Good morning, we have surprising news coming out of Starkville this morning as head coach Paul Ross has announced his starting QB for the season opener against the Florida Gators. "After careful thought and consideration, we have decided to start with the veteran Phillip Russ as our QB. David Varela has played well during the preseason, but we feel that he needs a season, or a few games at the least, to get better acclimated to the competition. I want to make clear, he is not our inaugural pick to make sure the benches are warm for the team, or to make sure they are well hydrated. We picked him to be the center piece of our team, our team leader. But during the preseason we found that Russ, for now, is a better leader and can move the ball better." GM Gscorpio echoed those comments stating that though the defense has played extremely well, the offense was not able to capitalize on field position with Varela behind center as well as it was with Russ. "I told Coach Ross to ensure all of our players got an equal opportunity to show their skills. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, when you do this you end up having to make the tougher decisions and this is one of them. I'm sure David understands and will hit the playbooks extra hard, and put more effort on the practice field to earn his spot back."

On the other side of the ball, the defense has played very well, with the projected starting lineup looking like they are game ready. "The backups, particularly the third string players really need to step up, but luckily we have been able to put up enough points so far that they have been able to get some playing time and not cost any Ws. Even though it has just been preseason and you can't really tell how good or bad some players are just yet, it does give us an idea of what to expect during the season", Coach Ross stated. "I feel that our defense will be able to keep us in games we probably shouldn't be in, and possibly be the reason we get a couple wins we probably shouldn't." Anyway you look at it, this season will be a stepping stone and a learning experience for the Bulldogs to build upon in the future.

Good afternoon, Bulldog fans. We were able to catch GM Scorpy to discuss the way this sesaon has played out for Mississippi State and how he feels the inaugural season for this team and the league has gone, as well as what bodes in the future, both near and far, for this team.

Scorpy: First of all, I would like to thank the fans for coming out and watching our Bulldogs take the field this year. Second of all, wow, just......wow!!.

BulldogBlitz: How would you grade this season?

Scorp: When I looked at this roster after the allocation draft, I told the coaches they had their work cut out for them, but I would do everything I could to help them be successful. We drafted a very young team and I knew the learning curve was going to be big, but possible. I told them that I would consider this season a success if we finished with 8 wins. Then as the season unfolded, we suffered injuries to key players, we had a QB battle going well into the season, and I knew we had a pretty tough schedule, but this team presevered through it all. I was giving this team a B+ because we had way too many turnovers and I feel that we let a couple of games get away from us. Then I noticed that half our games were against playoff teams and then add in Florida who had a winning record, well, I have to give this team a solid A.

BB: How do you feel this team can do in the playoffs?

S: We start out going to Tuscaloosa in the first round. Alabama is a good team and I think we match up pretty well with them. If we win, we will more than likely have to go to Fayetteville to play Arkansas, and I don't know if you heard, but they have a football team up there, and a **** good one too. We had them in the first game of the season but we made a few mistakes and it cost us a W. The only team we haven't seen this year that's in our bracket is Vanderbilt, so I don't know too much about them, but they are here, so they've done something right this season.

BB: Any thoughts on the list of the 2025 class that just came out?

S: There are always some good players in any draft you just have to do your due diligence with them. This class is probably one of the thinnest I've ever seen and it makes it difficult to grade some of these players. I always look at the positive though. A thin class gives the players a chance to improve and it gives the front office a chance to make their money. If there were a whole class of blue chippers, then I wouldn't need my front office other than to bring me my sandwich. Fortunately, we drafted a young team in the allocation draft, so we are going to be one of the teams that's not too concerned about the depth of the draft. We will probably be active in the trade market and have a few names we will be throwing out just to see what bites. We might even look at trading out of this year's draft completely to set up for the next several seasons. It really just depends on how our scouting department finds out in the evaluation period.

BB: What are some areas of concern heading into the playoffs and after?

