Mississippi
Mississippi State football vs. Illinois in ReliaQuest Bowl: Scouting report, score prediction
STARKVILLE — In its first matchup towards a Large Ten foe since 2019, a well-known face awaits Mississippi State soccer.
MSU (8-4, 4-4 SEC) is taking up Illinois (8-4, 5-4 Large Ten) within the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2 (11 a.m., ESPN2) in Tampa − the primary matchup between the packages since 1980. Roaming the sidelines for the Illini is former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema.
Bielema spent 5 seasons in Fayetteville teaching the Razorbacks to a 29-34 mark. In that stretch, he was 1-4 towards Mississippi State and Dan Mullen.
After his firing in 2017, Bielema received away from the faculty recreation. He frolicked working with the New England Patriots earlier than returning to the Large Ten final season to educate the Illini.
Yr 2 noticed Illinois bounce from 5 wins to eight wins, and the reward is Bielema’s first profession matchup with Mississippi State coach Mike Leach.
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Mississippi State offense vs. Illinois protection
A troublesome take a look at awaits Mississippi State’s Air Raid offense with the Large Ten’s high protection on the opposing aspect. The Illini enable simply 263.8 whole yards and 165.4 passing yards per contest. Defensive again Sydney Brown is a big purpose why.
Brown, together with Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes and 5 others, is tied for second within the nation with six interceptions. With Brown’s presence, MSU quarterback Will Rogers could also be pressured to look the other approach.
Mississippi State in all probability will enter the bowl recreation thinned at vast receiver with Rara Thomas coming into the switch portal.
Illinois’ rush protection, which ranks second within the Large Ten, doesn’t enable a significantly better possibility for Leach, although Mississippi State’s greatest offensive success this season has come when establishing a working recreation.
If Illinois is ready to comprise working backs Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson, it might make MSU one-dimensional. That’s not at all times the worst-case state of affairs for an Air Raid offense, however towards a potent move protection, it might create issue.
Mississippi State protection vs. Illinois offense
For as robust because the Illinois protection has been, there’s an apparent scapegoat for why the Illini completed the season dropping three of 4 video games. The offense has been inconsistent. Illinois averages 25 factors per recreation, however the determine dips to 19 in losses.
Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito took over because the starter this season after transferring from Syracuse. He’s proven flashes, with three video games of greater than 250 passing yards.
Nonetheless, that’s been met with seven video games of fewer than 200 yards. Luckily for DeVito, he has working again Chase Brown on his aspect.
Brown ranks second within the Large Ten and third within the nation with 137 dashing yards per recreation. He scored 10 touchdowns on the bottom and poses a menace within the passing recreation with almost 9 yards per reception – although he has caught simply 27 passes.
The return of Jaden Crumedy to the defensive position has offered a lift for MSU’s rush protection. If the unit can decelerate Illinois’ working recreation, lacking Forbes could not matter a lot.
Particular groups
Illinois kicker Caleb Griffin has a touchback proportion under 70%. That could possibly be a problem with MSU kickoff return Lideatrick Griffin – who leads the nation with 32.3 yards per kick return – on the opposite aspect.
Illinois punter Hugh Robertson creates some concern as effectively. He averages a Large Ten-worst 39.2 yards per punt. MSU’s Zavion Thomas is second within the SEC with almost 14 yards per punt return.
Prediction
Mississippi State 20, Illinois 10: The Illinois protection is a legit menace to an MSU workforce with out maybe its greatest menace at outdoors receiver. Nonetheless, the Mississippi State protection can have its approach towards an Illinois offense that has been ugly at instances. Large Ten vs. SEC video games present further motivation, and MSU ought to look to symbolize its convention effectively − even in a recreation that received’t be aesthetically pleasing.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat author for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or observe him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.
This text initially appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State soccer vs. Illinois: Scouting report, prediction
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Mississippi
Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies?
![Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies? Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies?](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/07/15/PJAM/89169fbe-3f64-4f81-81fd-727f995bada2-Douglas_Carswell.jpg?auto=webp&crop=554,312,x3,y96&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Waiting for my suitcase in the arrivals hall at Jackson airport the other evening, it occurred to me that the luggage carrousel was a pretty good metaphor for Mississippi politics.
