STARKVILLE — In the whirlwind that has been Joe Moorhead’s first three weeks on the job of Mississippi State’s head football coach, he and his budding staff made the time to watch games from this season. That time on the film combined with observations from the practice field as the team gets ready for the TaxSlayer Bowl gave Moorhead a clear image of what he needed to do in the first wave of recruiting.
He concluded MSU had no issues running the ball — a claim numbers support, as MSU stands nearly top 20 in the nation in yards per carry against FBS opponents — but the aerial attack could use some help. Luck would have it that three wide receivers were already committed to the recruiting class he was inheriting, so he quickly decided to retain them.
Then he added one more, and a significant one.
MSU’s recruiting class, announced Wednesday on the first day of college football’s early signing period, contained three four-star wide receivers for the first time since 247 Sports has tracked recruiting, which dates back to 1999. They are part of a class of offensive weapons that earned high ratings from recruiting services.
Not included in that wide receiver fervor is Starkville’s Cameron Gardner, who played wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets but Moorhead is going to move to tight end.
“I think it’s huge. I think you guys have seen what we’ve done offensively at Penn State and even before that at Fordham, we’re a three wide receiver team,” Moorhead said.
The two wide receivers Moorhead retained are Stephen Guidry and Malik Heath. Guidry rises from Hinds Community College where he was ranked as the second-best JUCO player in the state behind Alabama signee Saivion Smith. Heath comes from Callaway High School in Jackson and was rated as the No. 1 high school player in the state.
The third incoming receiver was a signing day get: Devonta “Whop” Jason out of Landry-Walker High School in New Orleans, the same high school that produced MSU quarterback Keytaon Thompson. He was one of two Signing Day commitments for MSU, the other being Copiah-Lincoln Community college linebacker Sh’Mar Kilby Lane.
Moorhead’s pitch to both of them was not complex.
“Just like we talk to all of our guys about, it is our goal and mission as coaches and educators to make sure we develop them academically, athletically and socially,” Moorhead said. “Recruiting is a decision-making criteria and it’s about relationships. I think the kids have seen through the staff we’ve retained, our new coaches and the things we’re going to do as a football program, it’s what they want to be a part of.”
The trio of Heath, Guidry and Jason at receiver is flanked by a trio of tight end prospects. Gardner is one of two in-state prospects alongside Brad Cumbest of East Central High School in Kiln. The third is Geor’quarius Spivey of Richwood High School in Monroe, Louisiana.
The class’ one signing from Alabama is yet another offensive weapon: running back La’damian Webb from Opelika.
“He possesses a lot of the positional talents and attributes that we’ve had in the past in this system,” Moorhead said. “He’s a back with good size, excellent vision, tremendous change of direction, breakaway speed and he can catch the ball well, too. He’s a good fit for what we’re going to do.”
West Point’s Marcus Murphy could end up on the offensive side of the ball and be yet another weapon for quarterback signee Jalen Mayden of Sachse, Texas. The offensive haul was completed by Greenwood offensive lineman Kwatrivous Johnson.
How all of those pieces will come together in Moorhead’s trademark system is yet to be determined, but Moorhead’s goals for the class have no offensive numbers in mind.
“We want our incoming class to exhaust their eligibility and cross the stage at graduation in four years with a world-class degree in one hand and four championship rings on the other,” Moorhead said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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