MSU Recruits All-American Derrick Pope

Many Spartan fans are following closely the recruitment of All-American Juco LB Derrick Pope from Garden City Community College. Pope is a tremendous LB prospect who is rated the #1 LB in Juco ranks and the #4 non-HS player in the nation. Pope’s comments in several recruiting updates indicate that he is well aware of the impact he could have at MSU and he plans on making a well informed decision. Pope visited MSU earlier last week.

Pope would impact MSU is two specific ways. Not only could he come to MSU and fill a position of need, but he would also allow other players to play positions more naturally suited to their skills. Pope’s speed and skill at the LB position would allow him to be a mature force at MSU. In addition, players like Seth Mitchell and Mike Labinjo would be put in positions which would allow them to make the greatest use of their talents.

Pope opened up his recruitment because of the sanctions that were laid down by the NCAA on Alabama. The Tide are still very much in the picture though, as are Arkansas and Florida. Alabama faces a two year ban on bowl games and huge losses in scholarships over the next few years.

MSU does not go the Juco route as much as some schools. When they have though, it has often paid dividends for the Spartans and those players who have come to MSU. The Spartans only target Juco players who fit a position of need. In recent years Juco players like Tony Banks, Julian Peterson, Greg Randall-Robinson, and Tupe Peko have stepped in and been impact players at their positions. All of the above players have also been able to use MSU as an avenue to get to the NFL. MSU is currently slated to be on national TV (ABC, NBC, ESPN, ESPN 2) for 9 of it’s 12 games next year. That cannot hurt when it comes to exposure. In addition, the Big Ten’s reputation as a LB conference has been rewarded with 6 Butkus awards since 1985.

MSU is in better shape as a team (depth wise) at most positions under Bobby Williams then at any point in recent memory. The Spartans return some of the top players in the country on offense, and should have the Big Ten’s best secondary as well. The key for MSU to compete for the Big Ten Championships in 2002 and the Rose Bowl will be the play of the LB’s and DE’s. Pope would not only solidify the LB corps, but allow Labinjo to wreck havoc as a DE as well. Labinjo lead the team in TFL’s last year.

Pope plans on making a decision in the coming days. If he selects MSU, Spartan fans could make an argument that the addition of Derrick Pope along with the return of Ced Henry would give the Spartans two huge impact players on the defensive side of the ball. Bill Miller certainly would love to have a player with Pope’s versatility when implementing some of the tremendous schemes he has used in the last 2 years.

Spartan Magazine will keep definitely keep MSU fans up to date on the latest. Derrick Pope could be the 3rd #1 ranked player in the nation at his position to select MSU in the last 4 years. TJ Duckett was the #1 LB in 1999, Charles Rogers was the #1 WR in 2000. Jeff Smoker(2000) and David Richard(2002) were ranked #3 and #2 at their positions respectively. Tyrell Dortch(2000) was rated the #5 RB in the nation two years ago. The impressive thing about that list of players is that they come from 4 different states. I am sure MSU fans would love to see a Texan added to that list.