Sometimes long-term optimism is all a coach has.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-4) have lost their last four games by a combined score of 134 to 34. They have turned the ball over 14 times in those contests and rank 116th out of 117 Division 1-A teams in scoring offense, scoring a mere 12 points a game.
The Dawgs have lost to a 1-AA opponent for the first time in school history and they are returning from a trip to Nashville where the historic runt of the Southeastern Conference blew them out.
But through the losses and tears, through the heartache and misery, head coach Sylvester Croom remains steady in his plight to build a foundation for the future of Mississippi State football.
“This is a part of building a solid foundation,” Croom said. “If you don’t have the foundation solid, if you don’t do the right things, if you don’t build a program the right way, it’s going to crumble at some point. At some point you’re going to have to pay the price-we’re paying the price now.”
The price just gets more expensive this week when the Bulldogs square off with the Alabama-Birmingham (3-1) Blazers for the first of a five game series that ends in 2011.
A few years ago this would have been an easy Homecoming victory for Mississippi State, but it’s now a battle in which State is a 10-point underdog to a team that joined 1-A football nine years ago.
The UAB football program is 20-20 in its last 40 games, including a 13-10 win at LSU in 2000. Whereas Mississippi State’s football program has plunged into a sea of unfathomable despair and anguish, going 9-31 in their past 40 games.
MSU update:
Redshirt freshman Devrick Hampton quit the team this week. Hampton, originally a defensive lineman, had been moved to the offensive line to help the unit’s depth problem.
“This was the second time that he walked out of a practice. He came to my office, I asked him why (he walked out). He said he wanted to go back to defense,” Croom said. “I said, ‘you can go to defense tomorrow, but you are still going to be suspended indefinitely, you’re not going to play this week, you won’t have tickets because this is the second time I’ve told you that if you ever walked off again, I would immediately cut you. If you are at practice tomorrow, I will understand that you want to be on the team. If you are not, I will assume that you don’t want to be,'” Croom said.
“He wasn’t here, so he won’t be here anymore,” Croom said.
Despite the loss of Hampton, Croom said the offensive line is improving.
“I think they are really starting to make some strides forward and more importantly play up to their ability,” Croom said. “Our two tackles have done that all year.”
The tackles he is speaking of are left tackle Richard Burch and right tackle David Stewart. The two have been consistent since the start of fall camp, but the Bulldogs’ starting guards are the real problem.
Left guard Johnny Wadley has suffered from ankle injuries all season and might not start this weekend. His replacement, another wounded linemen, Brian Anderson suffered an ankle sprain during the Vandy game, but Croom expects him to play.
State’s right guard Will Rogers has been in a red cross jersey for the last few days of practice because the Bulldogs cannot afford any more impediments on the offensive line.
Backup lineman Otis Riddley tore his ACL earlier this season, and now Anderson’s injury has compounded an already large problem. But Croom remains optimistic of his is battered line.
“It’s much better as far as our blocking,” Croom said about line’s performance from the first week of the season to now. “We ran the ball better and our protection was a lot better the other night (versus Vanderbilt). You can see our confidence growing in understanding what we are doing and not just the assignment, but the concept.”
Mississippi State is playing flip-flop with its two punters. For the last three seasons and the first two games of this season Jared Cook has been the Bulldogs’ primary punter. But Brooks Crabtree got a share of the punting duties during the Maine game and he has started in the last two games against LSU and Vanderbilt.
In his three punts against Vandy, Crabtree averaged a dismal 34 yards a punt, including punts of 28 and 29 yards.
Cook had been pulled due to low-ball flight and poor net punting, but the senior does have good range.
Cook entered the Vandy game and booted two punts, one for 37 and the other for 47.
After practice Monday Croom said he might even alternate punters based on field position.
“I’ve been places where we have done that before,” Croom said. “We used one up around midfield and used one for long range. Both have their strengths and both have weaknesses.”
UAB offense vs. MSU defense
The Blazers like to run the football right at opposing defenses. Mississippi State has had problems stopping the run and have had trouble running against the opposition. The Bulldogs have been out-rushed 885 yards to 383 yards in their four losses this year.
“They’ll run the ‘Power O’ pretty much out off anything,” said defensive end Ronald Fields said. “(It’s) their bread and butter play.”
Junior linebacker Kenny Kern explained the Blazers’ ‘Power O.’
“They put a couple of tight end’s up there and try to run it right at you,” Kern said. “They got some big offensive linemen and they’re going to try to use their size and run it down our throat.”
In their three victories this year the Blazers have out rushed the opponent, including a 343 yard rushing performance in their 56-14 thrashing of Baylor. Despite that success, the Blazers haven’t had a 100-yard rusher all year.
UAB running backs Dan Burks and Corey White work together to form the Blazers’ impeccable running game. Both are sophomores, but White is 20 pounds heavier and an inch taller than Burks.
Blazer quarterback Darrell Hackney was named to the preseason watch list for the 2004 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, given to the nation’s top college quarterback.
“He’s like a giant oak tree and has a great arm,” Croom said about the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Hackney. “And the thing that is impressive about him is he doesn’t make bad decisions. When it’s not there he simply throws the football away, but he can make every throw-the touch throws, the long throws, the intermediate throws and with great velocity and zip on the ball.”
Hackney had his best game of the year when he threw for 398 yards and was 21 of 31 in the Blazers’ 35-28 win over Memphis two weeks ago. In their other three games Hackney has thrown under 180 yards in each contest. In the Blazers’ 30-27 win over Cincinnati, Hackney only passed for 107 yards and completed only 40 percent of his passes (12 of 30).
If the Bulldogs can stop UAB’s dual running threat and force the Blazers to throw, they may have chance to hold the UAB offense to a minimal amount of points. Florida State held UAB to a net -24 rushing yards in their 34-7 victory over the Blazers.
UAB defense vs. MSU offense
The Blazer secondary might be the most vulnerable part of the defense. They have allowed two teams (Memphis and Cincinnati) to pass for 300 or more yards. But the secondary does force turnovers. UAB has snatched nine interceptions in their four games this year.
“Their scheme is very similar to Auburn’s–the same kind of fronts,” Croom said. “They do a few different things, a few more pressures. The thing that is impressive about them is they run to the football. They are a very well coached defense.”
UAB senior linebacker Zac Woodfin has been named to three preseason watch lists. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior has moved to the top of the UAB all-time tackles chart.
MSU running back Jerious Norwood will most likely get introduced to Woodfin early in the game. Woodfin averages almost nine tackles a game and leads the team in assists with 12 on the season.
The MSU offense has to be able to throw the ball on the Blazers because running will be difficult against this very quick front seven.
The Bulldogs have major issues with their wide receivers and quarterback Kyle York’s arm is still not 100 percent. So, the Bulldogs’ passing game is very weak, but they have to make it work to win this Saturday.
Injury report:
True freshman quarterback Mike Henig, who went one of four and threw an interception Saturday night, suffered a bruised shoulder when he was sacked on his second series in the game. Henig has been practicing and is cleared to play versus UAB. Croom said that he will play.
Fullback Darnell Jones suffered a separated shoulder in the Vandy game. The 5-foot-11, 240-pound back should be OK to play this weekend.
Defensive lineman Willie Evans, who led the team with eight tackles against Vandy, also suffered a sore shoulder, but is cleared this week.
Backup tight end Ty Freeman sprained his ankle during the loss to Vandy, but Freeman has been practicing and is cleared to play.