| Wednesday, February 27, 2019 |
| Mississippi State lands $7.2 million Army contract | |
 | Mississippi State University has secured a competitive $7.2 million federal contract to help the U.S. Army test unmanned aircraft systems technologies. U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's (R-Mississippi) office announced the contract in a press release on Friday. The contract, according to the release, runs through February 2021 and is to test and validate emerging unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technologies. It's funded through research, development, test and evaluation appropriations provided to the Army. MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter pointed to the university's ongoing success with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research as a factor of its success in getting the contract. "Mississippi State is extremely gratified for the work that Senator Hyde-Smith and Wicker and other members of our congressional delegation have been able to do in support of the university's ongoing status as the FAA's Center of Excellence for the study of unmanned aircraft systems," Salter said. "(Friday's) announcement is a ringing endorsement of the caliber of work that MSU scientists and engineers are doing in this exciting field." |
| Mississippi State, C Spire make northeast tour stop at Mooreville High School | |
 | Betsey Smith, director of the Research & Curriculum unit at Mississippi State University, asked Mooreville High School students what computer science means, and explained the myriad ways technology affects our lives. From software developers creating popular games to app developers updating and maintaining the phone games and social media apps we use everyday, "coding is our future," Smith told the students assembled. Mississippi-based telecom company C Spire and MSU recently partnered to launch a computer science pilot program called Pathway, which is set to launch in 20 Mississippi high schools and community colleges in the fall. In the northeast region, the program will be implemented in Lee, Lafayette, Prentiss and Oktibbeha counties. |
| MSU-Meridian DECA students, advisor excel at statewide competition | |
 | Eleven Mississippi State University-Meridian students who competed in the 2019 Mississippi Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference at East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle Campus in Mayhew last week all qualified to represent the state of Mississippi at the annual international competition later this spring. The students qualified for the International College Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida, April 13-16 by placing in the top six in their competition categories at the statewide conference. Mississippi Collegiate DECA has a membership of over 400 members from 19 chapters across the state. MSU-Meridian DECA advisor Stacey Reynolds McNeil, who is also director of the Professional MBA program and an assistant clinical professor for the University's Division of Business, was awarded Collegiate DECA Advisor of the Year for Mississippi. |
| Frisco triplets fulfill dream of attending same college | |
 | Denise and John Newton vividly remember the day their triplets were born. Born premature, the Newton babies spent weeks in the hospital before they could come home. Son Davis and daughter Brantley-Kate came home after 14 weeks. Rees came home after 17 weeks. Every day Rees works through mental and physical disabilities to finish his senior year at Frisco High School in Frisco ISD. Brantley-Kate and Davis got early-acceptance into Mississippi State University. "I didn't know what to do if they went off to college and [Rees] didn't get that experience," Denise said. Rees and the family looked into a highly competitive program for students with special needs at Mississippi State called ACCESS. It would give him the tools to live independently. The Newtons did interviews and took tests and waited for weeks for an answer from the college. Last week, an answer finally came in the form of a phone call that Denise took. Rees got accepted into Mississippi State. For their father, an MSU alumnus, it was a moment of pride. "It was up there with their birth, to be quite honest," John said. |
| Options available for those wanting to help in tornado aftermath | |
 | In the aftermath of the fatal EF-3 tornado hitting Columbus Saturday evening, needs abound and opportunities are available for the community to help. Maroon Volunteer Center Director Meggan Franks said a number of Mississippi State University Students had reached out wanting to help. The Maroon Volunteer Center has put a list of options for students wanting to help on its website. Franks urged those wanting to help to check in with the United Way before self deploying. "They have a lot of people working, first responders or agency contacts including volunteers, and they need people to cook meals and provide meals," Franks said. "They do need volunteers to help with cleanup efforts, but they're also kind of in a situation where they need to feed them hot food." Donations to the affected students can be made to the MSU Foundation Student Relief Fund. Students at MSU needing assistance should contact the MSU Dean of Students Office at 662-325-3611. |
