Mississippi State Football

Mississippi State offensive lineman Michael Story pleaded guilty to an animal cruelty charge stemming from a 2018 incident.

Per Tyler Horka of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Story received a six-month suspended prison sentence, two years of probation and a $1,000 fine as part of his plea. 

Brett Hudson of The Dispatch reported in August 2018 Story was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of aggravated cruelty to a cat or dog when he was accused of shutting a Great Dane owned by an ex-girlfriend in "the back room of his apartment and did not feed or water" the dog for three days. 

Story received a two-game suspension from Mississippi State last season following his arrest. 

Horka noted Story was back at the Bulldogs' practice facility Tuesday after his case was adjudicated, but he only did conditioning workouts. 

"As we announced last August, Michael was indefinitely suspended immediately following the incident," Mississippi State's athletics department said in a statement to Horka. "He served his punishment and his discipline was handled accordingly. We will have no further comment on this matter."

Story is entering his senior season at Mississippi State. He appeared in nine games during the 2018 campaign. 

He has gone from basketball standout to tight end prospect to defensive end force.           

From Stephenson High to Michigan State to Copiah-Lincoln Community College to Mississippi State.

From Stone Mountain, Georgia, where he was raised by his grandparents, to Indianapolis, where he had one of the most impressive NFL combines ever.

For Montez Sweat, it's already been a journey.

Where it goes from here will come down to three headlines.

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Headline 1, April 19, 2016:

Defensive linemen Craig Evans and Montez Sweat no longer with Michigan State

The story states that Sweat, who had been suspended after the first two games of the previous season, was no longer a Spartan. But it didn't explain why. Head coach Mark Dantonio did not elaborate in interviews.

One team's vice president says Michigan State is typically lenient with players like Sweat, and it takes quite a bit for a player to be dismissed there. An NFC general manager says he was told the university had multiple meetings with Sweat to try to get him straightened out.

NFL teams believe Sweat was dismissed from Michigan State because he failed tests for marijuana and was accused of stealing a bike from a rack, according to multiple sources. That tracks with what Evans said in a 2018 interview, that "[Dantonio] let me go for weed. He let Montez Sweat go for weed. He let us go for weed, man. Weed, man. Nothing else."

NFL teams say Michigan State staff members have not disparaged Sweat. "They say he's not a thug; he just was hanging around a bad crew," the vice president says. "They said he couldn't stop smoking, so they had no choice. The people there like him. They say he's not a partier."

Most of the concerns about Sweat's lifestyle choices have been quelled because he redeemed himself at Mississippi State. But whether he has reined in his marijuana use or merely has avoided getting caught remains a question for one front-office man. Overall, though, there seems to be little worry about Sweat's behavior.

"He struggled with life skills early and was naive," the NFC general manager says. "He refocused in 2017. At Mississippi State, they think he's a good guy, and they say he's matured. He wants to be good. He loves football more than money. He's not just a jackass."

Having gone through some trials, Sweat is not the most trusting young man, according to those who know him. NFL front offices believe he would benefit from having a coach he can connect with, as well as solid veteran leadership around him.

At Mississippi State, Sweat grew to trust Brian Baker, his defensive line coach who has since gone to Alabama. Baker points out that Sweat could have entered the draft after the 2017 season but instead decided to come back and sacrifice money in part so he could continue to mature and show others he has matured. "It was intentional and conscious," Baker says. "He said, 'I need to change this part of my life,' and I saw evidence of that happening."

An NFC player personnel director who sat in on an interview with Sweat says he was impressed. "He was forthcoming about the mistakes he made and was calm in the interview setting," he says. "He showed good energy and a sense of humor."

Ultimately, the ability to move past adversity might enhance Sweat as a prospect. "The way I see it is he's been through some things in life and is coming out a better person," the personnel director says.

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Headline 2, March 3, 2019:

Montez Sweat sets 40-yard dash record for defensive linemen at NFL scouting combine

In two full seasons at Mississippi State, Sweat had 22.5 sacks and was voted first-team All-SEC twice. Then he lit it up at the Senior Bowl. The aforementioned vice president says he thought Sweat might have been the best defensive player in Mobile, Alabama, for that game.

Still, when the 6'6", 260-pound Sweat ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, it was stunning. "When he did that, everyone was like, 'Oh, wow,'" an AFC scouting director says. He also acknowledges Sweat moved up on teams' boards after his 40.

