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Randall Mackey is counting the days until Monday when he reports to Ole Miss.
The former Bastrop High Parade All-American originally signed with the Rebels out of high school in February of 2008.
After spending two years at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Miss. getting his academics in order — and leading the Lions to unprecedented success on the gridiorn — Mackey is ready to take on the challenge of competing in the SEC.
While his size (he’s listed at 6-0, 185, which may be a bit generous) is a concern, Mackey is a proven winner on the field. At Bastrop, he was 35-0 as a starter and three-time MVP of the state championship game. Moving on to EMCC, he was the two-time Region 23 Offensive MVP while helping the Lions to a two-year mark of 19-3, including the school’s first-ever state title last season.
Since graduating from EMCC with an associate’s liberal arts degree, Mackey has been in Bastrop visiting his mother, Carla Ragas, working out and watching Bastrop High’s spring football practices.
Earlier this week, he sat down to talk football.
FIRST QUARTER
BDE: Are you glad you went the juco route?
Mackey: It worked out pretty good. I thought about playing just one year and redshirting last year, but I’m glad I didn’t now.
BDE: What improvements did you make during your time in Scooba?
Mackey: I became a better passer. I learned how to sit in the pocket and read the whole field instead of picking out one receiver and taking off running.
BDE: What accomplishment are you proudest of during your time at East Mississippi?
Mackey: Winning the state championship meant a lot, especially since it was the first one for the school. I didn’t like the way we lost in the first round of the playoffs my freshman year. That’s really what drove me to go back and play last year.
SECOND QUARTER
BDE: Tell us about the state championship game (EMCC outscored Mississippi Gulf Coast 75-71).
Mackey: That was the craziest game I’ve ever been in — the craziest!
We were up 14-0 in the first quarter and I don’t know what happened after that.
There were a couple of mistakes on defense — ours and theirs. It was just an offensive day.
It was like, they’re going to keep scoring so we’re going to have to keep scoring.
Randall Mackey is counting the days until Monday when he reports to Ole Miss.
The former Bastrop High Parade All-American originally signed with the Rebels out of high school in February of 2008.
After spending two years at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Miss. getting his academics in order — and leading the Lions to unprecedented success on the gridiorn — Mackey is ready to take on the challenge of competing in the SEC.
While his size (he’s listed at 6-0, 185, which may be a bit generous) is a concern, Mackey is a proven winner on the field. At Bastrop, he was 35-0 as a starter and three-time MVP of the state championship game. Moving on to EMCC, he was the two-time Region 23 Offensive MVP while helping the Lions to a two-year mark of 19-3, including the school’s first-ever state title last season.
Since graduating from EMCC with an associate’s liberal arts degree, Mackey has been in Bastrop visiting his mother, Carla Ragas, working out and watching Bastrop High’s spring football practices.
Earlier this week, he sat down to talk football.
FIRST QUARTER
BDE: Are you glad you went the juco route?
Mackey: It worked out pretty good. I thought about playing just one year and redshirting last year, but I’m glad I didn’t now.
BDE: What improvements did you make during your time in Scooba?
Mackey: I became a better passer. I learned how to sit in the pocket and read the whole field instead of picking out one receiver and taking off running.
BDE: What accomplishment are you proudest of during your time at East Mississippi?
Mackey: Winning the state championship meant a lot, especially since it was the first one for the school. I didn’t like the way we lost in the first round of the playoffs my freshman year. That’s really what drove me to go back and play last year.
SECOND QUARTER
BDE: Tell us about the state championship game (EMCC outscored Mississippi Gulf Coast 75-71).
Mackey: That was the craziest game I’ve ever been in — the craziest!
We were up 14-0 in the first quarter and I don’t know what happened after that.
There were a couple of mistakes on defense — ours and theirs. It was just an offensive day.
It was like, they’re going to keep scoring so we’re going to have to keep scoring.
They went up 14 in the third quarter, so it was looking a little rough.
With about five or six minutes left, they were up and had the ball. We made a stop and I threw a touchdown pass to Lance Lewis.
They got the ball back and our safety, Anthony Hines, got a pick. I was real happy when he got that pick.
BDE: Did other schools try to recruit you after last season?
Mackey: If they did, they went through coach (Buddy) Stephens. I really didn’t care because I was just trying to get to Ole Miss. I wasn’t worried about any other colleges.
BDE: Why did you decide to stick with Ole Miss?
Mackey: The same reason they decided to stick with me those two years. Ole Miss stuck by me.
BDE: What have the Ole Miss coaches been telling you as far as your chances of getting on the field this season?
Mackey: They’ve basically been saying, ‘We just need to get you here. Some way we’re going to get the ball in your hands.’
THIRD QUARTER
BDE: Have any of the Ole Miss coaches mentioned a possible position change?
Mackey: Not really, but they have talked about using me in the Wild Rebel.
BDE: Do you get tired of hearing you’re too small to play in the SEC?
Mackey: That just goes in one ear and out the other.
Like they say in Mississippi, our juco league is the baby SEC. There were some players who had played in the SEC in juco and I won back-to-back MVPs, so I did all right against them.
Even when I was in high school, people said I was too small. All I can say is I’ve been part of four championship teams over the last five years and I’m trying to win some more.
BDE: What are your plans for the summer?
Mackey: I report to Ole Miss Monday and start summer school next week. I’m going to get back in shape, try to learn the offense for the next two months and get ready for August. I’m sure I’ll spend a lot of time watching film.
BDE: Are you taking your academics more seriously now?
Mackey: I was a nut in high school and just didn’t want to do the school work. I realize now how important school work is. It really isn’t that hard; you just have to sit down and do the work.
All those people who said, ‘He’s not going to pass,’ I just smile at them now. Now everybody wants a ticket to the Ole Miss games.
FOURTH QUARTER
BDE: Do you still keep in touch with the guys who came up here from Port Sulphur — Jeremy (Sylve), Jamal (Recasner), Jody (Ancar) and James (Brown)?
Mackey: They’re all back in Port Sulphur. I just talked to J.J. (Brown) the other day.
BDE: What are the people in Port Sulphur saying about the oil spill?
Mackey: Everybody I’ve talked to says the smell is real bad. I haven’t been down there to check it out.
Plaquemines Parish was just starting to recover from Katrina and now the oil spill. It’s like things are never going to get right down there.
BDE: You made some Bastrop High games last year and made a lot of the spring practices. What is your take on the Rams?
Mackey: They have it easy. Coach Bradshaw has lightened up on them a little bit.
When I was there, I remember practicing one day and it was sleeting and raining. He told us if anybody put their hands in their pockets, we were going to have to go back inside and change into our shorts and T-shirts. Nobody put their hands in their pockets.
It was soooo cold that day. It was fun, though.
We just wanted to win more. I hated losing. I still hate losing to this day. I still hate to see Bastrop lose.
It makes me mad when I hear people say, ‘Bastrop’s not this’ and ‘Bastrop’s not that anymore.’
If they would get their mind right, there would still be nobody that could mess with Bastrop.
BDE: Are you starting to get excited about reporting to Ole Miss?
Mackey: I’m really excited about that.
I’m just ready to put that Ole Miss uniform on. Wearing that red and navy is going to be just like being back on the field at Bastrop High. It’s the same uniform. It’s just going to say Rebels instead of Rams. But it’s going to be the same attitude.