| Starkville, West Point helping with storm recovery | |
| Justin Edwards isn't new to responding to storms. Edwards, a lieutenant in the Starkville Fire Department, was one of nine firefighters that traveled to Columbus to assist with emergency response after a deadly tornado tore through the city on Saturday. He was also one of the responders from Starkville who helped in emergency search and rescue operations after Hurricane Michael slammed into Florida last fall. The firefighters who assisted with assessment Saturday night were just a component of the assistance Starkville and West Point have sent to Columbus after the tornado. Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said electric workers from the utilities department have deployed to the city as well. Starkville Utilities Department General Manager Terry Kemp said the department sent five linemen, along with some bucket trucks and equipment to help Columbus Light and Water as it works to restore services after the storm. He said SUD is sharing materials to help in the work, and will likely keep some men in Columbus for most of the week. |
| ARC invested $125.6M in economic development projects, including $15.5M in Mississippi | |
| New data shows that the Appalachian Regional Commission invested $125.6 million in 522 economic development projects during Fiscal Year 2018. These region-wide investments will be matched by $188.7 million, and will attract an additional $1.5 billion in leveraged private investment into Appalachia. In addition, these investments are projected to create or retain 26,600 jobs, as well as train or educate 34,000 students and workers. In Mississippi, in partnership with the Mississippi Development Authority, ARC supported 54 projects totaling more than $15.5 million. The investments were matched by nearly $14.6 million, and will attract another $142.5 million. The investments will create or retain nearly 2,000 jobs; train and education nearly 7,500 students and workers and benefit nearly 629,000 residents in the state's 24 Appalachian counties. |
| Michigan man arrested for threatening Mississippi governor | |
 | A Michigan man has been arrested on charges that he made death threats to Mississippi's governor. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday that 48-year-old Harold Joseph Collins of Detroit has been charged with five counts of cyberstalking for threats made against Gov. Phil Bryant and his office by telephone in January. "These threats were of a very serious and specific nature and we did not take them lightly," MBI Director Lee Morrison said in a statement. Collins was arraigned Monday in Jackson, with Hinds County Court Judge Melvin Priester Sr. ordering him jailed without bail. Court records show Collins will be assigned a public defender. |
| Democrats' field of candidates soon will no longer be secret but cutting into GOP's legislative advantage an uphill climb | |
| Democrats face long odds in re-capturing either chamber of the Mississippi Legislature later this year in the November general election. The more realistic question might be can Democrats cut into the three-fifths or better advantage Republicans currently hold in both the House and Senate? The deadline to qualify to run for office this year is 5 p.m. Friday. It is difficult to ascertain the quality or quantity of the Democratic candidates for legislative seats because the state party has refused to provide a list of candidates. That list, presumably, will not be available until it is turned over to the Secretary of State's office after 5 p.m. Friday. State Chair Bobby Moak has said the Democrats will offer to voters a large field of qualified candidates. "We are actively recruiting candidates all around the state in districts where we think we would be able to elect Democrats," said Rep. David Baria of Bay St. Louis, the House Democratic leader, who has voiced opposition to his party's decision not to provide internet updates of its slate of candidates. |
| Hosemann Talks River Floods, Jackson Water, Yearly Teacher Pay Raises | |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann expounded Monday on a lawsuit against the federal government over flooding along the Mississippi River, but said his office would not "wade into" issues concerning Jackson's water quality. A 2015 report found that 22 percent of homes in Jackson had a startling level of lead in their water that exceeded levels required to trigger federal action. The percent of Jackson homes exceeding action levels have dropped since 2016, and the City of Jackson has sought to minimize the issue, but water tests in 2018 showed lead still remained above action levels in 10 percent of homes. At the Stennis Institute luncheon in Jackson on Monday, Hosemann said that while his office had worked with Jackson on other projects, water quality was not part of discussions his office had with the city. "That has to be handled by the City (of Jackson). They have to get the water right," Hosemann, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, told the Jackson Free Press. |
