MSU's Rivers ready to play after redshirt

Finally.

It has been a long year for Mississippi State's Chauncey Rivers.

The defensive end went into last season hoping to make a big impact on MSU's front, boasting both talent, as well as Southeastern Conference experience from a previous stint at Georgia. Things didn't work out the way Rivers, or MSU, planned.

Rivers was forced to take an academic redshirt year, but now that it's over, Rivers is on the field this spring getting ready for the 2018 season and he quite frankly can't wait to play football in games that count again.

“Excited isn't even the word,” Rivers said. “I'm blessed to be back out here in the position I'm in.”

Rivers should be a big part of State's defensive line in 2018, even if it's a year later than he originally hoped when he joined MSU as a transfer from East Mississippi Community College following playing the 2015 season at Georgia.

At EMCC, Rivers became arguably the top pass rusher in all of junior college football. He was a consensus four-star defensive end and was ranked No. 10 on 247Sports' Top 100 overall players. All that promise got put on a hiatus though last year as Rivers sat out. That wasn't easy for him he said.

“There were plenty of days that were long,” Rivers said. “I'd be sitting there like, ‘I can't even help the team out.' At the end of the day though, the goal was still to get back on the field so you still have to stay positive and stay motivated.”

While he waited his turn, Rivers put his focus on helping the Bulldogs however he could. He was on MSU's scout team defense and gave his best effort to make sure State was ready to play on Saturdays.

“I was helping the offensive line out with anything they needed last year on scout team just trying to make everyone else better,” Rivers said.

Rivers' days on the scout team are now in the past though. When the Bulldogs kick off in September, Rivers should be on the field. He says he's never been so grateful to get the chance to play football after the last few months.

“It has made me just appreciate the game and being at another SEC school and given a second opportunity,” Rivers said.

It has long been said that you never know how much you love something until it's taken away from you. Rivers seems to agree with that sentiment. To say he's glad to finally have football back in full is a huge understatement.

“It's a dream come true and I can't wait,” Rivers said.