STARKVILLE — Jamal Peters didn’t care he was fresh out of high school and playing Southeastern Conference football for the first time.
He wanted to be great and succeed. But the Mississippi State football safety soon found out that the transition from high school football to Division I and SEC football is not all that easy. Peters had a decorated career at Bassfield High School and rarely met his equal.
But as he looks back on his freshman season, it didn’t live up to his expectations.
“I think I had an average season,” Peters said. “I started off kind of nervous. My best game was against Missouri, so I got comfortable in the middle of the season.”
With a year of experience on his resume, Peters is ready to take the next step. He wasn’t the only freshman safety to see the gridiron. Good friend Mark McLaurin also played. With a talented safety group, Peters and McLaurin only make the position better. MSU plays host to South Alabama 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 (SEC Network) at Davis Wade Stadium to open the sophomore seasons for Peters and McLaurin.
Peters recorded 25 tackles (1.5 for loss), 1.0 sacks and two pass breakups. He started against Missouri on Nov. 5 and had a season-best five tackles. He also started in the Battle for the Golden Egg against Ole Miss.
“He’s going to be the same,” McLaurin said. “He’s going to do really good and he’s really going to bring a lot to the table. Sometimes he just seems real serious, but he loves to play. He’s always smiling.”
After injuries and departures, Peters was moved to the offensive side of the ball during spring drills. He worked at wide receiver. Peters played wide receiver in high school, but he was getting comfortable to playing defense only. He caught 28 passes for 581 yards and six touchdowns as a senior.
He injured his left pinky finger after the move to wide receiver. He wore a cast and that limited his production. The Bulldogs signed two wide receivers (Osirus Mitchell and Reginald Todd) in June to go along with Jamal Couch who signed in February. MSU got back senior Fred Ross and junior Donald Gray from injury.
First-year safeties coach Maurice Linguist said he was lobbying to get Peters back.
“You’re trying to put pieces together and we’re anticipating him being a big part of what we do this year,” Linguist said. “He is mentally engaged, he’s just got to get reps.
“We’re excited that he’s back. He’s in good spirits and he’ll be a big part of what we do this year.”
Peters said the hand is feeling better. His offensive days are probably behind him.
McLaurin played in 12 games and had 20 tackles and three pass breakups. Like Peters, he played both offense and defense in high school. As a senior at Collins High, he had 38 tackles (5.0 for loss). As a receiver, he hauled in 35 passes for 665 yards and eight touchdowns.
Like many freshmen, he didn’t know what to expect. But after playing a full season and getting to go through spring practice, he feels more comfortable.
“It’s still the same,” McLaurin said. “I still came in with the same drive and same dedication I did last year. I’m just working harder this year because I know I’m going to have to play a lot more to help the defense.”
His best game also came against Missouri, as he had three tackles.
Growing up in Collins, McLaurin was about 25 minutes from Peters, who grew up in Bassfield. They developed a friendship and decided they wanted to play on the same college team.
“He stays on me a lot and I stay on him a lot. We’re just trying to become better players,” Peters said.
Peters and McLaurin aren’t built like safeties. They are more built like linebackers. Peters is 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, while McLaurin is 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds.
First-year defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon called the safety position a “strength” for the defense. Along with Peters and McLaurin, MSU has senior Kivon Coman and sophomore Brandon Bryant. Bryant is known as a playmaker and Coman has been in the system awhile.
“They give us a lot of depth. Those guys are still learning, they’re still young, but they’re going to be great for us,” Coman said.
Peters and McLaurin learned under coach Tony Hughes as freshman. They were also learning defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s system. But Hughes was hired as the head coach at Jackson State and Diaz moved on to Miami.
McLaurin praised Hughes as a coach, but has enjoyed his time with Linguist.
“He pushes a lot harder,” McLaurin said. “As a younger coach, he is just pushing us more and demanding more out of us.”
Peters and McLaurin are poised for breakout seasons. Peters’ goal is to become a starter. He is currently battling Coman at free safety.
“I’m trying to play fast. Last year was hard, but I’m comfortable with it this year,” Peters said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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