Sherrill, Bulldogs face tougher road
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ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Mississippi State's schedule looks like it was drawn up by an Ole Miss fan.
The Bulldogs play six road games, including three consecutive to start the season. They don't get to play at home until Sept. 30, and then the opponent will be Florida, which replaced Vanderbilt in the SEC rotation for Mississippi State.
Among the Bulldogs' first three road games is a first-ever trip to Brigham Young.
Last year in going 10-2, Mississippi State played only three regular-season opponents with winning records and beat one -- Ole Miss. The Bulldogs' 2000 schedule features five opponents that had winning records last season.
But Mississippi State senior cornerback Fred Smoot isn't dreading the tougher schedule awaiting the Bulldogs.
"I love it, because last year I heard too many times that we didn't play anybody," Smoot said. "We went 10-2, the best record in the SEC, but still got no respect.
"But after the schedule we play this year, I want to see how much respect we get. I'm looking forward to beating the big teams, showing we can play and we are part of the higher level of teams.
"People want to know, are we really that good? We can answer that question this year."
Mississippi State lost 14 starters from last year's team, including eight starters from a defense that ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense, holding opponents to an average of 222.5 yards a game, and sixth in scoring defense at 13.5 points allowed per game.
But Bulldogs Coach Jackie Sherrill said he doesn't expect any drop-off on defense because some of the backups from last season are more physical players and better athletes than the 1999 starters they're replacing.
"We can match the 11 we had on defense last year," Sherrill said.
Smoot, who earned All-SEC honors last season and is a first-team All-America pick on many 2000 preseason teams, said the Bulldogs might be even better on defense this season.
"We played two units last year, so we still have a lot of experience back, and we're faster on defense this year," Smoot said. "We have more talent on the defensive line, though not as much depth.
"We can duplicate what we did last year on defense, or we could be better. I don't see us declining any."
Mississippi State's defense has shown steady improvement since coordinator Joe Lee Dunn arrived from Arkansas after the 1995 season.
"Playing for Joe Lee Dunn is real fun, especially playing the corner for him," Smoot said. "He frees you up to do what you need to do, but you're going to be man-to-man (coverage). He'll give you some zone when he wants to give you a little breather, but other than that, it's man."
Smoot said he takes a lot of pride in taking away a team's top receiver.
"But I also don't like people to run on my side," he said. "I like to get it all done."
Junior quarterback Wayne Madkin leads the Bulldogs offense. He is entering his third season as a starter but has been inconsistent. He's thrown nearly as many interceptions (20) as touchdown passes (21), and his career completion percentage is 50.7.
But the key stat about Madkin, Sherrill said, is Mississippi State is 15-6 in his 21 starts.
"Wayne doesn't get the notoriety he deserves," Sherrill said. "But he is a very good player."
Smoot said he could see the progress Madkin made physically during spring practice but that his best asset is his mental toughness.
" gone through some growing pains, but he never quits, never gets down," Smoot said. "He's always ready to play, and I think he's ready to have a big year."
Madkin said he hasn't focused on the Bulldogs' schedule for this season.
"We don't have any control over the schedule, we just have to go out and play it," he said. "But I think with some of the teams we're playing, it's going to put us more out there nationally. I think it will be good for us."
Sherrill bristled when asked about the toughness of this season's schedule.
"We had just five home games in 1998, too, and we played in the SEC Championship Game," Sherrill said. "Our schedule now is no different than that one."
The Bulldogs did play only five home games two years ago when they were 8-3 in the regular season and shared the West title with Arkansas. But Sherrill neglected to point out that Mississippi State's 1998 schedule didn't include Brigham Young or Florida.
This article was published on Saturday, August 5, 2000
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