| 'Revenge porn' bill heads to House | |
 | Sen. Sally Doty's bill that seeks to combat "sextortion" and "revenge porn" made it out of committee Tuesday and will go to the full House for consideration. Senate Bill 2528 states that a person is liable for damages for disclosing intimate visual material without consent. In other words, if someone takes nude photos or videos of a consenting adult who has an expectation of privacy, and then shares those photos or videos without consent, they could be held liable for any damages resulting from the publication of the material. The bill also defines penalties at a maximum of $4,000 and/or one year in jail. A change in the bill added protection for minors, to prevent them from being charged as a sex offender for "sexting." The change ensures any violation for a minor would be handled in youth court. Critics of these laws have argued that First Amendment protections allow people to share images, even intimate ones. |
| Michael Cohen testimony live updates: Trump's former fixer testifies before Congress - The Washington Post | |
 | Michael Cohen, President Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, returns to Capitol Hill Wednesday for public testimony before the House Oversight Committee in what is expected to be a compelling appearance. Cohen alleges -- amid a stream of potentially damaging revelations about the president --- that Trump knew in advance that the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks planned to publish hacked Democratic National Committee emails, and he will describe the president as a "racist," a "conman" and a "cheat," according to a copy of his written testimony. Cohen is the biggest name and closest affiliate of Trump's to appear before Congress since lawmakers started investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the crowds around Capitol Hill Wednesday reflected the bombastic nature of the hearing. |
| United Methodist Church Votes To Keep Bans On Same-Sex Weddings, LGBTQ Clergy | |
 | Leaders of the United Methodist Church have rejected the One Church Plan, a measure that would have eased restrictions on gay clergy and same-sex marriages, with delegates voting against it at a special session of the church's General Conference. On Tuesday afternoon, delegates from around the world voted 438 to 384 to pass what was called the Traditional Plan, which maintains the church's rules. Earlier, delegates also had defeated The One Church Plan, which would have allowed individual churches to decide how they handle issues of same-sex weddings and the sexuality of their clergy. The Traditional Plan prevailed, despite impassioned warnings from delegates like the Rev. Tom Berlin of Virginia -- who compared it to a virus that would cause a dire sickness in America's Methodist community. The standoff over hotly contested aspects of church doctrine played out in St. Louis, where delegates were meeting for this week's special session of the General Conference. |
| Community, junior colleges to talk funding needs for workforce training, career and tech programs at Capitol | |
| Community and junior college representatives will hold a press conference today at the State Capitol to make a legislative request outlining the financial needs of the 15 community colleges in Mississippi. Included in the request will be a need of financial support for college workforce and economic development training programs, the implementation of new career and technical programs, as well as investment in education technology and the provision of reasonable and informed funding. Jay Allen, president of Itawamba Community College, said the annual Mississippi Community and Junior College Capitol Day event is an opportunity for the state's community colleges to have a unified voice in their mission to effectively educate Mississippi students. The community college system's funding request for fiscal year 2020 is $77,595,345. |
| Ole Miss students criticize campus housing for involving UPD in minor offenses | |
 | Ole Miss students are questioning campus housing's approach in managing problems with its residents, and some have voiced concern with housing employees' recent reliance on law enforcement officials. University Police Department is called to residence halls approximately two to five times nightly and more on the weekends, according to UPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Bishop Lewis. Lewis also said housing relies heavily on UPD for enforcement of rules, specifically in regards to potential criminal offenses. "There should always be restraint before you go to law enforcement, especially with some of the minor issues," Associated Student Body Judicial Chair Alex Crouch said. "We need to have some tolerance for minor mistakes so that we can teach our students to grow from something instead of possibly giving them a criminal charge for a minor offense." |
| Will Ole Miss remove its Confederate monument? ASB members set sights on statue relocation. | |
