Mississippi State football ‘at full strength’ as ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Illinois nears – The Dispatch

STARKVILLE — A handful of Mississippi State soccer gamers have exhausted their eligibility, selected to not spend an additional season in class or are set to declare early for the 2023 NFL draft.

That received’t preserve them from suiting up for the Bulldogs yet another time, although.

Star cornerback Emmanuel Forbes’ option to play in Monday’s ReliaQuest Bowl towards Illinois in Tampa, Florida, is a boon for MSU’s possibilities of profitable 9 video games in a season for simply the ninth time in program historical past.

Head coach Zach Arnett mentioned the Bulldogs (8-4, 4-4 Southeastern Convention) are at “full power” as they strategy the competition at 11 a.m. Monday at Raymond James Stadium — by way of well being as nicely.

“We count on everybody who’s on the journey to be out there to play,” Arnett mentioned.

Positive, MSU’s offense will probably be restricted by the transfer-portal exits of a number of key gamers. Vast receiver Rara Thomas and operating again Dillon Johnson, amongst others, are now not with the workforce.

However that’s life in school soccer nowadays, and the Bulldogs have been no tougher hit than another workforce.

“It’s a actuality we’re all coping with,” Arnett mentioned of the portal.

So are gamers sitting out bowl video games to organize for the draft, which has taken off of late as athletes see no have to additional danger their well being and money-making potential. 

Illinois was hit laborious by just a few such choices, with star operating again Chase Brown chief amongst them. Brown, in addition to defensive backs Sydney Brown and Devon Witherspoon, elected to skip Monday’s sport.

It’s a apply derided as “egocentric” final 12 months by late Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, in whose reminiscence the Bulldogs will play Monday. Leach died Dec. 12 at age 61, however in line with Arnett and MSU, there was little doubt about ending the season off.

Those that had motive to overlook the competition — together with Forbes and security Collin Duncan, who additionally declared for the draft — apparently made their choices earlier than Leach’s loss of life.

“I do know most of them have expressed they have been taking part in previous to Coach Leach’s clearly unlucky incident,” Arnett mentioned. “I simply assume it speaks to the blokes we bought in our program, guys who like taking part in soccer, guys who wish to play for one another, the opposite guys within the locker room. I believe it mentioned a variety of these guys individually.

“They’re Mississippi State guys. Line them up, they wish to play with their teammates, end the season off with them. These are clearly guys you’re keen on having in your locker room and also you recognize what they’ve finished in your program.”

Now it’s as much as those that selected to remain to cap the 12 months the proper method.

With a victory, MSU can put up its first nine-win season since 2017, and the Bulldogs don’t have any intention of taking Monday’s sport flippantly.

“Completely all the time higher to go within the offseason with a win than a loss, proper?” Arnett mentioned. “As a lot enjoyable as you may have on these bowl journeys, you all the time keep in mind the way it ends.”

Theo DeRosa stories on Mississippi State sports activities for The Dispatch. Observe him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.