The NFC player personnel director says he was expecting a 40 time in the low 4.5s from Sweat. Baker, who knows Sweat the athlete as well as anyone, anticipated a sub-4.5. But no one saw 4.41 coming.

The vice president says he thought Sweat would run a 4.65 or so. He also says Sweat plays fast—but not as fast as his 40 time because he takes long strides.

An AFC general manager says Sweat's speed is evident in how he closes on the quarterback. "He's a good pass-rusher with a long body, and he's athletic and [a] good bender," he says.

For a pass-rusher, the 10-yard split time—from the first 10 yards of the 40-yard dash—sometimes is considered more revealing than the 40-yard dash time because it is an indicator of initial burst. Sweat's 10-yard split was a 1.55, which is excellent, and the best of the elite edge-rushers at the combine. For comparison, Von Miller's 10-yard split time was 1.53, Khalil Mack's 1.54 and Jadeveon Clowey's 1.56.

After the combine, the headline—and most of the talk—understandably focused on Sweat's speed, but the combine revealed much more about him physically.

The vice president was taken aback by Sweat's "long arms and big-ass hands." His arms measured 35¾", and his hands measured 10½".

Baker says he was more surprised by Sweat's weight than by his 40 time, though. According to him, Sweat's playing weight was somewhere between 245 and 250. "I wasn't sure he could get to 260," Baker says. "He was making himself sick over his weight."

Adding weight while increasing speed is quite an achievement—which speaks to Sweat's dedication and determination.

At his height, Sweat looks lanky. Before college, he was known as much for basketball as football, and he had offers to play college hoops. That could lead to some assumptions about him as a football player.

"People see a long, linear build and know about his basketball background, and they think he's not necessarily a physical guy," Baker says. "But Tez will punch you in the mouth. He's a physical player for his build."

The AFC scouting director says he has "zero issues" with Sweat's run defense, citing his strong play at the point of attack and ability to leverage. The AFC general manager says Sweat flashed ability as a run defender but has been inconsistent.

The NFC personnel director says Sweat can stay on a path. "You don't see him get knocked around," he says. "He has heavy hands, and he can shock tackles. He can bull rush or win with speed on the edge. The length shows up all the time because he can keep blockers off him."

Sweat's 36-inch vertical jump and 10'5" broad jump confirm all of this. "The numbers scream he has a lot of power in his body," the AFC personnel director says. "For a guy that big, to have that much power, is really impressive."

Sweat also impressed in the three-cone drill, which gauges short-area quickness. His time of 7.0 seconds was faster than the times of many wide receivers, defensive backs and running backs. It also was faster than the times of the other top pass-rushers who participated in the drill at the combine: Ohio State's Nick Bosa (7.10), Kentucky's Josh Allen (7.15), Michigan's Rashan Gary (7.26) and Clemson's Clelin Ferrell (7.26).

If there were any doubts about Sweat's ability to play outside linebacker in a 3-4, they were allayed by the combine. The NFC player personnel director says he proved his ability to drop during coverage drills in Indianapolis.

But there really shouldn't have been many doubts after watching tape, anyway. Sweat played in four different defenses in college, for four defensive coordinators. In 2017, he was an outside linebacker in a 3-4, and last year he played defensive end in a four-man front.

"He went from rushing and dropping and doing different combinations to a grunt position, playing four-high, inside shading the tackle, having to play knock-back and play the run," Baker says. "So he'll understand what's going on wherever he goes because of the exposure he's had to different things."

Says the NFC general manager: "I believe you could use him in a 4-3 or a 3-4. He's been compared to Aldon Smith as a player, and like Smith, he can play either position."

The AFC scouting director says Sweat reminds him of Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter. "He has a similar body and is a similar type of rusher with the same straight-line speed," he says.

Sweat's workout confirmed what scouts saw on tape, and it also hinted that he has even more ability than he's been able to tap into.

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Headline 3: March 17, 2019

Combine tests reveal Montez Sweat has heart condition

In 2017, Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was considered a potential top-10 pick in the draft until he was diagnosed at the combine with a heart problem believed to be similar to Sweat's. The NFC personnel director says many teams took Hurst off their boards. He was chosen in the fifth round by the Raiders.

After the tests on Sweat revealed what team sources say is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—a condition in which a portion of the heart becomes abnormally thick—many teams wanted to have him examined again by their own doctors. Individual team physicals may interpret his condition differently, and some teams may be more comfortable than others with whatever risk exists.

