ve been working hard and came out and had some real good two-a-days,” Culberson said. “We’re just looking forward to playing Murray State (in) the first game and hopefully being able to come out with a win.”