re: What’s the story on 2025 5* WR Caleb Cunningham out of MS?

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I've lived in MS for a long time and I still can't explain it. Kids have no problem going to Alabama or Auburn if they are highly rated. I think it's cultural in their mind. Alabama seems like a more successful Mississippi while Louisiana is a weird culture. They have this reverence (admiration) for Alabama and know they will never get to their success. But, LSU is seen as beatable and on the same level.

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This. Having played ball in MS in 08-11, this was the mindset of some of our better players that signed or were recruited. It continue to be that way when I was a high school sports writer in the Hattiesburg area during 2014-2017. For some odd reason, Alabama was viewed almost in the same light as Ms State and Ole Miss, like it was an almost in-state school. Never ever understood why it was treated that way and why most guys wouldn't even consider LSU or Tennessee or even Auburn. They'd only go there as last resorts.

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yeah, I hear both of you guys on this and you are right, I'm a lil older than y'all probably a decade andso I have somewhat of a different opinion. The funny thing is or to me is that in the old days or prior to the 2000s Mississippi and LA were viewed as sister states by the old generations. I would say all of the 1900s up to the 1990s I would say it was viewed like that, it started to change in the 1990s to the more current view that you guys have now. But yeah with racism and all being what it was in the 1950s up to the 1970s, LA and Miss were in it together with regards to racism, if you know what I mean. But I'm from LA, I don't live there anymore, I live in Las Vegas now, but LA has always had a weird culture like y'all say because of all of the mix down there. It's a state like no other with Mardi Gras, voodoo shite, cajun swamp people and strong French culture, Spanish culture mixed with a Haitian Black culture and Choctaw Indian culture.

It's just a got damn conglomerate of people from all places thrown together that makes it's culture so confusing to many people. While I would say Mississippi is rural country hard working blue collar White and Black people which gives it much more in common with Alabama. Alabama is the same way imo, they have worked hard for that great success that they've achieved and Mississippi admires that and wants to be the same way. But I will say Nick Saban has brought back that success to Alabama who was down in the dumps before that with football. LSUs former coach restored their greatness and that has pissed off a lot of LA people who wanted NIck Saban back. That's why there is such a strong rivalry now between the 2 because of that with LSU people basically thumbing their noses up at Bama people, pissing the Bama people off. A lot of Bama people call LSU people disrespectful, but the LSU people look at it like we don't care because you are enjoying a dynasty run that we should have had. I don't agree really, I mean you can't get mad because coach Saban chose to go there, the man wanted to get back into coaching in the SEC, and LSU was sticking with Les Miles, so.... But I will say that LSU has somewhat maintained what Saban was building there with the talent and all and has produced a couple of more titles since he left. They have continued to be a strong program, but yeah Alabama has ruled since Saban got there, he restored what Bear Bryant started.

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think it’s more of a family pride kind of thing. Being close to home matters a lot.

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Oh 100%

But it’s also probably a geographical thing too. Most of the talent in the state is in one of two areas: Hattiesburg or up north where Ole Miss and State are. But hell even your two and three stars in the Burg will stay loyal and go play at USM over Tulane/LSU/UL.

What’s wild is that the Jackson area really doesn’t produce a ton of talent outside of Clinton and sometimes Pearl and neither does the coast. That’s really where a LSU pipeline could be created. The MS Gulf Coast is the Wild West of the state. Probably more like Louisiana than any other part. And it has some massive 1K student high schools. Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Gulfport, Harrison Central, St Martin and, D’Iberville are all schools on the coast with over a thousand students. Pascagoula is close to a thousand too. Moss Point and Gautier have produced some players too. LSU shouldn’t be letting Ole Miss or State out recruit them along the coast. They could easily get 2-3 guys from there every year if they wanted to.

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It’s hard to imagine this kid watching LSU’s offense

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Probably watching LSU defense.

you might have that backwards bro! Both among the very best though.

It was gonna be LSU if arnett wasn’t fired. Lebby has put state back on top for now. But lsu is 2nd at the moment. Would be surprised if he left home tho