This season, State features a group of unlikely stars on the field. In recent years, the quarterback play on offense, as well as the running backs, has dictated the way the game has been played.
This season, the tight end play has created a new vision for this year’s team.
Tight ends Malcolm Johnson, Brandon Hill and Marcus Green have combined for 230 yards on 19 catches, as well as scoring six of the 13 receiving touchdowns State has scored all season. Only one positional receiver (Chad Bumphis) has caught a touchdown pass this season.
Bumphis has six touchdowns receptions and fullback Adrian Marcus has one touchdown catch, rounding out the receiving touchdowns for the Bulldogs this season.
Green is ranked third in the country in receiving touchdowns this season behind Nevada’s Zach Sudfeld (6) and Marshall’s Gator Hoskins (7). Green said he strives to be the leader of the tight end core, leading the pack in both experience and statistics.
“I am trying to show the guys (Hill and Johnson) some things that I hope will help them in the future,” Green said. “They know how to make plays, so we just have to go out on the field and get wins.”
The “three-headed monster” in the tight end position was especially recognized in last weekend’s game against Tennessee. In what most people saw as this year’s most crucial game thus far, Johnson, Hill and Green accumulated 110 yards on nine catches, as well as scoring three touchdowns in the game, including Johnson’s one-handed touchdown catch with nine seconds left in the game to send Tennessee home with a 41-31 loss.
Last weekend’s game against the Volunteers was Johnson’s first appearance this season after tearing his right pectoral muscle during the off season. Linebacker Cameron Lawrence said Johnson’s catch was amazing.
“That was a huge highlight catch,” Lawrence said. “Malcolm has prepared well to come back, and I think he did a great job in his season debut.”
MSU quarterback Tyler Russell is using this new threat to the offense to jumpstart a season in which he has thrown 12 touchdowns and only one interception. Russell said the tight ends have helped him spread the field this season.
“I trust those guys (Johnson, Hill and Green) to make plays, and they do,” Russell said. “They work hard day-in and day-out, and it shows on the field.”
Tomorrow against MTSU, Russell will be going up against a defense that has allowed almost 300 passing yards per game on the road. This should allow every receiver the opportunity to make big plays and find the end zone.
The Blue Raider defense is also struggling in all other parts of the defense in October, allowing over 100 more total yards per game than in August and September combined.
All week in practice, State focused on this week’s game instead of overlooking MTSU and strictly focusing on next week’s game against Alabama. After throwing his first touchdown pass last Saturday against Tennessee, redshirt freshman Dak Prescott said he is focusing on the present, not the past or future.
“Coach Mullen always tells us that you play like you prepare, so we are just focusing on our opponent this week,” Prescott said. “We’ll worry about our next opponent after we come out of this week with a win.”
Prescott hopes to continue his success this weekend with the addition of a passing game that teams must now recognize after throwing his first touchdown pass of his college career to Green.
Historically, State has had the Blue Raiders’ number, winning every matchup against MTSU all-time, the last game being played in 2009 when the Bulldogs beat MTSU by a score of 27-6.
Also, the first game on the 1999 schedule was a 40-7 victory over MTSU to begin what most fans view as one of the best seasons in Mississippi State Football history, when MSU started off its season at 8-0 before losing to Alabama in its ninth game of the 1999 season.
It seems almost like fate that the Blue Raiders would be placed on our schedule on the week State hopes to become the first team since the 1999 season to begin its season 7-0. This week, the Dawgs are hopeful Homecoming will be a coming out party for every player on the field.
Kickoff for this weekend’s game at Davis Wade Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.