Mississippi State sophomore Jarvis Varnado has been named to the 2007-08 CollegeInsider.com Defensive All-America Team.
The team also includes SEC standouts Joe Crawford of Kentucky and LSU’s Garrett Temple, as well as Final Four participants Joey Dorsey of Memphis, Kansas’ Russell Robinson, and the UCLA tandem of Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook.
Varnado leads the nation with an average of 4.62 blocks, while his 157 total blocks on the year easily broke Erick Dampier’s previous single-season school record of 106.
In addition, Varnado matched Shaquille O’Neal’s all-time SEC season mark of 157 blocks set at LSU in 1991-92.
To put that stat into perspective, Varnado had more blocks than 305 of the 341 Divison I teams.
Inside Mississippi State Sports with Brad Locke 
April 1, 2008 at 4:45 pm |
NEWSFLASH…per several internet sites.
Scotty Hopson has committed to Tennessee. Just finished his official visit. Done.
April 1, 2008 at 4:46 pm |
http://govolsxtra.com/news/2008/apr/01/hopson-commits-vols/
April 1, 2008 at 4:52 pm |
Until the kid actually signs scholarship players, I’m not going to trust anything. That’s why I don’t understand people who get so caught in recruiting and live and die by it. Geez. Just wait until he signs, because he might change his mind three or four more times.
April 1, 2008 at 4:52 pm |
” ANOTHER NEWS FLASH”…. Tyer Russell, a 6’5″ 200 lb. Jr. Quarterback from Meridian High School has verbally committed to play at MSU……SAYS he’s a man of his word and he wants to play for Croom……A competiting newspaper says that Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia wants him too. Stay tuned……
April 1, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
Good Lord !!! Excuse me….a competing newspaper…..sorry about that….
April 1, 2008 at 5:05 pm |
GREAT news on Russell. HUGE.
Gregg, I hear what you are saying but I’ve followed State and recruiting long enough to steel myself for this kind of thing. Hopson would be a GREAT get but we are at as solid a point as we ever have been following a NCAA Tourney loss. There’s a lot of talent on the shelf and much more to come. I know that is a name in 6’5″ Antiquan Beckham a stringy long prep kid originally from Kentucky.
I look for us to add Shaunessy Smith and Latavious Williams (prep) next year.
I wonder if Rick will pursue the #3 player in the nation and #1 PF Reynardo Sydney out of California… he has all kinds of Mississippi ties. We shall see.
The 2010 and 2011 Mississippi classes are LOADED with top 30 type talent
April 1, 2008 at 5:51 pm |
im really glad russell wants to play for us! people say he is better than garrett (hopeful its true)…i dont know, ive never seen either play but read the papers and follow them on the internet….i just hope he doesnt pull a benedict scotty garrett and go somewhere else….
April 1, 2008 at 5:53 pm |
After jus now reading Hopson’s future BULLETIN BOARD comments elswhere I think I understand.
We just missed out on a “kid” unlike landing a MAN in Ravern Johnson last year.
Humility will ultimately take a person MUCH further than athleticism.
Ravern has BOTH.
April 1, 2008 at 7:41 pm |
Varnado seems to be a very humble guy who deserves all the accolades he will recieve this year and next. As someone who will only get better with size and experience the NBA will be salivating over him compared to Gordon and Rhodes. I wish him the best and thank him ahead of time for an awesome career at State.
April 1, 2008 at 7:52 pm |
i agree judwe, i think ravern needs to get a lot more playing time next year….i also think he should have gotten more this year, especially during the memphis game and that last month that stewart couldnt throw it into the ocean…..
April 1, 2008 at 8:01 pm |
““It just seemed like I could have more success here,” Hopson said when asked to compare UT and MSU.
“Really Scotty? I think I’m doing Ok here in Starkville”
-Sincerely, Nations leading Shot Blocker.
—————————————————————
In my lifetime…
Some “great” recruits we lost out on to the big boys (head to head)…
Marcus Dupree- chose Oklahoma
Othella Harrington – chose Georgetown
Brian Darden – chose Tennessee
Blake Barnes – chose Georgia
now
Chris Garrett – chose LSU
Scotty Hopson – chose Tennessee
The first four on that list felt like the end of the world to lose but they didn’t exactly end up setting the World on fire.