| It could happen. Student leaders at the University of Mississippi are taking steps toward removing the Confederate monument from the center of campus. Campus senators met with local historians and administrators this month to discuss options for removing the university's Confederate monument from the Circle, and on Tuesday night, Associated Student Body senators approved a draft of a resolution in committee which would call on university administration to relocate the monument. The monument, erected in the Circle 1906 and dedicated by residents of Lafayette County, served as a rallying point for neo-Confederate protesters this past weekend. In 1962, students rioting against James Meredith's integration of the university gathered at the base of the same monument. According to a memo dated Feb. 26 released by the Associated Student Body Senate's committee on inclusion and cross-cultural engagement, senators plan to seek support from the Faculty Senate, Graduate Student Council, Staff Council and administration in order to relocate the monument to the town's Confederate cemetery. |
| USM student says campus smoking ban should be enforced | |
 | The University of Southern Mississippi became a tobacco-free campus on January 1, 2018, and eliminated designated smoking areas. According to Southern Miss, by going tobacco-free, the university planned to make the effort to promote a cleaner, healthier environment in which students can learn, employees can grow professionally, and the campus community can enjoy all that the university has to offer in the areas of academics, research, arts, athletics and service. But a student we spoke with said that people are not abiding by the tobacco-free policy. WDAM talked with the University Police Department on what students can do when they are experiencing second-hand smoke on campus. Assistant Chief Rusty Keyes advises students to say something to the individual if they see smoke nearby. "They need to report that to their supervisor or the person that is using tobacco's supervisor," said Keyes. |
| LSU hazing death court docs call Max Gruver a 'party animal;' parents call that victim blaming | |
 | After the defense lawyer for a former LSU student accused in the hazing death of Max Gruver described Gruver in court filings as an out-of-control freshman who drank and smoked marijuana to excess, Gruver's parents have called the move "an old, tired tactic" of victim blaming. John McLindon, an attorney for former LSU student Matthew Naquin, filed a motion Tuesday that quotes fraternity members who described Gruver as a "party animal" who consumed alcohol and used marijuana on a daily basis in the month he was on the school's campus and showed up "high" to the ill-fated hazing ritual. Gruver's parents called the filing an attempt to deflect attention away from the hazing ritual and the role played by Naquin in their son's death. Gruver, of Roswell, Georgia, died Sept. 14, 2017, of alcohol poisoning following a hazing ritual dubbed "Bible study," in which Phi Delta Theta pledges were required to chug hard liquor if they gave incorrect answers to questions about the fraternity. |
| UGA selling its Costa Rica study-abroad campus | |
 | The University of Georgia Foundation has agreed to sell its study-abroad campus in Costa Rica. The Foundation will create a $4 million endowment for study-abroad scholarships to Central America, South America and Africa with the proceeds of the sale, according to a joint news release from the UGA Foundation and the buyer: the nonprofit Council on International Education Exchange or CIEE. The UGA Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that accepts donations of money and property on behalf of UGA. Foundation trustees manage more than $1 billion in stocks, bonds and other investments on behalf of the university, and annually turns over about $65 million to UGA for scholarships, salary supplements for professors and other purposes. The UGA Foundation's controversial 2002 purchase of the former ecolodge cost one UGA administrator her job as the UGA Foundation's Board of Trustees commissioned an external audit of then-UGA President Michael Adams' spending and management in 2003. |
| U. of Iowa students launch digital campaign around minority issues on campus | |
 | Walking across the University of Iowa grounds last Thursday, it was difficult for students to miss the crudely constructed banner, a ripped tarp held up by two wooden poles, with scrawled lettering that read, "Build the Wall." The support for President Trump's campaign rattled many on the campus. Online, students criticized officials for, in the name of free speech, allowing a conservative campus group, Young Americans for Freedom, to arrange the display. Some of them confronted the organization members directly, debating them and accusing them of spreading xenophobia. Many students said the quick defense offered to Young Americans for Freedom seemed in contrast to a lack of support campus minorities felt. On Monday night, students started a social media campaign around a hashtag, #DoesUIowaLoveMe, sharing anecdotes of when they felt the institution neglected them or officials and faculty members were seemingly tone-deaf to their experiences. |
