State will hold its first practice in Nashville on Dec. 26.
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Football Closing in on Nashville, Shrader to Start at Quarterback
December 20, 2019 | Football
by Bill Martin, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Preparations continue for Mississippi State football's school-record 10th consecutive bowl appearance as the Bulldogs worked out Friday afternoon and will have one final practice Saturday before breaking for Christmas.
Head coach Joe Moorhead has tabbed true freshman Garrett Shrader as the starting quarterback in the Music City Bowl. The Bulldogs (6-6) face Louisville (7-5) at 3 p.m. on Dec. 30 from Nissan Stadium. Shrader, who will make his fifth start of the year, has taken the first-team reps in practice with graduate transfer Tommy Stevens running with the two's.
"Although we talk about this being the exclamation point on the 2019 season and kind of a momentum-builder towards the 2020 season, we're starting Garrett because he's earned the right to be the starter," Moorhead said. "I think he's 2-2 in the games he's started, two SEC games. He's moved the ball well against teams that we haven't beaten. He's fully healthy and has the confidence of the team."
State will travel to Nashville on Christmas afternoon before going through its first on-site practice on Dec. 26. Tickets to the Music City Bowl are available at HailState.com/bowltickets and start at $85 for reserved and $120 for club.
In addition to 50 percent off access to the official MSU Alumni Association Tailgate prior to the game, fans who purchase Music City Bowl tickets directly from the MSU Athletic Ticket Office will receive three Bulldog Club priority points per ticket and have the opportunity to attend one spring practice at a date and time to be announced, followed by free food and an exclusive appearance to hear from head coach Joe Moorhead.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."
Below are quotes from Moorhead's media session:
Head Coach Joe Moorhead
December 20, 2019
On today's practice …
"Very good. We finished off a very solid week with a spirited practice today. We were in pads again. We finished off our Louisville game plan. We did some first- and second-down work today and also went tight red zone and goal line. We then allowed some of the younger guys to do some developmental work, 7-on-7 and team. We will finish it off strong. We will come into tomorrow, meet in the morning, knock out some positional meetings and then have a jog through before we get the guys on the road in the afternoon."
On the difference between bowl prep last year and this year …
"I think this is going to be a very physical football game. They pride themselves on running the ball as do we. We need to stop the run and run it well. It's a little different approach than we took last year. We were more of a veteran team on both sides of the ball, but I wanted to create a point of emphasis. We talk about being out-prepared, out-physical and out-executed to win a football game. From a preparation standpoint, I wanted to make sure we were in pads, we were energetic. We were flying around. We were being physical. I also think it helped the younger guys from a developmental standpoint."
On reports of linebackers coach Chris Marve leaving the program…
"The reports are accurate. Coach Marve is going to be leaving, heading down to Florida State. We wish him the best of luck, but just like no coach or player is bigger than the program, we have a next-man-in philosophy for our players and the same goes for coaches. We want people who want to be here. This is not a stepping stone. It's a destination. We're going to find someone who's going to do as good, or better, of a job. Nyeem Wartman-White, who played linebacker in this system under Coach Shoop for four years and was our graduate assistant, will take over linebacker duties and be assisted by John Shalala, who's a quality control guy, and we won't miss a beat."
On Garrett Shrader starting the Music City Bowl…
"We're not looking towards the future until after this game. Although we talk about this being the exclamation point on the 2019 season and kind of a momentum-builder towards the 2020 season, we're starting Garrett because he's earned the right to be the starter. I think he's 2-2 in the games he's started, two SEC games. He's moved the ball well against teams that we haven't beaten. He's fully healthy and has the confidence of the team. That's certainly not a knock against Tommy [Stevens]. Tommy's healthy, but – I don't want to say go with the hot hand – but Garrett's proven when he's the starter, that we've won football games. Tommy's going with the twos right now."
On if Will Rogers is the only early signee at practice…
"Yeah, there are some things in terms of graduation and compliance. We're making sure all of those "I"s are dotted and "T"s are crossed. We did our darnedest to try to get as many as we could here, but Will was the only one that was able to get the paperwork done. He did great today, actually. It was funny, the first ball that Garrett [Shrader] threw as an early enrollee slipped out of his hand and the guys were really getting after him on the defensive side of the ball. He came back and completed the next one. I mentioned it in a team meeting when we were introducing Will, and it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. First one flew right back out of his hand, completed the next one. You could tell he was a little bit, I won't say nervous, but awe-struck. Excited to be in there for his first college reps. Today, he came out there and hit his four opportunities. He ripped the ball, went 4-for-4, made good, quick decisions and kind of gave you, like Garrett did last year, a good glimpse of why he was 38 touchdowns, three picks and 3,600 yards this year. He did a really nice job today."
