As he watched from the sideline last season, Mississippi State quarterback Michael Henig couldn’t help but think this is not how it’s supposed to go. Instead of leading his team to victory, he stood idly by, recovering from a collarbone broken not once but twice. Henig can recall just about everything from that South Carolina game: the name of the play, how he felt and more importantly, the hit Jasper Brinkley delivered that abruptly ended his season.
“It’s not very good memory,” Henig said. “I still think about it at night, what could have been had I been able to play the whole season, and that’s why I’m looking forward to this year.”
Saturday, Henig took his first step toward a new season as he and the MSU football squad participated in its last spring scrimmage in the annual Maroon and White game.
During the scrimmage, Henig worked the Maroon first string offense, completing 7-of-14 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, as he helped lead the team to a 21-0 victory over the second string White squad.
On the opening series, Henig lead the offense on an 80-yard drive, ending with a 19-yard swing pass to tight end Dezmond Sherrod for the touchdown. The other score came from a 5-yard pass to running back Anthony Dixon, who broke off into the flat, diving into the right corner of the end zone. Dixon saw limited work and rushed only five times for 17 yards.
Henig, who is in his fourth season in the West Coast offense, wanted to come into the spring season and get more accustomed to the offense, which he feels he accomplished.
“I feel 100 percent comfortable in the offense,” he said. “You go from a learning process to a reaction process, and I’m reacting more. Now when I get the play I know exactly what I’m doing, and I trust my wide receivers to go get it.”
Usually, in what is normally a very conservative game, the offense showed a little of what fans may be able to expect come this fall.
Aubrey Bell took a reverse play for 19 yards, and Henig’s pass on a flea-flicker was broken up in the end zone. Henig said the offense wants to be more powerful and productive.
“That’s what we want to get out of this offense,” he said. “We threw the ball well, and we have the guys who can make plays. Today we wanted to show the fans what to look forward to.”
Junior college transfer Josh Riddell completed one pass, a 39-yard strike to Jamayel Smith for a touchdown. Smith caught three passes for 93 yards.
Head coach Sylvester Croom laid to rest any notion of there being a quarterback controversy, naming Henig No. 1.
“It’s obvious both Mike and Josh did some good things. Mike had a good spring, and he’s our starting quarterback,” Croom said.
As Henig knows, being named No. 1 doesn’t always mean you’re going to get the start.
“I’m Josh’s biggest fan,” he said. “If something happens to me, he has to be there. I’m always there to answer his questions.”
Riddell agrees.
“We get along real well. I’m always asking questions, and he’s there helping me out, teaching me what it takes to be quarterback.”
While Croom was mostly pleased with the spring his team has had, he said it’s what the team does in the off-season that will determine how successful the team can be come fall.
“I told our players that exactly what they do between the last whistle of the spring game until Aug. 1 will determine what kind of season we have,” he said. “I expect them to take a lot of pride in what they do this summer. If they want to be champions, they’ll get it done.”
Henig is quickly preparing for his off-season conditioning, as he plans to begin working with receivers in 7-on-7 drills starting Tuesday.
He also hopes to carry his impressive spring performance into the fall when the Bulldogs suit up to take on LSU Aug. 31.
“We’ve done some good things this spring, and now we have off-season programs coming up, and we’re going to work hard to be ready for LSU.