Mississippi State offensive coordinator Sparky Woods talks to MSU alumns at the Knights of Columbus on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs, with three Warren County players on the roster. Mississippi State opens the season at Oregon on Aug. 31. (The Vicksburg Post/C. Todd Sherman)

[07/18/02]Bulldogs, cowbells, coaches and Morgans filled the Knights of Columbus hall on Fisher Ferry Road to celebrate the upcoming Mississippi State football season Wednesday night.

A difficult schedule including an opening game trip to Oregon, which finished second in the nation last year were on offensive coordinator Sparky Woods’ mind.

“I know we have a difficult schedule,” Woods said. “We go to Oregon, we go to Baton Rouge and we go to South Carolina. A lot of those places we are going to be underdogs going in.

“But there is no reason we shouldn’t win. There is no reason we shouldn’t beat anyone on our schedule.”

The Bulldogs season will be made easier by a “excellent recruiting year” that showcases two Warren County natives, Vicksburg High’s David Heard and Warren Central’s Brett Morgan.

Morgan’s presence on campus will create a monopoly of Morgan’s for MSU’s football program. Rob Morgan is an graduate assistant coach with the Bulldogs, and middle son Josh is the team’s starting strong safety.

Brett, an incoming freshman, does not know yet what his role with the Bulldogs will be.

“(Rob) has a longer list of duties than anyone on our staff,” Woods said. “Josh is kind of our quarterback on defense. And we don’t know what to do with Brett. He can kick it, and catch it and do everything. … I think there will be a role for Brett.”

A bloodline that is book marked at Warren Central with their father, head coach Robert Morgan.

“They’re around football all the time and they see what it takes,” said the elder Morgan, who is preparing for the season opener on Aug. 30 in the Red Carpet Bowl. “And its just been fun to see them work.”

Unfortunately for the MSU coaching staff, the Morgans can’t help in an area that needs work the offensive and defensive lines.

“We do have some concern up front,” Woods said. “We lost four of the five offensive line. We’re a little bit concerned about depth at our defensive line.

“So line of scrimmage is a concern for us.”

Those players behind the line of scrimmage should help carry the load with quarterback Kevin Fant leading the charge teamed with a host of “good backs,” and linebackers and secondary that get to the ball “in an angry way.”

Fant took over in midseason last year, supplanting Wayne Madkin as the team’s top QB. A disappointing 3-8 record was made a little easier with a win over rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.

“We’re going to start off in Oregon and end up in Oxford,” Woods said. “It’s going to be a whole bunch of fun between all that.”