On the timeline for NFL evaluations and when juniors will make decisions…
"They've come in. We're having meetings with them today and the next few days leading up. Obviously, as I've said before, it's our job to provide information. It's not our job to make a decision, and the young men and their families will decide what's in their best benefit. We'll support them with whatever they decide to do. When they decide to make the announcement of what they're going to do is on their timeframe, but we're going to have those meetings, provide them the information and hope they make a great, solid decision."
On players not playing in the bowl game…
"This has come up in the past. Brian Cole II has opted not to play, so Brian's not going to play. He's going to begin his preparations for the [NFL] Draft, and I believe he's playing in the Senior Bowl, if I'm not mistaken. We have a bunch of guys playing in that bowl, so Brian's begun his preparations. Fred Peters, who's played really, really well down the stretch, another junior college guy, another one of these first-year guys who's stepped in and done really well. Fred will step in, and he'll do a great job."
On Nashville native JaVonta Payton's season…
"For a first-year guy, he's done really nice with the opportunity he's had as a receiver. He had a catch against Ole Miss and a run. Had a really nice one against Abilene Christian. I just think he sometimes goes unnoticed, but he's a special teams demon right now. He flies down on kickoff coverage. Here's what I love about him, whatever you ask him to do, he's going to do 100 percent of the time with great effort with a smile on his face. We're talking about building forward. Usually, you don't see wide outs who are 6-1 and about 175 pounds really fired up about running down and covering kicks, but he's a guy I love because anything you ask him to do, on or off the field, he's going to do it to the best of his ability."
On the size of the bowl game hotel and bowl week …
"We're going to go over our bowl manual tomorrow. Andrew Warsaw and David Wilczewski, our operations guys, have put together a very detailed and specific plan. As you said, the maps portion of it covers about three pages. In 1999, my first AFCA Coaches Convention was at Opryland. I really didn't know anybody, was kind of there on my own. Did run into Steve Spurrier, which was pretty cool my first time. I was lost because it's very expansive and has a bunch of different paths. The good news is all of our guy's rooms are on one floor and they don't need to get on an elevator or go up steps to get to the meeting rooms. It's their rooms to the meeting room. We've put a good organized plan together, so it'll be good. It's a neat place."
On what he learned from last year's bowl game…
"I've been in a bunch as a coordinator, and certainly the FCS Playoffs you treat each game sort of like a bowl game. When you go on the road, it's not that timeframe of preparation because you're not at a site. But I think the approach this year is a little bit different because of the construct of our team from an experience standpoint. The way we finished the season, winning three of four, we wanted to make sure we were setting the tone prior to going to a bowl site with what we were going to do from a physicality and an urgency standpoint. I think that's a little bit different. Last year was so many veteran guys and in the end of the year a bunch of guys banged up. This year, I think we're, I don't want to say taking a more aggressive approach because that's not the right thing, but a more physical approach because of who we have on the team. The other thing that I think is fantastic is the guys who have opted to play in the game and could have done otherwise, there's not a sense of entitlement. There's not an idea that they're doing us a favor by playing in the game. They're in lock, stock and barrel. They've been great in practice. They've been great in meetings. They're going to come out full speed and do a great job to finish the season the right way."
On J.P. Purvis and De'Monte Russell's car accident…
"On the night it happened, myself, Jay Perry and Deke Adams showed up. We were there the entire time. With J.P. left and then De'Monte got discharged that night around 12:30, 12:45. We got out of there that night, and the next day we had signing day. But my wife and I went to see J.P. with Jay and then [Athletic Trainer] Thomas Callans was with him and it seemed like the whole town of Pelahatchie was with him. This kid's so popular. He has so many friends and so many visitors. He was recovering nicely, but the beautiful part of it is we were joking that he has recovery skills like Wolverine. He was discharged today and came out to meet the team at the end of practice, which was phenomenal. J.P.'s out of the hospital. He's doing well and all our prayers are with him on hopefully his way to a full recovery."
