The Mississippi State students are back on campus following their Fall break. The football players are back on campus too, following a three-day break head coach Zach Arnett gave them. After their last game with Western Michigan, they had a bye week and Arnett figured they needed some time off to reset for the second half of the season. They desperately need a reset after the way the first half of the season panned out. The two sides of the ball couldn’t seem to get in sync, except in non-conference play, but even that was spotty defensively. The Bulldogs ended up 3-3, but 0-3 in the SEC. This week, they’re back into their regular weekly game-prep, as the Bulldogs regroup against the Razorbacks of Arkansas.
The Dawgs and Hawgs have one thing in common. They are both winless in the conference. But Arkansas is 0-4. That actually puts them last in the SEC West, a place where Mississippi State is destined, if you believe the preseason hype. That is all the more reason, this game is so important for both teams. Going into this weekend, the Dawgs have a few question marks for which there are no answers, yet.
The Elephant in the Training Room
In the fourth quarter of the Western Michigan game, quarterback Will Rogers went out with a left shoulder injury. At the beginning of the second half, workhorse running back Woody Marks came onto the field wearing a boot, an apparent ankle injury. In the bye week and after, Arnett has been pretty tight-lipped about their status. Also in the bye week, Mississippi State had three practices before the three-day break. In his Monday press conference, Arnett said that he had no update. “We gave them limited reps last week because they have played the vast majority of the snaps and every single guy on the roster is on a day-to-day evaluation,” Arnett said. “Everyone who is cleared to play will play. If they are not, they will not.” As usual, he has a way of stating the obvious.
Besides Rogers and Marks, other key players are spending time in the training room. Defensive end De’Monte Russell, wide receiver Justin Robinson, and placekicker Kyle Ferrie are also on a day-to-day basis. Russell missed the last two games due to a leg injury. Robinson has been a standout receiver in clutch situations. He also missed the last two games. Ferrie’s leg was rolled up against Western Michigan and he was also seen in a boot. His replacement, UCLA transfer Nick Barr-Mira proved up to the task by hitting a 49-yarder in the fourth quarter.
An Offense by Any Other Name
The biggest question for offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, and Arnett, is what happens if their field general Rogers can’t make it? The obvious replacement is Mike Wright. He saw more action against Western Michigan than any other game to date. In that game, Wright saw 32 snaps and ran an entire series for the first time. This could be seen as a foreshadowing since it happened long before Rogers was injured.
But what would a Wright-led offense look like? The difference between the two quarterbacks couldn’t be greater. Rogers is more of a pocket-style passer, and Wright can use his legs. He’s scored a touchdown in the last three games on the ground.
Arnett continued on Monday, saying that if Rogers is out Saturday, they will play to Wright’s strengths as the backup. “There’s things we do with Mike in there at quarterback that are structured more for him,” Arnett said. “When he’s in there, we’re going to play to the strengths of our personnel that’s in there. I think it’s going to look very similar to when he’s in there any other time.”
In a worst-case scenario at running back, assuming Marks is a no-go, the depth at the position is deep. This was seen in the WMU game as well. True freshman Seth Davis, was the leading rusher and scored his first collegiate touchdown. Penn State transfer Keyvone Lee got more action as well. He was second in yardage behind Davis. Then there’s junior college transfer Jeffery Pittman. So far this season, he has racked up 125 yards on the ground and two receiving touchdowns. He should return against Arkansas, having missed the Western Michigan game due to injury.
And Then There’s the Defense
To say the Bulldog defense has struggled this year would be an understatement. In the three games prior to Western Michigan, the secondary allowed 80% in pass completions. Even WMU tallied 77%. There are exceptions in Bookie Watson and Jett Johnson, but two outstanding linebackers do not a complete defense make.
In a Monday Q&A with the media, defensive coordinator Matt Brock addressed how to handle these struggles. “I think in general, adversity happens in football, right?” Brock said, “You flip on a tape, there is bright spots, it’s not all negative, and so you’ve got to make sure that you obviously focus on the negative things and get them fixed, but also build on things that should give us confidence.”
The return of Russell to defensive end would be a big boost for the defense. His brother Donterry Russell has emerged as an effective pass rusher as well as in defending against the run. That will be necessary against Arkansas, since one of its strengths is in the run, especially by its quarterback.
How ‘Bout Them Hawgs?
The Razorbacks have struggles of their own. The offensive line has been ineffective with pass blocking in particular. In seven games they have allowed 21 sacks, 51 hurries, and six quarterback hits. If the Dawgs are to make a difference in this game, it would be with a decent pass rush.
If there is a saving grace for the Hogs, it’s in Mississippi native KJ Jefferson. The 6’3” 247-pound quarterback has an elusiveness on his feet that gave even Alabama fits from time to time. Remembering past games for the Bulldogs, the defense doesn’t do well with running quarterbacks. Brock had this to say to the media after watching the Alabama game. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical,” Brock said. “He throws a good deep ball, obviously he’s an older guy that’s played so he’s been through the battles, and I have great respect for him.”
The Hogs can be effective on the ground, however, and the bulk of their 26 points against the Tide came that way. However, their All-SEC running back Raheim Sanders will not be playing due to the resurgence of a knee injury in the Bama game. He had 101 yards on 22 carries last week. The remaining stable of running backs will get the chance to show what they can do in his absence.
To Say Less Is More
The question marks that are hovering over the Bulldogs could be a blessing and part of the plan. It could be the reasoning behind Arnett’s silence that speaks volumes about his strategy. That could be especially true surrounding the injuries and status of Rogers and Marks. Do the Razorbacks prepare for a running quarterback with Wright or an experienced pocket passer in Rogers?
Whatever the strategy, it will be interesting to see what kind of team State puts on the field in Fayetteville this Saturday. It could just set the tone for the remainder of the season.
