Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom talks to members of the Warren County chapter of the Mississippi State Alumni Association at its annual banquet Wednesday night. (Brian LodenThe Vicksburg Post)

[7/15/04]Mississippi State fans from across Warren County turned out in force Wednesday night to listen to their new top dog.

First-year MSU football coach Sylvester Croom addressed more than 300 Bulldog faithful during the annual banquet for the Warren County chapter of the MSU Alumni Association at the B’nai B’rith Club.

Croom spoke about capital improvements at State, gave an honest assessment of this year’s team, and told the audience about the new direction the program is heading in as his first season approaches.

“We’ve got two goals to create winning people in our program, and win championships. We will do both. I can’t promise it’s going to be this year, but we will do both,” Croom said, adding that recruiting players with good character was more important to him than getting the best athletes. “I don’t care how fast he can run, how high he can jump. If he hasn’t made it through four years of high school on his own, and have parents who have put him on the right path, I will not take them at Mississippi State.”

That remark drew a standing ovation from the crowd, and is an example of the attitude that has won over Bulldog fans across the state.

Mississippi State was besieged by disciplinary problems, an NCAA investigation, and allegations of NCAA rules violations under former coach Jackie Sherrill. Croom has already dismissed several players with checkered pasts, including running back Nick Turner.

Turner led the Bulldogs with 745 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 2003, but was sentenced to three years’ probation after he was charged with possession of counterfeit money in October.

“I think people were getting discouraged with the type of players we were recruiting to Mississippi State, and that’s why people are excited about Coach Croom,” State fan and Vicksburg resident Tim Rodgers said after Croom’s speech Wednesday. “He dismissed one of our best players, which made him seem serious about changing things.”

Changing the attitude off the field is the easy part of Croom’s rebuilding job at State. The hard part will come when the Bulldogs take the field Sept. 4 for the 2004 season opener against Tulane.

State posted a dismal 2-10 record last season, ekeing out a pair of midseason victories against Memphis and Vanderbilt. It was MSU’s third straight losing season, its worst record since 1971, and resulted in a last-place finish in the Southeastern Conference’s Western Division.

“We’re not looking for a quick fix. We’re not looking for something shiny and pretty. We’re looking at long-range results,” Croom said. “We expect our players to do the little things right, and pay attention to detail just like they are going to have to do when they join the workforce. If we don’t achieve this, we’re all going to pay for it in the end.”