STARKVILLE – Preparations continue for Mississippi State football's school-record 10th consecutive bowl appearance as the Bulldogs worked out Friday afternoon and will have one final practice Saturday before breaking for Christmas.
Head coach Joe Moorhead has tabbed true freshman Garrett Shrader as the starting quarterback in the Music City Bowl. The Bulldogs (6-6) face Louisville (7-5) at 3 p.m. on Dec. 30 from Nissan Stadium. Shrader, who will make his fifth start of the year, has taken the first-team reps in practice with graduate transfer Tommy Stevens running with the two's.
"Although we talk about this being the exclamation point on the 2019 season and kind of a momentum-builder towards the 2020 season, we're starting Garrett because he's earned the right to be the starter," Moorhead said. "I think he's 2-2 in the games he's started, two SEC games. He's moved the ball well against teams that we haven't beaten. He's fully healthy and has the confidence of the team."
State will travel to Nashville on Christmas afternoon before going through its first on-site practice on Dec. 26. Tickets to the Music City Bowl are available at HailState.com/bowltickets and start at $85 for reserved and $120 for club.
In addition to 50 percent off access to the official MSU Alumni Association Tailgate prior to the game, fans who purchase Music City Bowl tickets directly from the MSU Athletic Ticket Office will receive three Bulldog Club priority points per ticket and have the opportunity to attend one spring practice at a date and time to be announced, followed by free food and an exclusive appearance to hear from head coach Joe Moorhead.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the MSU football team on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."
Below are quotes from Moorhead's media session:
Head Coach Joe Moorhead
December 20, 2019
On today's practice …
"Very good. We finished off a very solid week with a spirited practice today. We were in pads again. We finished off our Louisville game plan. We did some first- and second-down work today and also went tight red zone and goal line. We then allowed some of the younger guys to do some developmental work, 7-on-7 and team. We will finish it off strong. We will come into tomorrow, meet in the morning, knock out some positional meetings and then have a jog through before we get the guys on the road in the afternoon."
On the difference between bowl prep last year and this year …
"I think this is going to be a very physical football game. They pride themselves on running the ball as do we. We need to stop the run and run it well. It's a little different approach than we took last year. We were more of a veteran team on both sides of the ball, but I wanted to create a point of emphasis. We talk about being out-prepared, out-physical and out-executed to win a football game. From a preparation standpoint, I wanted to make sure we were in pads, we were energetic. We were flying around. We were being physical. I also think it helped the younger guys from a developmental standpoint."
On reports of linebackers coach Chris Marve leaving the program…
"The reports are accurate. Coach Marve is going to be leaving, heading down to Florida State. We wish him the best of luck, but just like no coach or player is bigger than the program, we have a next-man-in philosophy for our players and the same goes for coaches. We want people who want to be here. This is not a stepping stone. It's a destination. We're going to find someone who's going to do as good, or better, of a job. Nyeem Wartman-White, who played linebacker in this system under Coach Shoop for four years and was our graduate assistant, will take over linebacker duties and be assisted by John Shalala, who's a quality control guy, and we won't miss a beat."
On Garrett Shrader starting the Music City Bowl…
"We're not looking towards the future until after this game. Although we talk about this being the exclamation point on the 2019 season and kind of a momentum-builder towards the 2020 season, we're starting Garrett because he's earned the right to be the starter. I think he's 2-2 in the games he's started, two SEC games. He's moved the ball well against teams that we haven't beaten. He's fully healthy and has the confidence of the team. That's certainly not a knock against Tommy [Stevens]. Tommy's healthy, but – I don't want to say go with the hot hand – but Garrett's proven when he's the starter, that we've won football games. Tommy's going with the twos right now."
On if Will Rogers is the only early signee at practice…
"Yeah, there are some things in terms of graduation and compliance. We're making sure all of those "I"s are dotted and "T"s are crossed. We did our darnedest to try to get as many as we could here, but Will was the only one that was able to get the paperwork done. He did great today, actually. It was funny, the first ball that Garrett [Shrader] threw as an early enrollee slipped out of his hand and the guys were really getting after him on the defensive side of the ball. He came back and completed the next one. I mentioned it in a team meeting when we were introducing Will, and it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. First one flew right back out of his hand, completed the next one. You could tell he was a little bit, I won't say nervous, but awe-struck. Excited to be in there for his first college reps. Today, he came out there and hit his four opportunities. He ripped the ball, went 4-for-4, made good, quick decisions and kind of gave you, like Garrett did last year, a good glimpse of why he was 38 touchdowns, three picks and 3,600 yards this year. He did a really nice job today."
