At SEC Media Day, Mississippi State coaches discuss life in the new college landscape

The world of college sports has changed and everyone from coaches, players, commissioners, athletic directors, media and fans have had to adjust to the new landscape.

Some of those groups have an easier adjustment (fans and media) to make than others and there isn’t much that can be done to change that right now

Time heals all wounds, but it also helps adopt to new situations.

Maybe in the near future coaches like Mississippi State’s Chris Jans and Sam Purcell won’t have to completely turnover their rosters. Or at least be better at making a new roster work each season.

Roster turnover was something both the Bulldogs’ men and women basketball coaches talked about at Wednesday’s SEC Media Day.

“We've got 15 players. It's the smallest roster I've ever had as a head coach at any level,” Jans said. “It's new territory for me that way. I've been accustomed to having a lot of bodies in practice, so it's caused us to change how we organize our practices and then certainly run our practices.”

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Sam Purcell talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

“Experience is great, but sometimes, it can make you complacent,” Purcell said. “You assume last year’s success will carry over. What I love about this group is the hunger. With a new roster, every practice matters. We know we have to get better, fail, and learn together.”

Jans has 11 new players on the men’s basketball team and four returning players, including one starter (Josh Hubbard). Among the new players are four high school recruits, an international player and six transfers.

“We’re still trying to find our identity, to be honest with you,” Jans said. “Talking to other coaches, that's a similar feeling that's going on across the country is you're just not quite there yet. Your personality hasn't quite formed yet as a basketball team because you just haven't had the necessary time and reps and adversity that you're comfortable with having so many other players back from years past.”

Purcell has even more new players to work with on the women’s side.

The Bulldogs return just two players from last year’s team (Chandler Prater and Destiney McPhaul) and have 10 new players, including three high school players, one international player and six transfers.

“This profession is about relationships,” Purcell said. “No matter the turnover, you have to connect with the players you have. When you connect, you can create special moments. That’s what I’m most proud of going into my fourth year at Mississippi State, those moments of connection, and the history we’ve made together.”

Like it or not, this is the new reality of college sports and especially with sports that have small rosters like basketball.

The landscape is guaranteed to keep changing, too, and maybe the next major change will come with a change to the transfer portal window. If the NCAA is looking for suggestions, Jans has one that makes a lot of sense.

“I've been championing the weekend after the Sweet 16,” Jans said. “I think that's the perfect time for it to open where there's only four teams that are left playing and you know boo-hoo to those four. They're playing in a final four and they've got to be able to you know get in the portal a little bit and still prepare for their team, but I'm sure they would all take the inconvenience.”

That’s a pretty safe bet.

DAWG FEED: