Mississippi Valley State
The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils are seeking their first winning season since 2006.
One positive that they have going into the 2021 season is their three players named to the Preseason All-SWAC team, which is more than Jackson State and Alcorn State combined (mind-blowing how Alcorn had none).
DB Caleb Brunson and DE Jerry Gardner will be holding down the defense, and RB Caleb Johnson is slated for another good season.
Signal caller Jelani Eason will be returning for another year. He just needs some help up front. That was apparent when the offensive line gave up 13 sacks in three games this past spring.
It’s also worth noting that Mississippi Valley State’s football program hasn’t received the same financial support as other SWAC opponents. Last year, it spent just $1.24 million, which is half of what Jackson State and Alcorn State were able to each spend.
That being said, this team seems to have bought in to Head Coach Vincent Dancy’s system. That was one of the main talking points at SWAC Media Day.
For the legacy of a man named Jerry Rice, it would be order-restoring for Valley to win again. However, it just doesn’t look like this will be the year. This squad should still be better than what we saw in the spring.
Floor: 0-11
Ceiling: 4-7
