Teddy Dyess has coached in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star game once before, but doing it a second time is just as big a deal.

Dyess is one several coaches throughout the state leading the members of the Mississippi roster in preparation for Saturday’s game at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. As a Mississippi resident and Philadelphia resident, Dyess said both realities are a big part of what excites him about coaching in the annual contest.

“It’s great,” Dyess said. “It’s a tremendous honor, No. 1 to represent Philadelphia High School and the great state of Mississippi — I think we play some of the best high school football in the nation per capita — and No. 2 to represent our state against our neighboring state.”

After coaching in the game back in 2006, Dyess said he’s still in awe of the level of talent available to him and the other coaches.

“It’s a whole lot of fun,” he said. “The kids are so talent, and they just do things sometimes where you sit back as a coach and go, ‘Wow, those are things you can’t teach.’ They have really great athleticism and instincts.”

Lots of eyes are on Clinton High School running back Cam Akers, who had a big day in his team’s win against Pearl High School to capture the Class 6A crown. The five-star, highly recruited running back is every bit as good as his reputation says, Dyess insisted.

“He’s unbelievable,” Dyess said. “I’ve watched him through four practices, and he’s ranked No. 1 in the state — and rightly so.”

Meridian High School defensive lineman Devonte Lloyd and defensive end Santrell Latham, a Southern Mississippi commit, are members of the Mississippi roster. Kemper County High School lineman Matt Dale was originally selected to play, but Wildcats head coach Chris Jones said Dale withdrew after getting banged up in his team’s championship game against Charleston High School last Saturday.

While Mississippi won the game last year, Dyess said the coaches aren’t satisfied with just one win.

“I’m a competitive person,” Dyess said. “I don’t care if it’s football or a bowling match, I want to win. State pride is huge in this. We won last year, and it’d be nice to win two years in a row and let our neighboring state know we play pretty good football.”