Alumni bases and recruiting

[OG Goat Holder]

The other thread got me thinking so I looked at the site. This is as of July 2026.


You all know I'm always talking about plans. Student recruiting should mirror this map, and so should waiving OOS tuition. I would:

- Focus on Dallas and Atlanta (we have direct flights there) and get some good crooters there. I would love to add Houston but just hard to think that will really happen with no direct flight and direct access to aTm. Specifically Denton/Frisco/Prosper/McKinney and Newnan/Peachtree City.....about a 2-1 effort in Dallas vs. Atlanta;
- Focus on Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, Memphis and Nashville because they are drivable, and all points in between, again, get some good crooters here;
- Wave OOS tuition for TX, TN, AL, GA;
- I would not waive it for AR, LA, and FL. Those AR guys who come for Ag already have money and are fine paying OOS. We don't need anything from LA, student or football wise. I know a lot of Mississippians like to claim a lot of Louisiana culture but it's laughable. They seem to have an LSU forcefield that you just can't penetrate. If they want to come for petroleum engineering they'll pay OOS. They come over here and buy up all our land anyway, so maybe we'll get some of their kids to go to State. And FL, I'm betting most of our alumni down there are old retired folks, they don't give a shlt - sheer size of the state makes that number big, not worth the effort, too big of a culture change;
- Point to the value and the SEC experience, stop trying to be an academic powerhouse;
- I would still heavily utilize the JUCO system too, somehow. Incentivize it, which keeps lesser students out of the first two years, when they normally fail.

Slow and steady wins the race. Just have to grow by slow attrition, slow loyalty attained. There really is just no unique place that screams "focus here" like some others have done. Alabama and Clemson chose NY/NJ, I have no idea why. I can't think of a place like that we should go where there is a true connection.

It would also help for Jackson and Tupelo to see some explosive growth, but we know that ain't happening, we've discussed ad nauseum.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Even though they help in recruiting, it’s not the Alumni; go to the Students.

Don’t worry about Jackson and Tupelo. Pay attention to what’s more viable now.

Articulation agreements have long been utilized by MSU & many other institutions. Here are some examples:

Welcome | Two Plus Two

www.twoplustwo.msstate.edu

 

[Perd Hapley]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

Yeah, I would’ve guessed Louisiana to be double just given how many State people I’ve met from the coast. I imagine the NC/SC is mostly Charlotte metro

 

[L4Dawg]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

Tennessee makes plenty of sense. It’s an easy drive to Memphis. It’s also an easy drive from Middle Tennessee.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

We are seeing an increase in number of students from Baton Rouge and the Northshore (Mandeville/Covington), as well as Chatanooga area

 

[ZombieKissinger]

We are seeing an increase in number of students from Baton Rouge and the Northshore (Mandeville/Covington), as well as Chatanooga area

Any ideas on what’s driving an increase from Baton Rouge? I agree with OG that LA has always felt like LSU lockdown, especially since it’s easy to get into as opposed to UGA

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Any ideas on what’s driving an increase from Baton Rouge? I agree with OG that LA has always felt like LSU lockdown, especially since it’s easy to get into as opposed to UGA

I think primarily kids/families who want to get out of BR for something new and/or don’t want to be in BR/LSU culture. Primarily kids seeking STEM field majors

 

[MStateDawg]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

Tennessee & Alabama have notably larger populations than than either Arkansas or Louisiana. I bet if you saw these numbers as a percentage of population, it be a lot closer than these absolute numbers.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Tennessee & Alabama have notably larger populations than than either Arkansas or Louisiana. I bet if you saw these numbers as a percentage of population, it be a lot closer than these absolute numbers.

Partially incorrect. Alabama only has about 400,000 more people than Louisiana. Tennessee is of course larger than both, but the largest metros there are pretty far away from Starkville. Just as far if not farther than New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

Alabama and Tennessee are growing. Arkansas is but slower and all the growth is in NW corner. Louisiana is stagnant and like I said, not worth the investment.

We also get a lot of students from small towns in TN and AL. It’s common sense. They are also closer.

