MSU’S Witherspoon enters transfer portal
Fresh off of the Mississippi State Armed Forces Bowl win over Tulsa, the Mississippi State Bulldogs have an offensive contributor hitting the transfer portal.
According to a source, sophomore running back Lee Witherspoon has entered his name into the portal and intends to transfer. The news comes after Witherspoon had just six carries for 35 yards during his second season on campus and had fallen behind true freshmen Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson at running back. He had nine catches on the year for 49 yards and also contributed on special teams for the Bulldogs.
“I feel like we’re doing pretty well,” Witherspoon said earlier this month. “When somebody gets a first down, the whole group looks good. I don’t really see anything wrong with it. I try to help the young guys out with technique. I’m just basically teaching them what I was taught last year and they’re taking it on really well.
“We hang around each other a lot. We’re a goofy group but when one person has success, we’re all successful.”
As a freshman at MSU, former coach Joe Moorhead pulled Witherspoon’s redshirt and played him in 11 games. He had 22 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 19 yards. The 5-10, 195-pound running back came to Starkville as one of the most prolific running backs in Alabama high school history.
He played for North Jackson High School his final year after transferring from A.H. Parker.
He had a record-breaking senior season at North Jackson when he rushed for 2,846 yards and scored a state record 53 rushing touchdowns and 59 total touchdowns. He also had three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown and had 25 tackles. 4.0 tackles for loss a fumble recovery, forced fumble and interception on defense.
The loss of Witherspoon brings the Bulldogs to 18 transfers since Mike Leach became head coach. 12 of those players transferred after the season began as Witherspoon joins Garrett Shrader, Jalen Mayden, Tre Lawson, Tyrell Shavers, Kareem Walker, Nick Pendley, Jamari Stewart, Powers Warren, Dontea Jones, Korey
Charles and Devon Robinson. None of the those transfers were starting and Witherspoon was the most productive of the group.
MSU will return the top two runners in the offense next season in Marks and Johnson. Marks led the team in rushes and catches this season finishing with 70 carries for 312 yards and three touchdowns and 60 catches for 268 yards. Johnson was second on the team with 51 carries for 225 yards and a team-high four touchdowns and also had 36 catches for 157 yards. Both players saw increased responsibilities based on the fact that Kylin Hill opted out of the season and didn’t play after the third game against Kentucky.