| Language impairments cause challenges | |
| Angela Farmer, an assistant clinical professor at Mississippi State University, writes: The most frequent mode of communication within classrooms across the nation is verbal exchange. Teachers present ideas and concepts, demonstrate processes and guide practice, all using verbal language. While this resonates with the vast majority of students, there are those within the setting for whom this delivery mode often falls short. Students with language deficits struggle to understand the ideas communicated and/or have challenges in expressing themselves. Types of language impairments according to Mary L. Gavin, MD of KidsHealth include the following: expressive, receptive and mixed. |
| Ocasio-Cortez, the Green New Deal, and the price of gas in Coffeeville and Tylertown | |
| Syndicated columnist Sid Salter writes: Newly-minted New York Democratic Party U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America -- thinks the policies of the Democratic Party aren't progressive enough and that the party needs to move farther to the left. To that end, Ocasio-Cortez (or AOC as she is popularly known) is a leading proponent of the so-called Green New Deal -- an as yet fairly vague and ill-defined set of goals, strategies and plans to address climate change, so-called economic injustices and the redistribution of wealth. Although the spending plan remains vague, what is known is that it would fundamentally impact the nation's economy in ways that most traditional Democrats can't support. So exactly how does that impact Mississippi politics? Well, consider the price of gas in Coffeeville ($2.19 average) and Tylertown ($2.17 average). That's at a time when the state average price of gas in Mississippi is $2.102 average, and the national average price of gas is $2.395. |
SPORTS
| Tyson Carter helps Mississippi State extend SEC winning streak to five | |
| Tyson Carter came to Mississippi State two years ago as a super-skinny shooter who coach Ben Howland hoped would grow -- literally and figuratively -- into a larger role on the team. Gaining the pounds hasn't come easy, but the points are starting to come in bunches. Carter scored a season-high 22 points, Quinndary Weatherspoon added 20 and the MSU men's basketball team led the entire game in a 68-49 victory against Missouri on Tuesday night. "Tyson had it going," Howland said. "He really did a great job. Made big shots." MSU dominated most of the first half, pulling out to a 27-12 lead with 6 minutes, 46 seconds remaining. Missouri rallied to cut the deficit to 33-26 by halftime, but could get no closer than five points during the second half. |
| Bulldogs beat Missouri for ninth SEC win | |
| Ben Howland believed that if his Mississippi State team won nine SEC games that it would be a lock for the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs reached that benchmark on Tuesday night with a 68-49 victory that all but assures them a spot in the Big Dance next month. "We've got a great resume with Quadrant 1 wins all over the place," Howland said. "But obviously we want to keep having success to be able to put ourselves in the best position to be seeded as highly as possible and potentially stay close to home. But I would think that we're definitely in." Tuesday's win was MSU's fifth straight, the first time the Bulldogs have claimed five consecutive SEC victories since 2008. State (21-7, 9-6 SEC) never trailed and also held the Tigers to their lowest point production of the season. |
| Tyson Carter carries Mississippi State to SEC basketball victory over Missouri | |
 | In the wake of sophomore guard Nick Weatherspoon's sudden departure from Mississippi State's lineup, fellow sophomore guard Tyson Carter has set a season-high in points. Twice. The second time came Tuesday night at Humphrey Coliseum with the Missouri Tigers in town. A win, for all intents and purposes, would solidify Mississippi State's case for the NCAA Tournament. Carter came out shooting like he wants to play big-time basketball in March. His game-high 22 points led the Bulldogs to a 68-49 victory. "Nick is a big part of our team," Carter said. "Losing him, that's a big loss. But I just it as an opportunity. My teammates have a lot of confidence in me." Mississippi State (21-7, 9-6 SEC) secured its first five-game winning streak in Southeastern Conference play since 2008 with the win. At the worst, the Bulldogs will finish with at least a .500 record in SEC games after spending a good portion of the season below that mark. |
| Offense leads Bulldogs past Jackson State | |
| Seven of nine starters collected a hit and 12 Bulldogs reached base at least once, as the Mississippi State baseball program collected a 17-4 victory over Jackson State in non-conference action on Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field. All nine starters reached base at least once in the contest for MSU (7-1), while the Bulldog pitching staff scattered eight JSU (2-6) hits over nine innings. The velocity wasn't very high, so you really had to slow it down and try and get base hits," said MSU coach Chris Lemonis. "It's just really hard to face those guys sometimes. We had a couple really good balls early that they just ran under. Marshall gets us the lead and then we are able to put some pressure on them after that. I think that was huge." Mississippi State will host the final game of its season-opening nine-game homestand by hosting Southeastern Louisiana at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. |