 

[patdog]

Is it me, or is it crazy how low the numbers are in LA and AR, for neighboring states. Alabama and Tennessee each have double the amount of alumni as LA and AR do combined. I somewhat get it for Alabama, due to proximity to Starkville. But TN makes very little sense. Seems like low hanging fruit. LSU and Arkansas can’t get all those good students.

it makes sense. TN is a much bigger state than both combined & Memphis & Nashville are closer to Starkville than Little Rock or New Orleans/Baton Rouge

 

[Perd Hapley]

Alabama and Tennessee are growing. Arkansas is but slower and all the growth is in NW corner. Louisiana is stagnant and like I said, not worth the investment.

We also get a lot of students from small towns in TN and AL. It’s common sense. They are also closer.

I’m not saying the numbers should match exactly.

Just surprised that LA isn’t more like 6-7k, and Arkansas more like 3-4k.

 

[Perd Hapley]

it makes sense. TN is a much bigger state than both combined & Memphis & Nashville are closer to Starkville than Little Rock or New Orleans/Baton Rouge

I think Nashville and New Orleans are roughly equidistant from Starkville. Same for Baton Rouge. Memphis obviously close-ish, but it’s closer to OM.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I’m not saying the numbers should match exactly.

Just surprised that LA isn’t more like 6-7k, and Arkansas more like 3-4k.

You ever spent time in either? They are staunchly loyal instate. Like I said, if they want to come here, they’ll pay OOS tuition.

I wish Mississippians were the same way. Ole Miss is, to an extent, but we are not. And Ole Miss realized they didn’t have the numbers so they went out of state. We need to do the same, in our own way, until Jackson and Tupelo get where they need to be.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

And for God’s sake, keep the banner M State. It’s known all over the country.

 

[mcdawg22]

The other thread got me thinking so I looked at the site. This is as of July 2026.
View attachment 1373040

You all know I'm always talking about plans. Student recruiting should mirror this map, and so should waiving OOS tuition. I would:

- Focus on Dallas and Atlanta (we have direct flights there) and get some good crooters there. I would love to add Houston but just hard to think that will really happen with no direct flight and direct access to aTm. Specifically Denton/Frisco/Prosper/McKinney and Newnan/Peachtree City.....about a 2-1 effort in Dallas vs. Atlanta;
- Focus on Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, Memphis and Nashville because they are drivable, and all points in between, again, get some good crooters here;
- Wave OOS tuition for TX, TN, AL, GA;
- I would not waive it for AR, LA, and FL. Those AR guys who come for Ag already have money and are fine paying OOS. We don't need anything from LA, student or football wise. I know a lot of Mississippians like to claim a lot of Louisiana culture but it's laughable. They seem to have an LSU forcefield that you just can't penetrate. If they want to come for petroleum engineering they'll pay OOS. They come over here and buy up all our land anyway, so maybe we'll get some of their kids to go to State. And FL, I'm betting most of our alumni down there are old retired folks, they don't give a shlt - sheer size of the state makes that number big, not worth the effort, too big of a culture change;
- Point to the value and the SEC experience, stop trying to be an academic powerhouse;
- I would still heavily utilize the JUCO system too, somehow. Incentivize it, which keeps lesser students out of the first two years, when they normally fail.

Slow and steady wins the race. Just have to grow by slow attrition, slow loyalty attained. There really is just no unique place that screams "focus here" like some others have done. Alabama and Clemson chose NY/NJ, I have no idea why. I can't think of a place like that we should go where there is a true connection.

It would also help for Jackson and Tupelo to see some explosive growth, but we know that ain't happening, we've discussed ad nauseum.

You are wrong on Florida. The panhandle has a decent group of alumni that are 30s-50s. I know of a quite a few kids from Gulf Breeze that went to State and families became state fans. Outside the panhandle you are probably correct.

 

[Perd Hapley]

You ever spent time in either? They are staunchly loyal instate. Like I said, if they want to come here, they’ll pay OOS tuition.

