beaubrad46 said:

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Coach em up Coach Byrd!

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Yes Sir!!!

I'm honestly a bit more excited about this season than before, even with an in-house regime change.

I'm super curious what we do for an OC though.

TallTexan said:

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I'm honestly a bit more excited about this season than before, even with an in-house regime change.

I'm super curious what we do for an OC though.

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Eventhough Barbay and Moses have 0 OC experience they are still offensive minds that have either played or coached on an offense that produced. I am not sure about the others except that Clark had a top notch FCS line at Illinois St. I think our assistants are going to take this as a challenge and will preform well... I am telling you if our OL can give Ogelsby a little room and keep Sawyer healthy then watch out...

100% behind Coach Byrd. AxeEm Jacks!

edstile said:

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Jacks4460 said:

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edstile said:

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Watched Coach Byrd's presser. He is definitely a coach's coach. He does not appear to be someone who's comfortable with talking to the press or to be in front of a microphone. Actually, I like that -- a lot. He's real. He's a football coach, not a publicist or marketing director. In my opinion, that's exactly what the players need at this point in time, someone who cares about them and not the politics swirling around this situation.

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I didn't see much of his presser because I can only find 30-45 seconds of it but he did seem real uncomfortable around the microphone.

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Here's the full presser, 4460....

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I love how he doesn't even pay attention to where the mic is and they have to recenter the camera - love his focus on the team and the outlook on adversity.

SIAP, doing a countdown to opening day. This is a little dated, but I just came across it.

Awesome!

Has spent the last four years running track. Dude has some wheels.

How does that work from an eligibility standpoint?

TallTexan said:

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How does that work from an eligibility standpoint?

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I would think you have 5 yrs to play four...Since he has 1 more year left to play a sport I would think he is a 5th yr senior.. He lettered 4 yrs in track and has 1 yr of eligibility left.. Rules might of changed tho..

Byrd sounds like the real deal. I don't want to over state or over think one press conference but he sounds like a real guy and a real winner. Sometimes you get lucky and maybe we did in this case.

I won't say he's the real deal just based on his record this year. The fact is that he has enough experience to produce a 7-4 , 8-3 squad. I hope Todd Whitten doesn't come in here in September and make me look like an idiot.............

Dude Whitten is a name I havent even thought of for the HC job next year... I dont think he will leave TSU because it was really personal this time when he came back around. Hired for the 3rd time.. He was really emotional about returning to where his family lives and for Lonn giving him another shot. Talked about alcohol being a problem. He cried alot on his presser. They are building an awsome stadium over there so I think he would stay put.. If I didnt witness this myself I would say he could possibly be our new HC.. I hope Byrd and the other coaches kill it this year and Byrd gets the job.. He seems like a ball coach only not a politician. Kinda like Coach Graves..

I was impressed by his press conference. I loved the eye rolls with some of the questions. Shows hes not used to being in the spotlight and he is focused on coaching and not anything else.

I hope that he does well this season. Give him the season to see how he handles it.

SFA_03 said:

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Undefeated national champions?

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Someone throw some cold water on that boy!

SFA_03 said:

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Undefeated national champions?

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I'll have what he's on!

Coach Byrd had one season as a Head Coach in 1999 at Bayou Academy in Cleveland, Mississippi where he took a 3-4 team from 1998 to a 7-3 record in 1999.

They were just one point from going 8-2 (lost last game 21-22) and the playoffs.

He went to Delta State the next season.

Bayou Academy went 0-9 in 2000.

TallTexan said:

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SFA_03 said:

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Undefeated national champions?

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I'll have what he's on!

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That would be illegal. But depending on how the first few games go I may be willing to share.

Stephen F. Austin at Mississippi State - Game 09/01/2018 12:00 (EST)

Stephen F. Austin +44-120 O 52 -120
Mississippi State -44-120 U 52 -120

SFAXE93 said:

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Stephen F. Austin at Mississippi State - Game 09/01/2018 12:00 (EST)

Stephen F. Austin +44-120 O 52 -120
Mississippi State -44-120 U 52 -120

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Can you translate this for someone like me who knows nothing about gaming odds?

nacluth said:

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Essentially SFA is a 44 point underdog. You can then bet on whether the game will go over or under 52 points.

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Glad I don't gamble. If I did I'd put some money down on that 44 differential.

That's absolutely fair. Miss st. is a top 25 team in one of if not the hardest conference in football.
We may very well surprise them. But the .3% chance espn is giving us probably our real odds. So I won't be heartbroken if we drop that one big.
Our season doesn't start until tarelton(or UIW).

Here is to Foster Sawyer having a full successful season.

SFA
@SMU 3-4; YDS:10; TD:0; INT:0
Southern Utah 21-37; YDS:217; TD:1; INT:1
UIW 33-43; YDS:283; TD:2; RTD:1; INT:0
@ACU 11-20; YDS:113; TD:1; INT:0 (Season ending injury in the 2Q)

G:4; ATT:104; CMP:68; CMP%:65.4; YDS:623; TD:4; INT:1 EFF:126.47 (2-1 as starter)

I wouldn't touch the spread, but that over/under is intriguing

Definitely over. There is a reason Vegas makes money but I think MS State scores 52 by themselves.

