the nominees are …

The three finalists for the Ferriss Trophy — the state’s big individual prize for senior college players — weren’t a total surprise. Southern Miss’ B.A. Vollmuth and Tyler Koelling and Mississippi State’s Jarrod Parks are having great seasons. But all three are position players. Seems a little odd that in this season of the toned-down bats that no pitchers made the final three. There were certainly some worthy candidates out there. Surprising, too, that Ole Miss didn’t have a finalist. Alex Yarbrough is having a pretty good year. The bigger surprise is that Millsaps’ Will Hawkins, who had a monster season, didn’t get any votes from the scouts, coaches and media representative who do the nominating. The winner will be named next Monday in a ceremony at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.