Mississippi
Put Your False Narratives to Bed, Mike Leach is Doing What Everyone Said He Couldn’t at Mississippi State
There have been a lot who stated Hal Mumme was ruining soccer when he introduced the Air Raid offense alive at a small college referred to as Iowa Wesleyan in small-town Mount Nice, Iowa.
As a substitute, he revolutionized a program that by no means had any sort of earlier relevance to one thing that caught consideration and the ideas by which he used equally modified the world of soccer in any respect ranges. In the present day, Air Raid performs exist in the highschool, faculty and NFL ranges of soccer and there are groups in any respect three of these ranges that run it both in its purest kind or practically its purest kind.
Whereas Mumme was the founding father of this offense, Mike Leach was with him each step of the best way, starting as an offensive line coach and offensive coordinator with Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan after spending time at Cal Poly, School of the Desert and the Pori Bears overseas. He stayed with him till he departed to Oklahoma as because the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, happening to turn out to be the pinnacle coach at Texas Tech and Washington State earlier than touchdown at Mississippi State.
Even though Leach and his Air Raid offense have fully circled each program he has been with (should you make a journey to Lubbock, you will discover a lot who speak about how badly they need he was nonetheless there), there have been loads of doubters of Leach’s method of doing issues in an period the place “run the rattling ball” and “protection wins championships” are such widespread sayings that a number of analysts and coaches alike affiliate themselves with.
There are a number of false narratives which have surrounded the time period “Air Raid” which have already been dispelled, but proceed to be stated, although the quantity of people that appear to be as loud about them appears to have gotten smaller by a major bit. That tends to occur while you make it to No. 16 within the rankings whereas dealing with the hardest schedules within the nation.
These fallacies vary from that the Air Raid is simply too easy to the purpose that its gamers do not translate to the NFL, that its quarterbacks’ numbers are inflated (often that is accompanied by one thing in regard to that almost all of them come from yards after the catch as effectively) and that it’s a ‘dink and dunk’ offense.
Anybody who has taken even a second to look into these is aware of that that is an offense that retains quarterbacks sincere due to how typically they’re requested to throw the ball and places arguably extra duty on them on the line of scrimmage than every other sort of offense does. There have been a number of quarterbacks who got here up within the Air Raid offense who’ve been profitable NFL starters, with Patrick Mahomes serving as the first standout.
And it is secure to say Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers is not precisely doing too shabby as he has now damaged a number of program and SEC data, at the moment main the nation in passing yards and with a really actual shot at being a Heisman Trophy candidate and potential early spherical 2023 NFL Draft choose.
As for the latter, Leach had a message for many who label it as such in his Monday press convention as his quarterback has begun to garner much more reward for the expertise he has proven on the deep ball.
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“The dink and dunk label, I simply assume that each time I hear that, that claims extra about the individual that refers to it as that than it does the Air Raid, actually,” Leach stated. “Properly, the entire NFL does not appear to assume that it is dink and dunk. That is why they’re all operating Air Raid ideas, proper?”
There was a time limit that Rogers was getting some criticism starting from the ideas that he was a “system quarterback” or could not succeed as a deep passer for a spread of causes, one among them being the Air Raid label and the unfounded stigma that surrounds it.
Now, as one of many prime quarterbacks within the nation beneath Leach and in that Air Raid offense, Rogers leads in a number of downfield passing classes. These embrace completion leading to good points of 20 yards or extra (26), touchdowns thrown 20 yards or extra down the sphere (7) and a PFF deep passing grade of 95.4.
“So far as the deep stuff, that is sort of a two-way avenue,” Leach stated.
The larger chunk performs and profitable deep passes come right down to greater than arm power and the flexibility to do it himself. When Leach got here to MSU, he had one of many youngest groups within the nation that was transitioning from a very completely different scheme on both aspect of the ball and spent the primary yr of that with no true offseason, compelled to be taught the vast majority of the brand new method of doing issues over Zoom throughout COVID.
With some added expertise and continuity, the deep passing recreation naturally comes collectively extra. That does not have something to do with the Air Raid.
“Primary is the receivers and their method so far as operating the route. Quantity two is the quarterback’s capability to throw it. Quantity three is then there’s this sort of this bridge it’s important to cross so far as the entire ‘area of goals’ issues they are saying. You recognize, ‘should you construct it, they’re going to come.’ Properly, should you run it, he’ll throw it. If he throws it, he’ll catch it.
“There is a level to the place you have to sort of power it a bit of bit as a result of till they run good vertical routes and make good vertical catches, the quarterback does not belief them to throw it. However till he throws it, they don’t seem to be going to make these catches. We sort of have been going via these rising pains, proceed to, however we’re making progress.”
With Kentucky on the horizon and several other upset wins beneath his belt over these three seasons with the Bulldogs, Leach is proving that he is able to competing with the very best of them. He is main a staff that has lacked nationwide respect for years to excessive relevance within the hardest convention within the nation whereas nonetheless doing issues his method.
And it is easy to get the sense with the monitor this staff is on, the mentality and buy-in fee and success on the recruiting path that that is simply the tip of the iceberg for what Leach is constructing in Starkville.
Mega Millions lottery tickets going up to $5
A new and improved Mega Millions lottery is on the way and the cost of a ticket to the multi-state lotto going up from $2 to $5 starting in April 2025.
