“We’ve been making progress. That’s kind of the goal, but it’s not. Progress with no wins is pointless.” That was Mississippi State wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr., speaking at a press conference following practice Tuesday. At least in the team’s mind, it’s not enough just to improve. “I know everyone out there, when we had big games was like we played Georgia, we played the Texas teams close,” Coleman said. “We aren’t trying to play them close. We are trying to win. Us just playing close is not good enough.” Dawg fans would like to believe that, but are painfully aware of Toledo, the underdog by 10.5 points, taking State down by 24 points. The Minutemen from Massachusetts come to Starkville on Saturday, and fans are wondering if the Bulldogs will win against UMass.
After the embarrassment at the hands of Arkansas, 58-25 last week, fans may have lost their belief in the Dawgs. They had a difficult schedule after the Florida loss, playing those Texas teams, and Georgia, all nationally ranked within the top 15. Although they lost those contests, the Bulldogs kept showing improvement with each game. The Hog loss seemed to be a step backward. There is hope that the UMass game will reinstate momentum, regardless of a losing season.
Who Are the Minutemen?
Following such a devastating loss to the Razorbacks, playing UMass at this point in the schedule could be a boost for the Bulldogs. The Minutemen are 2-6 on their season, only winning against Eastern Connecticut State, a Division III school, and Wagner, a Division I FCS team. Since joining the FBS in 2011, Mass has yet to win more than four games in a season. They could be considered as a similar opponent to Eastern Kentucky, with which State started their season. This was State’s only win 56-7.
Head coach Jeff Lebby isn’t taking them for granted. “These guys have played in some close ball games,” Lebby said in his Monday press conference. “They are a group, that when you look at them, when they’ve played good opponents, they’ve played better. They’ve been a group that’s getting coached by a guy who’s had a ton of success as a coordinator, and a guy that’s coached and seen a lot of football. I would expect them to be at their very best on Saturday as they come down here. We are going to need to be at ours.”
UMass-Strength, Bulldog-Deficiency
If the Minutemen have a strength, it’s in their quarterback, Taisun Phommachanh. He has experience playing in larger programs like Clemson and Georgia Tech, and he is the team’s second-leading rusher with 282 yards and three touchdowns. He can pass too, but only 57% of his passes attained 1,541 yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.
State learned first-hand what a mobile, running quarterback can do to a fragile defense like the Bulldogs’. They made Arkansas’ Taylen Green look like a Heisman candidate last week. He ran eight times for 79 yards and a touchdown, while he engineered 673 total yards, 359 on the ground.
,Lebby laid out a defensive game plan when it comes to Phommachanh. “We’ve got to get this guy on the ground when we have opportunities,” Lebby said. “It’s about us making sure when we get ourself aligned, knowing who’s got the QB, who’s got the back, and all of the quarterback run game. From a scramble standpoint, if I am a contain rusher, keep contain. The ball cannot get outside.” That was also the case against Toledo’s Tucker Gleason, however, he ran ten times for 40 yards, mostly on the outside when cornered. Perhaps the Dawgs learned that lesson?
Bulldog Defensive Liability
Mississippi State’s defense has been questionable all season. They are last in every single statistic measurable in the SEC. This was never more evident than last week against Arkansas. The total number of yards given up has already been mentioned, so there’s no reason to belabor that point Sure, there have been injuries in the defense, and many of the key players will likely be out this weekend. Notably, three regular starters were out against Arkansas including two tackles and a defensive end. That DE is the only veteran of a previously good defensive unit for the Bulldogs. De’Monte Russell went to the locker room during the Texas A&M game, but to this date, there is no status. Since this is a non-conference game, an Availability Report is not required. If the injuries are to blame, it only speaks to the lack of depth in those missing positions.
Reportedly, the defense is getting a complete remodel as defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler and his staff look at points of failure, and where to shore them up. Lebby believes it will be a top-down solution. “It all starts with us individually, starting with me and the ten guys that sit around that table,” Lebby said. “Then it bleeds down into the locker room.”
Is It Enough?
A win against UMass would certainly feel good for the Bulldog fans. It might help erase some of the sting associated with a 1-7 record, winning no games out of five in the SEC, or ranking 16th in the conference out of 16 teams.
But, is it enough? There are many words to append to those three words with a win against the Minutemen. Is it enough to create momentum and make a difference for the remainder of the season, or to keep recruiting on track? Is it enough to restore the belief that the Lebby program is the one destined for better years and seasons to come? There are no affirmative or negative answers to those questions, but certainly fodder for debate.
Following the UMass game, State is facing the specter of upcoming games. They will be, traveling to No. 7 Tennessee, Starkville for No. 25 Missouri, and then the coup de gras, Oxford for the Egg Bowl and No., 19 Ole Miss. Bulldog fans might consider UMass as an oasis before continuing into the desert for the remaining season.
