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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. ( 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 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.

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

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 awards, Moulds says, compares to his being voted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

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For the Bills, Eric Moulds was the total package.

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

Moulds said he is well aware that Mississippi leads the nation per capita in producing both NFL players and Pro Football Hall of Famers. “And it's not just the guys who were born in Mississippi either,” Moulds said. “I'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.”

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 game he loves.

“There'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,” Moulds says. “My business still connects me to that. I enjoy it.”

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

Clearly, Moulds took care of his.

•••

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.

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Part I: Maggie Bowen-Hanna.

For MSHOF Induction event 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

Sex offender pulls knife on deputies

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www.wcbi.com – Eric Lampkin – 2024-03-28 10:37:03

SUMMARY: Kenneth Jones, Jr., a convicted sex offender wanted for failing to register, was in Monroe County after a public tip led deputies to him. During a pursuit, Jones pulled a knife on the deputies, resulting in new charges of felony assault on a officer. Sheriff Kevin Crook thanked the public for their cooperation in locating Jones. Now facing multiple charges, failure to register and assaulting a police officer, Jones is in custody. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of public cooperation in enforcement efforts.

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Powerball jackpot increases to $935 million after no one wins the top prize

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www.wjtv.com – Matthew Knight – 2024-03-28 05:00:55

SUMMARY: The Powerball jackpot is now at $935 million after no winners were drawn. The Mega Millions jackpot was won in New Jersey for $1.13 . The Powerball jackpot has not been won since New Year's Day. The next drawing is for a sole winner who will be paid over 30 years through an annuity. Experts recommend taking the annuity option as it provides more control and protection for the winnings. Taxes will be withheld regardless of the payout option. Financial and legal advice is recommended for jackpot winners. Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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The post Powerball jackpot increases to $935 million after no one wins the top prize appeared first on www.wjtv.com

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Mississippi News

Warming trend for Easter weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Isaac Williams – 2024-03-28 04:08:29

SUMMARY: The weather in Columbus, Mississippi will be cold in the mornings but warm up in the afternoons for the Easter . Thursday will be sunny with highs in the 60s, dropping to the 30s at night with patchy frost. Friday will have highs in the 70s, and the weekend will be even warmer with temperatures in the 80s and no rain expected. Next will see warm and humid with the possibility of scattered showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday. It is still unsure if the storms will be severe.

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