Gator Country

Former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen was all smiles before Florida's 2009 season opener. / Gator Country file photo by Tim Casey

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said the Bulldogs had its third highest team GPA this spring in school history during Southeastern Conference Media Days on Wednesday.

Mullen singled out John Banks, Tyler Russell, Tobias Smith and Chad Bumphis as guys who have stepped up in a leadership role.

Mississippi State will open its brand-new 80,000 square feet football facility next January and they will start stadium expansion after the last home game this year.

Mullen expects sophomore center Dillon Day to on more of leadership role and command the offensive line more with the departure of several players to the NFL.

During his press conference Mullen talked about the importance of winning the first SEC game because it gives your team a two game lead on the team you beat.

The depth of the SEC is what Mullen believes make the Southern Conference the top league in the country.

Mullen compared quarterback Tyler Russell to former Utah quarterback Alex Smith as being a pure drop back passer who can also run a little.

Mississippi State will play Troy this year at Troy, Ala. Mullen said he likes to play non-conference games in the region, so family can make it to the game without having to fly on a plane.

John Banks, Corey Broomfield and Nickoe Whitley will all be relied on to lead a defense that only allowed 20 points per game last season.

The defensive secondary is the strength of the team heading into fall practice, according to Mullen.

Mullen said he likes the playoff system, but has some reservations about it. He also said it’s good when he remembers his time at Utah when the team was undefeated, but were kept out of the title game.

Keeping the bowl games alive is something Mullen hopes doesn’t change because he likes the excitement that is built around the bowl games.

Mullen believes the renewal of the Mississippi State and Texas A&M rivalry is great and they will wear alternate jerseys for this year game to commemorate the Snow Bowl.

About the author

Andrew Spivey

Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.

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