But the fact that Sweat was allowed to work out at the combine after being diagnosed might be an indication that his condition is less concerning than Hurst's was. Hurst was not allowed to work out at the combine after diagnosis.

One front-office source told Bleacher Report his team considers Sweat a medical reject, and he knows of multiple other teams that categorize Sweat similarly.

But not every team sees it that way.

"He doesn't have the same high-risk factor as some of the athletes in the past that people have worried about like Maurice Hurst," the NFC general manager says. "He's a low risk for sudden cardiac arrest, but it is there."

The staff at Mississippi was aware of Sweat's condition, according to Baker. "It wasn't an issue," Baker says. "It hasn't affected him. He never missed a snap in a game because of it, never even missed a snap in practice. The guys who coached him at Michigan State never had any issues because of it."

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Whenever Sweat's name is announced, he won't take the stage for a photo op with Roger Goodell. He will be watching the draft "where it all started," in Stone Mountain with his family, instead of traveling to Nashville, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Based on talent alone, the NFC general manager, NFC player personnel director and AFC scouting director all see Sweat as a top-10 pick. B/R's Matt Miller has him 12th overall on his latest big board. The AFC general manager and the vice president say his talent merits a selection in the middle to late part of the first round.

The vice president points out Sweat's stock could vary team to team because of how many premium edge-rushers there are. Bosa is considered to be in a class by himself. But teams will vary in how they rate the next group of Sweat, Gary, Allen, Ferrell, Brian Burns from Florida State, Jaylon Ferguson from Louisiana State and Jachai Polite from Florida.

The AFC scouting director puts Sweat and Allen in a category above the others.

Sweat has as much upside as any of them. But how teams weigh the headlines from his past will determine his future as much as anything.

         

Dan Pompei covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @danpompei.

Let's start with the numbers, because it's the only reasonable place to begin when talking about a player's season that still doesn't feel quite real. Even those who witnessed it aren't exactly sure how to describe what they saw.

These aren't Madden numbers. You couldn't do what Lee Witherspoon did this past fall in any virtual world, difficulty be damned. This is something else entirely—the kind of season that running backs are not supposed to produce at any level.

The first eight times the Mississippi State signee carried the football for North Jackson High School in Stevenson, Alabama—a small town of a few thousand people nestled up against the Tennessee border—he accounted for 301 yards and six touchdowns.

Before his senior season, Witherspoon had never carried the football. At least not since middle school, when he played running back for A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club in Birmingham.

After being moved to running back, his coaches assumed his production would dip as the 2018 season progressed and the competition improved. It had to, right? But then midway through the season, he scored 16 touchdowns on 23 touches, and one spectacular moment morphed into the next.

In total, Witherspoon ran for 2,846 yards on only 148 carries, averaging an unfathomable 19.2 yards per carry. He scored 59 touchdowns, a single-season Alabama High School Athletic Association record. And as staggering as his statistics were, they could have been even better.

"We did the numbers," offensive coordinator Joe Hollis says. "He had 12 touchdowns called back for various penalties. That would have put him at 71. Think about it. That's a touchdown almost every other time he had the ball in his hands."

Because North Jackson was usually well ahead of its 4A opponents in most games, Witherspoon logged only one carry in the fourth quarter during the regular season. Many times, he was done at halftime.

He returned one kickoff and ran it back 80 yards for a touchdown.

"The ball really wasn't for me," he recalls of that return, which came in the third game of the season. "It was going to another player. He dropped it, and it somehow popped into my hands. I just started running and scored a touchdown."

He returned 10 punts—scoring on three of them—and averaged 35.6 yards per return. He also returned his lone interception on defense, where he played in the secondary, for a touchdown.

The only blemish? One measly fumble. And when Witherspoon gave up the ball, his mother, Diane, took away his cellphone for a week as punishment.

"Listen," North Jackson head coach Mark Rose says. "This is the greatest story I've ever been associated with. I've never even heard of any running back averaging 19 yards per carry for a season. You don't even really believe what you're seeing."

Witherspoon stands 5'10" and weighs 180 pounds, although the North Jackson coaches believe he is only scratching the surface on what he will become physically. He has been clocked at 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash and ran 100 meters in 10.85 seconds in the spring, finishing second at the state track meet.