I wish Mississippians were the same way. Ole Miss is, to an extent, but we are not. And Ole Miss realized they didn’t have the numbers so they went out of state. We need to do the same, in our own way, until Jackson and Tupelo get where they need to be.

If you were to do the same numbers for Ole Miss in both states, what would the results be? I’d bet both are higher.

What we need to do is recruit students where the people are. Unfortunately, that largely means going out of state more than we are now….and those 2 states seem to have some folks nearby. GA and TX are important as well, obviously.

 

[FactCheckerBot]

Fact:

With the influx of people coming into Tennessee, it would be easier pickings of getting families with money and no loyalties to SEC schools. Their preferred schools are out west or up north and are not possibilities for their offspring. They usually have the money to spend a little more, but need to be wowed. MSU can do that. The environment that Starkville has is what these people usually move south for.

 

[Maroon13]

92,000 alumni in state and we can't get 40k season tickets sold. Ridiculous

State has good numbers in TN because of the proximity of Memphis and popularity and growth of Nashville. Sure OM will have bigger numbers than us in Memphis. However we still have a decent number in Memphis.

Arkansas is an extremely insular state. With many small college options. I doubt we get many students from there. Also not many opportunities over there.

Alabama makes sense. The proximity to MSU and Huntsville.

Tupelo is growing.... they have a Target now.*

 

[MississippiTexan]

The other thread got me thinking so I looked at the site. This is as of July 2026.
View attachment 1373040

You all know I'm always talking about plans. Student recruiting should mirror this map, and so should waiving OOS tuition. I would:

- Focus on Dallas and Atlanta (we have direct flights there) and get some good crooters there. I would love to add Houston but just hard to think that will really happen with no direct flight and direct access to aTm. Specifically Denton/Frisco/Prosper/McKinney and Newnan/Peachtree City.....about a 2-1 effort in Dallas vs. Atlanta;
- Focus on Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, Memphis and Nashville because they are drivable, and all points in between, again, get some good crooters here;
- Wave OOS tuition for TX, TN, AL, GA;
- I would not waive it for AR, LA, and FL. Those AR guys who come for Ag already have money and are fine paying OOS. We don't need anything from LA, student or football wise. I know a lot of Mississippians like to claim a lot of Louisiana culture but it's laughable. They seem to have an LSU forcefield that you just can't penetrate. If they want to come for petroleum engineering they'll pay OOS. They come over here and buy up all our land anyway, so maybe we'll get some of their kids to go to State. And FL, I'm betting most of our alumni down there are old retired folks, they don't give a shlt - sheer size of the state makes that number big, not worth the effort, too big of a culture change;
- Point to the value and the SEC experience, stop trying to be an academic powerhouse;
- I would still heavily utilize the JUCO system too, somehow. Incentivize it, which keeps lesser students out of the first two years, when they normally fail.

Slow and steady wins the race. Just have to grow by slow attrition, slow loyalty attained. There really is just no unique place that screams "focus here" like some others have done. Alabama and Clemson chose NY/NJ, I have no idea why. I can't think of a place like that we should go where there is a true connection.

It would also help for Jackson and Tupelo to see some explosive growth, but we know that ain't happening, we've discussed ad nauseum.

You off about Dallas over Houston. Houston is full of engineers and we should be pimping our engineering school, especially the chemical engineering, all over Houston. I'm not sure where you get the no direct flights from Houston to Jackson thing. I can fly Southwest direct from Hobby or United direct from IAH. Hell, Natchez just started a direct flight to Houston from their little airport. Also the direct access to ATM is also off. It's not easy to get in there and it's expensive. If we waived out of state tuition for Texas it'd be cheaper to go to State than ATM or Texas.

The numbers are low from LA and AR because no one there is paying $40k for out of state tuition at State when they can go to any number of schools in their state for way cheaper. It's not hard to get into UA and they have a ton of smaller schools there for way less. Same for LA. It's different for TX because ATM and UT aren't easy to get into, they aren't really cheap, and for a lot of people in the state the smaller schools you might be interested in our still 8 hours away even in state.

