Pascagoula's Vick Ballard To Represent Bulldogs At SEC Media Days

Coming out of Pascagoula High School, the only scholarship offer Mississippi State RB Vick Ballard received was from Jackson State.  He greatly surpassed his light recruiting status becoming a JUCO All American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and then leading the SEC with 19 touchdowns in his initial season with the Bulldogs.  Ballard will be representing Mississippi State in SEC Media Days July 20-22 in Birmingham.  Other Gulf Coast players mentioned in the following article from http://www.gulflive.com/ leading their respective teams at SEC Media Days are:  Kentrell Lockett (Ole Miss, Boutte, LA), Trent Richardson (Alabama, Penscacola), Mark Barron (Alabama, Mobile), Jordan Jefferson (LSU, Destrehan, LA).

View full sizeMississippi State running back Vick Ballard evades Ole Miss safety Fon Ingram while scoring a second-half touchdown during the Bulldogs' 31-23 win in the 2010 Egg Bowl. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Pascagoula's Vick Ballard to meet the press for Mississippi State

By Evan Woodbery/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Times The Mississippi Press
Pascagoula native Vick Ballard, who burst onto the SEC scene with a big debut season in 2010, will represent Mississippi State later this month at the league’s media days.
The SEC released the list of 36 players who will join their coaches at the conference kickoff July 20-22 in Hoover, Ala.
For full article go to:  http://www.gulflive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/07/pascagoulas_vick_ballard_to_me.html
 

Will Jordan Jefferson Have A Jason Campbell Like Senior Season?

Before becoming a first round NFL Draft Pick and leading Auburn to an undefeated record in his senior season, QB Jason Campbell was having a very average career for the Tigers on the Plains.  With similar physical features and non spectacular passing statistics, Scott Hotard of the Baton Rouge Advocate draws comparisons between Campbell and LSU QB Jordan Jefferson along with the hope that Jefferson will have a breakout senior season as well.

HOTARD: Jefferson poised for big season?

Scott Hotard

Advocate Sportswriter

1 Comments

Entering his senior season at Auburn, Jason Campbell was 18-9 in 27 career starts with a 25-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Entering his senior season at LSU, Jordan Jefferson is 20-7 in 27 career starts with a 28-18 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Campbell was listed at 6-foot-5, 228 pounds. Jefferson is listed at 6-5, 224. Campbell’s major was public administration. Jefferson’s is sports administration.

To continue reading:  http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/354897-64/hotard-jefferson-poised-for-big.html

Baton Rouge's Brandon Bolden Emerging As Rebels Leader

 

Quiet Leader Bolden ready to take charge as senior

By Brandon Marcello
In the hot summer months, an unlikely leader has emerged for the Ole Miss football team.
"I'd love to say it's one of our three quarterbacks," said Rebels offensive coordinator David Lee, "but that hasn't happened yet."
While the quarterback debate will likely last through August two-a-days and perhaps right up until the Sept. 3 opener against BYU, Lee no longer worries about who may or may not be his best offensive weapon or his on-the-field leader.
To continue reading go to:  http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110708/SPORTS030103/107080335/Quiet-Leader-Bolden-ready-take-charge-senior

Inside or Outside? Where does LB transfer Maye fit best for MSU?

Clemson transfer Brandon Maye hopes to lead Mississippi State to the SEC title game in 2011. (Bill Simmonds/Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

The Mississippi State Linebacking Corps has been depleted from last season sending both Chris White and K. J. Wright to the NFL.  Bulldog fans are looking to Clemson transfer Brandon Maye to be their savior. Maye has graduated but qualifies for a final year of eligibility under a special NCAA rule by enrolling in a graduate school program that Clemson does not offer. 

The Mobile native and former 3 Star recruit out of Davidson High School had a stellar career at the Atlantic Coast version of Death Valley, making the All ACC Freshmen Team.  The Jackson Clarion Ledger published two articles this past weekend documenting Maye's transition both on and off the field:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011107100336http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/2011/07/10/injury-pushes-maye-in-classroom-and-eventually-to-msu/


  

Lake Charles Native Janzen Jackson Returns To UT Football Team

After withdrawing from school in February to deal with undisclosed personal problems, Janzen Jackson, the former high school All American DB from Barbe High School in Lake Charles who had originally committed to LSU before switching to Tennessee on National Signing Day, is now enrolled for the second summer semester and will be back on the Volunteer Football Team this fall. 

Jackson's two years on Rocky Top, well, has been rocky.  In his short but turbulent time in Knoxville he has provent to be an incredible talent making the All SEC Freshmen Team and then making 2nd Team All SEC as a sophomore in which he also intercepted 5 passes.  However, personal issues off the field seems to have been more challenging than covering lightening fast SEC Wide Recievers.  As a Freshman he was suspended for one game under then Coach Lane Kiffin for violating team rules, and then was suspended for three more for being allegedly involved in a robbery with other Vol players at a Knoxville convenience store for which charges were later dropped.  Then as a sophomore, he did not participate in UT's Music City Bowl practices or the game itself to deal with personal issues, and then withdrew from school in February to deal with the same personal issues according to Coach Derek Dooley.

The following link is an editorial from John Adams of the Knoxville News Sentinel about what Jackson must prove with his reinstatement:  http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2011/jul/06/john-adams-yet-another-chance-janzen-jackson-payof/?partner=popular