ST PETERSBURG BOWL

26 BULLDOGS HAVE MADE THEIR DEBUTS, 5
TRUE FRESHMEN
A total of 26 Bulldogs have seen their first career action so far this season.
A total of 19 did so in the season-opener against South Alabama: DL
Fletcher Adams, WR Jamal Couch, CB Lashard Durr, TE Farrod
Green, DL Kendell Jones, LB Traver Jung, LB Leo Lewis, OL Harrison
Moon, WR Keith Mixon, DL Anfernee Mullins, OL Martinas Rankin,
DB Maurice Smitherman, DL Marquiss Spencer, CB Chris Stamps,
OL Michael Story, WR Deddrick Thomas, DL Tim Washington, OL
Evans Wilkerson and OL Darryl Williams. A week later against South
Carolina, DT Jeffery Simmons and TE Jordan Thomas added their
names to the list. QB Nick Tiano, who redshirted as a true freshman in
2015, saw his first career action in the fourth quarter of the Auburn game.
True freshman PK Brad Wall made his debut on kickoffs against the
Tigers. Redshirt freshmen RB Nick Gibson and Alec Murphy saw action
at Kentucky for the first time. True freshman punter Kody Schexnayder,
filling in for an injured Logan Cooke, made his debut in the second half of
the Texas A&M game and played the entire Alabama game. Of the 26 to
make their debuts, 22 of them are freshmen, including five true freshmen
- Couch, Spencer, Simmons, Schexnayder and Wall.
JUSTIN SENIOR 1 OF 2 CANADIANS IN THE SEC,
KENT HULL TROPHY WINNER
Justin Senior is State’s most experienced offensive lineman as the fifthyear
offensive tackle has played in 48 games with 38 starts. Senior was the
2016 recipient of the Kent Hull Trophy presented annually to the state
of Mississippi’s most outstanding collegiate offensive lineman. Senior
is MSU’s second winner of the Kent Hull Trophy, joining inaugural
recipient Gabe Jackson, who claimed the honor in 2013 before going on
to a successful career with the Oakland Raiders. Off the field, Senior has
been just as successful, earning his undergraduate degree in sociology in
the summer of 2015. He’s currently pursuing a second degree in political
science. The Montreal, Quebec, native is a three-time member of the SEC
Academic Honor Roll and is one of only two Canadians currently playing
SEC football.
MULLEN THE SEC KING OF DEVELOPING
NFL QBS
No current SEC head coach has directly coached more current NFL
starting quarterbacks than Dan Mullen. Three of Mullen’s proteges are
current starters this NFL season, including Dallas’ Dak Prescott, Kansas
City’s Alex Smith and Carolina’s Cam Newton. Prescott, a once threestar
recruit, became the first MSU QB to start a game under center in the
NFL since Joe Reed of the Detroit Lions did so on Dec. 2, 1979. Mullen
coached veteran Alex Smith at Utah and Cam Newton for two seasons
at Florida. Prescott, who holds the third-longest streak of not throwing
an interception in SEC history (288), set an NFL rookie record for
consecutive passes without an interception.
Current SEC Head Coaches who directly worked with current NFL QB
starters:
Bret Bielema – Russell Wilson (2011, HC at Wisconsin)
Gus Malzahn – Cam Newton (2010, OC/QB at Auburn)
Dan Mullen – Alex Smith (2003-04, QB at Utah)
Cam Newton (2007-08, OC/QB at Florida)
Dak Prescott (2011-15, HC at MSU)
Kevin Sumlin – Case Keenum (2008-2011, HC at Houston)
MSU FIFTH IN SEC WEST, FINISHES AHEAD
OF MEDIA POLL PROJECTIONS AGAIN
For the fifth straight year, MSU finished ahead of where they were
projected by the media poll at SEC Media Days in July. The Bulldogs were
picked to finish last in the SEC West and ended up in a tie for fifth. It was
the sixth time in eight years under Dan Mullen that MSU finished ahead
of were they were projected.
SEC West SEC Overall
Alabama 8-0 13-0
Auburn 5-3 8-4
LSU 5-3 7-4
Texas A&M 4-4 8-4
Arkansas 3-5 7-5
Mississippi State 3-5 5-7
Ole Miss 2-6 5-7
SEC East SEC Record Overall
Florida 6-2 8-4
Tennessee 4-4 8-4
Georgia 4-4 7-5
Kentucky 4-4 7-5
South Carolina 3-5 6-6
Vanderbilt 3-5 6-6
Missouri 2-6 4-8
MSU IN DOME STADIUMS
Tropicana Field will be the first indoor venue the Bulldogs have played
in since opening the 2013 season at NRG Stadium in Houston against
Oklahoma State. MSU owns a 9-8 mark all-time in dome/retractable roof
stadiums. The Bulldogs are 6-2 in the Superdome, 1-3 in the Georgia
Dome, 1-0 in the Carrier Dome and 1-2 in the Astrodome.
AERIS WILLIAMS EMERGES AT RUNNING BACK
Sophomore running back Aeris Williams was a four-star recruit coming
out of nearby West Point High School. The Pride of West Point, Williams
has come on strong late in the year.
• Williams is averaging 112.5 yards per game on the ground in the last
four contests (Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas and Ole Miss). That
average in the month of November was fourth among all SEC running
backs.
• Williams has produced two 100-yard rushing games in his last four
contests, running for 140 against Texas A&M and 191 at Ole Miss.
• Williams’ 191 yards at Ole Miss was the highest total by an MSU
running back since Josh Robinson rushed for 198 at Kentucky on Oct.,
25, 2014.
• Williams also recorded his first multi-touchdown game in the Egg Bowl
victory over Ole Miss.
• For the season, Williams is averaging 54.7 yards per game on the ground
with four touchdowns.
• As a team, MSU has produced nine 100-yard rushing games this season,
which is tied for the most in the Dan Mullen era. The Bulldogs tallied
nine 100-yard games in 2009. The nine is tied for third all-time in school
history.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Four seniors were voted team captains for the season by the players
during camp: RB Brandon Holloway, LB Richie Brown, DE A.J.
Jefferson and WR Fred Ross.
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