If we really want to increase enrollment, then I'd say waive out of state for all in-conference states. That covers all border states plus the big alumni/big city and job states like TX, FL, GA, and TN. THen you add KY, MO, OK, and SC for the kids most likely to want to the SEC experience and go out of state.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

You off about Dallas over Houston. Houston is full of engineers and we should be pimping our engineering school, especially the chemical engineering, all over Houston. I'm not sure where you get the no direct flights from Houston to Jackson thing. I can fly Southwest direct from Hobby or United direct from IAH. Hell, Natchez just started a direct flight to Houston from their little airport. Also the direct access to ATM is also off. It's not easy to get in there and it's expensive. If we waived out of state tuition for Texas it'd be cheaper to go to State than ATM or Texas.

The numbers are low from LA and AR because no one there is paying $40k for out of state tuition at State when they can go to any number of schools in their state for way cheaper. It's not hard to get into UA and they have a ton of smaller schools there for way less. Same for LA. It's different for TX because ATM and UT aren't easy to get into, they aren't really cheap, and for a lot of people in the state the smaller schools you might be interested in our still 8 hours away even in state.

If we really want to increase enrollment, then I'd say waive out of state for all in-conference states. That covers all border states plus the big alumni/big city and job states like TX, FL, GA, and TN. THen you add KY, MO, OK, and SC for the kids most likely to want to the SEC experience and go out of state.

I’d love Houston over Dallas. But you said a direct flight from Houston to JAN…..JAN is still 2 hours from State. That doesn’t work for students, at least in an effective way. But I wholeheartedly agree - I wish GTRs west link was to Houston area if I had to choose, preferably IAH. Without that, I don’t see us competing here. A number of options play better than us there.

LA, AR and FL…..juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.

I do think we should completely waive OOS tuition for ALL legacy students.

 

[patdog]

You off about Dallas over Houston. Houston is full of engineers and we should be pimping our engineering school, especially the chemical engineering, all over Houston. I'm not sure where you get the no direct flights from Houston to Jackson thing. I can fly Southwest direct from Hobby or United direct from IAH. Hell, Natchez just started a direct flight to Houston from their little airport. Also the direct access to ATM is also off. It's not easy to get in there and it's expensive. If we waived out of state tuition for Texas it'd be cheaper to go to State than ATM or Texas.

The numbers are low from LA and AR because no one there is paying $40k for out of state tuition at State when they can go to any number of schools in their state for way cheaper. It's not hard to get into UA and they have a ton of smaller schools there for way less. Same for LA. It's different for TX because ATM and UT aren't easy to get into, they aren't really cheap, and for a lot of people in the state the smaller schools you might be interested in our still 8 hours away even in state.

If we really want to increase enrollment, then I'd say waive out of state for all in-conference states. That covers all border states plus the big alumni/big city and job states like TX, FL, GA, and TN. THen you add KY, MO, OK, and SC for the kids most likely to want to the SEC experience and go out of state.

Also re LA & AR, most of the population in both states is about as far from Starkville as it could be. The parts of AR that border MS & the parts of LA that border MS along the Mississippi River are very sparsely populated.

 

[leeinator]

Tennessee makes plenty of sense. It’s an easy drive to Memphis. It’s also an easy drive from Middle Tennessee.

There are a ton of our students from Memphis. Seems like I run into at least one or two daily.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Fact:

With the influx of people coming into Tennessee, it would be easier pickings of getting families with money and no loyalties to SEC schools. Their preferred schools are out west or up north and are not possibilities for their offspring. They usually have the money to spend a little more, but need to be wowed. MSU can do that. The environment that Starkville has is what these people usually move south for.

92,000 alumni in state and we can't get 40k season tickets sold. Ridiculous

State has good numbers in TN because of the proximity of Memphis and popularity and growth of Nashville. Sure OM will have bigger numbers than us in Memphis. However we still have a decent number in Memphis.

Arkansas is an extremely insular state. With many small college options. I doubt we get many students from there. Also not many opportunities over there.

