Choctaws Projected to Finish Sixth in GSC Football Standings

By Clinton Courier | August 4, 2021 |

Mississippi College Football Players Warming Up

Courtesy of Mississippi College Athletics

By Datti Jinkiri

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It’s August, and that means football is around the corner! The Mississippi College football team has been picked to finish in sixth in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) this upcoming season. The preseason rankings were voted on by the conference’s eight head coaches.

The Choctaws played one spring game earlier this year, a loss to Tarleton State. However, in their last full season in 2019, they finished with a 5-5 record. The team compiled an unbeaten record at home and defeated rival Delta State 37-13 in their final regular season game. This was the program’s first win over Delta State since 1993.

Coach John Bland was named GSC Co-Coach of the Year in 2019 for his efforts. He led the Choctaws to the program’s highest win total since 2009. He also saw seven of his players earn All-GSC honors, which is the most that the team has had in a single season since rejoining the conference in 2014.

Preseason All-GSC Players

The Choctaws will be looking to turn the corner and improve on their 2019 season. A couple of the team’s key returners are defensive lineman Fred Walls and linebacker Jonathan Jones. Both players earned Preseason All-GSC honors.

Walls was a menacing presence up front for the the Choctaws in 2019. The Olive Branch native started nine games, tallying 33 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss (second on the team) in the process. Walls also forced a fumble and led the team with 3.0 sacks.

Jones earned Second Team All-GSC honors in 2019. He was second on the team with 55 tackles and led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss. The Charleston, Mississippi native also forced two fumbles during the season.

GSC Top Newcomers

Running back Cole Fagan, defensive back Braxton Hall, and offensive lineman Dedric Smith earned recognition as the Choctaws’ top newcomers. Fagan is a transfer from Air Force who led the Falcons in rushing in 2018. Hall is a former high school standout from Alabama who redshirted in 2019 due to injury. Smith is an incoming transfer who spent two solid seasons with Southwest Mississippi Community College.