At first glance, one would assume Witherspoon was one of the nation's most coveted football prospects, and that Mississippi State just landed a player who will immediately transform its offense.

The latter could still be true. Joe Moorhead, the head coach at Mississippi State—who helped develop running back Saquon Barkley into an eventual top draft pick at Penn State—will inherit a potentially program-defining talent in Witherspoon.

But the race to secure Witherspoon's commitment was not what one might expect. He was not regarded as a can't-miss 5-star talent. He was a 3-star recruit and the 21st-ranked senior in Alabama, according to 247Sports. Until November, when his numbers started to pile up, Witherspoon was off the recruiting radar.

There are reasons it took this long for so many recruiters to come calling, but none is more important than this: Witherspoon has been a running back for only eight months.

Before this fall, Witherspoon had been gaining traction as a defensive back at A.H. Parker High School in Birmingham. With long arms and elite speed, he garnered some early college attention.

In the spring of his junior year, however, the Witherspoon family moved two hours northeast. They went from the recruiting hotbed of Birmingham to out-of-the-way Stevenson, when Larry, Lee's father, changed jobs.

North Jackson High School was eager to get a glimpse of its new defensive back when he transferred. That introduction came not in football but in track. 

Sprinting has been as much a part of Witherspoon's sporting experience as football. To him, the sports are equals.

Hollis, who is also the school's head track and field coach, lined up Witherspoon with the fastest players on the team in the 100-meter dash. When Witherspoon easily won the race, Hollis began to think about how he could utilize his speed come football season.

"It's like he never has to put in maximum effort," Hollis says. "Like a car that shifts gears and gets in that overdrive and just stays in it."

Last summer, Witherspoon participated in several summer football camps with his coach and new teammates. The goal was to figure out what position he might play on offense. Although he had been a wide receiver at his previous high school, Rose felt he needed to get the ball in his hands more often.

During these camps, Witherspoon showed enough with his speed that schools such as Middle Tennessee State, UAB, Memphis and Troy offered him scholarships as a defensive back. Speaking on Witherspoon's behalf, Rose positioned his new player to college coaches as a running back. The only issue was there were no highlights or tape to reinforce his message.

Each time, Rose provided the same response: "Well, hold on now," he would say. "Because there's gonna be. I can promise you that."

When the season began, the buzz grew each week. Witherspoon's seven-touchdown, 334-yard rushing performance in the team's third game felt like an arrival. At that point, word began to spread.

"We were just speechless," fellow North Jackson running back Korre Smith says. "His strength, his moves, the way he can shift. I was the fastest player on the track team. That is until he came in."

North Jackson's football games became events, largely because those in attendance were waiting for Witherspoon's next long run. As news of his astronomical numbers spread around the Southeast, Witherspoon made it look easy, despite still learning the nuances of the position.

The game-by-game numbers were so staggering and unusual that recruiting writers had to follow up with his coaches to verify them.

"This is among the most unique players I've covered in Alabama," says 247Sports recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. "Most of those guys who hold major records, there is a buildup as a sophomore or a junior and you can almost see it coming. But he's not on any career list because he only played the position for a year, and he had about as good a single season on the ground as anybody who's ever come through the state."

Getting Witherspoon acclimated to the new position was only part of the transition. Rose was also concerned about his low grade-point average. But since arriving at North Jackson, those academic issues have been addressed. And while it once seemed like Witherspoon would have to play in junior college, "he's gotten As and Bs since he's been here," says Rose. "There's still work to do, but he's done a great job."

Near the end of October, as his historic season took shape, the recruiting floodgates began to open. Mississippi State was one of the first major programs to offer him a scholarship. Virginia Tech and Louisville followed. Alabama and Tennessee showed extensive interest, although they coveted Witherspoon on defense despite his historic offensive numbers.

"I think five or 10 years ago, he'd be the defensive back, return man, and that would be it," Garcia Jr. adds. "But in this era, we've seen unconventional ways to get guys the football, unconventional players getting the football, and I think that will propel him."

Rather than continue to receive offers, Witherspoon didn't feel the need to wait. He took an official visit to Alabama for the Iron Bowl game against Auburn, although when he returned, his mind was made up.

"Mississippi State welcomed us with open arms," Witherspoon says. "It was just like a bigger version of Stevenson, really. To me, it felt like home."

Witherspoon signed in December, ending one of the more unique recruitments in recent memory. He'll dedicate the next few months to solidifying his academic standing while also taking a crack at multiple state championships in track—a sport he hopes the football staff at Mississippi State will allow him to play.

