Flashback: 2010 Mississippi Bowl

PERKINSTON — When Mississippi Gulf Coast took the field to play Grand Rapids in the 2010 Mississippi Bowl, Bulldogs run-stuffing specialist John Jenkins knew there was a lot riding on it from both team and individual perspectives.

Gulf Coast was trying to get the bad taste of a bowl game loss the year before out of its mouth, and the Chicago Bears defensive lineman took time out of opening week preparations for the Detroit Lions to reminisce about that and how big the game in Biloxi was for him personally.

"I took that game to heart," he said. "It was my last time putting on that jersey. It was a big deal for us."

The NJCAA will rebroadcast the game on its new online network Friday. It can be watched at 11 a.m. CT at http://njcaa.org/network. Then No. 7 Gulf Coast beat No. 3 Grand Rapids 62-53 in the third Mississippi Bowl on Dec. 5, 2010.

The game featured an astonishing 1,019 yards of offense by the two teams, with Gulf Coast putting up 562 of those.

Gulf Coast was led by quarterback Clayton Moore (2,039 yards passing, 19 TD), running back James Gillum (1,241 yards, 15 TD), and wide receiver Javon Bell (1,205 yards, 15 TD, 31.7 yards per catch). They helped the Bulldogs put together the nation's second-ranked offense on the way to a 9-2 record entering the bowl game.

The Bulldogs took advantage of six Raiders turnovers, including two early ones to jump to a 20-0 first-quarter lead.

Future NFL safety Don Jones helped stifle the potent rushing attack.

"On film, they had this big fullback who gained a bunch of yards," he said. "I told my teammates I was going to go after him. I hit him on the first play, and he didn't play anymore."

Gulf Coast coach Steven Campbell and his staff focused on the Grand Rapids triple option, which had produced 458 yards per game and a 10-1 record. GRCC coach Tony Annese had assembled a formidable program, and he's currently the head coach at Ferris State where he's taken that program to the NCAA Division II national championship game.

"We stoned them on the option, which was probably our worst mistake because they spread it out and started throwing it every snap," Campbell said. "We'd prepared to stop their option, and we had a hard time covering them.

Grand Rapids surged back with a pair of touchdowns, the first two of seven scoring passes by James Stallons. It set off a see-sawing afternoon of point-scoring. Gulf Coast led 35-23 at halftime, and the lead would shrink to three after surrendering a safety and touchdown pass soon after coming out of the locker room to set the stage for a tense second half.

Gillum ran for a touchdown and threw a 42-yard pass to Mo Millam, but Grand Rapids got two quick scores to make it a 49-46 deficit after three quarters.

Jenkins would shift to offense to score a 4-yard touchdown run that capped a 10-play, 80-yard run, but Grand Rapids immediately countered and was driving for a tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown when Gulf Coast's Lamar Johnson picked off a pass to seal the win. A late fumble return on a botched flea-flicker on the game's final play closed out the scoring.

"I just remember it was a high-scoring game between two great teams," Jones said. "We came out the first half really strong. Coach Campbell and them had a good game plan." 

Gulf Coast had more than 30 players on that roster go on to play at four-year schools, and defensive back Tramain Jacobs would join Jenkins and Jones in the NFL.

Georgia had started recruiting Jenkins late in the cycle, and the defensive line coach told him he'd be at the game scouting him. His audition was successful, and he went on to play in Athens before being draft in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by New Orleans. He's also played for Seattle, Miami and the New York Giants, taking lessons learned from his time in Perk he still applies today.

"It helped me to appreciate the game," he said. "The game — regardless of whether it's junior college, D-I or the NFL — the game is the game. The only way you can succeed in this game is if you appreciate it and work hard at it. That's one thing the coaches instilled in me in junior college."

Jones would go on to play at Arkansas State before being drafted by Miami in the seventh round in 2013. He also played for New England, Cleveland, New Orleans and Houston through 2013.

He was only at Gulf Coast for one season, but it was a pivotal one. 

"I had to make the change from offense to defense," Jones said. I had been playing running back, but when I came to Gulf Coast I switched to safety. I wound up going to the NFL, so that transition started there. They had great coaches with (defensive back coach) Stevon Moore and (defensive coordinator) Coach (Steve) Davis, and they taught me a lot in the short amount of time I was there."

Jones now raises cattle and horses on his 46-acre farm near Huntsville, Ala., where he's also a fitness trainer.

Campbell was hired as head coach at South Alabama in 2017, where he's preparing to open the new Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile against Tulane this week. He compiled an 87-22 record at Perk, winning six MACJC South titles, three state championships and the 2007 national championship.

He coached from 2014-17 at Central Arkansas where his teams made two trips to the FCS playoffs and won the 2017 Southland Conference championship.

"At the junior college level, you're the strength coach, you have to oversee academics, you're the position coach, the head coach," he said. "Back then, I had to teach class. You wear a lot of hats. That definitely prepares you for everything you have to do at the next level. I like hiring junior college coaches because they wear a number of hats, and they're used to handling a lot of different situations."

Another player on that roster has come back to Perkinston to help Gulf Coast's athletic department continue its outstanding tradition. Steven Campbell Jr. was a backup offensive lineman on that team. He coached at Central Arkansas and Virginia Tech before returning in 2017 to become Gulf Coast athletic director.

"Playing in junior college, you know what to expect (as an athletic director) more than if you'd never been associated with a junior college," he said. "There's so much stuff that is unique, and I was extremely fortunate to see how it worked as a player. Everything from recruiting to travel, I was able to experience first-hand and take away some of the positives we did and some of the negative things. There's so many little bitty things I have the ability now to continue doing or to change." 

All four of them look back on the 2010 Mississippi Bowl with obvious fondness. The wild shootout in Biloxi certainly created a bunch of memories for them and the more than 3,000 fans in attendance.

"It was fun," Jenkins said. "I do remember us having fun."

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