Like suitcases on a carrousel, many leaders simply sit on the conveyor belt of state politics, waiting their turn to get moved along to the next role.
Too often leaders are carried along by time and process, rarely offering any vision as to what our state should do differently. That explains why Mississippi conservatives have achieved less in 12 years than Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama have accomplished in the past 12 months. Louisiana did not even have a Republican governor this time last year, yet they’ve already passed universal school choice.
Things could be about to change if House Speaker Jason White has his way. This week, White announced that he will be hosting a Tax Policy Summit on Sept. 24 to take a deep dive into the prospects for tax reform.
My friend, Grover Norquist, will be speaking, as will Gov Reeves, as well as leading conservative figures from the state Legislature.
Having a conversation in public matters because in the past the leadership in our state Senate has done what it can to head off tax cuts. Bringing the facts of what can and cannot be done into the open makes it far harder for anyone to keep finding new excuses to oppose actual conservative policy.
Sunshine is the best disinfectant against the putrid politics of backroom deals. We have seen far too many backroom maneuvers used to kill off good conservative policy in this state. Back in 2022, Mississippi passed a law to cut the state income tax to a flat 4 percent. This $525 million tax cut, driven forward by Speaker Philip Gunn and Gov Reeves, benefited 1.2 million taxpayers and their families. But we must not forget how some in the Senate fought against it — not in the open, of course.
Weak Senate leadership has a history of opposing conservative proposals in our state. Seldom do they have the courage to come out and explicitly kill off conservative measures. Instead, they do it on the sly. The Senate leadership maneuvered to stop anti-DEI legislation in 2024. I don’t recall anyone coming out and explaining why they opposed anti-DEI law. They just killed it in committee with a nudge and wink.
For three years in a row, the Senate leadership has killed off attempts to restore the ballot initiative. Again, those against resorting the ballot lack the courage to say they are against it. They killed that, too, on the sly.
Rep Rob Roberson’s excellent school funding reform bill, perhaps the only big strategic achievement of this year’s session, passed despite attempts to scupper it by some in the Senate. (Part of the backroom deal to get the bill passed was to change its name. It really was that petty.) When the Senate leadership wants to oppose an authentically conservative policy, they follow a now familiar pattern.
A reason is cited as to why what is being proposed can’t be done. School choice, we were once told, would be unconstitutional. An anti-DEI law, it was implied, was unnecessary because there was no DEI on campus.
Once that excuse is shown to be nonsense (there is no constitutional bar to school choice, DEI is rampant on campus), another excuse is promptly conjured up. And on it goes.
Each time the Senate leadership opposes conservative policy this way, I wonder what their alternatives are. The answer is that most of the time there are none. It is pretty low grade to oppose ideas simply because they are not your own. Eventually, of course, a suitcase that sits on the carousel for too long ends up in lost luggage.
As a direct consequence of the 2022 Reeves-Gunn tax cuts, Mississippi is now starting to see a flood of inward investment into the state.
Every time you hear about a new factory opening up in our state, remember who and what helped make it happen. I am very optimistic that this tax summit could see further progress to make our state more competitive.
— Douglas Carswell is the president and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
Mississippi
Ex-official in Mississippi is treated for gambling addiction amid embezzlement charge, lawyer says
![2 Phoenix officers shot with 1 listed in critical condition, police say 2 Phoenix officers shot with 1 listed in critical condition, police say](https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/dcac1a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/700x394+0+28/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F90%2F29%2F4e3c1cc7446089a9101a7bdff4c8%2Fdefaultshareimage-copy.png)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A former tax assessor and collector in north Mississippi checked into a residential treatment center for a gambling addiction after he called the state auditor’s office and confessed to misusing more than $300,000 in public money, his attorney said Tuesday.
Shannon Wilburn, 49, resigned in April from the elected office he had held in Benton County since 2016, and he began the 12-week addiction treatment in late July, his attorney Tony Farese told The Associated Press.
“I’ve known Shannon all of his life,” Farese said. “We are shocked that he finds himself in this situation.”
