Pete Golding claims Mississippi recruits' mentalities are different

Every coach has a recruiting pitch at their current school, a reason why it’s a better place than most. Interestingly enough, one thing new Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding believes is working in the Rebels’ favor is the Mississippi recruits’ mentalities.

They’re just built differently, he explained. But in a way you might not expect.

“I’ve coached in Texas and recruited Texas, things like that,” Golding said. “They’re starting a real program so much earlier, and their facilities and the amount of staff and the resources that they have, a lot of those guys end up reaching their ceiling earlier.

“Then you’ve got some of these guys in rural Mississippi at certain programs that don’t have a lot of staff, that don’t have great weight programs. Not because they’re not good coaches, they just don’t have the resources to do it. And when you get those guys with a high ceiling that aren’t there yet, they improve very quickly.”

In other words, Mississippi recruits can be sneaky good. Underrated, even.

But it’s the Mississippi recruits’ mentality that makes the overperformance possible. Many of them feel a sense of obligation to the program that gave them their big break.

“I’ve always appreciated not just football, but Mississippi in general because a lot of times you get a raw athlete that loves football and is also appreciative,” Golding said. “I think it goes a long way, that five-star syndrome, when they show up to this place they appreciate the team room. They appreciate the gear they get. They appreciate the opportunity to play in the SEC, and they feel they’ve got to earn it and keep it, rather than it’s given to them.”

Whether Mississippi players alone are enough to bolster a roster enough to carry it to title contention in the SEC West remains to be seen.

But Golding sure seems to feel strongly about his theory on Mississippi recruits’ mentalities.

“I think that mentality goes a long way and I think it carries over to defense,” Golding said. “That spot the ball mentality, put the ball down, we’re going to play. I don’t care if it’s the parking lot, the playoffs, it doesn’t matter. That’s just who we are. A lot of guys that’s ingrained in them at an early age in this state.”