Houston comments on his decision

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The Bulldogs had a very good early signing period, filling needs at several positions. Included on this list was three-star forward Jerrell Houston (6-foot-8, 215 pounds) from Memphis (Tenn.) East. A member of the prestigious Rivals150 team, Houston is capable of playing several positions at the next level.

“It was a real hard decision, but I just fit in with the team really good,” Houston commented on his decision to become a Bulldog. After watching them play in the SEC championship game last year, he decided to camp at MSU over the summer, and his decision became easier after spending time with the team and coaches.

“I had broken my hand (last year) and couldn’t shoot, but when I went down to MSU to the camp, everything just fell into place,” he explained. “All of a sudden I got my shot back and was able to hit the three, I was able to handle the ball well, I was able to dish off; everything felt good. I took that as a sign.”

Rated the No. 93 player in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 22 small forward, Houston chose the Bulldogs over offers from Cincinnati, Texas, and Florida State.

“It was just a perfect fit, and I knew it was the right school,” he said. “It filled all expectations, and it is somewhere where I can be around people I know. The other places were just too far away.”

Jerrell said that after he noticed the atmosphere at MSU, he began concentrating on the team and noticed similarities to his high school team. This also played a role in his decision.

“The team just plays like me, only at the next level,” he explained. “They run the game full speed, and that is like a big mirror over us, but bigger and stronger. I won’t be dumbfounded, because I will already know the way they play in college.”

The style of play attracted Houston, but he also liked the camaraderie of the players and the way they react to one another.

“They communicate like nobody else does,” he said. “They accept criticism and listen to teammates. A lot of schools have a star trying to tell everybody what to do and everybody else gets mad. They are not like that. They take the criticism and learn.”

As good of a player as Jerrell has developed into, in his usual manner he said the credit belongs to his coach, Reginald Mosby.

“Y’all look at me, but you have to give my coach props,” he commented. “He has been working with me since the ninth grade and that has been a big advantage.

He would take me out to the gym by myself, and some days he would have me out there all day just dribbling. Other days just shooting free throws. Now I can hit my shots and I can handle the ball and can play any position. I owe that all to him.”

That training will allow him to contribute in several areas for the Bulldogs.

“I play all positions in high school (including point guard at times), but honestly I am probably best at wing man (small forward), but I will play backup power forward, too. It really depends on how much weight I gain.”

For those in the Memphis area with an extended Thanksgiving holiday vacation that would like to see Houston perform, their next home game is at 1:00 tomorrow.

This is the type of complete Bulldog coverage you can get only on BulldogBlitz.com. Look forward to even better recruiting coverage this spring as Rivals.com welcomes the Nike Camps and Elite11 Camp to the family. Click here to try it out free for seven days!