Mississippi Valley State is a football team that has earned a reputation of hard competing but also one that is chronically underfunded.
MVSU is routinely near or at the bottom of athletics budgets. In a report earlier this year, the Delta Devils’ athletic budget in 2021 was just $3.9 million, which was the lowest in FCS.
Being behind the monetary eight ball puts a severe limit on acquiring the resources needed to build and maintain a competitive and successful program.
Last season, Mississippi Valley fielded a roster of just 40 scholarship athletes, falling well below the 63 scholarships FCS threshold.
That trend could be reversing itself, as during Tuesday’s SWAC Media Day, head football coach Kendrick Wade stated the program has risen to 90% of the scholarship allotment, which was a first in program history.
“Since we have been there, we’ve added 61 new players. I took the job January 17, [2023], we have signed 61 players , (with)25 high school kids, 21 transfers and 15 JUCO [players]. We have signed a lot of kids. We have flipped the roster, so it will be a totally new team.”
The Delta Devils added 30 players during National Signing Day alone.