As for his meteoric rise, it still doesn't feel quite real.

"Throughout everything," Witherspoon says, "I've surprised myself with what I've been able to do."

Surprised himself and everyone else. 

        

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald won't suit up for the team during Saturday's season opener against Stephen F. Austin.

Per Saturday Down South's Jake Rili, Bulldogs head coach Joe Moorhead announced Fitzgerald has been suspended for a violation of team rules back in March. 

Heading into his senior season, Fitzgerald has been Mississippi State's starting quarterback for the past two years. 

The Bulldogs have gone 14-11 since 2016 in games Fitzgerald has played. His junior year came to a premature end when he suffered an ankle injury in the regular-season finale against Mississippi. 

Mississippi State is starting this season ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25, its first time ranked in the AP preseason poll since 2011. 

Fitzgerald threw for 1,782 yards, ran for 984 yards and accounted for 29 touchdowns in 2017. He will be eligible to return on Sept. 8 against Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. 

The Mississippi State Bulldogs will reportedly be without offensive lineman Michael Story for the foreseeable future after he was suspended indefinitely following his arrest Saturday.

Brett Hudson of The Dispatch reported the story, noting Story was arrested for a misdemeanor count of aggravated cruelty toward a cat or dog. Hudson cited an accusation in the complaint against Story that said the offensive lineman neglected to give a Great Dane named Kodak food or water for three days while keeping the animal in a bedroom for approximately a week.

Story is entering his junior season, although Hudson pointed out he hasn't started since he was a freshman in 2016 and was practicing with the second team prior to this suspension.

He came to Mississippi State as a 3-star prospect, per 247Sports.

The Bulldogs open the season Sept. 1 against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs turned to the Big Ten to fill their vacant head coach position.

Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead was officially named the school's head coach Wednesday after Dan Mullen left to become the head coach of the Florida Gators.

Moorhead said in the program release:

"It's a tremendous honor to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. I am thrilled to take the reins of an SEC program that has been as successful as this one has the past decade. I look forward to getting to know the young men on our team, hiring a staff and hitting the recruiting trail quickly. My family and I are excited about being a part of the Starkville community. I am grateful to John Cohen and Dr. Mark Keenum for giving me this opportunity, and I am proud to be your coach."

College football reporter Brett McMurphy first reported the hire Tuesday.

Penn State hired Moorhead before the 2016 season after he went 38-13 in four years as the head coach of Fordham in the FCS. He was a sought-after candidate on the coaching market, as Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated reported he was "expected to be in the mix for the UCF opening should current head coach Scott Frost...leave."

The Nittany Lions went 11-3 last season, won the Big Ten and reached the Rose Bowl. They then went 10-2 this season with running back Saquon Barkley serving as a Heisman Trophy candidate throughout the campaign.

Moorhead's offense finished seventh in the country in points per game (41.6) in 2017, as Barkley, quarterback Trace McSorley, wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and tight end Mike Gesicki thrived in the system.

Feldman noted: "Moorhead's system offers a unique blend of run-pass option looks with a West Coast passing scheme that produces big shots downfield and has proven to be one of the most dynamic offenses in college football. Since he's been with the Nittany Lions, only Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Louisville have produced more plays of 20 yards or longer."

Moorhead will take over a solid Bulldogs program that is coming off an 8-4 season. Mississippi State was 6-7 in 2016 but 9-4 in 2015 and 10-3 in 2014.

Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was already looking forward to the future Tuesday:

#stateteam18 Y’all didn’t commit to a coach.. you committed to a program, to a family! Coaches didn’t make those throws, catches, tackles, etc.. The real Miss State team is still here in stark and we about to do something special! Come be a real part of it!

— Nick Fitzgerald (@nickfitz07) November 28, 2017

He and the rest of the team will now have a coach known for his dynamic offense as they look to challenge the likes of Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the SEC West.

The Ole Miss Rebels announced Sunday they removed the interim tag from head football coach Matt Luke and named him the permanent replacement for Hugh Freeze.

Ole Miss went 6-6 in 2017 and finished the regular season with a 31-28 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night.

According to the Clarion Ledger's Antonio Morales, Ole Miss used Turnkey Search to help identify a head coach. The firm worked with the LSU Tigers last year when they decided to make Ed Orgeron the full-time head coach after he filled in for Les Miles on an interim basis.

