Game Recap: Fire Croom!

Not really.

There was not much Mr. Croom could have done to stop our first quarter on Saturday. Sometimes -- like Maryland last year -- we're just destined to kick some ass. Saturday was one of those days. If you needed any more proof, just look at the offsides penalty on the opening kickoff. If that play stands, the first quarter might look dramatically different. Unfortunately, at least from Miss. State's perspective, they were just a little too antsy to tackle Steve Slaton. After that play, however, they didn't seem in a hurry to tackle any of our players.

The easiest analogy from Saturday is that our game lived up to the hype of the gold jerseys. Personally, I was not looking forward to seeing us wearing what I thought would look like a huge highlighter stain. I was way off. The gold jerseys looked good. Not great, but good. Sometimes, when I'm busy reminiscing, I long for the simpler Nehlen days when we knew we were wearing blue jerseys and gold pants at home. But, in these Nike times we live in, I have to live with change. At least this change wasn't as abhorrent as I first thought.

OK, now for the rest of my stream of conciousness:

• Slaton looks better, but he still looks human. When you consider I was halfway to naming my unborn child Charles Steven Slaton West, it's a little disappointing. Luckily, if he goes for 124 and 2 TDs every week, we still have a chance to win every game we play.


• The offensive line looked just OK. With a new starting tackle (Selvish Capers), this was understandable. Long-term, I think Capers gives us the best and most athletic line, but the going might get rough in the short-term. Luckily, we have about 5 days to correct this.


• I am going to stop paying full-price for tickets if Noel Devine doesn't start getting more PT. I find it hard to believe that Jock Sanders is actually #2 on the depth chart and that Rodriguez wanted to have Slaton play all 4 quarters of a blowout. Maybe CRR is trying to send a message to Devine. If I were him, and he wants me to consider Charles Noel Devine West, he better start busting his ass.


• Someone needs to tell the nation we have a defense. It has 11 guys and generally shuts down opponents. Why hasn't anyone outside of West Virginia noticed this? This might not be a problem if they'd actually watch us play.
  

Besides 5th Year Senior's weekly "Things That Made Me Want To Throw My Shoe" later today, that just about wraps Mississippi State. Overall, we beat an SEC opponent two years running, both by a significant margin. Not too shabby.
Ballhype - Game Recap: Fire Croom!
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