Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work. After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if […]
Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.
After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.
As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.
Today, we look at a potential star in the backfield and a young corner looking to take a step.
24 Days: No. 24, So. Running Back Fluff Bothwell
Bothwell was one of the most sought after transfer portal running backs this offseason and the Bulldogs were able to add him to the fold.
A year after being a lightly recruiting running back out of Oneonta, Ala., Bothwell is getting a shot to play SEC football. The 5’10, 230-pound thumper has always been productive. When he was playing high school ball, he earned All-State honors two years in a row and racked up an amazing 5,145 yards and 72 touchdowns.
Despite that, Bothwell didn’t have everyone knocking down his door. Eastern Michigan, Army, Navy and others offered him a scholarship and he would decide to stay in state and play for the South Alabama Jaguars. Though Bothwell wasn’t a starter as a true freshman for the Jags, he more than made his presence known.
The talented back played in all 12 regular season games and would average a stellar 7.4 yards per carry as he hauled the rock 112 times for 834 yards and a Sun Belt-best 13 touchdowns. Bothwell finished the year with five games of two or more touchdown runs and he had four 100-yard rushing performances along the way.
With the big season earning him Third-Team All-Sun Belt honors, Bothwell wanted to try his hand at a bigger school. Being from SEC country, the goal was to play in the best conference in college football and his freshman year made him a wanted man. Bothwell emerged as a consensus transfer portal four-star as On3’s Industry Rankings had him as the No. 96 player in the portal and the No. 8 running back.
Bothwell was down to State, Ole Miss, Cincinnati and Arizona before deciding to commit to the Bulldogs on Christmas Eve. He would enter the program for the spring and put together a strong performance as he jumped in a room with two established senior running backs.
As training camp continues, Bothwell is in a battle with seniors Davon Booth and Johnny Daniels, but also has talented running backs behind him like Xavier Gayten, Seth Davis and Kolin Wilson. He might not be the starting back for the Bulldogs this season, but Bothwell should get his fair share of carries and have an opportunity to show out inside the SEC.
No. 24, RFr. Cornerback Elijah Cannon
Even though Cannon wasn’t a major part of State’s defensive plans last season, he still experienced something incredibly cool during his first game of college football.
Late in the ball game against Eastern Kentucky, Cannon entered the contest and intercepted a pass that he would return all the way for a score. That 51-yard return made for an elated true freshman and hopefully gave him great experience for what’s to come.
Despite the redshirt, Cannon got a chance to get a little bit of a taste of what life in the SEC is all about. He played in four games and made four tackles and that interception. It was quite the experience for the Coconut Creek, Fla., native just months after going from a Florida Atlantic commitment to a Bulldog.
Cannon was a three-star prospect and the No. 203 player in the state of Florida by On3 in his high school class. He had offers from FAU, Oregon State, Louisiana-Monroe and others before committing to the Owls during his senior year. That senior season, he had six pass deflections and three interceptions as he helped his team to a 10-3 mark.
When Corey Bell took the job as cornerbacks coach at State, he came after Cannon and got him committed in December. Cannon now enters his second year on campus looking to break into the rotation for the Bulldogs. He’s one of just a few players that have experience returning along with Kelley Jones and DeAgo Brumfield.
At the least, Cannon could find his way on special teams to help the Bulldogs get work done there.
Category: General Sports