On the timeline for NFL evaluations and when juniors will make decisions…
"They've come in. We're having meetings with them today and the next few days leading up. Obviously, as I've said before, it's our job to provide information. It's not our job to make a decision, and the young men and their families will decide what's in their best benefit. We'll support them with whatever they decide to do. When they decide to make the announcement of what they're going to do is on their timeframe, but we're going to have those meetings, provide them the information and hope they make a great, solid decision."
On players not playing in the bowl game…
"This has come up in the past. Brian Cole II has opted not to play, so Brian's not going to play. He's going to begin his preparations for the [NFL] Draft, and I believe he's playing in the Senior Bowl, if I'm not mistaken. We have a bunch of guys playing in that bowl, so Brian's begun his preparations. Fred Peters, who's played really, really well down the stretch, another junior college guy, another one of these first-year guys who's stepped in and done really well. Fred will step in, and he'll do a great job."
On Nashville native JaVonta Payton's season…
"For a first-year guy, he's done really nice with the opportunity he's had as a receiver. He had a catch against Ole Miss and a run. Had a really nice one against Abilene Christian. I just think he sometimes goes unnoticed, but he's a special teams demon right now. He flies down on kickoff coverage. Here's what I love about him, whatever you ask him to do, he's going to do 100 percent of the time with great effort with a smile on his face. We're talking about building forward. Usually, you don't see wide outs who are 6-1 and about 175 pounds really fired up about running down and covering kicks, but he's a guy I love because anything you ask him to do, on or off the field, he's going to do it to the best of his ability."
On the size of the bowl game hotel and bowl week …
"We're going to go over our bowl manual tomorrow. Andrew Warsaw and David Wilczewski, our operations guys, have put together a very detailed and specific plan. As you said, the maps portion of it covers about three pages. In 1999, my first AFCA Coaches Convention was at Opryland. I really didn't know anybody, was kind of there on my own. Did run into Steve Spurrier, which was pretty cool my first time. I was lost because it's very expansive and has a bunch of different paths. The good news is all of our guy's rooms are on one floor and they don't need to get on an elevator or go up steps to get to the meeting rooms. It's their rooms to the meeting room. We've put a good organized plan together, so it'll be good. It's a neat place."
On what he learned from last year's bowl game…
"I've been in a bunch as a coordinator, and certainly the FCS Playoffs you treat each game sort of like a bowl game. When you go on the road, it's not that timeframe of preparation because you're not at a site. But I think the approach this year is a little bit different because of the construct of our team from an experience standpoint. The way we finished the season, winning three of four, we wanted to make sure we were setting the tone prior to going to a bowl site with what we were going to do from a physicality and an urgency standpoint. I think that's a little bit different. Last year was so many veteran guys and in the end of the year a bunch of guys banged up. This year, I think we're, I don't want to say taking a more aggressive approach because that's not the right thing, but a more physical approach because of who we have on the team. The other thing that I think is fantastic is the guys who have opted to play in the game and could have done otherwise, there's not a sense of entitlement. There's not an idea that they're doing us a favor by playing in the game. They're in lock, stock and barrel. They've been great in practice. They've been great in meetings. They're going to come out full speed and do a great job to finish the season the right way."
On J.P. Purvis and De'Monte Russell's car accident…
"On the night it happened, myself, Jay Perry and Deke Adams showed up. We were there the entire time. With J.P. left and then De'Monte got discharged that night around 12:30, 12:45. We got out of there that night, and the next day we had signing day. But my wife and I went to see J.P. with Jay and then [Athletic Trainer] Thomas Callans was with him and it seemed like the whole town of Pelahatchie was with him. This kid's so popular. He has so many friends and so many visitors. He was recovering nicely, but the beautiful part of it is we were joking that he has recovery skills like Wolverine. He was discharged today and came out to meet the team at the end of practice, which was phenomenal. J.P.'s out of the hospital. He's doing well and all our prayers are with him on hopefully his way to a full recovery."
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