Spring game features return of past players, Moorhead’s first team at Mississippi State
Even head football coaches can get a little star-struck from time to time.
Several days ago, new Mississippi State head football coach Joe Moorhead was looking to bring in some former Bulldogs to be guest captains for today’s annual Maroon and White Spring Game, so Moorhead dialed up perhaps the biggest MSU legend of them all – former quarterback Dak Prescott.
“I called Dak, got him on the phone and he was very gracious with his time and willing to come,” Moorhead said. “Surprisingly (it was an easy sell). I shouldn’t say surprisingly, but to me I get star-struck that way. It’s a big Dallas Cowboys quarterback. I’m still a fan in that regard, so I thought it was pretty cool.”
Prescott is one of four former Bulldogs returning to be guest captains for today’s game. Former offensive lineman
Gabe Jackson, cornerback Johnthan Banks and wide receiver Fred Ross will also be back in town. Several other former MSU players are also likely to be in attendance.
All will get to witness the main event of Super Bulldog Weekend as Moorhead puts his first-ever MSU team on display on a big stage for the initial time. After being on the job for about five months and going through 14 spring practices, Moorhead is ready to get the Bulldogs on their home field for a trial run at how things will be handled this fall.
“We are putting them in the stadium for the first time and giving them the opportunity to compete in front of the fans and get used to how we operate on game day from a substitution and an operational standpoint,” Moorhead said.
As usual for the spring game, today’s contest will feature the Bulldogs split up into two teams – the Maroon team and the White team.
“I don’t know that (the rosters) will necessarily be divided evenly,” Moorhead said. “There will be some ones and twos on Maroon. There will be some one-and-a-halves and twos and threes on the White, then there are probably 10 or 12 guys that are going to have two jerseys so they’ll play on the Maroon team in the first half and the White team in the second half. We’re trying to balance it out as best we can.”
Five Bulldogs won’t play in today’s game as they bounce back from injury situations. All have seen limited contact for all or part of this year’s spring practice. Those individuals are quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, wide receiver Stephen Guidry, wide receiver Keith Mixon, defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons and tight end Powers Warren.
Today’s game kicks off at 3 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium and will be televised by SEC Network.