Bulldogs add more QB help

Coach Croom has stated several times recently that the Bulldogs were looking at several JUCO quarterbacks, but that search ended Sunday morning when Los Altos Hills (Calif.) Foothill College's Josh Riddell made his commitment. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound signal caller talks about his decision and about his official visit over the weekend.

"I committed this morning," he began. "It's the SEC really and you don't get that many chances, especially coming from the west coast. It's a dream for me. The coaches were real good to me too. They sounded like they wanted me a lot. It's just an all-around good feeling for me right now."

While scheduled to arrive in Starkville Friday, Riddell's visit was postponed a day. Due to the circumstances, however, that didn't really matter a lot.

"I was coming in on Friday then bad weather delayed my flight," he explained. "I had to stay overnight in Atlanta, and got in about 10 on Saturday morning.

"It went real well. I got to see around campus, around the town, and then got to meet with all the coaches. It was a good time." He is being recruited by Guy Holliday and the two spent most of the visit together.

"All of the players are gone and everything (for the Christmas holiday break), so I really didn't have a host. Coach Holliday just showed me around, then we had dinner with the coaches. I was kind of tired that night so I just went back to the hotel.

"We went over to coach Croom's house and had a little bit of food, then he offered me the scholarship today."

So where does Riddell fit into the quarterback mix?

"Mississippi State already has a quarterback right now, and he is a pretty good athlete, but my goal is just to come in and compete," he said. "And that's what he wants me to do, jut come in and compete for the job.

"Hey, the best player is going to play, no matter what. That's any place. So hopefully I just come in, work my butt off in January and from then on and just compete for some playing time."

Riddell has three years to play two and will sign on Wednesday, the first day JUCO midterm graduates can sign.

"They are going to be mailing me the letter of intent, then I am going to fax it to them Wednesday and mail it overnight," he said. "That's how we plan on doing it."