Can State's (Mis)Fortunes finally turn around?

(Pegues and Perriloux)

With National Signing day looming, I have decided to post a quick note or two on a couple of State recruits. Feel free to flame away.

One doesn't have to break down hours of film to fully grasp Mississippi State's ineptitudes as a football program. But despite the team's failures on the field (victorious only 11 times over the past four years), State still remains in "contention" for two of the nation's brightest high school stars--Derke Pegues from South Panola, and Ryan Perriloux from East St. John's High in Reserve, LA.

That's not to say States chances are good. Pegues will visit Oxford this weekend and Ole Miss misses out on South Panola recruits about as much as Melissa Brewer stays up past 9:00 p.m.
Though I didn't have a chance to view the Army All-American game two weeks ago, the consensus after Derick's performance is that Pegues is the most talented cornerback to come out of MS since Terrell Buckley circa 1991. Not bad for a guy who, at quarterback, torched the vaunted Ocean Springs defense for 4 touchdowns in the 5A state title game last December. Pegues will be an instant contributor at the school he chooses, and my guess is that school will be Ole Miss.

State's task looks equally as daunting in regards to Perrilloux, who is also considering Texas, a school he committed to over the summer, and homestate LSU, a university he grew up 40 miles away from and that he visits over the weekend. He is the consensus #1 quarterback in America and most everyone agrees it was quite a coup for him to even visit Starkville last week. When asked about his future plans, Ryan has often replied, "I'm going to shock the (college football) world." If he signed with State it would be more than a shocker, it would send bulldog nation into complete cardiac arrest, and a euphoria State football hasn't experienced since Kevin Prentiss dashed down the sidelines in the 1998 SEC Championship Game. But as realistic a fan as ever, I feel lwith hometown pressure for Tiger faithful, LSU's undeniable recent success on the football field, and the school's stellar facilities (the coonasses have shelled out millions for a habitiat for "Mike the Tiger?" Are you f****** with me?), you gotta think he'll be in purple and gold next fall.

Thoughts on your respective school's recruiting hauls. I know Jimbo's happy.