Cheddar
Someone could be in for a very merry Christmas. The Mega Millions jackpot for Christmas Eve is an estimated $944 million. Bringing home the better part of a billion dollars would make just about anyone’s day merry and bright.
The winning numbers will be drawn just after 10 p.m. Central, and the cash option is $429.4 million.
A $1.1 billion-winning ticket was sold in New Jersey earlier this year, and that prize hasn’t been claimed. Winners in New Jersey have up to a year to claim a jackpot.
In Mississippi, drawing winners must claim their prize within 180 days, and if you win, you can claim it anonymously.
Here’s what you need to know about top jackpots and how to play Mega Millions in Mississippi, including where you can buy tickets and how to claim the prize if you win.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
How to play the Mega Millions
In order to buy a ticket, you’ll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store. In a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online, but Mississippi isn’t one of them.
To play, you will need to pick six numbers. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball is one number between 1 and 25.
If you believe the odds are against you, ask for a ”Quick Pick” or an ”Easy Pick,” the computer will randomly generate the numbers for you.
Players can add the ”Megaplier” for $1, which can increase non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four or five times. The Megaplier is drawn before the Mega Millions numbers on Tuesday and Friday.
There are 15 Megapiler balls in all:
- 2X, five balls.
- 3X, six balls.
- 4X, three balls.
- 5X, one ball.
What are the top Mega Millions jackpots?
According to the lottery, the following jackpots are the Top 10 jackpots that have been won as of Oct. 4:
- $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023; a Florida player
- $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018; a South Carolina player
- $1.348 billion, Jan.13, 2023; a Maine player
- $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022; an Illinois player
- $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024; a New Jersey payer
- $1.050 billion, Jan. 22, 2021; a Michigan player
- $810 million, Sept. 10, 2024; a Texas player
- $656 million, March 30, 2012; a player from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
- $648 million, Dec. 17,2013; a player from California and Georgia
- $552 million, June 4, 2024; an Illinois player
I won the lottery in Mississippi! What next?
The Mississippi Lottery advises people to sign the back of their winning ticket immediately.
If your prize is less than $600, you can claim that at any place that sells Mississippi Lottery tickets.
If you win $600-$99,999, you can claim by mail or by going to the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters in Flowood.
All prizes more than $100,000 must be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters.
Former Texas A&M edge rusher Malick Sylla will transfer to play for Mississippi State this upcoming season, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. Sylla played the past three seasons with the Aggies and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-6 edge rusher appeared in eight games this past season to finish with six total tackles and two sacks. He played in 33 total contests across his career in College Station to record 26 tackles (six for loss) and four sacks.
Sylla played high school football for Katy (TX), where he was a four-star prospect out of the 2022 class. He ranked as the No. 124 overall player and No. 12 edge rusher in the cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
“It was just the best opportunity for myself,” explained the 6-foot-6 and 245-pound Sylla to Maroon and White Daily. “I saw an opportunity to help them turn the program around. I have one year left and I want to make the most of that opportunity.”
Prior to his commitment to the Bulldogs, Sylla also made visits with Syracuse and SMU. He is the 14th overall player and the second edge rusher that MSU has added through the portal so far, joining Nevaeh Sanders from Northern Illinois.
Malick Sylla ranks as the No. 295 overall player and No. 29 edge rusher according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player Rankings. He joins a Mississippi State team that is coming off of a 2-10 finish in the inaugural season under coach Jeff Lebby and will look to help bolster a unit that ranked last in the SEC in total defense.
The portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers.
So far this cycle, 2,079 players have entered the transfer portal with 551 of those already having committed to new schools.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.
The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Kentucky has seen 20 scholarship players leave the program for the transfer portal since the end of the regular season. Another one found a new home on a power conference team. Redshirt freshman center Koby Keenum was only in the transfer portal for four days.
The former three-star recruit committed to Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon.
The Florence (Ala.) Mars Hill will move closer to home and play for head coach Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State. Koby Keenum will be a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining in 2025. The class of 2023 signee only played 32 offensive snaps during his two-year career in Lexington.
Koby Keenum is one of 11 players in that 2023 high school signing class to leave the Kentucky roster for the transfer portal with multiple years of eligibility remaining.
The transfer portal is open for business and so far we know of 20 players who will be seeking out greener pastures this offseason.
- DL Keeshawn Silver (Committed to USC on Dec. 19)
- DB Avery Stuart
- LB Jayvant Brown
- TE Tanner Lemaster
- TE Khamari Anderson
- TE Jordan Dingle (Committed to South Carolina on Dec. 18)
- OL Courtland Ford (Committed to UCLA on Dec. 17)
- OL Ben Christman
- OL Dylan Ray (Committed to Minnesota on Dec. 21)
- OL Koby Keenum (Committee to Mississippi State on Dec. 22)
- DL Tommy Ziesmer (Committed to EKU on Dec. 15)
- WR Dane Key
- WR Barion Brown (Committed to LSU on Dec. 14)
- WR Anthony Brown-Stephens
- WR Brandon White
- EDGE Tyreese Fearbry
- EDGE Noah Matthews
- EDGE Caleb Redd (Committed to Kansas on Dec. 20)
- RB Chip Trayanum
- QB Gavin Wimsatt
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. Keep closer tabs on the Cats with our staff-only sticky thread on KSBoard, which will have updates on departures and targets throughout the offseason. Not a KSR+ member? Try it out today.
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