Video: MSU Offers Students A Lesson In Football 101

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STARKVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) –  It’s one of the most popular sports and now Mississippi State Students are getting an opportunity to dig deeper into the game of football. Just one of hundreds of freshman level courses, designed to welcome new students to the college while earning a one hour credit, Football 101 has come to campus and students are filling up the class.

First down. Touchdown. What’s the difference? You can learn that, plus formations, wide receiver routes, and defensive coverages in Football 101 at Mississippi State University.

The class is offered to freshmen. And in addition to learning game of football, it is also helps new students feel welcome.

” The research shows that if students have a good experience their first semester at a university, their more likely to stay, ” said Dr. Garner, a financial professor who teaches the class.

Students learn the basics of the game…and even the more intense techniques.

“For example, if we’re doing offense, we only focus on the quarterback and the running back and we go, ‘ okay so is the quarterback in the center, in the gun, in the pistol’ and we learn about that, ” Dr. Garner said.

Some came into the class with a strong football background but others came in eager to learn from the ground up.

” When I came in, I knew that there was offense and defense and I knew that when you score a touchdown, you get this many points but I actually didn’t know each position and what their job is, ” said Monique Boyd, a student in the class.

Even for the students who are more seasoned in the sport, there is always something to learn.

” I think Dr Garner has really prepared us and really just stepped in that role of teaching us new things about football,” said Ronald Patton, a student in the class.

Dr. Garner says there is some stigma attached to being a female finance professor teaching a football course…But her students have taken it well.

” And when I came into the class, I was surprised to see Dr. Garner cause I had like an expectation but she’s amazing, she knows a lot about football, I mean that’s an understatement,” Boyd said.

Beyond learning about football, Garner hopes the students learn a deeper lesson.

” But I also hope that you take away from me teaching this class, is that you never judge a book by its cover, ever, because you never know, ” Dr. Garner said.’

There are 21 students enrolled in Football 101 this semester. They gather outside of class to watch games and analyze plays.