STARKVILLE — Mississippi State is potentially down a running back.
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Dispatch Wednesday that sophomore tailback Lee Witherspoon had entered the transfer portal. Witherspoon publicly announced his intention to enter the portal Thursday morning.
Matt Zenitz of AL.com was first to report.
“First, I would like to say thank you God and it has been a pleasure to work with such an awesome team of instructors, teammates, coaches and fans at Mississippi State University within the last seasons,” Witherspoon wrote on Twitter Thursday. “MSU will always be a place in my heart. Gaining friendships and learning new skill sets that will add value to my adulthood as a student and player at MSU.”
Should Witherspoon depart, he’ll conclude his Bulldog career with 136 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
During his first season in Starkville, the Alabama native drew comparisons to former Georgia All-SEC running back Nick Chubb due to his low to the ground running style. That said, Witherspoon fell behind freshmen Jo’quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson on the depth chart during the 2020 campaign, recording just six carries for 35 yards and nine receptions for 49 yards.
Assuming Witherspoon does follow through with his transfer, the Bulldogs’ running back room will be left to Marks and Johnson.
MSU also inked three-star athlete Simeon Price, who spent the bulk of his high school career at receiver but projects as a running back in college, in its 2021 signing class.
The Bulldogs concluded the 2020 season at 4-7 last week with a win over No. 24 Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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