It remains to be seen what will become of Garrett and Hopson but me thinks we’ll be Ok.
I’m ready to see Dee Bost lace em’ up… I think we forget about Scotty REAL quick.
April 1, 2008 at 8:09 pm |
Raises frosty mug to toast judwe…..HERE HERE!!!
April 1, 2008 at 8:17 pm |
Scotty can kiss me pale ass!
April 1, 2008 at 8:24 pm |
What big name recruits have we lost to another college that went on to real stardom? Croom should give Garrett the stats on Jimmy Johns at Alabama (moving to linebacker his Senior season) and Blake Barnes (transferred to Delta State).
April 1, 2008 at 8:38 pm |
Garrett’s mother told some friends that since Croom was recruiting the Meridian kid , they felt like he had misled them. Does she and her family think LSU is not going to recruit others? If he is as good as he thinks he is, why should he worry if Croom recruits someone else? And the previous poster is right, the Meridian kid grades out a lot better.
Besides we need the Garrett scholarship for more linemen now. It is good to see Croom circling the wagons around the other players in trouble from outsiders. No doubt he will do his own punishment. He didn’t circle the wagons his first couple of years but now realizes it is a must, I think.
April 1, 2008 at 8:41 pm |
Anybody want to bet that we will see ICC transfer Tyson Lee start at quarterback this year? I say that he will if he stays healthy. Despite his size he is a playmaker, smart, wellspoken and a competitor. Good to see Croom is going to give him a scholarship.
April 1, 2008 at 8:44 pm |
Does Garrett’s mom know that LSU has committed the number 2 ranked quarterback in the nation from Houston who Texas wanted badly?
April 1, 2008 at 8:46 pm |
I speak for myself alone, but I’m SO over Garrett and working on getting over Hopson. It’s almost like those guys used State and played us against our competitors. We were nothing more than an insurance policy. If the thought of that doesn’t help you move on I don’t know what will.
Stan’s will stock the tank JUST FINE.
April 1, 2008 at 8:50 pm |
Incidently, who walked in fairly quietly soon after the loss of Othella Harrington?
The WIDE shoulders of Erick Dampier… do I need to tell you how that worked out. Oh, and if I’m not mistaken, Monta Eliss’ schollie was filled by Jamont Gordon.
OFTEN, these things have a way of working themselves out.
April 1, 2008 at 9:09 pm |
Hopson thinks he is a one and done type of player heading to the NBA after one year. Welcome to the SEC where your playing time will be an earned privilege, not a right of passage to your mom’s new Mercedes.
April 1, 2008 at 11:25 pm |
judwe, Barry Stewart got Monta’s scholarship.
Monta was supposed to be our PG, Jamont our SG. That was the planned backcourt.
If Hopson signs with TN, it’s a HUGE loss. We just can’t seem to close with the top national recruit. We lost Bender, Outlaw, & Ellis to the NBA. Now they can’t go to the NBA, and what happens? The kid shafts us for another team.
Gregg, ask “Scotty Hop” how it feels to turn his back on Romero & Dee after giving them, and Coach Stansbury, his word? That’s what I want to know.
April 1, 2008 at 11:41 pm |
Scotty doesn’t care. He’ll be closer to his momma by going to play for Pearl. Hopson is a big loss but I think we can manage. Gordon, Hansbrough, Stewart, R. Johnson, Turner, and Bost in the backcourt is still very very good next year. Varnado, Osby, Bailey, and B. Johnson will give us something up front too. I’m excited about next year. We’ll still be experienced and we got two great newcomers coming to Starkville. Hopson doesn’t realize that UT is going to be young next season. They might be a bigger program, but State will be a top 10 team next season if Stans doesn’t get in the way.
April 1, 2008 at 11:50 pm |
“His Word”
What does “His Word” mean when in just the last two week he very publicly contradicts himself time after time. What, two days ago he’s going to take ALL of his visits THEN sit down and sort things out. Tonight UT “feels” like the right place to be.
The Word COMMITMENT must be stricken from this process.
i don’t think many 17 year old kids, yet alone athletes, have a foggy clue about what commitment is. Heck, a whole lot of adults don’t. Really, in our culture of drive through divorces the only commitment modeled on a consistent basis is in a pair of boots patrolling the streets of Basra tonight.