Photo: CB Domonique Johnson
This time last season, Jackson State's coaches had finished an exhausting run of recruiting that made the "previous school" category on the team's roster look like a who's who of Division I-A colleges.
There were two players added from Ohio State. One from Notre Dame. One from Tennessee. One each from Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss.
Some got into trouble at their former schools while others had simply fallen out of favor with their respective coaching staffs.
Either way, they all had some interesting journeys into a Jackson State uniform.
Then first-year coach Rick Comegy said the sizable influx of talent - nine Division I-A transfers in all - was necessary to bolster the talent of the program to a reasonable level. All nine players started for JSU at various times during the season.
But in Comegy's second year with the Tigers, the newest wave of Division I-A help shouldn't be nearly as noticeable.
Most likely, only one transfer, cornerback Domonique Johnson (Missouri), will be fresh from his old school to Jackson State's starting lineup when the Tigers play Delta State at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"We'll always be looking for talent, no matter where it comes from," Comegy said. "But I think it's obvious that we had some talent stockpiled and didn't have to make as many wholesale changes. That's a good thing. You always want some continuity."
It's not that Jackson State completely ignored the transfer scene this year. In fact, five Division I-A transfers came to the Tigers in the off-season.
While Johnson may be the only transfer starter for Saturday's opener, four out of the five could see extended action.
Running back Cody Hull and receiver Rodney Gray (both formerly of Southern Miss) figure to see plenty of time on the field.
Quarterback Tray Rutland (Mississippi State) will back up Jimmy Oliver after a hotly contested preseason position battle, but Comegy said he hopes to get Rutland some action under center against Delta State.
"We like what we've done," Comegy said. "These guys will help us, but we're not putting the weight of the world on their shoulders."
Johnson figures to make the most immediate impact at the starting corner slot with his 6-foot-2 frame, cocky demeanor and ample speed. He started four games for Missouri last season, but left the team in the spring for a variety of personal reasons.
While the Jackson State surroundings are decidedly less swank than the Big 12 atmosphere at Missouri, Johnson said he appreciates the more humble surroundings.
"I'd rather be down here playing with guys that are hungry," Johnson said. "Not all the guys at Missouri were lazy, but it was easy to get complacent in that atmosphere. I know it even happened to me a few times.
"But it's not going to happen again - not with this group of guys around me."
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