Mississippi Auditor Shad White announced Tuesday that Wilburn has been charged with one count of embezzlement. The announcement came days after Wilburn was indicted. Farese said Wilburn turned himself in to the sheriff’s office Friday, then posted bond and returned to the treatment program.
Wilburn is accused of taking $327,055 paid to the Benton County Tax Collector’s office and using the money for personal expenses, Farese said. He said Wilburn confessed to the auditor’s office before hiring legal representation and has continued to cooperate with investigators.
“He apologizes for disappointing the citizens of Benton County and the state of Mississippi,” Farese said.
If convicted, Wilburn would face up to $5,000 in fines and 20 years in prison.
White said Wilburn’s employment as a Benton County elected official was covered by $200,000 in surety bonds to protect taxpayers from losses from corruption. The county also has an insurance policy that covers theft.
“The dedicated team at the State Auditor’s Office will continue to work closely with prosecutors to get record results, one case at a time,” White said in a statement.
Mississippi
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post
![Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post](https://www.vicksburgpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2024/09/090424-Disc-Golf-Elledge-14-WEB.jpg)
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame
Published 4:30 pm Tuesday, September 3, 2024
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During two decades of playing disc golf, Raymond Elledge has only won one big tournament.
“I don’t even remember what year it was,” he said.
Nonetheless, Elledge is a legend in the sport in Mississippi. He’s worked tirelessly to maintain courses, been a member of several local and state players associations, and taught people young and old the joys of it. That level of dedication led to Elledge’s recent election to the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame. He’ll officially be inducted Oct. 12 in Starkville.
“When he first told me last year I was nominated, I told him, ‘Man, you’re making my heart hurt.’ You don’t realize the emotions you can get. Stuff can just tear you up, and it did because I was just so excited,” the 62-year-old Vicksburg resident said. “You go years and years, and you’re out here busting your butt trying to maintain the course and showing everybody what you can.”
Disc golf is played the same as traditional golf, except with plastic discs that resemble frisbees. Players take aim at a steel basket several hundred yards away, with the goal of getting it in there in as few throws as possible.
Elledge first played disc golf in 2002, on a private course built in the backyard of Vicksburg resident Herman Cochran. One of the people playing with Elledge made a hole-in-one, and the excitement over the feat hooked him instantly.
“I seen this little old fella, he was 21 or 22 but he looked like he was 12, and he made an ace. I was hooked. I’ve got to do it,” Elledge said. “I don’t go anywhere on vacation without taking my disc golf bag. I just love the game.”
Elledge added that the simplicity of the sport is something he enjoys. A starter kit of three discs — a driver, mid-range disc and putter, all of which have different densities and flight characteristics — can be purchased for about $25.
The courses are easily found at many parks in Mississippi. There is an 18-hole course at Halls Ferry Park. Players of all ages and shapes can play it as long as they can walk the course. Elledge had quadruple bypass heart surgery eight years ago and playing disc golf helps him stay in shape.
“It’s something anybody can do,” he said. “I’ve trained kids from 5 to 50, and the oldest one I’ve helped train to play this game is 71 years old now. He still comes out and plays. This is a sport that any age can play.“
With his passion for disc golf comes a sense of responsibility. He’s helped clear brush around parts of the Halls Ferry Park course to keep it playable, and done the same while working with associations like the Vicksburg Disc Golf Association and Jackson Union of Disc Golf Enthusiasts.
He’s also eager to teach the game to newcomers.
“I’ve never quit teaching how to play the game,” he said. “They used to have something called the World’s Biggest Disc Golf Weekend and I won it three years in a row. What it is, is whoever takes the most players out to a certain disc golf course gets the T-shirt and a disc.”
His service to the sport led to a nomination for the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 2023, but he didn’t make the final cut. This year he did, and he said it was better than winning any tournament.
“You play a lot of tournaments. You do a whole lot for the sport itself, such as numerous work days working on the course to maintain it. Teaching the kids and when we have tournaments helping move baskets around to new spots,” Elledge said. “Then somebody will nominate you and there’s a lot of votes from the clubs. If you get enough votes from everybody you’re in. You find out how much you’re appreciated by everybody for all that you’ve done.”
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