| Offense leads Mississippi State baseball past Jackson State | |
 | Seven of nine starters collected a hit and 12 Bulldogs reached base at least once, as the Mississippi State baseball program collected a 17-4 victory over Jackson State in non-conference action on Tuesday (Feb. 26) at Dudy Noble Field. All nine starters reached base at least once in the contest for MSU (7-1), while the Bulldog pitching staff scattered eight JSU (2-6) hits over nine innings. Five Diamond Dawgs collected multi-hit games, as Justin Foscue, Marshall Gilbert, Rowdey Jordan, Jake Mangum and Jordan Westburg all chipped in two hits apiece. Foscue and Gilbert each hit third-inning home runs, with Gilbert hitting a leadoff home run for his first of the season, while Foscue launched a two-run home run for his third of the year. In all, Mississippi State's offense had 12 hits, walked eight times and reached via hit-by-pitch on three occasions. Twelve of the 17 runs came via RBI, as well. |
| Three takeaways from Mississippi State's baseball win over Jackson State | |
| Two days after finishing off a hard-fought series win over Southern Miss, No. 15 Mississippi State played another in-state foe at Dudy Noble Field on Tuesday. The Bulldogs had no problems with the Tigers in a 17-4 victory, which moves Mississippi State to 7-1 on the season ahead of Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. game against Southeastern Louisiana. Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's win. |
| Mississippi State baseball's JT Ginn named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week | |
| After earning his second win in as many starts to begin his career, Mississippi State baseball freshman JT Ginn earned his first in-season honor from the Southeastern Conference, as he was tabbed Co-Freshman of the Week as announced by the conference office on Monday. Ginn was outstanding again in his second career start on the mound, throwing seven shutout innings against No. 21 Southern Miss at Dudy Noble Field in the middle game of the series. He allowed just two hits and walked one batter, while striking out a career-high nine, to earn his second-straight victory. On the season, Ginn is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12.0 innings of work. He has allowed just two runs on four hits with two walks and 16 strikeouts. His two runs allowed came on a two-out, two-run home run in his first career start, but he has since tossed 11-straight scoreless frames. |
| The 2019 season is still young, but Mississippi is again a college baseball haven | |
 | Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Over this past weekend -- one filled with outstanding college baseball play -- one Mississippi observer tweeted: "Can we just put a baseball on our state flag and be done with it?" He was joking, I think. But we do play college baseball a whole lot better than we choose sides in a civil war. Novel idea: Celebrate success than failure in one corner of our flag. Seriously, the 2019 season is but a puppy and already we can see we probably are in for another special season. ... The past weekend was highlighted by an intrastate matchup of Southern Miss and Mississippi State in State's new, $68 million Dudy Noble Field where the grounds crew was every bit as good as the baseball. Seriously, if you live here you know how much it rained last week and weekend. Yet, they played all three games and you wouldn't have known we were in our monsoon season by the condition of the field. |
| No. 5 Bulldogs run smoothly with Jazzmun Holmes in charge | |
| Vic Schaefer chalks it up to experience. The maturation of point guard Jazzmun Holmes had been a much more involved process than that through the last three-plus years. There were adjustments at the beginning, but throughout that time Holmes served as an apprentice to backcourt mate Morgan William. She learned, she pushed, she played in plenty of big games. This season, the No. 5 MSU women's basketball team is reaping the rewards of Holmes' leadership. At 7 p.m. Thursday (SEC Network+), MSU (25-2, 13-1 Southeastern Conference) will take on LSU in its regular-season home finale. In the process, MSU will honor seniors Holmes, Teaira McCowan, and Jordan Danberry in a ceremony after the game. |
| Mississippi State's Tyre Phillips felt fine with alternating tackle role | |
| Tyre Phillips didn't start a single game at left tackle for Mississippi State in 2018. But if you totaled up the reps, Phillips played nearly as a many snaps this past season as starter Greg Eiland because the two tackles switched out every other drive. "Greg and I alternated every series," Phillips said. "Our coach preaches that if we earn our reps at practice then he's going to give you your reps in the game. I love that, just getting time and building up my resume on the field." The Bulldogs had to break in a new left tackle last season after the loss of Martinas Rankin to the NFL. The competition between Phillips and Eiland was tight throughout the spring and fall camp so the decision was made that both men would play. "We push each other," Phillips said. |
| Mississippi State football: Running backs led by Kylin Hill, but who else can find room? | |
| The Outback Bowl had a similar theme as Mississippi State's entire season when it came to the running backs. The Bulldogs' passing offense failed to show any signs of aptitude, so the Iowa defense loaded the box and dared Joe Moorhead to keep throwing the ball. He did. Senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald attempted 32 passes, of which he only completed 14. Running backs Kylin Hill and Aeris Williams, meanwhile, combined to run the ball 18 times. When they did get carries, they ran into a wall of black and yellow jerseys and thus only churned out 65 total yards. The reality for Mississippi State's running backs is that they need much better quarterback play to allow them some room to be effective. We broke down the quarterback situation yesterday. Here's a look at who will be rushing the ball for Mississippi State in 2019 regardless of who's handing it off to them. |
| Ole Miss athletic director gives fans chance to ask questions and express frustrations | |
 | Years of NCAA investigation, followed by probation and now controversy over basketball players kneeling during the National Anthem, Ole Miss supporters have dealt with rocky times. Tuesday, those supporters on the Coast had a chance to direct their questions and frustrations towards Athletic Director Ross Bjork in Gulfport. "I will tell you the truth, and I will give you my perspective," Bjork told a group of supporters gathered at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. In what he called an honest and open discussion, Bjork fielded questions for an hour and a half. The biggest frustration for Ole Miss supporters in attendance was the lengthy NCAA investigation into the football program, which resulted in a two year post-season ban and forfeited wins going back to the 2010 season. A topic of conversation was also the eight basketball players who knelt during the National Anthem prior to last Saturday's game in Oxford against Georgia. The players said taking a knee was in response to pro-Confederate groups marching on campus during the game. |
| Governor: No position on Ole Miss players' anthem kneeling | |
| Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Tuesday that he hasn't given much thought about the Ole Miss basketball players who knelt during the National Anthem to protest a pro-Confederate gathering on campus. "I've been in Washington and I've been dealing with the storms and just haven't had much of a chance to look at it," Bryant said at the state Capitol, responding to a question from The Associated Press. Republican Bryant, who is in his eighth and final year as governor, was in Washington during the weekend for a National Governors' Association meeting and other activities. He issued an emergency declaration Monday because of tornadoes and flooding since Friday in Mississippi. |
| Report: Southern Miss AD advised coach against hiring Art Briles before interview | |
| Southern Miss interim athletic director Jeff Mitchell advised USM football coach Jay Hopson to not consider hiring Art Briles as his offensive coordinator prior to Hopson conducting an interview with the former Baylor head coach, a report by Stadium shows. On Feb. 2, there was an email from Mitchell to Hopson where the interim AD explained why he could not support the hiring of Briles, according to the Stadium report. Mitchell starts the email by acknowledging an in-person meeting between Mitchell and Hopson on the topic that took place the previous day. The email was one of 80 obtained by Stadium that show fans and boosters sending emails to USM administration expressing both support for Briles and concern over the fact that Hopson was considering hiring him as offensive coordinator. |
| Fan turnout a selling point in first UGA season under Tom Crean | |
| Georgia basketball fans have shown they are hungry to do their part to push the program upward, even while the product on the court is taking its lumps during a transition season. The Bulldogs home attendance in Stegeman Coliseum is 8,912, an increase of 698 fans per game from last season. That ranks as the fourth best rise in the SEC after last weekend behind Tennessee (2,561), LSU (1,367) and Mississippi State (996) and just ahead of Ole Miss (694). All of those other teams are on track to reach the NCAA tournament. Georgia, under first-year coach Tom Crean, is not. Not this year. A new single season total attendance record is expected to be set Wednesday in the second-to-last home game of the season in what's the year's 16th home game. This year's total is just 5,888 away from the 139,570 set in 2015-16 over 19 games. |
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