Alabama makes sense. The proximity to MSU and Huntsville.

Tupelo is growing.... they have a Target now.*

So maybe Nashville is that focus 'unique' market we're looking for. You don't have to drive through another public SEC university to get there, and all their growth is south towards us. Maybe we can get a few to graduate and stay and get the population of NE MS headed in the right direction, and Tupelo get a little Greenville, SC type action. Truth be known it's probably the most scenic area of the state (not a high bar).

Atlanta, Houston and Dallas have aspects of this too, and are just big to not have a presence. I know Atlanta is drivable, but I hate that you have to drive through Tuscaloosa to get to Starkville, that just really sucks to me and honestly that a downside of Birmingham/Chattanooga too.

Be nice if MSU was in Tupelo and could combine the economic engine and logistics of both. But I know, toothpaste and tube but we didn't do ourselves any favors at all with location. And Tupelo's growth will likely be halted anyway when folks start bailing on it because muhskools aren't as lilly white as they want them, thus abandoning a chance to make a great city. There are other options for school than public. Already seeing it, which is why the northern counties are growing while Lee County stagnates.

Anyways, the problem is that there just isn't anyone thinking about these things so none of this will ever happen. Just like football, we just spread thin and never make headway, just survive.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

You are wrong on Florida. The panhandle has a decent group of alumni that are 30s-50s. I know of a quite a few kids from Gulf Breeze that went to State and families became state fans. Outside the panhandle you are probably correct.

I get that you’re local and all, but the population just isn’t high enough to really make it a priority.

 

[TheDawg-Pound]

So maybe Nashville is that focus 'unique' market we're looking for. You don't have to drive through another public SEC university to get there, and all their growth is south towards us. Maybe we can get a few to graduate and stay and get the population of NE MS headed in the right direction, and Tupelo get a little Greenville, SC type action. Truth be known it's probably the most scenic area of the state (not a high bar).

Atlanta, Houston and Dallas have aspects of this too, and are just big to not have a presence. I know Atlanta is drivable, but I hate that you have to drive through Tuscaloosa to get to Starkville, that just really sucks to me and honestly that a downside of Birmingham/Chattanooga too.

Be nice if MSU was in Tupelo and could combine the economic engine and logistics of both. But I know, toothpaste and tube but we didn't do ourselves any favors at all with location. And Tupelo's growth will likely be halted anyway when folks start bailing on it because muhskools aren't as lilly white as they want them, thus abandoning a chance to make a great city. There are other options for school than public. Already seeing it, which is why the northern counties are growing while Lee County stagnates.

Anyways, the problem is that there just isn't anyone thinking about these things so none of this will ever happen. Just like football, we just spread thin and never make headway, just survive.

I would have said Meridian. You'd have got the Mobile group and SE Louisiana/MS coast/ west Alabama. Tupelo would have been good if not so close to Oxford but everything else would be right other than further for Jackson

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I would have said Meridian. You'd have got the Mobile group and SE Louisiana/MS coast/ west Alabama. Tupelo would have been good if not so close to Oxford but everything else would be right other than further for Jackson

Been debated forever, many better options, will just make you mad thinking about it. Especially when Starkville was likely about the worst option available.

Anyways, the reason I mention Tupelo is because it's between here and Nashville.

 

[TheDawg-Pound]

Been debated forever, many better options, will just make you mad thinking about it. Especially when Starkville was likely about the worst option available.

Anyways, the reason I mention Tupelo is because it's between here and Nashville.

It wouldn't have been so bad if Columbus had taken off and they'd have made more of hwy 45 considering it goes from Jackson tn to tupelo to meridian.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

It wouldn't have been so bad if Columbus had taken off and they'd have made more of hwy 45 considering it goes from Jackson tn to tupelo to meridian.

I’ve always thought that in an ideal world the capital and MSU should have been in Vicksburg. But when they chose Jackson, MSU should have went there too. After that, yes either Tupelo or Meridian, however those two are with the benefit of hindsight and k knowing where interstates would be.

And maybe not right in town, but on the periphery. Like Flora.