Connect with us

Mississippi

Embarrassing stat summarizes Mississippi State’s abysmal defensive line play in 2024

Published

on

Embarrassing stat summarizes Mississippi State’s abysmal defensive line play in 2024


Mississippi State football had an ugly 2024 season, and among the biggest reasons for that was their defense. The Bulldogs fielded one of the very worst defenses in the country. Their 34.1 points per game allowed ranks 118th. They’re 127th in total defense at 456.4 yards per game allowed.

Those numbers are some of the very worst in program history. And when you start digging into the stats for a notable position group on the defense, it gets even uglier.

There’s very little debate about which position group was the worst for Mississippi State. Their defensive line was the worst that it’s been in decades. They got bullied by nearly every opposing offensive line they faced, even the non-SEC ones. They’d get blown off the line of scrimmage against the run, and they could not generate pass rush at all.

Just how bad was their pass rush? The Clarion Ledger’s Sam Sklar put out a stat that speaks volumes to how horrendous they were at pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Advertisement

On the year, Mississippi State defensive lineman combined for 4.0 sacks total. FOUR. There are 13 defensive lineman on the roster. Now obviously not all of those guys played, and the defensive line did deal with considerable injuries throughout the year. But having just four sacks from that position group is absurd.

And it gets worse. Out of the six Bulldog defensive lineman to register at least 0.5 sack, you know who led the group? Kalvin Dinkins, who only played in one game the entire year! Dinkins recorded 1.0 sack in the season opener. He got injured in that game and missed the rest of the season. And yet that 1.0 sack was enough to lead the position group.

That is flat out embarrassing. Now it should be acknowledged that a few of the MSU linebackers play hybrid roles in which they’re effectively acting as defensive ends. But even accounting for that, you only add 2.5 more sacks to the total. That doesn’t make it any better.

As a team, Mississippi State managed just 10.0 total sacks. That was the second-worst total in the entire country. The Bulldogs were the only team in the SEC to not record at least 22.0 sacks this year. If you’re curious how the in-state rivals did, Ole Miss led the country with 52.0 sacks. They were literally 5.2x better than State at getting quarterbacks on the ground. That’s the difference between having legitimate NFL talent up front and trotting out whatever MSU did this season.

Advertisement

It’s the understatement of the century to say that Mississippi State can’t afford another season being that bad along the defensive line. Their lack of talent in that room is far and away the biggest reason the defense was so bad in 2024.

They’ve got some pieces at linebacker. They’ve got some pieces in the secondary. But when your line is getting pushed back with no resistance on every run play and they give quarterbacks all day to throw, you have no chance at having success on defense.

It is a must that they land multiple high-level transfers along the defensive line. It is a must that they sign multiple defensive lineman in their 2025 class that can make immediate impacts next fall. They simply cannot run it back with the group from this season. If they don’t improve the talent in the defensive line room, you won’t see a noticeably better defense in 2025.





Source link

Advertisement

Mississippi

14-year-old girl arrested for shooting 8-year-old in Mississippi

Published

on

14-year-old girl arrested for shooting 8-year-old in Mississippi


WARREN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Deputies in Warren County, Mississippi, arrested a 14-year-old girl for allegedly shooting an 8-year-old.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said the shooting happened on Abraham Drive just before 4:00 p.m. on April 13, 2026.

According to the sheriff, the female victim was transported to a Jackson hospital for treatment. He said deputies recovered a handgun at the scene.

There’s no motive for the shooting, and the investigation is ongoing.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Mississippi

A potential opportunity to lower car tag costs across Mississippi

Published

on

A potential opportunity to lower car tag costs across Mississippi


A follow-up on high car tag costs in Mississippi shows major differences in what drivers pay depending on where they live, even across the street, according to new data from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office.The data highlights large price gaps across the metro area, with some residents paying hundreds of dollars more based solely on location and county lines.The State Auditor’s Office data shows that at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, a car tag costs $571.64. At Trails at Northpointe Apartments directly across the street, the same tag rises to $1,490.48.The highest cost in the region is $1,676.30 at Yazoo Estates, while the lowest is $343.30 in the Oakfield neighborhood.Resident Keith Bush said he has experienced the difference firsthand.“When I lived in Hinds County, my car tag started at $1,500,” Bush said. Now living at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, Bush said his cost is significantly lower.Bush said, “I don’t want to tell you the exact price, but it is under $200.”State Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. of District 71 says the high costs in Hinds County are an ongoing issue tied to local financial obligations, including school infrastructure.Crudup said, “We all know that we got the highest tags. I think even in Hans County, and uh, you know, a lot of that is due to, I guess, our, our, our population in, in our school building.”He added that part of the cost comes from maintaining unused school buildings in the Jackson Public Schools system.Crudup said, “You know, some of the schools are closed. The schools are still on their books right now, because they’re still responsible for the buildings and the maintenance and all that type of thing. I think as they come off their books. I think there’s a chance then that we’ll be able to reduce the price of the car tags.”Bush said, “That would be great. I think a lot of people will have some ideas of where they want to move.”Lawmakers are considering House Bill 1395, which has already passed both chambers. The bill would speed up the sale of unused school buildings, which supporters say could reduce costs, limit delays, and open the door for redevelopment.In a statement, Jackson Public Schools said, “Jackson Public Schools is committed to the strategic repurposing of surplus properties to strengthen communities and improve the district’s financial position, guided by thoughtful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a focus on long-term impact for our scholars and families.We are also grateful to the Mississippi Legislature, and especially the Hinds County Delegation, for their advocacy and support of this legislative change, which provides school districts with greater flexibility to better serve our scholars and community.”Officials said if the bill is signed into law, it could help reduce long-term costs. For now, the data shows that where you live still plays a major role in how much you pay for a car tag.

A follow-up on high car tag costs in Mississippi shows major differences in what drivers pay depending on where they live, even across the street, according to new data from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office.

The data highlights large price gaps across the metro area, with some residents paying hundreds of dollars more based solely on location and county lines.

Advertisement

The State Auditor’s Office data shows that at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, a car tag costs $571.64. At Trails at Northpointe Apartments directly across the street, the same tag rises to $1,490.48.

The highest cost in the region is $1,676.30 at Yazoo Estates, while the lowest is $343.30 in the Oakfield neighborhood.

Resident Keith Bush said he has experienced the difference firsthand.

“When I lived in Hinds County, my car tag started at $1,500,” Bush said.

Advertisement

Now living at Ridgeland Ranch Apartments, Bush said his cost is significantly lower.

Bush said, “I don’t want to tell you the exact price, but it is under $200.”

State Rep. Ronnie Crudup Jr. of District 71 says the high costs in Hinds County are an ongoing issue tied to local financial obligations, including school infrastructure.

Crudup said, “We all know that we got the highest tags. I think even in Hans County, and uh, you know, a lot of that is due to, I guess, our, our, our population in, in our school building.”

He added that part of the cost comes from maintaining unused school buildings in the Jackson Public Schools system.

Advertisement

Crudup said, “You know, some of the schools are closed. The schools are still on their books right now, because they’re still responsible for the buildings and the maintenance and all that type of thing. I think as they come off their books. I think there’s a chance then that we’ll be able to reduce the price of the car tags.”

Bush said, “That would be great. I think a lot of people will have some ideas of where they want to move.”

Lawmakers are considering House Bill 1395, which has already passed both chambers. The bill would speed up the sale of unused school buildings, which supporters say could reduce costs, limit delays, and open the door for redevelopment.

In a statement, Jackson Public Schools said, “Jackson Public Schools is committed to the strategic repurposing of surplus properties to strengthen communities and improve the district’s financial position, guided by thoughtful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a focus on long-term impact for our scholars and families.

We are also grateful to the Mississippi Legislature, and especially the Hinds County Delegation, for their advocacy and support of this legislative change, which provides school districts with greater flexibility to better serve our scholars and community.”

Advertisement

Officials said if the bill is signed into law, it could help reduce long-term costs. For now, the data shows that where you live still plays a major role in how much you pay for a car tag.



Source link

Continue Reading

Mississippi

IRS owes Mississippi residents $9.9 million. Are you missing free money?

Published

on

IRS owes Mississippi residents .9 million. Are you missing free money?


play

Are you missing out on free money? The IRS estimates that 1.3 million Americans are missing out on their 2022 income tax refunds because they haven’t filed their taxes. That totals about $1.2 billion in unclaimed money.

Many taxpayers are missing out on income tax returns because they haven’t filed. Some are years late.

Advertisement

The final deadline to be eligible is April 15. If people miss it, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.

How many people in Mississippi could get a check?

According to the IRS, Mississippi taxpayers are owed about $9.9 million.

Approximately 11,800 people who haven’t filed their 2022 taxes could get a refund. The median amount is $635, so half of refunds could be more than that.

What if I didn’t file my 2022 taxes? When is the deadline?

You have until April 15, 2026, to file back-year returns.

The IRS said you might still be eligible for the check, but only people who have filed their taxes will get one.

Advertisement

If you owe money or haven’t filed for 2023 or 2024 tax years, your check could be held. The money could also be garnished for unpaid child support or federal student loans.

People also have to file their 2025 taxes to get any refunds that might be owed.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY NETWORK. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending