Jans Era Set To Begin
November 04, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State plays its first game under its new head coach on Monday.
STARKVILLE – It's been more than seven months since Chris Jans arrived in Starkville and became the new head coach at Mississippi State.
In that time, he's built a staff. He's constructed a roster. He's settled in. Now, at long last, it's time to play.
MSU tips off the 2022-23 season on Monday night at Humphrey Coliseum when the Bulldogs host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a 6:30 p.m. game. The highly-anticipated Jans era will finally officially get underway at State.
Any nerves, coach?
"I don't know," Jans said. "I don't know if I will have butterflies or not. I hope I do. It's kind of a fun feeling. You do it long enough and you don't get that very often anymore."
Don't get the wrong impression.
"I know I will be excited," Jans added.
There's definitely a lot for the Bulldogs to be enthusiastic about. From their first-year leader, who boasts the third-best winning percentage of all active Division I coaches, to the guys on the floor that are loaded with potential.
Bulldog veteran center Tolu Smith is a preseason All-Southeastern Conference First Team selection. Smith, D.J. Jeffries and Shakeel Moore were three of State's top five scorers a season ago and all return.
Then there are the newcomers, including last season's Pac-12 leader in assists, transfer guard Dashawn Davis from Oregon State. There's Jamel Horton Jr. from UAlbany, fresh off a year where he was the America East Defensive Player of the Year. Guard Eric Reed Jr. was an All-Ohio Valley Conference First Teamer a season ago at Southeast Missouri State.
And don't forget about Bulldog returnees Cameron Matthews and KeShawn Murphy, as well as other fresh faces like Will McNair Jr. and Tyler Stevenson to go along with a crop of highly talented freshmen chomping at the bit to make names for themselves.
There are a ton of talented options for Jans to turn to in year one. Only time will ultimately tell who'll play the biggest roles in his first season.
"We've got a lot of guys that are fighting and scrambling for minutes," Jans said. "I can't predict who's going to get better and who's going to produce when the lights are on. Some people cower down when it's their time and some people rise to the occasion. So, we'll have to see who makes the most out of their minutes and then they'll get more."
One thing's for sure. The Dawgs won't have to wait long for opportunities to make early statements. Texas A&M Corpus-Christi comes to town for Monday's game on the heels of an NCAA Tournament appearance last season. The Islanders were an impressive 23-12 a year ago as they won the Southland Conference championship and went to the Big Dance for only the second time in school history. Of the seven guys that started double-digit games for the Islanders last season, six return.
"I know they'll be very well-coached and well-prepared…I know they are excited about their program," Jans said. "It's not the smartest game to host for the first one out of the shoot [given the difficulty], but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
"They'll be really good on the defensive end. That's where it will start with them. They will play man-to-man, tough, hard-nosed and old-school defense. They will certainly be well-versed on offense as well."
It's a difficult assignment for sure. Then again, challenges like this one and the many ahead are part of the reason Jans came to Mississippi State in the first place.
Jans has made a career out of tackling obstacles and making sure his players fight with every ounce of their being. He's been doing it for more than three decades now.
No wonder Jans isn't so sure if the butterflies will be fluttering for his MSU opener. Although, the old, seasoned vet is leaving himself an out.
He might've done it all before, but he hasn't done it all HERE before. So, Jans knows this is special.
"Ask me [about my nerves] again Monday night about 9 o'clock," Jans said.
