The question of the hour in Bulldog country is, “How will the Mississippi State University football team respond to an injury-plagued, disappointing 2001?” If defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn’s squad has anything to say about this question, the Bulldogs will bite into the competition with the same tenacity as
recent defenses have.
As Dunn enters his seventh season at State, his 2002 edition returns seven starters from last year’s unit that held five teams to three touchdowns or less.
Leading the charge for the Bulldogs is senior All-American linebacker Mario Haggan. The Clarksdale native shifted between linebacker and end last season to accommodate injuries. He will return to the linebacker position where he excels.
Through his career Haggan has tallied 240 tackles, including 24 that resulted in a loss of yardage, and 10 sacks. Haggan has totaled double-digit tackles 13 times in the 20 games he has started.
Junior T.J. Mawhinney, whose 93 tackles last season ranked second on the team, will back Haggan up in the linebacker slot.
The secondary will be led by All-SEC free safety Josh Morgan. The senior from Vicksburg has a propensity for making the big hits that can turn a game around. In the past three years, Morgan has dished out 205 hits, deflected 18 passes and picked off 5 passes.
Basketball star Michael Gholar grabbed a set of pads after concluding his time on the hardwood. Gholar, a high school standout on the gridiron will bring his athleticism to his position as a backup for Morgan.
Seniors Demetric Wright and Korey Banks return with added experience to the starting cornerback positions. The tandem combined for 94 tackles and six
interceptions.
The experience of Morgan, Wright and Banks will be essential for the Bulldog secondary that has a relative lack of inexperience at both dog safety positions.
Milas Randle has appeared in 18 games, the same number as Gabe Wallace and Walter Burdett combined in these slots.
Up front, the Dawgs will build a foundation for attack on the experience of the tackles. Senior tackle Kahlil Nash will work on the left side. Nash made 41 tackles last season. Nash and his partner in crime, junior Tommy Kelly, both made 8 tackles behind the line last season. Kelly stopped the ball carrier a total of 50 times.
Kelly and Nash will surround Ronald Fields who will start at nose guard. Fields recorded 22 tackles last season. On the edges, State will rely on converted linebackers to put the heat on opposing quarterbacks. Junior Jason Clark will attack on the left, while Robert Spivey will start on the right. Kamau Jackson will be in frequently at defensive end as well.
Prior to last season, the Bulldogs had enjoyed the best divisional record since the 1998 SEC West championship season. A large part of that was due to the dominance of Dunn’s defensive units.
The 1999 squad ranked first in both rushing and total defense. State finished 10-2 that year. The seniors would love to conclude their careers similar to the way they began.
In order to restore the recent success that Dawg fans have enjoyed under head coach Jackie Sherrill, the defense must contain opponents and occasionally deliver big plays to get the ball to the offense with good field position.
In turn, the offense must mount drives that will allow the defense to catch its breath and prepare to take another bite out of the opposing offenses.