Old-Fashioned Football At The Farm
August 09, 2023 | Football
STARKVILLE – Chad Bumphis was one of the first Bulldogs off the bus on Wednesday.
The former Mississippi State star wideout turned wide receivers coach was grinning from ear to ear as he sprinted through the gates at South Farm for the first time since his playing days ended.
He, like the rest of the Bulldogs, left all the comforts they've grown accustomed to behind at the Seal Football Complex and trekked across campus to a desolate stretch of land near the veterinary school and recreational fields to practice for the first time in six years. Â
"This brought back a whole lot of memories and was real good for them," Bumphis said. "This is what this program was built on; toughness, coming out here and competing and being physical. We got away from all the stuff that we're used to and just got out and played ball. That's what this program is all about."
First-year head coach Zach Arnett decided to implement a pair of practices at South Farm into his preseason camp plan after talking with former MSU players and coaches about their past experiences there.
"It's good to getaway and get a chance of scenery," Arnett said. "It's kind of nice to go where you don't have all the luxuries and conveniences that we have in our facility here. Hopefully it takes guys back to what high school football was like for them."
The adrenaline and intensity increase was apparent from the first drill of practice and continued until the final rep. The old-school approach to practice ended with Arnett placing a football inside the 2-yard line and declaring that it was 4th-and-goal and would be a live rep between the first team offense and first team defense.
"That's how football camp is supposed to be," Arnett said. "That's how it's been done here for a long time. I'm glad we got to do it."
Working at South Farm was not the only factor in what was likely State's most physical practice thus far. State donned full pads for the first time to close out six-straight practices to open preseason camp.
"Putting the pads on inherently picks up the intensity," Arnett said. "If it doesn't, you won't find yourself out on the practice field very much getting reps."
Rumors and speculation about South Farm had been circulating throughout the team in the days leading up to Wednesday's practice. Past players currently on staff like Bumphis, Taveze Calhoun, Tim Washington and Chris Stamps along with coaches that had previous stints in Starkville like Tony Hughes, David Turner and Greg Knox were popular targets among players trying to gain any insight about the circumstances surrounding South Farm.
Bumphis' advice to them was more about the mentality the players must have to adapt and overcome their temporary practice surroundings.
"You scrimmage in the stadium once during the spring and when you go in the stadium, it's got to feel different," Bumphis said. "When you come to The Farm, it's got to mean something and got to feel different. Obviously, everyday you want to go out and practice hard. But again, it's got to feel different to you and I think they responded."
Linebacker Jett Johnson joined the program in 2018, one year after the Bulldogs' last visit to South Farm, and had only heard about the grueling practices some of his old teammates had there.
Following Wednesday's workout, Johnson now has stories of his own to tell.
"As a competitor and as a football player, we always say that we'll strap it up anywhere and play you anywhere," Johnson said. "But like coach Arnett always says, 'talk is cheap'. We can talk all we want but today we got to see who was about it and who wasn't. I think we got good work in on both sides of the ball."
Mississippi State will take its first off day of the fall on Thursday and return to their regular practice fields at the Seal Complex on Friday morning.