Return all but 4 starters (2 on offense and 2 on defense)

MISS STATE (9-4) Bowl Champions; #19 AP Final Rankings (2017)
Lost to #2 Alabama 24-31
Lost to Ole Miss 28-31

QB: #7 Nick Fitzgerald 6-5; 230 (Sr.) National Player of the Year Candidate
GP:33;ATT:661;CMP:366;YDS:4,440;TD:39;INT:21;R:380 ;YDS:2,486;AVG:6.5;TD:33

RB #22 Aeris Williams 6-1; 220 (Sr.)
GP:39;ATT:413;AVG:5.0;YDS:2,033;TD:13

WR #2 Reggie Todd 6-4; 200 (So.)
GP:13;REC:14;YDS:160;TD:1
WR #86 Jesse Jackson 6-2; 210 (Sr.)
GP:38;REC:28;YDS:283;TD:0
TE #82 Farrod Green 6-3; 240 (Jr.)
GP:25;REC:20;YDS:295;TD:1

RT #51 Stewart Reese 6-5; 345 (So.)
GP:13
RG #61 Deion Calhoun 6-3; 320 (Sr.)
GP:35
C #74 Elgton Jenkins 6-4; 315 (Sr.)
GP:36
LG #73 Darryl Williams 6-2; 305 (Jr.)
GP:20
LT ?

TE ?


DE #4 Gerri Green 6-4; 255 (Sr.)
GP:39;TKL:130;TFL:14.0;SCK:5.0;PD:8;INT:3;FF:3;FR: 2
DT #94 Jeffery Simmons 6-4; 300 (Jr.) Preseason All-American; All-SEC (1st Team)
GP:25;TKL:100;TFL:15.5;SCK:5.0;PD:3;FF:4;FR:2;BLK: 3
NG #95 Braxton Hoyett 6-3; 305 (Sr.)
GP:32;TKL:40;TFL:5.0;SCK:0.5;PD:1;INT:1;FR:1
DE #9 Montez Sweat 6-6; 245 (Sr.) Pre-Season All-American; All-SEC (1st Team)
GP:13;TKL:48;TFL:15.5;SCK:10.5;FR:1

LB #40 Erroll Thompson 6-1; 250 (So.)
GP:13;TKL:46;TFL:5.5;SCK:2.5;PD:1;FF:1
LB #10 Leo Lewis 6-2; 240 (Jr.) Freshman All-American; SEC FOY (2016)
GP:26;TKL:125;TFL:5.5;SCK:2.0;PD:2;FF:2;FR:1
S ?

CB ?
S #3 Jonathan Abram 6-0; 210 (Sr.)
GP:13;TKL:71;TFL:5.0;SCK:2.0;PD:5;FF:2
S #41 Mark McLaurin 6-2; 215 (Sr.) Bowl Game MVP
GP:38;TKL:150;TFL:5.5;SCK:2.5;PD:22;INT:8;FF:1;FR: 2
CB #24 Chris Rayford 6-0; 200 (Sr.)
GP:39;TKL:42;TFL:1.0

I think that the bigger question would be can we score against them.I believe that we cannot beat that spread. But we will see.

We counter with...

QB #12 Foster Sawyer 6-5; 225 (Sr.)
G:16;ATT:186;CMP:105;YDS:1,056;TD:7;RTD:1;INT:1

RB ?

WR #2 Frank Iheanacho 6-6; 225 (Sr.)
G:29;REC:40;YDS:388;TD:1

WR #5 Terian Goree 6-1; 175 (Sr.)
G:32;REC:93;YDS:785;TD:5

RT #71 Devonte Jones 6-3; 315 (Jr.) ALL-SLC
RG #76 Copper Williams 6-4; 312 (So.)
OC #64 Travis Lock 6-3; 295 (Jr.)
LG #52 A.J. Brown 6-2; 316 (Jr.)
LT ?

TE #87 Allen Arclies III 6-4; 245 (So.)
G:4;REC:3;YDS:33;TD:0

WR #80 Tamrick Pace 6-3; 195 (Jr.) ALL-SLC
G:22;REC:105;YDS:1,481;TD:13

DE #90 Rayshad Nichols 6-3; 304 (So.)
G:11;TKL:36;TFL:7.5;SCK:1.0;FR:2;QBH:5
DT #93 Lamont Alexander 6-3; 305 (Sr.)
G:32;TKL:91;TFL:7.5;SCK:3.5;FR:1
DE ?

LB #42 Teddy Britton 5-11; 222 (Jr.)
G:22;TKL:57;TFL:7.5;FF:2;PD:1;QBH:4
LB #43 Anthony Jacobs 5-11; 228 (Jr.)
G:20;TKL:65;TFL:4.5;SCK:0.5;FF:1;PD:2
LB #50 Ryan Woods 6-0; 232 (Sr.)
G:21;TKL:77;TFL:9.5;SCK:0.5;FR:1;PD:1;QBH:1

S #33 Alize Ward 5-10; 190 (Jr.) ALL-SLC
G:22;TKL:134;TFL:5.5;SCK:0.5;PD:12;INT:5;TD:1
CB #21 Davelle Fox 5-11; 185 (Sr.)
G:8;TKL:9
S #38 Trenton Gordon 5-11; 195 (So.)
G:10;TKL:76;TFL:1.5;FR:1
S ?

CB ?

That Bulldog defense is going to be quick and swarming.

We have the QB and receivers, to score, but the running game is a big ? and the O-line has one heck of a challenge in giving the offensive play time to be executed.

Our second game.

Maybe a ton of picks in this one

SFA_03 said:

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Like I said before, if by some miracle we can stay in the game, play to win, but once it starts getting out of hand we need to just try and get back to Nac with all of our key players healthy.
We can't afford losing Foster or any other key players in a game that is essentially a pay day for us.

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Which is why we'll be taking volunteers to pretend to be our star players. If we're likely to get shutout, no point putting somebody in harm's way.

Ed has said he'll fill in for Foster week 1, anyone want to take the RB position?

Those are some sharp looking Tarleton unis.

TallTexan said:

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Ed has said he'll fill in for Foster week 1, anyone want to take the RB position?

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Uh, I hope you're referring to some kid named Ed that we don't know about who's been redshirted.