MSU Football Reports to Camp; Practice begins Thursday

As the Mississippi State Bulldogs prepare for the 2014 season, 105 players reported to the team's preseason camp Wednesday to begin the process of getting ready for the upcoming season.

The team spent Wednesday going over academics and compliance issues, getting fitted for equipment and meeting as position groups, but business will pick up Thursday.

The NCAA allows 29 practices during this time period, and the Bulldogs will take the field for their first practice at 4:45 Thursday.

The practices are closed to fans during the fall, but there will be a meet the team session available on August 24.

Of interest during these practices will be the continued development of the Mississippi State defense, which returns nine starters.  Mississippi State defensive coordinator Geoff Collins built the unit into one of the best in the SEC by the end of last season, and there are no doubts that the 45 players on that side of the ball want to continue to improve on their standing from last year.

On the offensive side of the ball, a major question will be replacing Gabe Jackson and his talent on the offensive line.  If the Bulldogs prove able to do that, the offense should be ready to produce at an all-time pace in Starkville.