Following the Rebels' victory over Mississippi State, leading receiver A.J. Brown indicated the players were hoping Luke would return in his current role.

"A lot of the players want to see Coach Luke," Brown said, per Morales. "We would be really upset if he's not. We love that guy. We want him to be our head coach. Period."

Luke did well in a difficult position. Freeze resigned in July after he used a school-issued phone to call a female escort service, which left Luke with little time to prepare for his first opportunity to be a head coach. He and the team also had to deal with the specter of an ongoing NCAA investigation.

Still, the decision to make Luke the permanent head coach is unquestionably risky. For one, Luke is still relatively inexperienced to coach a school in a Power Five conference.

In addition, the narrative of Luke's performance and Ole Miss' season as a whole likely would have been different had Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald not gotten injured in the first quarter of the Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs outgained the Rebels 501-355, so a healthy Fitzgerald might have led Mississippi State to a win.

Ultimately, Ole Miss may struggle to attract proven head coaches until the NCAA wraps up its investigation and announces any possible penalties against the team.

Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald had successful ankle surgery on Friday after being carted off in the first quarter of the Bulldogs' 31-28 loss against Mississippi. 

Per Mississippi State football on Twitter, Fitzgerald had a procedure done Friday morning and is expected to make a full recovery. 

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen told reporters after the game that Fitzgerald suffered a dislocated ankle. 

The injury occurred as Fitzgerald was carrying the ball on a designed run and his leg bent in an awkward direction. 

After being taken off the field, Fitzgerald posted a message on Twitter vowing to return next season. 

"I'll be back stronger and better than ever," he wrote. "I love all my Hailstate fam and all I want right now is for all of y'all to ring your bells as loud as you can and support this team to a huge egg bowl win!"

A junior in 2017, Fitzgerald had 1,782 passing yards, 984 rushing yards and 29 total touchdowns in 12 games. 

Mississippi State finished the regular season with an 8-4 record overall (4-4 in the SEC) after Thursday's loss against Mississippi. 

Mississippi State will do everything in its power to make sure head football coach Dan Mullen doesn't take another job after the 2017 season.

Per Sports Illustrated's Bruce Feldman, Mississippi State intends to "go all in" to keep Mullen, and that could include a salary increase to roughly $6 million. 

Chris Landry recently said on an episode of his podcast (h/t Gridiron Now) that Mullen has interest in the head coaching vacancy at the University of Tennessee. 

ESPN's Chris Low went so far as to tell Jayson Swain on the Swain Event that Mullen is the "leader in the clubhouse to be Tennessee's next coach."

After Thursday's 31-28 Egg Bowl loss to Mississippi, Mullen was asked if he would remain with the Bulldogs. 

"I'm happy with our administration," he said, as Robbie Faulk of 247Sports relayed. "The program we've built is pretty special. I'm fortunate to be the coach."

After taking over in 2009, Mullen became one of MSU's most successful head coaches. His 69 wins are the second-most in school history, trailing Jackie Sherrill's 75 from 1991 to 2003. 

His $4.5 million salary in 2017 ranks 14th among all college football coaches, per USA Today. A potential raise to $6 million would move him up to No. 6, just past Florida State's Jimbo Fisher ($5.7 million). 

As rumors continue to swirl about Dan Mullen's future, the Mississippi State head football coach addressed his status after Thursday's 31-28 loss to Mississippi. 

When asked if he will coach the Bulldogs next season, Mullen said he plans to, as Brett Hudson of the Commercial Dispatch relayed:

"As I said, I'm very, very happy here. I'm happy with what we've built, I have a great president (Mark Keenum) and great administration. You look at our fanbase and the program we've built, I think it's pretty special. I'm fortunate to be the head coach and (athletic director) John (Cohen) and Dr. Keenum have both told me they want me to continue to be the head coach here—before the game they did, we'll see what they say right now."

Mullen's name has been linked to the vacant Tennessee job. ESPN's Chris Low told Jayson Swain on Wednesday the 45-year-old is "the leader in the clubhouse" to be the Volunteers' next head coach. 

After a 0-6 start in SEC play, Tennessee fired Butch Jones on Nov. 12. and named Brady Hoke interim head coach for the rest of this season. 

Mississippi State hired Mullen as its head coach in December 2008. He has compiled a 69-46 record and helped the program climb to No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 during the 2014 season for the first time in school history.