This Saturday, Jan. 10, at 3:35 p.m. Central Time, when the New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the AFC divisional playoffs, there will be three great reasons for folks from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to watch – Terrence Cody, Tramain Jacobs and Chris White. All three former Bulldog standouts have their eyes on Super Bowl XLIX, but first they’ve got to get past each other. Cody and Jacobs will both be on the visitors side of Gillette Stadium with the Ravens, and across the field Chris White will suit up for the Patriots.
Bert Pickard, MGCCC dean of Athletics, encouraged Gulf Coast fans to watch the game. “We are very proud of these guys. The MGCCC athletic family would like to wish Terrence, Tramain, and Chris the best of luck as their teams face off this weekend. They continue to represent MGCCC very well with their God-given talents and work ethic.”
Cody and White were both part of the defensive squad that helped win a piece of the NJCAA National Championship back in 2007, Cody as a sophomore nose guard and White as a freshman linebacker. That year, Gulf Coast capped off a perfect 12-0 season with a 62-68 win over Kilgore College in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl.
That same year Terrence Cody was named an NJCAA All-American. At 6-4 and 360 pounds he next went to Alabama where he helped win another National Championship, earned All-American twice and also earned the nickname “Mount Cody.” He was taken 57th overall in the second round of the NFL Draft in 2010 by the Baltimore Ravens. Since then he’s put up 87 tackles (45 solo). Three of those tackles came during the Ravens playoff run in 2012-13 when they won Super Bowl XLVII.
Chris White came to New England via Starkville and Buffalo, but before that he played in Perkinston. While he was here he racked up a string of accomplishments, including first-team all-American and first-team all-Region XXIII in 2009. In 2008 White played in the inaugural Mississippi Bowl, where he was selected Mississippi Most Valuable Player. He was also named first-team pre-season all-America by the NJCAA.
Tramain Jacobs, or ‘Otis’ as he’s known down in the MACJC, came later – in 2010-11. Otis was a monster for Gulf Coast, where he posted 34 tackles, 13 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), and amassed 616 yards and another touchdown on 28 punt and kickoff returns. He also made two Mississippi Bowl appearances.
Cody has been inactive for most of the season after surgery during the offseason for a torn labrum, but he’s currently listed on the Active roster. Jacobs has a pulled hamstring and the Ravens have him listed on Injured Reserve. White is healthy, but with the Patriots depth at linebacker look for him mostly to play on their excellent special teams squad.
“No matter which team wins this weekend, these three incredible young men will surely do their teams proud,” said MGCCC head football coach Chad Huff. “They are all outstanding athletes and individuals, and it was a pleasure to have worked with them as students here at Gulf Coast.”
The Ravens took out Pittsburgh 30-17 in the their Wild Card game last week to make it into the AFC divisional round, and in true Ravens fashion they’re already trash-talking the Pats. Oddsmakers have New England with a home field advantage, but Baltimore is always tough in the postseason. The Ravens beat the Patriots 28-13 in the AFC title game two years ago – in Foxboro. But no matter how the score turns out this time, it should be a great game for Bulldogs fans.