[Bamabeachlivin]

As you might expect from anything that migrated from California to Starkville, Miss., some changes occur once you get there.

That’s what has happened with the “West Coast offense” that the Mississippi State Bulldogs run under Sylvester Croom.

The phrase conjures up images of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice and the wide-open aerial assault that took the National Football League by storm during the glory days of the San Francisco 49ers. In fact, it has even come to be regarded with a hint of disdain among advocates of the old Southeastern Conference style of smash-mouth football. Their tendency has been to regard the West Coast offense as effective but somehow effete.

Perception hasn’t kept up with reality, according to University of Alabama coach Nick Saban.

“I still think [Mississippi State is] more of a West Coast offense, but I think they have run the ball effectively,” Saban said at his Monday press conference.
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