S: Injuries. I think I can count one hand the weeks that we didn't have less than ten players hurt. This team is seasoned enough to overcome those type of things. It's the silly mistakes that's frustrating, but as I've said a few times before we are young and those mistakes will become far and few between. As far as the injuries go, we will need to do a better job at protecting ourselves on the field, or we will need to focus on getting better 3rd and 4th stringers.

BB: Congratulations on the successful season and good luck in the playoffs. We are hoping to see you raise the trophy at the end of the month.

S: Thank you and Hail State!!

Good afternoon Bulldog fans, today we were able to catch up with the AD of Mississippi State, Scorpy, as the team was getting ready to load the bus for their pivotal matchup against Alabama.

BB: Scorpy this is the best we have seen this team play so far this season. What do you think is the major contribution?

Scorpy: When we put this team together, we knew we were wanting to go young and develop the players our way. Honestly we didn't think we would make the playoffs, much less win 11 games the first year. Last season, the players bought a little more into the system, the coaching staff learned more of what our players abilities were and were able to put them into a better position to make plays and we got 12 wins. This year it seems it all is coming together nicely. We had year 5 circled on when we thought we would be where we are now. The scouts have done a great job at recognizing our weaknesses and brought in players to strengthen them. It has truly been a team effort from the front offices all the way down to our water boys.

BB: So are you saying we can expect a National Championship this season?

Scorpy: We are not expecting anything to be honest. We would like to bring home a trophy, obviously, but we are just taking it one game at a time, one quarter at a time and one play at a time right now.

BB: This State team has been dynamic both offensively and defensively this season, averaging just over 432 yards per game while giving up just under 122 yards both of which lead the league, and it's showing up on the score board as the Dawgs lead the league in points scored and 2nd in points allowed.

Scorpy: Let's not get to far ahead of ourselves there. We have only played 3 games and are getting into the meat of our schedule. But yes it does feel good to see those 1s by our stats, but it is still way too early in the season to boast about that. I know Coach Ross worked the team out very hard defensively in the offseason and it is starting to payoff very handsomely on that side. On the offensive side of the ball turnovers, or the lack thereof, has played a major part in the success we are seeing.

BB: You mentioned the defense. The unit has not only been holding the opponents to a total of 10 points this year but have score 6 off of safeties this season themselves.

Scorpy: They have, but let's remember even though the defense gets the credit for a safety, it usually takes a team effort to get one. First, the offense has to move the ball a little and if they have to punt, the punter has to pin the opponent inside the ten at least to set the defense up. Our punter has done a great job of doing that this season.

BB: Punter Scott McElroy has done a great job, of pinning the ball deep on the other side of the field, putting the ball inside the 20 10 of 12 times.

Scorpy: Yes he has. Usually I cringe when I hear Coach Ross yell out those four words "Punting team, you're up". But seeing McElroy trot out there seems to making it a little easier.

BB: The defense isn't the only thing putting up numbers, Let's talk about that offense.

Scorpy: Valero has really come into his own in leading this team. We were talking about a book I've been reading the other day, and I asked him what he has been reading lately and he told me the playbook. That's the type of leader he is, he never stops working, and learning and he expects the team to follow his example.

BB: What about this weeks game?

Scorpy: We go back to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama. This is the third time we've played them there and we are 1-1. Alabama is good team that has had a choke hold on that division. Hopefully we can come out of that game 2-1.

BB: I just realized that Alabama has yet to travel to Starkville to play you on your home turf.

Scorpy: Yes we have tried to schedule them to play here, but they absolutely refuse to. The AD there has specifically told me that if they can't beat us this week on their home field, there is no way they can beat us on ours and then he passed out just from the thought. Just kidding, keep in mind the first two games were playoff games and that's just the way the bracket worked out. Maybe we can talk them into coming to Starkville next season, or hopefully we can force them to in the post season this year. We will see though.

BB: Great to speak with you again, Scorpy. Good luck in tonights game and until the next time we can sit and talk again.

Scorpy: Thank you and Hail State!!