Mississippi State OL LaQuinston Sharp Granted Another Year of Eligibility
Mississippi State starting center LaQuinston Sharp was given an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA on Thursday morning.
The senior from Columbus, Mississippi, was told the news in front of his teammates and coaches during the team's morning bowl game practice. A sixth year of eligibility is rare in the NCAA, but Sharp had a special circumstance that gave him one more chance: a season-ending injury. Although he has spent the last three seasons with the Bulldogs, he started his college football career at East Mississippi Community College. He was impressive during his freshman year as an offensive tackle and even helped lead the Lions to the JUCO National Championship. However, he suffered a devastating ankle injury only two games into his sophomore season and was unable to play another down for EMCC.
Luckily, Sharp caught the eyes of some bigger universities and had plenty of opportunities to play at a higher level. He received offers from major SEC programs such as Mississippi State, Florida and Auburn before being injured, and he chose to go with MSU after seeing the football staff's unwavering dedication to him.
In 2019, Sharp saw playing time as a right tackle in nine games, five of which he started. He also took over some as a center when needed. In the altered 2020 season, Sharp flipped to left tackle and played in nine games once again. However, offensive line coach Mason Miller had very different plans for him heading into 2021. The Bulldogs desperately needed someone to step up as a full-time center, and Sharp was the man for the job. He grew to become a force to be reckoned with on the line and did an excellent job handling snaps and protecting quarterback Will Rogers. Sharp even received an SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honor for his performance against Kentucky on Oct. 30.
Sharp's extra year of eligibility is vital for a Bulldogs team that has shown improvement throughout the year. MSU will have a veteran center on the line as well as returning players and a handful of talented freshmen coming to Starkville next season. Before Sharp can focus on the 2022 season, he has one more game to play this year against Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28.
