|
Harbison confident in Jones |
|
Thursday, 04 September 2008 |
 Kim Murrell/For the SDN MSU defensive coordinator Charlie Harbinson instructs players during Wednesday’s practice session at the Palmeiro Center. Harbison expects middle linebacker Jamie Jones to perform well while taking over for the inured Jamar Chaney. By DAVID MILLER
Starkville Daily News
Mississippi State defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison isn’t going to let the loss of senior linebacker Jamar Chaney set back him or the Bulldogs’ defense.
Not that Chaney’s absence won’t re-shuffle some things, but Harbison is confident not only in red shirt freshman Jamie Jones – Chaney’s replacement – but in the rest of the unit’s ability to pick up the slack.
The first-year MSU defensive coordinator thought the linebacking unit played well against Louisiana Tech, but stopped short of giving the second-level players a grade because State didn’t win the game. Harbison, like many coaches and players, believes that winning comes before analyzing what plays you made and how much better a player became.
“I think they played well, but I wouldn’t give a particular grade because in the end we didn’t win the game,” Harbison said. “Overall, the grade doesn’t mean much if you don’t win the game. Every week you have to improve, but how I look at it, you have to win the game. If you improve from one week to the next, that’s good. But, if you win, that is the most important stat.”
After Wednesday’s practice session at the Palmeiro Center, Harbison was expressed his confidence in Jones.
“Actually, he is the next guy in line and we are going to get him ready to play and keep moving ahead,” Harbison said. “One guy falls down, and the weight has to be distributed. I feel good about Jamie and his ability to execute the game plan.
“That’s the most important thing for him right now. More important, the other 10 guys on the field have to play too.”
With Southeast Louisiana rolling into town Saturday, Mississippi State has a less tougher opponent than in Louisiana Tech. The Lions, from the Southland Conference of the Football Championship Subdivision, picked up a 34-28 win over Alcorn State last Saturday, clinching their first road win since 2005. Southeast Louisiana will be upset minded and ready to hit the field after re-locating to Oxford due to Hurricane Gustav evacuations.
Harbison could use a game against an opponent from a lower division to experiment some on defense, but the straight shooter refused to look at Saturday’s game as a cake walk.
“A lot of people look at lower schools as being lower competition, but anybody can beat anybody,” Harbison said. “We don’t overlook nobody, it’s the most important game because it’s this week. It’s our opponent, no matter where they are from.”
Behind Jones at middle linebacker is true freshman Bo Walters. The Alabama native could see the field Saturday, but Harbison didn’t say how much.
“I don’t know yet, we’ll see how the game goes and we’ll go from there,” he said. “We don’t look at situations and make a determination. It all depends on how the game goes.”
|
|
Last Updated ( Friday, 05 September 2008 )
|
