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Jackie Sherrill coached many greats, but says Eric Moulds was his best

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Jackie Sherrill coached many greats, but says Eric Moulds was his best

Eric Moulds shown here at his induction into Mississippi ‘s M-Club Hall of Fame will be inducted into the Mississippi Hall of Fame during ceremonies on July 30. (Photo by Kelly Price)

Editor’s note: On July 30, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inducts its Class of 2022. What follows is Part II of a series detailing the achievements of the eight inductees, today featuring Mississippi State and NFL standout Eric Moulds.

Jackie Sherrill recruited and coached many, many splendidly gifted athletes in his stints at Pittsburgh, Texas A&M and Mississippi State.

Lucedale’s Eric Moulds, soon to be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Sherrill says, was the best of all.

Rick Cleveland

โ€œSize, speed, maturity and football knowledge, Eric Moulds had it all,โ€ Sherrill said. โ€œI was fortunate to have some great ones who had many years in the NFL, but Eric was the best overall. He won so many games for his teams, first at State and then at Buffalo in the NFL.โ€

As a player, Moulds stood 6 feet, 2 inches and packed 225 pounds of muscle. He ran with the speed of a world class sprinter. Playing on predominantly running teams at State from 1993 until 1995, he caught 117 passes for 2,022 yards (just over 17 yards per catch).

He also excelled as a kick returner, leading the nation in kickoff returns in 1994 with 33 yards per return. We can only imagine what it was like to speed down the field, covering kickoffs, and see a muscular 225-pounder coming at you, carrying the football, at world class speed.

That speed/size quotient, along with sure hands, made him a first round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills, for whom he played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons. For his pro football career, he caught 764 passes for 9,995 yards and 49 touchdowns. He was a much-feared deep threat, once averaging more than 20 yards per catch for an entire season. Another remarkable statistic: 475 of his 764 NFL catches resulted in a first down.

He made the All-Rookie team in 1996 and played in three Pro Bowls later in his career. Twice, he was named All-Pro. None of those , Moulds says, compares to his being voted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

For the Bills, Eric Moulds was the total package.

โ€œWhen you look at all the great athletes who are from Mississippi, it just makes you so proud, man,โ€ Moulds said. โ€œThere are about 300 people in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and now I am going to be part of that.โ€

Moulds said he is well aware that Mississippi the nation per capita in producing both NFL players and Pro Football Hall of Famers. โ€œAnd it’s not just the guys who were born in Mississippi either,โ€ Moulds said. โ€œI’ve run into so many guys around the league whose roots are in Mississippi, guys like Charles Woodson and Larry Fitzgerald. Woodson’s people were from , Fitzgerald’s from Natchez. It’s amazing. I’m proud to be part of that.โ€

These days, the 49-year-old Moulds lives in Charlotte where he has a training facility and works with athletes from high school to the NFL. Among the players he trains now is another Lucedale native, Ty Tryfogle, who played his college football at Indiana and who Moulds believes is about to make a splash for the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted agent.

Moulds says he enjoys working with younger players because it keeps him close to the he loves.

โ€œThere’s a lot about football I don’t miss, but I miss the camaraderie of the locker room and the relationships you have with your teammates,โ€ Moulds says. โ€œMy business still connects me to that. I enjoy it.โ€

Moulds says he and many of his former Mississippi State teammates stay in touch, and he remains close to Sherrill. โ€œCoach Sherrill was a players’ coach,โ€ Moulds says. โ€œHe had a couple of simple rules โ€“ be on time and never wear a cap or hat inside โ€“ and other than that, he expected you to take care of your business.โ€

Clearly, Moulds took care of his.

โ€ขโ€ขโ€ข

The 2022 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class includes Moulds, world swimming champion Maggie Bowen-Hanna, basketball coach Kermit Davis, Sr., great David Dellucci, golf champion Jim Gallagher Jr., football star Eric Moulds, and football coaches Bob Tyler and Willis Wright.

Part I: Maggie Bowen-Hanna.

For MSHOF Induction Weekend and ticket information, click here

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi News

Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo

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www.wcbi.com – Aundrea Self – 2024-11-04 16:10:00

SUMMARY: In , Mississippi, 19-year-old Joshua James and a juvenile face charges related to a pursuit and the of a police car. James is charged with Directing a Felony to Be Committed by a Person Under Seventeen, Grand Larceny, and Felony Fleeing, with a bond set at $100,000. The incident began on November 1 when police responded to a of a stolen vehicle. After a chase that ended when the stolen truck crashed south of Verona, James was apprehended, while his juvenile passenger fled in a police car, which was later found wrecked. The juvenile’s case will be handled in Youth Court.

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Categories: Crime, Local News


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Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas

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www.wcbi.com – Marcus Hunter – 2024-11-04 15:59:00

SUMMARY: The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has secured to construct storm shelters in Crawford, Artesia, and Plum Grove, lacking local shelter during severe weather. Each community will four FEMA-funded shelters, accommodating up to 20 people each, on property at a total cost of $103,692, with FEMA contributing $93,000. The supervisors anticipate these shelters will significantly enhance safety for during storms. Vice President Jeff Smith highlighted their importance, expressing relief for community members who have long awaited a secure refuge. While installation timelines remain unclear, the is expected to proceed soon.

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News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, donโ€™t vote’

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www.foxnews.com – – 2024-11-04 11:51:00

SUMMARY: David “Dave” Elliott, a local anchor for in for nearly 40 years, was fired after expressing political views on social . He revealed on Facebook that his termination was due to his political opinions, specifically mentioning a where he advised people not to vote out of hatred for Donald Trump. Elliott characterized his social media posts as satire, distinguishing them from his professional work. He noted that the discussion with his station’s general about his dismissal was brief, and the topic of social media was raised. WLOX’s management declined to comment on the matter.

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