Late Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach coached many outstanding football players over the years. During his final coaching stop at MSU, he coached cornerback Emmanuel Forbes.
While Leach was known for his offensive wizardry, he saw something special in the slight cornerback from Grenada, Mississippi.
Coming out of Grenada High School in 2020, the four-star cornerback was almost an immediate starter, playing every game for the Bulldogs and starting nine games. Forbes would finish his Mississippi State career playing in 36 games with 34 starts.
Forbes ended his three-year stint in Starkville by picking off 14 passes, including six of which he returned for touchdowns — an FBS record.
Despite all of his individual success, Forbes didn’t always receive the accolades he deserved. He wasn’t an All-American until 2022.
In 2022, a season in which Forbes was a consensus All-American, first-team All-SEC and had six interceptions and three pick-sixes, Forbes didn’t win the C Spire Conerly Trophy.
The Conerly Trophy is given annually to the top college football player in Mississippi. Past winners include Eli Manning, Patrick Willis, Dak Prescott, A.J. Brown and Jeffery Simmons. The 2022 award went to Ole Miss running back Quinshon Jenkins, and that didn’t sit well with Leach.
“I have great respect for the other finalists, but they didn’t rewrite the record books like Emmanuel Forbes,” Leach said via Jon Sokoloff of WCBI TV. “He is the ultimate competitor. One of the greatest players I’ve ever coached.”
#MississippiState HC Mike Leach on Conerly Trophy finalist Emmanuel Forbes:
"I have great respect for the other finalists, but they didn't rewrite the record books like Emmanuel Forbes. He is the ultimate competitor. One of the greatest players I've ever coached"
— Jon Sokoloff (@JonSokoloff) November 30, 2022
Forbes would declare for the 2023 NFL draft shortly thereafter, and many believed he’d skip Mississippi State’s bowl game to prepare for the NFL combine. However, on Dec. 11, Leach suffered a heart attack and tragically died one day later.
Forbes and some of his teammates chose to play in the Bulldogs’ bowl game to honor their late coach.
Early indications are Washington head coach Ron Rivera is excited to coach Forbes after he was selected by the Commanders in the first round of last week’s 2023 NFL draft.
